You've Got Mail!

Friends I love getting forwarded e-mails about good things that happen in peoples lives but I am really bothered by the latest trend of forwarding stories that are just not true. I recently received and e-mail saying that in “1987 Oliver North testified in the Iran Contra hearings that he had a $60,000 dollar security system installed to protect his family against Osama Bin Laden, and that the senator who was questioning him was none other than Al Gore”. People this story was totally false and an outright lie. But the problem for me is that we continue to forward this kind propaganda to everyone we know thinking we are doing a good thing and helping our cause. But the fact is we are spreading lies and mistruths. We assume its ok because we feel we are on the right side, but my friends a lie is a lie and can never be justified. One of the biggest things that bother me about our presidential campaign is that both sides are not being honest and exaggerating the truth. And the sad fact is if they are lying to us now they will continue to lie to us when they take office.

Another pet peeve of mine are these e-mails that I keep getting telling how a bad thing happened to the person who didn’t forward it or broke the chain. Or how you will be blessed if you forward it to ten people in the next ten minutes. Friends these e-mails are really superstitions and tools of the Enemy that should be deleted as soon as you get them. Remember God is in control and only he knows his plans for you. Blessings come from our Father not e-mails! Do you want him to watch over and protect you and your family? We all do, so why not just pray for that? Do you want to be blessed? Well get on your knees and ask God for a blessing and make sure to thank him when you receive it. Friends I have been very blessed in my life and not one of these blessing has come from e-mails or the internet.

Friends the internet has become a great tool for us believers to spread the “Good News” and fellowship with others but we must take responsibility for what we say and what we forward to other people. I believe when forward an e-mail you are just as responsible for the content as the person who created it. If you’re not sure about the accuracy of the facts, do like my wife Heidi did and put a disclaimer at the beginning stating you’re not sure it’s true and to research it for yourself. Or just delete it. I hope I haven’t stepped on anybodies toes out there but I am sure you have received some of these e-mails yourself.

Take care yall….

Chris

Jesus is not a "diet" but a lifestyle

How many times have you heard this expression? “It’s not a diet but a lifestyle”. This is what a lot of people say when they are trying to lose weight and want you to think they have changed their eating habits. I thought about this a couple of weeks ago while preparing for my semi annual physical fitness test and weigh in. You see being in the Army I am required to maintain my weight and be able to pass the Army physical fitness test, which consist of running 2 miles, and doing pushups / sit-ups in an allotted time.

My training program for this may seem kind of extreme and risky, but what I have been doing for the past 6 years is waiting until a couple of weeks before the big test to start watching what I eat and exercising. And for those who know me well, know how I struggle with procrastination. And it never fails every time I start my program I wish I would have never stopped . Well that’s when the thought came to me. Sometimes I feel we do the same thing with our walk with Jesus. Sometimes we will only exercise with Jesus when we have a big test in our lives. And when the test is over we resort back to the same ole same. We will start out on fire for Jesus but after awhile the fire slowly dies down. Then we let other things come into our lives that bear no fruit and take up the time that we could use in our walk with Jesus.

I personally have tried to keep Jesus in my daily life but will admit it’s been a struggle staying motivated and focused. The good thing about my latest attempt is that I have my Brother Tony walking with me and keeping me encouraged and accountable. (Thanks bro!) I also have been sharing my ideals through blogs and fellowship with other Christians. So this time I am committed to making Jesus a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix or diet. My goal is to try to get in the word everyday and work on my prayer time. What works in your spiritual walk? Does the procrastination monkey stay on your back? Do you guys have any thoughts, ideals or suggestions? Peace and love…Chris

Rock City!

Hey everyone,

We just got back from a great time in Guntersville and Rock City. Friday night Heidi and I went on a marriage retreat that was held at the Hampton Inn on Lake Guntersville. The retreat was put on by Westside Baptist Church in Jasper. We had about 13 couples and the ages ranged from 23 to 83. A good time was had by all. We started working through the book 6 secrets to a lasting love by Dr Gary and Barbara Rosberg. Heidi and I really learned a lot and we plan on going to the next one in 6 months. After the retreat we drove up to Rock City and met Tony and family. We had lunch and then checked out Rock City Gardens. So needless to say it has been a busy 24 hours. Now we are trying to get the house ready for a get together for the youth group. They will be coming over Sunday night for a get together. Well I better unpack and get some cleanfing down. Have a great week!

