A Hug...

I have recently been talking to a lot of hurting people. Some people in financial need, some people going through difficult circumstances, some people who have been hurt physically, some people who have bee hurt emotionally, and some people who have made unwise choices and now reaping the consequences. Part of who Christ has made is is to truly care about those I come in contact with. When each person has told me all the pain they are facing, my heart has truly broke for them. They are trying to make sense of what has happened to them and looking for hope.

In almost every case, when they are truly hurting, I have noticed something. A hug can turn a hopeless situation into the beginnings of the solution. There is something about a hug from a friend or loved one that helps. It is comforting. It is peaceful. It is a feeling of being safe. When you are being hugged, you feel protected from the outside world. It lets others know you care about what is going on with them. It helps them see there is hope.

I am not perfect, but I am trying daily to be more like Christ. So just as He brings me comfort when I need it, I will strive to bring others comfort when they need it.

He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
-2 Corinthians 1:4

May you be hugged when needed, and may you hug when needed.

In Christ,
jon walton

A Handshake...

One night not long ago, my son wanted some crackers for a bedtime snack. The crackers he wanted was for a baby shower that my wife was going to the next day, so we told him he couldn't have them. Disappointed, he hung his head and just sat at the table. I felt sorry for him and said, "Tell you what buddy, if there are any left, mommy will bring them home and you can have them tomorrow night for a snack." He immediately perked up, ran over to me and stuck his hand out for me to shake. A bit perplexed and amused I asked "What's this?" Through a laughing breath my son replied, "We made a deal. We need to shake on it." I did and that was enough. He trusted that what was spoken would happen just from that simple gesture.

I remember when there was a certain amount of trust among almost everyone in that way. A handshake was all you needed to know that what ever was said would happen. It didn't matter if you knew the person or not. If you shook on it, it was going to happen. People had a general trust granted to each other. But something happened to me the other day that made me realize just how far our society has gotten away from that level of trust between people.

As I was leaving Wal-Mart, an elderly lady was checking out in front of me. I had only a few items, and she had several. It was cold, snowing, and the wind was brutal. I simply asked her as she was paying for her items, "Ma'm, can I help you load your groceries in your car?" Now, I said this in as caring of a voice as I could, but the look on her face would have said otherwise. She looked at me as if I had just threatened to take her money, steal her car, and leave her for dead. The young man at the cash register didn't help matters either. Bewildered he looked at me like I had just screamed profanity at the Pope. She assured me quite fervently, "NO! I can do it just fine. In fact, my husband is waiting for me!" I smiled and said, "Ok, God Bless." The cashier just gave me a mean stare as he rang up my items and I paid. As I went out, I watched this elderly lady walk to the end of the parking lot and load her groceries by herself.

Have we really gotten that un-trusting of other people? That we can't even offer help that people don't think you are taking advantage of them?

I don't know about you, but I am going to keep offering help. I may get strange looks, people may continue to turn me down. But no matter what, I will be as much like Christ as I can. I will always offer help.

In Christ,
jon walton

The Long Walk...

I'm not sure why, but Isaiah (my son) has recently be showing a lot of disobedient behavior. I'm not sure if it is a "phase" or if he is beginning to test the limits we have placed on him. Now, don't get me wrong, he is great most of the time, but there are a few things that we just will NOT allow to slide.

For example, last week he told me that he wanted to take a blanket and stuffed animal to school with him for nap time. I thought to myself, "A blanket maybe, but a stuffed animal?" So I asked him "Isaiah, did your teacher tell you that you could bring a stuffed animal, or do you just want to?" He insisted that she had said they could, so I told him plainly: "We'll take it, but I will go with you and ask your teacher. If she says she didn't say you could bring it and you have lied to me, you will be in trouble. Are you sure she said you could bring a stuffed animal?" He still persisted that it was ok.

As we entered his classroom, I asked again if he was sure. The reason I was being so cautious is because lying was something he had started doing. This was behavior that is not tolerated. It is always punished. He still persisted that it was allowed. I asked the teacher if it was allowed and sure enough she informed me that a stuffed animal was not allowed. I looked down at my son and he looked back up with a half scared, half mad face. I excused us from his teacher and told him to follow me. He did, although it was slowly. We walked down the hall a few feet to the bathroom. I walked to the last stall and turned around to see Isaiah very slowly walking toward me. He had already started crying, his bottom lip protruding out from his upper lip.

As I watched him walk to me, I remembered that I had walked that walk with my dad as well. When I knew I had done wrong and knew discipline was coming. I have also walked that walk with God. Times that I was knowingly disobedient and did what I wanted to do instead of what God has commanded. Its a long walk to that last stall in the bathroom. It reminded me of this verse:

for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in. - Proverbs 3:12

I'm reminded of why my dad disciplined me, of why I discipline my son, and why God is still disciplining me when necessary. Because my dad loves me, I love my son, and God loves me.

May God discipline you when you need it. May you have to take that long walk. And may you learn not to have to take it again.

In Christ,
jon walton

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Excited...

We have a dog given to us from a great friend. The dog, Sister Rosemary, is a female Malta-poo. (Half Maltese, half Poodle.) She has turned out to be a great family pet. She is very loving, she doesn't mess in the house even when left for long periods of time, and she loves to play which is great for our son.
Rosy gets super excited when we come home. She is barking, wagging her tail, and there isn't a chance she will stop shaking for a good 10 minutes. As soon as we enter she is running, jumping, and doing everything she can to show us just how happy she is that we have come home.
At first this little display was a bit annoying, however after considering why she is doing what she is doing, it really is an honor. She is showing how happy she is to see us. Why? Because she loves us. She is looking forward to playing, getting petted, getting feed, in short: having all her needs met, both physical and emotional.
It made me think this morning, "If I believe Jesus can meet all my needs, both physical and emotional, am I as excited to meet with Jesus as Rosy is to meet with me?"

What about you? Are you excited to meet with Jesus? Excited enough to run around?

