Christians Under Quarantine

I miss in-person worship services as much as anyone, but God is not limited to a time and place on Sunday. During this quarantine, I have found most Christians can be put into one of two categories: those who have grown closer to God because of the quarantine, and those who have drifted.

The first group has learned to pray, worship, study, fast, take communion, and exercise their spiritual disciplines in their homes. God has invaded every area of their lives, and they are learning to experience God in places other than a church facility. They are learning to experience God at times other than Sunday mornings. These Christians are learning to worship to an online service; to sense God's presence and touch in their homes. Their faith has been tested and they have prevailed. They are stronger now. They have greater faith. They are better prepared for ministry.

Throughout history, the church has had to learn how to be the church under difficult circumstances. We cannot be the church only if the conditions are just right. We must persevere. We must overcome. We must pursue Christ and His Kingdom purpose with relentless ambition.

If you have been drifting, missing the live-streams services, stopped praying and reading. if you haven't worshiped until the heavens open, if you aren't sharing your faith, then I encourage you to flip the switch. Start living as a child of God in the here and now. Stop waiting for things to get "back to normal." They may never be normal again. Who knows, maybe God won't release us from this time until we are all prepared to be the church under any condition. Maybe, the church is waiting on you to get on board.

I believe the gathering is biblical and important, and that we will being meeting in-person again at some point, but we should be different when we do. We should have grown in our walk with God. We should be less dependent on a sermon to inspire us. We should learn to be as victorious on Monday as we are on Sunday. We should do more than go to church. We should learn to be the church, no matter what conditions we are living in. 

 

-Mylon Avery

God Sent A Mesage To Us, Today.

Did you know that God has many ways to get a message to you? Although He can speak directly, He often uses other ways to communicate. This past year, God has used creation, nature, and animals to show Kathy and me His presence and love. Today, He used birds. In the Bible, birds are often seen as messengers or representations of God. Noah sent a bird out of the ark. The Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove. Many people have found comfort in the soft presence of a redbird or the beautiful sound of a songbird, and today, Kathy and I received a message from God sent through a vivacious flock of Cedar Waxwings.

This story starts back in 2011 when Kathy became seriously ill and was eventually diagnosed with Scleroderma, an autoimmune disease. The original prognosis was not good, in fact, she was not supposed to live this long, but God is our Great Physician and we have trusted him, no matter what. Well, about 2 weeks ago, Kathy had a scan on her lungs (Scleroderma can affect your lungs) and today the Dr called with the results. This was nothing new. We’ve been receiving Doctors' opinions for a long time, but it’s always nerve-racking, so we prayed ahead of the phone call and decided that we would respond with faith no matter the results.

We sat at the dining room table in front of the window, patiently waiting for the phone to ring. Finally, the phone rang and Kathy answered. We listened to the Doctor as he gave us his diagnosis, “Your test results look fairly good. Your lung capacity is the same as it was 10 years ago, but there is a little scarring on your lungs that wasn’t there before.” Not a bad report but not a perfect report either. Of course, the devil tries to plant fear and lies into your mind, but Kathy and I had decided how we would react to any news and we took it as a good report. We stand on the promises of God. We understand that no one is promised tomorrow, so we must live life to the fullest, today.

I walked out to the backyard to thank the Lord, when I saw a flock of birds flying to the tree on the side of our house. They would fly in, then fly out. There were dozens of them going excitedly back and forth. I went into the house and told Kathy to look out the window. She was still sitting in the same place that we had received the doctor’s news and the tree was right out the window behind her. There were birds everywhere; birds we had never seen before. They were within 8 feet of her, chirping, fluttering, picking berries, and hurriedly flying in and out of the tree. We were both overwhelmed, and at the same time, we realized this was God sending us a message, “I am here. I have you in My hands, and nothing can separate you from my love.” Well, that sealed it for us. We had decided to respond with faith and God had sent us confirmation. He is our strength and hope. We are held by His love. Our lives belong to Him. 