The World hates the Disciples

The World Hates the Disciples John 15:18-25

18"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.'[b] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23He who hates me hates my Father as well. 24If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.”

Friends,

I came across this scripture a couple of weeks ago while reading the book of John. This particular verse really hit home with me because of a situation going on in my personal life. Earlier this year my wife and I were going through some rough times in our marriage and were on the verge of Divorce. But through the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior we have managed to put our marriage and family back together and start living for the lord. A lot of our Christian friends and family were very excited for us and gave all the glory to our Heavenly Father. But the heartbreaking thing was the reaction of some of my wife’s co-workers and friends. After finding out she was giving our marriage another chance they turned their backs on her and were even down right hateful to her. One even called her an “idiot”

This really upset Heidi and it also bothered me as well. This was one of those times where we really had to dig deep into the Word and pray for understanding. That’s when I realized that these people were obviously not Christians and that they needed our prayers also. I was reading in the book of John (15: 18-25) and these verses revealed everything! These people were living in the “World”; verse 19 says “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” That explained everything. Before they thought she was one of them, a fellow slave to the World and the Flesh. But when she took a stand and showed the example that Christ had taught her and put in her heart they realized she was not one of them. She was one of the chosen ones. One who believed in Love, Mercy and Grace and most of all forgiveness.

This attitude really bothers unbelievers. They don’t understand how you can still love and forgive people after they have hurt you. They just don’t get the core values of our faith. The sad fact is few of them ever will. But the best thing we can do is show them the example of Christ, and keep praying for them. People are getting saved at all stages of their life. It took nearly 40 years to finally get me going in the right direction with my walk. So don’t give up on them. Take care my Friends..Thank you for all your love and support..Love your Brother in Jesus…Chris

The Lawyers Party

THE LAWYER'S PARTY

Friends this is a letter my Uncle Ronald Winter shared with me. It's scary when you think of all the power the Lawyers in Washington D.C have and how our individual and States rights are slowing being taken away. Needless to say this upcoming election will be very important! We need alot of prayer!...your brother in Christ.. Chris


The Democrat Party has become the Lawyers' Party. Barack Hussein Obama and Hillary Rodam Clinton are lawyers. Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama are lawyers. John Edwards, the other former Democrat candidate for president, is a lawyer, and so is his wife, Elizabeth. Every Democrat nominee since 1984 went to law school (although Gore did not graduate). Every Democrat vice- presidential nominee since 1976, except for Lloyd Bentsen, went to law school. Look at the Democrat Party in Congress: the Majority Leader in each house is a lawyer.The Republican Party is different. President Bush and Vice President Cheney were not lawyers, but businessmen. The leaders of the Republican Revolution were not lawyers. Newt Gingrich was a history professor; Tom Delay was an exterminator; and, Dick Armey was an economist. House Minority Leader Boehner was a plastics manufacturer, not a lawyer. The former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is a heart surgeon.Who was the last Republican president who was a lawyer? Gerald Ford, who left office 31 years ago and who barely, won the Republican nomination as a sitting president, running against Ronald Reagan in 1976.

The Republican Party is made up of real people doing real work. The Democrat Party is made up of lawyers. Democrats mock and scorn men who create wealth, like Bush and Cheney, or who heal the sick, like Frist, or who immerse themselves in history, like Gingrich.The Lawyers' Party sees these sorts of people, who provide goods and services that people want, as the enemies of America. And, so we have seen the procession of official enemies, in the eyes of the Lawyers' Party, grow.Against whom do Hillary and Obama rail? Pharmaceutical companies, oil companies, hospitals, manufacturers, fast food restaurant chains, large retail businesses, bankers, and anyone producing anything of value in our nation. (They try to demonize these businesses in the eyes of the public through the use of a controlled media and thus get approval of their deceptive regulatory legislation {jrw}.)

