Friday, April 29, 2011
Wedding Day! I’m sure most of you know, if you watch the news any at all, that today is the big day in England. Prince William and his fiancée Katie are to be married today. There’ll be loads of celebration, parties in the streets, and great fan-fair throughout the day. It’s being hailed the “event of the century” by many in the media. The attention it is getting certainly fits the bill. Can you imagine all the thousands of hours of prep work that had to be done to prepare for today?
Normal weddings can be stressful. I’ve done quite a few weddings, and I’ve found that no matter how far in advance a couple begins planning, when the wedding draws near the stress builds up. The week of the wedding can very well be one of the hardest weeks of a couple’s lives, especially the bride and her mom. I’m sure with all the countless hired hands the royal couple has it must be slightly easier.
All that prep work for an event that will be over at the end of the day. Sure, they’ll look back at the wedding day for the rest of their lives. But the true joy of the wedding will begin after the big day is over – and real life begins. The wedding is only a small speck on the timeline that is life for these two people. The real life starts after “I do.”
We focus a lot of our time and energy talking about the Biblical teaching of the rapture, as well we should. There’s not another single event that I’m looking forward to more. It will be a turning point in the history of the world. Since Adam and Even ate the fruit in the Garden of Eden, the earth has been groaning for that day. It will signal the end of our present age, and the beginning of the Great Tribulation period of 7 years, after which is the Millennial Reign, after which is eternity.
But as exciting at the rapture is to think about and study, it’s the moment after that should really excite us. After the rapture happens, our faith will become sight. The things we’ve believed in and been second guessed about will be right in front of us. The skeptic’s words to us about our “blind faith” and “ignorance of reality” will vanish in the reality that is tangible! The rapture is a big deal, but friend I’m more looking forward to the moment immediately following the rapture.
The royal wedding may be a big deal, but the event of the age is yet to come. Just as William and Katie had to be prepared for their big day, we must be prepared for ours. “We shall see Jesus, just as they saw Him; there is no greater promise than this! When He returns in power and glory, we shall see Jesus, just as He is!” Are you ready for the moment after?
PS: If you’d like to donate to the tornado relief efforts one suggested group is the American Red Cross. I’ve seen first-hand that these folks will provide shelter and clothing to people who have lost homes in these types of situations. Visit http://www.redcross.org and click the link at the top of the page, “DONATE FUNDS.”
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
We Miss the Power...
Thursday, April 28, 2011
We Miss the Power… Since the storms passed through this past Monday, there have been many throughout the state that still have yet to get their electricity back on. My own parents are running the essentials of the house by generator. Every 6 – 7 hours my dad has to fill it up with gas in order for them to keep power, and that’s only on a limited basis. How often do we simply walk into a room, flip a switch to get lights, and not give it a second thought? We miss the power when it’s gone…
I’ve had the awesome privilege of being in church services when God moved in a mighty, unexplainable way. I’ve seen folks pouring forward to accept Christ during the first few songs, long before the invitation is ever given. I preached a youth revival once in Friendship, Arkansas where we had a 45 minute invitation because students kept making moves. We saw dozens and dozens of students accept Christ that night, with several even surrendering their lives to ministry service. But when the power isn’t there, we miss it.
Have you ever been in a service at church when it was dry as a bone? I have experienced services like this. There’s usually something at the root of services like that, too. My experience in the past has been that when I have something in my heart against someone, worship services for me are usually dry and dead. I’ve been in services at times in my preaching ministry when great division was present in the church I was guest speaking in. The air was so cold you could almost see ice forming on the light fixtures. There’s no power in that.
I’m thankful that God has allowed me the privilege of seeing Him move all around me, in spite of me. I’m thankful to see the power of the Holy Spirit changing lives and filling services on a regular basis. But I don’t want to become so accustomed to His moving that I begin to take it for granted. All it takes is one moment without the powerhouse of the Holy Spirit filling you or a service you’re in to remember just how crucial He is! May I never take the Power for granted!
So, today: pray for those without electricity in the areas affected by the storms. They say it will most likely be Saturday or later before it is restored for some. Pray for the crews that are working tirelessly to restore the power. Guys like Randy Everett and his Entergy crews are saving the day for many. And pray for believers, and churches, that have gone so long without the power supply of the Holy Spirit filling their lives and services that they don’t even realize His absence anymore. We need the power back, in full supply, if we’re ever going to reach this world.
PS: If you’d like to donate to the tornado relief efforts one suggested group is the American Red Cross. I’ve seen first-hand that these folks will provide shelter and clothing to people who have lost homes in these types of situations. Visit http://www.redcross.org and click the link at the top of the page, “DONATE FUNDS.”
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
We Miss the Power… Since the storms passed through this past Monday, there have been many throughout the state that still have yet to get their electricity back on. My own parents are running the essentials of the house by generator. Every 6 – 7 hours my dad has to fill it up with gas in order for them to keep power, and that’s only on a limited basis. How often do we simply walk into a room, flip a switch to get lights, and not give it a second thought? We miss the power when it’s gone…
I’ve had the awesome privilege of being in church services when God moved in a mighty, unexplainable way. I’ve seen folks pouring forward to accept Christ during the first few songs, long before the invitation is ever given. I preached a youth revival once in Friendship, Arkansas where we had a 45 minute invitation because students kept making moves. We saw dozens and dozens of students accept Christ that night, with several even surrendering their lives to ministry service. But when the power isn’t there, we miss it.
Have you ever been in a service at church when it was dry as a bone? I have experienced services like this. There’s usually something at the root of services like that, too. My experience in the past has been that when I have something in my heart against someone, worship services for me are usually dry and dead. I’ve been in services at times in my preaching ministry when great division was present in the church I was guest speaking in. The air was so cold you could almost see ice forming on the light fixtures. There’s no power in that.
I’m thankful that God has allowed me the privilege of seeing Him move all around me, in spite of me. I’m thankful to see the power of the Holy Spirit changing lives and filling services on a regular basis. But I don’t want to become so accustomed to His moving that I begin to take it for granted. All it takes is one moment without the powerhouse of the Holy Spirit filling you or a service you’re in to remember just how crucial He is! May I never take the Power for granted!
So, today: pray for those without electricity in the areas affected by the storms. They say it will most likely be Saturday or later before it is restored for some. Pray for the crews that are working tirelessly to restore the power. Guys like Randy Everett and his Entergy crews are saving the day for many. And pray for believers, and churches, that have gone so long without the power supply of the Holy Spirit filling their lives and services that they don’t even realize His absence anymore. We need the power back, in full supply, if we’re ever going to reach this world.
PS: If you’d like to donate to the tornado relief efforts one suggested group is the American Red Cross. I’ve seen first-hand that these folks will provide shelter and clothing to people who have lost homes in these types of situations. Visit http://www.redcross.org and click the link at the top of the page, “DONATE FUNDS.”
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Simply Pray.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Simply Pray. There are the occasional mornings when I just don’t seem to have too many words to say. On these mornings, sitting down to write a blog seems somewhat futile. I just don’t have anything coming out, and rambling seems to be the only product if I type much. Sometimes God pours entire ideas into my spirit when I wake up, and they make their way into this blog. And other times, like today, He simply pours in a couple of simple words.
So I want to pass on the info below, again, so you can look into donating toward helping those affected by the tornados. But I also want to pass along what He was passed along to me this morning. It’s just a simple word that holds so much power if it’s practiced: pray. This morning, spend some time praying for the families of the fatalities of the storms. Pray for the folks who lost everything in the storms. And pray for yourself, that you would take every chance to show the love of Christ to those around you today. After all, you never know when our time will come to stand before God. Let’s be ready, and let’s make sure others are ready too. So pray.
PS: If you’d like to donate to the tornado relief efforts one suggested group is the American Red Cross. I’ve seen first-hand that these folks will provide shelter and clothing to people who have lost homes in these types of situations. Visit http://www.redcross.org and click the link at the top of the page, “DONATE FUNDS.”
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Simply Pray. There are the occasional mornings when I just don’t seem to have too many words to say. On these mornings, sitting down to write a blog seems somewhat futile. I just don’t have anything coming out, and rambling seems to be the only product if I type much. Sometimes God pours entire ideas into my spirit when I wake up, and they make their way into this blog. And other times, like today, He simply pours in a couple of simple words.
So I want to pass on the info below, again, so you can look into donating toward helping those affected by the tornados. But I also want to pass along what He was passed along to me this morning. It’s just a simple word that holds so much power if it’s practiced: pray. This morning, spend some time praying for the families of the fatalities of the storms. Pray for the folks who lost everything in the storms. And pray for yourself, that you would take every chance to show the love of Christ to those around you today. After all, you never know when our time will come to stand before God. Let’s be ready, and let’s make sure others are ready too. So pray.
PS: If you’d like to donate to the tornado relief efforts one suggested group is the American Red Cross. I’ve seen first-hand that these folks will provide shelter and clothing to people who have lost homes in these types of situations. Visit http://www.redcross.org and click the link at the top of the page, “DONATE FUNDS.”
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
After the Storm...
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
After the Storm… Last night a huge line of tornadic storms moved through Arkansas. My hometown, Vilonia, was hit hard. I went to sleep last night after hearing of numerous injuries and 1 death in the place I called home growing up, where my parents still live. Thankfully my family are all safe and accounted for. I haven’t heard an updated count as of this morning, but one thing is sure: residents of that community are waking up different this morning than they were this time yesterday.
That’s the undeniable truth about storms when they hit close to home: they change you. They leave a path of devastation that is most heartbreaking when your home or family lies in its wake. For those outside the impacted area, it was another bad storm that they survived, for which they are thankful. The perspective is infinitely different – miles apart – for people affected and those not.
I’ve been through a storm or two in my short life thus far. I’ve been through a dark, scary night when it seemed like everything that mattered was being torn from my grasp. I have sat up, awake, not knowing what would be destroyed next as the night went on. Sure, I’ve seen my share of bad weather, but sometimes the storms going on inside of us are even more dramatic and scary.
I remember the feeling the day after that storm began. I remember seeing people going about their regular, daily life. Nothing had changed for them. I remember thinking, “How can you just act like nothing happened? How can you just be living life as usual, when my world had caved in?” The truth is nothing had changed for them. They weren’t hit by the storm – they avoided its path of destruction that night.