You may think we’re a bit crazy, but it’s not just what we saw in the tree; it’s what we felt in our hearts. God is always with us, but sometimes He wants to make Himself plainly known to you. He will speak softly to your heart, the right song will come on the radio, or a good friend will call at just the right time. I cannot tell you how good God has been to us. He has healed Kathy so many times. We have had expensive medications given to us, bad reports that turned into good reports, and a million other miracles. But it is the presence of God that means the most. We were never promised a life without problems. We were promised that God would be with us through it all. Our God let us know today that He is with us! So, I must praise my God. He is a good God, who loves His children! Our great Savior, Healer, Deliverer, Provider, and soon coming King! Let everything that has breath, PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Kathy just came in the office and told me that Psalms 91 is the message God sent to us, today. WOW!

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.
Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—the Most High, who is my refuge
no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

-Psalms 91


- Mylon Avery

Happiness vs Purpose

There was once a king named Anthony. Anthony was a good king who ruled over a vast and great
kingdom. His kingdom shared a border with another kingdom ruled by a king named Ivan. Ivan was an evil king who desired to expand His kingdom by force. For years, the two kings fought in bloody skirmishes along the border, and king Anthony always prevailed, for his kingdom was much larger and his army much greater. King Ivan, realizing he could never win a head to head battle, devised a plan to even the odds. It would take a long time to accomplish, but if it worked, if king Anthony fell for it, he could attack and overtake his rival kingdom. King Ivan sent word to Anthony declaring his desire for a truce. He invited him to a mutual location and told him that he had decided to stop all advances against his kingdom. He told the good king that he wanted to live in peace and to share a friendship between the two kingdoms. The two kings shook hands and parted ways. A week later, King Anthony sent an invitation to Ivan inviting him to a feast; a celebration of peace and their new friendship. King Ivan came bearing gifts and smiles. He adorned king Anthony with compliments about the castle, the servants, and the food. “This food is the best I’ve ever tasted!” said the evil king. King Anthony enjoyed the praise. He began to see himself and the pleasures he had surrounding him as a sign of his worth. King Ivan, recognizing his chance said, “You’re only missing one thing. The world’s most unique and wonderful tasting tea. It’s called Engano tea. It is so rare that only a handful of the greatest kings have ever tasted it. If you could serve Engano tea at your banquets, everyone who attended would know that you are the greatest of all kings.” King Anthony was intrigued, and for weeks he couldn’t stop thinking about Engano tea. He thought about how wonderful it must taste. He thought about the prestige it would bring him if he could have it served to his guests. 

So King Anthony commissioned explorers, sailors, and treasure hunters to bring him back this tea. One by one, they would leave excited but return defeated and without the tea. This only made King Anthony desire it even more. So, after many failed expeditions, the king decided to send his army across the world to find the tea and bring it to him at any cost. After years of failed military missions, bloody battles and lost lives, the king still had not tasted the world’s greatest tea. By now he had become obsessed with it. He would do anything to get his hands on that special tea. One day, a traveler came before the king and said, “Your Majesty, I have traveled all across the world and in my travels I was fortunate enough to come across a small amount of Engano tea. I want you to have it.” The king was overwhelmed with excitement. He immediately called for his servants to prepare him some of this world famous tea. The water was heated, the tea was carefully steeped and brought to the king. He took one sip and gasped. It tasted awful. The king hated the tea, and he hated himself. How could he have spent years of his life, vast sums of money, and the lives of explorers and soldiers pursuing something so awful? Suddenly, a messenger came rushing into the court. King Ivan’s army was advancing on the kingdom. They were vast in number, organized, and armed with the best weapons. King Anthony realized that he had been deceived. There was no truce, there was no friendship, and there was no Engano tea. While he had been chasing an illusion, King Ivan had been preparing for war. He looked around and the traveler was gone. His heart raced with fear. His stomach was now convulsing in pain, he began to sweat profusely, and he fell to the ground. The traveler was really a spy, sent to poison him. As King Anothony lay dying on the floor, he realized that his selfish and vain pursuit of Engano tea had drained his kingdom of resources, ravaged his army, and exposed him to a cup of poison. He had spent his life pursuing an illusion, and when he finally found it, it had killed him and destroyed the Kingdom he was born to protect. 

