New Commandment and Herb Reese in Chattanooga!

BridgeBuilders is proud to welcome Herb Reese of New Commandment Ministries of Colorado to Woodland Park for a special event on Saturday morning, January 23rd, 2010 from 8:30am until 11:00am centered around the biblical calling to men to care for widows, fatherless, immigrants or distressed persons within the family of the church.

“As we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10a

“Do not take advantage of a widow or orphan. If you do, they will cry out to me and I will certainly hear their cry. “ “He (God) defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” Deuteronomy 10:18

Here is what Herb Reese will be discussing and reviewing:

*The difference between kind gestures and Christ's love.
*The three unique qualities of Christ's love.
*The role of good works in the Christian life.
*God's heart for those in distress.

*An alternate model for smaller churches.
*How to organize teams.
*Recommended policies.
*Suggestions for service projects.
*Frequently Asked Questions.*And more!


There are three ways to register you and your group for this free event.

First, contact Woodland Park by calling 423.899.9186 x102 and registering

or e-mail at men@woodlandpark.org

Last but not least you can register for this free event straight on the web @ this link:http://newcommandment.eventbrite.com/

Making Good Choices by Fred Smith

I couldn't believe how good these thoughts from Fred Smith fit into today. Especially with the confusing diatribe from Florida coach Urban Meyer. I encourage you to subscribe to his weekly thoughts that his family keeps alive. Contact info is below his postings.

I am always interested in going back to basic truths. Theories come and go ---- one is popular until replaced by the latest and greatest. I remember the detergents used by Mary Alice --- they were always “new and improved.” Fundamental truths never have to be bigger and better --- they are real from the git-go, as they say in Tennessee.

One of the basics I enjoy studying is the question: “Where is your ego based?” I find with many men, their ego is satisfied more by their business than by their family. This motivation drives them to spend way more time at work than at home. Somehow they feel they have stronger possibilities and authority in the office.

I asked a friend why he didn’t retire. He said, “At the office I have seventeen buttons on my desk. I can push any of them and something happens. Fred, at home I don’t even have one!” This is a pretty honest statement of ego. I am not advocating this kind of ego control --- but it exists and we need to look at the facts.

Ego drives production. For me, it took a long time to understand the relationship between production and family relations. When I was about 60, it occurred to me I tried to run the family like I ran the business. I actually thought in terms of org charts and line responsibilities. I failed to understand one critical fact: in the family, relation IS the production.

This was hard for me. I made a conscious decision to shift my view of family, but man alive, it wasn’t easy. I was right there if Mary Alice or one of the children wanted to talk about a personal development program. I would get right with it. If they wanted to watch TV, that was too relational for me. Then, I realized : relation is the production.

I’m doing my best, but I will tell you – when you make a major change in your life, it’s very difficult. All of your reflexes, your habits, your thought patterns, and your experiences are altered. It is almost like a Christian conversion ---- you have to become a new person. But, the shift is worth it. I may feel more productive in the office, but I know this is a long term investment of great value. And, you don’t give up accomplishment for relation because they’re not opposed to each other. You simply understand what is primary and what is secondary.

The pay day for me is a drawing I keep on my wall, given to me by my granddaughter. It says, “My grandfather is interested in many things, but best of all, he loves me.”

This week seriously consider: 1) Where is my heart --- at home or at the office? 2) How do I honestly define production? 3) What does my priority list look like?

Words of Wisdom: “In the family, relation IS the production.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Then all the people returned to their homes, and David went to pronounce a blessing on his family.” (2 Chronicles 16:43 NET Bible)

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By Faith

This morning in our Bible Study class we got back into Hebrews 11 and I circled all the By Faith's in my NASB. It also helped to have a missionary in our class speaking today about his travels around the world and him giving us stories of people oppressed and in danger of losing their lives for following Jesus Christ.

By Faith.....so how is your faith? Is worry and this world winning out on your thought life? How are your actions affecting the world around you? are their any actions?

Are you involved in making positive change in the time you have here?

If you have faith you are called by the Holy Spirit within you to a greater story. A group of good friends of mine meet on Friday mornings and they are studying EPIC by John Eldridge right now. I was amazed at how this ties into Donald Miller's "Thousand Miles in a Million Years," book.

By Faith is written to give us remembrance of the great men/women (Rahab) of the faith in Hebrews 11 that they conquered kingdoms, adminstered justice, and gained what was promised. The verse continues with some of the unpleasant things that happened to them too.