And so this morning, would you join me in praying for the folks who were hit by the literal storm last night? Would you also lift up the folks today that are facing a storm that only they know the extent of? Join me in striving to be more sensitive to the pain of those who have just woken up to the day after the storm. Let’s ask God to show us how to be the hands and feet of the Body of Christ to those hurting, to bring peace, love and joy to their lives, and ultimately show them the One Who can walk on the water and bring those powerful words, “Peace, be still” every time.
PS: If you’d like to donate to the tornado relief efforts one suggested group is the American Red Cross. I’ve seen first-hand that these folks will provide shelter and clothing to people who have lost homes in these types of situations. Visit http://www.redcross.org and click the link at the top of the page, “DONATE FUNDS.”
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
After the Storm… Last night a huge line of tornadic storms moved through Arkansas. My hometown, Vilonia, was hit hard. I went to sleep last night after hearing of numerous injuries and 1 death in the place I called home growing up, where my parents still live. Thankfully my family are all safe and accounted for. I haven’t heard an updated count as of this morning, but one thing is sure: residents of that community are waking up different this morning than they were this time yesterday.
That’s the undeniable truth about storms when they hit close to home: they change you. They leave a path of devastation that is most heartbreaking when your home or family lies in its wake. For those outside the impacted area, it was another bad storm that they survived, for which they are thankful. The perspective is infinitely different – miles apart – for people affected and those not.
I’ve been through a storm or two in my short life thus far. I’ve been through a dark, scary night when it seemed like everything that mattered was being torn from my grasp. I have sat up, awake, not knowing what would be destroyed next as the night went on. Sure, I’ve seen my share of bad weather, but sometimes the storms going on inside of us are even more dramatic and scary.
I remember the feeling the day after that storm began. I remember seeing people going about their regular, daily life. Nothing had changed for them. I remember thinking, “How can you just act like nothing happened? How can you just be living life as usual, when my world had caved in?” The truth is nothing had changed for them. They weren’t hit by the storm – they avoided its path of destruction that night.
And so this morning, would you join me in praying for the folks who were hit by the literal storm last night? Would you also lift up the folks today that are facing a storm that only they know the extent of? Join me in striving to be more sensitive to the pain of those who have just woken up to the day after the storm. Let’s ask God to show us how to be the hands and feet of the Body of Christ to those hurting, to bring peace, love and joy to their lives, and ultimately show them the One Who can walk on the water and bring those powerful words, “Peace, be still” every time.
PS: If you’d like to donate to the tornado relief efforts one suggested group is the American Red Cross. I’ve seen first-hand that these folks will provide shelter and clothing to people who have lost homes in these types of situations. Visit http://www.redcross.org and click the link at the top of the page, “DONATE FUNDS.”
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Monday, April 25, 2011
For What It's Worth...
Monday, April 25, 2011
For What It’s Worth… Occasionally I get inspiration for these blogs from random sources. God can use all sorts of things and experiences to plant ideas in my spirit for my writing. I got a message from a close friend yesterday about an experience he had at a restaurant at lunch yesterday that stuck with me.
He was sitting near a man that was ordering his food. He said this man apparently hadn’t been to an Easter service or anything. When the waitress was about to leave his table he said, “Well, happy Easter, whatever it’s worth…” Whatever it’s worth…whatever it’s worth…
My sin had me in chains. My filth was sickening to a holy, righteous, and perfect God. There was not any amount of “good deeds” I could ever do to undo the sin and wrong I had done in my life, or would go on to do later. My eternal destiny was hell. But He died and rose again. That’s what it’s worth.
Since the moment of taking that bite of fruit in the Garden of Eden, every man, woman, boy and girl had been living under a curse. This curse was heavy, and would end in death. God gave His Law to His people in the Old Testament as a reminder of how broken mankind really was. The Law pointed to the tremendous, inescapable need of a Savior. That why He died and rose again. That’s what it’s worth.
Countless hearts have been mended. Countless diseases have been healed. Countless lives have been restored. Countless relationships have been rebuilt. Countless addictions have been broken. Countless cases of hopelessness have been given hope. That, my friend, is what it’s worth.
Yes, I know we celebrated the resurrection yesterday on the big holiday set aside for such. But don’t miss this important truth: He rose again so we could get up on the day after, and the day after that, and the day after that. Lift up your eyes, today, and fix them on the Savior that is alive and sitting at the right hand of the throne of God, interceding for us, and carrying our pain and heartache for us. Because, after all, that’s what it’s worth.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
For What It’s Worth… Occasionally I get inspiration for these blogs from random sources. God can use all sorts of things and experiences to plant ideas in my spirit for my writing. I got a message from a close friend yesterday about an experience he had at a restaurant at lunch yesterday that stuck with me.
He was sitting near a man that was ordering his food. He said this man apparently hadn’t been to an Easter service or anything. When the waitress was about to leave his table he said, “Well, happy Easter, whatever it’s worth…” Whatever it’s worth…whatever it’s worth…
My sin had me in chains. My filth was sickening to a holy, righteous, and perfect God. There was not any amount of “good deeds” I could ever do to undo the sin and wrong I had done in my life, or would go on to do later. My eternal destiny was hell. But He died and rose again. That’s what it’s worth.
Since the moment of taking that bite of fruit in the Garden of Eden, every man, woman, boy and girl had been living under a curse. This curse was heavy, and would end in death. God gave His Law to His people in the Old Testament as a reminder of how broken mankind really was. The Law pointed to the tremendous, inescapable need of a Savior. That why He died and rose again. That’s what it’s worth.
Countless hearts have been mended. Countless diseases have been healed. Countless lives have been restored. Countless relationships have been rebuilt. Countless addictions have been broken. Countless cases of hopelessness have been given hope. That, my friend, is what it’s worth.
Yes, I know we celebrated the resurrection yesterday on the big holiday set aside for such. But don’t miss this important truth: He rose again so we could get up on the day after, and the day after that, and the day after that. Lift up your eyes, today, and fix them on the Savior that is alive and sitting at the right hand of the throne of God, interceding for us, and carrying our pain and heartache for us. Because, after all, that’s what it’s worth.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Friday, April 22, 2011
Really Listening...?
Friday, April 22, 2011
Really Listening…? You’ve been there; you know exactly what I’m talking about. You are having a conversation with someone, and you very much want them to hear everything you are saying. You’ve just finished a 10 minute explanation of some really important event, and you’re out of breath and tired of talking. You glance at them to see what their reaction is and there it is: a blank look. They weren’t listening, though they were pretending to. Is that frustrating?
I was notorious for this as a child. I was always so busy – running everywhere I went (I have a few scars to prove it) – that when someone would stop me to tell me something important, my mind would often be somewhere else already. I can remember my parents telling me things that I really needed to hear, and having to say, “Blake, listen. You need to remember this. You need to really listen.”
Sometimes information is very valuable for us to hear. There are times in life when listening isn’t optional – it’s necessary. For example, the other day on my school bus I gave my students a quick spill that afternoon about keeping the noise down and being ready to listen, should the Transportation Office come over the radio and inform us of extreme weather situations. Should they tell us of dangerous conditions like a tornado warning we would need to listen, hear, and take action in order to be safe.
From the very first day of man’s existence in the Garden of Eden, God has spoken to us. He did it in person with Adam and Eve then. He spoke through prophets and visions throughout the Old Testament. He spoke through the person of Jesus Christ in the Gospels. He spoke through the Holy Spirit in the New Testament era and today. Regardless of His medium used to speak, one universal truth is always evident: we must listen in order to benefit from His words.
So today, are you listening? No, I mean are you REALLY listening? If you are so busy with the things and cares of life that you are only casually glancing at Him from time to time, you aren’t listening. I mean, seriously, are you listening to the voice of God? He speaks through His Word and by His Spirit. If you don’t have time for the first, you won’t hear much from the second.
So join me today is spending a little more time than usual listening – both to Him and to the cries of a lost and broken world around us. The more we hear, the more we can do. And the more we can do, the more lives can be restored and saved. And the more lives can be restored and saved, the more feet will be pitter pattering on the golden streets of heaven someday. Are you listening?
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Really Listening…? You’ve been there; you know exactly what I’m talking about. You are having a conversation with someone, and you very much want them to hear everything you are saying. You’ve just finished a 10 minute explanation of some really important event, and you’re out of breath and tired of talking. You glance at them to see what their reaction is and there it is: a blank look. They weren’t listening, though they were pretending to. Is that frustrating?
I was notorious for this as a child. I was always so busy – running everywhere I went (I have a few scars to prove it) – that when someone would stop me to tell me something important, my mind would often be somewhere else already. I can remember my parents telling me things that I really needed to hear, and having to say, “Blake, listen. You need to remember this. You need to really listen.”
Sometimes information is very valuable for us to hear. There are times in life when listening isn’t optional – it’s necessary. For example, the other day on my school bus I gave my students a quick spill that afternoon about keeping the noise down and being ready to listen, should the Transportation Office come over the radio and inform us of extreme weather situations. Should they tell us of dangerous conditions like a tornado warning we would need to listen, hear, and take action in order to be safe.
From the very first day of man’s existence in the Garden of Eden, God has spoken to us. He did it in person with Adam and Eve then. He spoke through prophets and visions throughout the Old Testament. He spoke through the person of Jesus Christ in the Gospels. He spoke through the Holy Spirit in the New Testament era and today. Regardless of His medium used to speak, one universal truth is always evident: we must listen in order to benefit from His words.
So today, are you listening? No, I mean are you REALLY listening? If you are so busy with the things and cares of life that you are only casually glancing at Him from time to time, you aren’t listening. I mean, seriously, are you listening to the voice of God? He speaks through His Word and by His Spirit. If you don’t have time for the first, you won’t hear much from the second.
So join me today is spending a little more time than usual listening – both to Him and to the cries of a lost and broken world around us. The more we hear, the more we can do. And the more we can do, the more lives can be restored and saved. And the more lives can be restored and saved, the more feet will be pitter pattering on the golden streets of heaven someday. Are you listening?
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thunder.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thunder. I’m not afraid of thunder one tiny bit. In all reality, there’s nothing to be afraid of about thunder. After all, thunder is just a sound – that’s it. Thunder cannot do anything to me, so why should I fear it? Sure it’s loud and boisterous, but that’s all it is. So I can say, without a doubt, I don’t fear thunder.
But I fear lightning. Man, do I ever fear lightning. Lightning can destroy things, and even kill you. The sheer power of lightning is beyond my comprehension. I’ve been shocked by large amounts of electricity before, but that didn’t have anything on a bolt of lightning. I have a reverent respect and fear for lightning.
