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Where are you going? Today? Tomorrow? Next week? Next year? In 5 years? I don’t except you would know all of those answers at this time. I do think it is the time to consider some of those answers. For some, it is time to decide what you want out of this life and more importantly what God wants for you in this life. As a bird learns to fly, teenagers 18 and up must take a step towards their destiny.

So, how do you know? How do you know what direction is right? Anything that brings you farther away from God would be a step in the wrong direction. As for the right direction, you have so many options out there. It is time to pray and fast until you know where God would have you to begin. You may not know how it ends up, but you can find a starting point.

Someday, the older generations will pass away. At that time, the younger generations will be the leaders. It is up to you to continue working in God’s Kingdom, to continue sharing the gospel, to continue on with your life in such a way that God is glorified.

How would you like to begin your journey?

When I look at the disciples in the four gospels, I see four major things.  First is the way they got the call from Jesus. “Come follow ME”, or as I like to put it, “Come BE with ME”.  Jesus didn’t even say anything about who He was or what all He expected.  He just called for them to start following and being with Him.

The second thing I notice about them is that not one of them knew who He truly was, and not one of them knew where they were going (daily or where the destination of Jesus was).  They all totally had a wrong idea about who He was throughout the whole gospels.  They were waiting on Him to overthrow Roman rule of Israel, and they were all the opposite of Christ in their thoughts, words, and actions.  John wanted to call down fire and destroy a city for not accepting them.  They sent away a man who was casting out demons and preaching the gospel because he didn’t run with them and wasn’t one of their clique.  Peter cuts a guy’s ear off.  Peter was jealous of John, and they all wanted to be second in command in this new earthly kingdom that they thought Christ was going to form.  He didn’t exactly pick the most loving and righteous guys in town.

The third thing I see in them is that they all, with the exception of Judas, did legitimately love Jesus.  Even though they all fled, and only John went to the crucifixion, they all did really care greatly for Him. Jesus loved them and had great hope for them—always believing in them.

The fourth thing I realize is this:  If Jesus can take these 11 people and change them just by them being with Him and letting the Holy Spirit work in them, then there’s hope for you and me.  If we can follow Him long enough and not quit, then He will finish in us what He started.  If we continue to just be with Him and truly love Him, then there is hope for Him to change us, if we want Him to, and work for Him.  There is hope that we can be used of God to change our community of friends and co-workers.

God sees your love for Him, even when it’s small, weak and immature.  God loves you.  God can change you.  God can use you.  Follow Him.

Jesus was a true servant.  He even stooped to wash the disciples’ feet.  He was the living Son of God, but He didn’t allow His position in life to dictate how He would serve.  I remember my boss from the first funeral home position I had.  Even though I was just an apprentice, he would not require me to do jobs that he was not willing to do himself, such as washing the hearse.  I felt that was a strong trait of a true leader. 

Most young people don’t necessarily like doing chores, whether it be cleaning their room or mowing the lawn.  I have seen teenagers (and even some adults) where you could barely see the floor or bed due to the amount of clothes laying around.  Why do you want to walk on top of dirty clothes, or much less, sleep with them? 

God wants us to have a servant’s heart.  He wants us to take on those chores that many people would rather not do.  He wants us to honor our parents  and respect our employers by doing our chores or jobs to the best of our ability.  Servanthood  will not only develop a humble heart, but it will also develop a sense of pride in a job well done.  Work as unto the Lord!

Now, having said this, let’s rally the troops and come out this Sat., July 31 for a work day at the church.  From 9 am to 3 pm, volunteers are needed to clean and prepare the new church building for opening day.  Not only does the new church facility need it, but some housecleaning is necessary in the youth center as well.  God has given us some great accommodations.  Let’s show Him and the community that we take pride in what we have, and that we need to take the best care of it as possible.  See ya Saturday!

God has been apprehending me about my WHOLE life lately. Most of us know God wants us to walk in light and love Him. How does that work out in your daily life though? God has been checking me on the way I spend every aspect of my life. Think about this…… Time, money, words, thoughts and actions are the main areas and aspects of your daily life. They are spent every day, and there are no real refunds.

