God only gives special children to special people

CHINA GROVE, NC (WBTV) -

A family in Rowan County got an unexpected, and inspiring, note when they were out to dinner on Friday. A photo of the note is going viral.

Ashley England went to dinner at the Stag-N-Doe pizza restaurant in China Grove with her family on Friday evening, including her 8-year-old son, Riley. The family was sitting at the table when Riley, who has special needs, began to get "a little rowdy."

"He threw the phone and started screaming," she recalled. "The past few weeks have been very hard and trying for us - especially with public outings. Riley was getting loud and hitting the table and I know it was aggravating to some people."

Just when England was ready to leave, a waitress appeared.

"I'll try to do this without crying," the waitress told the family. "But another customer has paid for your bill tonight and wanted me to give you this note."

The note read: "God only gives special children to special people."

Riley is non-verbal and has been through three major brain surgeries for a severe form of epilepsy. The seizures started when he was 18-months-old, robbing him of his speech. His mom says he had more than 100 seizures a day.

Riley's frustration with being unable to speak, often leads to outbursts England says causes many to cruelly judge her son.

"Until a person has walked in the shoes we have walked in," she said. "They have no right to say one thing."

What they should focus on instead? Remembering the one thing she longs to hear from Riley.

"They take just a simple 'I love you' from your child for granted," she said.  

"Because you have never heard that from your son?" asked WBTV's Brigida Mack.

"Never," England replied, getting choked up. "Never."

England says the kindness of the mystery diner made her cry.

"To have someone do that small act towards us shows that some people absolutely understand what we are going through and how hard it is to face the public sometimes," she said. "They made me cry, blessed me more than they know - I felt like out of all the rude negative comments that we are faced with - these outweighs them. The people who care!"

She says she wants to say thank you to the person that paid for their meal and sent the encouraging words.

"Little did he know what struggles we had been facing lately and this was surely needed at that moment," she said. "Thank you!"

Copyright 2013 WBTV. All rights reserved.

The Real Reason you can't keep your New Year's Resolutions

The Real Reason You Can't Keep Your New Year's Resolutions from Elevation Media on Vimeo.

Reflection of my message today at NRN

This morning I launched a new teaching series for 2014:

This past week I posted on Facebook: Standing between two calendar years is a good place to evaluate our lives. Looking back, we remember the past year—its delights and disappointments fresh in our memories. Looking around, we see clearly where we are—able to make good choices based on present circumstances. Looking ahead, we anticipate another year of possibilities and high hopes.  Each of us has a desire for new things. We start each "new" year with a desire to change things and make this year better than last. The reason we struggle to actually make those changes is that we try to change things from the outside rather than let God change us from within. The great news we are discovering in this series is that God desires to make us brand new!

Here is a reflection of my message this morning:

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this. Instead, let us cheer each other up with words of hope. Let us do it all the more as you see the day coming when Christ will return.     Hebrews 10:19- 25

We need to fall in love with Jesus....



Wonder why you can't keep your New Year's Resolutions:  Check back here tomorrow!

Preparing for worship on the first Sunday of 2014

On Monday this past week I posted on Facebook:  Standing between two calendar years is a good place to evaluate our lives. Looking back, we remember the past year—its delights and disappointments fresh in our memories. Looking around, we see clearly where we are—able to make good choices based on present circumstances. Looking ahead, we anticipate another year of possibilities and high hopes. 

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of 2014 and I am praying a for new guest to join us to begin a new year.  I am exited about the new teaching series I will launch tomorrow:

 

Each of us has a desire for new things. We start each "new" year with a desire to change things and make this year better than last. The reason we struggle to actually make those changes is that we try to change things from the outside rather than let God change us from within. The great news we are discovering in this series is that God desires to make us brand new!

Here are the songs planned for the worship set:
 

We join together in the first time of communion of 2014:

As we bring our first offerings of finances to the Lord I plan to offer the congregation to take a 30 days love test. Love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind... begin by bringing an offering that is pleasing to the Lord of at least 10% of your income.  If God does not honor your commitment and pour out a blessing to you - we will gladly return all the amount of offerings you have given to the church during the month of January 2014.  The Lord says: Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse ( your local church) ..."Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it..." ( Malachi 3:10)

I have asked the worship team to bring this song in worship as a testimony of our changed life and that we will never be the same again.  Please note the Scripture at the beginning of the song:



Now, I am ready to preach in the power of the Lord.... 