This is the natural consequence of viewing everything through the eyes of lawyers. Lawyers solve problems by successfully representing their clients, in this case the American people. Lawyers seek to have new laws passed, they seek to win lawsuits, they press appellate courts to overturn precedent, and lawyers always parse language to favor their side. (They also try to get persons of like mind and agenda appointed to the courts to further their control {jrw}.)Confined to the narrow practice of law, that is fine. But it is an awful way to govern a great nation. When politicians, as lawyers, begin to view some Americans as clients and other Americans as opposing parties, then the role of the legal system in our life becomes all-consuming. Some Americans become 'adverse parties' of our very government. We are not all litigants in some vast social class-action suit. We are citizens of a republic that promises us a great deal of freedom from laws, from courts, and from lawyers.

Today, we are drowning in laws **; we are contorted by judicial decisions; we are driven to distraction by omnipresent lawyers in all parts of our once private lives. America has a place for laws and lawyers, but that place is modest and reasonable, not vast and unchecked. When the most important decision for our next president is whom he will appoint to the Supreme Court, the role of lawyers and the law in America is too big. When lawyers use criminal prosecution as a continuation of politics by other means, as happened in the lynching of Scooter Libby and Tom Delay, then the power of lawyers in America is too great. When House Democrats sue America in order to hamstring our efforts to learn what our enemies are planning to do to us, then the role of litigation in America has become crushing.We cannot expect the Lawyers' Party to provide real change, real reform, or real hope in America…

Most Americans know that a republic in which every major government action must be blessed by nine unelected judges is not what Washington intended in 1789. Most Americans grasp that we cannot fight a war when ACLU lawsuits snap at the heels of our defenders. Most Americans intuit that more lawyers and judges will not restore declining moral values or spark the spirit of enterprise in our economy.Perhaps Americans will understand that change cannot be brought to our nation by those lawyers who already largely dictate American society and business. Perhaps Americans will see that hope does not come from the mouths of lawyers but from personal dreams nourished by hard work. Perhaps Americans will embrace the truth that more lawyers with more power will only make our problems worse.

Victory over porn and adultry

Friends,


The video you just watched was a true story of a couple who has overcome the addiction of pornography and adultery. The main reason I am writing this blog is in the hopes that others will read it and be inspired to make changes in their lives and marriages. Its unbelievable how many marriages are in trouble these days? I can think of about 6 couples I know personally and through acquaintances that are in serious trouble. Friends that’s a very high percentage. What blows my mind even more is adding up all the divorces just in your own family. I can count 6 divorces just between my parents and siblings. Brothers and Sisters the sad fact is that this is the norm and not the exception. Friends as I have stated in earlier blogs “The Family is under attack” and one of the biggest threats (and tools of the enemy) is pornography and lust. They go hand in hand, and with the technology we have today it’s so easy to acquire. All you have to do is turn on the TV and get in on demand. It’s even easier on the internet. Pornography is a serious addiction and as the husband on this video stated it’s even harder to overcome than smoking and drinking.

Friends as you can tell by some of my other blogs I have not been a very good husband for the last couple of years. And after years of being controlled by lust and other sins of the flesh I have turned my life over to Jesus. Trust me you will not win this battle unless you give your life to Christ. Friends Jesus will restore you lives and marriages. I have seen him work in my life and the lives of many others. He will rebuild your broken lives and make your family even stronger. Friends if you are struggling with this addiction or are affected by this and want to save your family and you marriage you have to trust our Lord and Savior. He will give you the strength to weather this storm and come out stronger. Jesus is on your side. He loves to see families healed and restored. Now some of your friends and family members may not agree with you when you try to save your marriage and forgive your spouse, but if they really loved you and had Jesus in their hearts they would stand by your side and celebrate your victory. Friends FIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY! Here are some suggestions to help

Pray for your spouse and for yourself ( or couples you know that are in trouble)

Ask Jesus to come into your life (try to emulate Christ, ask your self is this something Jesus would do?)

Seek professional counseling! ( Pastor, Family Counselor, Rabbi)

Read your BIBLE! Proverbs 31 “Song of Songs” great stuff!

