HOPE DEALER In Amishland

First of all, Happy New Year from the Masteller's! Secondly, I wanted to give you an update on our African Well Project. As of our Christmas eve service we raised the $8,000 that we needed to provide water and warmth for 200 orphans in Zambia, Africa! For all of you who gave, thanks so much for making our Well Project a huge success! I'd like to wish you a Happy New Year! This past Sunday we talked about God's purposes for our lives and how they need to be front and center in the mainframe of our brains as we determine how to live our lives. I encouraged everyone to take some time and to make a list of what they would do this year if they knew it was going to be their last. What would be on your list? Does your list sync up with the purposes that God has created you for? Take some time and plan out your year and make some decisions to commit to living out God's purpose for your life this year!

I want to wish each of you that take the time to check in on my blog a Merry Christmas! We had a fantastic evening last night at Octorara Area High School as we had our 3rd annual Christmas Eve celebration! Over 400 people (lots of visitors) showed up as we rediscovered the purpose of Christmas and celebrated the light of the world. I'm still not sure how much money came in for the Grinch offering. We are half way there as of Sunday ($3,000 collected so far) towards our $6,000 dollar goal for the orphans and widows in Zambia, Africa. I'll update the blog once I find out.I had a wonderful morning with my family as we read the Christmas story, exchanged gifts and savored each moment that is truly a gift from God himself. I hope that you treasure each moment during the most wonderful time of the year! Have a great day and again, Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus!

Don't miss this week as we enjoy our weekend experience on Sunday at 10 a.m.! Also, make sure to bring someone with you to our Christmas eve celebration on Monday night at Octorara High School! The doors open at 5:15 p.m. with music, cookies, hot chocolate and so on followed by our one hour service begins at 6:00 p.m. This Sunday and Monday we will be receiving our special 'Grinch' offering for the orphans and widows in Zambia, Africa. To find out more about this important ministry click here.

The Mighty God Today's Scripture “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6 AMP). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria We don’t just serve a mighty God, we serve The Mighty God! People have served many types of gods throughout history, but none of them could be called mighty. One of the definitions of the word mighty in the original Hebrew is a champion or hero. From before Jesus’ birth, His name was Champion. He was marked to be your Hero. And not only did He come to save you from the eternal punishment of sin, He came to save you from sickness, shame, fear, poverty, and anything that would hold you back in this life. The Bible says that He came so that you could have life and have it more abundantly! Is there anything that is holding you back right now? Anything that you need to be “rescued” from? Cal

Merry Christmas Early! Enjoy by turning up your sound!

Literally, click here for the complete story!

I read an article about a 'great' scientific advancement this past week. You can now choose the color of your cat when you turn the lights out. Your cat can now be a great addition to your Christmas decorations or overall decor. You also will no longer need a night light in your house. The article is below... breitbart.com — South Korean scientists have cloned cats by manipulating a fluorescent protein gene, a procedure which could help develop treatments for human genetic diseases, officials said Wednesday. In a side-effect, the cloned cats glow in the dark when exposed to ultraviolet beams. We can't find a cure for cancer but...

Enjoy this hilarious video!

Check out this article that I read today. Is it wrong to find this funny? BERLIN (AP) - A man nearly died from alcohol poisoning after quaffing a liter (two pints) of vodka at an airport security check instead of handing it over to comply with new carry-on rules, police said Wednesday. The incident occurred at the Nuremberg airport on Tuesday, where the 64-year-old man was switching planes on his way home to Dresden from a holiday in Egypt. New airport rules prohibit passengers from carrying larger quantities of liquid onto planes, and he was told at a security check he would have to either throw out the bottle of vodka or pay a fee to have his carry-on bag checked as cargo. Instead, he chugged the bottle down—and was quickly unable to stand or otherwise function, police said. A doctor called to the scene determined he had possibly life- threatening alcohol poisoning, and he was sent to a Nuremberg clinic for treatment. The man, whose name was not released, is expected to be able to c

