Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Count on this

During this season, I have a natural inclination to think about this past year. There is no way I can do that without reflecting on the goodness of God. Here is a thought I want to share:

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself.

From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!
~Tony, Elisha, Elijah and Baby Josiah

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The Bible

Isn't is amazing that almost everyone has an opinion to offer about the Bible, and yet so few have studied it?
- R.C. Sproul

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

More Extraordinary Testimonies



As they continue to come in, I continue to report:

NJ Convention Testimonies
EXTRAORDINARY 2008
Burlington, NJ

Renda
"Hey, This was my first year going to Youth Convention.
I went as a student youth leader, or some title like that. I won’t leave a grand back-story here mainly because my past doesn’t matter. This convention taught that what I do with my life NOW is what matters — not who I was or what I did. God is who — and what — matters. The most memorable part about convention, for me, was during Session 2. I went up for the alter call. When I opened my eyes, — after praying while facing the ground, kneeling — I looked around me. I saw the lights and the fog. I took in powerful sounds of the Desperation Band. I felt the presence. I was in the moment. But, I felt as if this scene was familiar. The sounds, lights, and fog.
I realized that where I was kneeling was the exact place where I had prayed one of my first “alter prayers” 10 or more years before during a “He is Alive” performance. That experience — that revelation — made me think about all those “in between” years. It made me think about ‘what I said’ I’d do for God then, and ‘what I had done’ for God since. I thought, “All I did, was talk — or pray — a good game.”
Right then, I was hopeless. “I don’t do the things that I promise to do, God.” I wept. I tried to follow. I tried to do “Godly” things. I thought I knew about God.
But, I was wrong. I was trying to follow God while leading Him. That’s not what I was made to do. I was made to surrender — to worship and love. Not to try to play “God” of my life. With this I decided that — wherever God takes me — I’ll follow. Even if it doesn’t make sense, even if I look crazy, I’ll do it. Because I know that God+me is always the majority. . . But, this year I went to convention for the first time. I went with an attitude that said, “God, I want what I experience and what I do to be my ordinary. I want to experience you like I do at Convention. But, I want everyone to be touched in the same way. Make this extraordinary”
Surprisingly, I wasn’t disappointed with this event. My ordinary is now changed. Because ordinarily, I would leave these events and let God be “God of someone else” again. Now, he’s my God. That’s what’s Extraordinary."

Bethany
"Hi, this was my first year going to a youth convention, but this was the best ever! I grew up in a Christian family and was saved when I was four years old, but God wasn’t really REAL to me. Because I grew up with the Bible and all that…I really didn’t read it that much. I didn’t really pray that much and when I did, I didn’t really mean it. Let’s just say my faith was really LAME! I was going downhill. But then something wonderful happened to me. My youth pastor came! At that time, there was really not that many youth so we didn’t have an OFFICIAL youth group. But then me and alot of my friends turned into teenagers and we needed a youth pastor. So, Justin came and let me tell you…he is the BEST ever! Anyways, he got me back on track with God and I felt a great relief. But, I had trouble seeing who i was and really why I was on the earth. Now lets get back to the convention…it was the BEST thing that has ever happened to me! I don’t know how to describe it, but it was soooooo awesome. I am 13 (almost 14) years old. I went to the first session at the convention expecting something great but I didn’t get something great…I got something extraordinary and amazing! And I have to say that I’M IN LOVE WITH THE DESPERATION BAND! Anyways, during the worship I felt the presence of God so much and I felt closer to God then I ever have before! I prayed and cried my heart out and the next 3 sessions just got better! Tony Cruz is an AMAZING speaker and he said the perfect words! I also love all his crazy stories! I am not the same person that I was when I walked into that building. I am a changed girl! And I have to tell you that the youth in my youth group that went to the convention went back to church on Sunday and made a great difference! We prayed over all the youth. We cried. We hugged. We joined hands in unity for Christ. This changed my life and I just have to say that was(and is) all was one word(or two!)…EXTRA ORDINARY!"