Read Christian books on marriage, families and addictions

Don’t give up P.U.S.H Pray Until Something Happens

Watch good movies like “Fireproof”

Don’t listen to non-Christians and people who live in the world ( ask yourself are they living for Jesus)

Learn from other people’s mistakes and victories. She how Christ has changed them

Father God,
Thank you for the many blessings you have given me and my family, thank you for rescuing me from a life of lust, sin and self destruction. Father thank you for restoring my family and my heart, Father thank you for giving me my brother and my brothers in Christ to help me find my way back to you, Father please help all the families out there that are hurting and need you, Father give them hope and strength to make it through these troubled times, Father give them the Grace, the love, the forgiveness you have given me, Father help those who are struggling with lust and pornography, give them the strength to fight this addiction, Father we know that when we give our lives to you that will give us the Victory! Father it’s in your Holy name we pray…Amen

A Fathers Love

Friends what you have just watched is a perfect example of a Fathers love for his child. This is also a great example of how our Heavenly Father loves us. We are that child that crosses that finish line in Victory! Thanks to the love and support of our Father.

Farewell Spook

Hello friends,


The other day my old boss and good friend Kenny came to see me. He dropped by the office to take care of some paperwork and see everyone. He then ask if he could get on my computer and while he was checking his e-mail he noticed that I had been listening to a sermon by Mark Driscoll on marriage and the book “ Song of Songs”. He then turned to me and said “I never thought you would be listening to something like this”. I told him “yeah I have turned my life around and basically gave my life to Jesus”.

Kenny has worked with me for the last couple of years and when you share an office you also share some of your personal life. Well needless to say, Kenny knew me as a different person back then. He always was a good friend and confidant. I can still here him telling me last year that I was going down the wrong path and how he worried about me. He predicted most of the things that happened during that time. He said “Chris, trust me I have been there, I know what you’re going through and I know what you’re feeling”. At the time I just smiled and gave him the ole head nod. But a couple months later I realized how right he was.

So fast forward six months and here we are. I told Kenny how Jesus has saved my life from self-destruction and how he has given me peace and happiness. Friends no man or woman can give you that. You have to give your life to our Lord and Savior; he is the only one who can fill that need. Please stop running around trying to find that in another person. You will be like a dog chasing his tale. Yes we ALL fall in that trap at one time or another. Anyway back to my good friend Kenny. He then proceeded to tell me about his Brother Spook (not sure where the nick-name came from). Spook was not his real brother but according to Kenny he was closer than one. He had told me how Spook was in a similar situation. He was married, had children and was caught up in an affair. He didn’t go into a lot of details but friends trust me all the stories are the same, just the names and locations change. Kenny said Spook had called him to talk about his situation and after awhile Kenny told him “Spook, this is going to kill you” Spook then replied “It already has”. I didn’t get to hear the rest of the conversation but Kenny told me that his friend, his Brother from another Mother “bit the bullet”. Shocked I said “what do you mean?” Well apparently the next day Spook killed himself. He left behind a wife, child, Mother, Father and his best friend Kenny.

Friends this is serious business and unfortunately very common. I have been talking about this as a way to try to help others who are going through the same thing. I am not trying to clear my conscious; I have been forgiven by my wife, my Lord and Savior and my friends and family. And that’s all that matters. But for you out there who are going through the same thing, male or female I encourage you to give your life to Jesus and turn away from your sins. He will restore your life, your marriage, your hope, your peace, your happiness and your sanity. He will help you get back what you think you lost! So stop trying to fix it yourselves, get off the relationship merry-go-round. Stop looking for other people to give you what only a relationship with Jesus can do. Stay married to your best friend, if your spouse is not your best friend WORK ON BECOMING BEST FRIENDS! There are so many good books out there and good teachers on the Internet to help. If you’re insurance pays for counseling USE IT! A co-worker of Heidi’s said her husbands company had a meeting where they just randomly said they cover marriage counseling. Friends that’s what I call Devine intervention! That is the Holy Spirit giving you a nudge. Trust me it’s no accident.

Let me close by saying I love you all. You are my Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Stay strong! Use the acronym P.U.S.H Pray Until Something Happens. God bless you friends.