What are you selling?

I have been watching a DVD recording of a series from several years ago that Brent Gambrell preached. It's called Mind, Body, Spirit, and it's awesome. Every time I watch it I get something different out of it. At the beginning he had some people fill out questionnaires  some Christian some not, he had 2 stacks of filled out questionnaires, one set was from previous group who he knew were Christians and the other was from the group he was currently speaking to. The main purpose of the questionnaires were for the people to describe themselves positives and negative (I believe), it was also to identify habit patterns too. So, Brent begins to read off the list of things people see negative in themselves, he'd read a few then go to the next page and read a few and so on. Then he went to the group of Christians and read theres, and there wasn't much of a difference at all. (Get the dvd at www.brentgambrell.com)
I have had a wonderful time teaching my 8th grade Sunday school class. Most of the time students just sit there and space out because of the material or because of the teacher. My co teacher and I said we didn't want to be the sort of teachers who just read from a piece of paper say Amen and leave. We started asking them questions to where we would be the ones who needed to be taught so to speak. Teachers have said to me in the past that the best way to learn is to teach, it's not 100% accurate statement but occasionally it works. I can only say that things in our class have been awesome and ground breaking. We don't see a pick up in attendance or theses guys getting saved (yet). This past Sunday the 23rd of Jan 2011 was just dynamite. It was my turn to teach or lead, and something came over me and I just went with it. Not because I'm A.D.D. but something was moving. It's still on my mind and heart what all was talked about and so I shared it with a public school's christian club this morning and all I can say a room of 40-50 middle schoolers at 7:30 am totally quiet was mind blowing. Figured I'd share it with you and add somethin' somethin' to it.
Have we as Christians ever thought about that we might be the closest thing to Jesus that they ever get to see or experience? We are human and not Jesus, but the term Christian is to be of Christ or Christ like. Often we are the only representation of our God that people will see. If we were 1 in a group of 6 people could people tell that you are a Christian? Matthew 12:34b well the 2nd half of the verse says "from out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." What do we talk about with people? Gossip by sharing the dirt from what we see and hear from others about certain individuals? Make a comment that may seem funny to you and others near you, about someone that wouldn't be a nice thing to say to their face? Make "that's what she said" or any type of comments like that? Locker rooms, sports teams, ever talk about stuff you shouldn't, the way we talk about people, and talk of people, and the language we use? I'm not condemning anyone here because I've done these things, we are human and live in a sinful world and sometimes we give in and say things that aren't pleasing to God. Let me ask this, have you ever heard anyone say that there is a God size hole in us that only God can fill? And that the only way we can fill that hole is by asking God to come into our hearts to live and take the title of "Christian"?  So we pray the prayer and claim we are saved and Christians, well when you do that 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" Let me put everything together for ya, we have a God size hole that only he can fill, God come into my heart and live fill the hole inside me, I am now in Christ so my old is gone and the new creation is now in me, from out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Then I ask this, if a new creation is in you by Jesus living in your heart, and the words we speak are from the overflow of where Jesus lives, and we say and talk about people and each other and the things we do, and we aren't talking about God or love, then where is Jesus??? If we curse, slander, tear people down, tell perverted jokes, talk about women to the point of where they have no more respect for themselves and treat them that way, and like wise about men, and from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks CHRISTIANS where is God? If only he can fill the hole often referred to as our hearts, and we say ugly things, then is God even there? I was picked on most my life, for the way my hair was, my glasses when I was little, the space between my front teeth, the clothes I wore, the way I talked, the way I walked, the way I acted. Didn't matter what it was I was always a reject so it seemed. Christians here me on this, if we are the closest thing that the world or believe it or not our friends see or experience to Christ, what are you selling? Is there a difference? Why would someone want what you have inside of you to change their life if there's not a difference? If I was lost and paid attention to Christians today I'd ask if you had another God because the one you have isn't working so well. I'm presently reading a book by John C. Maxwell called Be A People Person, it says this:                 "A study by the TARP, Technical Assistance Research Programs, in Washington D.C.,
                         shows that most customers won't complain to management if something goes wrong
                         But TARP found out that, depending on the severity of the problem, an average
                         customer will tell between 9 and 16 friends and acquaintances about his bad experience.
                         Some 13% will tell more than 20 people! More than 2 out of 3 customers who've
                         received poor service will never buy from that store again and, worse, management will
                         never know why."
Here's the thing our God our management knows why, isn't that scary? What are we selling Christians? A God who is called the provider, the rock of ages, the King of Kings, Awesome, Wonderful, Powerful, Saviour, Redeemer, Amazing Grace, and yet no one can tell because of our words and actions. We honestly wonder why our world is so dark and gloomy, even our own country.
If we are, who people say are the examples of Christ, by watching and listening to you, would they want the life changing God who keeps you from the pits of Hell, who sacrificed his own son to take on the punishment that we should face, and see the love, mercy, grace, that he extends to us?
Only 2 questions left, What if you were the closest thing to Christ that people will experience?
What are you selling (Christian)?

