the Body and the Blood?

Communion, Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper. Is it a holy sacrament or an expression of faith and of obedience to Christ? Most Christians recognize a special presence of Christ in this rite, though they differ about exactly how, where, and when Christ is present. Here are a few of the popular views.

Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy teach that the consecrated elements truly become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Lutherans believe that the body and blood of Jesus are present "in, with and under" the forms of bread and wine, a concept known as the sacramental union.

The Reformed churches, following the teachings of John Calvin, believe in a real spiritual presence of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit and received by faith. Anglicans adhere to a range of views although the Anglican church officially teaches the real presence.

Some Christians reject the concept of the real presence, believing that the Eucharist is only a memorial of the death of Christ.

What do you think? I would love to hear from you about it. Take a moment and share you thought with me.

Blessings, dave

Prayer

A prayer from Reverend Billy Graham....

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics.. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free.

Amen!'

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God..'

blessings,

Dave

Overcome

Thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in His name
Thanks be to God, who always causes us To Win (yeah)

Thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in His name
Thanks be to God, Thanks be to God

We have Overcome, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
We have Overcome, by the power of Your Name
Jesus You're the One, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
The one who made the way for us, to triumph in Your Name
Whoa – oh, Whoa - oh

We got the victory, everything will be
Alright Alright, we got the victory
Everything will be alright, we're on the winning side

Random? not really, I am listening to Israel Houghton ~ A Deeper Level, reading the first John and thinking about how God conquered death and the grave.

“for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith”. 1 John 5:4

blessings, dave

Secrets to staying Married

We all aspire to be perfect in the things that we do. We all try our best to attain the highest standards in our academic achievements, career, social status and amongst many others...our marriage. So how does one work on one’s marriage? Is there a rule book, that once adhered to, will guarantee a successful marriage? As each marriage is unique to the couple, what secrets are there to maintain a fulfilling married life?

There’s no such thing as a perfect marriage, but that doesn’t mean your marriage can’t be fulfilling and happy. Building a strong marriage takes hard work and commitment. It takes two people who are willing to say to each other: “I know that tough times will come, but I promise to stay with you, no matter what.” When life gets hard, even the best marriages are tested. The ones that survive are those where each person makes a conscious decision to stay the course. In fact, couples who persevere through trials almost always come out stronger than ever.

Take time to remind your spouse how committed you are to your marriage. Use special occasions, like anniversaries, holidays, or other family events to focus on what’s important, and renew your love and devotion, both to your mate and your children. Remind your spouse often, and see if it doesn’t strengthen your relationship. And remember, strong marriages are built on loyalty, and loyalty is a decision, not a personality trait.

blessings, dave

The Story of Father's Day

Historians have recorded that there was a tradition to celebrate Father's Day even thousands of years ago. Their study say that 4,000 years ago in Babylon a son called Elmesu carved a father's day message on a clay card. In his message Elmesu wished his father a long and healthy life. There is no knowledge as to what happened to this father son duo but it is believed that several countries retained the custom of celebrating Father's Day.

The tradition of celebrating Father's Day as seen today originated in the last century. Though there are several people who are credited for furthering the cause of Father's Day, there is far greater acceptance for Sonora Louise Smart Dodd's contribution. A doting daughter from Spokane, Washington, Ms. Dodd is recognized as the Founder or Mother of the Father's Day Festival.

Inception of the Father's Day took place in Sonora's mind when she happened to hear a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. Sonora, who was 27 then, had begun to recognize the hardships her father must have gone through while bringing up his six children alone. When Sonora was 16, her mother had died during childbirth. Sonora's father a Civil War veteran by the name of William Jackson Smart raised six children including the newborn on his own. Sonora questioned that if there is a day to recognize mothers then why is not there a day to honor fathers?

Many people laughed and joked at Sonora's idea, but her will did not droop. She began a sincere campaign lobbying for the cause of Father's Day. Her hard work began to show signs of success when Spokane celebrated its first Father's Day on June 19, 1910 with the support of Spokane Ministerial Association and the local Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). To pay tribute to her affectionate father, Sonora wished that Father's Day be celebrated on her father's birthday on June 5, but it so happened that there was not enough time for preparation and the day came to be celebrated on third Sunday in the month of June.

