Repentance

Joel 2:12-13
That is why the LORD says, "Turn to me now, while there is time! Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don't tear your clothing in grief, instead tear your hearts." Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful. He is not easily angered. He is filled with kindness and is eager not to punish you.

If ever there was good news, it would be these words from the book of Joel.
I don't think they were written just to encourage us or trick us in any way, shape, form or fashion. I believe they are there to give us a clear picture of who God really is, and how he feels about us.

Addiction is all about the BIG LIE.
There isn't any truth in addiction.
It's voice is filled with promises it will never keep.
Subtle suggestions that only draw you in deeper and deeper until you've lost everything.
I like the way God describes sin to Cain in Genesis 4:7.
God says,"Watch out! Sin is crouching outside your door, waiting to have you. You must master it." Another way of putting it is you must subdue it.
Sin is never out in the open. It always keeps to the periphery of life. Skirting the outer edges looking for an opportunity to creep in.

Sin/addiction never comes to you the first time you are considering using and tells you, "Hey..listen up, let me show you everything that is going to happen to you should you make this decision to drink or use." 
It promises to relieve you of stress and pain.
And for a season it does. It makes you feel good and it makes you fall in love with that feeling. But all the while you are running for a feeling, it begins to destroy everything you use to hold dear to your heart.
You begin to trade truth for lie because you really want that feeling.
You begin to trade family for isolation because you really want that feeling.
You begin to trade your own self esteem for guilt, shame and bitterness, because you want that feeling.

Sin/addiction eats away at you until there is nothing left except the insane thought and desire to drink more or use more.
In spite of everything that has happened to you, the one consuming thought in your mind is, "I need one more fix" or "I need one more drink."
But it doesn't have to be this way.

God....
yes, the real deal God....
really want you to listen to his voice as he is speaking to you.
Now is the time to stop your old way of living.
Now is the perfect time to tell him, "I quit...I don't know how to live anymore."
Now is the day to turn from your old ways and simply say, "I'm yours, Lord. I'm yours...teach me how to live.

Part of what we do on Saturday night at Vineyard Recovery, is to help you learn how to live in this new life. The first part is to connect with some like-minded people. Or to put it another way, some folks that understand what you are going through. People who will come along side of and help you as you start this new journey.

Don't let the voice of addiction rob you of this opportunity to do what you have not been able to do on your own.
Break free and find new life.
Hope to see you this Saturday Night....

God on you....
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A Saving Jesus

The words of Matthew 18:11 are pretty clear and concise. There isn't much wiggle room as far at the intent. The mandate of Christ to this world is very simple. He has come to take back everything that was lost at the fall of humanity in the garden when the serpent deceived the woman.

Coupled with this "taking back" or saving, you also have the words of I John 3:8 which reads "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." Part of this salvation process, this taking back, that Jesus came for (and is currently carrying out) is the destruction of the evidence of sin in the lives of people.

When you are saved....
When you surrender will and life over to the care of Christ, He not only takes your life away from the rule of Satan, He also destroys the work and evidence of Satan. What greater work in the life of a human being and true evidence of the devil, is addiction. 

I'm not going to debate the various views and opinions of what addiction is and isn't.
It all stems from a broken relationship humanity has with Christ. It is a heart that doesn't realize it's true purpose and call. Because it doesn't realize this, it searches for meaning and comfort in the things of this world. Almost like an itch that can't be scratched. We have this need to escape. Escape the choices we have made which have compounded to the point that we just can't deal with them. Throw on a heaping of guilt and shame, and you've got yourself a dangerous combination. 

No matter what the damage is that we brought into our lives.....
Jesus has come to save what was lost.
No matter what the destruction is that we have created in ourselves and around us.....
Jesus has come to save what was lost.
No matter what how deep the hole is that we have dug for ourselves.....
Jesus has come to save what was lost.
That is the Jesus I know.

As Larry Norman sang, years ago....
"What don't you look into Jesus...He's got the answers".
Some things just don't ever change.
Jesus is one of them.
Realize that if you are struggling today. He is only a prayer away. I know..I know..it sounds crazy and like something out of a sci-fi movie...but Jesus is there waiting to respond to your prayer this morning.
He loves you more than you will ever know or understand.
And He has the power and the ability to lift you out of your addiction...if you are ready to change.
What do you say?

God on you....
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The Properties Of Being Light

Genesis 1:3
Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

Matthew 5:14
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden."

Brain is kind of muddled this morning.
Long night, but a good night (Does that make sense?)
These verses have been rolling around in my head, and I have been asking, "What are you trying to say through them?"

It was God's idea for light to be created. He thought is. He spoke it. It came into being.
We tend to equate light with the ability to see or be seen.

The Matthew passage refers to believers. I find it interesting that God says that we "are the light of the world." We are that beacon that draws people to the message of the cross. The message that brings hope and says that you no longer have to live under the penalty, presence or power of sin. 
Then it occurred to me. If I am light, that means that I can be seen. IF my life is a reflection of God to those around me, then I am visible. If I am visible, then that also makes me a target for the forces of the kingdom of darkness.
Kind of a trade off isn't it.
I'm here to help and be that message, but by me doing so, I become a target to those who hate the light.

