The Lift

Unexpeted Blessings

2010-01-17T16:55:00.000-08:00

It was a warm day in Montego Bay Jamaica. My contact was 2 hours late, and I was getting very frustrated! It was my responsibility to minister to the local children, and my team of children's workers with clowns, puppets and treats were waiting to do there thing. But we could not get in the location where we were supposed to be. It looked like a wash, but I decided to go to plan b. Send the clowns and team out in to the community while I waited on our contact. Just love kids and tell them about Jesus, was my mandate.
Sitting on a brick wall, I got in a whiny phase quite quickly and felt that I would not be able to do anything. I was not a "mature" or flexible as I am now, but back then when my plan did not work because of others which "I" had no control over it could set me in a "tunnel vision" mentality. I quickly prayed to get my spirit in line with God, and as I looked up there was a man walking by me. Long story short, I was able to share Christ with him and lead him in to a new life!
As he walked away, The Holy Spirit spoke up and said " He is why you were here today." The plan got me there, but the project was different than I percieved. Get this in your Spirit! We see In the book of Acts that a disciple heard the "Macedonian Call" by a man to share Christ in a dream. When He got there though, he met a woman named Lydia. This was his open door. He could have said... "No...I am looking for a man" and he would have missed establishing a church in this Godly woman's home. The plan or vision got him there, but the project looked differently than he may have thought things should look.
I am reminded about this daily as I walk with Christ and be faithful in the small things in order to reach the People of Nashville. I despise no man's ministry. I desire no one's field. God has my own field. Just because I cannot yet discern what that looks like, or it has not matured like I thought it would, does not mean that it is less the truth.
In your life today, Be open to God. Do not overlook that which is happening in your life or discount it as insignificant. It is not. God has brought you here, and even when it does not look like plan a for you, get ready to shine with His plan in your heart. Then you will truly experience unexpected blessings! Pastor J.

Big Sky!

2009-12-27T15:58:00.000-08:00

Montana is a beautiful State. Majestic mountains, streams, plains. It has been years since I have been there, but what I remember of it was no less than spectacular. The thing that sticks out in my mind most is their marketing phrase..."Big Sky"....and if you have ever seen photos or visited, it is most appropriate. It seems like the sunset goes on forever....limitless in the view of the horizon, and at night the bright sky lit up with millions of stars. Coyotes singing their night song communicating with one another and a breeze from the mountains that put a chill in your body. Nothing like it! Oh Big Sky....I miss you.

This is the end of another year, and another decade. 2010 is as close as the turn of a page. Many are the memories of 2009, and the bittersweet taste of accomplishments in our lives that we had, mixed with many lost opportunities, un-met goals and the loss of special people. Or in lesser yet as painful at times..dreams that may never be realized. They are drops of water in an endless sea of life and history. Many of you may be discouraged, even depressed. Some may be out right defeated! The toll of time sucks the life out of you. But may I encourage you for this season in your life? Go to Big Sky country!

No I am not a travel guide. (though that would be cool), nor a spokesman for Montana. What I do mean is dare to see the unlimited possibilities of 2010. Dare to see the Big, unlimited Sky of life, where you look as far over the horizon, and see as high and as clear as looking at the night sky of the big west. Yes there will still be a chill in the air occasionally. Yes there may be coyotes wanting to ruin your picnic, but keep looking up at the big sky!

I have had many successes in my life, which also means that I have had many failures. Unrealized dreams, stupid decisions, bad choices, missed opportunities. Those failures are like building a building of defeat. As they build up in your life, it becomes a city which can block your view of the big limitless horizon.

This Year, Like me...please dare to dream again. Keep believing! And most of all, keep Jesus as the focus in your life. That is the beginning of peace and it is from God which all blessings abound. See you in Big Sky Country!

The Best is Yet to Come!

2009-10-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

Recently, a local magazine came out with a "best of" list for 2009 for our city. There were many list concerning eating establishments, clothing stores, cake decorators, catering and the like. It was very impressive except for the fact that I was no where on the list for say...."best blogger" or "best cyber pastor" or anything else! Maybe next year.
One thing that I thought about when viewing the list was that we as a people have a great capacity to thrive during adversity.We are also people who make choices. Our choices make us who we are. Let me expound.

If you decide to live in the past, you will have limited or no future. This is your choice. If you truly believe that you have lived your best years, and it is all downhill from here, you will be correct. However, if you believe that the best is yet to come, and you choose to work hard, make a goal, develop a plan, and follow through, I can assure you that your future is bright. No, not all of your dreams will come true, but many will. Not everything will be easy. We are a product of our decisions, and many times things beyond our control happen that prevents us from accomplishing said goal. You cannot change certain things, and need to learn to let them go. Only change what you can. Keep moving. Keep beleiving. Keep putting Christ first. If you do these things, I am sure that the best is yet to come!

Who Ya Gonna Call?

2009-09-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

No. this is not a retro look at "Ghostbusters". But nonetheless a point that I hope you get.
A few days ago,it was pooring down rain. I was driving on the highway, when I passed by someone involved in a pretty bad looking wreck. They had lost control, and were in the woods wedged against a tree. Due to the fact that traffic would not allow me to stop, I called 911. The first time, I was told to call another number. I did so, and then was placed on hold! We are talking 911 here! After a short wait, I was then told again that I would be transfered to another THP site. It took about five minites to finally get the right people, and by then, help was on the way. WOW
The Bible states that some trust in horses, or chariots, but we will trust in the name of the Lord. Psalms 18 states this "In my distress, I called out to you, and you answered me, and came down from your high place....."
If you were to read the entire chapter, David states that God is his rock and fortress. That when he needed help from evil men, or persecution or confusing times, he called on God, and the word says that God answered. It kind of gives a picture of a parent who hears the scared or helpless cry of their child. They immediatly flair up and take a defensive stance to come to the rescue and take care of anyone or anything that is messing with their own. God came down, and took care of business.
I do not know where you are, but in my life, I needed to hear this. With uncertain and frustrating times, I needed to be reminded not to look to anyone else for a false hope, but rather to look to God the author and finisher of our faith. Amen.

Part Three Re-Focusing

2009-09-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

The next portion that I wish to discuss in the area of re-focusing is balance. Have you ever been on a vacation or trip, and you end up with all of the luggage to tote in? It is surely a balancing act the more luggage you have! And you find quickly that you have way too much stuff!
Quickly assess each area of your life. Do you get enough exercise? Are you eating right? Do you spend personal as well as family time? In our home, for example, when the kids seem a bit grumpy, Lynne and I will stop and ask ourselves why they are acting up so. Many times it has been because we had missed family meal times. These times re-center our family. Without them, the kids, as well as mom and dad feel a dis-connect. Sickness or tiredness will make you foggy. Get the proper rest. Is your personal spiritual life on the back burner? Check out your balance. Too much time spent in one area will cause you to drop the rest of your "luggage".

