What an exciting and busy day! Met with a wonderful man of God this morning that is a former major league baseball player that we are partnering with for a "Spring Training" event At Woodland Park this year. Details coming.
Received this today and wanted to share in case you work around downtown and have a friend you can bring and hear Dave Hawkin's testimony of come and meet some brothers in Christ.
CBMC CHATTANOOGA JANUARY LUNCHEON
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Noon until 1:00 P.M.
Chattanooga Convention Center
Guest Speaker
Dave Hawkins
Dave grew up in a home where church attendance was encouraged but not modeled. His parents had difficulty keeping peace between themselves and what began as occasional disharmony eventually became full-blown adversarial relationships. His parents divorced and their family became fractured in location as well as relationship.
Dave’s career choices gave him experience in the arenas of aircraft maintenance, customer service, and management. In each of these, training and development became a central focus of his efforts.
Dave’s greatest joys in life are spending time with his own family – his wife Vickie, their three children (all grown now), two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren.
Reservations: Please call Carol at Wingfield Scale Company – 698-3346 – before 12:00 noon, Friday, January 11th. Cost $12.00 – pay at the door.
CBMC of Chattanooga is composed of local business and professional men whose objective is to share the essentials of the Christian faith so we can apply them better to home and work. You will find the luncheon to be practical and stimulating - we invite you to join us Wednesday, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., and bring a friend
Please click on the link to the left CBMC of Chattanooga for more information.
10,000 hoped for to pray this weekend in Cincinnati:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080105/NEWS01/801050380/1056/COL02
Good post by Gary on Peace and Church. Thanks for posting Gary.
Have you got your bucket list ready? (See previous post)
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
"Peace"
Jesus has risen from the dead, it’s afternoon on Resurrection Sunday, and Jesus appears in the little room in Jerusalem where the disciples are hiding for fear of the Jews. Their lives were in chaos, and they don’t know what to do, “should we scatter and run, or stay?”. Then Jesus magically appears in the room and says, “Peace be with you!” This is a traditional greeting for the Jewish people, but there is nothing traditional about it.
Two things the disciples need more than anything, peace and to see Jesus alive again. He gave them both. Sometimes we forget the power of God's word. Jesus did not just greet them, He actually gave them peace. I mean literally. I mean He can actually make it happen. Jesus can still a raging sea just by saying, “be still”, and He can do the same with “peace”. Those disciples had peace at that very moment, and the bible says they rejoiced!
We all need peace, and Jesus is still in the business of giving it. If you need peace right now, just ask Him for it, and in faith believe it and it will be so.
Two things the disciples need more than anything, peace and to see Jesus alive again. He gave them both. Sometimes we forget the power of God's word. Jesus did not just greet them, He actually gave them peace. I mean literally. I mean He can actually make it happen. Jesus can still a raging sea just by saying, “be still”, and He can do the same with “peace”. Those disciples had peace at that very moment, and the bible says they rejoiced!
We all need peace, and Jesus is still in the business of giving it. If you need peace right now, just ask Him for it, and in faith believe it and it will be so.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Church
The subject of Church is a very sensitive one, so let me preface this thought by saying that I only wish to encourage, nothing more - nothing less. And I do realize as well, that many are not physically able to be a part of a local church, which includes the caregivers, who sacrifice themselves for those that are bedfast or handicapped. Also, this thought is only relevant to those that believe the Gospel. Those that oppose the Gospel oppose the Church, and will probably stop reading at this point anyway. One more thing, We all know that all churches are not created equal, so I’m speaking in generalities here.
So why are there so many people that confess to be Christian not going to church? I believe that is a fair question. We live in what is called the Bible Belt in this country, yet we pass house after house on our way to church every Sunday, and see people that don’t seem too interested in church. Why is that? And if you ask them if they are Christian, most would reply, “yes”.
I may be wrong here, but I believe many people have given up on the Church, for many reasons I can understand, but for no reason ever good enough. Many have been hurt at church (I know a lot of them), I’ve even been hurt myself. When someone says something hurtful, especially at Church, it’s a bad thing. Many give up because the life they hoped to find there just wasn’t what they actually found. On the other hand, many just don’t think it’s a necessary part of Christian life. There are more justifications for not going that seem appropriate, but consider this?
Christ died for the Church. We have been created to worship, and our hearts long to be caught up into something bigger and grander than ourselves. The Church is where we do that. The Church is where we worship God collectively as a community. It’s how community comes together. It’s a place the community can agree on one central truth, the Gospel of Christ. Following Christ has to include Church. This is a command given to us from Christ Himself. We cannot grow in our spirit and in our life and ignore that command. Yes, we do have many problems in the Church, but God uses the Church in spite of the problems. God has a way of using imperfect man and using an imperfect church to bring about His perfect will. God is a master at making bad things good, and He uses us to do it.