Below is a devo that I get in my inbox daily, great stuff and I recommend it. I'm also reading Joel's new book which is very good. It would be well worth your time to pick it up and digest it even if you don't like Joel. Joy in His Presence Today's Scripture “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand” (Psalm 16:11). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Do you need more joy in your life today? God promises that joy is found in His presence, and if you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then His presence lives inside of you! That joy manifests when you focus your mind and heart on the Father and begin to praise Him for what He’s done in your life. The Bible says that He inhabits the praises of His people. When you begin to praise and thank Him, you are in His presence where there is fullness of joy. It doesn’t matter where you are or what’s going on around you, you can ac

I don't often go political on my blog, but I occasionally like to give 'the other side' to popular trends and political movements. Al Gore and the gang have attempted to make global warming the moral issue of our day. (God and His Word defines the moral issues of the day so I do take issue with that) What if global warming wasn't a valid issue? What if there were intelligent 'scientists' that buck the trend of the doom and gloom of the current media onslaught? Well, there are and you should intellectually stimulate your thinking about this big issue. As Christ-followers, we should care about our planet and take care of it. We should lobby against pollution and be good stewards of the earth. We can even get involved in ways to make this happen. (not referring to carbon credits) We should not worship the earth though, (only the Creator of it) nor should we be easily manipulated by clever pictures and faulty data. Think critically and don't be moved by

Just in case you haven't seen it, there is a new holiday gift that can get you into heaven for the low price of about $12. My initial thought is that this is pretty funny, ridiculous, but funny. My second thought is that our eternity costs a lot more than that and I hope people don't 'buy' into this stuff. Go ahead and have a laugh and get a little annoyed and please don't buy me one for Christmas, I'm good. Here's a little taste of the story... "Worried that your good deeds on Earth won't guarantee you a place in heaven? Fear no more. Reserve A Spot In Heaven's basic $12.79 "Essential Travel Kit" comes with an "Official Certificate of Reservation" with the recipient's name written in, a "boarding pass to heaven," an ID card and a Heaven 101 instruction booklet to "prevent culture shock," Kim said. An additional $12.16 buys an "All Access" package, which includes a framed certificate and

Let's all pray for the ministries in Colorado (YWAM & New Life Church) that are dealing with the horrific events that unfolded yesterday! If you have not heard about the shootings that have occured, here's a link to the details of the situation (click here) I love politics and social discussion, at least some of it, and I haven't chosen a candidate that I will vote for as of yet, but I love when people speak what they believe. (especially when I agree with it) I read a great article about Mike Huckabee who spoke at a convention this weekend in Utah. Evangelicals are pushing Him up in the polls and He is gaining in popularity. As I mentioned above, I'm not personally convinced of him as a candidate as of yet, but I love leaders that have guts & passion. Check out the article. (click here) Continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. From the current intelligence estimate it seems as though the Iranians have cooled in their pursuit of nuclear capabilities

Grinch, Part 2 -How To Become Like Christ- Ephesians 4:20-24 “ 20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Turn to Luke 2 First Step- Make Room for JESUS. (Verse 6-7) While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. “Behold I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him...” (Rev. 3:20) Second Step- Change Your PERSPECTIVE. Greek word (metamorphosis) found in Romans 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18 (Verse 8-11)  And there were shepherds living out in the fields n

I just watched the movie, 'Amazing Grace,' this past week with my wife and it was fantastic. I usually like romantic comedies, comedies, action and political type movies. Amazing Grace is a film that follows the life of anti-slavery pioneer William Wilberforce. William Wilberforce fought for the abolition of slavery in the British Empire for about 20 years. You will be inspired, informed and challenged by this great movie and incredible story!

FYI, tonight's mid-week Christmas party and our new member's reception are both postponed until next week due to inclement weather. Also, there has been some talk about my dancing in recent weeks during my messages. There have been questions raised about whether or not I can really dance, do I really have the skill? Well, this will answer that question, click here. There is a wait for the upload, but trust me, it is worth it.

Today I'm giving you a link to an article about the original Grinch of the very first Christmas. Matthew 2 talks about this lunatic leader that had all of the babies 2 and under put to death so that the Christ-child would not grow up and become King. What would drive a man to perform such an atrocity you may ask? The Christmas story is always more interesting when you understand the background and context associated with it. I'm going to give you a link to an article from one of my favorite sites that I think you will find fascinating in understand this very real Grinch. If you would like to know more about King Herod from the Christmas story, click here.