Re-Focus Part Dos

2009-08-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

The next thing I wish to discuss on re-focusing your life when you are disoriented is to go back to a set reference point. This is important. There was a story in the Old Testament concerning Elisha (so I think) that one day a man came to him and said "man of God...i need help. I borrowed someone's axe, and the head fell off in the water." The prophet asked him where he lost his axe head, and said a prayer and the axe head floated to the surface and was recovered.
More recently, I shared a story of a "drug sweep" at a local High School where the drug dog "hit" on this kids car. When the trunk was opened, the officers laughed, and sent the scared teen back to class. What had happened is that drug dogs are trained to find drugs in tennis balls when they are younger. The car belonged to the tennis star of the school, and the trunk was full of fuzzy tennis balls! The dog lost his focus!
When we loose focus, we need to stop, and go back to where we lost our "axe head". Ask yourself what is it that your goal was , find out where you got off track, and go back to what is really important. More later. Jory

Re-Focusing your life

2009-08-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

I wish to discuss a few things concerning our life focus. It is easy to get out of focus with our daily lives. I was reminded of this as I attempted to drive out of State one day recently. Due to tiredness, I had a problem with my eyes blurring while driving and it made it difficult to stay on course.

A few years back, I read a leadership article that stated that everyone looses focus now and then. Even CEO's and CFO's of large companies. The difference, stated the leadership strategist was that upon surveying the execs of many companies as well as the regular grind of the mill worker, was that the execs had a simple, straightforward plan to regain focus quickly. The average worker did not. based on this nugget, I would like to share some of my re-focusing strategies that assist me. This week is on taking a pause.

In the Bible, we see an unusual word in the Psalms called "selah". It is often translated to mean...."the pause that refreshes" or "quiet yourself and reflect on that". When I am stressed out and need to refocus, I do my best to just stop and take a moment to reflect on how good my life really is. I thank Jesus for my wonderful wife and awesome kids. At times, I open my phone, and look through my scrapbook of pics with my family moments from times past. The grins and giggles, and funny faces make me laugh as I remember the moment that the picture represents. This is why I do what I do every day. My purpose. To raise a Godly loving family and leave my kids fond memories of growing up. Sometimes I pause and think of who I am in Christ, and all He has done for me. After that, I clear my mind of the clutter, ask for guidance through prayer, and re-focus on the task at hand. It's like a mental and spiritual mini-vacation! Next time you get stressed or loose focus, try some of these things. You can also share some of your best ways to "selah" in order to re-focus. Jory

So Long!

2009-07-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry for such a long break! Life is crazy busy. I just experienced a great blessing this past week in going to the wedding of a dear friend and future partners in the ministry. Adam and Billie Smith are awesome. The wedding made me cry. To see such a beautiful bride, and stunnng groom it reminded me of what Jesus might be feeling about His bride...the church. He loves us. He does not love our church culture or the political drama that we create, but He does love His true church. Let us do our best to can the drama, the politics, the religious spirit, and concentrate on our wedding day when we will see the groom for the first time.

Backed up!

2009-06-22T05:08:00.000-07:00

You may not wish to read this during a meal, but I need to share it as a not soon forgotten message.
A friend of mine recently told me of a difficult situation he had encountered. As he went in to his basement, he was shocked to find it filled with raw sewage! Mnay hours later, it was revealed that the problem was due to the septic system not being serviced and the old waste removed. Normally, a septic system needs to be cleaned out every two years. The owners of this home had not done so in seven. The problem was neglect.
In the book of Romans in chapter 12 we are reminded to not be conformed to the world (do what they do, speak like they speak, act like they act...or what we acted like before we came to Christ if that is your case) but to be renewed or transformed by the renewing of your mind through Christ Jesus.
In our lives, we have "stuff" that we are exposed to every day. It is just life. Every day, we have to contend with some of our old habits, or ways of thinking. Life again. But as we open up our spirits and allow Christ through the washing of the word and prayer, clean out the old stuff, things will once again flow properly in our lives. What "stuff" are you in need of having cleaned out of your life today?

Resident Evil

2009-06-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

Normally, I do not watch movies, especially of the zombie type..... but in a moment of "i'm off work and kickin' back" insanity, I put in the last R.E. flick. What I found was astonishing to say the least! See, this girl...named Alice is the key to undoing a world wide epidemic which came from a tragic virus released on mankind. It affected everyone, and to spite all of man's efforts, it spread out of control and destroyed the population. It seems that Alice DNA and blood was the key to the cure. It was going to take the blood of one person to reverse the virus that had so devastated humankind. Hmmmmmm. seems like I have heard this story line before. Jory

Poser

2009-06-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

I was driving down the road today, and saw a young man in a convertible which had a high dollar car insignia on it. Thinking it was a design I had not seen before, I looked more closely, and found that it was just a Chrysler. Someone had placed the high end logo on the low end car.

What I find in my life is that it is not what is on the outside that people see at a glance, but rather what is on the inside that matters. I can wear a jogging suit with the Olympic team logo on it and top quality running shoes, but that does not make me an athlete! One look at me will give it away! Stop showing your fake logo, and become who you say you are or who it is you want to be!

Joint Custody

2009-05-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

As I performed my daily run to parts unknown, I observed a common sight. As I kept my eyes open for bad guys, I noticed a white SUV with an occupant in it seemingly doing nothing. Soon, a truck pulled up and it became clear to me what was happening. A Kid exchange. It seens as though it was mom's turn for the daughter, and dads weekend was over. I exhaled deeply in sorrow. This plays out all over the country every day of the week, where someone has to ship their kid out so that the other biological other can have a time with Junior or Daphnie. No matter what people say about how they "cope" with it, I must believe that it still hurts deep down inside everytime your visit is over. I hope I never know that pain, and I will work doggon hard on my end to make sure of it. If this is where you are, I want you to know that you can find hope and peace in Jesus. I've got no stones to throw.
On a deeper side, we all may have a tendency to be a part of a joint custody conflict of our own. You see, many of us have a struggle between living like the world, and living for God. It's like a kid wondering where he is supposed to be this week. Let's decide on who gets "full custody" of our lives. Jory

days off

2009-05-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

What do you do with a day off? Most of us will probably spend it catching up on our house work, or pay bills, or wash the car. Many will be so stressed that they cannot do anything for just one day. They need a week just to unwind! I have done some of the former. House stuff, personal business etc. I have learned to "twitter". Quite an amazing feat for an old guy. Everyone needs days off. You need it to regroup, recharge and refresh. Let your body rest. Fast or eat good food. Life is short, and we need to make the most of it. You have one body (some of us have two weight wise) so take care of it. Listen to what it is saying. I will se you later, I have to go for now. Be blessed. Jory

Tonight @ Panara Bread

2009-05-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight, it's just seven of us. Why you say? Why would you go to the trouble of going to the West End of Nashville and meet and fellowship. Well, because it's a passion of ours to share Jesus with anyone we can. Changing lives one at a time over fellowship and sharing testimony. Tonight, Jory is sharing a testimony with the group. God spoke to him about what to say, and there is great discussion happening here! His question was, " How do you tune your life when you are out of tune and missing a string". He had an illustration of a guitar in his hands while asking it. The responses of the group are interesting and thought provoking. Lord Jesus, we pray you use us to change more lives! Your kingdom come here in Nashville!
We are here to love individuals and share the truth of God and His Word!

See you next week!
Lynne and Jory Hire
The Lift Church

The Code

2009-04-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

"620...10-28.....620 go....... 10-28 on 10 zulu charlie lima 4.......620 10-12 please..........10-28 on 10 zulu charlie lima 4 comes back to a Clayton Arnold Baggett....Hendersonville, Tennessee on a 2002 Nissan Maxima....nif, no priors all clear......620 i am 10-08 from the stop.....10-04 620 1635."

