We could feed the whole world with the crumbs from our bread

It was twenty-six degrees last night and most of us were warm beneath the blankets in our bed. Some of our biggest worries as our head hit the pillow came from a txt or some other form of cowardly drama. Most of us slept well. Our stomachs were full from not one, but several meals we ingested yesterday and most in excess. We were full. We woke this morning and showered using enough water to sustain a family in Africa for a week and we were upset if it wasn’t hot enough. We left the shower and headed to the closet or dresser where some stressed over not having enough to wear… while in reality most of our closets could clothe several families who have nothing. That’s where my part of the story picks up. I was standing there looking at clothes and began to be broken. In one moment I realized how selfish and materialistic I am… It really started a few weeks ago though when I was standing at the kitchen sink doing dishes and became disgusted with myself when I thought that some kid in Africa would love to drink my dirty dishwater because it wouldn’t kill them. It’s these two experiences that have begun to shape my mind in a new direction, but there are a few many people who have brought me to this place.

Craige, you slept in an old train car last night downtown with no heater. You have made getting out of bed every Wednesday at 4 something worth it. This morning was the first morning you didn’t start the fire in…… well, no one knows how long. Some of the guys were worried. Frank assured us that the “professor is fine”. Hope to see you next Wed.

Mema, for giving your food away or not eating until you are certain that everyone else is full. For doing without so much so you could give to so many.

Dud, for taking a pair of gloves off your hands in 20 degree weather and giving them to someone you don’t know, not because you had to, but just so he would be warm.

The 5,000 kids that die every day from unsanitized water. That’s 2 million a year.

The 192 (not counting the two homeless shelters, hospitals, jails, and rehab) homeless people in Albany that face insurmountable odds everyday and keep going.



I sometimes want to be sad when I hang out with my friends downtown, but I am realizing they have so much and I have so little. I take everything for granted. Including God. Just like I stand beneath the flood of clean water every morning. I also stand in the presence of a holy God who desires a relationship, a oneness with me. I am overwhelmed by His goodness and drink it in, but soon leave His presence drawn away with the desire for more stuff. I pray that one day we choke on our excess and vomit it up so that we see how completely depraved we really are and how glorious Christ really is. He has given everything to us. Some He has given some much and to some little, but you have to remember He is the One that said the last will be first, that being weak is being strong, and that if we truly die we can fully live. My hope today in sharing my heart is that you will hear the voice of God breaking through your stuff and reminding you that there is much more. That in Him is fullness of joy and peace that overcomes every conflict. There is rest for the weary and hope for the beaten down. Today, right this minute there is forgiveness of sin and restoration for the soul. I pray that some of us would become poor in His presence so we could know the splendor of being rich in Him, that some of us would thirst today with a desire for Him to quench it and for hunger pains to grip our soul for more, more of the all-satisfying, completely sufficient Christ.

Would you say your full today? Or have you been blinded by so much stuff?
Proverbs 27:7

Dreaming with a broken heart

There’s refuge in Christ. I could really end there and that would be sufficient. I have struggled tonight with whether I should list my past and my sins out… all the dirt, the pain, and the ruin. I was so dirty, so freaking jacked up, a user and abuser of anyone and everyone. I even peddled the gospel if I was in the appropriate crowd, but I refuse to illuminate a horrible past over a precious Savior. I will instead shine light on the cross of Calvary and the glorious gift God gave. My heart breaks tonight knowing that I have friends in my city sleeping with each other, my heart breaks to know that there are some who feel helpless and are contemplating suicide, and my heart yearns for you to know the truth. The truth is simple. It is easy to say and hard to live. God called you out and is calling you out. His work on the cross rendered us forgiven if we would just receive, repent and trust in Him for salvation. Do you realize that part of who God is is omnipresent? That means he is everywhere… EVERYWHERE! When your fooling around, getting slammed, glancing at porn, being lazy, taking advantage of people, and lying He is there, broken by your sin, grieved by your disobedience and ready to wrap you in His arms of love. He is not waiting with condemnation. Not yet at least. He is near tonight and ready to wash you clean, to make you whole in Him through the blood of Jesus. There is no need for excuses in His presence. Just be honest with Him (He knows anyways). I refuse to ramble, but as weird as it is I know your reading this and this for you is an invitation to the table where you’ll find forgiveness, newness and rest covered by the grace of God. If you fit these categories then I wrote for you. I pray for you. I believe God is going to change your life.

The arrogant Christian
The faithful believer
The college and high school student who justifies your drinking with (the bible doesn’t say it’s a sin)
The beautiful young lady who dresses to show her body because she has no self worth
The guy who takes advantage of a girl
The girl who takes advantage of a guy
The proud
The homosexual
The sexually active
The fearful
The faithful
The saved
The lost
Myself
The inconsistent
The workaholic
The desperate
The pastors
The worship leaders
The president
The soon to be saved
I don’t write for popularity, I am casting the net so some would be caught in the grip of grace.

I stinkin love you

Tj

Matt Johnson, Andy Blankenship, and Chase Ostrander... Heretics?

I want to take a moment and shine the light on some questionable characters that are in the Macon county area.

I will start with Matt Johnson. He and This other guy Chase have started a church in Americus Georgia and are focusing on unity within the family, while teaching biblical principles and sound doctrine. I am confused on one thing... How come when men of God step up to the plate and begin to lead their families and their church with integrity, instilling values and godliness in their children are they then blasted for being heretics. Have we lost our minds? Really! Sometimes you want the fire of God to come down and consume idiots that exalt denomination above the Goodness and Supremacy of Christ. There will be a day when Christ comes to reclaim His bride and all the world will flatten themselves to the ground surrendering their pre-conceived ideas of Christ. He is neither Baptist or Methodist, He is not Calvinist nor Armenian, He was not created. He will come back and settle the debate. He will end the fuss and He will judge the rank sinner along with the arrogant theologian. He will also shine light on the busybodies who refuse to keep their mouths shut about men of God. He will bring joy that never ends and forgiveness eternal. He is not coming back like a lamb lead to the slaughter. He coming back as the Lion of Judah. I write with chills thinking of the majesty we will behold in His face. He is. I hope that I don't sound to offensive, but if your offended it's may be because you need to be. So, knowing all this about Christ I would say some should repent. If Matt and Chase are heretics then Christ will impose the correct authority on their lives, something I believe will not happen because I am certain they are neither heretics nor hypocrites. Do I agree with them on everything? No. Do I trust them? Yes. Are they my brothers in Christ? Absolutely. Will I pray that God has mercy on your sole for a minutes slander of these men? Absolutely. That's enough of that. On to Andy.

Andy Blankenship, in my opinion is bad baptist. Or at least thats one perception of him by some and here is the reason why. He would rather see the doctrine of Christ exalted through the preaching of the gospel than any denomination lifted in their own glory. His agenda is not the convention, it is being lead by the spirit of God and moving with compassion. Andy is my brother and I know the dirt on him and his life... here it is. He is abrasive, honest, passionate about the gospel, committed to his family and has sacrificed for his church. He has the gift of a thousand seat sanctuary and shares it with a faithful few in small-town south Georgia. He evangelized an entire band of nobodies and showed them they could be something in Christ. He has fathered an amazing daughter and is raising her in the admonition of the Lord. He loves his wife MK with an unbelievable passion and godliness. He is a soldier in the army of Christ and spends his time exalting the goodness of Christ and riches of His glory. If that makes him a bad baptist then I would never ever want the name baptist attached to me or my faith.

In honesty these guys will probably not like me posting this, but my aim is to illuminate the glory of Christ in them and to say thanks for being godly mentors. I will start posting blogs this evening.


Tj