None of us want to waste our life away. Seconds lead to minutes. Those minutes will turn into hours, which turn around and add up to days. Days will turn into years, and you don’t have many of those in a lifetime.  The key to not wasting your whole life away is using the minutes and hours that you have wisely. What does God deem as a wisely spent life?  Well, first you must ask yourself one question….What is God’s ultimate plan for my life? ….. He wants to form Christ in you.  He wants you to love like He loves, give like He gives, and live like He lived. Christ came for two reasons. He came to show us the way to the Father (show us how to love the Father and become the way to the Father) and He came to be a servant.  What do you want God to say about you at the judgment seat of Christ? I can ask you that same question several different ways.  What do you want to have said about you at the end of your life? What do you want to accomplish by the end of your life?  What would you die for?  These are all the same questions stated different ways.  Does your purpose and focus for your life have anything to do with these two things that Jesus came to do?  If you can get your purpose figured out then you can start to spend the minutes and hours of your day working toward that.  This takes form in several different ways, but I will say that prayer and reading the Word are important ways to know the Father and to understand Him.  A lot of Christians are spiritual couch potatoes and never grow in the knowledge of God.  How do you spend your waking hours on this Earth?  If you think you would die for something, then you must first ask yourself if you are even living for it.

God is very interested in the way you spend your finances. Jesus said that where your treasure is, there also will be your heart.  I think giving to the kingdom and a person in need is like Christianity 101.  If God has blessed you with finances and you refuse to give any back to Him, I question your thankfulness.  Paul even says that the same way that the Old Testament priests were fed by the tithes given to God, we should also help support those who sow spiritually into us.  I have set aside a certain percent of what I make now, and I have set a goal for my life to give a bigger portion of what I make to the Kingdom and the poor in the future.  I will get to this goal by not living selfishly and not adding bills to my life, such as buying the newest useless toys.  I don’t believe I am here to see how nice a life I can lead here on this Earth.  I make finances to help feed my family and help finance the furthering of the Kingdom of God as well as helping those in need.

The things that you take in through your eyes and ears will also be the center of your thought life. Your thought life will come out in your words and actions.  If you take in evil through music and movies, then evil will be on your mind.  Bondage to a sin is usually the outcome of this.  Jesus came to give life and give life more abundantly.  Set your eyes on the scripture to find out how He loves, forgives, cares, protects, looks, feels and hates.  Then, set your heart on these things, pray over them, and fast over them.  God is alive and if you gaze at Him, reach for Him, talk to Him, be with Him, and just love Him with your whole heart, then your words, thoughts, and actions will start to look like His.

If you make Him the center of your life, then everything else will fall into place.  He loves you and wants what is best for you, and the best thing for you is that you start to be like Him, inside and out.

All members of Hillside are invited to help out with the church mission in Casey County. It’s never too early to start serving! As you know, Casey County is one of the areas of the Lake Cumberland Region that 3trees Church feels led to minister to. This small county has had a difficult year with the tornadoes and the recent flooding.  3trees Church will be assisting with the Back To School Bash on July 29th from 3-5 PM CST at the Ag Center in Liberty. We will be in charge of concessions and plan to serve chili dogs, popcorn, and sno cones.  Additionally, we will be giving away free clothing, school supplies, face painting, balloons, and taking appointment for free haircuts at a later date. There will be a meeting after service Sunday night in the Youth Building for anyone that wishes to volunteer. Or, you can show up at 12:00 CST on Thursday the 29th at the Ag Center in Casey County and we will find a spot for you!

This song has been stuck in my head the past few days.  I first heard it on K-love, and after looking it up on youtube.com, I realize that it has different meanings for different people.  Some view it as a relationship coming back together.  Others view it as military soldiers coming back home.  Then, there are some, like me, that sees it like the story of the prodigal son found in Luke 15.  You’ve wandered away from God, living a life you chose, but now you’ve grown tired of those people and places, and you’re returning back to your heavenly Father who loves and accepts you once again.  For those who may find themselves in this situation, run back to your Father.  He’s waiting there with arms open wide!

Ministry is not always easy.  It is the ability to put others before yourself.  Many people feel that if they don’t have a title, job description, or a microphone in their hand, then they don’t have a ministry.  I want you to know, that if you are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ, you have a ministry!  As I stated in the opening sentence, ministry is not always easy. You see, no matter what kind of situations we go through or battle, we are still required to be a blessing.