 

Are you pursuing a lie? Are you pursuing an illusion? Most people spend their lives pursuing happiness. We are told from childhood that our lives belong to us, and that we deserve to be happy. We are taught to choose a career that makes us happy, choose a spouse that makes us happy, choose hobbies that make us happy. All of our life decisions are designed to make us happy. But a happy life is an illusion. Life is full of ups and downs. Everyone experiences times when we feel happy and times when we do not. To be happy all the time means that our circumstances must always be perfect, our emotions must always be perfect, our thinking must always be perfect, and our health must always be perfect, but life is not perfect. Happiness is like Engano tea: it’s an illusion designed to distract you from something much deeper - something much better. King Anthony wasted his time, his treasure, and the lives of his citizens pursuing something he thought would make him happy. The only thing worse than chasing something is when you finally get it and it does not satisfy you. You feel empty and ashamed because you wasted so much of your life pursuing an illusion. 

 “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” -Luke 9:24 

God has given us a better reason to live. God has given us purpose. Purpose is much deeper than happiness and it doesn’t depend on perfect circumstances, emotions, thinking, or health. In fact, having purpose gives your life bedrock consistency; consistency that cannot be found in the roller coaster ride of happiness. If I have money or if I am broke, my purpose does not change. If I feel good or if I feel bad, my purpose doesn’t change. If I am happy or if I am miserable, my purpose does not change. Living with purpose gives you a straight path to follow that actually leads to a real destination. Purpose is steady and real. Purpose is not an illusion but a worthwhile pursuit that brings real results. Jesus did not come to earth to experience happiness. He came for a purpose, and He produced results. 

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Mark 10:45 

Jesus came to die in our place that we might have eternal life. His purpose brought Him great pain and suffering, but it also brought eternal life to countless people and changed the course of history. His happiness was irrelevant. Happiness is irrelevant to those who live with a purpose. Yes, I enjoy the happy times, but I don’t chase happiness. I try to live out the purpose God has given me, so that one day I can hear Him say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” 

What is your purpose? Why did God create you and place you in this generation? There are specifics about your life that you must pursue the answers to, but all of God's children have been called to these two purposes: Love God and Love your neighbor as yourself. You and I have been called to love God with our lives and to demonstrate His love for others. You were created to be an expression of the love of God. You have the power to change lives with love. When you realize the power you possess, it becomes frivolous to waste your life selfishly pursuing the fickle feelings of happiness. And what is the final reward for a life lived with God’s purpose? Souls. Your life is the seed planted, and the harvest of your life is the souls of those who will come to know Jesus. Now, that’s a reason to live. Make the decision to pursue God’s purpose for your life and endeavor to live out His purpose. Enjoy the happy times but don’t waste your life pursuing happiness. God has created you for something much greater. God has created you for purpose. 

 By: Mylon Avery

POLITICS: A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING

The devil is very clever and if we are not aware of His schemes, we will find ourselves
the victims of them (2 Corinthians 2:11). Satan often creates an obvious attack in front of us so that as we focus on it, He can quietly move around the back. Which is more dangerous, the wolf at the front door or the wolf in sheep's clothing slipping in the back door? In this country we see numerous frontal and obvious attacks to what is biblically moral and right, and it is a natural response to fight against these attacks using any method at our disposal. But the greater danger is not in losing the battle at the front door but losing our identity as God's people and being devoured by the devil we allowed in the back door. Have we been fooled? Has the enemy distracted us with an attack at the front door while sneaking in the back? He is sneaky and I believe many have been fooled with his schemes. What schemes do I mean? 

 1. POLITICS IS OUR GOD. 

I see many Christians who speak as if what happens in Washington will determine their eternal destiny, as if God is not on the throne. There is Earthly power in politics, which makes it an obvious and tempting choice to wield as a weapon. If our party is in power, we can force the country to be what we think it should be. So, instead of praying we vote. Instead of representing the Kingdom we cover our timelines in political memes. Instead of loving our neighbors we define them as enemies who must be defeated. I’m certainly not against voting or being involved politically, but our true power as Kingdom citizens doesn’t lie in the power structures of this world. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but are mighty through God. If you see politics as our most powerful weapon and the weapon of choice for the church, then the enemy has fooled you. 

