You know I have been so blessed that sometimes it just seems a little unfair. It almost seems like God is doing so much for me I feel like he might be forgetting someone else. One of the biggest blessings of late is the teachers he has surrounded me with.
From my pastor, friend, mentor and Christian brother Pastor G to the amazing crew on Gilpin #9 to the awesome team at George Wythe HS (GWHS) I am surrounded by some of the most wonderful teachers in the world.
Starting from the top I’ve noticed a definite shift in Pastor G’s last few teachings and it’s been a wonderful learning experience for me personally. The more I hear him speak of doing God’s work with all your heart and soul the more proud I am to serve under him. I never fail to not learn a valuable lesson from him. And it don’t matter if he’s behind the pulpit, picking up trash in a bus neighborhood on a cold rainy day or threatening to punch out the next person who disrespects one of his leaders. I am truly honored to be a servant of the man God has placed over me.
I think we could all stand to be better servants of whomever god places over us. I know no one is perfect, but I’m not talking about perfection. I’m talking about doing your best. And that is never judged by what you do in relation to what others do, but by what you do in relation to what you could have done. One day we’ll all look back over our lives and I for one never want to look back with anything other than a smile and a feeling that I did my best.
Another great teacher of mine is my bus captain Jason “The Dean” Helmlinger. Although I don’t get to see him as much any more and that makes me a little sad I have learned so much from this man. From what it takes to be a great family man and a wonderful husband to what true loyalty and friendship means. And talk about a servant this is one that God himself must look on with very fond eyes. Every time I see him with Mandy, his boys and his little ladies in tow I’m amazed at the love and devotion I see in this spiritual leader of his house. Not to mention he will defend them in a mighty way. (Just try the suggestion of putting a gun loaded with blanks to his wife’s head sometime and you’ll see that real quick…. Carl) To see him on the bus with the Gilpin kids it so inspiring and they truly love him. Even if he’s explaining why they can’t ride this week.
Then we’ve got J-Diesel (aka Josh) and the adorable Crystal. I can’t believe she thought I didn’t like her when she first came on the bus. Let me just tell the entire world now that she is the bomb of a bus secretary. I guess I was just a little shy and put off as I often am by a truly beautiful woman. She is a great Christian, a great Mom, a great bus secretary and a great friend. Truth be known I’d take a bus full of Crystals in a heartbeat and I hope she never leaves bus #9.
Now that Josh is another story… Just kidding he’s another great teacher. I remember seeing him in Israel with a freshly broken leg walking for miles and never once complaining. Or working out with him and the Dean in the mornings at the ROC gum and being inspired to do just a little bit more. He has had to fill in a lot lately for Jason as bus captain and he’s doing a fantastic job. The kids love him and the bus is running as smooth as it can be. (Remember it is Gilpin #9)
And I can’t forget to give a shout out to our youngest editions Summer and Laura. Laura has really taken hold is whipping those kids into shape and our numbers are climbing up every week as a result.
But lately the most influential teachers have been my GWHS crew and the students. You talk about a couple amazing teachers. Jake and Sonny are just that. I’ve seen them and all the others do some amazing things with these kids already and we’re only just getting started. I sometimes feel so unworthy to be among these great men and women of God. He has put together a crew that can handle any situation the devil tries to throw at us. From Coach Kelly to Counselor Unique, from cool Randy to the impressionable Lester. Championship Belt, Go SKINS Todd and organizational goddess Sara, understanding Tammy and the man, that dancing machine who keeps me moving in the right direction Me’kel. Ben and Dajah also. I learn something new and wonderful from this crew every day.
And these kids, these beautiful loving children of God give me strength every day. It is truly a blessing to serve them for my Jesus. Knowing that some day these future leaders will look back at their time here at GWHS as a pivotal time in their lives. A time when they could have gone in any direction that the wind blew them, but God placed 12 disciples in their path. Just to make sure they could find that narrow road that will lead them to the promise land. Kind of funny now that I think about it, that seems like a perfect number to me. I think God knows exactly what he’s doing. Have a great day and remember;
“Great spirits will encounter violent opposition from mediocre people”
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Pastor G.'s Weekly Devotional: HE'S GOD -- WE'RE NOT!