If you've ever watched the movie, "The Grinch," you know that he was always taking and stealing. The enemy of our souls desires to do the same with our lives. He desires to steal, kill and destroy our very lives. How? He does that by stealing the purpose that you and I were created. He doesn't actually take it, he works very hard at deceiving us into giving it away. The first purpose that He desires to take from your life is that of worship. Worship means to bring pleasure to God and is the first purpose of your life. Let's talk about this for a moment. He (the devil) understands that Worship is far more than praising, singing, and praying to God. We worship God by enjoying him. C.S. Lewis said, “In commanding us to glorify him, God is inviting us to enjoy him.” If we fail to worship God, we always find a substitute, even if it ends up being ourselves. The reason God made us with this desire is that he desires worshipers! Jesus said, “The Father seeks ..

I am currently finishing our series for this weekend and I hope that you can make it. Make sure to bring a friend for our special day and check out our website for the updates and our new newsletter.

I was working on our 1 year plan for our church yesterday and as usual I was multi-tasking. I was listening to a podcast about personal development and why it is important and why it is spiritual. I'll put the notes below and why don't you join me in making a plan for your life this new year that will help you grow as a Christ follower. One Year Plan For Personal Growth Personal Growth Truths Personal growth is necessary for Spiritual growth. (faithfulness and fruitfulness are both necessary) Personal growth requires a plan. (ones mind once stretched by a new idea never goes back to its original form) Personal growth precedes professional growth. (Growing organizations are lead by growing leaders) *We need both knowledge and wisdom (Biblical wisdom and basic knowledge) "We overestimate what we can accomplish in a few weeks and we underestimate what we can accomplish in a year." Planning Your Calendar (When planning your calendar, go from big to small) Annual

Connected to our church website is a online daily devotional that we also have available in our church foyer called, 'Our Daily Bread.' I thought that is was really good, enjoy the bread! I’m a news junkie. I like knowing what’s going on in the world. But sometimes the atrocities of life make me feel as if I’m a kid watching a scary movie. I don’t want to see what happens. I want to turn away to avoid watching. God reacts to evil in a similar way. Years ago, He warned the Israelites that He would turn away from them if they turned toward evil (Deut. 31:18). They did, and He did (Ezek. 39:24). The prophet Habakkuk had not forsaken God, but he suffered along with those who had. “Why do You show me iniquity,” he asked the Lord, “and cause me to see trouble?” (Hab. 1:3). God’s response to His confused prophet indicates that even when evil obscures the face of God, our inability to see Him does not mean He is uninvolved. God said, “Look among the nations and watch—be utterly astoun

REMEMBER (this Thanksgiving Season) Remember What?  Remember that everything good comes from God. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  James 1:17 (NIV) Know that the LORD is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;  give thanks to him and praise his name.  5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.  Psalm 100:3-5 (NIV) Remember Why? Because We FORGET.  As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria.12 As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. 15 One of them, when he saw that he was

First off, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Secondly, Do you ever have trouble remembering? This week we are going to talk about the importance of remembering to thank God for all that He has provided for us. We will learn about the 4 ways that God shows us in His word that we should use in order to thank Him. It's going to be a great week and I hope to see you there!

As we head to thanksgiving I always think of God's goodness and how thankful I am that I am forgiven and free. It's a blessing to be able to receive forgiveness and also a great blessing to give it. Check out this devotional I read from Joel Osteen today and ask God if there is someone that you need to bless with forgiveness this week. The Blessing of Forgiveness Today's Scripture “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered” (Psalm 32:1, NIV). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria The scripture is filled with keys to obtaining God’s promise of blessing. It says here in Psalm 32 that you are blessed when your transgressions are forgiven. God extends forgiveness to everyone, but we have to do our part to receive the forgiveness. We have to repent, or change our ways, with open hearts. The Bible also tells us that if we don’t forgive others of their trespasses against us, we cannot be forgiven. Is there anyone in your life today that you need t