The Fighter

In my life there has been many times, where a fight would take place. Not saying a physical fight, or a verbal fight, but the fight you can't see. There is a movie on Hulu.com called Ink, it does have language in it, but it's a great movie. In this movie it shows forces of good vs evil, the forces that fight over us humans while we sleep. Yes it sounds cheesy but if you watch the whole thing you will at the end see the reference and connection between that movie and God. It helps illustrate and visualize the fight that goes on around us each and every day. The fight of Satan trying to neutralize Christians with the famous words I Feel with added words ugly, fat, stupid, not good enough, dumb, and more. It's a battle we go through every day with trials and temptations. When we ask Jesus to come into our hearts to live, by doing that we have enlisted into God's Army (Army of the ONE). We are given orders to GO and do what? Make disciples of all nations. Jesus said that he has set an example that we should follow. We as Christians cannot deny that spiritual battles are being fought for us in the name of Christ. We as fighters (Christians) are to tell others about Christ and what God has done for us, to spread the LOVE. By doing what we are commanded to do and the orders we've been given we are waging war on Satan and sin/evil.
Scary to think about but do think about it.
1 Timothy 6:11-12 and implementing the definition of faith given in Hebrews 11:1 goes like this:
"But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue (a word we can use to associate with pursue is to stalk) righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith (Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."). Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
We are told to fight, the good fight of faith, and to take hold or embrace eternal life which we are given when we made our good confession (when we say God I am sinful not by your design but by your creation 'Adam and Eve' I can not stand alone I will fall. I need to be saved from this world of sin and hatred. Jesus come into my heart, and kill me, so that you may have a place to live. God I choose you and follow your commandments.) in front of many witnesses this means make it PUBLIC.
Isaiah had the right attitude, Isaiah 6:8, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!"
Notice the exclamation mark at the end, he wasn't saying if you have to or have no one else I reckon you can send me God. Isaiah makes his presences known by being willing to serve God and to do what God commands him to, so he says "Here am I." and with what I'd consider passion and excitement "Send me!"
Hebrews 11 the whole chapter talks about faith and what it is and who has lived by faith and what they have done by faith. In verse 16b "Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."
We are FIGHTERS!
You can ask yourself, is God ashamed to be called my God? Do I fight the good fight of faith? Do I carry out my orders? Do I know the truth so it can set me free when I'm held captive by the enemy?
*Know the truth Christians not the paraphrase or something that was said a lot once when back then. Is a half truth a truth? Is a half lie still a lie" Yes it's still a lie and no a half truth isn't THE TRUTH. Know it Christians it will save your life, so that you can sacrifice yourselves for the every day people next to you, so they may hear about God's glory and truth through your life, keeping them from spending an eternity in HELL! In the movie Black Hawk Down in one of the ending scenes it was said by a soldier no one well understand why we do what we do, it's about the person next to you. If we Christians had the same type of mentality of obedience and devotion to God where no one will understand why you talk about Jesus the way you do and why you live for God the way you do, can you imagine what our country what our world would be like. For the simple fact that it's about the person next to you. God is love, so be love!