Pastor G.'s Weekly Devotional: HE'S GOD -- WE'RE NOT!
Pastor G.'s Weekly DevotionalSep 8, 2008
Romans 7:14-25 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
HE’S GOD AND WE’RE NOT
We are all ambassadors of Christ. We all represent Him to the world. Jesus is not here in person anymore, and we may be the only Jesus that somebody ever sees. It is our obligation and duty to represent Christ to the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.
We need to look like Jesus by the way we walk and talk. We need to go where He would want us to go, do what He would do, forgive like He would forgive, be kind and love like Jesus would. The ROC is filled with people who represent Christ to the world in so many ways: helping the poor, feeding the hungry, loving the fatherless, clothing the naked, visiting those who are in prison, and winning the lost. If Jesus were still physically here, He would look very much like many of the people who are part of The ROC.
People often talk to me about their Christian life. They are trying so hard to live like Christ that they are actually angry and frustrated with their walk with God. They are discouraged, depressed, and filled with doubt about their walk. Their desire to be like Jesus isn’t quite working out like they want it to work out. They are finding out that no matter how hard they try, they can’t be as much like Jesus as they want to be. I always have just one bit of advice for them and it is simply that “You Ain’t Jesus.” I know that’s not good English, but it is the truth.
We can try all we want to be like Jesus, but it isn’t going to happen, because He’s God – We’re not! Yes, every Christian should have a heart that says, “Jesus, I want to be more like you.” Yes, we should pray that the Holy Spirit will give us the power to be more like Jesus. However, we often set expectations and have aspirations to be a super power Christian, but we are just setting up ourselves for disappointment, because He’s God – We’re not!
I am not talking about what others think about us. Hopefully, people are seeing Christ in us by our actions, decisions, and deeds. In this instance, I am not talking about what others think about us. No, I am talking about what we think of ourselves as Christians. We know ourselves better than anyone, and we know those hidden things that no one else sees but God. You know the wicked thoughts. You know about your faults and failures. You know how far from being like Jesus you really are, and because of that, you are beating yourself up all the time.
I am here to tell you that there is someone who wants to keep you in that place of discouragement and frustration, because you are rather useless to God in that condition. His name is Satan, and he wants you to forget that God is God – and you are not!
The devil loves to use pride and our ego to cause us to put ourselves up on some spiritual pedestal. It is very unfair for us to think we can be Jesus. We need to remember that He’s God – we’re not! We have got to be smarter than the enemy and realize that he also knows that God is God – and we are not! He loves it when he gets us so distracted in trying so hard to be so spiritual that we get off the track of be an effective soulwinner and witness for Christ to the world.
We will never get to the place where we can say, “Praise God, I am just like Jesus.” Where do we think those thoughts come from? If we keep putting ourselves down because we keep realizing how far short we fall, we are going to get so frustrated and discouraged with Christianity that the next step will be to quit. That is exactly what Satan would love to see happen in our lives. We have to be smarter than him by remembering every moment of the day: God is God – and we are not!
In these verses in Romans 7, I believe Paul was at this same place. Paul was the greatest Christian who ever lived. He was like Christ in so many ways. He lived his life as much like Jesus as is humanly possible. I think everybody knows that to be true, except for one person – Paul. Paul knew who he was and that even though he wanted to be like Jesus, he could never be Jesus. He knew that even though he did many things like Christ, he was still a long way from being like Christ. He said the things I should do, I don’t do; the things I hate to do are exactly what I do. He said he had sin living inside of him and that in his flesh there was nothing good. He said he had the mind to do what is right, but not the power. He said his mind was telling him one thing, but his flesh was telling him the opposite. The greatest example of a Christian, Paul, said that he was a wretched man. Paul knew he was much more unlike Jesus than he appeared to be. He called himself the chief of sinners. However, Paul did not beat himself up over it, because he realized that Jesus was God – and he was not.