For those of you who do not know what the last paragraph was about, it was police 10 codes and a brief discussion between an officer (I was 620 in the day, but did not pull over anyone...that was for real cops) and a dispatcher concerning a traffic stop. It seems that the man was in distress, so the officer asked for information about the guy in order to know what they were getting in to. The tag was ran after a pause, and it turned out that the guy was clean, he seemed ditressed because he was a pastor, so this was not distress, it was just normal pastor stuff he was thinking about.

10 codes were deisgned for officers to have a level of professionalism, ease of use and time and clear communication in regard to what was giong on. However, if you do not know them, they mean nothing.

What code do you live by... or, are you like Law enforcement that is contemplating getting rid of their codes for something new? When you speak of God are you 10_01 (poor reception) or have you just given up and gone 10-03 (stopped transmitting) Where will you be when all is 10-42 (the end of your watch)? Just something for you to chew on today. Please be 10-34 (have an open frequency) to God. Be blessed, I am 10-19. Jory

Road Trip

2009-04-04T21:19:00.000-07:00

I have been on the road this weekend doing some business. As I travelled, I realized how life and travelling seem the same. We are on a journey...going somewhere. What I wish to concentate on are the distractions that occur while on the road. As I drove, A sign caught my attention. It said simply "Guns and Ammo". Now, That may seem odd to some, but as a gun person of sorts, I was enthrawled at the possibility of looking around. To make a long story short, what started as a five minute stop turned in to a bit longer one.

What is distracting you on your journey? What is altering your plans and changing your focus from reaching your destination? Get back on the road! Refresh, Refocus, Restart. Jory

A Religion of Swine

2009-03-29T19:04:00.000-07:00

As I read a magazine the other day, I came across an article concerning a local downtown church (I use that term lightly) who just changed their bylaws to accept anyone as a member in to their fellowship. This is another politically correct move in order for people to "accept" them as "good and progressive" people. The person being interviewed was a retired minister of the denomination which stated that this in a nutshell is the only logical and loving way to progress, and that as the "church" opens it's eyes, it will embrace this type of change. If we need an eye open, it would be to wake up and see the destruction of this church. The issue....allowing people from the GLBT community to become a part of the fellowship as members.
Friends, You must understand that God loves the GLBT community. Jesus died for their sin as well as my sin. Also understand that I love the GLBT community. The only difference is that I love them enough to tell them the truth. The truth that liberal theologians are attempting ( and quite successfully) to rewrite scripture, and teach that the GLBT lifestyle is NOT condemned by God and is quite okay in His eyes. This is how he created you! (which by the way has not been proven scientifically nor theologically) Unfortunately, in our society...if you tell a lie long enough, say it loud enough, and have the right people say it with you, if will become the truth. It will remain however, the same old lie. Sin...is still sin.
Another brief disclaimer. I believe that the church should be a place where everyone is welcome as long as they respect the event or service being held at the time. I welcome the GLBT community, the drug dealer, prostitute, robber, racist, adulterer, shriner, or even the all around good person in to our services. We all need to submit to God and live according to His word. However, when someone wants to be a member, the standard is and should be higher. One must first and foremost be a follower of Jesus and His teaching, and have made a commitment to be like Jesus. Holiness is a nasty word it seems in most churches these days, but that is what is required.Not perfection mind you, but a lifestyle of holiness and commitment. If it takes more to be a member at Sam's Club than it does your church....you do not have a church. You have a joint.
We in the Body of Christ need to be relational to our culture and our community. We need to engage society. We need to understand the time that we live in. Jesus however did not call us to be like the world in order to reach the world. He told us to be separate from the world. We should live different. People should know who we are by how we live. If you act like someone who does not believe, then you do not believe! You have nothing more that a religion of swine. Meaningless. Jonathan Edwards, an early American Pastor and evangelist was booted out of his church for suggesting that church members should be saved. Way to Go John! Jesus never suggested that we move left of center when the pressure is on. Yet the world and the perversion of the day wants us to continue to be "understanding" and "open" to where they are. You may compromise down here all you want my friend, but tell God when you stand before Him in the next life why He should not be so harsh and how He needs to embrace our lifestyles and be more flexible. I hope I am not there to see His reaction. I hope that I am on some assignment somewhere past the courtroom of Heaven. It will be tragic. If you are part of that church, or a part of the GLBT community, and you do not like what has been said, I do not apologize. You are offended by the Word of the Lord, not me. I am not your enemy. I am a preacher. I am a Christian. My advise to the members of this church is to get to higher ground where you are taught the Word, rather than political correctness, or vote the apostate leadership out of your ranks and pray for revival. My advise to the GLBT community is that God loves you, and wants you to live a new life. You cannot put new wine in old wine skins the Bible says. For both will be destroyed. I love you, and pray for you. Continue to pray for Nashville. In Jesus Name, Jory

Who Do You Represent

2009-03-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

Acts 4:13 (King James Version)

13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

It was a great movie. Recently, I watched "The Kingdom of Heaven". My favorite part was when the son had been given a parting blessing from his father, and recieved a sword, thus inheriting all the father owned. The part that got me excited was when the guy entered Jerusalem, and was surrounded by some rough looking guys. He grabbed the sword, and as soon as they saw it, they knew who he was. After quizzing the young man concerning his father, one of the rough looking characters retorted...."come with us my lord". WOW! Did you get that? They knew the sword, and knew what it meant. It carried with it authority, power, freedom, acceptance. Because this guy had the sword, they knew that his father had given him all that was his and it now belonged to him.

God has given us the same power. If we hold His sword high, and our lives are clearly a reflection of the father, and the authority He paid for and gave to us, more people will notice that we have been with Jesus. Pastor Jory

Refreshing

2009-03-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been around people that refresh you? I was able to experience that just last night. I have many times like that, but this one was special. It was at Applebys. I had an opportunity to meet some other members from the Body of Christ that has developed a group that truly loves and prays for each other asd well as other poeple. I watched them as they shared their lives with those who worked at the eatery, and with each other. Our prayer time was fresh and wonderful. These are things we may often miss if we just do church the way it is done in most places. You will never get deeper, if all you do is go to service, sit in a chair, hear the Word, shake a few hands, then go home. Never. I hope that they, as well as other groups across our great city continue the work of normal christian lives. Remember this..the Word, and a nice meal go a long way when you are with friends. That's refreshing. Challenge for the day....find someone to share life with. Pastor Jory

"We Could Have Been Rescued"

2009-03-05T19:35:00.000-08:00

Tragic news struck our lives this week with the reports of two NFL players lost at sea. Eventually searchers had to give up any hope of them being recovered. The third party on the boat did survive, and has shed light upon the final hours. It seems that human error was at fault as are many boating accidents. The ocean is unforgiving to all, and one mistake could cost you dearly. What was more compelling to me in the story was that at one time after the accident, a helicopter was spotted, but failed to see the wreckage and the frantic waves of the men. That is when the lone survivor made the statement had they had been seen, they would have been rescued.
Sadly our world and life is like that small boat in the ocean. We are spiritually shipwrecked and in trouble. We cannot save ourselves. It will take a miracle! Would your keen intellect, or education or reason save you if you were adrift at sea? How about your money? These guys were wealthy, but it did not help them. Your social pedigree? Not even your last name or upbringing can save you. You need a rescue party, and you need it now! Thankfully, there is one who can save, and He will see you and rescue you from stormy waters. You can be rescued.

