Love God, Love Others

I recently received a forward email from a group of friends that was really disappointing. Here is the email and my response. And yes I still love them :)

[the email]
I didn't watch this, but this article about the Rick Warren presidential forum was interesting:http://www.gopusa.com/theloft/?p=760

How an evangelical like Warren can side with Obama is beyond me...But per this article author, that's the way she interpreted what she saw... If Rick Warren is for that pro-baby killer, I'm not interested in anything else he has to say....He's said all he needs to say... TL

PS If McCain picks a pro-baby killer for his veep, he ain't gettin' my vote either.He's already p!$$ed me off with his pro-illegal immigration stance, but he'll step way over the line if he goes pro-'Choice' for VP.He's a really old 72 - I doubt that he'll last 4 years. So his veep choice is really important to me too....I'll go for that Constitution Party guy (I don't even know his name, but I'll find out if I have to) before McCain if he picks a 'Choicer'...

[my response]
Good morning friends,

I am concerned about the content of any email that is part of the Christian community and carries such critical and judging language. For so long the Church of Jesus Christ has pretended to be perfect and point fingers at the not perfect and the non-Christian community. If we all were truly honest with each other…the reason that we came to faith in Christ is because of our brokenness and need for the Master. The church community as we know it carries a hypocritical tag simply because we think we have arrived and the rest of the world...well you get the picture. We have grown up reciting, teaching, and even leading John 3:16. We have proclaimed that “God so loved the world” from the roof tops but forgot the second greatest commandment…”Love your neighbor”.

What saddens me is that we have failed to read on in the Gospel of John…particularly John 3:17. John 3:17 is clear “God did not come into the world to judge the world but save the world”. If the master “Jesus” did not come to judge the lost but save them then what right do we have. We have no authority to judge someone else or their motives (Matthew 7:1). Does that mean that we should not be responsible and form a Biblical world view? I think not! God has given us the Holy Spirit for discernment and the freedom to choose. When we lash out and speak negatively about a person, a group (Ephesians 4:29), point fingers (Luke 6:42) as the body of Christ I believe we miss the mark that God has called us to follow.

In conclusion agree or disagree with Obama, McCain or even Rick Warren…let’s work out our differences between ourselves and God. What if we began to pray for people instead of judging and condemning people? What if we began to pray for our leaders? What if we simply trust God “who is absolute” with the next presidential office. What if?

Check out this link http://www.theworkofthepeople.com/index.php?ct=store.details&pid=V00244

Pastor Joe

Teens Engage in Sexting

A funny picture or a flirty message on your phone may seem innocent enough, but what is your teen really saying when they send a text."Teenagers are having sex by the phone, sending flirty messages, meeting up to have sex," says 16 year old Rochellie Garcia."

On the one hand it can be kind of fun to get an erotic message over your email or on the phone," says Certified Sex Therapist Joyce Joseph. "But on the other hand none of that is really safe or private."It's known to teens as sexting, and though it doesn't always lead to a physical act, Joseph says it can confuse teenagers emotionally."

They're experimenting with sex but they aren't integrated in a holistic way that would be better for their self-esteem if they really understood what love was," says Joseph.

Teens who text may not have the chance to discuss those feelings with an adult, because one of the appeals of sexting is the ability to hide the behavior from parents. "I don't wanna talk on the phone that much, because my mom will ask me questions," says a teenage boy. "So I just text people.""It's your phone, it's your own private business," says 16 year old Mackenzie Hamblin. "So if you want to do that stuff go ahead."

Privacy may be part of the appeal, but what many teens don't realize is how easily the message or pictures they send can be forwarded to dozens of unwanted recipients."All you gotta do is take it and send it out, thinking it's funny," says Garcia. "But the boys you're sending it to can take it and put it on MySpace or put it somewhere where everyone can see it."

Last week former American Idol hopeful Colin Leahy made national news when he was arrested for sending sexually explicit text messages to a 12 year old boy. A situation Joseph says teens need to be aware of, and prepared to report. "If you've asked them to stop and they don't stop, and or the message is offensive to you, then you need to immediately act and block that number," says Joseph.

And as technology continues to change the ways teens can communicate, Joseph says parents need to monitor who their teens are talking to, and more importantly what they are talking about."It's really important that parents sit down and talk to their teenagers and help them to develop the emotional and intimacy skills," says Joseph. "So that when and if they are ready to be sexual that they are much more balanced."

