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Jesus Really Cares!

Monday, April 12th, 2010 By 5 Comments

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Happy Monday!

Had a super weekend. Hope you did too! Great Saturday with my amazing wife! Had some family in from Richmond both days! Enjoyed a lovely Sunday… church was unreal, 3 people came to Christ, everyone set on fire!! Relaxed in the afternoon… watched the golf Masters tournament, the most golf I’ve watched in my entire life! Was very happy for Phil Mickelson… he won @ 16 under par! Went to a bridal shower last night and hung out with my two friends John D and Barry V, while all the ladies seemed to have a glorious bridal shower!

I’m Feeling Someone’s Pain!

I’m praying for a few friends this morning. I mean, this is a whole lot more passionate than my normal friends and family prayer routine. There are a few people I know who are really up against the wall right now. A few people who are suffering with pain… the worse kind of pain, emotional pain!

Jesus Really Cares!

Sometimes, there is nothing we can say or do to lift a dear pal. And because we care so much, the more they suffer, the worse we feel. I would do anything to make these problems go away for them!

Did you hear that? “I (an average loving human friend) would do anything to make these problems go away for them!”

And to think… how much more God cares about the people we care about! To think how much he must be doing… things not visible to the naked eye. All he’s gone through, and all he does to pick us up when were fallen down.

In the 1990′s, we used to say things like: “Jesus loves you” and “Jesus cares!” I don’t hear people talk like this as much today… but it sure is a truth that’ll never die! Jesus really cares!

Matthew 7:9-12 (Jesus said) “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

1 Peter 5:6-7 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Matthew 6:25-34 (Jesus said) “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

John 16:33 (Jesus said) “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Jesus really does care… especially when we feel abandoned and hopeless… he cares! I guess I’m writing this message because I feel pain in some of my readers this morning… and I want to encourage you from God. You’re NEVER ALONE. You’re ALWAYS LOVED! This situation you’re passing through… it will not hold you forever! You will live to see better days! I’m POSITIVE about this! I’m really praying for you this morning… with confidence, that you will feel the difference!

Here’s the perfect song for this moment! Need to Breathe, Something Beautiful

I hope todays blog adds tremendous value to your amazing lives… smile, Jesus loves you and so do I!

Dream Big, Live Bold, and Make the Difference!

Chuck

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Our Founding Manifesto

Monday, August 3rd, 2009 By 9 Comments

Happy Monday!

Today is Heavens birthday… I pray for her while she sleeps, knowing how excited she gets about birthdays… that she will wake up and have the day of her life. Father God, I pray a blessing over my children right now… asking you to place your hands on their heads while they sleep… speak to them in dreams… and when they wake speak to them with your Spirit. I pray for them to KNOW your voice and KNOW your direction for their lives… that they would not live in confusion. May they both continue to serve you with all their hearts as they step over the threshold into adulthood. I entrust them into your hands and I have great confidence in your ability to KEEP them on the path of righteousness!

As I pray this morning, I pray for tomorrow nights Bethel Harvest Youth Camp… I want the night session to be unprecedented… that worship would produce a glimpse of eternity and my message would birth a MOVEMENT in the hearts of those young adults! I still remember the prophecy spoken over my life by Prophet Ed Traut of South Africa… and I pray that maybe tomorrow night would be the beginning of that greater effectiveness among our young! I pray that my heart will be more attuned to Gods voice than usual… and that I would be able to SEE what EYES cannot see… that I would be able to CALL THEM OUT just like Jesus called his 12… that they too would CARRY SOMETHING away from tomorrow nights meeting… something that would STILL BE BURNING 2000 years from tomorrow, should the earth remain!

Todays Inspirational message: Our Founding Manifesto!