The sooner we realize that we are and always will be sinners saved by grace, the sooner we will stop thinking we can arrive at a place of always being perfect and without sin. That will be the moment when we realize that God is God – and we’re not!
Sometimes it is easier to forgive others than it is to forgive ourselves. We need to remember we are made of dust. Stop destroying your life by condemnation. Jesus died that we could be redeemed and at that moment, the work of salvation and redemption began. Until the day we die, God will be growing us up into the image of Christ. We are called to get back up when we fall down and to keep fighting the good fight of faith.
God is not condemning us. Condemnation does not come from God. Jesus did not come to condemn us; He came to set us free. It comes from the devil and makes us condemn ourselves. Conviction, on the other hand, is from the Lord, who is just trying to help us be changed from glory to glory. The process flows much smoother and is more successful when we can remember that He’s God – and we’re not!
God is not expecting us to be Jesus, so who are we to think we should be. God does expect for us to try our best. He does expect us to yield our life to His Spirit, and to have a heart to want to be like Jesus. God is not okay with us using our weaknesses to go and intentionally sin.
This devotional is for those who truly want to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. We need to remember that God is not finished with us yet. God has a long way to go with us. God will be working on us till we die or Jesus comes back. There will not be a day while we are on this earth when we can say we have arrived and are now perfect like Jesus. Why? Because He’s God – and we’re not!
Don’t be hard on yourself if you are battling depression. You are in good company. Many Christians fight depression, and even King David struggled with it. Think about all those in the Bible who had high’s and low’s, valleys and mountaintops from Job to Paul and on and on. Maybe you are disappointed in yourself because your faith gets weak, well, look at Doubting Thomas. So did John the Baptist’s faith, because he said to the disciples go and see if that really is Jesus. The Bible is full of examples of people who struggled and God still used them like Peter who denied Christ one day and then led thousands to Jesus.
Let me encourage you to keep striving to be like Jesus, but when the going gets rough, just remember: He’s God – you’re not! Stop kicking yourself for every failure and start thanking God for His grace – His unmerited favor -- that always gives us another chance … and another chance … and another chance. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Don’t be discouraged. And always remember: He’s God – and you are not!
Pastor Geronimo
Daniel 12:3
www.theroc.com
Pastor G.'s Weekly DevotionalSep 8, 2008
Romans 7:14-25 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
HE’S GOD AND WE’RE NOT
We are all ambassadors of Christ. We all represent Him to the world. Jesus is not here in person anymore, and we may be the only Jesus that somebody ever sees. It is our obligation and duty to represent Christ to the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.
We need to look like Jesus by the way we walk and talk. We need to go where He would want us to go, do what He would do, forgive like He would forgive, be kind and love like Jesus would. The ROC is filled with people who represent Christ to the world in so many ways: helping the poor, feeding the hungry, loving the fatherless, clothing the naked, visiting those who are in prison, and winning the lost. If Jesus were still physically here, He would look very much like many of the people who are part of The ROC.
People often talk to me about their Christian life. They are trying so hard to live like Christ that they are actually angry and frustrated with their walk with God. They are discouraged, depressed, and filled with doubt about their walk. Their desire to be like Jesus isn’t quite working out like they want it to work out. They are finding out that no matter how hard they try, they can’t be as much like Jesus as they want to be. I always have just one bit of advice for them and it is simply that “You Ain’t Jesus.” I know that’s not good English, but it is the truth.
We can try all we want to be like Jesus, but it isn’t going to happen, because He’s God – We’re not! Yes, every Christian should have a heart that says, “Jesus, I want to be more like you.” Yes, we should pray that the Holy Spirit will give us the power to be more like Jesus. However, we often set expectations and have aspirations to be a super power Christian, but we are just setting up ourselves for disappointment, because He’s God – We’re not!
I am not talking about what others think about us. Hopefully, people are seeing Christ in us by our actions, decisions, and deeds. In this instance, I am not talking about what others think about us. No, I am talking about what we think of ourselves as Christians. We know ourselves better than anyone, and we know those hidden things that no one else sees but God. You know the wicked thoughts. You know about your faults and failures. You know how far from being like Jesus you really are, and because of that, you are beating yourself up all the time.