What's Love Got to do With It?

2009-02-22T17:05:00.000-08:00

I was pondering the other day the simple words "I love You". Do you think that we use the word "Love" too much? "I love my china!" "I love coffee." "I love you!". I was with a friend from another area of the country a few months back, and as he was speaking to someone of the opposite sex, he uttered these words. Fair enough. However, a few weeks later with someone else of the opposite sex....once again, "I love you". Did I mention that my friend had been married before.....just a few times? Another question....is this phrase a fair assessment of what is going on, or is it used many times in our society to manipulate people to get our way or to give people warm fuzzes? If it is an honest gesture, then what is the definition of love in our culture? Is love an emotion only? Is love merely a byword we use for anything we desire instead of being honest and saying I "lust" for this or that? Lot of questions. Give me some of your ideas. As I sign off however, i wish to share with you what the Word says about this in 1 Corinthians. I will state just a few qualifications for the word....love...true love, is patient, kind, not self serving, gentle...remembers NO wrongs, etc. shall I go on? Look it up for your self....then answer the question again. Love you, Jory

Moving Day!

2009-02-06T18:02:00.001-08:00

I love to move. That is really not true...because the older I get, the less I like it! Moving continues to get harder and harder. But while pondering this last move, I thought of a few things to consider. As we moved, we had to get out most of our stuff that had been in storage for two years. To save space, I will just give you some bullit points of my move.
There are many reasons why people move. Most of it stems from the need to move. Sometimes we do not have a choice. We are forced to move. Maybe we move because of opportunity that requires the move. When we move however the following happens....
1. Sometimes it takes us moving to clean out all of the clutter.
2. We find stuff that we did not even know we had.
3. We find things that needed to be cleaned out and discarded.
4. We find broken things.
5. We find things that we had lost.
6. We realize that the old stuff does not fit in to the new location, or what you now need.
7. We find that we need help to move.

In the book of James, Chapter 1, it speaks to us that we need to take a good look at ourselves. When we examine our lives, we should know that moving to the next level will be painful, but very much worth it. Philippians also shares with us and Paul urged us to press toward the mark of the high calling of God. You may have broken things, you may have a room that no one is allowed to peek in to. That room has to be cleaned out if you want to move. You may find that you have stuff that you did not know you had. Giftings, and spiritual blessings that have been hidden among all that stuff. It will take a move to uncover it. Got to go for now. Love ya, Jory

p.s. tell me your moving horror stories, or your funnies. jh

Give me a break!

2009-01-29T19:21:00.000-08:00

If you are like me, you have at least one relative in your family that knows how to push your buttons. I am not about to tell you which one that is on this blog, but believe me I have one. And recently they were wearing the button out. The bible says that a gentle answer turns away wrath. I know this!!!! How is it though that I cannot remember to quote that when I am in overload, and just learn to keep my pie hole shut???? The good thing is that the Holy Spirit reminds me that my flesh is out of order, and lovingly POUNDS me over the head until I get the picture. So...like trying to put toothpaste back in to the container after it has been squeezed out....I apologize, and take my anger, and my attitude back to the cross. I am sure that none of you has this problem, but just in case... Know that kind words, even though hard sometimes or even not saying anything at all will always work in your favor. Better to walk away than to have to walk back for an apology. Something to ponder. Let me know your story or any comments that may help us all. Jory

The New Year. Not so New Stuff

2009-01-08T18:51:00.000-08:00

I am sooo glad that 2009 is here! I am very hopeful. (no...not because our new Prez says he has it. Hope.... may I remind you has never started with an "O"). I am greatful for another chance to do something BIG for God. Yes, we still have the same old stuff coming at us. economic difficulties.... Al Gore predicting the end of the world (even though there is ice and record lows in France even as I write)Elmo and Big Bird getting therapy and the list goes on. Though we still may be going through some things that seems to keep hanging on, things can change for the better very rapidly. Keep believing! which leads me to my blog thought.
Did you make any resolutions this new years? If so, throw them away! Instead of resolutions, I want you to set GOALS. Goals are attainable, practical, plan-able and chart-able. In order to have a goal, you must have a plan....be able to track and evaluate that plan, and see results. Let's say for example, loose weight. If you do not have a plan, you just have a dream. Desire, without design is a dream. Desire weight loss all you want, but if you do not change your habits, it will not happen. Secondly, Goals are different than fantasies. A fantasy is me being 46, overweight, not so good in math, and wanting to be an astronaut. Not happening. Fantasy. Doing a jazz album....loosing weight....attainable, goal worthy. Think about it. That's all for no. I have to go find my space suit. Jory

It Does not Make Sense!

2008-12-21T17:26:00.000-08:00

I don't get it. How God, the creator of the universe... could love you and I so much that He would take on human form (in the embodiment of Jesus Christ, born of a virgin)and become like us, in order to live a sinless life, die for our sin and rise again from the dead. I dont get it. I do not understand the whole God/Man thing. It is beyond me. Theology is man's attempt to figure it all out. But we really haven't. I do not understand the baby Jesus, wrapped in birthing clothes and laying in a sheep stall. I do not get the angles, and the sheperds and the wise men travelling for over two years, leaving their families to find a king. I cannot fathom a political leader that would kill every male child in his kingdom under two years old because he was afraid of this baby. Can't figure it.
But what I can figure and know is this....That this king, met me one day in a car with a beer in my hand and touched my life and made me a new man. This son of God did something that Buddhissm, hinduism, islam could not do. Make me new, raise me from the dead, and place a high purpose in my life. I have a wonderful family and awesome kids who are not on drugs, booze or missing. All because of this man. I ask you to look into the Christmas story, go beyond the logic, and recieve the God I have come to know. Merry Christmas. Jory Hire

Sick man

2008-12-14T15:34:00.000-08:00

I was deathly ill last night. It came on me fast and hard, sending me to the hopsital. I am much better now, but I welcomed death last night. I would like to thank all of those who prayed for me. I alo trust that you do not get this illness. Thank God for prayer and medicine. Jory

no touchy:part two

2008-12-14T15:17:00.000-08:00

Is this story not like our own lives? We keep wanting to touch things, or get in to things that are not good for us. As we pursue that which should be off limits, God will remind us that this folly will lead us down a wrong path. Yet we continue despite all of the warning signs. I meet people every day who made their own decisions, then blame others or even God on their difficult lives or how small the box is that they themselves have created.
If we ever want to reach our full potential in Christ, we must step away from the garbage can, and keep ourselves clean from the things that even other people have long since discarded. Then we will be walking in the right path. Do not despise the chastening of the Lord..the word says. Let him be your guide today, and do not otuch the trash can. Jory

No Touchy!