In Christ,
jon walton

Taking Care of Those Who Don't Deserve It...

I just had to take my dog, Daisy (a Jack Russell Terrier), to the vet the other day. She had gotten bit by something and the wound just wasn't healing properly. In fact, it was getting worse. The vet said she would need to have the wound washed out daily, medicine applied daily, and she would need to be on antibiotics for about 2 weeks. Total cost of the visit and medicine: $116. I looked at Daisy and said, "That's more than I paid for you 10 years ago, dog." Daisy just looked up at me, wagged her tail as if to smile and say, "But I'm worth it!"

I love my dog. She has been my faithful companion since June of 2000. She has always been great with kids, she catches most of the mice around our house, and she always greets us as we come home. She really is a great dog. But she is the one that went out and got in a fight with whatever she did and got the wound. It was her fault.

That's the mindset of a lot of people when they see someone who needs help. "They probably did that to them selves. They drank too much. They committed the crime. They wouldn't work." So does that excuse us from helping them? It doesn't if we are followers of Jesus Christ.

Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me,

I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me.

Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?

And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You?

And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?

And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.

Matt. 25:34-40

This Sunday at Crossroads, we are doing just that. We are putting our Faith into Action. We are closing our church service and serving the community. Even those who don't "deserve" it. God loves us, so we will love them.

In Christ,
jon walton

The First "Breaking Point" Meeting...

Wednesday night we had our first youth group as "Breaking Point" student ministries. Can I tell you that the youth group is amazing? We took a serious look at who in their communities are hurting and how to reach out to them. They came up with some great ideas like giving a small gift to pregnant teens and offering help to them, making an effort to reach out to the people who are made fun of and try to be their friends, and pray constantly for the drug problem. They had the idea to make cards to hand out to classmates and friends to make it easier for them to invite people to youth group. One of the best things that happened that night though was this: We had a few new visitors and the youth really did all they could to welcome them in. They were shy and quite, but almost everyone there said hi and talked with them. It was really cool.

Thanks God, for what you are starting. Let us not get lazy on You. Let us show you honor by how we treat others.

In Christ,

jon walton

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Its Easy to Make Fun...

I get a lot of videos sent to me from friends. Most of them are pretty funny. I got this one sent to me as a joke.

Now, when I watched this I had mixed emotions. I did find it funny, but also a little offensive. Partly because I meet in a contemporary church, but I think more so because they are attacking the integrity of any church. I've seen it the other way around, too. People making fun of organs, pews, or the traditional style. It just bugs me to see that from either side. It did get me thinking though.

Its easy to make fun of something you don't like. You can find all kinds of things you see as silly and blow them out of proportion. You can find lots of things that are different from the way you think it should be. You can easily overlook any good whatever you're looking at is doing. Its easy to make fun of something you don't like or someone who doesn't like you.

Its not easy to do this:

"But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

Luke 6:27-28

I have a question: What would it look like if we put aside our petty "I like that" and "I don't like that" mentality and focused on doing what we should as individuals living for Jesus Christ?

In Christ,

jon walton

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How Good Do You Have To Be?

Its a long one this week, so grab some coffee before you start.

I did something the other day I am normally very careful about. On my way to town, I saw a man hitchhiking on the side of the road. I said a quick prayer, “God, should I stop?” This time, I felt very strongly that I should.

As he got in, I took the time to notice him. Ok, I was watching for a gun or knife or something. I knew God had lead me to give him a ride and that God would take care of me for obeying, but that doesn’t mean this guy doesn’t have free will and that I should just throw caution out the window. He was in his 60’s. He had a long, blond beard that ended in the middle of his chest. He had long hair that was near the same length of his beard, but he was bald on the top. “Hi my name’s Jake” he said as he got in. (That’s not his real name, I’m just using it to be safe.) “I’m Jon.” I said with a smile.

Jake proceeded to tell me lots of things about his life. How he couldn’t wait to get out of Tennessee, how his parents had died and left everything to his younger brother, how he couldn’t drive because he owe 3 different states money and they wouldn’t let him get a driver’s license, how his sister had cheated him out of $40,000, and many other tales. Jake liked to talk apparently. So, I listened. But what Jake said next really broke my heart. “I’ll tell you this,” Jake said with a cold, harsh look in his eyes, “I’ll be at the pearly gates of heaven to point my sister to Hell!” I was shocked. How do you respond to that? What do you say?

I asked Jake, “Why would you do that? I know she didn’t do you right, but you would see her spend eternity in Hell?” “I was raised (Mystery Religion here, heh) and I believe that God put us on Earth to see if we could be good enough to get back to Heaven with Him.” I sat there a moment, praying “God, what do I say?” I asked the only question I could think of, “How good do you have to be?” A bit bewildered, as if he had never been asked that question before, he looked at me and asked, “What?” I repeated the question, making an extra effort to be polite. “Well, I don’t know. No one knows.” Jake replied.

“What a hopeless way to live.” I thought to myself. Here was a gentleman who had seen lots of trouble. Sure, he may have made some decisions that lead him to the place in life he was, but right now he was living day in and day out with no hope. Everything he had in the past, almost everyone he knew, and almost everything about his life was either letting him down or hurting him. He was truly hopeless. “God, what do I say?” I asked again.

“Well, I know.” I responded. “I don’t think anyone can be ‘good enough.’ I believe the Bible and it says in Romans 3:23 that ‘ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God.’ So there is no way that we can be good enough to redeem ourselves to a perfect God. I believe God saw that and sent His son, Jesus, to pay the debt that I never could. Jesus gave his life so that you, or me, or anyone who accepted Him as their Savior could be sure they have hope for this life and the next.”

Jake rolled his eyes, and said, “Yeah, I’ve heard that before. I don’t buy it.”
I don’t understand that train of thought. Jake would rather live with no hope, with what he was taught, than to look in the Bible and find the truth or listen to a possibility that there may be hope here for him. Its also a big reason I hate, I know that is a strong word and I mean it, I hate false doctrine about my God. It confuses and hinders people from knowing the true nature of God.