 

2. A POLITICIAN WILL SAVE US. 

I remember President Obama being cast as the savior by some and as the antichrist by others. Today, it is President Trump. When I say the name, Obama, some of you feel wonderful and safe, while others are fearful and angry. The same can be said for the name Trump. Opposing political leaders have become ‘christ vs antichrist’ with the fate of our literal lives hanging in the balance. Who will save us? We will know in November. As Christians we have one Savior, Jesus Christ. The Savior has already come and brought the Kingdom of God to Earth. Right now, that Kingdom is spiritual, but it is leaking out of the people of God into the world in preparation for something big that is coming. That great event is His return when He brings the Kingdom of God physically to Earth. Jesus is the rescuing hero that your heart longs for. Your favorite political leader is a fallible human, and if your hope is in a politician, then your hope is not in Jesus and the enemy has fooled you. 

 

3. AMERICA IS EQUAL TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 

We enjoy so many wonderful freedoms and blessings, and many are desperately struggling to keep the freedom and blessings alive. I certainly want our country to continue and even improve, but I know the Kingdoms of this world are not God’s ultimate goal. God’s plan is not “SAVE AMERICA.” God’s plan is “LET THE KINGDOM COME.” Our minds should not be set on Earthly things but on things above. It’s not that I want to see America fall, I want to see the Kingdom come. America is not God’s vehicle for justice, righteousness, and peace, it's the Kingdom. Jesus will not sit in the White House He will sit on His throne, and when Jesus returns America will be no more, Washington will have no say, and the republic will be replaced by a Kingdom with a righteous King. If it bothers you as a Christian to imagine the US being replaced by King Jesus, then the enemy has fooled you. 

 

Satan has placed some blatant and aggressive attacks at our front door. His desire is not to win those battles but to get the church to think of these as the defining battles of our lives. He has convinced many to pick up the weapons of politics and power to save our nation while we lose our identity as God’s peculiar people in the process. We’ve forgotten who we are. We’ve forgotten what weapons we should use. We’ve forgotten what battle we should be fighting. 

I realize there are many important battles in our country and that faith in general has been under attack for decades and we should address these, but our goals are not earthly, our weapons are not worldly, and our destination is not America. If we make politics our god and worship at the altar of our party, then we will lose our identity as the peculiar people who are not of this world. If we depend upon a human savior we will lose our identity as those who have already been saved by Christ Jesus. If our hope is in an Earthly nation we will lose our identity as a people who belong to a greater Kingdom. If our goal is Earthly, if a person will save us, if politics is our weapon, then we have been duped. While we spend our time at the front door, Satan is dismantling us from within. He is convincing us to change our goals, our methods, and our identity. We must regain sight of who we are, where we are headed, and how we will get there. I hope these scriptures help us recognize and dismantle the schemes of the devil in 2020. 

 

 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. -Colossians 3:1-4 NASB 

 

 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” - Mark 12:17 NASB 

 

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. – Ephesians 4:1-6 NASB 

 

 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” – John 18:36-27 NASB 

 

“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:25-34 NASB 

 

 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. - Ephesians 6:10-17 NASB 

 

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. – 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NASB 

 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7 NASB 

 

-Mylon Avery

From a SEED to a MIGHTY OAK - God's plan for your success.

What if you could reach a level of success that you never dreamed possible?  

What if I told you that the seed of great success is already inside you? Well, it's true.

"...seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, ... 2 Peter 1:2-4

I have watched many people with God-given talents who never reach the pinnacle of success. Most people never really discover who they were created to be and never realize their full potential. Are you one of those people? Are you someone who has huge potential but never does much with it? Hopefully, this will inspire you to achieve the success that God intended for you.

THE GOAL
Before we go on, let me define success for you. Success is becoming the person God created you to be and accomplishing the mission He created you to accomplish. As you follow Christ and His plan for your life there will be times when what God desires for you and what you desire for yourself are at odds with each other. This is when you must come back to this definition of success. If you believe that your true success comes from fulfilling the life that your Creator designed for you, you'll be willing to let go of your own desires in exchange for His perfect plan.

