GOD IS GOOD!

WOW! Have you ever took the time to stop and notice what exactly God has created for you to enjoy and to be part of. My son and I did just that this weekend. We rode from Newbury Park to Sycamore Beach. It was an 8.5 mile ride through some of the most B E A U T I F U L creations that God has created. We saw birds. Have you ever took the time to really look at the birds. The many different colors, the different feathers, sizes and shapes. We saw where snakes had crossed the trail. We saw wild flowers with some of the most amazing colors. Have you ever noticed the many different shades of green? Try just sitting out in the middle of nowhere and count the many different shades of green that you see. We would not have seen any of this if we did not take the timeout of our busy schedule to go for a ride in God's country. I feel so refreshed this morning. I can not wait until next weekend to see what God has in store for us. He is awesome. He is amazing. He is wondrous. He is glorious. He is always. He is the one. He is the only. He is GOD!

Thank you God for all You have done and all that You continue to do.

Captain Freedom

Is Jesus in the center of your life?

Since I went on the encounter, I have been trying to make and keep Jesus in the center of my life. It has not been easy. I have been through lots of storms. In fact I am going through a storm right now. Let me share one with you that started about a year ago. One day at work during lunch time I blacked out and had to be taken to the emergency room. My blood pressure was around 210/110. That's not good. My heart kept having these fluttering feelings. I was very dizzy. This was December of 2007. They put me on all kinds of medication and had me monitor my blood pressure. In February 2008 I was at the men's encounter and was taken to the emergency room again. Thanks Steve for taking me. My heart was fluttering, blood pressure was around 210/110 and I was very dizzy. I was in the hospital for 3 or 4 days and they ran all kinds of tests only to come back and tell me that they couldn't find anything wrong with me. Even though now my blood pressure would spike real high and then drop real low. So, my doctor put me on disability. Things started to get a little tight financially. In May I was still out on disability and the company I was working for laid me off. In June my doctor said that I was ready to return back to work. It turns out that all of this was caused by a sinus infection because of a bad tooth. Anyway, now I don't have a job and signed up for unemployment. When unemployment checked with my employer, they stated that I had never worked for them. Man, one thing after another. One day in August, I got a call from a Tim Boykin. He somehow got a copy of my resume and wanted to know if I was still looking for work. I said YES!.. We set up a time for an interview. The day of the Interview I was very nervous to say the least. I was at the mirror shaving and my beautiful wife was at the mirror next to me getting ready for work. The Lord put it upon my heart to ask her to pray with me. I looked into the mirror, as if I was looking at the Lord and what happened next was like an Abbott and Costello routine. I said no, she has never prayed with me before and I don't need this kind of pressure today. Again the Lord said ask her to Pray with you. I said no. He said ask her, I said no. He said do you trust ME. I said yes. The Lord said do you have faith in Me? I said yes. He said, then ask her to pray with you. I said ok, ok, ok. So with that, I turned to my very beautiful wife and asked her if she would pray with me about my job interview. What took place next gives me goose bumps just thinking about and it also brings tears to my eyes. She said that it sounded like a great idea and she reached out her hands and held mine and we prayed. Wow. I prayed before I went into the interview. I prayed when I got out of the interview. When I got home I hit my knees and prayed. I got the job. They didn't even interview anybody after me because the Lord wanted me to have this job.
Thank you Lord.
Why did I share all of this with you? My trials were not and never will be anything like Job's. I still have more than many in this world. The Lord has truly blessed me and my family. But, like Job, I did not turn on the Lord while going through these trials. I am not saying that they have been easy. At times they get very difficult and you feel like you can't take any more. But, by keeping Jesus in the center of your life and staying plug in with a bunch of great guys, I have made it through this storm. Will it be the last, probably not. But, Jesus will be right there bringing me through each and every storm and trial that I face.

Like Pastor Shawn stated in this weeks life group series. Keep looking straight ahead and don't look to either side. Look straight at Jesus, the Cross, and He will see us through.

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

By keeping Jesus in the center of our lives, we can and will make it through all storms and trials.

Thank you Jesus!

God Bless you,
Captain Freedom

Cultivate the Soil when planting SEEDS!