Today I see more people affected by this economy than ever in my life. People without jobs, places they have never been before. While I can comfort them and reassure them as I have been there before, it still doesn't get them one of Maslow's basic needs which is security.

I think alot of it has to do with our world view today. What do you need to live off of? I will ask men unemployed what is essential for your family to pay the big bills coming up? We believe I think that we need more. We are taught from a young age to have, appearances, staying up with the Joneses. To have a house like everyone else, even if we can't afford it. Cars that we can't pay for etc....

These men in Hebrews didn't have all that clutter drowning out the Holy Spirit. They had little in most instances or even gave it up. ( See Paul, Peter etc) Because they had a life changing experience that focused them on Christ and not the World. Off of them onto others, to a better story. The best and biggest story of our world, the changing of a man or woman's heart by coming to faith in Jesus Christ. He is watching us right now looking at us and wondering what we will do BY FAITH and leave an impact and not an impression on this world.

So here are three thoughts I am working on over the holidays. 1) De-Cluttering to allow more focus time on God 2) Spend intentional time with older men to disciple me more --time moves too fast. 3) Spend time in prayer to ask the Lord to show me where He is working that I can join Him in making a better story of His story and His name in 2010.....

Love to hear yours. May God bless you and walk with you along the way to show you more of Him in these last days....He is wanting too oh, he is wanting to show you and me more of Him and His creation and we miss it.....let's focus on Him more and less of us....

Travel Thoughts

This last weekend a friend of one of our girl's invited her to their Trunk or Treat event at a church in Lookout Valley. (named this as it is in the valley at the bottom of Lookout Mtn. Ga/Tn) as I drove her there I noticed the color of the trees and relished it. Beautiful reds, yellows and browns mixed in....wanted to soak it all in as I would be flying out Monday and knew they would be gone soon.

Arriving @ Philly airport on Monday morning with a business friend and on the way to our company's south Jersey headquarters there they were again! Their leaves were popping at the same time. Beautiful.

Setting up this past week's product camp takes about two months of plodding and planning to get ready. From restaurant menus for dinners to making sure the presentations are loaded on flash drives to travel arrangements there are details and more details.

It is always good that first morning to see it all begin and then shocking as it all comes to and end so soon two days later.

I am thankful to God for his holy spirit that guides me to remind me of things, to help me think ahead, to "pop" an idea in my mind that came from nowwhere but will make a real difference in something yet not even happening yet.

It was so good to see our CEO after a terrible year smile and say the worst is over. His leadership has been tremendous. He has one year left till he has to retire (company policy) and our owner is such a special man. Grown up in our business and loves it so. His love and passion for his company have made it special. His love for the Phillies was evident this week.

I love it when John Maxwell says that no one has ever accomplished anything of importance without someone's help. For this training event I depend on caterers, transportation, hotels (love Hampton Inn's Jeanne Wood in Swedesboro, NJ- she is awesome!) company facilities people on set up, tear down, presenters to help educate, and much more.

The things I have learned doing five of these now will help me in putting together any event. Especially those at the church.

But, the best part of the week was reading Don Miller's new book, "A Thousand Miles in A Million Years." Simply wonderful. I urge you to get a copy today.

I am working on a better story now in my life due to Don's book. So should you.

New Commandment's Herb Reese is coming to Chattanooga!

BridgeBuilders is proud to welcome Herb Reese of New Commandment Ministries of Colorado to Woodland Park for a special event on Saturday morning, January 23rd, 2010 from 8:30am until 11:00am centered around the biblical calling to men to care for widows, fatherless, immigrants or distressed persons within the family of the church.

“As we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10a

“Do not take advantage of a widow or orphan. If you do, they will cry out to me and I will certainly hear their cry. “ “He (God) defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” Deuteronomy 10:18

Here is what Herb Reese will be discussing and reviewing:

*The difference between kind gestures and Christ's love.
*The three unique qualities of Christ's love.
*The role of good works in the Christian life.
*God's heart for those in distress.

*An alternate model for smaller churches.
*How to organize teams.
*Recommended policies.
*Suggestions for service projects.
*Frequently Asked Questions.*And more!


There are three ways to register you and your group for this free event.

First, contact Woodland Park by calling 423.899.9186 x102 and registering

or e-mail at men@woodlandpark.org

Last but not least you can register for this free event straight on the web @ this link: http://newcommandment.eventbrite.com/

The Symbol of Freedom

There is a marvelous freedom we have as a Christian, and the symbol for that freedom is the Cross.