John 3:19 reads:
This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their deeds were evil.
The very fact that our lives are lived as testimony to the truth of God's word, uncovers the hearts of people as we move through our daily routine. This very thought is the reason that I do not need to dress myself up in a religious attitude or behavior. Sometimes we get the crazy idea that it's not enough to simply live this life we have been called to. We feel like we've got to define ourselves by what we wear...what we read...what we listen to. Those things, in and of themselves, are not bad or evil. What is wrong is the mindset that creeps in that tells we need to announce who we are to the world. So I have my JESUS ball cap. And I put that fish on the bumper of my car. I bought the latest T-shirts proclaiming Jesus is Lord! Why did I do this? That is the real question we need to ask. Here again, did I do it to be seen as a believer? Might need to do a self-check and see if we missed it somewhere. My Bible doesn't say "By their T-shirts you shall know them." It says by your love you will be known as a disciple of Jesus." 

The other part of this whole "being light" thing, is that we are targets of the devil and his minions. The want to steal from you the joy that God has placed in your heart. They want to discourage you and create doubt and unbelief in your life to the point that your light is no longer effective. No wonder life is hard when you begin to walk out this new way of living you have found in Jesus. I remember talking with a young man and he made the comment that he'd been a Christian for a number of years and that he'd never had any trouble or battles with the devil. Life had been one big party. He said, and I quote, "I have not ever run into the devil." To me, the only way you keep from running into the devil is if you are headed in the same direction he is going in. 

I'm not writing this to discourage you or to make you fear about walking with Christ. I'm doing it so you'll be aware of what is out there. Being light and salt to a world that doesn't know Jesus is probably the biggest adventure I've ever been on. To be used by God to see another person come to know Jesus is the greatest high you could ever want to experience.

Remember....
Jesus didn't say that you could be light. If you studied enough and went to church for a number of years. Never missed Sunday School and always tithed that you could get some light. No! He says that you are light. Right now, right where you are...if you are saved, then you are light. So go on.....shine a little!

God on you......
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Audio Message From Vineyard Recovery 7/27/13

Here is the Audio Message From Last Saturday's Meeting:
Romans 1: 24-32 -  Kind of a dark passage with a view to what life looks like when we reject Christ. Even in the midst of all this darkness, you can see the love of God at work reaching out to bring back into relationship.
Enjoy...
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The Guise

Psalm 133:1-2
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron. Running down the edge of his garments.

At this point in my life, I am very grateful for the little tokens of love that God gives to me. Last night was one of those tokens. Last night, I got to stand on a stage and make music with some "brothers"....friends, if you will, and it was good. Oh the songs were a bit ragged and there were plenty of mistakes. But the collective heart of the group was right on.

Brook and David Finlayson, Ron Greer and Tim Rolf, along with yours truly played for First Friday downtown Gadsden. It was a reunion of THE GUISE. 

David and I began playing together back in 1983, did so under the name DREAMER. We played mostly David's material, because he was the better songwriter. I knew, even at that time, there was something special happening whenever we came together to sing and play. We had a sound that was uniquely us. All you have to do is listen to some of the old tapes to such songs as Where Are You Now?  If you throw David's quirky humor into the mix, you got a wonderful combination that seemed to draw people out whenever we played. 

Brook came along in 1988, and it all happened by accident. David and I were over at Brooks house one night and during the conversation,  the guitars came out and we began to share songs that we had either completed writing or were in the process of being completed. I remember the moment so well. David started playing a song written by his good friend, Arnie Sanford. He moved through the verse and as he got to a particular point, without anyone leading, Brook and I chimed in with harmony. When it happened, we just looked at each other. The harmony was tight and really good. IT was one of those "Ah-ha!" moments.  The rest is history.

Brook came up with the name The Guise, which I always thought was pretty cool. To me the basis for the group is simple. Brook is the real musician of the three of us. Talented beyond belief, he can take a guitar and make it speak to the heart. The lead part he plays on Jesus Know All About It, is still one of my most favorites.

David is the kite without a string. He has the ability to write such simple, yet profound, lyrics tying them all together with great chords. David's music is heart felt and draws from many different wells in his life. Family.....friends......life experiences....all forged together to bring forth these incredible melodies and songs.

Me? I'm kind of the spackling for the group. I can fill in wherever needed. That is the part I enjoy the most when I get together with those guys. Just being a part of something greater than myself. 

Many thanks to Ron Greer (Bass player) and Tim Rolf (Drummer extraordinaire) for joining us in our GUISE reunion. 

It's been 30 years since David and I started playing together. 25 since the three of us began. Yet last night, with every song we played, there was a freshness to the music. Maybe it's because we are all older and hopefully a little more seasoned. I don't know. I just know that I am filled with a gratefulness to God for allowing me to be a part of the Guise.
I think maybe we'll be playing a little more frequently that we have in the past.
That won't be a bad thing.