It’s also so unpredictable. If you’ve ever watched a storm that has a lot of lightning activity in it, you know exactly what I mean. You’ll see a lightning bolt strike over on this side of the storm, and the very next second another strike happens on the opposite side of the storm. It will strike high, low, and everywhere in between. You can’t predict where lightning will strike. There’s another reason to fear it.
I’m sort of like thunder to the devil. He doesn’t fear me. He has no reason to be afraid of me. He’s stronger than I am every time. He’s been around longer, so he has more experience than me. And he knows I don’t have any strength in and of myself. Why would he fear me?
But he trembles at the sound of my Savior’s name! At the name of Jesus, hell shudders knowing Who the powerhouse really is. You see, I’m like thunder, in that I’m simply a product of something else. Jesus is the One behind the scenes causing the fruit of my life, just as thunder is simple the product of the real force of lightning. The devil doesn’t fear me, but I want him to see the evidence of the One he fears in my life.
And man oh man, is my God ever unpredictable! He works in His time, on His plan, according to His will and desire. You cannot predict how He will show up, or how He will work, though many down through the ages have claimed that ability. He never does anything against His character, but that’s His only self-imposed limitation. And my, how I love Him for that.
So today, when you hear the rumble of the thunder as I do right now, think about the lightning. And would you join me today in recommitting to the Lightning (Jesus) to be His thunder and let His power work through you in a world that needs all the light it can get? Christian: the devil isn’t afraid of you, but he is terrified of the One that fills you. Live like it today.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Thunder. I’m not afraid of thunder one tiny bit. In all reality, there’s nothing to be afraid of about thunder. After all, thunder is just a sound – that’s it. Thunder cannot do anything to me, so why should I fear it? Sure it’s loud and boisterous, but that’s all it is. So I can say, without a doubt, I don’t fear thunder.
But I fear lightning. Man, do I ever fear lightning. Lightning can destroy things, and even kill you. The sheer power of lightning is beyond my comprehension. I’ve been shocked by large amounts of electricity before, but that didn’t have anything on a bolt of lightning. I have a reverent respect and fear for lightning.
It’s also so unpredictable. If you’ve ever watched a storm that has a lot of lightning activity in it, you know exactly what I mean. You’ll see a lightning bolt strike over on this side of the storm, and the very next second another strike happens on the opposite side of the storm. It will strike high, low, and everywhere in between. You can’t predict where lightning will strike. There’s another reason to fear it.
I’m sort of like thunder to the devil. He doesn’t fear me. He has no reason to be afraid of me. He’s stronger than I am every time. He’s been around longer, so he has more experience than me. And he knows I don’t have any strength in and of myself. Why would he fear me?
But he trembles at the sound of my Savior’s name! At the name of Jesus, hell shudders knowing Who the powerhouse really is. You see, I’m like thunder, in that I’m simply a product of something else. Jesus is the One behind the scenes causing the fruit of my life, just as thunder is simple the product of the real force of lightning. The devil doesn’t fear me, but I want him to see the evidence of the One he fears in my life.
And man oh man, is my God ever unpredictable! He works in His time, on His plan, according to His will and desire. You cannot predict how He will show up, or how He will work, though many down through the ages have claimed that ability. He never does anything against His character, but that’s His only self-imposed limitation. And my, how I love Him for that.
So today, when you hear the rumble of the thunder as I do right now, think about the lightning. And would you join me today in recommitting to the Lightning (Jesus) to be His thunder and let His power work through you in a world that needs all the light it can get? Christian: the devil isn’t afraid of you, but he is terrified of the One that fills you. Live like it today.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
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Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Blank.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Blank. Have you ever had a moment when you were just totally blank? You may have been trying to have a conversation with someone, and the words just wouldn’t form themselves. It’s frustrating to want to say something and not be able to. I have a friend that’s going through a tough time in his life, and this seems to be a problem for him right now. A once happy, fun loving guy with a sense of humor that was second to none can barely have a conversation with you these days. It’s heartbreaking for those of us that are his friends, but I’m sure it’s frustrating for him.
When I got up this morning I found myself in a similar situation. Usually, as soon as my alarm goes off and I wake up at 4:30AM, my day’s blog inspiration is flying through my head. Not so this morning. When I woke up I was literally blank. And that’s a strange feeling.
I didn’t sleep much last night at all, due to the storms passing through. Any time the weatherman mentions tornados, I’m pretty much guaranteed not to sleep until the threat is totally passed and over. I thought that was the case last night at around 10pm, but then came round 2 and the weatherman mentioned Cabot specifically as a target for the new line of storms. So awake I was.
I suppose it’s a constructive thing to experience blankness from time to time. After all, our human nature within us loves to claim credit for anything we do that’s worth anything. Even when the inspiration clearly comes from God, who is the only One deserving of credit, we like to steal the spotlight when we can. So occasionally He sends us blankness – a total dependence on Him, so the credit goes where it belongs.
And so it is with this blog. Would you join me in doing something today? I didn’t have a well-worded or even funny blog today. You may be saying to yourself right now, “Well, does he EVER have a well-worded or funny blog…?” Regardless, today certainly isn’t such a day. All I have is a blank page in my mind.
So would you join me in handing the pen to God right now? Ask Him to write the “blog of your life” today. And when you give Him the pen, just step back – He’s got this thing under control. And at the end of the day, more people will have seen Him in your blankness than they’ve ever seen in your skills or abilities.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Blank. Have you ever had a moment when you were just totally blank? You may have been trying to have a conversation with someone, and the words just wouldn’t form themselves. It’s frustrating to want to say something and not be able to. I have a friend that’s going through a tough time in his life, and this seems to be a problem for him right now. A once happy, fun loving guy with a sense of humor that was second to none can barely have a conversation with you these days. It’s heartbreaking for those of us that are his friends, but I’m sure it’s frustrating for him.
When I got up this morning I found myself in a similar situation. Usually, as soon as my alarm goes off and I wake up at 4:30AM, my day’s blog inspiration is flying through my head. Not so this morning. When I woke up I was literally blank. And that’s a strange feeling.
I didn’t sleep much last night at all, due to the storms passing through. Any time the weatherman mentions tornados, I’m pretty much guaranteed not to sleep until the threat is totally passed and over. I thought that was the case last night at around 10pm, but then came round 2 and the weatherman mentioned Cabot specifically as a target for the new line of storms. So awake I was.
I suppose it’s a constructive thing to experience blankness from time to time. After all, our human nature within us loves to claim credit for anything we do that’s worth anything. Even when the inspiration clearly comes from God, who is the only One deserving of credit, we like to steal the spotlight when we can. So occasionally He sends us blankness – a total dependence on Him, so the credit goes where it belongs.
And so it is with this blog. Would you join me in doing something today? I didn’t have a well-worded or even funny blog today. You may be saying to yourself right now, “Well, does he EVER have a well-worded or funny blog…?” Regardless, today certainly isn’t such a day. All I have is a blank page in my mind.
So would you join me in handing the pen to God right now? Ask Him to write the “blog of your life” today. And when you give Him the pen, just step back – He’s got this thing under control. And at the end of the day, more people will have seen Him in your blankness than they’ve ever seen in your skills or abilities.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Loose Change.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Loose Change. We give school so much of our day. We give the job so much of our day. We give friends so much of our day. We give Facebook so much of our day. We give the TV so much of our day. We give food so much of our day. And when it’s all said and done, all that’s left is loose change.
That’s what we offer to God. Isn’t that a tragedy?
Let’s reverse this story…
He gave school so much of Himself. He gave the job so much of Himself. He gave friends so much of Himself. He gave Facebook so much of Himself. He gave the TV so much of Himself. He gave food so much of Himself. And when it was all said and done, all that was left was loose change.
That’s what He offered to us. But we know better, right?
It’s absurd to read that last paragraph. We know it’s an outright lie. God didn’t just give us what was left after everything else, He gave us His Best. He gave us Jesus, His one and only begotten Son. And He gave Him to us in the way that was necessary to redeem us, even though it required tremendous sacrifice.
So why do we find ourselves simply bringing Him what’s left with our lives – our leftovers? Is that all He deserves?
Join me in asking two questions of ourselves this morning, would you? 1. How big is my God? And 2. What does He deserve from me?
Now answer those two questions with more than words. Answer those two questions with your life and the way it is lived today.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Loose Change. We give school so much of our day. We give the job so much of our day. We give friends so much of our day. We give Facebook so much of our day. We give the TV so much of our day. We give food so much of our day. And when it’s all said and done, all that’s left is loose change.
That’s what we offer to God. Isn’t that a tragedy?
Let’s reverse this story…
He gave school so much of Himself. He gave the job so much of Himself. He gave friends so much of Himself. He gave Facebook so much of Himself. He gave the TV so much of Himself. He gave food so much of Himself. And when it was all said and done, all that was left was loose change.
That’s what He offered to us. But we know better, right?
It’s absurd to read that last paragraph. We know it’s an outright lie. God didn’t just give us what was left after everything else, He gave us His Best. He gave us Jesus, His one and only begotten Son. And He gave Him to us in the way that was necessary to redeem us, even though it required tremendous sacrifice.
So why do we find ourselves simply bringing Him what’s left with our lives – our leftovers? Is that all He deserves?
Join me in asking two questions of ourselves this morning, would you? 1. How big is my God? And 2. What does He deserve from me?
Now answer those two questions with more than words. Answer those two questions with your life and the way it is lived today.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Monday, April 18, 2011
Sand Castles.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Sand Castles. Do you remember when you were young and had the opportunity, you would build a sand castle? I’ve seen some pretty elaborate sand castles on my trips to the beach or even to the lake. It is always amazing to me how detailed some folks can be, even at such young ages. But as we grow older, we continue to build sand castles – the size and cost just increase.
You know how temporary those sand castles were, right? We would work so hard to build the most impressive structure possible, only for the tide to rise that night and wash it all away. And if by chance the tide didn’t rise high enough to destroy it, someone wandered along on the beach and demolished it anyway. Sand castles aren’t, by design or material, created to last forever, or even for very long. They are extremely temporary.
So why is it that as we grow older we spend so much of our adult years building more sand castles? No, I’m not talking about literal castles made of sand at the beach. I’m referring to the things we invest so much of our lives in that are so temporary in nature. We burn so much energy and time, two precious commodities in life, to build up things that won’t survive the test of tide or tribulation.