2008-12-08T19:40:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. I have been technically challenged recently. But Not to fear! I have a new computer! Thanks to generous supporters, I was able to make a laptop purchase. You guys are great! I will try to use it more often....no more excuses.
As I was travelling this past week on business, I observed a wonderful mom, with her two kids. One was a little girl of about three, and the other, a boy about five or so. Mom decided to stop prior to entering the store and give Missy some candy. As she unwrapped it, I noticed the boy (typical) searching in the trash can. As he grabbed a straw from a well used container of cola, his mom, steered his hand away gently, and reasoned with him that it was not acceptable as one could get some plague that might be fatal. As she went back to her original task, the young man (first born male child you know) went for the cup again. Again, mom wisked away Johnny's hand. Undeterred by this minor setback, Johnny went for the trash can lid to see what would happen. Another reminder of the unsanitary and dangerous nature of this venture. Then, in total defiance, Johnny began to touch everything on and around the trash can, and looked at mom as if to say, " I will do what I want to do!".
Okay....for all you parents out in blogger land...here's the question. How would you handle this?
a. not make such a big deal out of it, wash Johnny's hands real good real soon.
b. not make a big deal out of it, let him play in the stuff... Don't clean his hands...let Johnny get sick as a
pooch and remind him of his misconduct that day.
c. give Johnny a big swat on the behind, and let him know that you mean business
when you say NO and that you care very much about him, or you would not
discipline him at all.
d. give Johnny a good talking to, using large words and phrases like "pathogens"
that he does not understand.
e. none of the above.

Give me some feed back on this one, and I will write more later. Jory

A BIG Thanks!

2008-11-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

I want to thank all of you who participated in the fall fundraiser "The Armadillo Cafe". We raised enough money to purchase more equipment so that we will have a successful launch. Those who worked like slaves, and to those who donated, and cooked,cleaned,and decorated.... It would not have beem great without you! Living to Go Church has been a great support to us during this time, as our family has been blessed by the ministry. Please keep praying for us as we do a three month pre-launch for our church. If you wish to see photos of the event, you can go to our myspace page at www.myspace.com/newlife4thecity. Thanks again. Jory

Cost vs. Value

2008-11-12T18:08:00.000-08:00

If you know anything about economics, you may have heard the phrase cost verses value. In todays economy the value of the home that you are trying to seel may not be the cost of it. A wise person said your house is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it right now. An associate of mine and I were just speaking about one of his relatives who spent nearly four million dollars on their dream home in Florida. Today, the house is worth one million dollars.
Before I bum you out any further, I want us to focus on the price that was paid for our sin. The P&L statement on this one is huge! We get to profit from not only eternal life, but a great life here as well! Our loss is the guilt and stain and punishment of sin. We have traded a life of flesh for a life of spirit. This was done through the atoning work of grace on the cross when Jesus died, and rose again.
Look, we all love a bargain. Just ask a yard sale shopaholic. It would profit you greatly if you accepted the gift of salvation, or if you are already living in a relationship with Christ, to remember the price that was paid, and the rewards of obedience. No matter how you cut it, this is a great deal, and it keeps getting better. Jory

Make Your "Election" Sure!

2008-11-05T17:42:00.000-08:00

2 Peter 1:10
King James Version (KJV)
10Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

We have just had one of the most historical elections since the beginning of this country. Two minorities fought it out for their parties vote, then a man, with limited political knowledge and a mixed ethnicity took the White House. Proves that anyone can make it in this country if you put your mind to it. We need to pray for America, and pray for our new leader and his team.

The focus in 2 Peter however is on us. We need to be dilligent to make our "election" sure. What this means is that when we have decided to follow Christ, we have to "vote" or choose to serve Him and follow His teaching on a daily basis. We have to examine our motives, thoughts, actions, etc. One time is not enough! How many of you know that your wedding day was an event....but your vows are a life style and life commitment. Salvation is the same. We ask Christ in to our lives, but then we live with that decision by taking action to keep us on the right track.

Our election this week has lasting consequences and America will reap the harvest or fruit of that decision. So too with our spiritual lives, as we chose daily to make our lives pleasing to God, He will make sure that there will be no hanging chads on the day of judgement in our life. Shalom. Jory

Let Your "Election" Be Sure!

2008-11-05T17:39:00.000-08:00

Miracles Happen!

2008-11-02T10:36:00.000-08:00

A few years back, I was in a University level class when the professor made a snide comment concerning the Titans jersey I was wearing that day. I reminded him, seeing that thus was a biblical class, that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We all laughed and went on. Now look at us! 7-0!!! Hopefully 8-0 after today.
to some, this seems like a miracle of biblical proportions. May I remind you that the Seahawks made the big time a few years back.

If you think these are signs and wonders, just check out some biblical stuff. The blind eyes opened, lame walked, people raised from the dead. The important thing was this....that Christ said that we have the same authority today! If you struggle with sickness, do not believe that the "dispensation" of healing is over. God's Word does not change. He is willing and able to heal. He is willing to move on your behalf with your broken marriage. Whatever the case in your life, God wants to move and bring hope to your situation. Trust His word. It will be better than a great Titans season. Jory

The Armadillo Cafe' Fundraiser!

2008-10-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday November 16, 2008 @ 1:30 pm at the Armadillo Cafe'
located at Living to go Church Rivergate Parkway Goodlettsville, Tn
Cowboy Chili Supper with spicy cornbread, sweet tea and hot off the fire cobbler!
Cost: $7.00 adults
$5.00 kids 5-11
free for kids under 5!
Kid's meal includes Prairie Dogs and Sodbuster Taters. (hot dogs)
Come get a taste of the trail and assist in the Lift Nashville Fall fundraiser.
Must purchase tickets by November 13. All proceeds will go toward the purchase of equipment for the church plant. For additional info, call Pastor Jory at 615-859-4408. Thank you for your support!

Espresso Christians in a decaf world

2008-10-22T16:30:00.000-07:00

A Pastor friend of mine did a series on coffee a few months back that delved into the more spiritual aspects of this godly nectar. For the sake of time, I will not get in to many of his finer points, but I do want to ask us a question. It is this... How have we lost our ability to wake up the world? Social change has continually forced us to fit in to their mold, and has told us to "water down" our message and approach to living as a Christian. Many believers have become "decaf" christians and have no affect on the people around them. We are hot, brewed and smell good, but we have no bite. Espresso is a lethal dose of coffee and caffene that has intense flavor in a small package. Drink one, and you are good to go.
My prayer is that the church will "wake up" and smell the coffee! Be espresso! We must once again be salt and light to a dark world. Our approach should be bold. We should live life in such a way that everyone knows what we are about. Until then, we might as well call ourselves "decaf christians". That's all for now.... Got to go get more coffee. Jory

Bold Initiative

2008-10-15T15:55:00.000-07:00

I went to the park today to have a picnic with two of my kids. It was a great day weather wise, and a wonderful chance to unwind. As they played, I decided to go out on to the bridge that connects to an island in the lake and feed the ducks. As soon as I approached, ducks and geese had a feeling that I had something they wanted and started swimming like mad toward the bridge. As they scurried about fighting for the morsels I threw over the side, a funny thing happened. A lone duck took initiative and walked up on the bridge right beside me. It wanted more than just to fight for little morsels and act like the other ducks. It wanted a big blessing. It did not wait for the bread to land on the water, it went directly to the source of the bread. You can believe that he (or she) got all it needed!
That is how we should approach God.
There was a story from the bible about a blind man making a huge scene trying to get Jesus' attention. He screamed so loud that people were embarassed, and wanted him to keep quiet. But being blind he was unable to compete with the crowd. His initiative and boldness got Jesus' attention. Because of that, he left healed! We do not have to yell or scream today to get God's attention. He wants to bless us. The perscription for getting His attention is that we seek Him first, and humble ourselves. When we take the initiative and praise our way in to God's heart and seek him with our whole heart, He will supply abundantly. It took a duck to remind me of how a humble approach without trying to please or act like all of the other ducks, gets things done. Jory

Now That's Dedication!