I am here to tell you that there is someone who wants to keep you in that place of discouragement and frustration, because you are rather useless to God in that condition. His name is Satan, and he wants you to forget that God is God – and you are not!
The devil loves to use pride and our ego to cause us to put ourselves up on some spiritual pedestal. It is very unfair for us to think we can be Jesus. We need to remember that He’s God – we’re not! We have got to be smarter than the enemy and realize that he also knows that God is God – and we are not! He loves it when he gets us so distracted in trying so hard to be so spiritual that we get off the track of be an effective soulwinner and witness for Christ to the world.
We will never get to the place where we can say, “Praise God, I am just like Jesus.” Where do we think those thoughts come from? If we keep putting ourselves down because we keep realizing how far short we fall, we are going to get so frustrated and discouraged with Christianity that the next step will be to quit. That is exactly what Satan would love to see happen in our lives. We have to be smarter than him by remembering every moment of the day: God is God – and we are not!
In these verses in Romans 7, I believe Paul was at this same place. Paul was the greatest Christian who ever lived. He was like Christ in so many ways. He lived his life as much like Jesus as is humanly possible. I think everybody knows that to be true, except for one person – Paul. Paul knew who he was and that even though he wanted to be like Jesus, he could never be Jesus. He knew that even though he did many things like Christ, he was still a long way from being like Christ. He said the things I should do, I don’t do; the things I hate to do are exactly what I do. He said he had sin living inside of him and that in his flesh there was nothing good. He said he had the mind to do what is right, but not the power. He said his mind was telling him one thing, but his flesh was telling him the opposite. The greatest example of a Christian, Paul, said that he was a wretched man. Paul knew he was much more unlike Jesus than he appeared to be. He called himself the chief of sinners. However, Paul did not beat himself up over it, because he realized that Jesus was God – and he was not.
The sooner we realize that we are and always will be sinners saved by grace, the sooner we will stop thinking we can arrive at a place of always being perfect and without sin. That will be the moment when we realize that God is God – and we’re not!
Sometimes it is easier to forgive others than it is to forgive ourselves. We need to remember we are made of dust. Stop destroying your life by condemnation. Jesus died that we could be redeemed and at that moment, the work of salvation and redemption began. Until the day we die, God will be growing us up into the image of Christ. We are called to get back up when we fall down and to keep fighting the good fight of faith.
God is not condemning us. Condemnation does not come from God. Jesus did not come to condemn us; He came to set us free. It comes from the devil and makes us condemn ourselves. Conviction, on the other hand, is from the Lord, who is just trying to help us be changed from glory to glory. The process flows much smoother and is more successful when we can remember that He’s God – and we’re not!
God is not expecting us to be Jesus, so who are we to think we should be. God does expect for us to try our best. He does expect us to yield our life to His Spirit, and to have a heart to want to be like Jesus. God is not okay with us using our weaknesses to go and intentionally sin.
This devotional is for those who truly want to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. We need to remember that God is not finished with us yet. God has a long way to go with us. God will be working on us till we die or Jesus comes back. There will not be a day while we are on this earth when we can say we have arrived and are now perfect like Jesus. Why? Because He’s God – and we’re not!
Don’t be hard on yourself if you are battling depression. You are in good company. Many Christians fight depression, and even King David struggled with it. Think about all those in the Bible who had high’s and low’s, valleys and mountaintops from Job to Paul and on and on. Maybe you are disappointed in yourself because your faith gets weak, well, look at Doubting Thomas. So did John the Baptist’s faith, because he said to the disciples go and see if that really is Jesus. The Bible is full of examples of people who struggled and God still used them like Peter who denied Christ one day and then led thousands to Jesus.
Let me encourage you to keep striving to be like Jesus, but when the going gets rough, just remember: He’s God – you’re not! Stop kicking yourself for every failure and start thanking God for His grace – His unmerited favor -- that always gives us another chance … and another chance … and another chance. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Don’t be discouraged. And always remember: He’s God – and you are not!
Pastor Geronimo
Daniel 12:3
www.theroc.com
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