THE SEED
Everything you need is already inside you. When you were created God designed you for success. When you are born again your spirit is in union with Christ. You have the spirit of an overcomer, victor, a champion. When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit your life is empowered to grow and execute the purpose of your life. The giftings become supernaturally empowered, the divine goals become clearer, and your tenacity to accomplish things increases. However, there are still some things you need to do to help turn the seed inside you into a mighty oak standing tall before the world.

FROM SEED TO OAK TREE
The seed inside you resides in your perfected spirit which is united with Christ. Everything in your born again spirit is great, victorious, successful, and designed to be used to bring God's plan into the world, but the seed must be channeled through your imperfect mind, emotions, and body (2 Cor.. 4:7). This is where the work comes in to play. This is where growth occurs. If your vessel is not shaped for use you will not be very useful, and the seed will never grow.  This is why Peter doesn't stop at verse 4 but continues on with instructions on how to turn your seed into your harvest.

"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you." 2 Peter 1:5-11 

GOD'S PLAN FOR SUCCESS
1. Diligence - Diligence is careful and persistent work or effort. So many people only give an effort when they feel like it, which guarantees failure. They climb up the ladder only to get tired, discouraged, or lazy and slide back down to the first step. God's plan for success requires you to give careful effort. Make sure you are working on the right things. God's plan requires you to give persistent effort. Don't try for a while then quit when you don't see instant results. Great things are built over time. 

2. Moral Excellence - be godly in your dealings and give your best at all times. God and people deserve your best. Don't do things in a half-hearted manner but strive for excellence in your character and your effort. 

3. Knowledge - Make a continuous effort to grown in your knowledge of God, your knowledge of self, and the knowledge of your calling. God is always unveiling new revelations to those who are seeking Him. 

4. Self Control - This is a huge problem today. Everyone seems to be doing what they feel like doing. There is little self-discipline. It's interesting that the Bible refers to us as Disciples and yet many Christians have no self- discipline. They think that doing what you feel like doing is the way to follow the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not your emotions. If you really want to know the difference between the Holy Spirit and your emotions you need to read and re-read the Bible. The Word of God will help you distinguish between your feelings and the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 4:12). God has given us instructions to control our emotions, our minds, and our bodies, and He has given us the Holy Spirit to empower our decisions to obey Him. 

5. Perseverance - This one is pretty simple. Don't quit, finish. Once you know the direction God is leading you and the purpose of your life becomes clearer, don't stop pressing until your finished. 

6. Godliness - Conduct your self in a manner that Jesus would. Be honest, be real, don't quit, sacrifice, love others, get back up, etc. 

7. Brotherly kindness - Remember that you were saved for the purpose of good works. Those good works always include other people. Everything we do is about helping other people find the life and love that Jesus has for them. Think about it, if God only wanted to give us comfortable lives and take in our praise He would just take us all to heaven, but there are still people down here who don't know Him and our lives are living portals to the kingdom of God. Through us, God is loving and reaching the world. Make sure your success is about helping others.

8. Love - love is the greatest power of all. Love has the power to literally change someone's life and we have the power to love. In all your efforts and striving for success don't lose sight of why succeeding matters. In the end, loving others is the greatest success, and your success can be a tool to show and share the love of God with those who need it. 

It breaks my heart to see seeds of greatness everywhere that are lying dormant in lives that have given no effort to grow them. It bothers me to hear people blame God because they haven't accomplished anything great. It's a shame that so many people never discover how incredible they really are. It's a tragedy when someone knows they have a gift but refuses to do the work to make it grow. You're not just depriving yourself of success but you're depriving the world of a mighty oak.

The seed is in you. Start working it. 

Mylon Avery

The Deception Of Good Intentions

Have you seen this video? It's pretty funny. I don't know if they're acting or not, but it does represent the art of deception. We've all been bamboozled by a magic trick. We know it's not really magic but we can't figure out what's going on. From one point of view, it seems like magic and from another, it's obviously not.

One of the great barriers to accomplishment is the deception of good intentions. You may be wondering, "what's wrong with having good intentions?" Nothing is wrong with good intentions in themselves, but by themselves, good intentions can rob us of actual productivity. In other words, intending to do something good is not the same as actually doing it.