See me, Hear me

Not sure what all video's I can post on here, but I have a vimeo page if you'd like to check it out. On there are video's that I did for my youth group, and me speaking. www.vimeo.com/ericallendoane

A crappy life?

Ever felt like a Victim? Be honest, because I have. I'd feel that the world hates me and everyone I knew turned against me. I felt dumb and stupid and never any good at anything. Being told there's something wrong with me, made me feel worthless. I'm single so I am lonely. I feel no matter what I do my life is always shaky and my legs are tired from trying to balance myself. No one likes me, no one will say Hi to me. I feel invisible to the people I care about the most. What did I ever do to become invisible? I'm treated in such a manner that makes me want to end my life, I mean why live, when no one cares? My immediate family will miss me but other than that no one will care. I've done so many terrible things, and no one will forgive me. I'm not perfect, yet the ones who judge me think they are, how am I ever to compete with that. When I go to church I put on a mask, it's called my happy face, when inside I'm suffering a pain and burden that no one understands.........

Ever felt like that? Ever thought something like that? Not going to lie I have felt and thought like that before. Just because I'm in ministry, I'm not going to say, "and then I found Jesus and he made things all better." Because, I do know Jesus and I did when I felt like a victim. I was in 8th grade. Over this past Thanksgiving I bought and watched a movie called To Save A Life, it's a Christian based movie, contrary to what others think the language that is in it, I find appropriate. Because it makes the movie "real." It is an awesome top of the line movie hands down! Ever since watching that movie it has helped revamp the way I look and handle student ministry. 

Listen or well read this, it's very important. There is a God size hole that only a LIVING GOD can fill. If he is the only one who can fill it, then shouldn't you feel complete? Good question, you should right? You can and do feel complete or filled. But here's the disclaimer, just because you invite God into your life so the Holy Spirit can live inside you so it kills your old self and grows a new creation in you, doesn't mean that satan will leave you alone. We want the world to automatically get better and it's happy happy joy joy from salvation to death. I say this, GOD LOVES YOU!!!!!! If you invite him into your life he will provide! He'll provide a firm foundation so your legs wont be shaky. He'll provide a way of escape from temptation, he provides a friendship a relationship. He won't leave you alone, when God sent his only son to die for you he sail I'll trade my son's life for yours so that you may be with me. YOU ARE WORTH IT!!! Nothing is wrong with you, God made us in his image, is God perfect? YES, we were made perfect and beautiful and handsome because we reflect him. The world hates you because it hated Jesus and God first, and that you are not of this world.

All sounds good Eric but you knew Jesus and you still felt that way so what's the deal? Why do "Christians" suffer and still have crap in your lives? How can you be a Christian and still have a crappy life? God doesn't like it when we suffer no Father does, and God gave us free will to make choices. We can always turn to him for comfort and for that way out. However, we usually don't we point the finger and say where were you God? Here's the thing read closely, we go through trials and crap so we can find a way to glorify God. That doesn't make any since, it might be the dumbest thing I've ever read. Then you didn't read close enough. Let me ask you this, how are we to see God's glory if we never go through crap? How can we see that we needed and still continuously ever day need a savior? If things are always good, they why would we need God? If things were never crappy when would we ever appreciate the things that bring us hope and joy? How are we ever to rely on God if we handle things ourselves and just stay in the dark? We are to see how good God is when we go through crap. That is how we see his glory, but once we see his glory we are to glorify him with it. How does that work? You tell people, you share what happened with people. I can say God blessed me with a Mom who saw the notes I wrote and read the prayers I prayed. She didn't say Eric there's something wrong with you! She said Eric I love you, and if you only remember 2 things in life remember this God loves you and I love you, nothing else matters. I got to experience God's love through my Momma. Satan whispers in our ears of how we should feel, do you think satan would ever whisper Eric you should feel happy, Eric you should rejoice in the Lord? NEVER!!!!! God is LOVE, every time you FEEL something negative lonely, depressed, stressed, RECOGNIZE it is SATAN in your ear!!! God will tell you and show you every day that he loves you we just have to be open to see it and accept it. In my life time and time again I would consider it crappy, however, I think when I'm going through things that are rough and tough I ask myself how can this situation bring God glory? Where and when is the point where I will see his glory? I'm going through this to glorify God and so I will seek or stalk God through it.