Mark 16:15-18 He said to them, “Go into all the world and PREACH THE GOOD NEWS to all creation. 16WHOEVER BELIEVES and is baptized WILL BE SAVED, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And THESE SIGNS will accompany those who believe: In my name THEY will drive out demons; THEY will speak in new tongues; THEY will pick up snakes with their hands; and when THEY drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; THEY will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

A few weeks ago, Emily and I were talking about life and ministry and she said something that triggered a new wave of thoughts… a wave I’m still riding today. Here’s what Emily Said, “Most people are bored with Christianity because we are not DOING the right things with our faith.” She commented about the JOY of leading unbelievers to Christ… and how Jesus had left his church with the task of EVANGELIZING the lost world. Emily said she believes there is something inside of EVERY believer that LONGS for SPIRITUAL REPRODUCTION!

We talked about how so many Christians want EXPERIENCES without RESPONSIBILITY. Todays RADICAL church seems to desire more and more SPIRITUAL ENCOUNTERS… while most of us have done very little over the past decade or more to convert the lost. I guess this brings up the question… what is the mission of the church?

Jesus started a MOVEMENT… and over the course of 2000 years, humanity has taken HIS MOVEMENT and turned it into a RELIGION. I believe God longs for this modern church to REDISCOVER OUR FOUNDING MANIFESTO… and REIGNITE OUR DORMANT MOVEMENT!

Our mission SHOULD be the very same mission of Jesus… the very same mission Jesus passed on to his disciples. Jesus told the whole world EXACTLY WHY HE WAS HERE:

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to SEEK and SAVE those who are LOST.

1 John 3:8 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For THIS PURPOSE the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Herein is contained the church’s FOUNDING MANIFESTO: That we too would CONTINUE what Jesus began! That we would be BAPTIZED WITH THE GREAT COMMISSION… and BOLDNESS TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS TO ALL CREATION! That we too would DESTROY the activities of the devil in our 21st century world!

The people of todays world need to be RESCUED from godlessness. They long for us to REACH them! So many of them WANT TO BELIEVE. They wait for us to shed off our selfish version of Christianity where the entire focus is on the SPIRITUAL ENCOUNTER we’re having instead of the ETERNAL LIFE we’re giving away.

I realize that this blog is incomplete in so many ways and it’s very preachy… I just felt inspired to lay some of my raw and unedited thoughts out there for you guys to consider. Please take a few minutes to think about the meaning of life today… think about how short life is… think about eternity… think about the great big world and all the people who don’t yet have the pleasure of knowing Christ like you do… think about your own boredom with todays Christianity… and how much more LIVELY this whole thing can become IF we were to reenlist in the GREATEST COMMISSION EVER!

I pray that todays blog triggers thoughts that add tremendous value to your amazing lives! We are the salt of the earth… a city set on a hill! Let’s shine out… all day long! God bless you guys!

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The Beautiful Gift of Prayer

Thursday, June 25th, 2009 By 3 Comments

Good Thursday!

The happy sun us beginning to rise this lovely morning… hey, my mimosa tree is starting to bloom, how pretty! Mr. Hopper (the bullfrog) is still singing… he’s been up all night… go to sleep little guy! Over the past few days… just after sunrise, I’ve been getting sprayed with some kind of fluid. Looking up to the branches overhead, I’ve been concerned that this “morning shower” may be coming from a squirrel going potty on my head! I even smelled my arm a few times to see what it smelled like… and it didn’t have a smell. Yesterday… when I looked up, there was a beautiful brown bird flapping her wings after bathing in the pond. Shhhwoooo, thank God!

Our God is so beautiful in so many ways. Sometimes, I can see him reaching out to me in everything that surrounds! He rides on the sound of the waterfalls… his awesomeness is felt every time Mr. Hopper, bellows out his song. God moves me with the sound of the fish every time they jump out of the water… he gives me an orchestra of birds every morning… he splashes my world with the colors of many flowers! Every song on Pandora radio increases the reality of his love towards me! And I love him back! 

