Diamond Dreams

On Christmas morning a woman told her husband, “I just dreamed that you gave me a beautiful diamond necklace. What do you think it means?”

“You’ll know tonight,” he said. That evening just before opening presents, the husband came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it only to find a book entitled “The Meaning of Dreams.”

Think long and well before you buy this Christmas.  :)

-Tony Cruz

"I need a new bike.."

A little boy told his father, "I want a new bike". The father said, "In this house we pray and ask God for the things we want and need". That night the little boy prayed, "Dear God, I need a new bike". The next morning the little boy woke up and ran to the garage but there was no bike.

The little boy prayed the same prayer for three nights with no results. On the fourth day while playing at his Grandmas house he found a small statue of Mary. He carefully wrapped the statue in tissue paper and put the statue in a shoe box. He then placed the shoe box in the back of his Grandmothers closet. That night as he said his prayers the little boy prayed. "Dear God, if you ever want to see your mother again.......... 

While the story is humorous, its true that we will do whatever it takes to get what we want. In a season and time when materialism is a high focus, please keep in mind what really matters.  Hope was born to the world. Celebrate with Gifts but because of HIM.

Tony

A Worship Rut

Gary Thomas, a friend of Rick Warren, noticed that many Christians were stuck in a worship rut. He raised the question, “Since God has intentionally made us all different, why should everyone be expected to love (worship) God the same way?”

Gary has discovered that for 2,000 years Christians have used many different paths to enjoy intimacy with God. In his book Sacred Pathways, Gary identifies nine ways that people draw near to God:

· Naturalists love God best when they are outdoors.
· Sensates love God best when all their senses are engaged.
· Traditionalists love God best when they are able to stick close to ritual, symbols, and familiarity.
· Ascetics love God best in solitude and simplicity.
· Activists love God best when they are battling injustice and evil.
· Caregivers love God best through caring for those who hurt.
· Enthusiasts love God best by experiencing celebration.
· Contemplatives love God best through adoration and meditation.
· Intellectuals love God best when their mind is fully engaged.

Did you find your favorite approach to loving God? Have you figured it out yet? ? It is not about style. So what is it about? It is about, how much of you does God have when you worship?

Rick Warren. Purpose Drive Life.
Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002, pg. 102-103.

Mechanic vs Heart Surgeon

A heart surgeon took his car to his local garage for a regular service, where he usually exchanged a little friendly chatter with the owner, a skilled but not especially wealthy mechanic.

"So tell me," says the mechanic, "I've been wondering about what we both do for a living, and how much more you get paid than me.."

"Yes?.." says the surgeon.

"Well look at this," says the mechanic, as he worked on a big complicated engine, "I check how it's running, open it up, fix the valves, and put it all back together so it works good as new.. We basically do the same job don't we? And yet you are paid ten times what I am - how do you explain that?"

The surgeon thought for a moment, and smiling gently, replied,"Try it with the engine running.."

BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT

“‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’ means: 
‘Blessed is the man who has realized his own utter helplessness, and who has put his whole trust in God.’ If a man has realized his own utter helplessness, and has put his whole trust in God, there will enter into his life two things which are opposite sides of the same thing. He will become completely detached from things, for he will know that things have not got it in them to bring happiness or security; and he will become completely attached to God, for he will know that God alone can bring him help, and hope, and strength. The man who is poor in spirit is the man who has realized that things mean nothing, and that God means everything.”
William Barclay

WE ARE ON iTUNES!

We are excited to announce that we are officially on iTunes! You can catch us at http://freedomlifeag.podomatic.com/ and subscribe to us. We would love for you to spread the word. Its a FREE audio podcast and a great way to share the love of God to friends and family in a relevant way. You can find out more about our church at www.freedomlifeag.com.  Thank you for all your support and thank you to Amy Barto for all her help in making this happen.