But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” - Matthew 21:28-31 

This parable displays a simple but profound truth about obedience - either you do it or you don't, and your original intentions did not matter. 

So where is the deception?  Having good intentions can include making plans, dreaming out loud, and imagining the difference you'll make. All of these things give us an emotional boost. The feeling of doing good things often comes to us up front when we are first embracing an idea. We get excited about it and enjoy the feeling of it without actually doing anything. Those feelings deceive us into thinking that we have accomplished something. 

It looks like this: 

1) We get an inspiring idea 

2) The exciting feelings of accomplishing it come to us up front

3) We put off the work of actually doing it

4) We let the feelings of good intentions replace the actual accomplishment.

Have you made plans that you never completed? Have you dreamed about helping someone but just haven't found the time? Don't be deceived by the euphoria of the dream up front. You're not finished until the deed is actually done.

Trust The Shepherd

Life is so complex; we cannot begin to fathom its depth. The world has obstacles and hurdles that may surprise you but they do not surprise God. 

Psalms 23: 2-3 says, “He lies me down in green pastures, leads me beside quiet waters, restores my soul, guides me in the path of righteousness for his names sake.” How can we fear the walk of life when our shepherd is God? 

No matter where we are in life, God has been there. The moment you are in may feel hopeless but God has made a path for you. All we have to do is walk the path in trust in the lord. It is easy to be fooled into thinking that God doesn’t care about your problems. I can assure you that nothing is further from the truth. The Bible says God loves you so much he has the hairs of your head numbered. We are God's children and He cares for us, deeply. So the next time life gets scary or you feel lonely remember these steps. 

1. Check your faith in God. 
Proverbs 3: 5-6 says, “Trust in the lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your path”. Often, the first problem is that our faith is rocked by our situation. Check your faith regularly to make sure you’re believing in God not your circumstance. 

2. Remind yourself that God is right there with you. 
Isaiah 41: 10 “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” The world wants you to feel alone. When you are isolated, you are weaker and more vulnerable. Ignore this attack, it is never true. God is always with you. He will never leave you never forsake you. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. 

3. Pray and Believe 
Mark 11: 24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Prayer brings you closer to God and when you get closer to God, you are further from your problems. 

4. Be positive. 
Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” God’s children should be filled with joy. Even when it’s hard put a smile on your face because you know God has won the battle for you already. This world cannot break you if your joy is in the lord! Follow the above steps and the difficulties of life will become less of a problem and more of an opportunity for you! 

- Joseph Avery

I'm Hungry

But all those things that I might count as profit I now reckon as loss for Christ's sake. Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ and be completely united with him. I no longer have a righteousness of my own, the kind that is gained by obeying the Law. I now have the righteousness that is given through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and is based on faith. All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death, in the hope that I myself will be raised from death to life. - Philippians 3:7-11 GNT

I wonder what happened to the hunger in God's people. I wonder when it changed. What happened that made us desire the things of the world more than Jesus? Christianity for many has become a way to get more stuff. Just apply faith to whatever you desire and you'll get it. If you want more, you can get more. Don't get me wrong, I know God blesses His people, but when did Jesus become the pathway to possessions instead of the prize we would trade everything for? When did Jesus stop being our goal? When did knowing Him, sitting at His feet, hearing His voice or seeing His face become less important than having an easy and trouble-free life?

I believe that a fresh move of the Spirit is about to break free among God's people, and it's being birthed in those who are tired of seeing Christianity as an avenue to Earthly prosperity. Yes, they are weary of a God who exists only to provide them with more wealth and a stress-free life. They've had what the world has to offer and they've found it empty and meaningless. People everywhere are hungry for something real. People are hungry for Jesus. Our hunger drives us to break out of old habits and religious rules. It drives us to trade our time and money, our desires and dreams for a moment at His feet. 