When the tide of death or tragedy rise, or the tribulation of persecution or hardship come strolling along, so much of what we have spent our lives building will crumble. Why is that so?
Jesus used the illustration of two men: a wise man and a foolish man. The wise man built his house upon the rock. When the rains and winds came, it stood firm. The foolish man built his house upon the sand. When the rains and winds came, it was completely demolished. The rock is Jesus Christ. The sand is anything else.
I’ve built my fair share of houses on sand, believe me. And the storms have demolished most all of them, too. One by one, they fell. From the most treasured and prized of sand castles to the spur of the moment, last minute ones – they crumbled.
So I want to be done with temporary efforts. I want to throw away my sand castle days. I want to build things that will last. I want to invest my life in ways that will last long after there is no more Blake Martin. I want to spend my time on this earth building for His kingdom, and not trying to build my own.
Would you join me in this adventure of kingdom building? Will you put down the sand, and step up to the Rock? God will honor the desires of our hearts if we are striving to build on Him. Let’s break some ground today…
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Sand Castles. Do you remember when you were young and had the opportunity, you would build a sand castle? I’ve seen some pretty elaborate sand castles on my trips to the beach or even to the lake. It is always amazing to me how detailed some folks can be, even at such young ages. But as we grow older, we continue to build sand castles – the size and cost just increase.
You know how temporary those sand castles were, right? We would work so hard to build the most impressive structure possible, only for the tide to rise that night and wash it all away. And if by chance the tide didn’t rise high enough to destroy it, someone wandered along on the beach and demolished it anyway. Sand castles aren’t, by design or material, created to last forever, or even for very long. They are extremely temporary.
So why is it that as we grow older we spend so much of our adult years building more sand castles? No, I’m not talking about literal castles made of sand at the beach. I’m referring to the things we invest so much of our lives in that are so temporary in nature. We burn so much energy and time, two precious commodities in life, to build up things that won’t survive the test of tide or tribulation.
When the tide of death or tragedy rise, or the tribulation of persecution or hardship come strolling along, so much of what we have spent our lives building will crumble. Why is that so?
Jesus used the illustration of two men: a wise man and a foolish man. The wise man built his house upon the rock. When the rains and winds came, it stood firm. The foolish man built his house upon the sand. When the rains and winds came, it was completely demolished. The rock is Jesus Christ. The sand is anything else.
I’ve built my fair share of houses on sand, believe me. And the storms have demolished most all of them, too. One by one, they fell. From the most treasured and prized of sand castles to the spur of the moment, last minute ones – they crumbled.
So I want to be done with temporary efforts. I want to throw away my sand castle days. I want to build things that will last. I want to invest my life in ways that will last long after there is no more Blake Martin. I want to spend my time on this earth building for His kingdom, and not trying to build my own.
Would you join me in this adventure of kingdom building? Will you put down the sand, and step up to the Rock? God will honor the desires of our hearts if we are striving to build on Him. Let’s break some ground today…
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Friday, April 15, 2011
Worship's Backbone.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Worship’s Backbone. Last night I got the awesome opportunity to hear Mercy Me live in concert at the Church at Rock Creek in Little Rock. I love the way God has used, and is using, such an awesome band as they write and perform songs that point people directly to Him. It’s an awesome thing to gather together with thousands of other believers, 99% of which you don’t know though they’re your brothers and sisters in Christ, and worship together for 3 hours straight. God was present in a huge way.
Bart Millard, the lead singer for Mercy Me, said something that really stuck with me last night, and I’d be amiss if I didn’t share it this morning. He’s a father of 5 kids. He shared that if you were to ask his 5 year old, “Why do you love your mommy?” he would probably tell you it’s because she makes his peanut butter sandwiches. But in 20 years if you were to ask him the same question, he hopes that by then his answer would simply be, “Because she’s mom.” The answer and motivation for love changes as maturity grows.
How many of us, when asked, “Why do you love God?” answer by listing all of the things He has done for us…? “I love God because: He saved me; He healed me; He empowered me; He DID this…” In other words, we love Him because He makes our peanut butter sandwich, right? Bart said a few very powerful words at this point in his story: “That’s a very childish, immature view of love, and especially of God. Worshiping the gift instead of the Giver of the gift is still idolatry, and that’s still sin.” Wow. Did you get that?
I want to be able to worship God not because of all that He’s done, but simply because He is God. I want to pour out my praises at His alter because of Who He is, not what He has to offer me. I don’t want to worship with strings attached, hoping to win His favor so I can get more stuff. Worship isn’t a tool to try and squeeze more goodies from the “big Man upstairs.” Worship is pure adoration of God simply because He IS. Well, that’s the worship He desires anyway.
The truth is, God is deserving of worship when things are great and when things are tough. We were reminded last night that God is glorious and worthy to be praised no matter what. He deserves our worship when the healing comes, but also when the cancer doesn't get healed like we asked. He deserves our worship when loved ones astray come home, but also when they don't make the choice to come back to us like we've begged Him for. He deserves worship when we are at the peak of the mountaintop, and when we are in the depths of the darkest, deepest valley we'd ever imagined being in. He deserves glory and praise simply because He IS.
So think about it today: how often do you worship God because of what He’s done? How often do you find yourself striving to somehow pay Him back for all the blessings He’s poured out upon your life, when what He really wants is worship simply because He IS? Today, I challenge you to take a moment and admit to Him why you’ve worshipped in the past. Join me in asking Him to grow us up to the point of desiring to worship Him simply because He IS who He IS.
God is good. God is faithful. God is just. God is holy. God is indescribable. But more than anything else, God is God. And that’s more than enough for me.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Worship’s Backbone. Last night I got the awesome opportunity to hear Mercy Me live in concert at the Church at Rock Creek in Little Rock. I love the way God has used, and is using, such an awesome band as they write and perform songs that point people directly to Him. It’s an awesome thing to gather together with thousands of other believers, 99% of which you don’t know though they’re your brothers and sisters in Christ, and worship together for 3 hours straight. God was present in a huge way.
Bart Millard, the lead singer for Mercy Me, said something that really stuck with me last night, and I’d be amiss if I didn’t share it this morning. He’s a father of 5 kids. He shared that if you were to ask his 5 year old, “Why do you love your mommy?” he would probably tell you it’s because she makes his peanut butter sandwiches. But in 20 years if you were to ask him the same question, he hopes that by then his answer would simply be, “Because she’s mom.” The answer and motivation for love changes as maturity grows.
How many of us, when asked, “Why do you love God?” answer by listing all of the things He has done for us…? “I love God because: He saved me; He healed me; He empowered me; He DID this…” In other words, we love Him because He makes our peanut butter sandwich, right? Bart said a few very powerful words at this point in his story: “That’s a very childish, immature view of love, and especially of God. Worshiping the gift instead of the Giver of the gift is still idolatry, and that’s still sin.” Wow. Did you get that?
I want to be able to worship God not because of all that He’s done, but simply because He is God. I want to pour out my praises at His alter because of Who He is, not what He has to offer me. I don’t want to worship with strings attached, hoping to win His favor so I can get more stuff. Worship isn’t a tool to try and squeeze more goodies from the “big Man upstairs.” Worship is pure adoration of God simply because He IS. Well, that’s the worship He desires anyway.
The truth is, God is deserving of worship when things are great and when things are tough. We were reminded last night that God is glorious and worthy to be praised no matter what. He deserves our worship when the healing comes, but also when the cancer doesn't get healed like we asked. He deserves our worship when loved ones astray come home, but also when they don't make the choice to come back to us like we've begged Him for. He deserves worship when we are at the peak of the mountaintop, and when we are in the depths of the darkest, deepest valley we'd ever imagined being in. He deserves glory and praise simply because He IS.
So think about it today: how often do you worship God because of what He’s done? How often do you find yourself striving to somehow pay Him back for all the blessings He’s poured out upon your life, when what He really wants is worship simply because He IS? Today, I challenge you to take a moment and admit to Him why you’ve worshipped in the past. Join me in asking Him to grow us up to the point of desiring to worship Him simply because He IS who He IS.
God is good. God is faithful. God is just. God is holy. God is indescribable. But more than anything else, God is God. And that’s more than enough for me.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Divide and...?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Divide and…? There’s an age old military strategy that we see used around us all the time. It’s called “Divide and Conquer.” The theory is that if you can divide an opposing force, not allowing them to fight united together as one, you can decimate them much easier. If you’re fighting an army of 10,000 and can divide them into 2 groups of 5,000, you have decreased their strength by more than half. The simple fact that they are divided alone decreases their might substantially. A successful enemy knows this.
However, it’s the failing force that doesn’t recognize the true risk of being divided. In order for division to come, a force would have to allow the enemy to get the upper hand. They would have to somehow allow the enemy to position themselves into a place where division would be possible. They might even maneuver a spy, a mole, into their ranks so division would come internally. Then success in defeating them would be all but certain.
Christianity in our modern age has a mole in the camp. Almost every day we hear of another church that has split down the middle over issues so insignificant they almost seem silly when discussed. And those splits seem to always come when that church is at the pinnacle of a mountaintop. The enemy of our souls knows exactly when to pounce, and he’s gotten pretty good at it down through the ages.
It’s when we take our eyes off the One we are supposed to be focused on that the enemy has a foothold. When our eyes wander off the Savior (the “prize” Paul spoke of), they begin to zero in on our fellow believers. The more our focus is on our fellow believers, the more imperfections we begin to see. The more imperfections we begin to see, the more we forget about our own. The more we forget about our own, the brighter red the target becomes that is on that fellow believer’s back. You know the rest, right?
So today, can we remember that our time is short? Jesus told His earliest followers that He had to “work the works of Him who sent Him while it was day, because the night was coming when no man could work.” The sun of our world is sinking fast. Things are winding down at a faster pace than ever before. The moment is coming when Christians will no longer be able to win the lost because we will be gone.
When we allow the devil to divide us against each other, we are throwing up our hands and allowing Him to conquer us. And when we allow Him to conquer us, we are jeopardizing the eternity of the lost around us, who are looking to us for hope and the message of salvation. Souls are hanging in the balance – is the issue that has divided you from your brother really worth it? If the answer is no, and I sure hope it is, would you make it right today?