Kacki
"This was my 3rd convention, and the 1st time I really ever felt something. I have heard Tony Cruz speak at the Northwest Section Snow Camp in January, and I was glad I got to hear him speak again. During the first three services during worship and the alter calls I honestly didn’t rally feel any thing. However during the 4th and final service, when Tony Cruz said to make it personal, I really started to think. I went to the alter to pray, when Tony said to think of a person you are close to who don’t know the Lord I immediately started to think of my friend Nicole. Nicole is really close to me and is pretty much like my sister. I started to picture her and started to cry really hard. I started to pray that she would open up her hind and heart and listen to what Angela(my other really close friend and almost like a sister) are saying. On the ride on I sent Nicole a text message, still praying that she would get to know the Lord. I told her that I loved her more then she could imagine, and that I cried for most of a alter call, because she does not know the Lord, and I promised her I would not preach to her. The next day, which happens to be today, I got a text message from her saying that she would talk about God with me. This convention was not like any other I have been to."

Sheldon Lightfoot Jr.
"Over this weekend i had a lot of highlights, like #1, oh i dont know, say, Desperation Band, Tony Cruz, and friends… But the thing that really made it completely awesome was the alter. The alter is the one place I came face to face with God after a long time away. I was trying to let everything jsut go passivly as i said what ever to things that were really important.
This is my 6th convention, and my last as a student. . . I was amazed and completely overcome with a sence of belonging. And I can’t believe that i almost let that go over the past few months. Over that time, i felt numb to God and a distraction came between me and the most important thing in my life. But God is faithful like that. He always finds his lost sheep. Thanks for ANOTHER SPECTACULAR YEAR NEW JERSEY!"

Hanna
"Hi Tony, I went to convention last week, and I was really ministered to by your messages, especially the 2nd and 3rd ones. I've made some changes in my life which I hope will be permanent, and I've found out what God's will for my life is for the present. Keep being used by God the way you are! It's awesome."

“What our Lord did was done with the intent, and this alone, that he might be with us and we with him.”
~Meister Eckhart

Monday, November 10, 2008

EXTRAORDINARY Youth Convention - Burlington, NJ



WOW.
This weekend was a mixed bag of God's presence. We experienced God in so many ways I couldn't keep track of it all. Pastor Fabian is doing a great job out in NJ in leading students on a quest to know Jesus personally. About 1500 students gathered in Burlington to be caught up in what God is doing. Worship was led by Desperation Band and I was priviledged to bring the Word. There are some great friends and students in that great state. I cannot get an accurate number but about 80+ teenagers came forward to accept Christ the first night and admitted they didn't really know the Jesus I spoke of. I struggled like never before with my voice. The three sessions I covered, Sacrifice, Identity (as a portrait of God's Masterpiece) and the very incredible mission we have as believers. EXTRAORDINARY was the theme of the convention and was also the best word to describe what He did. Many were delivered and set free from numberous things. The altars were filled with young people wanting God. I will post some pictures to give a sample.

Here is a comment I received:
"tony...what another amazing Spirit filled time with you this weekend. God bless you and your family for all that you do and all you put into your ministry...I know the kids in my youth ministry were forever changed, including one who was able to let go of anger over losing his father tragically a few months ago. I know my life was rocked as well......finally grasping some truths in my own life! "You'll never know who you are until you know whose you are!" What an amazing truth! Thank you Tony for being His servant! I look forward to seeing you again in Jer-Z!!!!"

I am reminded of the verse that askes the question "Who am I that you are mindful of me?" When God began to break open these messages to share, He brought me to a place where I needed to injest the truth for myself before I can bring it to others. God is sovereign. This is not a new concept I just learned but one thing I have understood is that I have to unlearn somethings before I can relearn others. I must stay focused and reliant on Him. That is the jist of life in Christ. Trust in Him.





If you attended and have a testimony, feel free to comment.
Tony

more to come...

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The Foundation

Words to consider as we prepare to vote:

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. … Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

~John Adams
One of the Founding Fathers, and 2nd President of The United States


"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

~James Madison
One of The Founding Fathers, Considered the ‘Father’ of our Constitution

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Guide for this election


I am not going to chime in all the details of the election but I will say stand on this:

1- I will let the Word of God be my guide for all things lifestyle. No leader, no matter who they are, should over ride the Word of God in our lives.

2- Whoever wins, will have my prayers and I must trust that God has allowed that person to win for a reason. We as a nation of believers must think that way. Keep the main thing the main thing. In all honesty, I do not hold immigration on the same plane as abortion - the economy on the same place as partial birth abortion. Our sinful nature makes our conscience flawed.

Jeremiah 17:9 states simply - "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Make sure you vote your bible - not you conscience.

Final Thought:
“What is morally wrong can never be politically right.”
— Lord Shaftesbury

Tony