"A Time to Chill" means "CHILL OUT!"

I know... I know! It says, "... a time for peace.", but I like "chill" better. I just got back from a great vacation. This vacation was more difficult than most because I went on this vacation with a bummed-up ankle and foot. Couldn't do all the things I wanted to like deep sea fishing! Oh, how I LOVE DEEP SEA FISHING! I will admit - this grown man almost cried! My point? I still did what I could... Relax. To me vacation is putting up the cell phone and leaving the watch on the night stand. No time schedules. No interruptions. Just God, me, my wife and kids, and my parents. Everybody needs, "A Time to Chill"! I know that I'm greatly blessed to be able to do so on the white sands of Destin, Fl. but, some of my most wonderful - peaceful - chill out moments have also been right in my own back yard. Just drinking my coffee and reading the Word. Feeling the presence of God refreshing me and giving me a, "... peace that surpasses understanding..."

So let me encourage you today to make time to chill out in the presence of God. God can take care of all your worries, fears, and stresses... All your physical problems and marital "issues"... All your financial situations and possible jobless fears... All are washed away from your mind, emotions, and feelings when you simply get into HIS presence!


Remember - EVERYONE needs "A Time to Chill" so Chill Out!!!!


Peace & Love On YOU Today,
Stoner

What Do You Really Want?

Hey Bloggers!


Let me ask you a simple question... What do you really want from your life right now? Right now you're probably listing things like more money, nicer house, an awesome vacation - so am I headed the right direction? Ha! Here's my point - where does God fall into your list of wants? You know the Word says that God wants to give you the desires of your heart - that's if your desires line up with His. Does He want you to be blessed? Absolutely! He wants you to have more money, drive nicer cars, and live in a bigger house but the truth is WE PURSUE WHAT WE DESIRE! I think most Christians ask God for a blessing and then sit back and wait for it. That's not the way God works. He's a God of process. That's why He established the Law of Sowing and Reaping. You reap what you sow! So if you want a better marriage what are you sowing into it? If you want more money what are you sowing? You've got to give in order to get! If you want a better relationship with God what are you putting into it? These thoughts are simple, I know, but it's good to be reminded about simple principals like this. If we pursue what we desire and God longs to give you the desires of your heart then what are you waiting on? Maybe the question you need to ask yourself today is if you're not getting what you really want - is what you really want line up with God's desire and if it does how are you pursuing it?


Simply put - ask God, by faith, to help you accomplish your goals, dreams, and desires and then put the Works behind it!


God Is Love,
Stoner

Whoever Said 13 Is An Unlucky Number?!

Today is my 13th Wedding Anniversary! It's been a great 13 years! There are certain gifts that God gives each of us every day of our lives that we just tend to ignore. For example: good health; a place to live; clothes to wear and food to eat; good friendships. Beyond a doubt the three greatest gifts He's ever given us is His Son, marriage, and family. It's amazing how we just tend to ignore those gifts, especially in the difficult times of our lives. Without just boring you to death, other than my salvation, my wife is a gift from God to me that I always want to treasure and NEVER want to ignore. I honestly feel the favor of God on my life every time I look at her. She's not only everything I ever needed - she's everything that God needed for me! I mean that! She's breath-taking beautiful - a wonderful mother - a great ministry partner - and my best friend. Sure marriage is work, but when God is the center of it - He even makes the work a little fun! I can honestly say our marriage is better than its ever been. That is not a cliche' for me - that is truth!

So to those of you who are struggling in your marriage - be encouraged! God designed marriage - just follow His blueprints, which by the way, are found in His Word. Pray together - play together - fight battles together - STAY TOGETHER! We've done all that and more and it just keeps gettin' better!

Whoever said 13 was an unlucky number didn't know what they were talking about! 13 has been great for me! All I can say is, "Bring On 13 More!"

Love You Baby! So Glad God Gave Me YOU!

4th Grader & S - E - X ???!!!

Hey friends. Today my heart is broken because I had to have a talk with my 10 year old son - my firstborn - who is only in 4th grade about sex. It breaks my heart! I didn't want to have that talk with him - shouldn't be talking about this at such a young age. The only thing we should be talking about is sports, homework, God, and when are we going to throw the ball together. Yet, my son kept coming home from school asking questions about sexual matters because of what he was hearing other 4th graders tell him at school. How sad is that?! This is what has become of our society! I had to have a talk with him because I wanted him to hear it from his dad - not some kid at school that's being raised by ungodly parents. I wanted him to have a Godly perspective and understanding from the Word of God - not the word of ungodly people. It just breaks my heart for these children who are being raised in such dysfunctional environments. It breaks my heart for my own children - sin is just to easily accessible. My friends - family - my fellow warriors... We have a battle to fight! There is a war that is being raged against the very standards and principals this nation was based on. Let's us pray more than ever - let us stand for what is right - let us stop setting in our seats Sunday after Sunday and make little effort to take Jesus to our community. In some ways its our fault. We haven't done enough! In a world and society that is so blind let us be the light of the world. Let us take the TRUTH to those who need it with the heart and compassion of Christ!

