Son, there is much you can do but specific things I’ve called you to.
Don’t let the good ideas crowd out or distract from the directions I’ve given you. Move forward on My agenda, Son; that’s where you’ll see your desires fulfilled.

Today is my birthday.

What a great day. My son, Mark, took me to play raquetball. The ladies at the Y sang to me. My wife made me a great breakfast including a super-thick chocolate-chip cookie. I finally got a project started at work that’s been hanging over me for awhile. I got to play my son, Johnny, in Chess. My daughter took me out to lunch at a very expensive resaurant on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. I got a new electric razor – (my first one was given to me at 16, after it broke the 2nd lasted until now.) I got a hot jacuzzi bath and a back rub, ice cream and cake, a bunch of phone calls to wish me a happy day. I got a nap and we had some time worshiping the Lord on the guitar. I got a puzzle book and I beat my son, Andrew, in chess and I still have an Oberweiss milkshake coming – well maybe not today. Tonight we’re going to play CashFlow (Rich Dad, Poor Dad game) which I highly recommend.

It’s wonderful to be loved.

When I was little my Dad gave me lots of hugs – he often would tell me that God loves hugs.
I’ve gotten alot of them today.

No matter how much love you’re getting today or in this life – don’t miss heaven; ’cause if its any better than what I’ve had today(and I’m sure it is) you don’t want to miss it.

Jesus loves you.

He’s your only ticket to heaven to get a hug from your heavenly Father.
Love Him!
He loves you!
Give your life to Him.
You’ll never be truly satisfied to your very core any other way.

See ya
Joe

Son, hear my voice today. My voice is the only one that satisfies the inside of you. All other voices attempt, but only mine reaches your core. I have taken up residence in your heart because you have invited me in. Now Son we must live together and do it in harmony. I am with you and have much in store for you. Get to know me more. Listen even closer to my voice. Press your ear even closer to my chest. You can hear my heartbeat. I’m thinking of you. Let my love draw you in. Let my love transform you. Be who I am Son. Be who I am.

When we live with the point-of-view of our hearts being completely alive to God and unhindered by guilt, when we live in totally smooth open communication with Him, where He speaks and we easily hear Him whisper in our hearts; that is a safe, wonderful and desirable place to be, to stay, to remain.

But when we’re not thinking that way – when the flesh catches our attention, when we start living in the “natural” realm, totally aware of our natural surroundings rather than our spiritual surroundings. When we fall(or dive) into sin by pursuing our base desires rather than letting ourselves be completely satisfied by Him – then we need to learn one thing: and its not easy, we need to learn to…

(boy, I can feel the pressure to not even write this word…)

REPENT!

Whew! There I said it.

Yes, we need to learn to repent. To come running back to Him. To admit that we were wrong. To admit that we really do need Him. To humble ourselves. To realize that Jesus paid for our sins. To realize that when we return to Him, He immediately satisfies us with His grace. Then we have a sense of satisfaction; a sense that He’s not mad at us and that everything is going to be alright.

The outcome of repentance is wonderful, its satisfying, it is a great relief; but getting there is a real squeeze on who you are.

One time after sinning the Holy Spirit convicted me about it. I prayed and said, “Lord, I repent.” and He said to me, “Oh really? Wouldn’t you do the same thing again if you had the chance?” I sheepishly had to admit that I would. So then, I prayed, “Lord, grant me repentance!” Boy, did He answer that prayer. For about the next 36 hours I felt this sorrow on me. It was so thick I felt it to the core of my being. The Bible says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance.” I felt this sorrow so deeply, I was sorry that I had disappointed God; that I had hurt Him. He really granted repentance. It really changed my mind about that sin.

You see, God wants our hearts pure and unhindered so that He can have open and happy fellowhship with us and so that we can truly represent Him. He wants us to be who He is to those who would never know.

Repentance is like taking a bath. You get totally cleaned off and it feels wonderful. Try it – it’s not easy, but you’ll love the result.
See ya
Joe

I have a couple of messages I preached on these topics, check them out:
Repentance
Temptation

I woke up this morning thinking about encouragement. You know encouragement is a God-given gift in the body of Christ. He gives it to activate people, to get them to move “off the dime”, to put courage into someone who would otherwise not have all the ingredients for their motivation recipe. They may have a dream, desire or an assignment and not be moving on it, but when someone comes along and encourages them they feel empowered, they feel gifted, they feel ready and their motivation returns and they begin moving.

Years ago, when I was leading worship at the church I’m now pastoring, as I was headed to church one morning the Lord spoke to me and said, “I want you to be strategic in your use of encouragement this morning.” So as I led worship I was scanning the congregation looking for the person or family who I was supposed to encourage. When my eyes landed on this one person I knew my assignment. After the service I went up to them asking them how they were doing and before long the gift of encouragement just began to flow out of me to them. They were so built up, they were so strengthened, they thanked me profusely. It was God’s gift with my permission and participation.

Anyway, if you need encouragement today remember this: God is for you not against you. He has placed gifts, desires and purpose into your heart and He does want you to move forward on them. So be encouraged! You can accomplish God’s purposes for your life.

Something my pastor said a few weeks ago was “The reason so many people in this world are dying is because so many others have not reached their full potential.” What you do matters. What you are supposed to do matters even more. Refocus now on your purpose and how your gift is supposed to work today and do something with your gift – you may save someone’s life.
Love ya
Pastor Joe

Monday’s my day off. It’s a beautiful day in Chicagoland. I’ll probably take the family to Millenium Park downtown today.

Yesterday morning when I woke up the Lord started speaking to me. Here’s what He said:
Preach my word of faith with faith!

I am showing you the way. I am making the way clear. I am going before you – establishing – There are blessings in store you don’t know about, but walk in faith and you’ll see them.

After He spoke that, the day went exceptionally well.

I love hearing from the Lord. As often as I’m faithful to sit down with pen & paper and listen to Him, He’s faithful to speak. He encourages me continually, corrects me often, but always loves me.

I believe in living my life by the voice of God. “Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that flows from the mouth of God.”

Since its Monday, even though its my day off I try to begin listening to the Lord about what He wants me to preach the next Sunday. I’m trusting and waiting expectantly for Him to speak. When He gives me the message comes at various times and places. I could be in the middle of any activity and as soon as the message comes to my attention I almost feel a little “click” on the inside of me, it comes with confidence and peace, so then I begin to move forward and develop the message from there. Usually the rest of the week I try to stay alert and watch how He ties several different thoughts together around that theme.

Listen for His voice today. See ya later.

Well this was a very busy week.

We had Nancy’s folks in, it was great to see them.

We also had a friend of the family David Jay, a wedding photographer who has been helping Sarah with her business. It was great seeing everybody but it didn’t give me the time I normally like to prepare my Sunday morning message.

So, I was up late last night working on it and it just wasn’t working. I finally decided to just trust God and go to bed. When I woke up this morning He started talking to me and giving me peace about what to say.

Before I left for church I told Nancy, I hadn’t had enough time to prepare, she said, God’s going to speak and it’ll be the best you’ve ever done.

I think it came out great. One older fellow in the back came up to me and said “That’s the best I’ve heard.”

Well check it out and let me know. I hope it helps you.

God bless you all.

Let me know if you need something from God. I have access (so do you!)

Pastor Joe