God calls us to serve, not be served. The Church is where we serve God, serve our community, and serve one another. If we abandon the Church it will impact more than just us, it will impact the generations that follow. We are just a generation away from becoming a pagan country. All we need do is to watch the World News on TV to see the result of becoming a Godless nation. We can’t abandon the church, if we do, we abandon our own children. We have a responsibility to our children and our grandchildren to leave the church healthy and well. Jesus wants us to have a life of meaning and purpose, and the Church is part of that purpose. God ordained it so. Below is a statement that Paul wrote to the Ephesian church almost 2000 years ago, please prayerfully consider these words…….
“His intent (speaking of Christ) was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known” Eph.3:10 (emphasis is mine). It is our responsibility to be a part of a local church that is making the “wisdom of God” known to a world that, it seems, is determined to kill itself. People need to hear the “wisdom of God”, and the church was ordained to be the center of that plea.
Lord, May we never grow so “holy,” may we never be so “mature,” that we forget how important it is to come together as believers and worship you, in Christ name we pray, amen.
So why are there so many people that confess to be Christian not going to church? I believe that is a fair question. We live in what is called the Bible Belt in this country, yet we pass house after house on our way to church every Sunday, and see people that don’t seem too interested in church. Why is that? And if you ask them if they are Christian, most would reply, “yes”.
I may be wrong here, but I believe many people have given up on the Church, for many reasons I can understand, but for no reason ever good enough. Many have been hurt at church (I know a lot of them), I’ve even been hurt myself. When someone says something hurtful, especially at Church, it’s a bad thing. Many give up because the life they hoped to find there just wasn’t what they actually found. On the other hand, many just don’t think it’s a necessary part of Christian life. There are more justifications for not going that seem appropriate, but consider this?
Christ died for the Church. We have been created to worship, and our hearts long to be caught up into something bigger and grander than ourselves. The Church is where we do that. The Church is where we worship God collectively as a community. It’s how community comes together. It’s a place the community can agree on one central truth, the Gospel of Christ. Following Christ has to include Church. This is a command given to us from Christ Himself. We cannot grow in our spirit and in our life and ignore that command. Yes, we do have many problems in the Church, but God uses the Church in spite of the problems. God has a way of using imperfect man and using an imperfect church to bring about His perfect will. God is a master at making bad things good, and He uses us to do it.
God calls us to serve, not be served. The Church is where we serve God, serve our community, and serve one another. If we abandon the Church it will impact more than just us, it will impact the generations that follow. We are just a generation away from becoming a pagan country. All we need do is to watch the World News on TV to see the result of becoming a Godless nation. We can’t abandon the church, if we do, we abandon our own children. We have a responsibility to our children and our grandchildren to leave the church healthy and well. Jesus wants us to have a life of meaning and purpose, and the Church is part of that purpose. God ordained it so. Below is a statement that Paul wrote to the Ephesian church almost 2000 years ago, please prayerfully consider these words…….
“His intent (speaking of Christ) was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known” Eph.3:10 (emphasis is mine). It is our responsibility to be a part of a local church that is making the “wisdom of God” known to a world that, it seems, is determined to kill itself. People need to hear the “wisdom of God”, and the church was ordained to be the center of that plea.
Lord, May we never grow so “holy,” may we never be so “mature,” that we forget how important it is to come together as believers and worship you, in Christ name we pray, amen.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Mentoring Within The Church Is Needed
This link below is a story about the graying of Southern Baptist Churches. It is something that has been talked about in the work world for about five years. ((well more)) {Impending Crisis}
For example, in manufacturing we are getting it from both directions, about 30% of our 600 mfg. workers are 50 and older where I work. We aren't seeing younger people want to come to mfg. like their parents and they have a different sense of what work ethic is.
I have served on school committees and they are so concerned about getting kids in college they are missing the kids that won't go. In fact this generation coming up will be more than likely to live longer at home, take a course in Knoxville during football season, another while working and skiing in Colorado and then take an online class. (Citing work by Lloyd Catlett)
Why should this mass of Baby Boomer retirements surprise the church? So in our work place we have a program to develop future leaders. The church needs this too. Can it happen? I don't know of many churches developing this mentoring process.........
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080104/30739_Southern_Baptist_Leaders_Not_Getting_Any_Younger.htm
The Chattanooga Times Free Press leads with this same emphasis on aging population:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/absolutenm/templates/topstory.aspx?articleid=27913&zoneid=83
Go Titans!
For example, in manufacturing we are getting it from both directions, about 30% of our 600 mfg. workers are 50 and older where I work. We aren't seeing younger people want to come to mfg. like their parents and they have a different sense of what work ethic is.
