Our Passion

We are created with many passions. Some use them for bad purposes & get themsevles into a lot of trouble. We should turn our passion towards God & let that passion become integrated into every part of our lives. David was a warrior & a king. The passion that he had for God was incredible. He mentions in 2 Samuel 22:30 that with God he can go against any troop & with God he can leap over anywall. Talk about the original superman. David had a passion for God that enabled him to go against massive armies & do incredible things as the king.
Sometimes we look at the lack of committment from people to God & the things of God (prayer, Bible reading, regular church attendance, giving, etc.) & wonder what's going on. We will even chalk it up to our culture, society, how busy everyone is, & things like that in general. There is a solution & it's not by giving someone a book or starting a new program or yelling at the top of our lungs. The solution has to do with our passion for God.... quite simply... THERE IS A GREAT LACK OF PASSION FOR GOD & it's not integrated into our everyday lives.
People are really committed to what they are passionate about. They will sacrifice, place a high priority on, & even go out of their way to make sure that what they are passionate about happens. People aren't committed to God or the things of God because there is a lack of passion for God. Otherwise.... you couldn't keep them out of God's House, you couldn't keep them from giving, or sharing their testimony, or using their gifts & talents for God's kingdom and that passion would intgrate into everything.... their marriage, their children, their workplace, their social outlets, etc.
What are you passionate about? Too many peopel today are more passionate about their education, their kid's sports teams, climbing the ladder of success, their hunting, their sports teams, their cars/boats/etc., and their hobbies & interests to name a few than they are to God. Sadly, it showing in our culture & society.
Let's get passionate for God & integrate that passion in everypart of our life so people will see it!!!

The Loss Of A Dear Friend & Fellow Brother

I just got word yesterday that a very good friend of mine who was also a frat brother died from complications of the H1N1 virus & pneumonia. He was only about 35-36 years old (I believe.. maybe a bit younger). I followed his brother's updates on facebook over the last few days. His brother Mark is a fellow pastor in Kentucky. I have been kind of rivoted to my facebook page looking for updates on Kevin. It's really hard to beleive that his earthly life is over. Death always makes us take stock in what is 'really going on'. We get so used to the everyday routine down here that we forget to view things through the lens of Scripture. We are just pilgrims headed to our 'real' home. This life here on earth is just a journey of trust, faith, & love in Jesus Christ.

21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 23 I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, Phil 1:21,23 (NET)

Paul....realized that heaven is much better than earth & really desired to just be done with earth & flesh & get on to glory. He stayed, thank-the Lord, & wrote many letters that we are reading & living by today that are included in God's Word.

My friend Kevin JUST GAINED what we, as believers in Christ, are striving for. He gained... he didn't lose... he didn't give up... HE GAINED & He is worshiping the Father.

The death of a believer is not "good-bye", it's just "we'll see you very soon"

The Lord is coming soon.... take advantage of everyday... hug your spouse & kids, tell someone that you love them... don't take people or things for granted....

live this journey in such a way that the Father will one day say "you believed in my Son, you lived for me the best you could, good job"

God bless, Pastor G....... Kevin, we'll see you soon
(pray for their family)

Are You A Haunted House?

Jesus said a puzzling little parable in Matthew 12:43-45 about a spirit going out of a person, then it coming back in with 7 times more evil than before. WHAT WAS JESUS TALKING ABOUT?? He was talking about what the Pharisees & Scribes (the religious leaders & elite) were doing at the time & what we do today all too often. They had decided that since they no longer served idols like they used to & they kept the oral law very religously they were 'clean', 'safe', 'pure', & 'holy'. Jesus said... NO, you have swept up & cleaned the outside, but the INSIDE IS JUNK & that's not going to cut it. That is what happens to many today... they clean up on the outside, they look good, they try to be holy & righteous in their own strength, but there has NEVER BEEN A TOTAL REBIRTH & change of the heart through Jesus Christ & the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus looked at the Pharisees & said "there has been reformation, but no REGENERATION". That is what we need..that is what the person srtuggling in the world needs... REGENERATION... not reformation. That is why some will struggle with sins over & over & over again.. only to fall into it time after time after time. They usually are trying to 'clean up' themselves instead of running to God & saying "change me on the inside through your Spirit". Don't just clean up & look good on the outside... be changed from withing. The Gospel work is from inside to outside, NOT outside in. You also can't clean a fish until you catch it... so don't expect people to fix their problems & situation before they come to church.... let them come JUST AS THEY ARE to meet a Savior ready to heal them!!
Pastor G (you can listen to the sermon on this on our website odky.org)