The noble idea of celebrating Father's Day became quite popular in US so much so that President Woodrow Wilson approved of the festival in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge too supported the idea but it was President Lyndon Johnson who signed a Presidential Proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father's Day in 1966. Then in 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June. Father's Day has become a popular festival. World over people thank their father and pay tribute to them.

I have many, many reasons to be thankful. Thankful that God chose for me to have a Godly earthly Father who has cared and supported me all of my life. And thankful that God has blessed me with four amazing boys.

Happy Fathers Day all!!

God's promises

Today I got to talk to a very honored and admired personal friend. If you know me then you know that the last 70 days or so have been both life changing and very disappointing to say the least. Many days I am tired, discouraged, confused and beaten down. My breaking point is very clearly in sight.

Today my good friend said very little. He only said enough to encourage and remind of the things that I have come to know as the truth. Whenever in doubt stay in the light, that is where you will always find the truth.

Again he said very few words and even though this is not what he said, I will tell you what I heard.....

"Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told". Hab 1:5

I first learned of this scripture about 7 years ago. It is always easy to live for today and forgets God's promises of thiings to come.


Today I am reminded of God's promises.

Thnx Bro, I needed that!

Love Dare??

Stacey and I have committed to doing the Love Dare together. I look forward to seeing how this brings us even closer together.

You should buy two copies of this book. One for you, and one for your spouse. See what happens after 40 days, I dare ya!!

Day 1: Love is patient

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 NIV

TODAY’S DARE

The first part of this dare is fairly simple. Although love is communicated in a number of ways, our words often reflect the condition of our heart. For the next day, resolve to demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your spouse at all. If the temptation arises, choose not to say anything. It’s better to hold your tongue than to say something you’ll regret.

More to come!

dave

18 years and still going strong!!

Today we are celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary. I can honestly say that it has been 18 years of pure joy. I had no idea that marriage could be this much fun! It does take some work but it has been a labor of love. I guess when two people click, they click. I am blessed to have found the perfect person to spend the rest of my life with.

I cannot put into words the way I feel about this amazing, wonderful woman that I am proud to call my wife. God knew what I would need to make it through this life. He knew that me and the boys would need a special lady to keep us going. He sent me a wife, a best friend and so much more. I pray that I will never take her for granted and that I hope that I will always show her how much I love her with my actions, not just my words.

I thank God for her and the life that I have because of her. God’s word is always enough. This scripture says it all

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Ephesians 5:25-33

Be blessed, dave

God You Reign!

You paint the night
You count the stars and You call them by name
The skies proclaim, God You reign
Your glory shines
You teach the sun when to bring a new day
Creation sings, God You reign

God You reign, God You reign
Forever and ever, God You reign

You part the seas
You move the mountains with the words that You say
my song remains, God You reign
You hold my life,
You know my heart, and You call me by name
I live to say God You reign

Hallelujah, Hallelu

God You reign, God You reign
Forever and ever, God You reign

Amen!!

We serve God by serving others

The world defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige, and position. If you can demand service from others, you’ve arrived. In our self-serving culture with its “me first” mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept.

Jesus, however, measured greatness in terms of service, not status. God determines your greatness by how many people you serve, not how many people serve you.

It is possible to serve in church for a lifetime without ever being a servant. You must have a servant’s heart.

How can you know if you have the heart of a servant?

In Matthew 7:16 Jesus said, “You can tell what they are by what they do”

How do you know when you are old?

When I was young, I remember looking at old people and wondering when that magic switch got turned on that made us like them. Seriously, I thought that you had to turn into to someone else. I fact when I was in school a thirty year old would have easily fit the bill as an old person to me. Now that I am a few year south of 40 I am starting to see more evidence of the inevitable.