The future is bright – let’s not let the enemy sidetrack us as we live our lives for Him. The world is full of conflict and wars. So church of America – let’s not let conflict and wars define us too.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Divide and…? There’s an age old military strategy that we see used around us all the time. It’s called “Divide and Conquer.” The theory is that if you can divide an opposing force, not allowing them to fight united together as one, you can decimate them much easier. If you’re fighting an army of 10,000 and can divide them into 2 groups of 5,000, you have decreased their strength by more than half. The simple fact that they are divided alone decreases their might substantially. A successful enemy knows this.
However, it’s the failing force that doesn’t recognize the true risk of being divided. In order for division to come, a force would have to allow the enemy to get the upper hand. They would have to somehow allow the enemy to position themselves into a place where division would be possible. They might even maneuver a spy, a mole, into their ranks so division would come internally. Then success in defeating them would be all but certain.
Christianity in our modern age has a mole in the camp. Almost every day we hear of another church that has split down the middle over issues so insignificant they almost seem silly when discussed. And those splits seem to always come when that church is at the pinnacle of a mountaintop. The enemy of our souls knows exactly when to pounce, and he’s gotten pretty good at it down through the ages.
It’s when we take our eyes off the One we are supposed to be focused on that the enemy has a foothold. When our eyes wander off the Savior (the “prize” Paul spoke of), they begin to zero in on our fellow believers. The more our focus is on our fellow believers, the more imperfections we begin to see. The more imperfections we begin to see, the more we forget about our own. The more we forget about our own, the brighter red the target becomes that is on that fellow believer’s back. You know the rest, right?
So today, can we remember that our time is short? Jesus told His earliest followers that He had to “work the works of Him who sent Him while it was day, because the night was coming when no man could work.” The sun of our world is sinking fast. Things are winding down at a faster pace than ever before. The moment is coming when Christians will no longer be able to win the lost because we will be gone.
When we allow the devil to divide us against each other, we are throwing up our hands and allowing Him to conquer us. And when we allow Him to conquer us, we are jeopardizing the eternity of the lost around us, who are looking to us for hope and the message of salvation. Souls are hanging in the balance – is the issue that has divided you from your brother really worth it? If the answer is no, and I sure hope it is, would you make it right today?
The future is bright – let’s not let the enemy sidetrack us as we live our lives for Him. The world is full of conflict and wars. So church of America – let’s not let conflict and wars define us too.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Approval Seeker...?
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Approval Seeker…? Okay, it’s time for some honest confession this morning. This past weekend we took some of our Victory students to the Arkansas Youth Conference at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. One of the emcees opened up at one point and shared that he has battled the need for approval for years. He shared that for far too long he has based his self worth and has measured his success upon the amount of approval he got from others. He admitted that his view of himself hinged on whether or not people like him. I admire him a great deal for admitting that.
Hearing those words come from his mouth brought conviction to my heart. After all, you see, I find myself in the same boat. For years, though I haven’t said this, I have practiced it internally. I have found myself working tirelessly for the approval of people. I have caught myself jumping through hoop after hoop just to make sure people liked me and approved of the way I did things. I’ve got to tell you – this is exhausting.
The sad truth is that you absolutely will not please everyone every time. If you are living for that approval as I have been for far too long, when you realize that not everyone is pleased, it bothers you. And then if you ever find yourself in a situation where many of those around you that you may have considered at one time “close friends” aren’t approving of you, it’s depressing and heartbreaking. There are very few “lows” that are quite as low as that, I can assure you.
Ministry can be a hectic life at times. Even with a well managed schedule that forces you to figure in time to unwind and relax (very, very necessary elements), you will still find yourself running ragged at different points along the journey. And it’s in those moments that striving for the approval of people will completely wear you out. You have enough to concern you with the many responsibilities that are before you as it relates to faithfully serving the Lord in this role He’s blessed you with in life. The added weight of making sure people like the way you’re doing it is too much – it will break you eventually.
Until you reach the moment – the decision point – when the truth comes home to stay that you don’t live for the approval of people, but only of God. The simple fact is that through Christ Jesus, God has already approved of us if we’ve accepted His free gift of eternal salvation through what Jesus did on Calvary. That doesn’t mean everything we do is pleasing to Him or in the center of His will. I can still make terrible choices that hurt Him. But when I’m living for an audience of One that isn’t fickle and unstable in His approval as so many people are that I once tried to please, there’s such a peace that passes over my heart.
So today, who are you living for? If it’s anyone but Him, you’re headed for a breakdown in the future. Been there, done that. Would you give it all to Him today, and ask Him to steer your focus onto the One who longs to be the prize you’re aiming for? Would you lay down your feelings of necessary approval from people, and start living solely for the One who loves you more anyway? And then, when it’s all said and done, more folks will know Him and love Him because you’ve been living for Him instead of chasing the wave of popular opinion.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Approval Seeker…? Okay, it’s time for some honest confession this morning. This past weekend we took some of our Victory students to the Arkansas Youth Conference at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. One of the emcees opened up at one point and shared that he has battled the need for approval for years. He shared that for far too long he has based his self worth and has measured his success upon the amount of approval he got from others. He admitted that his view of himself hinged on whether or not people like him. I admire him a great deal for admitting that.
Hearing those words come from his mouth brought conviction to my heart. After all, you see, I find myself in the same boat. For years, though I haven’t said this, I have practiced it internally. I have found myself working tirelessly for the approval of people. I have caught myself jumping through hoop after hoop just to make sure people liked me and approved of the way I did things. I’ve got to tell you – this is exhausting.
The sad truth is that you absolutely will not please everyone every time. If you are living for that approval as I have been for far too long, when you realize that not everyone is pleased, it bothers you. And then if you ever find yourself in a situation where many of those around you that you may have considered at one time “close friends” aren’t approving of you, it’s depressing and heartbreaking. There are very few “lows” that are quite as low as that, I can assure you.
Ministry can be a hectic life at times. Even with a well managed schedule that forces you to figure in time to unwind and relax (very, very necessary elements), you will still find yourself running ragged at different points along the journey. And it’s in those moments that striving for the approval of people will completely wear you out. You have enough to concern you with the many responsibilities that are before you as it relates to faithfully serving the Lord in this role He’s blessed you with in life. The added weight of making sure people like the way you’re doing it is too much – it will break you eventually.
Until you reach the moment – the decision point – when the truth comes home to stay that you don’t live for the approval of people, but only of God. The simple fact is that through Christ Jesus, God has already approved of us if we’ve accepted His free gift of eternal salvation through what Jesus did on Calvary. That doesn’t mean everything we do is pleasing to Him or in the center of His will. I can still make terrible choices that hurt Him. But when I’m living for an audience of One that isn’t fickle and unstable in His approval as so many people are that I once tried to please, there’s such a peace that passes over my heart.
So today, who are you living for? If it’s anyone but Him, you’re headed for a breakdown in the future. Been there, done that. Would you give it all to Him today, and ask Him to steer your focus onto the One who longs to be the prize you’re aiming for? Would you lay down your feelings of necessary approval from people, and start living solely for the One who loves you more anyway? And then, when it’s all said and done, more folks will know Him and love Him because you’ve been living for Him instead of chasing the wave of popular opinion.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Rut.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Rut. The alarm goes off. We get up. We turn on the coffee pot. We get in the shower. We brush our teeth. We get dressed. We head out the door to drive the same way to the same job with the same attitude to do the same things as every other day. We come home when we get off and eat supper, go to bed, and sleep. Then goes the alarm, and the routine begins again. That’s called a rut.
Have you ever found yourself in a rut? Not so long ago I found myself in a literal rut. I wrote about it in a blog, so if you read these regularly you may remember it. It involved a church van, my pastor’s backyard, and a late night rescue “tow” from a church member. Once I found myself in the soft mud and the tires began to spin, it was over. I wasn’t going anywhere until someone came along and helped me get some traction again.
The sobering truth is that I was so badly stuck, traction didn’t help much. I couldn’t have gotten out of that rut with boards under my tires or any of that. There was so much mud everywhere that my only hope of getting out of that mud pit was for someone that wasn’t in the mud pit to pull me out. I needed someone out of the rut to get me out of it.
The rut that you may find yourself in today may be comfortable. I’m a person that actually thrives in the rut for the most part, or so I think anyway. I like a routine – it makes it easier to live life with a slight case of OCD when you have a routine. The problem is when I get so captivated by my routine that I begin to get tunnel vision.
When we allow ourselves to fall prey to tunnel vision we don’t see anything but our own little world, and our own little rut. Some of you may not see anything at all wrong with that. But dear friend please realize today that the lost and dying world we have all been called to bring Jesus to is outside our rut! Our tunnel vision steals our focus from impacting lostness and makes us ineffective. What a tragedy!
So today, would you ask God to pull you out of your rut? Beware, there’s a certain degree of risk involved in climbing out of the rut. Your world of familiarity and routine will be challenged, and you may be pushed beyond your comfort zone in many ways. You may have to talk to people and associate with some folks that aren’t exactly “just like you.” You may even be setting yourself up for a calling you never, in your wildest imagination, would have every dreamed you’d be living out. But it’s worth it. It is so worth it. After all, life outside of the rut is more worth living since people are seeing Jesus in you more than ever.
One more bonus: when you’re stuck in the rut and your tires are spinning and not getting you anywhere, have you noticed how much mud you sling? Gossip, hatred, backbiting, betrayal…these are all things that tend to slip into our lives in the rut.
So call out to God for a tow today. He’ll pull you out of the rut and set you on solid ground. And life…well…it’s never been more of an adventure!
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
The Rut. The alarm goes off. We get up. We turn on the coffee pot. We get in the shower. We brush our teeth. We get dressed. We head out the door to drive the same way to the same job with the same attitude to do the same things as every other day. We come home when we get off and eat supper, go to bed, and sleep. Then goes the alarm, and the routine begins again. That’s called a rut.
Have you ever found yourself in a rut? Not so long ago I found myself in a literal rut. I wrote about it in a blog, so if you read these regularly you may remember it. It involved a church van, my pastor’s backyard, and a late night rescue “tow” from a church member. Once I found myself in the soft mud and the tires began to spin, it was over. I wasn’t going anywhere until someone came along and helped me get some traction again.
The sobering truth is that I was so badly stuck, traction didn’t help much. I couldn’t have gotten out of that rut with boards under my tires or any of that. There was so much mud everywhere that my only hope of getting out of that mud pit was for someone that wasn’t in the mud pit to pull me out. I needed someone out of the rut to get me out of it.