Hold on! It's going to be a wild ride. The religious institutions are being shaken and much of the dead weight has got to go. Pastors like me better be ready. Don't try to control it lest we find ourselves attempting to put the move of God in a familiar religious box. We cannot put new wine into an old wine skin. It will be different, messy, sloppy, beyond our control, powerful, real, beautiful, difficult at times, it will cost us our lives, but it will be worth it all just to know Him. Our goal is Jesus. We hunger for Him. He is our obsession. He is all we want. We want Jesus.

Leaving the COMFORT ZONE

The comfort zone is a place where we get stuck; where our roots are ground deep; where we do and say just enough to stay where we are, who we are, and what we are.

Our futures crumble beneath the rot. We say things like, "Not today". That turns into "Next year" and it eventually becomes the thing that never happened. We live in our comforts, some of us will even die there. 

Our marriages are in trouble because the comfort zone says we’ve loved each other enough and marriage is too much work. Our finances barely get us through because we found a job that’s easy and paying bills isn’t fun.

The church is in “jeopardy” because the pews got comfy and we started sleeping on God. The faith of the public is a fading ember because we decided to give up on the work of Christ. The comfort zone traps us and keeps us hidden from God's glory. The comfort zone tells you pity is easier than prayer. 

Today ask yourself, what if Jesus stayed in his comfort zone? What if he was never born in a manger and instead stayed seated the right hand of God? What if he never carried the cross because the comfort zone said he didn’t have to? What if he never rose on the third day because it was easier that way? What if Jesus left the weight of my sin on me?  I am so glad Jesus left the biggest of comfort zones in heaven. He did what he knew he must do not what was easy, and he bought eternity for us all.

Don’t get stuck. Don’t let the devil imprison you in the comfort zone. God has more for you but you can’t receive what's next if you’re not willing to let go of what you’ve got. Maybe you’ve got to lose the job you have now to get the finances you’ve been praying for. Maybe you had to go through rough patch in your marriage to build trust. Maybe God's waiting on you to say that confident prayer to heal you. 

Who knows what God has in store for you but I can tell you none of it is in the comfort zone.

-Joseph Avery

Fight The Resistance

Resistance - It’s something we all face at some point in our life. We try to do our best but inevitably the world tries to hold you down. Maybe you didn’t get the promotion you worked for or maybe things didn’t pan out for you in the way you’d hoped. These moments can make us feel like we aren’t good enough; like we should just give up. These feelings are natural and aren’t something you should be ashamed of but they are avoidable. The bible says in 2nd chronicles 15:7 “be strong and do not lose courage, for there is a reward for your work.” This scripture is telling you that if you just push through and keep fighting the lord will provide. Our God is watching you, cheering you on and telling you to keep up the hard work. Don’t let the negativity of the world make you forgot that God has plans for you. Jeremiah 29:11 says “for I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for well-being and not for trouble, to give you a future and a hope.” God is trying to tell you to fight back, keep up the hard work because he has good plans for you. The struggle you face now is not His plan for you. He says not for trouble but for a good future and hope. So see past the struggle in your life because God is waiting on the other side of resistance ready to bless you.

Unleash the Beast - giving young people a significant stake in the church

"Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests." Proverbs 14:4

Within our communities, our homes and churches lies a powerful beast. This beast has the ability to make a mess, break things, and leave you with numerous problems. However, this beast also has the ability to catapult your church to another level. This beast has passion, energy, ideas, and creativity. The beast I speak of is youth. You know... those kids, teenagers and young adults that are everywhere. You know... those people that we've been talking about for decades. We've been talking about how we need more of them and we need them to be more involved. We keep saying, "Where are they?", "Why isn't it like it used to be?". 

Maybe it's because we've chained up that beast called youth. We've kept them in limited roles with no real ability to shape the culture of our churches. We've been afraid of letting go so that they can take hold. We're afraid they will make a mess and we'll get stuck cleaning up behind them. Or maybe we're afraid that they might take our place and we won't be needed anymore. 

They will definitely cause problems but if you want a growing and healthy church then active, growing, engaged, and involved young people are essential. So it's time to unleash the beast in your church. Here are some ways to unleash the power of youth in your church:

1) Stop protecting the church from your youth.
Yes, they are novices. Yes, they will mess up. They will be silly when they should be serious. They won't always get the doctrine exactly right. They will say things they shouldn't and you will have to go behind them and clean up the mess. That doesn't mean that your job is to protect the church from the young. It's natural that they make mistakes. It's part of how we as humans learn.