As Jake got out, he shook my hand and said, “God bless.” I smiled back and said, “I’ll pray for you, Jake.” For a bit, I felt like I had failed. Like I didn’t get through to Jake. But that’s not my job. I shared the Truth with him. I planted the seed. Now my prayer for Jake is this: “God, water that seed. Holy Spirit, nourish that seed. Jesus, grow that seed. Remove the scales from Jake’s eyes, Jesus, let him see You for who You really are.”

In Christ,
jon walton

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Cheering At Practice...

Tuesday night was my son's first football practice. It was hot, the gear was too big for him, and his regular coach wasn't there, but I was excited about him playing. He, on the other hand, has his doubts. He is not use to the helmet or other gear, he's hot, and out of his comfort zone. He takes the field and begins stretching. I had told him previously, "Whatever the coach tells you to do on the field, you say 'Yes sir!' and do it." He does pretty great at listening to the coach and obeying. When they were running, I was yelling, "Go Isaiah! Go! Run harder!" When they were learning to tackle I was there on the side yelling "Grab him Isaiah! Pull him down!" That was about the time I noticed just about every other parent, including my wife, looking at me like I was an idiot. That's when it hit me. This was practice. Why am I cheering?

I was considering this thought as Isaiah came over for a water break. He got a drink and looked up at me and said, "I hate this, dad." Ug. My heart sank. I was so wanting him to really be into it. I think he will love it if he just sticks with it. After all, this was just practice. That's why I was cheering. I knew he was a little uncomfortable. I knew he was a little scared. I knew he may not like it at first. But I also believe if he sticks it out, he will love it.

Sound familiar? Sometimes God asks us to do something and we say "God, I don't want to do that! Its not fun, its boring, its out of my comfort zone." What if God knows (and He does by the way) that He is giving you this task because you will love the outcome?

...your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him.

-Matt. 6:8

Stay with the difficult task. You may hear God cheering you on. Even when you are practicing for the task.

In Christ,

jon walton

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Keeping Out of Trouble...

Have you ever looked as someone and thought, "He(or she, but henceforth refereed to as "he") really has it all together. He makes wise decisions, he seems to always be on the up and up, and he is just a great person to be around. I wish I were more like him." I know from time to time I feel that way. I do my best to serve God with all that I am, but I mess up a lot. Sometimes I make selfish decisions that don't benefit God or others. Sometimes I speak out of turn and really offend someone. Sometimes I am just lazy and don't do what I should. There are days that I look at myself and wonder, "What in the world am I doing?" Ever have a day like that? (Or a week? Month? Year?)

I was reading through scripture today, and this passage really stuck out to me.

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping Your word.

I have sought You with all my heart;
don't let me wander from Your commands.

I have treasured Your word in my heart
so that I may not sin against You.

LORD, may You be praised;
teach me Your statutes.

With my lips I proclaim
all the judgments from Your mouth.

I rejoice in the way [revealed by] Your decrees
as much as in all riches.

I will meditate on Your precepts
and think about Your ways.

I will delight in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.

-Psalm 119:9-16

Wanna keep out of trouble? Wanna make wise decisions? Wanna be happy?(See Psalm 119:1-8) Spend time with God. Next time you see that person who seems to have it all together, ask them about their relationship with Jesus. You may just find that their secrete to all that wisdom isn't from them, its from God.

"God, help me keep my way pure. Help me find time to spend with You. Help me understand Your Word. Help me keep Your commands. Because I love you Jesus. I want to keep in your light. May my life point others to You. Amen"

In Christ,

jon walton

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What Do I Do In My Free Time?

Well, the results are in. I'm not sure I like them. Now, something I want to be clear about: I'm not changing my numbers to make me look "good." I know a higher authority than man that I will report to for my actions. That includes this blog. A few things to explain on how I calculated my numbers: I only counted FREE time. I did not count my time at work, eating or sleeping(I allowed myself 7 hours of time for sleep each night. Any extra time sleeping I did factor in as Personal Time because I was choosing to sleep as a free time activity.) These numbers are all approximate. I didn't need every single second to get a feel for how I am spending my time. Also, this study is from Monday-Thursday, so its only a part of a week, but it was still good.

God Time = Time I spend reading my Bible, praying, or volunteering for God.

Family Time = Time I spent with my family instead of doing my own thing.

Personal Time = Time I spent doing things for me. (Watching TV, Playing Xbox, etc.)

Here are the numbers for my last week:

I had 10 hours of free time. I'll put them in order from the most time spent to the least time spent.

Family Time = 5 Hours

Personal Time = 3 Hours

God Time = 2 Hours

Ouch. Now, I can make all kinds of excuses for this. Like I spend a lot of time in the Bible studying for Youth Lessons and church on Sunday, but that isn't the same as chosen time with God. Or that I had a particularly busy week, but this was a typical week for me. They are all busy. No, I wanted an honest assessment of my free time and that is what I got. Doesn't matter that it was only 10 hours, what matters is that God is at the bottom of that list. I see 3 hours that I could have spent with God, but didn't. Looks like its time for a change.

Back to Crossroads

15 minutes...

For the past few weeks I have been filling out time analysis sheets for my job. Essentially, I have to write down what I am doing for every 15 minute block of the day. Now, I am not upset by this, nor was it done to try and expose any down time I had. It was just something they asked me to do. I have to say, on my end it was a learning experience and really good for me as well.

I got to see how much time I actually spent on each area of my job. How much time I spent updating a website or see specifically that it took me 1 hour to do a mail out. It really shows where you are spending most of your time.

It got me thinking, "What if I did this for my personal life? Where would most of my time be spent? Would I be happy with the end result?" Its a fact that where you spend your resources (time, money, whatever) is where your heart is. Am I ready to see where I am investing my time? I am going to do this next week. I'm not counting my work time, I am taking a time analysis of my free time. My goal is not to change what I am currently doing, but rather just write down what I am doing. Next Friday, I'll let you know the result. Anyone care to do this with me? (I won't publish your results if you choose to participate, that would just be cruel!) It won't be easy or fun, but then again self IMPROVEMENT rarely is.

Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.

-Psalm 90:12

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I’m not scalping...

A few days ago I took the youth to a Chris Tomlin & TobyMac concert. It was a lot of fun! We had a great spot, about 15 feet from the stage! It was one of the best concerts I have been to in a long time.

Due to some of the youth not being able to go, I wound up with extra tickets. I called some friends who I thought would enjoy the concert and could go last minute, but I still wound up with extra. After some thought and discussion with the people there, I decided just to give the tickets away.

Now, like I said, these were great “seats.” They were on the floor right in front of the stage. Not cheap seats. So, I took up position a bit away from the entrance and was holding the tickets in plain view. As people came up to go into the concert, I would just ask, “Do you have tickets yet?” I was a bit shocked as most people would say, “Yes.” Then I would watch these people walk up and get in line at the ticket booth.

Now, I am not known for being the smartest person all the time. In fact there are many times something can be staring me right in the face and I’ll miss it. “What in the world?” I thought to myself. “Why are they doing that?” Then I realized what was going through their mind. “Can you believe the nerve of that guy? Scalping tickets at a Christian concert!”

So, I decided to change my tactic. I walked right up to where people standing in line to buy tickets and started my conversations with a new statement: “Hi, I’m not scalping. I have extra tickets I am giving away. Anyone interested?”

The looks I got from the people there, some of the same people who walked by me and said they had tickets, was priceless. They looked confused, skeptical, and disbelieving. Finally, after one of those great awkward silences, this guy walked up and said, “Do you have 6 together?” “ Sure do!” I said. “Here ya go.” He took them and asked where they were. “Right up front, on the floor.” I answered. Almost everyone in line turned back around as I said that. It didn’t take long for me to run out of tickets then. Two teenage girls even hugged me as I gave them tickets for them and their parents. Unfortunately, I did run out and had to tell a few people that I didn’t have anymore.

The whole experience got me thinking, “I wonder if this is why some people won’t accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Does it all sound just too good to be true? Is it too hard to believe that it is free? That someone else already paid the price for our gift?”

If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior because you think its just too good to be true, I urge you to just accept the free gift of His forgiveness and salvation. Don’t put it off thinking that His grace is not enough or that the gift of salvation costs too much. The the reason those of us who are redeemed do all that we do for Jesus Christ is because we want to, not to pay for what Jesus gave us.

Salvation is free.

If you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, you will be saved.

In Christ,

jon walton

Selfless...

On Father's Day Missy, Isaiah, and I went to her parents house to spend time with her dad and family. We had a great time just sitting, eating and talking. When we got ready to leave, Isaiah (my son) wanted to walk home. We are neighbors so its not a long walk. I was happy to spend some time with my son, so I accompanied him. On the way, he saw a dandelion. "Dad! Dad! I have to make a wish!" He exclaimed as he bent down an picked it. He has been saving his money from chores and gifts to get a new Nintendo DS game, so I assumed that would be what he was going to wish for, but still I thought it was a cute moment with my son. I would never have guessed the words that would come out of his little mouth. He closed his eyes, held the weed close to his mouth and said:

"I wish my dad would have a great Father's Day."

Then he blew as hard as he could, causing only about 3 of the seeds to release their grip from the stem. Not to be defeated, he quickly shook the rest of them off!

I was touched. I almost cried. I bent down and hugged him and said, "Thank you buddy. That made my Father's Day great."

God continues to teach me through my son. Seems like I heard a sermon about thinking of others before yourself recently. Pastor Rick used this scripture that fits this situation pretty well I think:

Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. - Philippians 2:3

Thank you, God, for my amazing family You have given me.

In Christ,

jon walton

I Didn't Know Jesus Is Real...

After giving my son, Isaiah, a bath one night, I was in his room with him while he put on his pajamas. It was just one of those little moments of me spending time with my son, talking, laughing, and being silly with him. I was praying to myself, "God, You know how I love my son. Please save his soul, but I trust in your time." I suddenly felt impressed to talk to my son about Jesus.

I asked Isaiah, "Buddy, what do you know about Jesus?" Isaiah, still kinda laughing from being silly, said, "He is God's son and He died on a cross." I thought to myself "Good job boy!" But then God, and I have no doubt about it, gave me a question to ask him. "Isaiah, do you know that Jesus isn't just a story?" Isaiah looked at me with a serious, intent face and said, "I didn't know Jesus is real." I explained it to him best I could. We talked about things that are real, like mom, dad, the cars outside, and things that aren't, Batman, Spiderman, and cartoons. He didn't accept Jesus as his savior that night, but I think he understands that Jesus is real.

Many people may say that Jesus is real, but I don't think they BELIEVE it until it changes their lives.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.

-2 Corinthians 5:17

What Would You Do If You Knew God Was With You? (Part 2)

Have you ever been given a task that was so big you thought it would be impossible to accomplish? In the Old Testament, Joshua (The successor to Moses as leader of the Israelites) was given a task by God that seemed overwhelming. He was to lead the Israelites to war against giants, walled cities, and fierce warriors. Can you imagine?

The other part of this, is God didn't show up and do everything for Joshua. Joshua had to go into these places and fight the battles. He had to destroy the villages and towns. It wasn't easy.

Yet in the midst of all this, God was with Joshua. God provided miracles to help Joshua accomplish the task assigned to him. It wasn't easy, but Joshua succeed. How? He KNEW God was with him.

Haven't I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

-Joshua 1:9

He was told this 7 times, 3 times by Moses and 4 times by the LORD. Joshua had seen God be with Moses through all the hard tasks Moses had to do. Joshua had faith that God would be with him as long as he was doing the task, no matter how difficult, God had given him.