Inside My Weekend

Friday
Worked out
Worked online making arrangements for a weekend getaway
Left at noon for Kennedy Space Center
At Arby’s on the way
Bought season passes for the family to KSC
Walked through a space shuttle – really cool
Checked in to the Country Inn
Swam for an hour or so in the pool
Was up late AAU basketball boys running the halls until 12:30am

Saturday
Slept in until 9:00
Jumped in the pool
Had a hot breakfast (eggs, sausage, toast)
Left for KSC
Road Shuttle Launch Experience
Had a Cubin Sandwich for lunch
Toured the rest of KSC
Went to Ron Jon’s Surf Shop (coco beach)
Saw 3 sharks
Picked up food from Publix
Dinner at the hotel
Crashed

Sunday
Slept in until 9:30

My anniversary :)
Hot breakfast (waffles, eggs, bagel, bacon)
Toured Ron Jon’s properties
Went to Ron Jon’s water park
Left for home
Unpacked
Watched Discovery Channel (shark week kick-off)
Crashed

Pastor Joe

Inside My Weekend

Friday
Worked out
Delivered food to a group of students (world changers)
Rested the rest of the day and hung out with the family.
Watched Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest

Saturday
Worked in the yard
Prepped the pool
Worked around the house getting ready for mom
Went to a birthday party
Had an allergic reaction to shrimp
Picked mom up at the airport in Orlando at 9:05
Got home at 12:10

Sunday
Up early
Worship with the family
Lunch with the staff at the Verde’s home
Hung around the pool most of the afternoon
Home to rest for a few hours
Pre-Marriage session with a couple
Crashed

Pastor Joe

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight easily becomes the greatest superhero movie of all time. This is really hard for me to say since I am a SUPERMAN fan through and through. The movie shows a riveting performance by Heath Ledger playing the role of the Joker.

Christopher Nolan, Christian Bale and Heath Ledger together craft the most unique, eerie, and enjoyable villain to date. The Joker's role in the movie fits into the puzzle so perfectly, as he just drops in with no indication of how or why he came to Gotham City. But nonetheless, Heath's role only plays a small part in the grand scale of this movie.

Unlike the predictions for this movie, the Joker was not the main focus throughout the film. Batman has just as big of a role as the Joker, as well as Harvey Dent and Commissioner Gordon.

The movie puts each character as the main focus throughout different parts of the film. One second you think this character is the threat; the next second is another character. But the movie had one big plot that came solemnly from the Joker. He was just trying to prove a point, that anyone can become corrupt. Hence the line "You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the hero." And that is exactly what The Dark Knight sticks to.

From the opening scene to the final film credit I found myself on the edge of my seat! My trip home was stellar. Every expectation, emotion, and superhero hype was meant and far exceeded!

Go see this movie; it is more worth your ticket cost than any other movie this year.

Pastor Joe

Inside MY Weekend

Friday
Worked out
Day off turned into a work day (focused on 24.7 budget and team apps)
Listened to several new podcast (180 in Tulsa)
Designed video for Memorial Service (Luke Webb)

Saturday
Mowed my yard
Prepped the pool
Picked up Ron
Loaded gear for Memorial Service
Memorial Service for Luke Webb (4 year old boy) was at the Vero Beach Inn at 2:00
Nice pasta dinner at the house (thanks Summer)
Worked on the new 24.7 building with Ron until 10:30

Sunday
Up early (yikes)
Prepared for world changers
Picked up world changers at local school (group of 9)
Best worship (music) that I have experienced at Lakeside since the merge
Pastor spoke on the game of life (the Rich Young Ruler)
Served lunch to world changers
Visited home site where world changers are working this week
Home to rest for a few hours
Pre-Marriage session with a couple
Crashed

Pastor Joe

Superman Collection

In 1990, I began a journey that has lasted now almost 19 years. I was in a small city in the heart of east Tennessee when over the radio I heard “Superman is dead”! The first thing that came to my mind was “NO WAY” Superman can’t be dead! The marketing add worked and that weekend I went out and bought the death comic of superman. The rest is history!

For the last 18+ years I have been collecting anything superman and now have over 750 pieces in my collection and growing. Most of this collection is in cases and stored away in closet for protection from sunlight, etc.

The first of the year we signed up at the local library to display our collection. We were given a large display case in the entrance and a glass case to side of that. We loaded up and Colin, myself and one of our students (Rebecca) displayed 200 pieces of our collection for our friends and community.

Our collection will be on display and the Sebastian North County Library for the month of July. Here are a few pics we took the day we set up.

One day I am sure that I will pass my collection on to my son.

Pastor Joe