" 2My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. 3You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. 4But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything." James 1:2-4 CEV

" 2(E) Count it all joy, my brothers,[b] when you meet trials(F) of various kinds, 3for you know that(G) the testing of your faith(H) produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be(I) perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4 ESV

 "2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a]whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4 NIV

CHALLENGE: Next time you think you have and are going through a crappy life, 1st ask Do I have a relationship with God, have I ever marked down a date where I said God I'm sorry for my wrongs/sins, please forgive me, come into my heart and into my life to stay.? 2nd Maybe you have a marked date but you've been through some things and you've not been where you'd like to be, and now you see God's glory and that we go through things to see how awesome God is, David prayed a prayer in Psamls 51 asking God to forgive him and to wash him clean, David asks that God creates him a new heart and a steadfast spirit with in him, and asks God to return to him the Joy of salvation. You too can ask for the same thing and get back where you know you ought to be. 3rd ask How can I see God through this crappy life, how am I going to be able to glorify him with it? When will I be able to share what God is doing in my life and has done in my life? Next thing you should do after asking and having the 3rd question option answered is? DO IT share what he has done, God is not a secret to be kept, telling people of God's glory is, guess what, GLORIFYING him.

We need to stop being victims and feeling like victims and realize quickly that SATAN is the one whispering negative thoughts in our ears, and let's understand that when we are going through hard times it's only to bring glory to God. God is LOVE and if you are a Christian check your self! And Be LOVE! Don't hate, appreciate!! 

Got Passion?

As many of you know or most of you may not know, I'm a minister in residence at First Baptist Church Woodstock in Ga. I serve in the youth ministries department being mentored and trained to be a youth pastor (WHICH IS AWESOME!!!!). We have a reading list and I found some notes from a book that I read. From holding my mentoring group to a STAND challenge (Stand up, Stand firm, Stand out) this only fuels my passion for what I do and for what God is and will have me do. I wanted to share this with you all, this is from Building Your Leadership Resume by Johnny Hunt.

"Where some see a dead end, passion sees a possibility. Where some grow tired from the struggle, passion is energized to see it through. Where some are ready to quit, passion rocks on. Passion is only getting started when others are conceding (giving in to) failure."

"Passion fires the soul, causing impossibilities to vanish, to become possible."

Passion can be a deciding difference in your life.

"Passion has more influence than personality."

"Passion takes over where natural charisma leaves off."

So, I ask, Got Passion?

What is it that you stand for? Who do you stand for? Do you stand out, where people look at you because you live for Christ passionately to the point where they treat you as an outcast?

If we say we are Passionate about people to know Christ, and see the difference he makes in our lives, then what are we doing about it?

After reading this and you use the word passion or passionate think about what you are referring to what you are talking about? (ex. I'm passionate about soccer, or passionate about being a fan for such and such singer or band, I'm passionate about politics.) Are we as Christians really passionate about what we should really should be? 

Another book I read in college, said that the number 1 fear for Christians and in most cases the number 1 reason (being fear) to witness or lead someone to Christ or make the attempt to do so, is rejection (being told no). 

I will leave with this challenge from Pastor Johnny's book, "Be bold, be strong, be Passionate."

Know this God loves you and I love you! Be safe, have fun, God Bless!!