The rut that you may find yourself in today may be comfortable. I’m a person that actually thrives in the rut for the most part, or so I think anyway. I like a routine – it makes it easier to live life with a slight case of OCD when you have a routine. The problem is when I get so captivated by my routine that I begin to get tunnel vision.
When we allow ourselves to fall prey to tunnel vision we don’t see anything but our own little world, and our own little rut. Some of you may not see anything at all wrong with that. But dear friend please realize today that the lost and dying world we have all been called to bring Jesus to is outside our rut! Our tunnel vision steals our focus from impacting lostness and makes us ineffective. What a tragedy!
So today, would you ask God to pull you out of your rut? Beware, there’s a certain degree of risk involved in climbing out of the rut. Your world of familiarity and routine will be challenged, and you may be pushed beyond your comfort zone in many ways. You may have to talk to people and associate with some folks that aren’t exactly “just like you.” You may even be setting yourself up for a calling you never, in your wildest imagination, would have every dreamed you’d be living out. But it’s worth it. It is so worth it. After all, life outside of the rut is more worth living since people are seeing Jesus in you more than ever.
One more bonus: when you’re stuck in the rut and your tires are spinning and not getting you anywhere, have you noticed how much mud you sling? Gossip, hatred, backbiting, betrayal…these are all things that tend to slip into our lives in the rut.
So call out to God for a tow today. He’ll pull you out of the rut and set you on solid ground. And life…well…it’s never been more of an adventure!
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, email Blake at the address below!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Monday, April 11, 2011
Investing in Forever.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Investing in Forever. When you hear the word “investing” you probably instantly think about a 401K, or an IRA, or Wall Street, right? Our minds switch into “retirement mode” at the talk of investing. All our lives that’s what we’ve known investment to mean. We consider investing to be putting back something that will grow into more that will provide for us later in life. But it won’t last forever.
Many people are struggling to get by, and don’t invest a penny for the future. Most people you talk to don’t have any extra to put into savings, let alone a huge investment portfolio. They’re future is uncertain, and scary. They don’t know what they’ll do when they reach retirement age someday. For many, that day seems so distant they think they can put it off for years and still be ok. Many think they can just live their lives now, and then depend on Social Security at retirement. I think we all know for a fact that Social Security won’t last forever.
But what about forever? If you have $100 or $100 million in the bank, it won’t last forever. People work their entire lives to put back money, many times only for their descendants to fight over it and blow it when they die. It’s sad but true – your money, houses, land, or other investments will not last. Period.
However, this past weekend I was reminded about an investment that will last. I saw students getting real with God. I saw hands raised in worship as students turned over all that they are to Him. I saw hearts being broken over sin, and students crying for their lost friends’ eternal destiny. I saw some “investment returns” that will not end.
Sowing, or “investing”, into the lives of people lasts for a little while. If you teach someone the value of honesty or integrity, it will last for a lifetime in many cases. But if they die as a person of honesty and integrity that doesn’t know Jesus, your investment hasn’t done much for them. Honestly and integrity – character values – don’t last forever. But Jesus does.
So I challenge you today to invest in someone’s forever. Whether it’s a student or an adult, I pray that today you will show them the One that can change their eternal destiny from the default destination caused by sin, to the place Jesus died so we could experience. Don’t sit idly by while people die all around us only to experience the reality of hell forever while we enjoy our comfortable investments. Stand up – be counted – and invest in someone’s forever. Because, after all, a soul is the only thing that truly lasts forever.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, click the “Subscribe By Email” link at the bottom of this blog!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Investing in Forever. When you hear the word “investing” you probably instantly think about a 401K, or an IRA, or Wall Street, right? Our minds switch into “retirement mode” at the talk of investing. All our lives that’s what we’ve known investment to mean. We consider investing to be putting back something that will grow into more that will provide for us later in life. But it won’t last forever.
Many people are struggling to get by, and don’t invest a penny for the future. Most people you talk to don’t have any extra to put into savings, let alone a huge investment portfolio. They’re future is uncertain, and scary. They don’t know what they’ll do when they reach retirement age someday. For many, that day seems so distant they think they can put it off for years and still be ok. Many think they can just live their lives now, and then depend on Social Security at retirement. I think we all know for a fact that Social Security won’t last forever.
But what about forever? If you have $100 or $100 million in the bank, it won’t last forever. People work their entire lives to put back money, many times only for their descendants to fight over it and blow it when they die. It’s sad but true – your money, houses, land, or other investments will not last. Period.
However, this past weekend I was reminded about an investment that will last. I saw students getting real with God. I saw hands raised in worship as students turned over all that they are to Him. I saw hearts being broken over sin, and students crying for their lost friends’ eternal destiny. I saw some “investment returns” that will not end.
Sowing, or “investing”, into the lives of people lasts for a little while. If you teach someone the value of honesty or integrity, it will last for a lifetime in many cases. But if they die as a person of honesty and integrity that doesn’t know Jesus, your investment hasn’t done much for them. Honestly and integrity – character values – don’t last forever. But Jesus does.
So I challenge you today to invest in someone’s forever. Whether it’s a student or an adult, I pray that today you will show them the One that can change their eternal destiny from the default destination caused by sin, to the place Jesus died so we could experience. Don’t sit idly by while people die all around us only to experience the reality of hell forever while we enjoy our comfortable investments. Stand up – be counted – and invest in someone’s forever. Because, after all, a soul is the only thing that truly lasts forever.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, click the “Subscribe By Email” link at the bottom of this blog!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Friday, April 8, 2011
Broken...?
Friday, April 08, 2011
Broken…? What breaks your heart? I know we’ve all experienced the reality of true heartbreak at some point or another. You have walked the journey of having your heart broken by someone you love, and it’s a very difficult thing to endure. Even at a very young age we can experience the depth of heartbreak, even though we may lack the mechanisms to properly cope with it. As we grow older, hopefully we grow into a greater depth of maturity that helps us deal with heartbreak, though it never becomes easy.
So would you think me strange if I told you that I actually am asking God to break my heart…? Every once in a while you have one of those “Aha!” moments. I had such a moment yesterday afternoon on my bus. I have around 65 students on my bus on any given afternoon. A large percentage of these students don’t attend church regularly, and an even larger percentage probably don’t know Christ. I’ve known that from the first day of school.
Every morning I pray for these students in my morning prayer time. I pray for them again as I walk down the empty isle of my bus right after I start it each morning. Prayer is important, and it’s a necessary key in evangelism, always. Without prayer, our efforts to point others to Christ would fail every time, because only God can change and prepare hearts. So I’ll keep praying, no doubt. But just praying isn’t enough.
I also try to live my life before them, for the short amount of time I’m with them, for the glory of Christ. I don’t say things that point them away from Him. I don’t treat people in a way that points them away from Him. I don’t talk down about others, because that would point them away from Him. And I do my best to be as kind, compassionate, caring, and friendly to each of them as I possibly can be. I am nowhere near where I want to be in the above areas, but I’m striving to be better every day, because I care about their eternities.
I’m limited by the law as to the extent that I can present Christ to them. As their bus driver and an employee of the Cabot Public Schools, I can’t stop the bus and stand up to give them a detailed presentation of the Gospel. I can’t do that, because if I did I would lose my opportunity to make an impact altogether when the school district fired me for preaching on the bus. So I’m not going that route.
But the law doesn’t put restraints on my life. And when a student initiates a conversation and begins asking questions about my faith, or why I do what I do, the door is wide open for me to share with them the reasons for it all. But yesterday, when my “Aha!” moment came, I realized the seriousness of the lostness of so many of these students. And I began to realize I can’t do this on my own.
I not only need God to work on their hearts so that my efforts of living for Him would sink in and they would notice Him in me, but I also need the students that are on that bus that do know Him to begin to stand up too. These students that need Christ must see His ability to change lives in us. They won’t see perfection, not in me or anyone else. But they’ve got to see a difference in us and them that doesn’t come from us being “better” than them, but from us knowing a God that is.
My heart is heavy and, yes, broken, for these students today. So would you do me a favor – would you join me in praying, daily, for the students of Cabot bus 91? Would you lift up their home lives, school lives, and eternal lives? Would you join me in asking God to raise up the Christian students on the bus to point them to Him, as they aren’t limited in their ability to do so? And would you pray that when opportunities arise, God will give me just the right words to share so as to not miss even the slightest opportunity to show Him to them?
Thank you. God has big things in store for us all. He is faithful.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Broken…? What breaks your heart? I know we’ve all experienced the reality of true heartbreak at some point or another. You have walked the journey of having your heart broken by someone you love, and it’s a very difficult thing to endure. Even at a very young age we can experience the depth of heartbreak, even though we may lack the mechanisms to properly cope with it. As we grow older, hopefully we grow into a greater depth of maturity that helps us deal with heartbreak, though it never becomes easy.
So would you think me strange if I told you that I actually am asking God to break my heart…? Every once in a while you have one of those “Aha!” moments. I had such a moment yesterday afternoon on my bus. I have around 65 students on my bus on any given afternoon. A large percentage of these students don’t attend church regularly, and an even larger percentage probably don’t know Christ. I’ve known that from the first day of school.
Every morning I pray for these students in my morning prayer time. I pray for them again as I walk down the empty isle of my bus right after I start it each morning. Prayer is important, and it’s a necessary key in evangelism, always. Without prayer, our efforts to point others to Christ would fail every time, because only God can change and prepare hearts. So I’ll keep praying, no doubt. But just praying isn’t enough.
I also try to live my life before them, for the short amount of time I’m with them, for the glory of Christ. I don’t say things that point them away from Him. I don’t treat people in a way that points them away from Him. I don’t talk down about others, because that would point them away from Him. And I do my best to be as kind, compassionate, caring, and friendly to each of them as I possibly can be. I am nowhere near where I want to be in the above areas, but I’m striving to be better every day, because I care about their eternities.
I’m limited by the law as to the extent that I can present Christ to them. As their bus driver and an employee of the Cabot Public Schools, I can’t stop the bus and stand up to give them a detailed presentation of the Gospel. I can’t do that, because if I did I would lose my opportunity to make an impact altogether when the school district fired me for preaching on the bus. So I’m not going that route.
But the law doesn’t put restraints on my life. And when a student initiates a conversation and begins asking questions about my faith, or why I do what I do, the door is wide open for me to share with them the reasons for it all. But yesterday, when my “Aha!” moment came, I realized the seriousness of the lostness of so many of these students. And I began to realize I can’t do this on my own.
