The Great Conjunction

I’ve seen the debates about what is or isn’t the “real” Christmas star etc, honestly, I simply marvel at God’s creation. I love the cosmos, just mind blowing, one photo below paints the #GreatConjunction as the background of a volcano emitting lava. This caused me to think about seeing beauty and God’s craftsmanship in the middle of disasters and storms. This is something

Tiffany 

and I have been forced to do as she battles cancer, finding beauty, joy and peace in the middle of the storm. So, I guess it boils down to what you see, today, I’m choosing to see God’s beauty in creation, amongst all that is going on in our lives and in the world. Perhaps this verse says it best, “to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.” - Isaiah‬ ‭61:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In the ESV, the subheading for these verses is, “The Year of the Lord’s Favor” ...I’ll take it!

* I snagged these photos from the National Weather Service and photographer F. Delargy that really put Saturn and Jupiter on display!

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How to handle the wind?

The pessimist complains about the wind.

The optimist expects it to change.

The leader adjusts the sails.

...what are you doing with the wind in your life right now... 

"And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting." - Acts 2:2 ESV 

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Cancer - guest post from my wife Tiffany

This is very personal for me and difficult to share, but Ryan and I feel like this is a journey that we shouldn’t keep to ourselves because we desperately need the prayers of those around us to make it through the coming months. 

On Thursday, November 5, I was completely shocked and caught off guard to hear the 3 dreaded words no one ever wants to hear...You have cancer.

Thankfully though it was caught early enough that doctor’s have been very encouraging and positive. We know it’s at least stage 2 breast cancer, and I will be going tomorrow to have a port installed to begin 8 rounds of chemotherapy, and eventually surgery.

In the last week and a half, I can honestly say that I have cried more, prayed more, and with the help of family and friends, even laughed more than any other week in my life. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t had moments where I’ve struggled and wondered, “why in the world did this happen to me?” But it’s also been in those moments of weakness that God has been the strength I needed to keep going so far, and He has proved over and over how great His love is.

I don’t believe for a second that God causes pain and sickness, but sometimes he allows us to go through battles that grow our faith and bring us closer to Him in the end. And that is my prayer...”If I have to do this, then let me come out on the other side of it a better person.”

As our pastor said in service a couple weeks ago, “The tougher then battle, the sweeter the triumph!

I’m thankful I don’t have to fight this battle alone. The lyrics of this song stand out to me:

“The weapon may be formed but it won't prosper

When the darkness falls it won't prevail

Cause the God I serve knows only how to triumph

My God will never fail

My God will never fail

I'm gonna see a victory

I'm gonna see a victory

For the battle belongs to You Lord

I'm gonna see a victory

I'm gonna see a victory

For the battle belongs to You Lord”

As Ryan and I walk through this journey together, we appreciate all of your prayers and support. We have the most amazing family, friends, church, and doctors, so I know God will carry us through this winter season of life.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:37-39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

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9-11-20 We Can Still Unite

September 11th is a sobering reminder of a great many things, one that stands out to me in particular this year, when tragedy, confusion and heartache struck our country at the core, it didn't matter what color our skin was or what side of a political divide we stood on.

We stood united as Americans. September 11th, 2001 didn't break us or divide us, this is a great reminder that we can overcome all that 2020 has to throw at us as well!

This photo shows a group of bystanders At Park Row and Beekman St. looking up as the south tower begins to collapse.

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Receiving My Ordination

 

Ordained with the Assemblies of God

August 25, 2020 with Tiffany Rose

Very powerful evening for Tiffany and I as we became ordained ministers at this year’s Arkansas Assemblies of God USA District Council. Thanks to our family and friends who were able to attend with us 

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Jesus and the Marginalized

No matter what we face in this world, we can always find answers and wisdom from the words and actions of Christ. I look to how Jesus interacted with the Samaritan people, a people who were regarded as a lesser race, dirty, impure, and were overtly marginalized and cast out/aside. 
Throughout the New Testament we see that Samaritans were heavily looked down upon by the Jews and Romans, they were scorned. This makes them very important in the New Testament, Jesus taught that the common attitude toward the Samaritans had to change. 
It was so important that Jesus passed through Samaritan towns instead of crossing the Jordan to avoid them, like the rest of society. Jesus was intentional in his words and actions with the Samaritan people, in his parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus shows the Samaritan's exceeding kindness in doing as much as he possibly could to help his neighbor who was in need. When Jesus healed the Samaritan leper, he immediately went to Jesus, glorified God and gave thanks, this is an outstanding example of gratitude. Jesus interacted with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, we see how she listened to Jesus and believed what He told her. Jesus chose her to be the messenger of the Gospel to the Samaritan people as a whole!