Romans 1:19-20 They know the truth about God because he has made it OBVIOUS to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. THROUGH EVERYTHING GOD MADE, they can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

I thank God for my family as they sleep this morning. I pray over them while they rest, asking God to give them dreams about their future! And when they wake, they will know the effects of a praying husband and father! I pray for my friends today… that God will bless you with great peace. That he will give you all the character and vision, and all the energy you need to make a very big difference with your life today! I pray for your health… that you will make good food choices and feel healthy and be healthy! I pray for the PEACE of God that passes all understanding to FILL YOUR MINDS all day long!

Please keep praying for me… that God would bless me with GREAT WISDOM (1Kings 3:8-9)… and GREAT ENDURANCE (Galatians 6:9)… and all the RESOURCES (2Corinthains 9:8) needed to turn my amazing dreams into living realities! Pray that God would give me unusual favor with people… and that the people in my life would be emotionally mature and spiritually astute! Pray that God will inspire people of means to BLESS us in our personal and ministry initiatives

Pray for Destiny Family Center… that our people would have more joy and vision than ever before. Pray that we will attract more new people than EVER before… that we would see more transformation in peoples lives than ever before. Pray that we will have more cultural diversity than ever before! Pray for faithful workers… and more than enough money to hire key necessary positions, make desired renovations, and purchase everything we need for all our immediate initiatives. Pray that we will have great unity and a great awareness of God’s presence! Pray huge financial blessings on our members… and a burning desire for giving back large regular portions of these blessings to the ministry of DFC. 

Pray that the Balsamo’s will be able to finish our sunroom/ home office addition. Pray that I will have more than enough money to hire an editor and find the right agent or the right publisher. That I will be able to get my book UP to the level where it will be ADMIRED by the right people. Pray that God will greatly enlarge my authors platform… that thousands of new folks from all over the world will read my blog and LOVE it every single day!

Pray that I will receive speaking invitations to influential churches and influential conferences. Pray that I will be more focused, organized, creative, revelatory, powerful, spiritual, humble, forgiving, and loving than ever in my life! Pray for a new release of the gifts of the Spirit… for prophetic insight and healing power. Pray for my wife and my kids… pray a blessing on our coming vacation. Pray for peace and protection from EVERY attack… that we will be victorious in EVERY battle!

What are your requests today? Please list them as comments and I will pray for you as you sincerely pray for me! Love you guys and gals… have a super duper day!

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Ahh the Rains: A Symbol of Gods Favor

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 By 9 Comments

Happy Tuesday!

Rainy days… I have write inside this morning because it’s RAINING here. Part of me is bummed out, while I’m also very grateful to GOD for watering my gardens! 

So many times, when God is blessing us… it’s inconvenient at first. Rain is an inconvenient blessing isn’t it? 

In the Bible, rain is a SYMBOL of God’s favor and blessing. Especially in the days when the bulk of economy hinged on the success of the farmer… rain clouds we’re welcomed with GREAT CELEBRATION!

When there is rain, there is no need for man made irrigation. God does all the work for us while we sit back and WATCH the harvest GROW because of Gods FAVOR and BLESSING! 

Deuteronomy 11:9-12 If you obey, you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors and to you, their descendants-a land flowing with milk and honey! FOR THE LAND YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENTER and take over is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you planted your seed and made IRRIGATION DITCHES with your foot as in a vegetable garden. RATHER, THE LAND YOU WILL SOON TAKE OVER is a land of hills and valleys WITH PLENTY OF RAIN – A LAND THE LORD YOUR GOD CARES FOR. He watches over it through each season of the year!

These verses were written to journal the period of time when Israel had just been delivered from Egyptian slavery… and God spoke through Moses about the BLESSING they were about to COME INTO! God said… IF YOU OBEY ME… THE LAND I’M BRINGING YOU INTO… IT’S NOT LIKE THE LAND YOU’RE COMING OUT OF… NO MORE IRRIGATION DITCHES… RATHER, THIS NEW PLACE OF FAVOR AND BLESSING WILL BE CARED FOR BY GOD HIMSELF… THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF RAIN! 

Zechariah 10:1 ASK THE LORD FOR RAIN in the spring, for he makes the storm clouds. And he will send showers of rain so every field becomes a lush pasture.

