Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Life Has Potholes!

You know, I was thinking. Have you ever been traveling down the road of life and hit a pothole? You know how it is, you've got the cruise control set, you're jammin' to some tunes, when all of a sudden..............BAM! You get that little jar that get's your attention. You wonder if you might have broken something. So you stop give the tires a quick look and since you don't see anything that is obvious, you get back in the car and drive on. But now you're driving a little more carefully and you are actively watching out for those things that can cause harm or damage. WELCOME TO MY WORLD! God has a way of getting and keeping my attention. Just as I start getting comfortable in life whether that is in my job, ministry or personal life, God sees to it that He gets my attention.

Right now my life is full! I have been so blessed in so many aspects of life that I can't even begin to list them all. I feel joyous and afraid all at the same time. I am able to continue forward because of the love that God has for me and because He has blessed me with some great friends. Pray for the Pudgeman today! God has blessed me so richly and fully, but I sometimes fear that "I" will get in His way. I don't want that. I am excited about the new ministry challenges. About the future of NewSong and about my personal future.

Know a couple of things for sure today. The first is that God loves you unconditionally! He has set you free from all of the chains and battles that life might bring. Secondly, you can do ALL things through Jesus because He has given you the strength to do it. May God bless you beyond belief today.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Alpha & Omega?

You know, I was thinking. The idea that God always HAS always and WILL always exist is very hard to wrap my brain around. You see I personally live a lineal existance in this world. I had a beginning and someday my existance on this planet will have an end. I will cease to exist in what we humans refer to as reality! I will then begin an existance that, according to the Word of God, will never end. Now, since I had a beginning I can kind of picture and conceptualize the idea of living on without end. But, God didn't have a starting point! There was no creator for THE CREATOR! There was never a universe without him and there will never BE a universe without him.

When I was a young teenager this really bothered me. My faith was truly challenged with the idea that God did not have a beginning! I did everything that I could to understand it and I failed. I just didn't get it. I had to understand it! It needed to make since to me and it just didn't. Well, a few years later when I was in college one of my professors who obviously had seen this same scenario with other students explained it to me like this. Doug, you do believe that God exists don't you? I answered, well yes! He asked me why? I answered, because of how my life has changed as a result of obeying him. He then asked me if I trusted God? I asked him what do you mean? He said, do you believe that when God says something that he is telling the truth? My answer went something like, Of course it is impossible for God .............to..........lie! It hit me like a ton of bricks! There are some things that my simple mind will just never understand about God! I was never meant to understand those things. The real question is, do I trust God enough to believe what He says? The answer is of course, YES! I will never understand how God never had a beginning, but I can believe that it is true. I learned to trust God and my life hasn't been the same since! I will never have more answers then questions, but I will always trust that God is true to His word. Be blessed beyond belief today.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Why Not Start Now

If the Lord says to go
And I hear him
Then why not go now

If the Lords says to come
And I hear him
Then why not come now

If the Lord says to stay
And I hear him
Then why not be still

If the Lord askes me to conquer the world in His name
And I hear him
Then why do I hesitate

If the Lord says to me to love others as I have loved you
And I hear him
Then what stops me from loving

If God is the creator of the universe and is able to do ALL things
And I hear him
Then why don't I obey

Do I hear Him
Do I take time to listen
Do I understand how much I mean to Him
If not, then why not start now

Be blessed beyond belief today!

Monday, February 20, 2006

In A Word.............AWESOME!

You know, I was thinking. The title pretty much says it all about my Sunday! Great day of worship and probably the best concert that I have ever been to in my life. Be blessed beyond belief today.

Friday, February 17, 2006

Friday Feast - An Ode To Teachers

You know, I was thinking. I have been a little on the serious side this week so now it's time to lighten it up a bit. I was asked this week who my kindergarden teacher was and I couldn't remember! So I started thinking about the teachers that I have had over the years and what kind of an influence they were in my life. So here they are, those men and women who have helped the Pudgeman to be who he is today:

5. Mr. Carman - High School band director and fellow trumpet player. I learned that music was more than just notes on a page.
4. Mrs. Scurry - First grade teacher. She had a paddle and wasn't afraid to use it! I learned that she truly loved children and wanted to pass on her knowledge and example.
3. Mrs. Reed - High School government teacher. She taught me all I ever wanted to know about politics...................................Stay out of them!
2. Mr. Dingman - High School algebra and calculus teacher. He was also the head basketball coach. I was his statistition my sophomore year. I learned to calculate shooting percentages very quickly in my head just to keep up with him.
1. Mr. Falstrom - High School english, debate, drama and speech and I took him for more than one class of each of those topics during my 4 years at Milan High! If you are to blame any one person for bringing me out of my shell it would be this man. He taught me how to write, speak, act and argue. In other words before this man I was a very shy, introverted and self-conscious kid! I learned a lot from his knowledge and example.