2008-10-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

This past week was the college game of the season. Here in Nashville, it was 4-0 Vanderbilt(yea!) fighting for a historical victory over Auburn. If they won this one, it would be a 5-0 record that Vandy had not seen since the fourties (from my understanding of it.) I could not believe my eyes as I drove downtown around noon and saw all of the dedicated fans from both universities lining up to get in at five that evening. Black and gold outfits and bright orange were everywhere. I saw grown men who would probably not be caught dead in say a pink button down with a tie wear orange jumpsuits, with faces painted and carrying 9 foot tall AU flags. They were dedicated! I will not even get in to how much they spent on tickets or their driving time!
Imagine with me if you will this type of dedication, enthusiasm, and loyalty being channeled in to your spiritual lives. What would you see happen in your life, how deeper could you go and how would God be able to use you? Be careful though, because the same people that would have no problem with you having your face painted up like a tiger in public might just call you a religious freak or zealot if you have that kind of passion for the God who created you! They will have to get over it though, because I am going to passionatly pursue God with all I have. I hope that you do the same. It's like the old joke about chicken and pig sitting around in the barnyard, and chicken says to pig.. " you know, the farmer has been really good for us, lets make him a bacon and egg breakfast." Pig says to chicken.. "that's easy for you to say, all you have to do is contribute, I have to be committed." My parting questions to you are these....Where would you be in Christ if you started showing this kind of enthusiasm or passion in your life for God? Are the people around you just waiting for someone like you to ramp it up and really live deeper for God before they themselves change? Just something to ponder. Jory
p.s. Vandy won!

Our Mission

2008-09-28T16:32:00.001-07:00

Psalm 27:3-5 (New International Version
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.
4 One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.

Our mission at The Lift is simple. To declare the beauty of the Lord! In word, and in deed. I have spoken before that your orthodoxy (what you believe) and your orthopraxy (what you do) must line up. If you say one thing, yet do another, you are blowing smoke and lying to yourself. I desire to live what I preach. Declaring the beauty of the Lord in my attitudes, and actions. May I ask a question of you that I ask myself? Where do you run in the day of trouble? If it is not in to His tabernacle (the presence of God) then how can God keep us safe? And conversly, how can we declare the beauty of the Lord when we do not show that beauty when we are facing difficulties? One thing I know for sure, people watch how you react to stressful situations. Many times I believe God for the big things, yet get all fleshed out in the small stuff! Shame on me!! The Bible says that he who keeps his mind stayed on God (keeping Him mindful and in the center of your thought life) will be in perfect peace. That is truly beautiful. With the economy acting all crazy, and gas lines in Nashville likened to the eighties gas shortages, we need some beauty in our lives. We need peace. My encouragement to you today is to find peace and hope in Jesus Christ. He is the answer for all your problems, and will truly bring peace during life's storms. Jory

Our

2008-09-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

Lift Info Update

2008-09-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

Just a small update on how things are going. We are still waiting on God's timing for a full launch of the church in the Midtown area of Nashville. God is calling folks from other areas of the country to move here to assist. Praisn' God for that! Also, I will introduce more officially our Children's ministry Pastor, Billie Thompson at a later date. She is awesome. It seems that as we launch God will have provided an entire staff (non-paid, by the way) to start with. Many people that I have interviewed and all of the studies that I have done both academically and on the side, is that three problems occur when launching a church work. Everyone I speak with wishes that they had had more leaders to launch with, more solid direction, and more money. I believe that we have clear direction and focus on what needs to be done. I believe that our organization is moving in the right direction. However, it is the cash flow that is the biggest lack at this time. I do know that in God's time He will provide! Our first priority financially is the purchase of quality a/v and sound equipment. These are important components to empower the vision for downtown. Keep praying with us that funding will come in and we can move on. Love ya guys, Jory

Above the Turmoil

2008-09-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

While on a cross training weekend with the Columbus, Ohio Police Department, I had the opportunity to go on duty with the sky patrol division, or what I will call "chopper cops". These folks are great, and in my opinion, have the coolest job in law enforcement. During a normal shift, these cops go on many calls offering air support with high powered lights, and ifra-red cameras. Scene after scene we would offer support for the "ground troops". You would see Police Dogs, and Officers everywhere, with shotguns and rifles and pistols out, looking for the bad guys. Mass chaos seemed to be happening down below, though we could not hear all that was happening. We were a part of the turmoil but we were above it all. Our perspective was much different. We could see the whole scenario, not just parts of it, yet were not affected by the chaos.
Life happens! Is your life out of control, or are you experiencing mass pandemonium in your life? Christ wants to give you a new perspective on the situation. You may still be in adversity, but if you stop, and ask Christ to help you in your time of adversity, He will give you a new view of it. Through Christ, you will be able to rise above the turmoil. If you would like to share about a time that God has given you one of those moments where you were above the turmoil, write us. If you need help, feel free to e-mail me or give me a call at 615-859-4408. We will be happy to pray with you. Pastor Jory

9/11

2008-09-17T17:06:00.000-07:00

I know that the date is not 9/11, but I have been pondering the event that happened a few years back in rememberance of the day the towers fell. I can only imagine what it must have felt like in contrast to Pearl Harbor being destroyed by at that time another enemy of America. I was with the police department at the time, and happened to be in dispatch when the buildings were hit. It was tragic!
In view of this event, I want to ask you a question. Has an enemy crashed into your "tower" and destroyed it? Has something come in to your life and stole your dream, or crushed a part of you that seemingly can never be rebuilt, because the damage is so devastating? Has your life been "crashed" in to? What ever your tower, I want you to know that Jesus cares about the hurts in your life, and he wants to rebuild the desolate places in your life. If you allow him to, though there seems to be way to much rubble, and destruction, He will restore that 911 in your life. No, you might not get your marriage back, or the job you lost, but God will open doors and heal the hurt. In New York, they had to go all the way down and replace everything from the foundation up. That may happen in your life, but if your foundation is the Lord, He will build something that all will be impressed with, and you will not be dissapointed. If you need help after a 911, give me a call, and we will seek the advice of the Master Builder. Jory

Missing Out

2008-08-31T07:48:00.000-07:00

I heard of a story of a man that was considered the wealthiest person in the large town where he resided. He was successful in politics, and business, and had a large estate in the most exclusive "old money" part of town. The problem is that the man did not live there. Neither did he involve himself in politics, or business, or family life. He did not invest his money, nor help others with it.Instead, he was living life as a homeless drunk. Alcohol had consumed him due to a breakdown and depression in his life. I truly hurt for the man.
Did you know that we are the same as him? According to the Bible, we have access to many spiritual and physical blessings that we are not taking advantage of for one reason or another. Reasons like self ...pride, being afraid of change...being content. Or other things like addictions that harm us or attitudes that prevent growth. My challenge for all of us is to move back in to the provision and blessing of God, There is more for you than you have experienced. It's not about going to church on Sunday and being good. There is so,so much more. It's time to move home. Jory

Bitter Roots

2008-08-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 12:14-16 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness —without it no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many.