I was wondering how I was going to break my fast this past Sunday. I had considered it during the week leading up to the big moment and was undecided. We ended up traveling to Lancaster after the Sunday service to pick something up and opted for an easy meal that we could eat on the go while half of our kids were napping. It was a great pizza (stuffed crust) and a great 21 day fast. Here are some things that I learned or relearned from the fast these past few weeks. 1. I do not eat very well. I mean, I eat pretty well just the wrong stuff. 2. I am capable of eating healthy because I did it for 21 days. 3. I really didn't miss the sugar & junk food after the 2nd week and I am planning on adapting my diet to eat less. 4. Focused discipline is very good. Fasting helps to refocus your thoughts on God. 5. Your diet affects the way you feel which in turn affects every relationship in your life. Including your relationship with God. 6. I want to eat better, feel better an

Over the last 19 days I have been on a spiritual fast like many of you. It's amazing how our spiritual lives affect our spiritual lives and vice versa. I've lost 10 pounds so far and it has been an awesome last couple of weeks both physically and spiritually. I'm really excited to talk about an important topic this week... commitment! It's amazing what you can accomplish when you are committed to something. One of the things I am committed to making you do today is laugh since you took the time to check out my blog. Click on the link below and enjoy! click here

This is a good day to go introspective I think. This poem was supposedly written by a terminally ill young girl in a New York Hospital . Or at least that is what the e-mail said, which of course I never believe forwarded e-mails, nor do I normally read them. Either way, this is a great poem and it's called, 'SLOW DANCE.' Have you ever watched kids On a merry-go-round? Or listened to the rain Slapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight? Or gazed at the sun into the fading night? You better slow down. Don't dance so fast. Time is short. The music won't last. Do you run through each day On the fly? When you ask How are you? Do you hear the reply? When the day is done Do you lie in your bed With the next hundred chores Running through your head? You'd better slow down Don't dance so fast. Time is short. The music won't last. Ever told your child, We'll do it tomorrow? And in your haste, Not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch, Let

This week is the last week of the Daniel Fast that we are doing here at our church. The discipline has been great and the food variation has been... interesting. I personally feel physically and spiritually stronger. I sense that God is up to some great things in my life and the life of our church. I've been enjoying hearing the stories of what God is doing in the lives of those in our church family. If you have been fasting, what has God been doing in your life? Go ahead and leave a comment. I think I figured out how to respond to the comments so I will actually comment on your comment. Did that make sense?

This goes along with our daniel fast discussion and the importance of prayer. This article shows the importance of having a vibrant and vital youth ministry here at our church. The battle for the hearts of our teens is real and we can win it one teen at a time. Read this article and let it trouble you and push you to pray for this generation. click here

I love the Monday after the weekend we turn the clocks back. It is so much easier to wake up! I wish we could get an extra hour every week of the year. What if we did? What would you do with it? My answer probably doesn't sound 'spiritual,' but I'd sleep. Thoughts anyone? I'm really hungry for something other than vegetables and fruit right now as we head into week 2 of the Daniel fast. I've dropped about 5 pounds thus far. In honor of being sick of the food that I'm eating, I'd like to do some posts this week on my blog for recipes. If you have found some recipes that are good & different, please take a moment and post them and I'll e-mail them to the church family later this week. Also, I'm thankful that I have food, period. Can you imagine eating the same thing for all of those years like the Israelites did in the desert. Manna and Quail. I'm thinking, at least they had some meat & bread! It sounds pretty good to me!

I was reading some devotions this morning and I got a great devotional in my inbox from Joel Osteen Ministries. Check it out. Honor the Lord with Your Body Today's Scripture “Honor the Lord with your body” (I Corinthians 6:20). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria The Scripture says that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to honor the Lord with our bodies. How do you do that? You take care of it. You respect it. You treat it as valuable. You use your body to bring Him glory. When you stand strong against temptation, you are honoring the Lord with your body. When you take care of yourself by eating properly and getting enough sleep, you are honoring the Lord with your body. You are saying, “Lord, thank You for this gift of life. I am choosing to take care of myself so that I can serve You with my whole heart, mind, and strength.” As we enter into this holiday season, remember to honor the Lord by taking care of your body. Enjoy the treasures of the season

I sitting here feeling a little hungry. I had a great time with God this morning and I have a pretty busy day ahead of me. I can feel the sugar withdrawals already beginning. It's a great feeling when you feel clean from the inside out. If feels great physically and even better spiritually! Fasting is all about emptying ourselves of ourselves and asking God to fill us. It's all about putting our personal (fleshly) desires to death and living for God. In Galatians 2:20 the Apostle Paul tells us, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." I love saying this verse, in fact, I confess or say it on a consistent basis. I want it to be true, that I don't live selfishly for my own pleasure but that I live purposefully for God's pleasure. Go ahead and confess that verse over your life today and live today with purpose.