God's word puts on full display that Jesus went out of His way to show that Samaritans were among those who exercised compassion, gratefulness and faith. They were hated by society and marginalized, but what Christ came for was much more important than walls of separation.

We need to understand what Jesus thought & taught about the Samaritans, and the attitude of Christ to the marginalized, when we do this, we begin to better understand God’s heart for mankind. No one is excluded. #LoveRequiresAction

"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses."

-Proverbs 10:12 ESV

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Selfless not Selfmore

In times challenges and uncertainty, it is still important to remember that our own interests (self) shouldn’t rule our hearts.

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
-Philippians 2:4 ESV

“Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.”
-1 Corinthians 10:24 ESV

“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.””
-Romans 15:1-3 ESV

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Genesis Stories - Thriving Through Trouble

Join Pastor Ryan in his devotionals, "Thriving Through Trouble," these are published each Saturday morning at 8:00 AM and Sunday evening at 6:00 PM on the Evangel Temple Facebook page, you can find it HERE! Today, Pastor Ryan and guest Pastor Gene Riggins do a 2 part series and talk in depth about the Genesis stories of Cain, Abel & Enoch - Parts 1 & 2 - Watch the videos below.

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Monday Motivation Psalm 91

#MondayMotivation excerpt from a Thriving Through Trouble study I did a couple weeks back, be encouraged!
"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."
-Psalm 91:1

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Unity - Thriving Through Trouble

Join Pastor Ryan in his devotionals, "Thriving Through Trouble," these are published each Saturday morning at 8:00 AM and Sunday evening at 6:00 PM on the Evangel Temple Facebook page, you can find it HERE! Today, Pastor Ryan and guest Pastor Gene Riggins do a 2 part series and talk in depth about Unity through Diversity and Ephesians 4 - Parts 1 & 2 - Watch the videos below.

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A Sanctioned Vigilante Execution

I’ve typed up about three different “monologues” about the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, and they’ve all failed to grasp the core of this tragedy. My words really come up short, but I still felt compelled to share. Ahmaud was runned down and gunned down, in cold blood, while jogging in broad daylight, it was hate, it was racism and it was covered up, this behavior is definitely at the center of a great many things wrong with our country and to a larger degree, the human race. 

I pray for Ahmaud’s family, friends and community, death is always hard, and the violent wrongful death of this young man is that much more difficult, especially for those close to him. As I said, I don’t have words to make sense of any of it, but for those mourning his death and those mourning the passing of someone close to them, Jesus has words of encouragement for us in Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”


We live in a fallen world where sin runs rampant, there is evil in our world where awful people commit heinous crimes but we, Christians, can be a light and share the love and compassion of Christ to all, in all and through all. My prayer in times like these, that we receive and embody the peace and comfort that Christ spoke about to his disciples in John 14:27,” Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

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Hypocrites

Are you tired of people not practicing what they preach? Good, Jesus was tired of that attitude, too. 
Jesus taught against hypocrisy on a multitude of issues.

It's far easier to call someone else a hypocrite than it is to admit you're one.

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Psalm 91 "Thriving Through Trouble"

Join Pastor Ryan in his devotionals, "Thriving Through Trouble," these are published each Saturday morning at 8:00 AM and Sunday evening at 6:00 PM on the Evangel Temple Facebook page, you can find it HERE! Today, Pastor Ryan and guest Brandon Harris do a special 3 part series and talk in depth about Psalm 91 - Parts 1, 2 & 3 - Watch the videos below.

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Misunderstood "Thriving Through Trouble."

Join Pastor Ryan in his devotionals, "Thriving Through Trouble," these are published each Saturday morning at 8:00 AM and Sunday evening at 6:00 PM on the Evangel Temple Facebook page, you can find it HERE! Today, Pastor Ryan talks about Clearing up misunderstandings from 2 Corinthians Chapter 1. - Parts 1 & 2 - Watch the videos below.

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Our Works "Thriving Through Trouble."

Join Pastor Ryan in his devotionals, "Thriving Through Trouble," these are published each Saturday morning at 8:00 AM and Sunday evening at 6:00 PM on the Evangel Temple Facebook page, you can find it HERE! Today, Pastor Ryan talks about Jesus knowing our works from Revelation 3. - Parts 1 & 2 - Watch the videos below.

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