Hebreos 12:14-16 (La Biblia de las Américas)
14Buscad la paz con todos y la santidad, sin la cual nadie verá al Señor.
15Mirad bien de que nadie deje de alcanzar la gracia de Dios; de que ninguna raíz de amargura, brotando, cause dificultades y por ella muchos sean contaminados;

Swahili New Testament (SNT)
14Tafuteni kwa bidii kuwa na amani na watu wote, na utaka tifu, ambao bila kuwa nao, hakuna mtu atakayemwona Bwana. 15Angalieni sana mtu ye yote asishindwe kupata neema ya Mungu, na muwe waangalifu pasizuke chuki ambayo, kama mmea wenye sumu, inaweza kukua ikaleta matatizo na kuwachafua wengi.

Hébreux 12:14-16 (Louis Segond)
14Recherchez la paix avec tous, et la sanctification, sans laquelle personne ne verra le Seigneur.
15Veillez à ce que nul ne se prive de la grâce de Dieu; à ce qu'aucune racine d'amertume, poussant des rejetons, ne produise du trouble, et que plusieurs n'en soient infectés;

It may seem odd to you that I placed a scripture verse at the beginning of the blog, and in different languages. I wanted to make sure that more people got this thought besides english speaking folks.
A few years back, I was in my lovely home in Ohio (go Buckeyes) when all of a sudden, my basement sprung a leak. Well, not a leak, per-se, more like a waterfall! When I located the source, it happened to be my main water line coming in from the well that fed from the underground spring. (can someone say....free water?) My guys and I sat out to repair the problem which required the three of us to remove a large shrub, and dig half the day down six or so feet to the entrance point of the home. It was hard work, but we finally made it. To our surprise, the cause of the problem was that a large root from the shrub that we removed had wrapped itself around the fresh water line, and cracked it in two, causing the damage. The root prevented us from having fresh water.

A root of bitterness, and unforgiveness works the same way. It will cut off the fresh wellspring of life preventing a flow of newness to come in to your house. My challenge for us today is to not allow bitter things to take root in our lives. If we do, it will just get worse. The longer you allow it to grow, the harder it will be to dig down in to the ground and get rid of it. Let the fresh water flow again in your life. Jory

Living for the moment

2008-08-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

As My Family and I watched the Olympics, and observed some of our guys and gals recieving the gold medals that they had won, I used the time as an opportunity to reflect upon my life, as well as use it as a teaching moment for my kids. I reminded them that these atheletes were the best of the best, but that it did not happen overnight. I told them that the summer games only happened every four years, and that most of these people have dedicated their entire lives to live for this few days of competition. I heard on a radio broadcast a few weeks ago that the average gymnast spends over eighty thousand dollars to be trained! For these families, nothing else mattered. It was all about 2008. No activity, thought, trip, desire stood in the way of the one shot that they would have to make the team. Nothing!
My hearts desire is to have that level of desire for what God wants to do in my life! No other goal can compete. No award can take the place of the gold medal Christ has for me. Once I put this as my priority, I find many things that I do can be discarded to make room for what is important. Like Paul in the book of Phillipians, I am finding things that I now consider rubbish in order to press toward the prize. May I make the team, and finish well, and may I meet you there as well. Jory

Love at first sight?

2008-08-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the old saying "things are not always what they seem"? It is very true. I on more than a few occasions have gone to a vending machine and pushed the button for a certain soda, and received something totally different. Lynne and I were driving down the road the other day, and saw a nice Jeep for sale, and was boasting a low price. It looked good initially, but upon closer inspection, and a different view of the Jeep that we did not see from the road, we discovered the reason for the low price. The whole left side was caved in! Seems that the Jeep had a date with a tree in the woods, and it did not go too well. A few thoughts that I pondered about that moment.
1. You get what you pay for. Usually if you want quality, it will cost you. Excellence is expensive. I can buy a $10 watch that works, or I can order a $160k watch that takes 2 years to build by hand just for me. In our spiritual life, it is the same. Pay the price for excellence with God. You cannot have a "Billy Graham" life with a "Billy Bob" prayer life. (sorry Billy Bob)
2.Look harder, get a new perspective. It pays to get a new angle on things. Look at stuff differently. Look closer in to a matter. Chances are, if you do, you will see things in a different way, and new information will be found. Spiritually... we need God's perspective on stuff rather than using our human eyes and intelligence. We also need Godly counsel from other people. My wife has kept me out of some dingers with her "woman's perspective" on things. More later. Be blessed. Jory Hire

Working On it!

2008-08-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

Remember my last post? Well.... I am trying to get our podcast going, but am having some issues. Yes...I have asked for help, but not of our great minds have figured it out yet. Once I am up, it will glorious. Thanks for your patience. Jory

OS...PS...APPLE What??

2008-08-08T08:52:00.000-07:00

As many of my friends know, I am not that great of a computer wiz. I am certainly what most would call an "end user". If it is working, I am good. If not, call my brother, even son....not me. But it does not take rocket science to figure this one out.

In an attempt to do some upgrades (yes...on my own. don't tell my wife) I started downloading some software that I thought would be useful. That is when I got this wonderful pop-up icon that stated..."warning...this program is not compatable with your operating system. The continuation of this download could cause problems with your computer." Now, I heeded that advise, because it made sense. But how many of you have had this happen and still downloaded the software, later to regret it?

In our spiritual lives, we try to do the same. You see the Bible states that if we are in Christ (those who accept the message of the bible and live according to it's teachings, believing on Jesus) you are a new creature. Ergo, we have a new operating system! So, what happens when you try to use the old operating system? One word....CRASH. Don't act so surprised when you are having a "slow down" or a malfunction when you have incompatable software running. You cannot act or live like the world or your old self and get away with it. We must do a system check and clean out our hard drive. Optimize your faith by filtering everything through the Word of God. Do not download stuff that opens your i.p. adress to all kinds of viruses and incompatabilities. If you are operating with the old system (a life of sin and seperation from God) UPGRADE NOW! you were not designed to operate like you do. Do not try to patch things up. God wants to give you a whole new system. Think on these things. Jory

A record harvest In your life

2008-08-03T14:27:00.000-07:00

I was speaking to a friend the other day who told me an amazing story that I would like to share with you. He was speaking to a farmer who let him know a bit about farming. Most of us think that the hard work is bringing in the harvest. Not the case though. The hard work is all of the prep time, getting the soil right, and choosing the right seed. You will not have a great harvest, if you do not have great prep work or average seed. The farmer told him that he and his family decided that they would plant their whole farm with corn last year. The also decided to go ahead and spend the extra cost in buying a really expensive seed and see what happened. Come harvest, they brought in four times as much corn as the yeild before! That also meant four times as much profit!
The question for us today...me included is "what kind of seeds are we planting in our lives ?" Do we expect fantastic result yet use cheap seed, and limited prep time on the "soil " of our lives? An ancient text once read "what ever a man sows, that he will also reap." Do you think that this applies to our physical lives, marriage etc. as well as spiritually, or is this just about corn? Let me know your thoughts. Pastor Jory Hire

Where is your Focus?