What would you do if you KNEW God was with you? Would you take on the hard tasks? Do you want to know God is with you? Then do what Joshua did. Spend time with God and ask Him what task He has for you. When God tells you, be willing to do it, no matter how hard it may seem. Because if it is from God, He is with you, wherever you go.

In Christ,

jon walton

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What Would You Do If You Knew God Was With You?

I am reading the book "Plan B" by Pete Wilson. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Whether you are in a plan B situation, have went through one, or haven't experienced one yet this book is great.

At one point in the book, Pete(I met him not long ago, I feel I can call him by his first name.) is talking how when things don't go the way we think they should, we start looking up and wondering, "God, where are You?" Its as if we think God has abandoned us, when the reality is God has never abandoned us.

Be satisfied with what you have, for He(Jesus) Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

-Hebrews 13:5b

So what then? If we are to take the Word of God as Truth,(which it is) should it not cause us to respond to troubles differently than those who do not have God with them?

Look at the life of Joseph from the old testament. Over and over he had troubles come to him. He had lots of good and bad things happening to him. He was loved by his father, but hated by his brothers. His dad gave him a wonderful coat, his brothers decided to beat him up an kill him. One of his brothers convinced the others to spare Joseph's life, so they sold him into slavery. He gets promoted in Potiphar's house, then gets thrown into prison for a crime he didn't commit. It goes on and on with him through several years, yet never does the Bible show Joseph getting upset with God, or even his circumstance. Why? Because all throughout the Joseph's life you see this phrase in the Bible, "The Lord was with Joseph." Through he good and the bad, the joy and the sorrow, the comfort and the pain, Joseph knew the Lord was with him. Because Joseph knew the Lord was with him, he approached his troubles with confidence that he would get through them. He approached his troubles with faith that the Lord would take him through the bad times.

What would you do if you KNEW God was with you?

Therefore, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

-Hebrews 13:6

In Christ,

jon walton

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We Have To Make A Change...

I think it is important that we all take time on a regular basis to check our lives and see if we who are called by the name of Jesus Christ are doing what He would have us do. For weeks now, I have been evaluating my life. I am looking at where I am spending my money. I am looking a where I am spending my time. I am looking at my life and wondering, "Is this what Jesus would want me to be doing?"

Pastor Rick preached a powerful(slap in your face powerful) message Sunday, May 2. He made this quote:

"We have come to a place in America where people think they can worship Jesus without doing what He did or obeying what He said."

How does that line up with the Word of God?

The one who says, "I have come to know Him," without keeping His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. - 1 John 2:4

While preparing for the sermon I am preaching Sunday, I have come to a realization. I sat down with my wife this week and told her, "Honey, we have to make a change." I am not sure to what extent it will be, but I know that I will follow Jesus Christ in whatever He leads.

In Christ,

jon walton

Passion...

I attended a conference yesterday with some others from Crossroads and had the opportunity to hear Johnny Hunt speak. Let me say right off, if you every get the chance to hear him preach, you should. The man has a gift for preaching the Word of God. In fact, he preached for nearly 25 minutes before he got to what he had prepared, then started what he prepared, was on stage for over an hour and a half and never once did I want him to stop. He really is that good!

He told a story that caught my attention. He said that after someone had visited his church for 3 months, they approached him and told him they were not going to be coming back. He wasn't hurt, made mad by someone, or asked to leave. No, the reason he was leaving was because he didn't believe what the Johnny Hunt was preaching. He didn't believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. He didn't believe the Bible was Truth. He told Johnny that he wanted to give Johnny the chance to convince him, but after 3 months the visitor just did not believe. Yet, he made a statement to Johnny Hunt that was profound.

"Preacher, I don't believe what you are preaching, but you sure do!"

Let me challenge you as this challenged me. Does the way you live your life, the things you say and do, show that you are so passionate about Jesus Christ that it is obvious you BELIEVE He is the Son of God? That you BELIEVE the Bible is Truth? That you BELIEVE living for Jesus Christ in everything is really the best why to live? That you BELIEVE Jesus is coming back?

Are you passionate about Jesus? Really?

In Christ,

jon walton

Being Corrected...

Missy and I have been getting ready for a youth event at our house this week. We have been cleaning, cooking (well, SHE has been cooking, I burn toast on stage in front of everyone), moving stuff around, and just in general being very busy. It can make for a stressful environment when you are doing lots of extra stuff along with everything else that is normally going on in your life. These stressful times are opportunities for us to either be encouraging or hurtful.

Last night, as we were finishing up I was talking with Missy as I was cleaning and she was cooking. We were both tired and I wasn't really paying attention to what I was saying. To be dead honest, I remember the point I was trying to make, but I don't remember the exact words I said. What I do remember very clearly is what my wife said in response: "Just shut up." That got my attention as I was quickly trying to go back over what I had just said. She was mad.

Later that night before bed I pursued her on the conversation we were having. I heard what she has told me before. It is something I constantly struggle with in our relationship. "Sometimes you really degrade me and my decisions." She said. "You hold things over my head and tell me what a bad choice it was, all while talking about the good choice you made. It hurts."

I felt like a pile of dung. I knew I was in the wrong. I was being corrected for incorrect behavior.

At this point, I have a choice to make. We all do when we are being corrected. I see it with Isaiah when I correct his behavior. I see it in a teenager when I call them down for talking during the sermon or lesson. I even see this choice being made in a dog when training it. Anytime we are being corrected, we can choose to go on the defensive, get angry, and take a stand on our point even though we know we are wrong, or we can choose to accept the fact that we are wrong, apologize, and begin to adjust our behavior as needed.

God corrects our behavior, too. Again we have a choice in the matter. We can choose to accept His correction, or reject it.

But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects...

-Proverbs 3:11,12

I hugged my wife, told her I was so sorry. I am accepting the correction that she is giving me to make our relationship better. 11 years in and I still want to do more for her. 11 years in and I am so glad that she loves me enough to tell me when I am wrong. Today I am mindful of the words I say. That I am being a Godly husband, and loving my wife as Christ loves the church: abundantly and without restraint.