I have served on school committees and they are so concerned about getting kids in college they are missing the kids that won't go. In fact this generation coming up will be more than likely to live longer at home, take a course in Knoxville during football season, another while working and skiing in Colorado and then take an online class. (Citing work by Lloyd Catlett)
Why should this mass of Baby Boomer retirements surprise the church? So in our work place we have a program to develop future leaders. The church needs this too. Can it happen? I don't know of many churches developing this mentoring process.........
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080104/30739_Southern_Baptist_Leaders_Not_Getting_Any_Younger.htm
The Chattanooga Times Free Press leads with this same emphasis on aging population:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/absolutenm/templates/topstory.aspx?articleid=27913&zoneid=83
Go Titans!
Friday, January 4, 2008
Quote of the Day
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, his well-funded, methodical Iowa campaign a failure, dismissed Huckabee's victory as a phenomenon built on the support of evangelicals who make up a much smaller part of the electorate in New Hampshire. He said Huckabee ran as a Baptist minister, an option that "was not available to me."
You know he is right. It wasn't. But Ed Rollins has got to go! Peggy Noonan agrees and changes her tune a bit from the last column on Huckabee:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119947953262368379.html
Peggy we would love a stronger leader...for president, in the senate too. Where are they?
Great group last night @ Country Inn And Suites for Huckabee!
Check out Real Clear Politics to your left to see the next few state polls. After New Hampshire it is interesting...even in Michigan
Check the Georgians for Huck site for the upcoming Meet Up meetings @ Countryplace starting on Thursday nights @ 7pm
Information Overload is costing the economyhttp://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i0WlqChviMJM-TGEWzVx8-O7y3XAD8TP8K001
Lou Dobbs takes over the world! He had been unleashed since they gave him not just business and the whole news gamut. His ego loves it, needs it. But, He lost it last night when he wasn't given more limelight to Blizter and 360 manhttp://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/dobbs_klein_blowup_during_caucus_coverage_74268.asp
Janet Wilson on the Chattanoogan website always does a year end review of restaurants and openings/closings. There are some that I didn't know had closed. Here is a link:
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_119494.asp
You know he is right. It wasn't. But Ed Rollins has got to go! Peggy Noonan agrees and changes her tune a bit from the last column on Huckabee:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119947953262368379.html
Peggy we would love a stronger leader...for president, in the senate too. Where are they?
Great group last night @ Country Inn And Suites for Huckabee!
Check out Real Clear Politics to your left to see the next few state polls. After New Hampshire it is interesting...even in Michigan
Check the Georgians for Huck site for the upcoming Meet Up meetings @ Countryplace starting on Thursday nights @ 7pm
Information Overload is costing the economyhttp://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i0WlqChviMJM-TGEWzVx8-O7y3XAD8TP8K001
Lou Dobbs takes over the world! He had been unleashed since they gave him not just business and the whole news gamut. His ego loves it, needs it. But, He lost it last night when he wasn't given more limelight to Blizter and 360 manhttp://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/dobbs_klein_blowup_during_caucus_coverage_74268.asp
Janet Wilson on the Chattanoogan website always does a year end review of restaurants and openings/closings. There are some that I didn't know had closed. Here is a link:
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_119494.asp
Thursday, January 3, 2008
"some sin grows away"
Good news for the believer, some sin goes away----some sin grows away. This seems to be my experience since my conversion to Christianity some 30 years ago. Many of my friends that are mature in the Lord agree as well. I would like to encourage you with this thought today. There is hope for winning the battle over the sin that seems to entangle you again and again. Sometimes we get tired of asking God to forgive us for the same thing over and over. It becomes easier and easier to say, “I quit, I give up, I can’t do it”. You are not alone. I believe everyone that really wants to live the Christ life has the same struggle. If you don’t struggle then I would question which direction you are walking, down hill is always easier.
It’s the “grows away” I'd like to talk about. We think the battle in sin is in the stopping, but it’s in the growing. As we grow in our maturity as a Christian we grow away from our sin. We begin to create a distance between sin and where we are in Christ. The bible says we should grow in our knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we grow in that knowledge the distance from sin grows, we get further and further away from it, we “grow away”.
For us that have children we know they need to grow up. If they stay a child they'll not be able to live in a grown up world. Well the same thing is true in the spiritual world, we need to grow up. We do not need to rebuild the foundation (which is Christ), but go on to maturity. We don't need to keep on asking for forgiveness again and again as if we've never found any hope in Christ, as if we believe we've never really found new life in Him (rebuild the foundation over and over), but to move on to maturity in our knowledge of spiritual matters. We don't stop sinning, we................distance ourselves from it in our knowledge of Christ. We grow away! - Gary
It’s the “grows away” I'd like to talk about. We think the battle in sin is in the stopping, but it’s in the growing. As we grow in our maturity as a Christian we grow away from our sin. We begin to create a distance between sin and where we are in Christ. The bible says we should grow in our knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we grow in that knowledge the distance from sin grows, we get further and further away from it, we “grow away”.