A few weeks ago, I began to really question ministry.  In a conversation with the Holy Spirit, I would find myself complaining, “Ok, I will do my best to be a blessing.  Love people, put others before myself, and walk around with a smile on my face.  I will do my best, but it all feels so fake because I’m not truly happy!”  I would then realize that this was more selfishness than anything, because at the root of the problem, I still worried and cared more about my life than the lives of others.  I would then discover, through a daily devotion, that true joy is a choice—one that comes to those who have devoted themselves to something greater!  I believe that something greater is the kingdom of God.  Scripture says in Matthew, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you.”  I believe with all my heart that “these things,” are the needs and desires of our heart.  It is a promise from God saying, “If you will take care of my business, I will take care of your business!”

Though the learning process might be hard sometimes, the growth is worth it.  I may have thought I had learned the lesson, but I obviously didn’t get the message.  So, I was taught another lesson.  This happened just recently when our pastor and family were out of town, fulfilling ministry obligations.  Therefore I had the privilege of feeding their animals all week long.  One morning, I walked to the back door of their home, and I noticed a picture on the wall that said:

Ministry is:

Giving when you feel like keeping,
Praying for others when you need prayer,
Feeding others when your soul is hungry,
Hurting with others when your own hurt can’t be spoken,
Keeping your word when it’s not convenient,
Being faithful when your soul wants to run away!

I laughed to myself and said, “Dude, suck it up.  Don’t be such a pansy, and be a blessing!”  That may sound humorous, or even ignorant, the way I talked to myself.  But, one thing I have learned; sometimes you gotta pick yourself up, when no one else will, all for the sake of ministry!  And, never forget that you have a ministry, so Be a Blessing!

I was driving down the road yesterday, and this thought came to mind, “What fellowship does light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).  It is common sense that the light always overpowers darkness, but I thought, “If this is true, and we have Jesus in our life, then why do we have darkness at all?”  I began to picture a room in complete darkness until someone cracks open the door and a little light slips in.  A little outside light will overtake the darkness in a little area, but it will not fill the room with light.

I began to realize that the amount of darkness is a reaction to a problem.  The only thing that causes darkness is the absence of light.  The cause of a room with darkness is where the light is placed.  If the light is placed on the outside of a room with walls, then only a little light can shine in.  What would happen if you moved the light into the center of the room?  It would flood the whole room with light. Darkness would be expelled!

The problem with most of our lives is that Jesus is not in the center of them.  We are the center, and He is just an outside light trying to shine through the walls we put up with everything else we want to do, watch, and listen to. We never feed and live off Him.  We just let His light come shine into our room at church, once or twice a week, which makes us exactly that— WEAK.  What would happen if we put Him in the middle of our lives?  What if He was the supreme interest, and everything else fell in line and was an overflow of our passionate, whole-hearted relationship with Him?

Let me give you another illustration of darkness.  Look at this picture.  Now use your imagination to picture this room as your life and soul.  Light is trying to get in.  It wants to come in through the window.  Jesus said “the eye is the gateway or window to the soul”.  If the eye is good, then the whole body is good.  What goes in through your eyes will be what goes on in your soul.  That’s why you have scriptures like Psalm 101, where David says “that he wants to walk blameless, keeping his house clean, and will set no sinful thing before his eyes”.  If your eyes are set upon God and His Word, then your whole house (heart, soul, and body) will be good and filled with light. Where your eyes go, the heart will follow. Where the heart goes, your actions will follow.  Let no darkness come into your eyes and ears.  Put Jesus at the center of your thought life, and your house will be so flowing with light that it may just flow over into the darkness of others, causing them to want the light source that fills your house.

Psalm 27: 1 “The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life–of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 119: 105  “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

Luke 11: 34  “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.”

 John 1: 4, 5, 7   “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.  He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through Him all men might believe.”

 John 8: 12  “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

Ephesian 5: 8  “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.”