I think back to the first time someone tried to share Jesus Christ with me. It was around 1980 or so. I was in the Navy stationed at Barbers Point, HI. Two guys in my squadron would ask if I found Jesus? I would just laugh and say "I didn't know that He was lost?". Sorry Jesus, just trying to be real and transparent. They kept trying to plant a seed on very hard soil and the seed would just blow away. They would just tell me how I was going to hell and how bad I was. I didn't need anyone to tell me that. Another time ( around 1988) I was working on a big house in Beverly Hills. Alan Casden's (not sure I spelt that right) house to be specific. The guy that was laying tile in the showers would ask me if I knew Jesus Christ. I said of course. Who doesn't. I believed in Jesus, I just didn't let him into my heart. He just really left it right there. He didn't continue on. Again, he tried planting a seed on soil that was not prepared to except it. In 1994 when Dudley and Marty started planting the seed, they stayed with it. They cultivated the soil. They didn't judge me they just shared Jesus Christ with me and told me what the Bible says. I know that is when the seed was planted in me. Why do you ask, because the other times didn't bother me or make me think twice. With Dudley and Marty it really got to me. I am trying to say two things here. First, don't get discouraged if you don't see progress right away in someone that you are witnessing to. Second, the best thing not to do is to judge them. The Bible even says that we are not to judge. It will turn them away from the Lord and they won't listen to you. Use the Bible, don't say things like " I believe that this is how it is" or "I would do this or that". You need to show them or tell them how it is in the Bible. The most important thing to remember is this, Once the seed has been planted, don't give up. Continue to cultivate the soil. It is between God and the person the seed is planted as to whether it will grow or not. None the less, we still have to do our part. God will do the rest. Romans 2:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

God Bless you,
Captain Freedom

Apology to Pastor Dudley

Pastor Dudley, A couple of weeks ago in your sermon you mentioned the men's encounter. When you said men's encounter I yelled out FREEDOM. I apologize for that. I hope that I did not interrupt your sermon. You see, the Holy Spirit entered my heart at the encounter. I thought that I had the Holy Spirit in me before that. Well, He was, I just didn't let him drive. Now when ever I here someone say Encounter (FREEDOM) I yell FREEDOM. It just comes out. I don't even think about it. Sometimes I will be just walking down the hall way and just yell FREEDOM. It really feels good. I guess we have you and Marty to thank for this. You guys started this, and I am glad you did.

Captain Freedom

How Captain Freedom got his name.

In my last post I spoke of the men's encounter for Shepherd of The Hills. (You NEED to go, it will change your life for ever.) Before the encounter I knew a few people at Shepherd. During the encounter I started to yell FREEDOM as loud and as long as I could. I was not sure where this came from. I now know that it is the Holy Spirit inside of me. He is using me in a mighty way to show what he can do for you. After the encounter I started the School Of Leaders. This is where the guys started calling me Captain Freedom, because I just kept yelling FREEDOM at the top of my lungs. I would yell FREEDOM in the hall ways at church, I would yell it in the parking lot. I just felt this freedom that I have never felt before in my life. Before this I would have never done anything that would attract attention to me like this. But now, I didn't care because I was doing it for the Lord. He saved me and I wanted to let Him know that I was happy about that. I started serving on the encounters. I kept yelling freedom. A lot of the guys don't even know my real name, they just know me as Freedom or Captain Freedom. Some even call me Freedom Phil. All I know is that the Lord was using me in a mighty way to get people wanting to know more about Him and I was very happy to help. So, if you are ever at Shepherd of The Hills in Porter Ranch California and you hear FREEDOM being yelled, it might just be me. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says "Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom!"

God Bless you!
FREEDOM

The change in my life I will never forget!

In July of 2002 I got baptized one Saturday night at the 5pm service. Thanks Scott Irwin. Now let's jump forward to November 2006. Up to this point I had been leading Bible studies and attended church on a regular basis. I thought that I had it all. Then one service I saw an announcement for the Men's Encounter. I had heard of this from Kevin and Lloyd in my Mens group. I decided to go to the Encounter in November 2006 up in Frazier Park. WOW! That weekend changed my life like you would not believe. I don't want to share too much about the encounter weekend, in case you might want to go, but it brought me even closer to the LORD. I can share this with you. I had been struggling with chewing tobacco since I was 18. I was 46 when I attended the encounter. I had tried to quit on my own. Friday night on the encounter I threw my can of chew away only to dig it out of the trash can the next morning after breakfast. Sunday morning I got up at 6am and went for a walk in God's country. I starting praying to our Lord and Savior to please help me to quit chewing tobacco. It came upon my heart to open the can and dump it out while I walked in the woods. I did just that. After Breakfast I sat down by the fire place and opened my Bible to where ever it opened to and started reading. It opened to Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." I knew that right then and there that the Lord would help me through this. I had never put my trust in the Lord this way ever before in my life. That was over 2 years ago and I have not had any tobacco since. I continue to put Jesus in the center of my life no matter what the storm is. He will guide us through all storms. More to come later. It only gets better as we trust in the Lord.

