To know HIM is to Love HIM

The Teddy Bears Sang a song… “To Know Him is to Love Him.”

It’s a cute little song that I’ve always loved, but be careful… it gets stuck in your head.

A friend of mine messaged me at work the other day and asked if I was out walking the trails. They had seen me from afar and thought it was me by the way I walked… They said I had a distinctive walk.

It’s true, my walk is distinctive.. Half Strut and Half Limp…LOL

I’ve known this person for years and we’ve walked, talked, and spent time together.

So, by knowing my “walk” they could spot me from a mile a way. 

In my studies this week, I have been praying and reading about knowing God and discerning what is of God and what is not.

There are so many theologies, religions, beliefs and dis-beliefs today, that we get bombarded with information and can get confused on what God wants, says, or even where He is.

John 10:3-5

Jesus Said: “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

Later on in this chapter he says “I am the Gatekeeper… I am the Good Shepherd.”

There doesn’t have to be confusion when it comes to knowing God. Walk, Talk, and Spend time with Him and you will Know His voice, His ways, His will and His walk.

“… his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger…”

~adam

"I Can’t Find You"

As I listen to my kids play and run around the house, I can’t help but laugh at some of the issues they encounter. One issue that keeps occurring is when they separate and can’t find each other… One will call out for the other over and over, not taking a break in between yelling to hear the other one answer.  Being older and wiser (sarcasm) I try to explain to them to WAIT a second after you yell out to allow the other to answer… Listen.   I know this lesson far to well.

Matthew 7:7,8 teaches us: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

So why do we run into the frustrations of asking and searching but not finding or receiving? For me, I’m not sure I take the time to listen.

David tells us “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your hear: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalm 27:14

Are you calling out for answers? Searching? Call out! Ask! Search! But then… Wait.

~adam

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1

Good Enough

Matthew 14:28-31²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”²⁹ “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” ³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Probably once a month I tune up, turn on my mic, and hit record in my little basement studio in hopes to record my next CD.  At this point in my life I should have 4 full-length records… However, I get started and then talk my self out of finishing. “I’m not good enough,” “no one is listening,” “this is a waste of time,” or the words of past critics come creeping back in my mind.  These are the “Winds” on my sea.

For others it could be just the thoughts of our past: we think about where we’ve been, who we are or what we have done in the past and automatically discount our ability to do good.  In the verse above, Jesus called Peter onto the water (By Peters request) and asked him to come.  Peter did, but then suddenly become overwhelmed with doubt and fear.  In his defense, the wind off the water can be cold and strong and cause any sailor to be concerned.

What’s your wind?

How many times have you started a task that you felt called to take on, only to see the obstacles around you or start to feel like you weren’t good enough to continue?

It happens, but guess what? You are good enough! It is not because of what you have done or haven’t done, but because Jesus has said, “Come…” Ephesians 2:10  “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

So, as the first month of the New Year has come and gone, let’s block out the wind, focus on Jesus and remember that we are HIS handiwork… We are Good Enough.

~adam

Where in the World is Coffee with Crozier?

Hello Hello

I hope all is well!!  

For those who are wondering... The Coffee with Crozier Blog will return in December of 2014.

Tell your friends!!

With Love,
Adam

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Have you ever had a chocolate covered strawberry? Have you ever had 20 of them in one sitting? Lol.  They are so good! And strawberries are a fruit, so eating these are good for you! Right? 

Sometimes we can take something that is good for us and add a little bad to it.  Confusing ourselves to wether it's good or bad

Isaiah gives a friendly "woe" reminder:

"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20)

As I read this verse this week, I couldn't help but keep going back to it over and over. He isn't telling us not to eat chocolate covered strawberries of course, but he is giving us a warning on mixing up good and evil. There's a difference and we need to first recognize it and declare it. 

So, in any decisions you may be making, changes or opportunities that are coming your way. Be sure to pray and ask for discernment in determining what's good and evil as many situations in today's world are starting to blend the two. 

Happy August, 

adam

Hold, Honor, and Hospitality

“Let love be genuine….”   Romans 12:9

If ever there is a time to Love, the Time is NOW.

Are you Hurting? Know someone that is?

Everyone has issues, some issues are so intense that we may start to feel hopeless, stuck and gone.

But how can we get out of this feeling of addiction, hopelessness and depression? Hold, Honor and Hospitality…

Romans 12 continues on with a great example of how we can get out of feeling stuck and how we can help others do the same…

“ Abhor what is evil; HOLD fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing HONOR. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show HOSPITALITY.”

Hold-  Hold on to what is Good… if we can be reminded of the Good, the bad will seem further away.

Honor- Outdo one another in showing honor… If we continuously were trying to compete on who honored who… we would get out of our depression and help others do the same.. Imagine constantly honoring someone and being honored by others.

Hospitality- Seek to show Hospitality… by being hospitable and being around people, it would be hard to feel alone and unworthy… Helping others and meeting their needs will not only be uplifting to them, but to you.

Try these three things this week. Get involved, be around people and help those in need.   Serving the Lord will make you Whole.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer…”

-adam

Talkin' bout Freedom!

Driving across the country last week, I saw several different signs: “Jesus Saves,” Jesus has paid the price for you,” “God loves you” and “We are Free Indeed.”

These signs are meant to be reminders for those who may have “lost their way,” or needed a word of encouragement in their life.

But what about those who don’t know what these signs mean?

Jesus Saves… From what.,?

Jesus has paid the price for you… Why?

God loves you…. So does my wife?

We are Free, Indeed…uh; of course I am when was I not?

31 … Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." 33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" 34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  –JOHN 8:31-36

“Everyone who sins is a slave to sin…” 

Whether we like it or not, OR except it or not, we are Slaves to sin.  By being such, we should not be able to become a part of the Family of God and should ultimately die. Thankfully, “God loved the world so much, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

If we Hold His teachings, Know and Believe the Truth, We are Free from sin and death. Talkin’ bout FREEDOM…

-adam