So far, so good. I'm excited about everyone that is joining with me over these next 21 days to fast and pray for a spiritual breakthrough in our lives, our church and our community. I haven't started my first withdrawals yet and I'm not looking forward to the only vegetable deal, but I'm pumped about what God is going to do. If you aren't joining us, please consider doing so. It will be good for your Body and Spirit.

I'm sitting here relaxing and eating some brownies in preparation for our daniel fast that begins tomorrow. I'm relaxing because I attempted to go 'old school' and play basketball at my alma mater in the annual alumni game last night. I am not in basketball condition by any stretch of the imagination so I wouldn't really consider my effort to be categorized as 'playing basketball.' It was fun though and I had the chance to visit with some old friends that I love dearly. I love talking to people from my past that are doing good in life and are doing their best to honor God. I say that as if it is a rarity and that's because it seems to be the case. Anyway, beginning tomorrow we are going 'old school' at freedom life and together we are observing a 'daniel fast' for the next 3 weeks. I'm really excited about all the spiritual growth that I am about to go through as I discipline myself and get with God in a deeper way. I hope that

I am reentering the blogging world with some light hearted and interesting news. I guess dead elephants is not light hearted but it is interesting. Take a moment and read this from todays news... GAUHATI, India — Six Asiatic wild elephants were electrocuted as they went berserk after drinking rice beer in India's remote northeast, a wildlife official said Tuesday. Nearly 40 elephants came to a village on Friday looking for food. Some found beer, which farmers ferment and keep in plastic and tin drums in their huts, said Sunil Kumar, a state wildlife official. They got drunk, uprooted a utility pole carrying power lines and were electrocuted in Chandan Nukat, a village nearly 150 miles west of Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya state, Kumar said. "There would have been more casualties had the villagers not chased them away," said Dipu Mark, a local conservationist. The elephants are known to have a taste for rice beer brewed by tribal communities in India's northeas

I will be taking a much needed break over this next week, which includes blogging. I will be out of town in Williamsburg, Va with my family for a prayer retreat/ vacation/ restoration time. Pretty burn out, pray that I have a good week. I'll jump back into the game after next week with some interesting stuff. Don't miss our guest speaker, Bob Hulett, who will continue our series. He's a good friend and one of my mentors. Anyway, have a great week!

STUCK IN A ROOM WITH YOU- Part 4 HOW TO DEAL WITH CRITICAL PEOPLE This past week we looked at the story of the sinful woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and her hair. Simon the Pharisee stood in judgement over this woman and over Jesus. He was critical because he was convicted by his own inaction. We should be careful not to play God and stand in judgement of others. You and I will reap what we sow. Take a few minutes to see yourself in this story found in Luke 7:36-50. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines criticism as “an act of criticizing; to judge as a critic; to find fault; to blame or condemn.” Step one- Make Sure You Are Not ____ONE______ Of Them. “Taste and see that the LORD is good...” Psalms 34:8 He (Jesus) said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Mark 16:15 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithful

MOSCOW — A small Russian city just got a really big addition: its resident has delivered her 12th baby at 17.05 pounds — the biggest on the nation's record. Tatiana Khalina, 42, delivered the girl by Caesarean section at a maternity clinic in Aleisk, a town of 30,000 in the Altai region in southern Siberia, Svetlana Gildeyeva, a nurse at the clinic, said Thursday. I'm sure this lady is no relation to my family! Holy huge! I'm glad that I'm a guy.