Last week I was working with Redd on a few licks for a Lincoln Brewster song. As I talked him through the notes and progressions it dawned on me that even though I could identify every note, and my mind was willing, my hands did not seem to want to express that on the fret board like they used to. I have always done well copying other people and their guitar solos. But I rarely play lead guitar anymore so these notes were not easy for me. Am I off of my game or truly washed up?

The boys make me feel old most of the time. After all, my oldest is in High School already. In fact, one of the kids in youth group last night is 18 and graduates on Friday. I immediately thought, “wow 18 years ago I graduated”. Where did the time go?

If you had asked me how old I felt during the first Ultimate Frisbee season 2 years ago, I would have told you that I feel really old. My body was not handling it well. I felt wore out and beat down. But by the start of the second season, I had lost over 50 pounds and I was in much better shape. So I didn’t feel the wear and tear on my body at all, I felt young again. At least my body did.

So what is it? What is the secret to staying young?

Is it being able to do what you have always done?
Is it a state of mind?
Is it the shape of your body?

Whatever it is, I am in serious doubt that we all agree. My picture last night on my 365 project reflects the song lyrics of George Jones saying “I don’t need your rocking chair”



How do you feel? I would love to hear some feedback from you. I think these say it best…..

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. ~ Mark Twain

Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional. ~ Chili Davis

In the Light

Remember those science projects that they would have us do in school. I remember one where they wanted us to see the effect of light and darkness on the growth of seeds. So they gave us some marigold seeds along 4 Styrofoam cups and some dirt. They told us to put 2 cups in the closet where they was no light at all and two cups in the window sill. For a few hours, the plants in the dark and the ones in the light are quite similar. Two tiny green leaves break through the soil and begin to grow. Within a couple of days however, the plants in the closet turn yellow and begin to die, while the ones in the light grow and get more and more leaves. The experiment proves that plants have to absorb light in order to have the energy needed to grow, bloom, and make seeds.

The same is true of our spiritual lives. We need to live in the light in order to grow and become fruitful. Galatians 5:22-23 describes spiritual fruit ~ love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These attributes are in stark contrast to the ones Paul listed as acts of the sinful nature: jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambitions, envy, etc.

D C Talk sang it like this “I want to be in the light, cause You are in the light”. Enough said. I want to be wherever Jesus is.

Lord may all I do be pleasing to You!! Amen

What are you listening to?

How cool was it to have Anthony Evans here with us again. Last night in my quiet time I was asking the Lord to bless Anthony Evans’ ministry and the families of the men who had just spent their weekend here ministering to us. Then, being a musician myself, I started thinking about how the economy might impact the music industry. I bet is a real hard time to be in the concert business. Or even the music business in general. After looking around a bit online, I was shocked to find out that several Christian artists like Chris Tomlin and Israel & New Breed sell out the most of the large secular venues like the Sears Center in Chicago. A venue that’s recently hosted The Killers, Foo Fighters, and Lil Wayne.

Seeing a Christian artist playing a sold out arena is evidence that worship music is a big, big time business. Worship music is not only reaching the church audience but it is clearly getting out into the secular world. But did you know that even though music will fill up roughly half of the time that we spend inside a church building, some Christ followers think very little about what they are listening to.

There are a lot of amazing songs and artists coming out of the worship movement right now, and a lot of incredible work being done by worship leaders at local churches. Since I started attending FAM almost 10 years ago I have attended numerous seminars conferences and gone into literally every kind of church and scenario that you could dream up. Let me tell you, there are all types of people listning to all types of stuff.

We are blessed to attend a church where the leadership and worship leaders are mindful that God wants to speak to us not only in corporate worship but also in Godly music in general. This is where I want to challenge you a bit. How much do you think about what you are listening to? Are you even mindful of the impact of the songs that you listen to?

I encourage you to think carefully about what you are listening to. Try to find music that will speak to you and bring blessings into your life. Try to find music that takes you somewhere other than to an old memory of a “you” that should have died a long time ago. Martin Luther said it like this............

“I have no pleasure in any man who despises music. It is no invention of ours: it is a gift of God. I place it next to theology. Satan hates music: he knows how it drives the evil spirit out of us”.

Blessings, dave