-Pastor Tony

TRULY FREE

Would you consider yourself a free person? On what basis would you make your evaluation? What would you say makes a free person? After years of ministry I am convinced that there are sometimes more people in prison that are free then those who are walking around as prisoners on the loose. Those who are in prison often have less opportunities to be tempted but we however, feel as if freedom is our chance to "do what we want." There is much deception in that frame of mind.

These questions force us to define what we mean by freedom. Truly free people have four ingredients of liberty.

1. They have dealt with the past and are free from incriminating memories of failure.
2. They have experienced forgiveness which has extricated them from self-condemnation.
3. They have been released from the bonds of compulsive patterns.
4. They have been emancipated from dependence on the opinions and criticism of people.

From these basic elements flows the freedom to accept and love ourselves, give affirmation and esteem to others, and live with confidence concerning the future. This quality of freedom comes only from fellowship with Christ. Yet I am painfully aware that there are many Christians who believe in Christ, but who are not free. How can we be free?

The world and believers need to experience the dynamic of the cross. Only the power of the cross can grant us our personal liberation from the failures of the past and the disturbing memories of what might have been. The power of the cross also can grant us freedom from being unsettled by the criticism of others who demand we live up to their standards.

It is when we experience such release we are on our way to being unlocked from the prisons of the past and enabled to breathe the fresh air of our deliverance.

Remember this truth: Failure is an event, not a person.

-Tony Cruz

Ten Spiritual Leadership Realities

Doug Clay – Assistant Superintendent of the A/G – shares these ten spiritual leadership realities:

1. It’s lonely to lead
2. Success can be dangerous
3. It’s hardest at home
4. Authenticity is essential
5. It’s painful to obey
6. Disappointment is part of it
7. It’s attitude that matters
8. Integrity eclipses image
9. It starts and ends with humility
10. Anointing is non-negotiable

STOP TRYING TO WIN ARGUEMENTS

 

by Jon Walker

"I beg you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to stop arguing among yourselves. Let there be real harmony so that there won't be splits in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose." – 1 Corinthians 1:10 (Living Bible)

Stop trying to win arguments.

Instead, make it your goal to love those who disagree with you. Go for the love, not the win. Jesus tells us love will always win; he guaranteed that when he walked out of the tomb.

When you find yourself in an argument with other believers, use these biblical guidelines for getting along:

Let mercy guide your response (Proverbs 3:3-6). In a conflict, most of us say we only want what's fair, but God's approach isn't about being fair. It's about grace and mercy (Romans 5:8).

Let God determine the truth (2 Corinthians 13:8). The truth is not determined by your thoughts or feelings (1 John 4:1) or the opinions of others. Truth is what God says it is; he is the sole authority for interpreting any situation (2 Corinthians 10:5).

The Bible says we shouldn't rely on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5), that what appears to be right to us may very well be wrong (Proverbs 14:12).

Look for God's presence (Matthew 28:20). Satan wants us to believe we're in the battle alone. Follow the example of the young shepherd boy, David, who believed God was in the fight and that the battle belonged to the Lord (1 Samuel 17:47).

Look for the conflict's true source (Ephesians 6:12). According to God's Word, we're really not fighting other people; our real enemy is Satan and his "unseen spiritual forces of wickedness."

Lay down human weapons (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). When we try to meet our own needs, working independently of God, we tend to use what the Apostle Paul called weapons of the flesh. These include: manipulation, gossip, slander, ridicule, threats, blame, nagging, deception, and silence. When we use them, we end up in an "evil for evil" cycle, and that's like trying to fight a skunk with "stink" – everybody loses!

Learn to use spiritual weapons (2 Corinthians 10:4). The Bible tells us that prayer is a powerful spiritual weapon. After we put on the whole armor of God, we're to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Ephesians 6:18 NIV).

As seen at http://www.purposedriven.com/blogs/dailyhope/index.html?contentid=11052

THE MEN’S THESAURUS

When a man says: "IT'S A GUY THING"
He means: "There is no rational thought pattern connected with this, and you have no chance at all of making it logical"

When a man says "UH HUH, SURE HONEY,” or “YES, DEAR"
He means: Absolutely nothing – It’s a conditioned response.