Whether you are confronting a friend in love or examining your own life, which God tells us to do first by the way, here are 3 things that you need to do to conquer criticism. 1. ADMIT THAT IT IS A PROBLEM. The Bible says "Do everything without complaining and arguing." How do you do that? Admit it is a problem for you or for your friend. Proverbs 28:13 "A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance." If you are the critical person, confess your sin to God. If your friend is the critic, pray for them and don't engage in conversations with them that are critical of self or others. 2.ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY OWN LIFE. Many times complaining is just an attempt to blame other people for the problems I've created. Or excuse myself and put the focus on somebody else. I brought the problem into my life, I'm the cause of it, but if I complain or criticize maybe I can shift

The next 3 that we are going to identify are... 2. THE "MARTYR" -- Favorite phrase: "No one appreciates me." Numbers 11:11-15 "Moses said to the Lord, `Why pick on me, to give the burden of a people like this? I can't carry this nation by myself! If you're going to treat me like this, please kill me right now -- it will be a kindness! Let me out of this impossible situation!" These people are pros at having big fat pity parties for themselves. When they are sick or under pressure they want everybody to know about it. How do you react when you don't get your way? Do you mount a complaining campaign? I have, so your in good company. Let's decide not to be the 'martyr' today. 3. THE "CYNIC" Favorite phrase: "Nothing will ever change." Eccl. 1:2-4,9 "Life is useless. You spend your life working and what do you have to show for it? The world stays just the same ... what has been done before will be d

This weekend I will be doing a message talking about being critical. I'll be writing some thoughts from my message prep, it's good stuff. Here we go. The Bible says God wants Christians to be different. In fact, here is the scripture for this weekend. It's found in Philippians 2:14-15, it says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." What does God's word have to say about dealing with this habit of being critical or complaining? Here are a few types of critics & complainers that God shows us in His word. Maybe you can relate, I think I've been each of them on different days of my life. These are from a great Rick Warren message that I read recently. Here is the first one for today... 1. THE "WHINER" -- David Psalm 73:13 "Have I been wasting my time? Why take all the trouble

This past week we continued our series called, "Stuck In A Room With You." – We talked about how to deal with manipulative people. It one of our most requested messages in recent history and must have struck a chord with many. You can listen to the message podcast through our website at www.freedomlife.tv or click here to download Webster's Dictionary defines manipulation as the desire... 2 to control by unfair or insidious means especially to one’s own advantage 3 : to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one's purpose. In other words, God has a plan for your life and so does other people (including Satan). The root of manipulation is the desire to control which ultimately stems from insecurity. Read the story in Luke chapter 4 about how Jesus dealt with MANIPULATORS’ GREATEST WEAPONS: 1. Threats • JEZEBEL MANIPULATED ELIJAH WITH FEAR. “Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So

"'Right With God' But Not Churchgoer Says Thompson" in a recent headline about the popular presidential hopeful. I like Fred and he seems to share the view and value of an increasingly large amount of Americans. Here are a few reasons that I believe everyone should have a church family, not simply hop around like a consumer looking for the perfect sale or meeting with your friends on occasion to read a verse or 2. Being a part of a church family (not simply going to church although that's a start) whether it's a big church, small church or even a small group church in the backwoods somewhere is Biblical and vital to our spiritual lives. You can love Jesus but I wouldn't recommend hating his wife (the church). Here are a few reasons that I think everyone should love Christ's church (not just Freedom Life) and be a part of it. Remember, virtually every reference in the New Testament church was to an active and visible local church body. 1. It sh

Last week we talked about how to deal with overly needy people. If you are a Christ-follower, we are called to help the needs of others so this always creates a tension within us. Scripture shows us that Jesus modeled compassion and always helped the needy. "…when (Jesus) saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd." Matthew 9:36 NKJV So how do we help people without simply being taken advantage of or enabling them to stay dependent on you rather than God? Here are a few things to remember. 1) OFFER WHAT THEY NEED NOT WHAT THEY WANT. Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up… Acts 3:6-7 • Identify the real need. • Pay attention to the show, not just the tell. 2) REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN HELP BUT YOU ARE NOT THEIR SAVIOR. By faith in the na

As we conclude our look at dealing with stress, let's take a gander at the following scripture... Philippians 4:4-8, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. The 4th step that you need to take is to THINK ABOUT THE RIGHT THINGS In an article written by Rick Warren, he said, "To reduce stress in your life you must change the way your think. The stress is in yourself not outside. Your mind is a special gift from God. Your mind is capable of storing over 100 trill