Many people, including some of the smartest to ever live, have failed to see this freedom. And those that will not look, seem to say the same thing over and over again, and the symbol for their philosophy is a circle. This circle has no way out, they are stuck. One of the wisest men of the bible, Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes illustrates this circular philosophy when he said, “there is nothing new under the sun, everything is vanity of vanities.” From within this circle there is no way for this truth of freedom to get in or get out.

I heard someone say, “things are no longer black and white, but have become gray. We no longer live in a world where there is just one right answer, but many right answers”. Our search for truth and freedom, when searched from within ourselves or from the wisdom of men, seems to always lead to a relevant truth, or this circular motion of no absolutes. Everything becomes gray and blurred.

This colorless life, this life that is gray and blurred, looks like this: We get up, we go to work, we go home, we eat, we go to bed, and then we do the same thing the next day, then the next, and so on, with no hope or meaning. We go from one activity to the next looking for and end to this drudgery, only to find we need another activity, and then another. This kind of life is like a treadmill that sucks the very life out of us. It’s easy for anyone, including the Christian, to find themselves on this treadmill.

I know, I’ve found myself on this treadmill many times. What’s the answer? I have to refocus, I have to renew my mind, I have to look at the Cross again a little closer, then a little closer. I find no end of what can be discovered there!

The cross is not a gray circular motion, it’s not a treadmill. At the heart of the cross we find a freedom not found anywhere else. This freedom is moving forward, upward and outward with no ends. A freedom of imagination and creativity, a freedom of discovery, a freedom of a continuous change in who we are and who we are becoming. A continuous discovery of truth, an absolute truth, that is not grayed or blurred. The truth always becomes clearer as we read and reread God’s word, and as the Holy Spirit brings color back into our life.

The way of the cross is not a dead end of repetitious actions, but it opens up into a wonderland of possibilities. Our life becomes a journey, a great adventure! The God of the universe is taking us somewhere, He has a plan! And His plan will go on forever. In Galatians 5:1, Paul said, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free”. Christ broke this circle, this circle of dead ends, by being broken for us on the Cross.

The truth of this freedom can only be found in Christ. Look again with me and see…..

Hank, the back pain is better today, thanks for praying brother! God bless..

Grace by any other name

Treatise on Grace by Jonathan Edwards (excerpt)

'Tis common for us to speak of various graces of the Spirit of God as though they were so many different principles of holiness, and to call them by distinct names as such, —repentance, humility, resignation, thankfulness, etc. But we err if we imagine that these in their first source and root in the heart are properly distinct principles. They all come from the same fountain, and are, indeed, the various exertions and conditions of the same thing, only different denominations according to the various occasions, objects, and manners, attendants and circumstances of its exercise. There is some one holy principle in the heart that is the essence and sum of all grace, the root and source of all holy acts of every kind, and the fountain of every good stream, into which all Christian virtues may ultimately be resolved, and in which all duty and [all] holiness is fulfilled.

Grace this weekend was the fact that God saw fit to let my father in law have a small stroke. One that he is going to be fine from, happened why he was at home. Best time of day and with all of us nearby to assist. Have been thinking about how much he means to our family and the impact he has had on me and our children. We are all better for knowing him. I am thankful that he knows Jesus and that he loves Him.

So how is that looking for you as a man? How are you impacting those around you? Can they say that being around you has made them a better person? Do you have any relationships that go deep and not just surface relationships?

I have been praying for different brothers I know without jobs, in a life change and Gary put it real well this past week. (He co-blogs on here with me) He has been suffering from back pain and he said that it is awful hard to focus off of self when you are in pain. So true.

Think about God. Think about your situation, Talk to Him about it. Give the pain to Him, You only have one shot at this fallen world. You and I need to run the race well as Paul encouraged us too. I look at those Christians in the New Testament and even during the tough economic times we go thru now, it is nothing compared to them.

May we enjoy this time, push thru to the next side and take many with us!

The picture above is our new mascot @ Oakwood Christian Academy. He made his debut at the first home game two weeks ago. GO EAGLES! It is good to see the twins enjoying friends and athletics. Fletcher starts keeping the scoreboard this week and Sarah Beth was a whiz working the concession stand last week with her mom. Being six she can almost make you buy anything!

Me? I was just glad to be able to get away from work and make the games. Two this week.

Happy Labor Day ! May God Bless you and encourage you today to get into His Word, see how much He has loved you and I and what we can do while here to make a difference!

Selah.