When a man says ’’IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO EXPLAIN"
He means: "I have no idea how it works"

When a man says "TAKE A BREAK, HONEY. YOU ARE WORKING TOO HARD’’
He means: "I can’t hear the game over the vacuum cleaner"

When a man says ’THAT’S INTERESTING DEAR.’
He means: "I have no idea what you just said"

When a man says "YOU KNOW HOW BAD MY MEMORY IS."
He means: " I can remember theme songs, scores and stats of multiple teams in professional sports – but I forgot your birthday"

When a man says ’OH, DON’T FUSS, I JUST CUT MYSELF. IT’S NO BIG DEAL"
He means: "I have actually severed a limb, but I will bleed to death before I admit I’m hurt"

When a man says ’I CAN’T FIND IT.’’
He means: "It didn’t fall into my outstretched hand, so I have no idea"

When a man says “I HEARD YOU.”
He means: "I haven’t the foggiest clue what you just said and I am hoping desperately that I can fake it well enough so that you’ll not notice”

When a man says "YOU LOOK TERRIFIC!"
He means: "Oh please don’t try on one more outfit, I’m starving."

When a man says "I’M NOT LOST. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE.’’
He means: "No one will ever see us alive again."

7 THINGS YOU'LL NEVER HEAR YOUR DAD SAY

7. I notice all your friends have a hostile attitude–I like that!

6. Well now that you’re 13, Princess, I want you to start dating older guys.

5. No son of mine is going to live under this roof without an earring!

4. Why do you want to get a job? I’ve got plenty of money for you to spend!

3. Your mother and I are going away for the weekend–you might want to consider throwing a party.

2. Here’s my credit card and the keys to my car–now, GO CRAZY!

1. Well, looks like I’m lost–I guess I’ll have to stop and ask for directions!

TRAPS TO AVOID

There are traps the enemy likes to set. 

Here are a few to avoid in your life: 

1. Doubt
The most used vice by the enemy is doubt because it comes in all shapes and sizes. We doubt ourselves, our friends, family, our future and God. Don’t let doubt creep in you life. 

2. Discouragement
There are people that God has put in your life to encourage you. The hardest thing in the world to do is encourage someone that doesn’t want to be encouraged. Be one that accepts encouragement. 

3. Diversion
Often, life’s problems tend to get more attention than God’s promises. Don’t let diversion be used on you. Focus on the promises that God has for you. 

4. Defeat
One way that people end up living in defeat is comparing your life to others. “Compare and compete and you’ll live in defeat.” 

5. Delay
Don't put off to tomorrow what you can do today. There may be something in your life that you have been wanting to do or waiting to do. Don’t delay. If the enemy can have you delay you can decay. There is no time like today!

KNOW WHERE YOU ARE HEADED

The story is told about Albert Einstein, the brilliant physicist of Princeton University in the early 20th century. Einstein was traveling from Princeton on a train, and when the conductor came down the aisle to punch the passengers' tickets, Einstein couldn't find his. He looked in his vest pocket, he looked in his pants pocket, he looked in his briefcase, but there was no ticket. The conductor was gracious; "Not to worry, Dr. Einstein, I know who you are, we all know who you are, and I'm sure you bought a ticket."

As the conductor moved down the aisle, he looked back and noticed Einstein on his hands and knees, searching under the seat for his ticket. The conductor returned to Einstein; "Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry. I know who you are. You don't need a ticket, I'm sure you bought one." Einstein arose and said "Young man, I too know who I am; what I don't know is where I am going."

And that is the good news of TODAY; that we know where we are going. We have been told by the Savior that his life and death has promised us life eternal.

• Low moments of life don't change that promise.
  
• Unemployment doesn't change that promise.
  
• Neither does divorce, or bankruptcy, or cancer, or depression, or felony, or failure.