Love You Much! May You & Your Children Be Blessed Today!
Me

Reformation of Holiness

I want to start this blog by saying this is a serious message and I pray that you will seek God over what I'm about to share with you. I pray that you know that what I'm sharing is from a heart that loves God and His people.

I felt the need to write down what the Holy Spirit has been dealing with me about so strongly today. I wanted to write this down so that I would not forget and hold myself accountable to those I minister too as well to share with you my spiritual mandate and calling as a minister of the Word. I just finished reading a prophetic warning by Pastor David Wilkerson. I had the awesome privilege of working for him in New York City for almost two years. He warned of major catastrophes coming soon through out America. I urge you to read his blog. I also watched some old video clips of Pastor Leonard Ravenhill as he spoke truth concerning the church.

For years pastors have preached on the need for revival in America. I have been one of those pastors. There has been an ever increasing number of ministers who preach constantly on prosperity. There have been times in my ministry I have felt the pressure to preach it as well because that's what people want to hear. That builds churches - that meets a 'need'. I'm not advocating that prosperity is wrong or sinful or that it should never be preached. I am saying, however, that those who preach prosperity only should also preach holiness, repentance, the return of Christ, and salvation. I am saying to Christians that there are more important things to God other than your materialistic belongings. I just don't understand constant preaching on something that really won't matter when we stand before God in judgement.

I have had to repent to God and to you. I want to first start by saying that I believe pastors who preach on revival are not bad men. Their hearts are right - the message is wrong. For something to be revived means to do something that was done in the past. I believe God wants to build His church - not on the past - not on past movements - but upon His Word and what He desires to do now. We don't need something from the past - we need what He wants now. Secondly, I believe God does want to prosper His people and His church - but He didn't send His Son to die on the cross just so that we'll be rich. I'm preaching on the Church of Laodicea - the church that makes God sick. He said He would "vomit" that church out. That church was a financially prosperous church. In the words of Leonard Ravenhill, "If prosperity is so important to God then why didn't He look at the church at Laodicea with great approval?" They had money but lacked Holy Spirit Power. We should be more concerned about our spiritual prosperity then we are our checkbooks.

To sum up my mandate and conviction I believe the Church in America needs a spiritual reformation of holiness. We must reform the church's message in these last days. The Word says, "Without holiness no man can see the Lord." I pray that God does bless your finances. I pray that you live your life in the blessings of God, but I pray most that you discover who He is. I pray that He'll be enough! I pray that He becomes our Reward! I believe if we really knew Him - if we spent time on our knees - if we repented for sin - we would change our city in just months! We need altars that are packed with people crying out to God for their nation - repenting and interceding for those that are lost. We need pastors who are not afraid to preach the truth. Even if it's not what the 'itching ears' want to hear. I believe God sent me to NYC to work with Pastor Wilkerson and set me under his anointed preaching because I am called to be an alarmist also to this nation and to the church. I know my preaching won't always be popular. I know that may not draw large crowds and shouts of praise, but I also know that when I stand before God - He will look at me and say, "Well done thy good and faithful servant." and that, my friends, is enough for me.

Love you much and I encourage you to pray more than you ever have before. Live for God. Be holy as He is holy - in all your conduct. Join with me as God uses us to bring a 'Reformation of Holiness' back to His church.

God Bless,
Me

Coonhunters for Christ!

What's up bloggers - all two of you! haha!

Yeah so I'm driving in downtown Dyersburg and there's this pick-up truck in front of me with a cage in the bed of the truck. On this cage was a sticker that said, you guessed it...Coonhunters for Christ. I started laughing and thought to myself that the South truly has a culture of its own. Which really got me thinking about if we as a church, speaking of the body of Christ, are we really relevant? I mean I have to admit I thought that was a little dorky and just a bit too much. I was thinking that the church will truly do anything to get people in church. I mean I would've never thought of Coonhunters for Christ! But then again, we do have a lot of hunters down here and they need Jesus as much as anyone else. So maybe the coonhunters are more relevant than most churches. I mean we do all of our 'religious' things that just don't seem to be touching lost humanity. Maybe we need to get to where they are and meet their needs - even if it's in the middle of the Southern fields or Southern woods! So I say... Go Coonhunters for Christ! While you're killing some coons why not win a soul while you're at it! (Ha! Ha! It's still funny!)