All is quite on the western front.

My daughter and her boyfriend have made up and life has return to what we know as normal. I don't know what caused this and if she tells me then fine. I will not pry. Today is a short entry. Tomorrow I will continue where we left off on Thursday. Yesterday and today are very huge stepping stones for all of us. I pray that all of this is and will be for the Glory of the Lord our Father.

My Heart Is Torn Today!

My Heart feels like it has been ripped in two today. Last night my beautiful daughter knocked on mine and my wife's bedroom door. She was crying and she wanted her mom. I was scared. I thought that something really bad had happened. Then at our front door stood two of my daughters closest friends. I guess they had a parent drive them over to our house. It is about 11pm. Wow, something must be really bad. My wife comes and tells me that our daughters boy friend of 2 months had just broke up with her. At first I thought, all this for that? Then I realized that my daughters heart had just been ripped in two. I thought back to when I was young and a girl broke my heart in two. I thought that it would never mend. It did mend. Now I must show my daughter the Love of a father and give her a hug and let her know that I am here for her. As for the boy friend, I'll deal with him later.....Just kidding. I hope that the Holy Spirit continues to grow in his heart. I just called my daughter to tell her I loved her and to have a good day. I do love her. She is just starting her day at school right now. It must be hard being there right now. I wish that I could be there with her. I will pray for her. The Lord will be with her and keep her safe.

Praise the Lord

The Seed is starting to grow.

We started going to Shepherd on a regular basis. Marty Saw me at church one day and he was very excited to see me. He mentioned a men's group that he belonged to that I could come and check out. I went on a Thursday night and met the guys in the group. Steve, Dion, Skip, Kevin and Marty. The group later grew even bigger. When I introduced myself as that I used to be Marty's neighbor, they said the same thing that Pastor Tim said, so you're Marty's neighbor. Here is why I am telling you this. Dudley and Marty not only prayed for me but they had other men praying for me as well. If you have someone that you have been witnessing to and they are being bull headed, don't give up. It might take some time. The Bible explains that we are to plant the seed and the rest is between God and the person that we planted the seed in. Sometimes it takes awhile for the seed to grow. It was about 6 or 7 years before my seed started to grow.

Next post I will share something that changed my life for ever.

Captain Freedom

contiuned from yesterday

OK, let's fast forward to the year 2000. April 2000 to be exact. I started dating this very beautiful lady that had two children. In April of 2001 we got married. Around July of that year I had this urge to go to church. Yes I know, go figure, me at church. Little did I know but I had this seed in me that started to grow. Anyway, I got an even better urge. I said, Let's go to Shepherd of the Hills. We went and listened to Dudley. Man, he must have seen me because the whole time that he was up there it was like he was talking to me and nobody else. After the service I met Pastor Tim and asked if I could say hi to Dudley. He stated that Dudley is busy getting ready for the next service. I asked him if he would tell Dudley that Bill (Marty's neighbor) said hi. Pastor Tim looked at me and said, You're Marty's neighbor? Why didn't you say so, come with me. He lead us to Dudley's office and when Dudley saw me and my family he jokingly said, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY CHURCH? Dudley was actually very excited to see me and my new family.
To be continued..............

The Seed is Planted

When I lived in Mission Hills I lived next door to a great family. Marty, Chris, Mitch, Nic, Kaya and Luke. Marty loves to ride dirt bikes. I blew out my knee so I couldn't ride any more. A friend of Marty's would come over and they would work on their bikes and clean them. One day I just started helping. Then his riding buddy asked me if I went to church. I told him not really. I'm Catholic. He asked me if I thought that I was going to go to heaven when I died and I said of course. I had already made my reservations. I told him that I was a good guy. I believe in Jesus. We would have these big blown out discussions. Oh, by the way, this took place back in 1994 or so. One day Marty asked if he could talk to me. He asked me to lighten up on his friend. I asked why. I told him that guy does not know anything about God or Heaven or even Jesus Christ. This is the funny part. The next thing that Marty said I will never forget and I love him for it. He said that this guy was his pastor at his church. This guys name was ..............Drum Roll Please..................None other than...............DUDLEY RUTHERFORD. Dudley, Marty, I love you guys for never giving up on me. My life will never be the same. I will continue the story later.

Just remember this,
Where the SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, there is FREEDOM!