Start Proclaiming

Over the past 2 months, at least 10 people have come to come and told me they're praying for me to have a baby or I just come to their mind during their prayer time. Now, I don't know if you've ever had this happen to you but it can be so encouraging and sometimes a bit......I don't want to say "scary" but a little weird, but in a great way!  

Recently, Pastor Mark spoke about something that John Marc said while leading worship and it was that "God likes a big audience." 

He wants to be known. He wants people to see how powerful He is and what He can do in their life. He wants people in Heaven with Him, so He uses situations like Baby Judah, my friend Shannan's brain tumor, my infertility, etc. so people will hear about what He has done and come to Christ.

As the song says, "We will overcome, by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony", that's what I plan to do. God wants me to proclaim what's mine and He wants it done loudly and with confidence! So that's what I'm 'bouts" to do! 

A couple days ago, I posted about how cool it is when you surrender everything to God. He'll give you insight, vision and a longing to do more for Him. That's where I'm at right now. God has been showing me, how much people are in need of the saving grace of Jesus. 

I could sit here and say that "Well there's so much drama in our world today, who am I to stop it?" Or I could say, "Well it's not my problem." 

Well sometimes God doesn't want you meddling but I believe that it is my responsibility to be available if God chooses me to help in a situation. You'll know when He wants you to move by the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

Take Jessica's situation for example. I knew in my heart that we we're to ACT and NOW! Jared felt the same way. When God tells you to do something, YOU WILL KNOW! It's unshakable! 

I believe that a lot of Christians today are too comfortable. We have our salvation and we go to church but is that enough? Is that all God has called you to do? The answer is NO! We are to be Salt and Light to other people. But have we lost our saltiness? (Matthew 5:13-16)

Now, I don't know who will read this and I really don't care if people think I'm odd or whatever. I know who I am and that's a child of God. I know why I'm on this earth and that's to proclaim His name in the dark places of my city, state, nation and the world. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) That means, who or what do we have to fear? Nothing! 

It's time to be actively pursuing Him; To go to the ditches, pull people out and share Jesus with them. I know I'm speaking very plainly but the message of Jesus isn't complicated. It's simple. That's why He came as a baby! 

I'm not writing this to get any kind of recognition but simply to proclaim His name! Everything is about Him. Bottom line. Yes, you make your own choices in life but He is the reason for your existence. He has chosen you! He has set you apart for a divine reason. 

I'm preachin' to myself for sure but also to you. It's time to step it up, Christians! And tell people about Jesus, not just about your church and what they do, but about Jesus. :)

Nat J

REACH Week Devotion 4- Fear Not

REACH Week Devotion 4 – Fear Not

Matthew 10:28-32 says “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

There are many excuses for not serving, but one that’s tough to argue with is fear. Often times to help those most in need we are asked to enter the most dangerous situations. The result might be a simple, but hurtful, rejection from the very people you’re trying to help. It could also result in the loss of property, or even physical harm. In the direst of situations, helping others may require a sacrifice of everything.

Any one of these can be a reasonable justification for holding back when God calls us to meet a need. In times like these we each have a choice; to fear man or to trust God. Fear is an overwhelming emotion that can paralyze us from the inside out. This is why it’s important to remember that when we’re confronted with fear, we understand our value in God’s eyes. He knows every detail about us, including every situation we’re in.

Fear not. Serving has never been easy; it requires boldness. It requires an ability to understand our fears and to ignore them. It requires us to trust that God not only knows our names but understands every detail and is aware of every situation. Don’t choose to fear man. Serve in boldness by trusting God. 

~Jared Jones 

REACH Week-Devotion 3- October 18, 2011-Faith Without Works

Devotion 3 – October 18, 2011, Faith Without Works

James 2:14-17 says “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”

I know I’ve done this before. Someone tells you a truly desperate situation and, instead of saying something like “Hey I know how to help” or “Let me see what I can do”, you say “I’ll definitely pray for that person”. Prayer is a vital part of our walk with Christ, and sometimes it’s all we can do. Other times, though, God calls us to do something more.

Our faith in God isn’t just what we know about Him, it’s what we do in response to Him. God wants us to build our faith through prayer, worship, and His word, but He also wants us to act out our faith in real, tangible ways. This isn’t about working for our salvation; that debt has been paid. This is about an external reflection of an internal affection for our savior.

When we find ourselves with an opportunity to serve, don’t turn away from it. Don’t look to see if God’s going to send someone else. More than likely, that someone is you. Embrace the opportunity to demonstrate your faith. Serve it out, live it out.