Later - Peace & Love,
Stoner

I Get It!

Have you ever thought about what makes us successful? Better yet - significant? I find myself going on 40 years old in a couple of years. Time seems to be progressing faster than my dreams. I mean let's "get real" for a moment. Most of us have dreams, goals, and desires. I think most of us want to feel like our lives counted for something which brings us to this most important question... What is living? What is success? What is significance? I would love to build a large church and reach thousands. I think that's a good goal. I would like to provide a good living for my wife and boys and make all their dreams come true. I have friends who've done well for themselves and their work ethic is to be appreciated and I share that like passion. But is all the sacrificing we make for these good goals really what success and signifance is all about? I mean there's nothing wrong with those things, but when we breathe our last breath how much will that really matter to us? I recently attended a funeral of a woman I didn't know. All I know is that she was 27 and left behind a husband and 5 year old son and the baby that she was delivering didn't make it as well. I fought back tears as I watched that husband's heart break for the wife he would never hold again. I've stood across from a friend of mine, Kenny, who recently has been by the bedside of his young wife who had a brain aneurysm. He looked at me and said, "I'll never work more than 40 hours again. She's the most important thing in my life other than God." If you have to work a lot this is not to put you on a guilt trip. I just want to challenge you to search out the heart of this issue. I just spent a wonderful evening with my wife and boys. Nothing special-- just sitting around the table eating grilled burgers and talking about what the kid down the street did. I watched as my pretty little wife helped my boys with their plates. In that 'insignificant moment' I felt 'significant'. I felt as if I was successful. I felt blessed. I know one day I will have a large church. I know God will give me the ability to reach the lost. I am confident in the blessings of God, but even if none of that happened I Get It! Don't you love those "get it" moments? I got to throw the football with my little boys that won't be little for long and felt as if I achieved greatness, because I did! I get it! God has blessed me with the most precious and most costly thing - it's called "Life". It's not just my life He's blessed me with, but with theirs. I have the opportunity to help shape their lives - watch them grow - help them be men - help her to let go. I get to grow old with her and change with her. I get to be there for them right before they say "I do." I get to kiss her for the rest of my life! How awesome is that?! If I am there at those moments - what an achievement! If I say and do the right thing - how significant is that?! So with all you're doing - are you really doing what matters most? Are you living a significant life? Don't know? Ask your spouse. Ask your kids. I hope this helps you to have one of those "I Get It" moments in your life.



Peace & God's Love

Cody - Cody - Cody

For those of you who know me - you know I enjoy being a family man. I have a very hot wife and two little crazy - good looking boys. There is never a dull moment at our house like last night for instance. My youngest son, Spencer (7), has be intrigued with the 'infilling' of the Holy Ghost. We had some dear friends of ours over for pizza. Spencer decided he wanted to speak in tongues so as we prayed over the pizza he started saying, "Cody Cody Cody Cody Cody." He then asked his mommy, "Mommy am I speaking in tongues?" It was pretty funny. You just have to love kids because their so honest - well most of the time. I'm sure one day Spencer will get the gift he's looking for, but how about you? The Bible says all you have to do is "...ask and it shall be given - seek and you shall find - knock and the door will be open." If you want more from your relationship with God, like the infilling, then ask. It's not deep or complicated, matter of fact the Word says, "...unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mt. 18:3). So why not go to Him like Spencer - be honest - and ask God, "Is this the gift I'm searching for?"

Enjoy Your Kids Today!

Much Love,
Stoner

So This Is Blogging...

Hello Blogging World! I am making my first attempt at this whole 'blogging thing'. You might want to know why? Well, I wish I could give you some deep spiritual reason, but I just like writing. Sometimes I think I can write down my thoughts better than I can say them. So my hope is that as you read my blogs you'll laugh, cry, and who knows you might even learn something. I know that I'm anxious to learn anything I can from you. You can see that my blog page is called "Getting Real With Stoner". That's what I'm looking for...People who are just willing to get real. Be yourself. Say what's really on your mind. I mean that. All this "tip toe through the tulips" isn't working. I hope my blog will give you an opportunity to "get real" as we discuss real issues that affect our daily lives. So this is blogging... I think I can get use to it.

Later Bloggers!