Through elation and deflation and every emotion in between, this truth remains; we know whose we are and we know where we are going, because the Son of God has promised. And this, my friends, is faith. I hope this encourages you today.

Your Freedom Fighter,
Tony

EVERYTHING GOES BACK IN THE BOX

Pastor John Ortberg published a book entitled, When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box.

When he was a kid he always lost to his grandmother at Monopoly. She was ruthless and John says that every game ended with his giving his last dollar and piece of property to grandma, leaving him with only disappointment and sadness. The goal of the game is money, and grandma knew how to get all of it.

One summer, however, John met a kid who taught him some of the subtleties of Monopoly. Near the end of the summer he challenged his grandmother—and won! It was his moment of great glory. “Then,” Ortberg says, “I learned the final lesson—when the game is over, it all goes back in the box. All the houses, all the hotels, Boardwalk and Park Place, all that money—everything goes back in the box.”

As we remember Palm Sunday tomorrow, remember that when all is said and done the only thing that matters is all he did for us. Money, temporary. Fame, temporary. His death, temporary. The live that followed for you and for me, THAT is eternal.

WHAT IS YOUR GOD?

Good question. In this day we live in it's a real question.

Whatever you love most, serve most, seek out most, give to the most, worship the most, and care about the most is your god.

Your “god” can be your career, your bank account, the way you look, a particular position or degree, influence, power, or physical pleasure. It can even be something that is considered intrinsically good, yet you allow it to dominate your life more than God – such as your marriage or your family. Your “god” is whatever you allow to control you, to be the ultimate guide to decision making, the place of your supreme loyalty, and the source of your self-worth.

Guard your heart. Where you spend your money and your minutes is your master.

Tony Cruz

TRUE REPENTANCE

It seems that some people have a skewed view of what it means to genuinely ask for forgiveness. For some, its punishing and denying themselves until they feel like they have re-pleased God. For others, it's burning of candles and a sense of penance. Yet others feel like unless they cry it's not acceptable. Well, there are some views that are off, some half right views and others that are completely off.

I read an article that I wanted to share that I feel lays out a clear view of what true repentance looks like. Below is a great piece from an article by Mark Driscoll that i wanted to highlight to you today:

True repentance is a combination of three things:

1. Repentance includes confession. In confession, you agree with God that you have sinned. Confession includes both your mind and mouth.

2. Repentance includes contrition. In contrition, you feel what God feels about your sin. Confession includes both your emotions and expressions. Your heart is affected, not just your words.

3. Repentance includes change. In change, you stop sinning and start worshipping. Change includes your will and works.

The next time you come to a place where you are approaching God about an area of your life that requires repentance, remember that you are a whole being with many intricate parts and each of us respond differently. However, one thing must be present. You must be genuine.

THE MEASURE OF THE CHURCH

Gene A. Getz, in his book, The Measure of a Church, asks the question, "What is the measure of maturity in the church?" And he lists what others believe are the measure of maturity:

1. An active church (involving people in meetings and programs)
2. A giving church (supporting the church and efforts financially)
3. A growing church (new people coming and staying)
4. A soul-winning church (leading unbelievers to faith and baptism)
5. A smooth-running church (efficient and orderly)
6. A missionary-minded church (supports missionaries around the world)
7. A Spirit-filled church (enthusiastic, emotional)
8. A big church (large attendance, with many programs)

God used Paul to give us a different measure for maturity of the church. Paul says that the church is mature when it functions like one body, where Jesus Christ is the Head.

As my little girl Hannah learns of her surroundings, I could see her eyes wanting to reach for a toy, but her hands and arms were not yet able to cooperate. As she becomes more mature and aware, her body parts will begin to do what her "head" wanted her to do. Likewise, when we mature as the church, we individually obey what our "head," Jesus Christ, wants us to do.

The Church is not obedient to a set of rules. We are obedient to the Person of Jesus Christ through a trusting relationship and to the truths He has spoken. And our obedience is not just in our head, but in the way we live and serve one another.

Love one another,
Tony Cruz