1 John 1: 5  “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”

1 John 1: 7  “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

The other day a person came up to me at work and started telling me the latest gossip and rumors—things from the past and things that may happen to me in the future.  Basically, they were telling me all the things I should worry about, bringing up people that tried to hurt me, and trying to get me to think about what they were saying.  Finally. I just told them those things don’t worry or bother me. You can bring up the past experiences of when people hurt me and when they came against me or anything you want to try to worry me with, but there was one thing that they didn’t understand about me.  God hasn’t given me the spirit of fear or hatred of man, and I won’t receive it into my heart just because it’s in yours.  I believe nothing comes to me except it goes through the Father’s approval.  Not one problem that is sent my way will get to me before the Father looks it over and then looks me over and says “Ok, Eric is ready for that.  Go ahead.”

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

 This is what you find in Job’s life and Joseph’s life.  Problems sent to destroy God’s children but elevated them in the end.

In the garden, Jesus was praying, and they came to arrest Him.  Peter grabs his sword and tries to rescue Jesus, but quickly gets a rebuke.

John 18:11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

Jesus knew the cup and the suffering He was soon to endure was sent from his Father.  Jesus trusted his Father, so He was ready to endure them. This tells me, even in a time of suffering or a time of pain, that God is with me and will bring me through it.  If I stay by His side, I will come out stronger on the other side of the problem.

Only people who trust in God can look at the people who play a Judas role and call them friend and love them. If God is real (and He is), then what is there to fear?  What is there for His children to worry about?  If you are God’s son, then He will be with you.  The people that hurt you are just there to do what their purpose in your life is.  Why be mad at them for that?  Like Jesus said to Judas in the garden, “Go ahead and do what you’ve come to do.”  Don’t hate Judas; love Him, even if he steals from you when you aren’t looking.  Jesus brings rest and peace, not worry and anger.  Trust in your Father.  He will never let you down.  The little problems in your life, whether big or small, are not problems to Him.  Stand there in the midst of them and say, like Job, “Even if you kill me, I will still trust you”.  Or, determine to do what is right, like Esther and just say, “If I die, then I die”.  Don’t listen to people who try to stir you up and bring fear and anger into your life.  Just drink the cup.  In the end, it will be good for you anyways.

Over the past week, I have been asking myself one question all day:  What is the reason I am here? I believe if you can correctly answer this and then work toward the answer, then every part of your life will fall more in line in a focused way than it has ever before.  Many Christians don’t think about their Godly purpose for the years they have in this life.  They live for self, money, career, fame, and acquiring materialistic things on this Earth.  I guess you could say that many believers are still chasing the “American Dream”.  God has a dream for you.  It is that you would conform every area (word, thought, and action) that He shines light on into obedience to His will and nature. God gives his children time in this world for several reasons, but this is the main one.  He has one major goal in your life, and that is to make you like Christ.  He will do whatever it takes to push you in that direction.

He wants you to fall in deep, whole-hearted love with Him, follow Him long enough, and look at Him close enough that you know His heart and live in it. If you do this, He will show you little specs of dirt in your heart. Once you clean these, He shows more and asks you to clean this area as well. The process is much like a microscope. You look through a microscope and can see dirt on the slide, so you clean the dirt off and it looks clean.  Then, you magnify the microscope to the tenth power and you see more dirt, so you clean that off.  Once again, you magnify the microscope to the hundredth power and you see more dirt, so, again, you clean the slide.  This process continues throughout the rest of your life.

Each of us are at different magnification strengths in our life, showing different areas of dirt in our life.  The key to continuing in this process is obedience.  The ones who refuse to clean an area may go through a season of correction from God and may stop growing in Christ-likeness altogether if they are stubborn and rebellious. God loves you so much that He would much rather turn your life upside-down and tear it down than to leave you the way you are. He did this consistently with Israel in the Old Testament. When He shows you an area He wants cleaned, then do whatever it takes to scrub that area clean, whether it be prayer and fasting or consciously avoiding situations that cause temptation.

What area is God asking you to clean?  Are you continually conforming your life to Christ’s?  Are you looking at the Word of God and Christ himself as a mirror to compare to?  Chances are He is asking for an area of your life to be cleaned or changed, whether you realize it or not.  Sometimes He just asks by your conscience. Other times, it’s by the revelation of the Word.  The most painful, but the most successful way that God changes a person into the image of His son, thus further cleaning and sanctifying him, is through circumstance.  Be obedient and continue on in the process.  He will use whatever means necessary because He loves you and wants you to live in the fullness of what He has for you in this life and the next. . . Holiness of Heart.