I not only need God to work on their hearts so that my efforts of living for Him would sink in and they would notice Him in me, but I also need the students that are on that bus that do know Him to begin to stand up too. These students that need Christ must see His ability to change lives in us. They won’t see perfection, not in me or anyone else. But they’ve got to see a difference in us and them that doesn’t come from us being “better” than them, but from us knowing a God that is.
My heart is heavy and, yes, broken, for these students today. So would you do me a favor – would you join me in praying, daily, for the students of Cabot bus 91? Would you lift up their home lives, school lives, and eternal lives? Would you join me in asking God to raise up the Christian students on the bus to point them to Him, as they aren’t limited in their ability to do so? And would you pray that when opportunities arise, God will give me just the right words to share so as to not miss even the slightest opportunity to show Him to them?
Thank you. God has big things in store for us all. He is faithful.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Thursday, April 7, 2011
This Little Light of Mine...?
Thursday, April 07, 2011
This Little Light of Mine…? The older I get, the more increasingly discontent I become with my “little light.” In Sunday school growing up, we learned that song, “This Little Light of Mine.” It taught us that our lives were lights, shining in the darkness of this world for the glory of Christ. We sang that we wouldn't "let satan ‘woof’ it out...” We said we wouldn’t hide it under a bushel. We would just let it shine.
This song is based on the text in Matthew in which Jesus said we are the “light of the world.” He asked, “Who would light a candle and then put it under a bushel?” Rather, you should light that candle and put it on a mountain for everyone, everywhere to see. I understand all that, and I understand that God has called us all to let our light shine. The world is dark, and it needs all the light it can get.
But the world is SO dark, and has such a tremendous need of light. I’m not content with just my little light shining on its own. The more I see of Him moving around me, the hungrier I am for a brighter, more engulfing light. I don’t want a flicker anymore, I want a blaze. If the world is full of darkness, I won’t settle for anything less than a wildfire of candles lighting up the darkness all around me.
When Jesus told us we were the light of the world, He never intended for us to burn alone. God didn’t create us, as believers, to fly solo forever. He designed a living body called the Church as an avenue for us to burn brighter, because we’re burning together.
Together – isn’t that a beautiful word? I love the fact that God can take people from so many different backgrounds, upbringings, skin colors, people groups, sizes, shapes, and personalities and mesh them together as one body – His body – the Church. Only God can do that. When we understand and practice that, the world will see, in an even brighter way, who we are in Him.
So today, I don’t want to shine on my own little lonesome. I want God to shine through me as I stand with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and shine together. The world is dark, but the darkness will not win. Stand up – be counted – and let your light shine with mine as Jesus shows Himself to the world one soul at a time.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
This Little Light of Mine…? The older I get, the more increasingly discontent I become with my “little light.” In Sunday school growing up, we learned that song, “This Little Light of Mine.” It taught us that our lives were lights, shining in the darkness of this world for the glory of Christ. We sang that we wouldn't "let satan ‘woof’ it out...” We said we wouldn’t hide it under a bushel. We would just let it shine.
This song is based on the text in Matthew in which Jesus said we are the “light of the world.” He asked, “Who would light a candle and then put it under a bushel?” Rather, you should light that candle and put it on a mountain for everyone, everywhere to see. I understand all that, and I understand that God has called us all to let our light shine. The world is dark, and it needs all the light it can get.
But the world is SO dark, and has such a tremendous need of light. I’m not content with just my little light shining on its own. The more I see of Him moving around me, the hungrier I am for a brighter, more engulfing light. I don’t want a flicker anymore, I want a blaze. If the world is full of darkness, I won’t settle for anything less than a wildfire of candles lighting up the darkness all around me.
When Jesus told us we were the light of the world, He never intended for us to burn alone. God didn’t create us, as believers, to fly solo forever. He designed a living body called the Church as an avenue for us to burn brighter, because we’re burning together.
Together – isn’t that a beautiful word? I love the fact that God can take people from so many different backgrounds, upbringings, skin colors, people groups, sizes, shapes, and personalities and mesh them together as one body – His body – the Church. Only God can do that. When we understand and practice that, the world will see, in an even brighter way, who we are in Him.
So today, I don’t want to shine on my own little lonesome. I want God to shine through me as I stand with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and shine together. The world is dark, but the darkness will not win. Stand up – be counted – and let your light shine with mine as Jesus shows Himself to the world one soul at a time.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Cut -n- Paste.
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Cut ‘n Paste. What are your favorite verses of Scripture? We all have them – those verses that have gotten us through the tough times or held us up through some particular trying valleys. Maybe they are verses you learned in Sunday school as a child that have lodged themselves into your mind so deeply that you’ll never forget them. There are just those verses that we seem to know better than others.
Just about anyone you ask knows John 3:16 by heart, and that’s definitely one of my favorites in all of Scripture. A lot of folks know Romans 3:23, or the other verses from the famous “Roman Road of Salvation” like 5:8, 6:23, 10:9 – 13, etc. We all know and love Philippians 4:13, and we see it plastered on the jerseys and t-shirts of sports teams all the time. We love Ephesians 2:8 – 9, because it tells us we are saved by grace through faith and not of works.
But what about verses like James 2:9, that tells us if we judge a person’s value based on their outward appearance we commit sin? And then there’s 1 Corinthians 6, which tells us that we have a responsibility to honor God with the conduct of our body because, after all, we have been “bought with a price…” (6:20) There are the verses that list gossip as a sin among witchcraft, murder, and adultery. There are yet other verses that tell us that our decisions and choices can help someone decide to accept Christ and go to heaven or deny Christ and go to hell.
Yet as I look at Scripture, and from time to time read verses that are particular uncomfortable and demand some sacrifice, repentance, and change from me, I rarely see those verses listed as people’s favorites. We want the inspirational verses, the ones that talk about heaven and pump us up. Yet we need to be challenged and convicted when we stray from God’s plan and purpose for our life and it’s often not the “feel good” verses that do that.
So here we are – cutting and pasting the Word like it’s our right to do so. We pick and choose the verses we like, and tend to discount the ones that don’t “fit us that well.” Well, God’s Word clearly says that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable…” I have a theory that our lives would look immensely different if we would stop picking and choosing and begin to allow God to apply more of His Word to our own lives.
My challenge for you today? Purpose in your heart to read the Word more on a daily basis. Commit to allowing God to speak to you, and change you, with this “Sword of the Spirit” called the Word of God. He wrote it all, with no exceptions.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Cut ‘n Paste. What are your favorite verses of Scripture? We all have them – those verses that have gotten us through the tough times or held us up through some particular trying valleys. Maybe they are verses you learned in Sunday school as a child that have lodged themselves into your mind so deeply that you’ll never forget them. There are just those verses that we seem to know better than others.
Just about anyone you ask knows John 3:16 by heart, and that’s definitely one of my favorites in all of Scripture. A lot of folks know Romans 3:23, or the other verses from the famous “Roman Road of Salvation” like 5:8, 6:23, 10:9 – 13, etc. We all know and love Philippians 4:13, and we see it plastered on the jerseys and t-shirts of sports teams all the time. We love Ephesians 2:8 – 9, because it tells us we are saved by grace through faith and not of works.
But what about verses like James 2:9, that tells us if we judge a person’s value based on their outward appearance we commit sin? And then there’s 1 Corinthians 6, which tells us that we have a responsibility to honor God with the conduct of our body because, after all, we have been “bought with a price…” (6:20) There are the verses that list gossip as a sin among witchcraft, murder, and adultery. There are yet other verses that tell us that our decisions and choices can help someone decide to accept Christ and go to heaven or deny Christ and go to hell.
Yet as I look at Scripture, and from time to time read verses that are particular uncomfortable and demand some sacrifice, repentance, and change from me, I rarely see those verses listed as people’s favorites. We want the inspirational verses, the ones that talk about heaven and pump us up. Yet we need to be challenged and convicted when we stray from God’s plan and purpose for our life and it’s often not the “feel good” verses that do that.
So here we are – cutting and pasting the Word like it’s our right to do so. We pick and choose the verses we like, and tend to discount the ones that don’t “fit us that well.” Well, God’s Word clearly says that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable…” I have a theory that our lives would look immensely different if we would stop picking and choosing and begin to allow God to apply more of His Word to our own lives.
My challenge for you today? Purpose in your heart to read the Word more on a daily basis. Commit to allowing God to speak to you, and change you, with this “Sword of the Spirit” called the Word of God. He wrote it all, with no exceptions.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Don't feel like it...?
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Don’t Feel Like It…? This morning I woke up to the sound of my alarm screaming at me, and knew it was time to get out of bed. It was so warm under my covers. My pillow was so soft. I’ve got this amazing fuzzy blanket I got for Christmas, and it felt incredible. The sun isn’t even up yet, so I sure didn’t feel like being up either. But I got up anyway.
A couple of weeks ago I didn’t feel well at all when it came time to go jump on the bus that afternoon. I had a headache that was beating me down. Climbing aboard a busload of 65 students all having conversations at elevated noise levels didn’t exactly appeal to me all that much. I didn’t feel like walking out the door of my comfortable home to go drive them all home from school. But I did it anyway.
A strange thing always happens at around this time each year. The IRS seems to expect us to start writing checks and filling out tax forms. It’s this time annually that we get to make sure we’ve paid our government enough for the privilege of living under their rule. The majority of the time I have to pay more than I already have for the year thus far. The crazy thing is: I don’t usually ever feel like paying the IRS my tax debt. But I do it anyway.
I’ll be very honest with you: there are times I don’t feel like doing a lot of things. There are times when I feel like just staying home, pulling the covers over my head, and closing my eyes until the sun comes out and the birds are singing again. All of us live our lives not based on what we feel like doing, but rather what we sometimes just must do anyway. We aren’t small children anymore, and our feelings can’t be the deciding factor when it comes to decisions in our life. That’s just part of growing up, isn’t it?
Yet why is it that so often when folks bring up the topic of church things are so much different? I’m not trying to be negative today, but can we just be honest for a moment? If we applied the same excuses to our jobs, or other life responsibilities, as we do to church attendance/involvement – what would our life look like? And yet God says clearly that church is important. He even tells us not to “forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some are, but all the more as we see the DAY approaching…”
Translation: don’t put of going to church. Don’t make excuses for your decision not to assemble together with your fellow believers to worship the One who died for you on Calvary. Don’t put off serving the Lord in His Church. But on the contrary, find even MORE opportunities to serve Him there, and to gather there, and to be involved there – since the DAY of His return is so close.