2) Give them real responsibility.
They can tell when you've given them real responsibility instead of a token place to serve. They can tell when you're giving them something to do just so they'll feel like they're a part. Let them shape the culture of the church. Let them pick music. Let them pick the paint colors. Let them make a service order. Let them weigh in on the budget. You're the final decider but give them a real stake in how your church functions and they will take ownership of it.  

3) Let them be themselves. 
I know Christian rap music might not be your thing and the idea of a dimly lit sanctuary reminds you of the bar across the street. I know that everyone used to wear a suit or dress and ear rings were for girls only, but times have changed. The word is the same but the world has changed. Don't insist that your youth worship exactly like you did when you were young. Let them be themselves. That's the only way anyone can truly live for and worship God. 

4) Give them room to make mistakes.
I am so thankful for the opportunities given to me by my Pastor when I was young. He allowed me to try. He gave me chances even when others were telling him to stop wasting service time on those kids. He knew that I would make mistakes. He knew that I wasn't the best or most experienced person for the job, but he gave young people a chance to spread their wings and try. He wasn't afraid of our mistakes. He was afraid of our gifts and talent rotting in the pews.  

5) Don't micromanage everything. 
I know it's our job as leaders to oversee and guide our young people, but if you're not careful you will find yourself imposing your own personal ideas on them robbing them of their own God-given creativity and passion. No one gets excited about doing your thing, your way, with their name on it. 

6) Get ready! They may be better than you. 
You've worked hard and honed your abilities. You've reached a level of professionalism and respect. Now here comes someone younger who is making a splash and you don't want to be replaced. Trust me, no one is trying to replace you. There is endless room at the table in the Kingdom of God. One person's success means success for us all. We should be happy when we see young people discovering their calling We should be happy when they start to excel. It means we have done one of our most important jobs. It means we have played a part in their growth and success. Refuse to be jealous. Don't limit them because they are getting too much attention. Unleash them and prepare yourself. They might be better at certain aspects of ministry than you. That's not a knock on you. We all have talents and gifts, and they come from the will of God. Celebrate with them.

7) Be their number one fan
Correct them, guide them but most importantly, cheer for them. Let them know when they do something great. Defend them. Let them see how great they can be by the way you treat them and how you believe in them. Look beyond where they are today and see who they will become. Brag about them publicly. If you get behind them they will get behind you. You won't lose your influence or position to them. In fact, they will elevate you. Their talents and hard work will lift your ministry to new levels. 

Maybe, you've been looking for a man or woman of God; someone to help your church move forward; someone experienced and talented; someone polished; a safe bet. We often want a man or woman but God has sent us kids, teenagers and young adults. It's our job to give them the experience they need. It's our job to help them hone their talents and discover their calling. Within our homes, our communities and our churches are powerful creatures who can help lift our churches to the next level. Don't be afraid to unleash the beast.

Just Like A Red Solo Cup

I know many people who have the misguided notion that Christians, especially Christian leaders, live above the rest of us. I can assure you that Ministers, Pastors and Christian leaders are all just people. In fact, we all make mistakes and are prone to sin, fail and otherwise blow it. Plain and simple. 

God doesn't use people because they have reached some invisible level of goodness. He doesn't call people to ministry or service because they have earned His favor or respect. God is not keeping track of your mistakes, He will use you in spite of your mistakes.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

Here's how it works - God is the excellent treasure and you and I are the Earthen vessels. We are like Red Solo Cups full of the life giving power of almighty God. A Red Solo Cup is not fancy, not strong, not expensive but it gets the job done. After all, it's really not about the cup it's about what's in the cup. 

You and I may not seem like much on the outside. We have weaknesses and we will make mistakes but God uses imperfect people to do His perfect work. Even with all of our faults and failures we carry the power of God's Holy Spirit inside of us, to be poured out over the world as He sees fit.

So don't be critical of Christian leaders who make mistakes, and don't count out someone who has failed (including yourself), God doesn't.