It's time to blog again

Ok, I haven't blogged in a while, but now that I am posting it on our church's website I've got to keep up with it & that is what I shall do. My brother even called me yesterday & told me I've got to update it if I'm going to post on it. So here we go... there will be more post, there will be more info, & hopefully more stuff to chat about... enjoy & chime in
..go throught the archives & check out some of my older, orginal ones...especially the "breakthrough diet".. I believe that would be amazing if everyone joined in that one
Pastor G

Where is our devotion????

You know.... It seems like in this day & age that the things of God are so easily put right in line with everything else that goes on in our lives. We keep them equal with our jobs, success, hobbies, interests, loves, & desires.

Many times we put a higher priority on things that have NO ETERNAL value than on those things that have a high eternal value. What is up with that? Where did we go wrong? Jesus said, "where your heart is, there your treasure is" (my translation). Is our hearts on God & the things of God.......the church, His Word, the fellowship of the believer, our quiet times with Him, allowing His presence & Spirit to TOTALLY SATURATE EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES.

Here is what is sad....... many times we do not let ANY KIND of excuse keep us from the things that we really love, and we will make GREAT sacrifices to make sure we enjoy or do those things.....BUT, when it comes to church or the Lord, many excuses keep us from doing what God has called us to do, or even to committ to the church on a regular basis...

WOW...That is something that I have to work on as well....... We will all stand before the Lord & have to give an account of our lives.....what's He going to say "well done good & faithful servant" , or "I don't even know you"? I want to be counted FAITHFUL, don't you?

A NEW BREAKTHROUGH DIET....

I propose a new diet for the world in recent light of the 'mad-cow' disease, & 'bird-flu' scare..........CEREAL..... ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT....for breakfast, supper, & lunch...you get your vitamins, fiber (depending on what cereal), & calcium & vitamin D with milk.....

....CEREAL....I think they need to make auto fuel out of cereal, all the restarants could seel 'gormet' cereal, cereal & coffee shops, etc. DOESN"T IT SOUND GOOD??? It's 12:18 am, I'm going to get a bowl RIGHT NOW... c-ya
Pastor G

Steroids in baseball is sad....

I just simply think that it is sad. I like to joke that the only steroid that Babe Ruth used was beer & steak. I say give the records back to the GREAT old ballplayers who held them for so long (unless the records were broken by "non-juiced" players). I simply think it is a joke......kick them out...no 1st strike, 2nd strike nonsense.....they all know what's going on......kick them out..... I just shake my head at the whole situation...... see in golf....steroids will not help you, it might help you drive the ball, but you've still got to chip & put :)
AND I KNOW what some are saying....."well, they've still got to hit the ball" <--this a="" amp="" an="" are="" back="" ball="" best="" br="" but="" during="" guys="" have="" heard="" hit="" hitting="" hold="" i="" interview="" is="" it="" lasorda="" ll="" maybe="" minute.....i="" now="" of="" on="" out="" popping="" say="" sum="" the="" there.....="" they="" to="" tommy="" track="" true="" up.....="" up="" used="" warning="" were="" when="">
"sad day, sad day...."

A "new" school Prayer

This was written (supposedly) by a kid in Arizona.......he wrote it because the word "God" cannot be mentioned in most public schools anymore......... isn't it sad....
"Now I sit me down to school. Where praying is against the rule. for this great nation under God, finds mention of Him very odd. If Scripture now the class recites, it violates the Bill of Rights. And anytime my head I bow, becomes a federal matter now. Our hair can be purple, orange, or green, that's no offense; it's a freedom scene. The law is specific, the law is precise. Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice. For prayin in a public hall, might offend someone with no faith at all. In silence alone we must meditate, God's name is prohibited by the state. We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks, and pierce our noses, tongues, and cheeks. They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible. To quote the Good Book makes me liable. We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen, and the 'unwed daddy' our Senior King. It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong, we're taught that such "judgements" do not belong. We can get our condoms and birth controls, study witchcraft, vampires, and totem poles, but the Ten Commandments are not allowed. No Word of God must reach this crowd. It's scary here I must confess. When chaos reigns the school's a mess. So, Lord, this silent plea I make: Should I be shot, my soul please take! Amen"