When I was a teenager I was in the jock crowd, but my closest friends were a bunch of skaters with multi-colored hair. It was an odd grouping, I would not have naturally made those friendships. But we were Christ-followers and we had more in common than we initially thought. I was reminded of that when I read an article about the picture above. It's about a monkey that was abandoned by his mom and ultimately became close friends with a pigeon. Sounds like those 'after-school' movie specials they used to have on ABC. Anyway, moving along. Without going into details, use google for that, the 3 week old monkey became healthy once he made this unlikely friendship. He is eating and doing great. Friendships are important! Take a risk this week, go out on a limb (bad pun), and pursue other godly people to do life together with. You'll find that your life will be healthier and more enjoyable than 'going it alone.'

This week we are looking at the following scripture... Philippians 4:4-8, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Paul reminds us that the keys to de-stressing our lives are very clear. First, we much make a decision to no longer worry or be anxious. Second, we need turn our worry into prayer requests and give it to God. The next step is very simply to THANK GOD FOR ALL THINGS. v. 6 "... in everything ... with thanksgiving ..." Good News says, "...always asking Him with a thankful heart." In an article that read recently by Rick Warren, he said, "The attitude of gratitude. The healthiest human emotion is the attitude of gratitude, having a gra

Here is the second step that you can take this week in order to keep your head from exploding! 2. PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING (START BY THANKING GOD) Philippians 4:4-8, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. God never ends anything on a negative, He ends everything on a positive. Paul encourages us to thank God (rejoice) and have joy as we present our requests to God. If you stopped worrying today, just think of all of the extra time you would have. You can replace that time with prayer. Take that time that you normally would worry and begin to thank God for every blessing in your life. Don't be anxious, but give God a detailed list of everything that you have ne

This week on my blog I'm going to share 4 steps that you can take to de-stress your life. Stress is something that can really make you feel like your head is about to explode! It can cause you to believe that your life is falling apart. Lots of stress is not only dangerous for your health, it is toxic for your relationships. All of us deal with stress. Maybe it's your job, finances, school, friends, kids...the list goes on in regards to what can stress you out. The question is, "how will you deal with it?" I recently went through these steps to help me deal with the boat load of stress that I've been dealing with and I think it may help you also. Philippians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious (or worry) about anything..." When Paul wrote Philippians he was in prison waiting to be executed by Nero. His words were not simply fluff, he was living it daily. The 1st step you need to take is to worry about nothing. Worry is a huge source of stress. In

Yesterday was an awesome day! After not sleeping well the last few nights in prep for our big kick-off and the opening of our newly redesigned children's wing, last night was heavenly. Everything was so good yesterday. Jon & Kate Gosselin did an excellent job telling their story. The kid's ministry team kicked it into high gear! The worship was incredible and God's presence was so sweet. We had our largest fall kick-off ever with about 500 people in attendance. Almost 5 years ago when I became the Lead Pastor at our church, I dreamed of days like yesterday. It's so much fun to see God put a dream in your heart, then surround you with an incredible team to make it become reality. It is fun to be a part of what God is doing! I'm not sure what today holds, but yesterday was a great day!

I am totally exhausted from a busy week but I'm sure that I'll have trouble sleeping tonight! We are just hours away from the grand opening of our newly redesigned children's wing and fall kick-off with special guests Jon & Kate Plus 8. I am so overwhelmed and thankful for the incredible giving of time, talent & treasure from our church family over these last few months. So many people have worked so hard and given so much to make this day happen. It's always exciting to see a vision become reality. Tomorrow is going to be one of the great days of our church and I am thankful to be a part of it. We have an awesome church family and we serve an awesome God!