Kipling's Fatherly Advice Good for Entering a New Year

The British author, Rudyard Kipling is best known for his classic piece, “The Jungle Book”, as well as his collection of short animal stories.  "If—" is a poem by British Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling written in 1895 and first published in Rewards and Fairies, 1910. It was written in tribute to the British imperialist politician Leander Starr Jameson, and as paternal advice to Kipling's son John:

 

 

 

If you can keep your head when all about they are losing theirs and
blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance
for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting.  Or being lied about,
don’t deal in lies.

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating.  And yet, don’t look too
good, nor talk too wise.

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;

If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two
imposters just the same.

If you can bear the truth you’ve spoken twisted by knaves to make a
trap for fools,

Of watch the things you gave your life to broken, and stoop to build
them up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings and risk it on one turn
of pitch and toss,

And lose and start again at your beginnings, and never breathe a word
about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerves and sinew to serve your turn
long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you except the will which says
to them, “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings –
nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with
you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run;

Yours is the earth and everything that’s in it;

And – which is more – you’ll  be a man, my son!

Why We All Hate Hypocrisy

As we begin a New Year I was moved by the posting I discovered on a blog by Chip Ingram:

Why We All Hate Hypocrisy

Do you remember the first time that you tasted hypocrisy – the kind that was really ugly? You know, the time when someone really projected genuine concern and love for you and then you found out that behind the scenes they were really ripping you off?

Even in a fallen world, we expect people to be authentic. Yet even in places like the church, we can find hypocrites.

I remember I was only 11 years old the first time I tasted hypocrisy in the church. I was volunteering at my church’s workday when I heard some of the leaders swearing and making rude remarks about other people. They were doing all the things they taught us not to do in church.

When I heard them, my heart just sank. I remember thinking, "All this stuff they teach about Jesus is just a ‘moral straight jacket.’ I don’t know much about God, but if these guys are anything like God, then I don’t want anything to do with God or them!"

Can you relate? Maybe some of you have come out of a tradition where a pastor or leader did something that broke your trust. Maybe you’ve wondered, "Aren’t people supposed to tell you the truth in church?"

But I bet you can also remember the first time you looked in the mirror and you saw hypocrisy in yourself, too.

The truth is we all hate hypocrisy…in other people, in the church, and in ourselves.

But have you ever wondered what God thinks about hypocrisy?

God hates hypocrisy, too. Ephesians 5:1-20 reveals why God has zero tolerance for hypocrisy. As believers, we’re instructed to follow God’s example and live a life that reflects Him and loves other people. This is His heart’s desire for each and every believer.

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. (v. 1-4)

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. (v. 8-11)

When we as Christians live in the light, then we winsomely expose evil and sin as the ugly agents of death that they are. And when unbelievers see and interact with us as authentic Christians, it invites them to turn from sin and death and receive Christ. They begin to see that there’s hope by what they see in our lives.

When we’re not walking in the light, instead of exposing the deeds of others, we become a barrier of the message of live through Jesus.  Saying "I love God" and at the same time living according to our own selfish desires means we’re hypocrites. And this kind of lifestyle only produces pain, damage and hurt.

When we don’t walk in the light the message of Christ, the power of God in us is nullified. Instead of light coming through us, we become a stumbling block. That’s why God takes this so seriously.
So where are you at today? Do you walk in the light?

If you’re not sure, you may want to examine yourself by asking questions like: "Does my speech demonstrate walking in the light or deeds of darkness? What does my commitment to my marriage demonstrate? Or does my conduct at work demonstrate walking in the light or deeds of darkness?"

I’d like to encourage you, as Christians, to walk in love and in the light so that you may expose sin for what it is and invite others into a relationship of hope and peace. If there is ever a time for us to live like Christians, it’s now.

A New Year is the time for New Beginnings

A New Year is the time for New Beginnings.  God has spoken to my heart about the difference between trying to improve my life and to begin brand new. I am very excited about my first message of 2014 as I begin to unpack the principals God has revealed to me in my heart and through my study and preparation.  To all family and friends - and to you who check out my blog with regularity, I wish you a Happy New Year and pledge to be faithful in my posting this year to bring us closer to the Lord as we enjoy the "ride" and follow trustworthy sayings....