God on you.....
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Are You In Or Are You Out?

I don't know how it was when you were a kid, but for me, swimming was the thing. Any chance to get to go swimming was met with great enthusiasm. Whether it was a real honest to goodness swimming pool, or the local swimming hole, I was all about getting myself into the water.

But from time to time an unusual thing would happen. We would take a picnic lunch along and eat a meal before we'd go swimming. That's when the "Mom" rule would kick in. "You can't go swimming until an hour after you've eaten." What? Why not? What's up with this? You entice me to an afternoon of swimming and then you feed me and saddle me with this parental burden. You've got to be kidding." We had to wait an hour exactly. We were informed that if we went swimming before the hour was up, we would cramp up, sink to the bottom of the pool where we would drown. I remember one time asking my mother, "What if we go in after waiting 59 minutes and 59 seconds?" Now she knew I was trying to find a loophole in this whole eating/swimming thing. "Nope...cramp, sink, drown." So there we would be....sitting at the edge of the pool watching all the other non-fed kids having the time of their lives. IT was miserable.

I said all of that to make a point.
We need to take that same enthusiasm we had as a kid and apply it to our daily walk with Christ. In fact, that walk isn't to be as a spectator to what God is doing in His Kingdom rule. We are called to participate. You can tell some people that and they look at you like you've developed three heads. "You mean I'm suppose to be an active participate in what God is doing?" Duh? Yes!

Contrary to popular church belief, the guy up front who you've hired to be the pastor/teacher, is not there to do everything. He is not there to make the church function or look better or win people to Jesus. He is there to equip you to do all of that stuff. Pray for people....see people healed.....break off demonic oppression and suppression....feed the poor....visit the sick and those in prison (or county jail). You've got to dive into this whole Jesus thing.
Don't be content to sit on the bank while all the other kids are in the pool having a wonderful time. Dive in with them.

Have you read that book? The Bible? Have you read it? Jesus comes along and puts together the most improbable group of individuals ever assembled, and then gives them authority and power to ransack the kingdom of the devil. I'm not sure I would have trusted the disciples with my car keys, much less the Kingdom of God. But Jesus did. He trusted them. He told them, "Hey guys, it's time to quit sitting by the pool. It's time to jump in!" O.k.---he didn't really say it that way, but you get the point.

He didn't line them up and say, "Who has a college degree?"
"Who has been to seminary?"
"Who can read Hebrew and Greek?"
Nope! He simply called, empowered and then sent them on their way, two by two. Did they mess up? Probably. It was probably very awkward on that first journey without Jesus there to guide them. There was probably a lot of "You go first"..."No you pray"....."Not me, you pray first." But eventually the boys jumped in the pool and began to have some fun. In fact, they returned from their journey with all kind of tales to tell Jesus.
They didn't sit by the pool and watch....
They jumped in.
What about you?
Are you going to sit by the pool while everyone else has the fun?
Or are you going to jump in?

God on you...
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1900th Posting Of GSL

Ta Da!
Today is the 1900th posting to the Greene Street Letters.
I'm all about marking dates and remembering events and moments.
On the scale of human endeavor, this moment deserves a "What?" to it.
By that, I mean having 1900 postings is not earth shattering or worthy of being asked to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock exchange.
It just means that I have been consistent.
I never envisioned this blog going this long, or that I would post as much as I have.

I know, better than anyone else, that what I do here is very simple. I just want to share what God has shared with me or shown me. If it is an encouragement in any way.....If it strikes a chord in someones heart, then mission accomplished. If I have made you laugh, then Greene Street Letters has done what it was created to do.

Every now and then, I'll take a walk back through the archives of this blog and re-read some of my postings.
It's like going back through the family photo album (does anyone even have one of those anymore?). Some of the postings make me chuckle and think to myself, "Boy, why did you ever write that? What were you thinking?" If anything, I am able to chart and see my own growth as a believer. I remember times when I was angry and times when I was at peace. It really is like looking into a mirror and seeing myself, not as I want to, but as God sees me.

Sometimes I like to take numbers and find if there is any correlation in Scripture. Today is the 1900th posting, so I turned to page 1900 in my Bible. Landed on I Timothy 6. There on that page, underlined, I read verse 6: Now godliness with contentment is great gain. To filled with the very nature of God..His righteousness....His peace...His Grace....coupled with contentment is a richness the world cannot place in anyone. To be content, or to be o.k. with where you are at this time, is to be at peace with God and with yourself. Your circumstances and your situation may be in turmoil, but you are at peace, at rest with God. The world desires you to be discontented. How can I say that? All you have to do is look to advertising. The heart of what you see on Television or read on the Internet is that your life is "Incomplete" unless you have our product. You need the newer, bigger, faster, prettier product that we are selling. No! Godliness (which, by the way, is something only God can give) coupled with peace in the moment, is the thing of greatest value a person can have on this side of heaven.

To each of you who stop by the Greene Street Letters, thank you so much.
Who knows...maybe we'll do another 1900 postings.
God on you....
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