Ask the Lord for FAVOR and BLESSING… for HE MAKES THE STORM CLOUDS… and HE WILL SEND SHOWERS OF RAIN… SO EVERY FEILD becomes a LUSH GREEN PASTURE! 

Notice how we are commended to ASK for favor and blessing… so that God CAN SEND his blessings… and our lives CAN BECOME just like LUSH GREEN PASTURES!

God responds to prayer… this is the way he has chosen to operate in our lives. He wants to bless us and favor us… but he want us to OBEY his commands, BELIEVE his promises… and ASK FOR RAIN! 

Matthew 7:7-11 ASK, and it shall be given you; SEEK, and ye shall find; KNOCK, and it shall be opened unto you: For EVERY ONE that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things TO THEM THAT ASK HIM?

So many people today feel like they are not allowed to ASK for good things. Don’t be like this… ASK GOD to favor your life with rain from the heavens… ASK him to WATER EVERY PART OF YOUR LIFE… ASK him to bring you into a NEW PLACE where he will do FOR YOU what you haven’t been able to successfully do for yourself… and BELIEVE that he is NOT going to give you a serpent when you ASK FOR A FISH! 

I guess I better leave you guys alone so you can pray for a little while… HAVE FUN! And hey, don’t forget that many blessings start out as an INCONVENIENCE… they are called BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE. Just pray and believe… and no matter what your life may look like this afternoon or tomorrow or next week… just thank God for the everything he is doing to FAVOR your life!

I pray that todays blog adds tremendous value to your amazing lives! Please leave your comments… I love to read them every day!  

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One Thing Prayers

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 By 5 Comments

Good Wednesday!

The Destiny Campus of Life Christian University was beautiful last night… absolutely beautiful! I’m sad this was the final class for a few months… looking forward to the end of August for the class of 2009-2010! 

The weirdest thing happened to me last night… I had a friend offer me transformational advice in a DREAM. The experience was so REAL… wouldn’t it be cool if he had the same dream? I’m going to call this friend today during normal awake hours and say thank you!  

Ephesians 6:19-20 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, WORDS MAY BE GIVEN ME so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it FEARLESSLY, as I should.

These verses came alive to me last night and then again this morning. The Apostle Paul ASKING FOR PRAYER… not for his comfort or for some earthly blessing… he wanted his friends to PRAY that GOD would GIVE HIM WORDS for EVERY TIME he opened his mouth… that he would be able to FEARLESSLY keep on declaring Gods words.

Praying for each other is one of the most beautiful gifts we can offer our friends. Can you break down your prayer request to ONE THING today? Think about what’s going on in your life… and if God did this ONE THING… all would be WELL for you! 

Even though there are so many things we could ask God for… maybe instead of praying a buffet of prayers, we should FOCUS on ONE THING and go after that with all our hearts. 

When God asked King Solomon for anything he wanted: just ONE THING Solomon… just ONE PRAYER REQUEST… what do you want more then ANYTHING ELSE? Solomon asked for wisdom so that he would be ABLE to lead Gods people well – as the KING of Israel. 

1Kings 3:7-9 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead (or in succession) of my father, David, but I AM LIKE A LITTLE CHILD who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! GIVE ME AN UNDERSTANDING HEART so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

If I could reduce my prayer request down to ONE THING today… I suppose I would ask the same thing Paul asked his friends in Ephesians 6:19-20. That I would stay my course with JOY… and that I too would be GIVEN WORDS from the Lord for EVERY TIME I OPEN MY MOUTH… and that I too will be able to keep on FEARLESSLY declaring the Good News about Jesus Christ… that I would NEVER get sidetracked… that I would never lose sight of the prize… that I would always stay true to the heavenly calling on my life. (slightly expanded version)

Leave your ONE THING requests and let us PRAY for each other today! Here’s a video for you to play in the background while praying… have a super day… don’t forget church at Destiny Family Center TONIGHT @ 7PM!

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