Bush...is our president, thank God

You know, I am really getting tired of many blaming Bush for the New Orleans disaster. Yeah, the federal government made some mistakes, & they have admitted & acknowledged those.........
but what about the government of Louisianna, & the city itself......how long have they known the levees were bad..... I heard on the radio yesterday that they had known & been told about the faulty levees for something like 35 years.......and what about the buses that they had that just sat there, couldn't they have been used to evacuate people. It's just so absurd in my opinion. There comes a time in natural disasters where you have to "look out for yourself". You can't wait for the governnment to do something for you in those instances......and really evacuating in something like that would seem to be a "state" & "city" issue. They were warned days in advance.
......I also heard yesterday that a college female thought that Bush was using the NSA 'spying' NOT for national safety and security, but simply because of HIS EGO........wow, that is a great assesment..........some in Congress do not care about national security, ONLY WHAT THEY CAN POLITICIZE........we have seen that at the Coretta Scott King funeral. I loved listening to Att. Gen. Gonzalez's testimony before the committee concerning the NSA taps.......he listed past presidents, all the way back to Washington, that intercepted communications, checked wiretaps, read correspondance, etc. in order to know what the enemy was doing & planning......Wilson wanted to read EVERY telegraph that came in & out of this country if I heard the testimony correctly.........what is different here? Like I said before, Bush & the government isn't listening to my grandparent's phone calls, or somebody like that.......my opinion......Keep up the good work Pres. Bush, I'm praying for you!

Keeping Us Safe....

You know, I am really getting tired of certain elements in our country really hounding the President over the spying of the NSA. The way they make it appear & seem is that the government has been spying on 1,000's upon 1,000's of Americans. Have you been listening people. The one's that have been 'spyed' upon are those who are 'suspected' of terrorism or links to terrorists groups. It's not like the government is tapping into EVERYBODY'S phones & communication......#1 there is not enough man-power to do that, & besides, WHY WOULD THEY???? Talking about your boring job......or a job that would get VERY tiresome after a while. I mean really, what would the government benefit from tapping into my grandmother or grandfather's home telephone??? To see how my grandpa's purebread hounds are doing? NOW IF THERE IS A SUSPECTED LINK TO A TERRORISTS GROUP, then that's another question isn't it? We have to realize the time in which we are living in. I think that in order to be safe, we are going to have to give up some of our priveldges. I don't think anybody's rights are being violated, but when you hear how some fight & oppose, you would think that EVERY AMERICAN has no more rights of privacy. THOSE WHO ARE AFFILIATED WITH TERROISTS HAVE NO RIGHTS IN MY OPINIONS ANYMORE!!!!! ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE IN THIS COUNTRY. Go get them President Bush, & I hope that whomever becomes the next president of our nation will TAKE THE FIGHT TO THEM. Can this sort of thing be mistreated, of course, almost anything in government can, THAT'S WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE RIGHT PERSON IN THE RIGHT JOB. God Bless America, P.G.

Teach Intelligent Design as we...

I just heard about the judge chosing to rule that I.D. (Intelligent Design) cannot be taught at the public school in Dover County, PA. THAT IS SO ABSURD. I'm so sick of the 'evolution science' IDIOTS getting so scared when their 'THEORY' (that is really all that it is) is ever challenged. I cannot believe that they stick with that lie. Why not teach them both side by side & let the kids & parents decide which one they want to believe. When will they learn? When will they learn?
I think that it is an absolute INSULT to even think that the human race evolved from the monkey/ape/gorilla or what have you, and if so....why aren't there more monkeys evolving today???? as a matter of fact, you can see in nature evidence of 'negative' evolving (born without a wing, not perfect, etc.), but you see NO EVIDENCE of 'positive' evolving (things becoming better)....I wonder why that is, probably because the theory of evolution is a joke. Just read or watch any videos by Dr. Ham, or even better, Dr. Kent hovind at www.drdino.com. "whah, whah, they want to teach something besides a lie (evolution)"

Allright, Here We Go, The Inagural Post

I have been wanting to do something like this for some time now. I need a place on the net where I can rant and rave & comment about things....... so if my ranting & raving & commenting strikes a chord with ya..... leave a comment .... or as I like to say... "sip & chat" with me.... G