In Christ,

jon walton

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A Reflection...

I sometimes get very frustrated with people who claim to be following Jesus Christ, yet their actions, words, and thought process doesn't reflect it. Not that we don't make mistakes, anger gets the better of me at times, I can be selfish, rude, go too far, push too hard, and be a down right jerk at times. However, I have learned through, the grace of Jesus and my desire to serve Him as my Master, that whenever I mess up I should seek quickly to make a mends where possible and repent of my wrong doing. That is, not only correct my mistake (apologize to who I hurt/made mad) but to also doing my best to stop that behavior. Yet everyday I see people who don't. They only apologize, or try to correct a problem when they are caught doing something wrong.

I think this stems from the "casual" view of Christianity many have in America. The most persecution you would most likely come under in our country from saying you are a Christian is possibly being laughed at, or told "no" when you offer to share your faith with someone. So, in reality, saying you are a "Christian" in America is an easy thing to do. Yet the ease of this leads many to not take their walk with Christ serious at any point. Never taking the time to consider the entirety of one's commitment to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ & the Bible leads to a life that is just not honoring to God.

Perhaps Paul said it best in Titus 1 in his instructions for leaders:

(10a)For there are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers...
(14)They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good work.

When you look in your mirror, do you see a person who matches what you say about yourself? Does your reflection match your description?

In Christ,

jon walton

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Think About This...

I read something recently that I wanted to share. I will quote part of it here, and give you the link to the full article.

I came across a quote attributed most often to Rev. Sam Pascoe. It is a short version of the history of Christianity, and it goes like this:

Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise.

Some of the students were only 18 or 19 years old–barely out of diapers–and I wanted them to understand and appreciate the import of the last line, so I clarified it by adding, “An enterprise. That’s a business.” After a few moments Martha, the youngest student in the class, raised her hand. I could not imagine what her question might be. I thought the little vignette was self-explanatory, and that I had performed it brilliantly. Nevertheless, I acknowledged Martha’s raised hand, “Yes, Martha.” She asked such a simple question, “A business? But isn’t it supposed to be a body?” I could not envision where this line of questioning was going, and the only response I could think of was, “Yes.” She continued, “But when a body becomes a business, isn’t that a prostitute?”

How are you treating the body of Christ?

Link to full article

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Because I Love You...

Last night when I got home, there was something waiting for me. A small envelope with no name on it, no markings, just a small, sealed, white envelope. "Your son said that is for you. He wouldn't let me open it." My wife informed me. I opened it to find that Isaiah had written my name, Jon, in scribbly, orange marker. I stood there holding this piece of printer paper with my name on it along with some other small marks. I almost cried.

The next morning I told Isaiah, "I got your note you left for me." His eyes lit up as he ran to the kitchen table. Grabbing the piece of paper he had written and left for me he exclaimed, "This is your name, dad. I wrote it for you because I love you!" I did cry. I bent down and hugged my son tightly. "I love you too, buddy." I muttered out between tears. I truly can not express how much that means to me. It is one thing for him to love me, but he takes it further. He allows his love for me to affect his actions. He does things for me because he loves me.

When is the last time you did something for Jesus just because you love Him? Do you realize it doesn't matter if it is a masterpiece or not? It doesn't have to be a painting of the Mona Lisa, your "scribble on a piece of paper" still shows you love Him.

"The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him." - John 14:21

"Thank You, Jesus, for my family."

In Christ,

jon walton

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Growing a Beard...

I am growing a beard for our Easter Play. I have been growing it since February since my beard grows somewhat slow and I knew it would take some time if I wanted a good, full beard at the time of the the play, Easter Sunday. While it has been growing I have noticed some "stages" if you will of the process up to this point, can I share them with you?

Stage 1: The decision.

The reason here is important, though it may not seem like it until later on. The real focus at the time is that I have made a decision and I am sticking with it no matter what. Nothing can detour me as I embark on my endeavorer to change my appearance. I really have no idea what's in store.

Stage 2: Staying the course.

As my face began to get "scruffy," as my wife and son put it, I began to think about how nice it would be to shave it off. My wife didn't like that when I kissed her she had to endure the rough upper lip stubble. I looked like I just didn't care enough to take care of my self and look decent. However, I kept in mind my goal: To have a good, full beard by Easter. This is just a time that will pass.

Stage 3: Its getting more difficult, but encouragement helps.

As it turns from stubble into a light beard, something happens that I knew was coming. It was unavoidable. It began to itch like poison ivy had been smeared on my face then rubbed in with a wire brush. I was constantly scratching it. My wife asked me on several occasions, "Do you have fleas or something?" I was not amused. She reminded me as well that I looked like a bum. However, some other people commented on how good it looked and that it suited me well. Including my son who interrupted me suddenly once just to tell me, "DAD! I like your beard." "Thanks son, can I please finish ordering our supper now?" I wanted to shave it off so bad. I could hear my razor calling me every morning.

Stage 4: Maintenance.

The beard still itches and now it is long enough that the hair growing under my nose is constantly touching my upper lip and driving me crazy. I begin to trim it so it doesn't bother me as much. The wife has stopped telling people we are married for fear of embarrassment in public(not really, but I'm sure she thought about it). If I don't trim it and keep it up, it is going to look horrible. Why am I doing this again? Oh yeah, Easter is just a few weeks away...

Stage 5: Confidence.

After several weeks of growth, it finally no longer itches. I have gotten use to trimming it when needed and now even I am starting to think it looks ok. For some reason some people have an uncontrollable urge to touch or rub it. I'm pretty sure it doesn't give good luck, though some my be spreading that rumor. Please stop if you are.

You may be thinking that this is a lot of thought to put into growing a beard, but in actuality I thought of it because many go through the same stages when they accept Jesus as their Savior.

Stage 1: The decision.

The reason here is important, though it may not seem like it until later on. The real focus at the time is that I have made a decision and I am sticking with it no matter what. Nothing can detour me as I embark on my endeavorer to change everything about me. My life is in shambles and I needed someone to save me. Jesus, I am following and trusting You!