2008-07-27T16:27:00.000-07:00

Many of you may know that I was involved in law enforcement as a chaplain a few years back. Over the course of time you hear stories. This one that I am about to share is one of my favorites. I was listening to a K-9 officer tell me of how they train drug dogs. They find a litter of puppys, and throw a drug filled tennis ball in to the room. The dog that pays more attention to the ball is the one they select to train. Simple, right? After years of being trained with tennis balls laced with various drugs, a dog can sniff out an asprin! A nearby department decided one day to do a random drug search at a local school. As the dog walked through the parking lot, he about came unglued and "hit" on a particular car. The officer notified the principle, and the car's owner was identified. Pulling him out of class, the officers grilled him about what was in his trunk, and vowed that if he co-operated, it would go better for him. The student denied everything, and was even in tears suggesting his innocence. But upon opening the trunk expecting a solid drug find because the dog was always right, officers were shocked to find that the car was filled not with drugs.....but tennis balls. The kid was the school's star tennis player!
What happened that day is a mirror image of most of our lives. Somewhere along the line, we loose our focus and forget what is really important. You may have met all of your educational goals, and family seems to be doing pretty well. Your job might even give you a great amount of satisfaction. But if you neglect your spiritual life, you will miss out on how God wants to operate in your life. Remember, it is not about what you do, but rather who you are becoming that is important. We must keep our focus on becoming more like Jesus, and not allow the "tennis balls" of life to distract us. Pastor Jory

The Marks of a believer

2008-07-25T12:13:00.000-07:00

Should a Christian be different? That is my thought for today. The reason is that I spoke to a guy the other day who said he was "saved" (a term used in the church to signify that you are a follower of Jesus Christ) but I had my doubts. The reason for that doubt is that this man drank alcohol daily, and got drunk on a regular basis (Ephesians 5:18). He smoked tobacco (1 Thessalonians 5:22 / 1 Corinthans 6:19), had sexual relations with various partners (Romans 1:29), hit the clubs, and cursed like there was no tomorrow (Ephesians 4:29). These are his good points! What he is in denial about is that his religion is not Christianity, but rather a religion of self. Sin has separated him from the truth of who he really is! Colossians Chapter3 clearly advises us that we as "believers" must put away such things. If we do not show a difference in our lives, then we present no hope to fallen man. Our lifestyle (orthopraxy) has to match up with who we say we are (orthodoxy), and what the bible says that we should be or you are just dreaming about being a follower of Christ. If we are to be saved, we are saved through grace, and the mercy and blood of Christ alone, but that does not mean that we can float along and act any old way we want once we claim that salvation and confess Christ. The Word says that not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" will enter in to heaven. I can say that I am a mechanic, and live in a garage, but I am not a mechanic unless I can fix things! Being in a McDonald's does not make me a happy meal, neither does saying that you are something you are not. The proof is in the fruit. Today, remember that people are watching, and are looking for hope. Give them what they are looking for. Pastor J.

A Look Back

2008-07-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

You may or may not know some of these names from history…. George Whitfield, Charles Spurgen, A.A. Torrey or William Clowes. However I find it very interesting to read about these great people, who were really ordinary folks that God used in their time. In reading a book called “Great Revivals. When God moves in Power”, I came across an interesting passage that I feel touches on where we are as a city and as people committed to God. Here it is….
“there often seems to be a wide spread spirit of dissatisfaction among those God is preparing for what He is about to do. the heart of a man begins to cry out to God for spiritual certainties, for fresh visions. From a faint desire this multiplies as it widens, until it becomes a vast human need; until in it’s urgency it seems to beat with violence at the very gates of heaven.” (75)
Before the great 1858 revival in America, things seemed destined to fail. No one wanted to go to church and it seemed that the church was quite okay with it. They had, for the most part become complacent, and ineffective. But there was a few who were not happy with how things were going. They did something different. They took risk. Most of all, they prayed. Because of a few; Revival did happen, and the very nature of society changed. Over 250,000 people accepted Christ in New York city alone! Brothels closed, gambling almost ended, and the crime rate went down.
I believe that this is where we are in Nashville. It is time to “look back” then look forward to what we can accomplish in the city. Change can occur! Lives can be restored! Communities of believers can once again make a difference in society. The Lift is a part of this move.
So. What say you? Do you sense that a new front is on the horizon? Maybe you stumbled into this blog. Do you believe that God hears you, and even cares about what is going on in the world, or that there even is a God? Let me know. Peace, Jory

A Full meal, or just a snack?

2008-07-06T16:07:00.000-07:00

I have been pondering a statement that I came across yesterday. The statement was this...
"There is a difference between having an appetite, and being hungry." Now, most of us can relate (at least those with some extra weight) that many times we are not really hungry. True, there are many in America that are truly hungry and need our help, but not on the scale of say India, or many countries in Africa. They know hunger! Most of us however, have been blessed with rarely missing a meal, and it shows. What we have is an appetite! Most of us eat, not to live, but because the food taste good. One of my favorite things on the planet is a black bean veggie burger and a spinach salad with fries (okay...so two outta three ain't bad) from Chili's. Trust me, if one were offered to me, I would probably scarf it down, hungry or not. Why? Appetite. We are truly blessed in this country to have the ability to eat like we do. But our appetite will kill us if we do not change it. We in the south love fried foods! I get a pavloivian reaction every time I smell a wood fire and get weak in the knees thinking about grilling some salmon or brisket!
Appetite.
So, now that you are picking up some chop sticks and dipping some sushi in that hot green stuff (yea, I know what it is) chew on this.... What of our spiritual life? How many of us go get our church fix on because it seems like the right thing to do, yet leave the service unchanged, and unchallenged? Do we pray just enough, live our live just good enough, give offerings and to charity just enough to ease our appetite spiritually and think that all is okay? Doing the right thing is not good enough! Our lives will never make sense spiritually until we replace our spiritual appetite with a true hunger for God. Jesus is not a weekend friend. The challenge in our lives is that we must be consumed with wanting more of God. When you are truly hungry, that is all you can focus on. The aching in your gut does not allow other stuff in. That is where I want to be in Christ. My desire to know more of Him consumes me! No, I do not live in a commune, I realize that we must function in our daily lives, but what I am saying is that we must be passionate to pursue the working, leading and presence of God in our lives. 24/7/365. Only then will we truly see what God has for us.
Do you think that is too radical? If so, I want to say to you...give me a break! I have travelled around a few places in this world. I have studied Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Islam, and many other "isms" and in each case I see one factor that is consistent to true believers of their faith....discipline. You will bust your rear to get to yoga class or study tai-chi and God help you if you miss Oprah's web cast with Ekhart Tollie, so don't tell me that the idea of being a radical christian is too hard or "over zealous". God wants us to have so much more in our lives. More power, more destiny, more blessing, more answered prayer. It only comes through being hungry. My prayer today is that you and I develop a hunger for God in 2008 like never before and stop playing with religion and develop a relationship with Christ. Only he can fill the gap in your life. Get hungry! Jory

Stopping the Flow

2008-07-05T08:11:00.001-07:00

I went to a mall the other day, and while searching for a place to park, I saw quite a bit of water shooting out from the ground right under a stop sign. It appears that the engineers installed the sprinkler system, than someone came along afterward, without thought of the underground installation and drove the sign right through the pipe. The result was obvious. The water did not flow where it was supposed to. It was waisted. I know this is a short little piece, but some of the best lessons are milled over in your own mind. The question to ponder….can something, or do you have something in your life that stops the flow of spirituality, creativity, progress in your life? Let me know!