Our relationship with Christ is far too important to base on our feelings. I didn’t feel like writing this morning, but I did it anyway. Serve Him today, and tomorrow, and the next…whether you feel like it or not.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Don’t Feel Like It…? This morning I woke up to the sound of my alarm screaming at me, and knew it was time to get out of bed. It was so warm under my covers. My pillow was so soft. I’ve got this amazing fuzzy blanket I got for Christmas, and it felt incredible. The sun isn’t even up yet, so I sure didn’t feel like being up either. But I got up anyway.
A couple of weeks ago I didn’t feel well at all when it came time to go jump on the bus that afternoon. I had a headache that was beating me down. Climbing aboard a busload of 65 students all having conversations at elevated noise levels didn’t exactly appeal to me all that much. I didn’t feel like walking out the door of my comfortable home to go drive them all home from school. But I did it anyway.
A strange thing always happens at around this time each year. The IRS seems to expect us to start writing checks and filling out tax forms. It’s this time annually that we get to make sure we’ve paid our government enough for the privilege of living under their rule. The majority of the time I have to pay more than I already have for the year thus far. The crazy thing is: I don’t usually ever feel like paying the IRS my tax debt. But I do it anyway.
I’ll be very honest with you: there are times I don’t feel like doing a lot of things. There are times when I feel like just staying home, pulling the covers over my head, and closing my eyes until the sun comes out and the birds are singing again. All of us live our lives not based on what we feel like doing, but rather what we sometimes just must do anyway. We aren’t small children anymore, and our feelings can’t be the deciding factor when it comes to decisions in our life. That’s just part of growing up, isn’t it?
Yet why is it that so often when folks bring up the topic of church things are so much different? I’m not trying to be negative today, but can we just be honest for a moment? If we applied the same excuses to our jobs, or other life responsibilities, as we do to church attendance/involvement – what would our life look like? And yet God says clearly that church is important. He even tells us not to “forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some are, but all the more as we see the DAY approaching…”
Translation: don’t put of going to church. Don’t make excuses for your decision not to assemble together with your fellow believers to worship the One who died for you on Calvary. Don’t put off serving the Lord in His Church. But on the contrary, find even MORE opportunities to serve Him there, and to gather there, and to be involved there – since the DAY of His return is so close.
Our relationship with Christ is far too important to base on our feelings. I didn’t feel like writing this morning, but I did it anyway. Serve Him today, and tomorrow, and the next…whether you feel like it or not.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Monday, April 4, 2011
Monday...arg.
Monday, April 04, 2011
Monday…arg. It’s Monday morning again, and God has my mind on something this morning. It’s amazing how quickly we lose our passion/energy/excitement, isn’t it? One minute we are seemingly on top of the world and nothing can stop us as we charge ahead for Him. And it seems like only hours later we can be grumbling and complaining about our life and its circumstances. It’s a lot like Monday mornings.
You see, before Monday morning comes Sunday. Sunday is easily my favorite day of the week, by a long shot. I love Sundays, and for many reasons. It’s on Sunday that I get to see my entire Victory Church family, whom I love just about as much as my blood relatives. Sunday is the day we gather together and lift up the name of Christ together, in unison. And we never know just what He’s going to do when that happens. Yesterday was no exception, as one of our students came forward and gave their heart to Christ, after many of us were praying specifically that he would. Sunday is just such a good day.
When I lay down to sleep on Sunday night, I’m usually as tired as I can be, but I’m sitting atop cloud 9. As I fall asleep there’s usually a peace upon my heart that causes me to be snoozing much faster than any other day of the week. And I go to sleep, usually, to not wake up a single time until my alarm goes off at 4:30am, which is very much unlike any other night of the week. Sunday is just a good day, I’m telling ya.
And then the alarm goes off, and it’s Monday morning. And we all know what seemingly everyone says about Monday mornings, right? I saw a coffee cup one time that said it all: “Monday…arg.” It’s like we instantly set ourselves up for failure as soon as we wake up and realize what day it is. And it’s only been a few hours since our mountaintop…why do we do that?
I’m so thankful God is a patient, merciful God, who doesn’t get tired of us as fast as we sometimes get frustrated with each other or ourselves. I’m at the top of “mount gratitude” when I fall asleep on Sunday night, and somehow by Monday morning's alarm I find myself, so often, in the “valley of woe is me.” That’s a crying shame, and I’m asking God to fix it.
So today, Monday, ask God to help you be grateful. Ask Him to help you see opportunities to thank Him throughout the day. And ask Him to open your eyes to opportunities to share Him as you live today. Just because it’s Monday doesn’t mean there aren’t people that desperately need Christ. So let your light shine today…even if you may not necessarily feel like it. After all, Mondays may be a little rough, but another Sunday’s just around the corner…
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Monday…arg. It’s Monday morning again, and God has my mind on something this morning. It’s amazing how quickly we lose our passion/energy/excitement, isn’t it? One minute we are seemingly on top of the world and nothing can stop us as we charge ahead for Him. And it seems like only hours later we can be grumbling and complaining about our life and its circumstances. It’s a lot like Monday mornings.
You see, before Monday morning comes Sunday. Sunday is easily my favorite day of the week, by a long shot. I love Sundays, and for many reasons. It’s on Sunday that I get to see my entire Victory Church family, whom I love just about as much as my blood relatives. Sunday is the day we gather together and lift up the name of Christ together, in unison. And we never know just what He’s going to do when that happens. Yesterday was no exception, as one of our students came forward and gave their heart to Christ, after many of us were praying specifically that he would. Sunday is just such a good day.
When I lay down to sleep on Sunday night, I’m usually as tired as I can be, but I’m sitting atop cloud 9. As I fall asleep there’s usually a peace upon my heart that causes me to be snoozing much faster than any other day of the week. And I go to sleep, usually, to not wake up a single time until my alarm goes off at 4:30am, which is very much unlike any other night of the week. Sunday is just a good day, I’m telling ya.
And then the alarm goes off, and it’s Monday morning. And we all know what seemingly everyone says about Monday mornings, right? I saw a coffee cup one time that said it all: “Monday…arg.” It’s like we instantly set ourselves up for failure as soon as we wake up and realize what day it is. And it’s only been a few hours since our mountaintop…why do we do that?
I’m so thankful God is a patient, merciful God, who doesn’t get tired of us as fast as we sometimes get frustrated with each other or ourselves. I’m at the top of “mount gratitude” when I fall asleep on Sunday night, and somehow by Monday morning's alarm I find myself, so often, in the “valley of woe is me.” That’s a crying shame, and I’m asking God to fix it.
So today, Monday, ask God to help you be grateful. Ask Him to help you see opportunities to thank Him throughout the day. And ask Him to open your eyes to opportunities to share Him as you live today. Just because it’s Monday doesn’t mean there aren’t people that desperately need Christ. So let your light shine today…even if you may not necessarily feel like it. After all, Mondays may be a little rough, but another Sunday’s just around the corner…
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Friday, April 1, 2011
A Foolish Definition.
Friday, April 01, 2011
A Foolish Definition. Today is a fairly well-known holiday among those of us who enjoy a good prank from time to time. It’s a day when we can celebrate good old humor…at the expense of someone else. It’s a day when we can get away with saying things some might consider a little “over the top” on any other day of the year. But today it’s totally acceptable. And the reason? Well that’s simple – it’s Groundhog Day! (April fools…it’s really April Fool’s Day.)
So what is a fool, really? Scripture gives us many descriptions, especially in the book of Psalms and Proverbs. One such Scripture says that “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no god.’” One could argue, then, that it would be foolish to deny the existence of the One who has made His handiwork so blatantly obvious and evident to us in the world around us. There could be no watch without a watch maker. There could be no car without an assembly line. And there can be no universe without a Creator. But non-Christians aren't the only ones who deny the existence of God. In our lives, believers, we sometimes are communicating to the world that we don't think He exists, either. When we live our lives like He doesn't, even though we believe He does, the world sees different. It’s just that simple.
Scripture also tells us that it’s a fool that gossips and belittles others with their words. The fact of the matter is just simply that it only takes an ounce of wisdom to know when to stop talking. Those who lack said wisdom don’t stop themselves. And the result is broken lives and broken hearts because of their careless, foolish words. Again, it’s just that simple.
To have the Truth right in front of you and continue to deny it is foolish. So today, seek wisdom. God said that if you would “seek Him, you’d find Him.” He also said, “To everyone who lacks wisdom let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously.” Want wisdom? Want to forsake foolishness? Ask God. And that’s no April Fool’s joke.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
A Foolish Definition. Today is a fairly well-known holiday among those of us who enjoy a good prank from time to time. It’s a day when we can celebrate good old humor…at the expense of someone else. It’s a day when we can get away with saying things some might consider a little “over the top” on any other day of the year. But today it’s totally acceptable. And the reason? Well that’s simple – it’s Groundhog Day! (April fools…it’s really April Fool’s Day.)
So what is a fool, really? Scripture gives us many descriptions, especially in the book of Psalms and Proverbs. One such Scripture says that “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no god.’” One could argue, then, that it would be foolish to deny the existence of the One who has made His handiwork so blatantly obvious and evident to us in the world around us. There could be no watch without a watch maker. There could be no car without an assembly line. And there can be no universe without a Creator. But non-Christians aren't the only ones who deny the existence of God. In our lives, believers, we sometimes are communicating to the world that we don't think He exists, either. When we live our lives like He doesn't, even though we believe He does, the world sees different. It’s just that simple.
Scripture also tells us that it’s a fool that gossips and belittles others with their words. The fact of the matter is just simply that it only takes an ounce of wisdom to know when to stop talking. Those who lack said wisdom don’t stop themselves. And the result is broken lives and broken hearts because of their careless, foolish words. Again, it’s just that simple.
To have the Truth right in front of you and continue to deny it is foolish. So today, seek wisdom. God said that if you would “seek Him, you’d find Him.” He also said, “To everyone who lacks wisdom let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously.” Want wisdom? Want to forsake foolishness? Ask God. And that’s no April Fool’s joke.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
If you’d like to receive “A Thought From Blake” in your email inbox every day, send an email to the address below to be signed up!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
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