Today is the final installment of this particular topic. 3 more things to consider when trying to be led by God. 5. MAKE SURE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT GOD'S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE, NOT EVERYONE ELSE'S. "We will all be judged one day, not by each other's standards, or even our own, but by the judgment of God. . . it is to God alone that we shall have to answer for our actions." Rom.14:10, 13 (Ph) This is important especially in the stream of faith that I swim. The prophetic is important but sometimes people can be focused on what everyone else should be doing. When God does speak a word to us for someone else we would do well to remember that God will mostly use you or I to confirm what He's already said to them. Many times God will use you and speak through you even without you knowing it which is pretty cool. Moving on... 6. IT IS CONVICTING RATHER THAN CONDEMNING. "If we confess our sins to him, God can be depended on to forgive us and cleanse us from

Yesterday I shared 2 ways to know that God is leading you. Today I'd like to share 2 more, so here we go...When making decisions... MAKE SURE YOUR CHURCH FAMILY (GODLY FRIENDS) CONFIRM IT? "God's intent is that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known." Eph. 3:10 "The wisdom of the righteous can save you." Pr. 11:9 (GN) MAKE SURE IT’S CONSISTENT WITH HOW GOD HAS WIRED YOU. "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do." Eph. 2:10 "God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. . ." Rom. 12:6 (LB) Take a few moments and use these 4 principles to evaluate the big and small decisions that you are facing today and make sure that God really is leading you!

What if we could 'sniff out' with K-9 like ability the path that God is leading our lives each day? So many times I have made dumb decisions and filed it under the "I feel like God is leading me" excuse that we as Christians revere so deeply. Since the Bible teaches us that God does lead us, how do we know for sure that it is Him and not our own selfish desires or creative imagination? I recently read an article by Rick Warren on this very topic and He shared some great stuff that I'd like to share with you. The 7 ways that God leads us can be used as a filter to help us make sure that we are on the path that God is leading and not simply following our own desires. The first way that we can know that God is leading us is to test whether or not our decision, feelings or even someone else's opinion is from; ourselves (Proverbs 14:12), God (Job 33:14), or Satan (2 Cor. 11:14). 1 John 4:1 says, "Don't always believe everything you hear just because

I just got off of the phone from talking with The Gosselin's who are the stars of the hit reality show called, "Jon & Kate Plus 8." They are a great couple with an extremely interesting story. They have a passion for God and I believe they will be a huge encouragement to everyone that attends Sept. 9th. They will be joining us for our fall kick-off and the opening of our newly designed children's wing. Make sure that you spread the word and invite someone (to the table) for our special day next Sunday. We will be updating our website and sending out e-mails in the coming days. If you'd like to check out more about this couple you can google them and see their story on Discovery Health which has video or their personal website.

Bless her heart, I'm glad every dumb thing that I say is not uploaded for millions of people to laugh at. Remember, we are not laughing at her, but with her. Enjoy! This is the stuff that video announcements are made of and you may just see it again this weekend!

There is one thing about life, it's not static. There is constant change, seasons come and go and so do friends. Today I dropped my son (Caleb) off for his first day of Kindergarten and Mikayla for 2nd grade. It's hard to believe that my little babies are growing up. It is such a blessing to be able to watch them grow but I still feel a tinge of sadness as they do. That's life I guess. Things change. Friends move on. Kids grow up. Loved ones pass away. I don't know that all of these types of things should be sad as much as they should be a reminder. A reminder that life is not static and the only thing that doesn't change in life is God's love. So through all the changes that you may be experiencing in your life (good and bad), enjoy the day because life goes and doesn't stop. Breathe deep of God's love because at the end of it all, that's all we have. Life may not be static, but it is eternal, live wisely and enjoy the day. It's a

Every few months I meet with a group of Pastors from the Pittsburgh & Philly area. They are a great bunch of guys that I am privileged to enjoy life together with. We always have a blast and life shaping experiences all in about 48 hours. I am fortunate to have great friends that really care about me. I am just thinking of the many friends that I have, some I am closer to than others, but each one brings a huge blessing to my life. Life is so short and we need to be wise about the kind of friends that we allow to speak into our lives and influence our daily actions. We need to allow people into our lives that will encourage us toward the greatness that God has reserved for us. Do you have friends like that? If so, thank God for them and make sure you show them some appreciation. If not, pray and ask God for some friends that will love you and take care of you. Make sure you begin to carve out time for those relationships because God is already sending them your way. Enjo

This YouTube sensation reminds me of myself when I sing every week. I don't know what half of the words are to the songs are but I will not be stopped. His facial expressions are priceless! He has given me some joy this week, God bless John Daker!

If you were in church this morning than you witnessed why it is important to find a good small group of friends that will be honest with you. Funny Stuff!