So, I’ve decided to create a “social network” for Christians. You can find the network at: diversecity.ning.com, so come on! Join and socialize with other Christians of all races and colors because as Toby Mac say’s,

“They call us Diverse City, we’re colorful good
It’s like a freak show in your neighborhood
So, if you wanna praise you can come on down
Cause this freak show’s leaving the ground “

I am currently the first and only member, so come on and don’t make me be a loner for Christ! CLICK HERE TO JOIN NOW! It’s free and the Bible says not to forsake fellowship, so let’s get this thing going!

So, my family and I went to Winter Jam 2010 last night here in KC and man, was it a blast. A night filled with God and great music. If you get the chance to go…do it! You won’t be disappointed! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves God and loves His music!

The video above was filmed in Fayetteville, NC and I had to post this one so you could see the experience because sadly, my video quality and sound was terrible because I took it with my phone.

Do you know someone who is a “know-it-all”? Someone whom you just can’t say anything right to? I think most of us know someone like that. This has been running through my head since Wednesday service at church because the Minister who was preaching spoke about this very subject. I personally know people like this. People who are never wrong and I have to admit that I have been stubborn a time or two and thought I knew everything, especially in my teenage years.

The Bible says in Proverbs 1:22 “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?“. Wow, what a powerful scripture. Fools hate knowledge because they think they know everything already and so, for someone to tell them something they may not already know is like smacking them in the face.

I admit, I hate to be wrong sometimes but I’ve learned that we’re not always right 100% of the time because there’s always someone out there who knows more than we do. God knows everything, so why not look upon Him for knowledge and wisdom? Praying for knowledge and wisdom is something I often do now because I’ve learned that when I ask God for wisdom and knowledge on specific things, He has always provided it in some form or fashion.

As for the people who can’t grasp the concept of being wrong sometimes, all we can do is what works best. Pray! Pray for them and for yourself to gain not only the knowledge and wisdom needed to deal with those people, but also the patience. God will provide these things. All you need to do is turn to Him in prayer and ask.

I can tell you with absolute certainty that I try everything I can to serve God, yet I’m a sinner. Outwardly, it may appear that I am a great Christian at times but Proverbs 21:2 makes it very clear when it says “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts“. We may think we’re doing what God wants us to do and say on a daily basis, but are we really? The answer is no. No one is living 100% for God otherwise we wouldn’t be sinners and God wouldn’t have sent His only son to pay the price for our sins.

God knows our hearts and regardless of how we act outwardly, it’s truly what is on our hearts that matters. We must be committed to giving our hearts and minds to God at all times. Are you an “outward Christian”? I know I am at times and man!….I need to stop it and be both outwardly and inwardly devoted to God and His will for my life. How about you? I need me some more Jesus! Excuse the grammar. =) Until next time…

Be blessed always,

Jay

This morning, two of my kids and I were in the family room watching television, playing games on the computers and generally just relaxing while my wife took our youngest daughter to get her hair trimmed. Here in the Kansas City area, we had a freak white-out snow storm that lasted for about ten to fifteen minutes while my wife and daughter were gone.

In our neighborhood, the snow was just a few flurries here-and-there, so I wasn’t too concerned. A short while later my wife and daughter arrived back home and were in the room with the rest of us for about five minutes when a breaking news story came on the television. A major pile-up involving dozens of cars had just occurred on a freeway just a few miles North of where we live and another on the South side of the metro area.

I thought about this for a long time and how not only was I blessed that my wife had not been traveling in either area at the time but that also there were no fatalities or life-threatening injuries from the dozens of vehicles that had been smashed together in a few brief moments. God is good and if that’s not proof, I don’t know what is!

For those of you who have actually read this blog in the past and followed me on Twitter, etc. I’m still alive and well. I’ve gotten lazy for a while. See, I am a Web Designer and Developer by trade, so as you can probably imagine, I get tired of setting in front of a computer all day and then have very little desire to do anything related when I get home. However, I’m going to be on more now, or at least make a huge attempt to do so, so please keep reading.

God bless!