For us that have children we know they need to grow up. If they stay a child they'll not be able to live in a grown up world. Well the same thing is true in the spiritual world, we need to grow up. We do not need to rebuild the foundation (which is Christ), but go on to maturity. We don't need to keep on asking for forgiveness again and again as if we've never found any hope in Christ, as if we believe we've never really found new life in Him (rebuild the foundation over and over), but to move on to maturity in our knowledge of spiritual matters. We don't stop sinning, we................distance ourselves from it in our knowledge of Christ. We grow away! - Gary
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Your Bucket List
Salutations to a wonderful 2008 for you and your family.
Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are starring in a new movie that debuts January 11th. (hey-this is the same day as the new Veggie Tales movie) This movie ties Nicholson who is a corporate billionaire and Freeman as a mechanic who meet in the hospital and figure out they have two things in common
1) a desire to do everything they want to do before they "kick the bucket" and 2) an unrealized need to come to terms with who they are.
So as we begin 2008 that was a good tie in for me to this year. Do you have a bucket list? I think that is something I will contemplate this week.
I was sitting here thinking about Lou Holtz and his list of 107 things I want to do before I die...well, and then that speech he taped for the Illinois players that ESPN showed about 8 gazillion times over the last two days....the speech didn't help..... but this list thing is pretty big. Check out this article from August about it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/fashion/26list.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
and the website from the article where you can make your list:
http://www.43things.com/
and since it is a new year the government has a web page to help people with common resolutions......no kidding:
http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New_Years_Resolutions.shtml
The Top 10 Christian Books right now is kinda of interesting:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?CAT=930601&srt=S&z=y&cds2Pid=17801
And lastly, today the wife and I went to the new Publix in Chattanooga. It was not as crazy as she said it had been. In fact they have some people coming in from Atlanta to work to help cover this business.
My observations. 1) As I drove around town today there wasn't much traffic at all and alot of businesses were closed. It reminded me of how Sundays used to be growing up. It was kinda neat......
2) the people at Publix are friendly. Some of the add ons they do are already being copied by the Bi-Lo's which will create some neat competition that Albertsons didn't understand when they came in to town.
3) they understand customer service. I only hope it last. New staff, new store and a reason to impress. The test will come in about a year if they are still pushing that envelope.
4) Just the little things they do will have great impact on this city. Because other business people will come in and go....you know we need to be improving our customer service too... how do we do that? I am all about that.
Thanks to Gary for posting yesterday. Gary has a wonderful way with words and I have asked him to post as he feels things strike him. He loves the Lord and I appreciate him as a brother in Christ.
Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are starring in a new movie that debuts January 11th. (hey-this is the same day as the new Veggie Tales movie) This movie ties Nicholson who is a corporate billionaire and Freeman as a mechanic who meet in the hospital and figure out they have two things in common
1) a desire to do everything they want to do before they "kick the bucket" and 2) an unrealized need to come to terms with who they are.
So as we begin 2008 that was a good tie in for me to this year. Do you have a bucket list? I think that is something I will contemplate this week.
I was sitting here thinking about Lou Holtz and his list of 107 things I want to do before I die...well, and then that speech he taped for the Illinois players that ESPN showed about 8 gazillion times over the last two days....the speech didn't help..... but this list thing is pretty big. Check out this article from August about it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/fashion/26list.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
and the website from the article where you can make your list:
http://www.43things.com/
and since it is a new year the government has a web page to help people with common resolutions......no kidding:
http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New_Years_Resolutions.shtml
The Top 10 Christian Books right now is kinda of interesting:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?CAT=930601&srt=S&z=y&cds2Pid=17801
And lastly, today the wife and I went to the new Publix in Chattanooga. It was not as crazy as she said it had been. In fact they have some people coming in from Atlanta to work to help cover this business.
My observations. 1) As I drove around town today there wasn't much traffic at all and alot of businesses were closed. It reminded me of how Sundays used to be growing up. It was kinda neat......
2) the people at Publix are friendly. Some of the add ons they do are already being copied by the Bi-Lo's which will create some neat competition that Albertsons didn't understand when they came in to town.
3) they understand customer service. I only hope it last. New staff, new store and a reason to impress. The test will come in about a year if they are still pushing that envelope.
4) Just the little things they do will have great impact on this city. Because other business people will come in and go....you know we need to be improving our customer service too... how do we do that? I am all about that.
Thanks to Gary for posting yesterday. Gary has a wonderful way with words and I have asked him to post as he feels things strike him. He loves the Lord and I appreciate him as a brother in Christ.
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