Ryan's Rockin' Holiday Party - Tampa FL

Ryan Nece has a heart for God and a heart for giving. If you live in Tampa, Join us for his holiday party next Thursday, December 10th at Ceviche to benefit underpriviledged children in the Tampa area.

I LOVE AFRICA Event next Thursday in Tampa at Grace Family - Don't miss it

Please join Deb and Mike Gilbert this Thursday at Grace Family Church in Lutz for I LOVE AFRICA. This event is sponsored by One City Ministries.

The Noticer, by Andy Andrews

Every once in awhile, you come across a book so special that you can't help but buy them in quantity to give away to friends and colleagues. The Noticer is one of those books.

Andy Andrews has crafted a story about an enigmatic man named Jones [just Jones] who appears in a beach town and touches a number of lives, in a very unusual way.

Jones uses history and literature and even the Bible to show various people why it is important to notice what is around you and especially to notice those things that others often overlook.

I found myself making a "reading" list as I was reading the book, wanting to take in Jones' wisdom by first hand experience with the characters that he would talk about. I have always loved biographies, but I tend to forget how powerful a force they can be.

Andy's writing style in this allegorical treat is easy and engaging. He pulls you into the lives of his characters and as it says on the fly of the book, gives you through the Noticer "your chance to regroup, take a breath, and begin your life again".

I loved the use of analogy in the story telling throughout the book and the obvious parallel to the Holy Spirit's influence on our lives, planting seed after seed and ensuring that it gets watered along the way, even in unexpected ways.

Bravo Andy Andrews for this masterful and highly impactful work. This isn't just fun reading. It will change lives.

I know the end of the story! We all bow down!

Did you ever pick up a book only to find that you have read it before. When you know the end of the story, it changes your perception of what you are reading (aka seeing).

Revelations 12:9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him.

Have you been feeling beaten down? Do the circumstances around you seem like everyone is against you?

At the end of our story, the accuser loses the privilege of access. This is a prelude to his total and utter destruction by the Lion of Judah.

I need to stand up to his lies and accusations and use Revelations 12:9 as my sword in the day to day battles.

Papa God, thank you for not listening to his accusations and for standing up for your children.

http://onewhoseekshisface.blogspot.com/

The Lion of Judah

Revelations 5:5 Stop weeping. Behold the lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.

NOTE: To read more about the background of (and to order) the beautiful picture that I've included here, click on the link on the photo.

Photo Copyright 2000-2008 by Pam Smart-all rights reserved

John knew that the book must be opened and that the seven seals must be broken. It seemed hopeless that no one could be found that was worthy for the task. Even God himself did not step up to open it.

Worthiness came from the ultimate sacrifice of the lamb. Only He was worthy.

He is the overcomer. We have no real choice but to serve Him and give Him glory by living the example He showed us in His life and His sacrifice. He lived LOVE and that is what we are called to emulate in all that we do.



Lion of Judah, give me strength to serve you faithfully and fearlessly to share your love with others. Let them see you when they look at me.

Enjoy this video from Jason Upton about the Lion of Judah.

The Revelation of Jesus

Rev 1:14-16 His head and hair were white like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze when it has been caused to glow in a furnace. His voice was like the sound of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars and out of his mouth came a sharp two edged sword and his face was like the sun shining in its strength.

This picture of the Son of Man (God made flesh, but then glorified) is of his purity, power, strength, clarity, authority and glory.

He is indeed the first and the last and we must listen and hear what he says to the churches.

Lord return me to my first love, help me to persevere and endure and to live in your ways. Let me stay "hot".

Enjoy this video from a Korean dance troupe.



Holy, holy, holy. You are worthy to receive glory honor and power.

It's not a point system

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselfs. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works, that no one should boast.

Imagine a world where God created a point system by which we each had to earn "goodness". One point for saying nice things, lose two points for being mean. We would constantly be striving and those who got more points than others would likely flaunt it, or as the author of Ephesians says, "boast".

When we receive a gift, we don't try to take credit for that gift. If someone complements us, we say, "Thanks! So and so gave this to me.".

Thank God that He set things up so that we couldn't earn his favor or his grace or even that we could muster up faith without it being a gift from him (1 Cor 12:9).

Thank you Lord for setting things up in such a way that we can only attribute our redemption to you and that we can truly find rest because we can't earn that amazing gift of grace.

God's Power - Let it rain!

Psalm 97:1 The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad, let the distant shores rejoice

This series of verses are proclaimed on Michael W. Smith's Worship CD in the son "Let it Rain". They are a perfect picture of God's power.