Jay

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I have to thank Dave Hollister for writing the song “Where R U? – Answer Me”. It rings so true to me everyday of my life. I get into situations when I look around and think “Where are you God?” but I don’t see him anywhere. At least not where I’m looking because I’m looking in all the wrong places for Him. I have this thing called expectation and that can be a bad thing. If you expect something of God, you need to see it, hold it, and pray for it. Then pray some more and never cease praying.

I’m not saying you’ll get that new Lexus you’re after. You’re blessing may come in the form of a new job or an opportunity. Where is God? Where is He in our trials and struggles? When don’t have enough money to get food on the table or we have to switch around bills and decide which ones we’re gonna pay for this month and which ones will have to wait. I’ve been there plenty of times and will probably go through those trials again someday.

Believe in His Glory. Believe in His Majesty. He will forgive you of your sins and will never turn His back on you. Remember, God is the greatest being there is and ever was in existence and He will not drop any of His children. Repentance is a wonderful thing.

But you might ask, “Jay, I understand that He is everywhere all the time and He sees and hears everything, but it seems like everything I pray for never comes true. You know, I was speaking to a Catholic friend of mine the other day and he admitted to me that his prayers are dry and that he never expects anything from them. To me, this was a real shocker. He tells me constantly that the Catholic church is going downhill very quickly. Letting gays into the church as priests, etc.

Before you start yelling at me, I’m not here to criticize or stereotype anyone. I believe in the Bible the way its translated to me. while I may disagree with a lifestyle choice, I am still called by God to love that person regardless. Where is God during these times of conflict? With all the problems going on in the world right now, God has to be somewhere close.

My answer is that God is always there to bless you in the name of Jesus but all you have to do is know how to pray and ask for what it is you need, in the name of Jesus Christ. Not in the name of St. Michael, Mother Marry, or any of the other false idols people tend to lean toward. It’s only through prayer in the name of the Son Jesus Christ that you will receive.

Tell me what you think!

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Now playing: Disciple – Southern Hospitality
via FoxyTunes

It seems a small group of Christians set out to a Muslim festival in Michigan armed with video cameras in order ask questions about the Muslim faith and practices and this is what they got:

They were mistreated by Muslim security guards who would slap at the cameras and repeatedly tell the cameramen to turn the cameras off as if to be hiding something. All of this being done in the United States where those cameramen have every right to shoot video and ask the questions of the Muslim booth operators. Just goes to show how secretive they really are. If the roles where switched and it was Muslims and Muslim cameramen asking the questions, I can guarantee that the Christian booth keepers would be more than happy to share literature as well as speak to the Muslims about Jesus. All of this happened in Michigan on public city strets which where blocked for the festival and open to everyone.

What are your thoughts on this video?

So, I’ve spent the last few days away from the computer minus checking my email a couple times. What have I been doing you ask? Ok. maybe you didn’t ask but I’m gonna tell you. I’ve spent it with my family. The thing is though, I find that when I don’t keep myself occupied in some fashion, I tend to worry about things. You might say, “but Jay, we all know worry is a sin”, right? Yeah, worry is a sin but we all do it don’t we? Especially now, in these uncertain days. With our economy being the way it is. People getting laid off all over the place and companies going out of business, it’s very hard not to worry. I’m sure most are familiar with Matthew 6:34 which says:

25 “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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 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? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

I keep that verse near to me always because I do worry so much. Just to remind me of what God’s word says about worrying. We have to, as my pastor says, “speak life and not death upon ourselves” and not dwell on what might happen tomorrow. Give it all to God and He will carry you through it. Los made a post about this recently and I think he hit the nail on the head so-to-speak. If you’ve had a worry filled day, be sure to check it out. I’m sure you’ll be blessed as I was.

Just got finished reading this at Raggamuffin Soul and thought I needed to throw it your way in case you hadn’t read it. But really, who doesn’t read Los’ blog?! Where’ve you been since like um…meh, nevermind! Here’s the link: The Ted Commandments – Rules every speaker needs to know.

Be blessed,

Jay