Smokin Praise

Severe weather always interests me. I keep telling my wife that I could be a storm chaser like on the T.V. show, but I don't think that will happen, especially when she gives me that "don't even think about it" look.

Speaking of severe, weather, I received an alert, via Blackberry weather from the local news station, that there are thunderstorm warnings and tornado watches for my county. This should be an interesting window view.

No sooner had I received this alert, I saw a door open just outside my window in my office. The door was to the offices beside me that share this building. Three women came out the door, quickly went to get under an awning, and began to smoke. I'm sitting here thinking, seriously!? It's pouring outside, there's a tornado warning, and people are going outside, just to smoke!

I've heard people say they smoke when they get stressed, angry, when things get rough, or just need a break. So no matter what it looks like outside, people are going to go out and smoke. In the middle of a storm, literally, people go and kill themselves with each drag.

So if they can take a smoke break, how about I take a praise break!?

Whether our lives are filled with storms or surrounded by circumstances that are out of our control, we should praise the most High! God is worthy!

Don't base your praise and worship on how your day is going or what you're facing in your life. God is worthy no matter what! Psalms says, "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name;"

People are entitled to take breaks on their job. Breaks that damage their body, breaks where they are slowly killing themselves. how much more should we take a praise break to give God glory!?! Praise is good and is good to do. When you praise Him, your spiritual and even physical body improve. Praise strengthens your spirit, soul, mind, and body.

God deserves the glory. Despite your situation, no matter what your circumstance, praise Him! Look at it this way: you're breathing, you have life, you have food, you have shelter, and you always have Jesus!

Despite your circumstances, no matter what your situation, take a praise break. No matter what you're going through, praise your way out of it! Keep going! God has control! No one said it'd be an easy road, but you can praise your way through it!

Think about it.

J.H.

The Day After

Yesterday was Easter. A day to celebrate one of the greatest events in history; Jesus rising from the dead. The grave could not hold Him, He arose just like He said He would do. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the greatest events in history! Not only an event, because the Resurrection lives in us when we die to our sin and rise up in Christ!

Churches, mine included, across the nation were pushing to do everything they could to invite more people than ever to attend their Easter services. We were doing so much to invite the people of our city to come to our special Easter Celebration services; made special invitation cards, put out signs, posted on Twitter and Facebook, and so much more to get the word out about this one service.

So here we are on the day after the Easter services. Does that mean that we stop reaching and pushing to get people to come to our church services?

Today is another opportunity to win the lost, to reach out to our community, to show people God's love and to share His Word.

We went to such great lengths and did so much to get people to come to our Easter services. Now that Easter is over, are we done reaching for the lost? We were all on our best behavior, looked our best, greeters wore extra smiles, we all shook all the hands we could, and showed God's light to our guests, but now that Easter is over, will we continue to make the same effort?

There is still a lost and dying world out there. There are still hungry people searching for something and someone to show them. Matthew has a very familiar verse that says, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations..." I didn't see a timeline in that verse. It doesn't say 'Go teach everyone about God until after Easter.

There is still a lost world that needs to be taught about God and His Word. Just because Easter is over does not mean that we should stop reaching for people and showing God's love.

Like I said, we all made such a huge effort to get people to come to our Easter services. It was all about souls, winning the lost, showing our guests the love of Jesus, etc. Will you continue to make the same effort on the day after Easter? Will you still show the love of Jesus and continue to witness with the Easter effort on the days after?

Think about it.

J.H.

Master's Degree

Last Sunday morning, I was in a church service at the First Apostolic Church in Maryville, TN... as I always am. Standing in the congregation, singing, and offering up praises to the most high God, something caught my attention. Now, please realize, I do not go around looking at people and letting my mind wander off in the distance... not in a church service anyway; but on this particular morning, I noticed something and I could not pull my gaze away from it.

I noticed a man sitting down and looking at a copy of the recently published Apostolic Witness magazine. It was just an ordinary thing. I mean, how many people do you see looking at a magazine? This particular instance, however, was interesting to me. You see, it was not the man looking at the magazine, rather, it was what was on the back of the magazine that caught my eye. I couldn't see the entire page, but at the top was labeled, "Master's Degree."

Immediately my mind started working. Things like, "What's that about?" & "I wonder what is says." began to come in my mind. Later in the day, this thought still had not let go of me. I began to wonder if it was talking about a degree in education, a pedigree of some sort, etc.

You see, I am currently pursuing higher education. My first thought about this page on the magazine was of a Bible College... being as how it was on an Apostolic magazine and all; but throughout the day I began to see it in a new light. What if it was about The Master?

Whether or not the magazine page was about college, pedigree, or something else, I kept thinking of the title, Master's Degree, in a new form.

In any form of education, you must dedicate your time and even sacrifice your desires in order to achieve a degree. How much more should we sacrifice and dedicate our time, efforts, and energy for a greater cause? What if we pursued what the Master intended for our lives?

So many of us, myself included, have tried to earn education, titles, respect, etc. Spending hours in front of a computer or head-first in a book, but for what? A man's approval? Where is God in this picture? Instead of trying to please everyone around us, why not purpose to please Jesus? He is the Master and He is calling us to a higher standard, a higher purpose, a higher... degree.

Friends, the Master is calling us. He wants to bless you and fill your life with joy unspeakable. The Master's Degree is what Jesus wants you to be.

Even as a child, Jesus was found in the temple amongst doctors, teachers, etc. He was teaching them not the other way around. Jesus was educated and purposeful about His Father's business. That is a prime example for us to follow. We should be about our Father's business, sharing God's Word, teaching others about Him, letting everyone know that there is hope, there is a better way, there is love, and God does love you!

When I receive my Master's Degree from a University, I'll basically have a piece of paper saying that I'm educated in a particular field. What I really desire, what I dedicate my life to, is the the Master's reward. His 'degree' will be words filled with power and life; "well done." It's my desire to be with people of like precious faith that have made their way through this life, throw my graduation cap up in the air and enter into glory!

I long to achieve my Master's degree.

J.H.