Here are my picks, what are yours or at least your favorite. Be blessed beyond belief today.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

God Is Callin Me To....................

You know, I was thinking. I have spent a lot of years attempting to do God's will in my life. There have been times that I have served God out of a feeling of obligation. What I mean by that is that there were other things that I would have rather have done, but because someone asked me to do something I went ahead and did it. Not because I felt that I SHOULD do it but because somebody asked me to do a particular service project or ministry, I did it. I felt it was my obligation to God and to His church. Now here I am a few years older and hopefully a little bit wiser and I am beginning to see things a little differently. I have begun to understand a few things about how God wants things to be done in his body. Most of this is an application of 1 Corinthians chaper 12:

God - CALLS us to do acts of ministry and service. He is the orchestra conductor so to speak. He causes the earth to revolve around the sun and has allowed us to be made in his image. God will call you to serve him in ways that you cannot begin to dream or imagine.

Jesus - Creates our OPPORTUNITIES to minister or serve. His life, death and resurrection has created opportunities that can only be considered spectacular. He will show you opportunities to do good in more ways that you could ever dream or imagine.

The Holy Spirit - Causes us to be EMPOWERED to do the acts of service that God has called us to do. Those areas where Jesus has created the opportunity for us to minister or serve. He will give you EXACTLY what you need exactly when you need it. He will empower you in ways that you could only dream or imagine.

So, what does all this mean. When we are listening to the CALL that God has put on our hearts, seeking the OPPORTUNITIES that Jesus has created and allowing the Holy Spirit to EMPOWER us to do those things, we are then at peace. We are truly happy! We become more open to the needs of those around us and less focused on our needs within. You see, God has a purpose for each of us. Sometimes it is in a public setting but more often then not it is done behind the scenes!

What is God calling you to do today? Where is Jesus showing you to minister or serve? What gifts has the Holy Spirit given you to fulfill your purpose? Only you can answer that for yourself! Be blessed beyond belief today.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Becoming Holy

You know, I was thinking. We hear the word Holy used a lot these days. We sing it in our songs and we pray it in our prayers but do we really try to practice this daily? I don't have a dictionary by my side but I will give you the simplistic Pudge definition of this word.....God! To me, becoming Holy is to strive to become like God! Not to become God, but to become like him! That is exactly what the gifts of the Spirit describe in Galatians Chapter 5! We need to become a walking, loving, fogiving, praying, blessing machine! God has called us to do great things in our lives but great things are not accomplished by great people, great things are accomplished by people who strive to become like a great God!

Becoming Holy isn't always easy to do. It requires us to go against our very nature. It requires us to do the things that are just the opposite of what we want to do. When somebody wrongs or hurts us, our tendency is to retaliate or to strike back. God's tendency is to love and forgive! This is part of the maturing process and believe me when I say, we never stop learning. Becoming Holy takes practice and patience. It doesn't happen over night and it never ends.

Finally let me leave you with one of my favorite verses from Isaiah chapter 40:

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Be blessed beyond belief today.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Rising Out Of The Ashes

You know, I was thinking. The legend of the Pheonix basically teaches that a great mythical bird rose up out of the ashes of detruction! I think about this and it brings to my mind all of the times that God has brought me "through the wilderness" or has helped me overcome or conquer some great obstacle in my life. All of us go through times of trials and struggles in our lives. It is one trait of humanity that everyone has in common. Most of the time our problem is that we have believed the lie that says "we can overcome it all by ourselves". We believe that with enough faith and enough prayer that God and I alone can do this! Most of the time that is not the case. I am convinced now more than ever that the main reason that we go through times of trial is for the sole purpose of allowing God to raise us from the ashes! He wants us to share these things with one another and show the victory that he has to give. The greatest times of encouragement that I have had in my life have been when somebody shares with me their trials, then allows me to minister to them in prayer. I then have the privialedge of watching God deliver them. It has changed my life.