Stage 2: Staying the course.

As my life began to get "challenging," as my friends and pastor put it, I began to think about how nice it would be to just give up. Some of my friends don't like that I am not doing the same things I used to. They think I just don't care and call me "self righteous." However, I kept in mind my goal: To have a better life. To give honor to Jesus Christ and live with Him in Heaven one day. This is just a time that will pass.

Stage 3: Its getting more difficult, but encouragement helps.

As I follow Jesus more, something happens that I knew was coming. It was unavoidable. I began to be persecuted. I was constantly being ridiculed, or even hurt for my belief in Jesus Christ. I was told how stupid I am for beveling in such silly nonsense. However, some other people commented on how much I had changed and how much better my life was even though some things were difficult. Including my friends and family who had also accepted Jesus as their Savior because of the change in my life. I wanted to stop being a Christian sometimes, but the love of my new family drove me forward. I could hear my past calling me, but I know I can continue with Christ on my side.

Stage 4: Maintenance.

I have been following Jesus for some time now and my life has gotten busy. I tend to neglect my quiet times with Jesus, I haven't read my Bible in a while, and I have missed meeting with other Christians from time to time. Its time I did some upkeep on my spiritual life. If I don't, it is going to get forgotten and forsaken. Why am I doing this again? Oh yeah, because of what Jesus did for me... and because I love Him.

Stage 5: Confidence.

After many days of prayer, reading my Bible, and spending time with Jesus, I am ready for whatever is next. I am not perfect, but I know I belong to Jesus who will testify to God on my behalf. I am confidant He is the only way to Salvation. Things may get difficult again, but I will trust in the Lord. I can't wait to get to Heaven!

What stage are you in?

In Christ,

jon walton

P.S. I know this isn't the same for everyone, just for some.

2 AM...

Thought I would try this for this week. If you like it, let me know, I may do it again.

E-mail jon: jon@crossroadsnewport.com

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God is always at work in our lives.

I am always looking for God's hand at work in my life and in others. I believe God gives us signs that He is actively working in our lives, but many times we are so busy with "stuff" that we miss God telling us something very subtle.

Last night, my family and I went to a youth night revival at a nearby church. It was great. The band did an awesome job of bringing everyone into the right mind of worship, the pastor had a great message and delivered it right on a teenager's level, and the fellowship after the service was relaxed and meaningful. I hadn't seen this pastor speaking in over two years, but something amazing to me happened during his message. He spoke particularly about staying away from sexual immorality, something that is running rampant in teens lives today and has for sometime. It is a difficult topic to speak on. I have done it myself before and know the resistance that it can be met with. The awesome thing? It was our topic at youth group on Wednesday night, the night before we went to this service.

After his message, I told the pastor "Good job" and smiling told him that I had talked about it with my youth group the night before. He hugged me and said, 'Thank you so much!" He expressed to me how nervous he was preparing for it. How nervous he got as he taught this Biblical truth while looking in the eyes of those listening. People who were telling him with their faces "Back off." I smiled and told him, "Take it as a confirmation that this is a topic God wants to convey to this generation."

God is always at work in our lives. He sees our worries, our fears, what makes us nervous, and what tears us down. He knows when we need encouragement and when to send someone to give it. God promised that He would never leave nor forsake us. I'm glad God is faithful to His promises.

In Christ,

jon walton

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Are You Saying You're Tired of Waiting for God?

A few days ago, I got very irritated about something very unimportant. I have no access to highspeed internet, but I really want to have it. Why? It would make things simpler for me being able to look up things online when I want. It would make things easier for my wife, going to school for her master's degree online. However, the main reason I want it is to play video games online. For me, gaming is a social experience. I love gaming, but playing online with friends is 10 times better than playing alone. If I had high speed, it would be another way to stay connected with friends.

Now, to get a full picture, I have been looking for a highspeed option for about 5 years. FIVE. YEARS. I have checked with satellite companies but they have expensive set up and equipment costs, expensive monthly charges, and online gaming won't work with satellite due to latency in the line. I have checked with cable companies, but none of them are even planing offering service for still yet years to come. I have checked on DSL, but we are way too far from the central office for it. I have even checked with cell phone companies, but none of them offer fast enough speeds in my area and they limit the usage each month. I had checked with local wireless companies to no avail as well. In short, there are no feasible options. I have been looking for 5 years, and nothing is available.

I came home a few days ago, frustrated, angry, and feeling defeated over this. My loving wife could tell I was just not in a good mood. I am so blessed to have her, I really "married up." After we put Isaiah to bed, she began to ask me what was wrong. I told her how frustrated I was with the situation. See, along with looking for 5 years, I have been praying about this for 5 years. Being honest, part of my frustration was with God. Why wasn't God answering this prayer? I knew it wasn't the most important thing, but it was something important to me and I felt like God was just ignoring me on this. Or worse, telling me to just wait. During our discussion (more accurately, my whining and Missy putting up with it for a bit) I said I was ready to settle and try an expensive option. Missy looked at me and called me out. "Are You Saying You're Tired of Waiting for God? That you don't think He can do this?" She asked me.

I was speechless. I was mad. I was fuming inside. She was right. I turned to her and grunted out, "I love you, good night." That was all I could get out. She hugged me, kissed me and told me goodnight as she went to bed. I prayed that night, "God, this still sucks. I still am not getting what I have been waiting for, but I will trust You. I will wait for Your timing." The next morning I felt revealed. I knew God had not left me, nor was He ignoring me. He knows what He is doing, even if I don't.

Hard lessons are never fun, but I know that I grow the most from hard lessons. Thank you God, for the wonderful wife you have given me who speaks truth, even when it is not what I want to hear, into my life. Thank you God, for the hard lessons.

In Christ,

jon walton

Crossroads Website

That's why I don't let you lick me...

