Day 24
i heard a story of a teenager who was considered by most to be a good christian kid...one day he and his friend were introduced to some weed...he didn't think much of it other than, as long as no one found out, he would be fine...before too long, the party scene had taken him by storm...he would walk into school on a daily basis and continue to put on the mask of a christian...he would make sure the right people in the right places saw him doing the right things...he was able to fool everyone into thinking he was such a great leader and christian, they even asked him if he would be the president of fca...every wednesday night he would lead the group and sing worship songs...all the time planning what he would do on the weekend and where the party would be...in private with his closest friends, he would smoke weed and talk terribly about people and use words that would be offensive in any public setting...it wasn't long, just like all good things, it came to an abrupt halt...the school found out about the drugs and parties that had been going on...since most of the group was in sports, the school held a meeting with parents of the students...before the meeting, the head coach told the guys they could tell their parents if they were guilty before the meeting happened to get out of some of the trouble that could happen...so the young man sat his parents down, who to this point, were absolutely oblivious to any of the news they were going to hear...he explained how he had just tried it a couple of times...he did feel the guilt and shame of disappointing his parents and other people who knew...then he felt it...that guilt and shame the devil will use to throw it in your face...his younger brother put the final nail in the coffin when he came into his room and told him everyone was asking if his brother was a drug addict...the big brother who could do no wrong was now the disappointment in little brothers eyes too...
he felt so far away from God...he knew to pray, but he also knew what it would take to get right with God...there was sin in his life and it was keeping him from doing what God had called him to do...
the cycle continued for this young man as he continued on through life...he would know what God's word said and he could feel his heart telling him the choices he made with his life were wrong...he continued playing the game with God and everyone else...you know, where you act a certain way with certain people and then all christian around those people...
after he got married, things stayed the same...always knowing what God said to do and choosing to do what he wanted to do...it became a cycle of playing chicken with life and God...
after moving back after college and marriage to his hometown, he began to attend church regularly and felt that little small voice return to his life...it was the Holy Spirit speaking and telling him to do what God had called him to do...one sunday while singing in church, he just broke down and told the congregation he felt like he was called into the ministry...he started helping with youth...before too long the youth pastor left and he was able to assume the role...however, because of the past decisions he had made, people in the church made it hard for any ministry to get started...even though his heart was right, the past choices cause heart ache and strife...the devil did it again...he felt so far away from God...
then the phone rang...it was an opportunity to go and serve at another church and get paid for it...the opportunity came at the right time...God blessed and the experience was great for 3 years and then God called again an wanted him to become ordained...it was the next step in the ministry...then the devil did it again...his wife wanted a divorce...the church turned away...5 months later, he stood in the courthouse with a little boy, a mountain of debt, and a broken heart because the people he was ministering too turned their back on him...the devil did it again...he felt so far away from God...
the cycle began again...knowing what he should do, but too hurt to care and a numbness came over his heart....for a long time he didn't even want to be a part of church...he would take his son during the time he had him, but God was not a factor in any decision in his life...then, as he looked at his son, he realized there is nothing more important in life than being a great father...which meant being a Godly father...he made a choice to change and become what God called him to be again...
then the phone call came...another church wanted him to come and work with the youth...God began to bless in a crazy way...it was hard, it was crazy, it was fun, and God had a plan...at the church he was working, God prepared him for the next step...
after 5 years, it was time to go on and find a church for his family...it was time to figure out the next step...it wasn't easy and it was scary for the whole family...you see in the process he got married and his family went from 2 to a family of 4...then it quickly became a family of 6 just a few years later...there were times, he fell short and disappointed God...then, it happened again...God called him to do something radical...
you are reading it first hand...you see, i wasn't always a good father and husband...i wasn't always a good kid or friend...i wasn't always a good christian...
i was always in Gods care...He knew everything would come to this day as i set here now typing this...i don't know if any of you who are reading have been where i have been, but i know how you can get back on your feet...God..
Proverbs 19:21
"many are the plans of a man's heart, but God's purpose always prevails.."
it has taken me sitting through church service after church service to give in and do what God has called me to do...we can sing in all the choirs, teach all the classes, and talk to all the people we want to...if we don't choose to put God first in our lives and lead our family in how to put Him first in theirs, we are missing the mark...it's scary and fun all at the same time...
Mark 9:23
"whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.."
Challenge:
Ask yourself if you are really willing to take up your cross and follow Jesus daily...
Ask yourself if you are willing to do what it takes to lead your family
Ask yourself if you are willing to answer the call to lead you family
you may be wondering why i wrote this...i just feel like we allow the devil to get into our lives and tell us we cant do what God needs us too because we have made bad choices in the past...
God's word tells us if we are willing to confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of them...
over the next 5 days as we end the 30 days...we are going to start putting together a family action plan and take all the information you have been writing down to fill in the blanks...
we have to be committed to God and His call in order to start and finish His plan for us and our families...
justinpresley1977@gmail.com
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