You see one of the greatest powers that the enemy has is that he likes to divide and conquer! He wants us to hold all of our struggles and trials inside. Because if we share them somebody might look at us a less strong or even weak! The opposite is true. The strongest Christians that I have ever known have been transparent! They have allowed me to see them for the REAL people that they are. That is what I strive to be transparent! I want people to learn from my mistakes and weaknesses. I want people to know that real Christians have real struggles and it is only through ministering to and helping one another that we can have victory! Remember that God loves you more than you can ever dream or imagine and that He does not want any of us to be an island but wants to raise us up from the ashes. Be blessed beyond belief today.

Monday, February 13, 2006

Does God Ever Stop?

You know, I was thinking. Yesterday was just an awsome day in the Lord! I cannot remember a time of worship that carried more power than yesterday! Learning to be "Undigified" seems to be the topic of discussion! What a great song with meaning that really does go deeper than what the surface shows. Jeff & Danny and of course the rest of "Captured" have just taken things to a new level of worship to God! I appreciate all of you so much and really do not have the words to describe it. Then, what a powerful and practical message from Pastor Tom! To think that there are some very practical steps in making those "life" decisions! Thanks Tom for you service and obedience in leading this congragation.

I was absolutely blown away at our Sunday night small group! Several weeks ago we began praying that God would start putting small groups on the hears of His people! He has and he has brought them right over to the Bacus home on Sunday nights! We are busting at the seams and are planning our multiplication date. When you add all of the children in, we had 47 people there this week! Not a small group anymore! I have actually preached in churches smaller than that! I cannot begin to tell you all of the ways that God is answering prayers!

Just a thought for the week. No matter what you do or where you go God is always willing to lead the way! Are you willing to follow where ever He leads? Be blessed beyond belief today!

Friday, February 10, 2006

Just A Little Insight

You know, I was thinking. Sometimes we spend years praying about things wondering if God is really listening or does He really care. We may ask Him time after time after time and still do not see any answer. Then one day just out of the blue God delivers the right answer at just the right time. His timing and plan are perfect and He always is listening and He always cares! Be blessed beyond belief today.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Another Super Sunday

You know, I was thinking! We had another Super Sunday this week and it had nothing to do with a football game. For the second year in a row I had the honor of witnessing the obedient act of baptism. Last year it was my nephew ONOM and his fiancee (now his wife) put Jesus on, this year it was Kirsten Schultz and John "one in a" Million! What a great time of celebration that was. Afterwards it was myself, brother John and the Hawkins boys piled in the WWII heading to Adrian for dinner at Pizza Hut. Funny, none of the ladies wanted to join us! Go figure! Well anyway after dinner it was a quick stop at Tim Horton for some more fellowship this time with java. A little later on it was a wonderful devotional (thank you Jeff Bacus) and more fun as we all gathered at the Bacus estate for what I would say is the best Super Bowl party I have ever attended. It wasn't as much about the game as it was about the fellowship. Something about spending time with other Christians that just charges my batteries. I love all of you and hope that God will bless you beyond belief today.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Critical Mass

You know, I was thinking. I am not a nuclear physicist or anything but I have learned one thing over the years and that is the idea that before there can be any kind of nuclear explosion, the radioactive material must reach critical mass first! From the way I understand it in my simplistic Pudge brain is that the radioactive material must be compressed evenly to a certain point that the energy stored in the material more energy then we could even imagine! After our small group on Sunday and the Men's group last night I think I understand the concept even better then before. Many people at NewSong have been working very hard at doing what God wants us to do in order to grow His church! God is sending us people who are hungry for his teaching and are looking for that "spiritual rudder" in their lives. I keep thinking about the scripture "if I be lifted up from the earth, I'll draw all men unto me"! We are just lifting up Jesus at NewSong and Jesus just keeps drawing people to Him! It is not going to happen, it is not about to happen, but it is right now as I type happening. People are coming to Jesus through the ministry at NewSong! I have only one question to ask, are YOU ready? We WILL have that Civic Auditorium filled before the year is out! Forget about a goal of 350 unless your are talking about by mid-summer! Plan for the harvest that God has given us! Be blessed beyond belief today.