~ Jared Jones 

REACH Week-Devotion 2- The Message is for All

Devotion 2 – Monday, October 17, 2011 – The Message is for All

Acts 10:34-38 says “Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism  but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” 

The nice part of town. White Collar. Upper Class. Blue Collar. Lower Class. The wrong side of the tracks. These phrases can be used to describe someone’s place in life. On the surface, they might give you an idea of where someone lives, where they work, or how much money they make. Unfortunately, by using these sayings we are assigning value to a person based not on who they are but on how much they make. 

Fortunately, we serve a God who shows no favoritism. Our God “accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right”. This is amazing news! Jesus died not just for the sins of a select few but for all of us. This message is universal and needs to be heard by everyone; not just the rich, not just the poor.

As we participate in REACH week, remember that those we serve aren’t “less fortunate” than us. Without God’s grace we are all less fortunate. Sin puts all of us on equal footing with one another. Only by Jesus’ sacrifice are we made right with God. Carry this message in your heart and proclaim it to everyone you encounter this week, no matter who they are, where they’re from, or where they’re going.

~ Jared Jones

Devotion 1 – Sunday, October 16 – Answering the Call

Devotion 1 – Sunday, October 16 – Answering the Call

Matthew 4:18-20 says “Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, "Come with me. I'll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I'll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass." They didn't ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed”.

Has this ever happened to you? You’re in the middle of another normal day when, out of the blue, you here a call? For some people the call might be giving food to a homeless person you see on the way home from work every day. For others, it could be giving a hand to someone stranded on the side of the road. For Peter and Andrew, it was a simple request from Jesus to “come with me.” What would follow would place them in the middle of the most significant events in human history.

God’s plans often start with a simple call to everyday people like you and me. Our involvement in His plans is often determined by our response to that call. Do we make a list of excuses? Do we reason that there are better people more qualified? Do we think of the hundreds of other things that are “more important”? Or do we follow Peter and Andrew’s example; don’t ask questions, simply drop your nets and follow.

For all of us participating in REACH week, remember that God has called each and every one of us to something bigger than ourselves. Let us not make excuses and ignore the call. Instead, let us drop our nets and follow.



~Jared Jones

That's how I see it............now

What an amazing God we serve! I'm always in awe of Him and how He constantly is trying to teach me how to be like Jesus. 

Over the past few weeks, some things have happened in my life that have caused me to think about how I respond.

For example, the way I pray about things, the way I worship, the way I talk to people, the way I think about things, etc. Maybe you've never thought about those kinds of things but it's been on my mind lately. I do normally try to think about things objectively and positively, but I believe that God is calling me and us all to this higher level of intimacy with Him. He wants ALL of us. All of our thoughts, prayers, worship, our speech, everything!

I feel like He has given me a new perspective about things just in the past week or so. I want to know Him like I never have before, know and love the Word like I never have, worship like I never have, live how He wants me to live. 

Now, I really do try and live my life how God wants me to but now I feel like it's a new beginning for me honestly! I'm just so tired of worrying about things. I know that God has a baby for me. I know that God will make a way. I know that God will restore my family that was devastated by divorce almost 15 years ago. I know that He is FAITHFUL to deliver on all of His promises.

So for me, I feel a rejuvenation, I feel refreshed! I feel now, more than ever, is the time to REACH more people for Jesus! 

I'm not going to start asking a bunch of hypothetical's...like "What would happen if we all had a different mindset?" I only want to encourage you all to just dive into the Word and worship! Spend some time in worship on your own.  Don't wait until you come to church to worship.

What a life He has planned for us! I hope that each of you realize the potential you have in Christ. So get to know Him! :)

Worry vs. Worship

I love how the Lord speaks to us. For me, a lot of times it's through music. Actually most of the time, it's through music. Except for today, I was reading a blog by Holly Furtick, that I typically read on a daily basis. Today, the blog was about Worry and Anxiety. 

There have been several things going on in my life that would cause me to worry and feel anxiety, which is why I've been thinking about this very subject even before I read the blog today. So I knew the Lord was trying to teach me something. 

In Matthew 6:25-34 (Message) It says: 

 ^25-26"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

 ^27-29"Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

 ^30-33"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

 ³⁴"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

I know that was long but it's so important to realize that He has everything taken care of. Why do we constantly worry about stuff? In the blog from today, it spoke of a direct correlation between our worship and worry. 

It said that worry and worship is like a see-saw. When our worry is up, our worship is down and when our worship is up, our worry is down. WHOA!!! I absolutely LOVE that! It's so true. 

Jesus didn't say that our problems weren't important but that we should cast our cares on Him and He'll take care of the rest. Why do we always second guess that? Hasn't He ALWAYS provided? The answer is YES!!

Meditate on this thought especially before you head into worship! Don't let the enemy steal your joy and replace it with worry. Worship through your tears, worries and fears. Give thanks for everything, serve each other with your whole heart and let's move past all of things that weigh us down and keep us from REACHing the next level. :)

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;