I was walking to my neighbor's house to get something and was accompanied by my dog, Daisy. She is a 9 year old Jack Russel and is probably the best dog I have ever had. She is always great with Isaiah, never showing any signs of aggression to him or anyone in the family for that matter. Her tail is constantly wagging, constantly reminding me that she is happy to see me. She keeps the rodent population around the house down and gladly finishes off any scraps we have left over. She takes walks with me when I choose, plays with Isaiah when he wants to, and listens when I give her commands. She is a great dog.

About halfway on our trip, Daisy starts coughing and hacking. Then, suddenly she throws up right beside where I am walking. "You ok?" I asked looking down at her. She looked up at me, tail wagging so hard the body is shaking as if to say, "I feel better now!" We continued on to the neighbor's house, dismissing the incident as something bad she ate. On the way back, Daisy did something that I have seen many dogs do before and to this day it confuses me. As we approached the place where she had threw up, she slowed down and began to sniff her puke, followed by her licking it, then eating some. "Daisy!" I said in a rather disgusted voice. She simply looked up at me with the same brown eyes, tail still wagging as hard as it could. "That's why I don't let you lick me." I told her convincingly.

The incident reminded me of a Bible verse I had memorized as a child because I thought it was funny.

"As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness." - Proverbs 26:11

The fact is we are all going to be foolish at one point or another. We are all going to make mistakes. We are all going to do something stupid. We are all going to throw up at some point. It happens. The key is, once you do it, don't go back to it. Don't be a fool. Repeating your foolishness is disgusting. Learn from your mistakes, don't go try to eat them again!

In Christ,

jon walton

Calling the Cows...

I live on a small farm next door to my Mother & Father in law on one side and my Brother and Sister in law on the other. We all get along well and help each other often. Having family like that is great. My Father in law is gone on vacation and he asked me to feed the cows while he is away. I agreed and every evening this week I have been putting out grain for them.

Now, the cows need to be there when I put out the grain. There is no feeding trough, so the grain is dumped straight on the ground. If the cows aren't there when you put the grain out, it will ruin overnight on the ground and the cows won't eat it when they come check. Why is this a problem? Well, my father in law works nights. I work days. These cows are accustomed to eating in the morning. I am feeding them in the evening. Cows, being creatures of habit, don't naturally come up to the feeding area in the evening. So, you have to "call" them.

I am sure there are several "calls" for cows, but as I grew up I learned one from my grandmother. I don't know that I can type out the sound I make, but if you ask me sometime I'll say it for you. At any rate, when I got ready to feed the cows, I would call them. The first night, no cows came at the initial call. In fact, I am sure these cows were all together somewhere wondering what this crazy person making an odd sound was. So I walked to the edge of the field with the feeding bucket in hand, still making the call. As the cows noticed me, more importantly the feeding bucket, they began to run to me. I walked them to the feeding area, still making the call.

The second night, three of the nine cows came when I called. As they came, they "moo'ed" telling the others "DINNER TIME!" By the third night, these cows had learned when they hear my call food was on its way. They had learned my voice and what it meant.

Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me."(John 10:27) When the cows didn't know my voice, they didn't know I was wanting them to come and eat. They didn't understand what I was saying. As I taught them, they understood and followed. Are we really so different? For those of us who know our Shepherd, do we know His voice? He calls us. He warns us when we are going into danger. He has given us His Word(the Bible) to learn His voice and His calls. Have we taken advantage of that? Don't ignore His calls. He may just be wanting to feed us.

In Christ,

jon walton

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It Gets Better Every Year...

There are few things that get better with age. I mean really think about it. Your tires on your car wear out with age. You need to buy new shoes when the ones you have on begin to wear holes in them. Bread will mold as time passes. Milk will turn bad with age, even turn solid given enough time! Technology gets outdated almost before it comes out now and the longer you wait to upgrade the bigger the leap is. Time causes most things to get worse, even our bodies. As we age we get hurt more easily, we need more sleep, and eventually we just wear out. Time works against most things.

There are a few things that get better with age though. Cheese, for example, when aged properly gains flavor, texture, and a richness that can only come with time. Reputation can improve with time, if the right actions are taken during that time. Wisdom comes with experience, and you must be around long enough to have experiences. There are a few things that time improves.

Tomorrow, January 9th, 2010 something wonderful happens in my life. I have the opportunity to celebrate 11 years of marriage with my wife. I can say without any reservation that my life with Missy gets better every year. God has blessed me with an incredible woman. She is an amazing helpmate, incredible mother, gifted teacher, God fearing Christian, and loving wife. One of the most amazing things I ever discovered about her is that she reads the Bible specifically in search of how to be a Godly wife. I am blessed beyond what I deserve to have her in my life. I look forward to another year with her. Heck, I look forward to our life together! If there were anyway to truly describe her, it would be this:

Who can find a capable wife?
She is far more precious than jewels.

The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will not lack anything good.

She rewards him with good, not evil,
all the days of her life.

She selects wool and flax
and works with willing hands.

She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from far away.

She rises while it is still night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her servants.

She evaluates a field and buys it;
she plants a vineyard with her earnings.

She draws on her strength
and reveals that her arms are strong.

She sees that her profits are good,
and her lamp never goes out at night.

She extends her hands to the spinning staff,
and her hands hold the spindle.

Her hands reach out to the poor,
and she extends her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all in her household are doubly clothed.

She makes her own bed coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known at the city gates,
where he sits among the elders of the land.

She makes and sells linen garments;
she delivers belts to the merchants.

Strength and honor are her clothing,
and she can laugh at the time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and loving instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the activities of her household
and is never idle.

Her sons rise up and call her blessed.
Her husband also praises her:

"Many women are capable,
but you surpass them all!"

Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting,
but a woman who fears the LORD will be praised.

Give her the reward of her labor,
and let her works praise her at the city gates.

-Proverbs 31:10-31

Thank you for the last 11 plus years Missy. Thank you for all you have done for me, our family, and the Lord. May you, my wife, be abundantly blessed each and every day.

In Christ,

jon walton

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