Even if we don't worship the Lord, the earth will.

Psalm 97:3-5 Fire goes before him and consumes our foes on every side. His lightening lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord.

Lord, let me remember your power and that your righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Thank you for your power and for your protection Lord. Let the people proclaim your righteousness and may ALL the people see your glory.

Sports fans have nothing on believers when it comes to recognizing the power of the One that we worship. Listen to the whole song by Michael W. Smith. Feel the power.

His will IS His pleasure and His will is love

1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have before Him that if we ask anything according to HIS will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know we have the requests which we have asked of Him.

All of 1st John focuses on living in love and not living in sin & idolatry. Love and loving our brother IS His will, so our requests of Him need to line up with that. If we are just asking for things that serve ourselves or our love of things and money (for their own sake), then we need to rethink our motives.

Since it is His good pleasure for us to live according to His will, it is also His pleasure to fulfill our requests.

Lord, teach me to love. Empower me by your Holy Spirit to love the unlovable.

Change your pattern

John 21:6 And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right hand side of the boat, and you will find a catch." They cast it and they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.

When we don't see results from our efforts (e.g. fishing all night without a catch) and he directs us to change our pattern, we should listen!

Not just because God himself is talking and speaking with knowledge but because He knows that we get stuck in unproductive patterns.

I speak from personal knowledge, as I have felt stuck for over a year in an unproductive pattern. I am ready to "find a catch".

Bring it on Lord! Speak so that I can change my pattern.

Ask that your joy may be full

John 16:24 Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. ASK and you will receive that your joy may be full.

Joy is defined by Webster as the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation. God defines it differently. He sees our needs and He desires to fill them. He just wants us to check our "alignment" with His will first.

Did your kids, or a friend or a co-worker ever approach you saying "I don't know if you'll agree, but.....". Actually, they generally already have an inkling, something that they know about you that lets them know that the answer will likely be no.

Asking "in His name" requires knowing Him and understanding His nature. As we get to know Him through His Word and through spending time with Him, every day we have a clearer picture of His plan for our lives. It is so much easier to ask for things when we know His propensity to say yes! If we seek His will for us, then asking takes on a whole new dimension!

As I seek to have a deeper relationship with Jesus and with Papa God, my requests will automatically be more in alignment with His will for our lives. And when He says yes, that is what produces true, lasting joy.

Lord, make my joy complete by revealing your will to me.

They will know you by your love

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you may also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.

So often we look at the outward things - even the religious things (going to church, study and prayer) as measures of our service. But those can all be done with an impure heart and self-centered motives (pride) and as such are not effective. He wanted us to mirror His behavior, His love.

I need to look at my heart and my motives for each act of service. I need to love without condition as He loves me. True service comes out of the heart, not out of the action itself.

Lord, may your love be visible in me. I pray that those that you have put in my path will be touched by your love, through me. Send your Helper to teach me how to love the unlovable. Show me how to serve the homeless.

Thank you for your unfailing love.

His unfailing love

Psalm 32:10 Many are the woes of the wicked but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him.

All we have to do is read the paper, online headlines or listen to the news to hear the woes of the world.

Perhaps you think the word "wicked" is too harsh, but at the core we all suffer from the wickedness of our natural self.

As verse 7 says, our deliverance from that wickedness comes not from our own strength, but from trusting in His unfailing love. He is our hiding place, He will protect us from trouble and surround us with the songs of deliverance and victory.

Let the song be heard in Tampa today Lord! Thank you for your unfailing and unconditional love.

Broken and Contrite

Ps 51:10-12 Create in me a clean heart o God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant to me a willing spirit to sustain me.

David had sinned big time. Not only did he see Bathsheba bathing and even though she was married, sent for her, slept with her and got her pregnant, but he had her husband sent to the front lines to be killed. Talk about a gross misuse of power.

David knew what it was like to be in God's presence and to have His Holy Spirit's influence in his life.

In Psalm 51, David turned to God, knowing that to do otherwise would separate him from God forever, and likely speed up his own death. He had seen many others die for less. He knew sacrifices wouldn't cut it. That would be external only - action without intent of the heart.

The sacrifice God wanted was a broken spirit - which David had - and a contrite heart - a willingness to TURN back in God's direction rather than following his own lusts and desires.

Psalm 51:10-12 is that cry of David's heart.

Lord, every day, create in me a clean heart and give me the joy of knowing You and You knowing me by name.