Tiny Tot MMA Fight in Church Nursery

Watching kids in a church nursery can be insightful look into the heart of human beings.  This past weekend, I witnessed one very cute little one who as bold as they could possibly be toddle up to another quite cute little one and just RIP a toy right out of their tiny hand.  The ripped off one was stunned.  They stood there for a moment in awkward silence and then screamed at the top of little lungs.

This wasn't the end of the story.  The next time the little perpetrator saw that the other cute little one had another toy in their tiny hand, they, AGAIN, waddled over and stripped them of this one.  Only this time, the one who was twice violated, went over and tried to grab their prized possession and take it back, at which point an all out "tiny tot" MMA fight resulted.

I hope it's okay to say it was quite humorous, really, it was, of course neither of them were my children.  However, in that very brief moment, these little ones represented us all.  James 4:1 & following says, "What causes the fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from the desires that battle within you?"

The reality is, these little ones haven't yet learned to filter their sinfulness and their selfishness or at the very least they haven't become socially adept at making their selfishness look societally appropriate, right?

God wants us to come to Him.  He wants us to ask Him.  However, sometimes, we ask with all kinds of fouled up junk in our hearts.

Today is a good day to look at what it is we say we want.  Today is a good day to assess, the "why" we want what it is we want, I mean, to really assess the reasoning behind it all.  Today let's use God's Word as a mirror for our motives.  Quite possibly God is silent in our asking cause He knows what will become of us if we get what we want.

I know this, my prayer for today is to continue to ask for the empowerment of God's Holy Spirit in my life to assist me in monitoring my motives, as well as to provide for me the graciousness and gratitude to be truly thankful for what I already do have.  I know that when I live in a state of humble gratitude, I don't find myself quarreling and fighting with others or with God.  Plus, my prayer life is different, too!!!

Tim Celek
Lead Pastor
The Crossing
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Missed a day, don't judge me!

God's Word is powerful and convicting and life changing.  It cuts to the core of our being.  Today's reading is one of those passages of the Bible that is not easily dismissible.  James says...

"Whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles at just one point of it, is guilt of breaking all of it..."  James 2:10

This is one of those places in Scripture where I get stopped in my tracks, like a deer caught in the headlights.  God how often do I justify, rationalize, modify, dismiss my sinfulness.  God how often do I tend to think, as well as display in my actions or conversations, "...that, at least I'm better than so and so or better than those people over there..."

God, thank you for your Word, but most importantly for today's reading.  Thank you for showing me just who "I" am.  I think I'm all that and then some, but how stupid am I.  How deluded?

I'm making a commitment to live each day looking in mirror.  Instead of pointing the finger at someone or at others, I'm going to take a serious look at the fingers pointing right back at me.  I'd ask you to join me, but then I maybe I'd be judging you, which is not my intent.  So I guess I'll ask God Spirit to keep the spotlight on me.

Seriously flawed,

Tim Celek
Lead Pastor
The Crossing
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Do People See Jesus in Me?

It's incredible how easy it is, to say one thing and do another.  Politics and politicians have almost conditioned us to the folly of speaking, but not doing.  Some of us had parents or coaches or pastors or teachers...whose de facto slogan for life might as well have, "Do as I say, but not as I do!"

The word, "hypocrisy" came to mind as I read James 1:25-27.  Hypocrisy is the state of pretending to have virtues, morals or religious beliefs, that one doesn't actually have.  James directly gets at our proclivity as people for "talking" a good game, but not actually playing the game.  Unfortunately, we do this to our own demise, we're not "blessed" (James 1:25) and God's most excellent way of life, as a result of our two faced behavior, is thrashed and trashed, making our "religion worthless." (James 1:26)

No wonder many leave our churches!!!  The peeps proudly carrying those big bibles in, aren't living by it on their way out.  Or for that matter, many never, ever show up, cause if it's true that the only bible some people will ever read is our lives, well then we're not all that compelling of a novel.  Sad, huh!

First and foremost, I pray that what I say and what I do would be compelling congruent with God's Word.  I pray that in my speech, in my actions, in my thoughts, God's Word is at all times on display.  I pray that today and tomorrow and forever, I will consciously seek through God's Holy Spirit's power to be more loving, more joyful, more peaceful, more patient, more kind, more good, more gentle, more faithful, more self controlled.

This is my prayer for you, as well.  Let us all really live so people see Jesus in us!!!

Tim Celek
Lead Pastor
The Crossing
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A Kick in the Butt!

Most everyone has heard the Nike slogan, "Just Do It" right?  Well, God thought of it first.  God is pretty clear, very direct, not a whole lot of wiggle room, James 1:22, "Do what it (He) says..."

How many times have I read something like...

"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you..."  Luke 6:27

"Give thanks in all circumstances..." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

"Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her..."  Ephesians 5:25

"Don't just pretend to love others, really love them..."  Romans 12:9

"Love is not rude and does not demand its own way..."  1 Corinthians 13:5

And I think to myself, "I think I'll pass on that one and that one and that one and that one, thank you very much," as if they are negotiable.  God is VERY clear!  Do what He says!  Ouch!

I guess I don't have a whole lot of excuses.  God, thanks for the clarity, for the kick in the butt!

Tim Celek
Lead Pastor
The Crossing
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Two Ears, ONE Mouth!

God gave me two ears and one mouth for a reason.  I'm supposed to listen twice as much as I speak which can be extremely challenging.  The reality is I don't do very well at this one.  James 1:19 is quite convicting.

Why?  Cause I want to be heard!  My opinion is supposed to matter, not that it does, but I want it to.  So, I will often assert myself, at times even interrupting someone.  All it takes is looking into the eyes of the one I've cut off to see that look...like don't you care about me, about what I have to say, about what I feel.

At that point my actions (words) are speaking so freakishly LOUD!  Sometimes, I might even realize how much of a jerk I'm being and I will apologize, but unfortunately most times I don't.

So today, it was humbling,yet thrilling to read this portion of God's Word.  My prayer is not only for this day, but my prayer is for the entire week, that I will string together a series of conversations where I simply listen, mouth shut, ears open.

Pray for me, I will be praying for you!

Tim Celek
Lead Pastor
The Crossing
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My Temptation, My Sin!

Today's reading is intensely personal.  Why?  Cause, temptation seems to camp at my door.

What James says is so true, I know it's NOT God!  It's the evil one for sure.  He is cruel.  He knows something in me will die if I give into the temptation.

It's not a sin to be tempted.  Even Jesus was tempted, yet He did not sin.  So being tempted is part of life.  It's not "if" I will be tempted, it's "when."  The big question is..."What will I do with the temptation?"

The Bible says in James, "...after desire has conceived it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it's fully grown, gives birth to death."  The progression is what I observe...

...desire, give into (do) sin, something in me dies...
...desire, give into (do) sin, something in me dies...
...desire, give into (do) sin, something in me dies...

For example, I've shared at church, I have struggled with the sin of gluttony.  I love food.  So do you right?  Well, I love it too much.  See, most folks eat to live, for me, in my stupidity and in my sinfulness, I'd live to eat.  I had to finally come to the point in my life, where I admitted my sin.

The same is true in the realm of pornography.  As a result of seeds that were sown in my life when in Junior High and High School, where I gave into allure and the enticement of looking and viewing porn.  It, like food, had a hold on me.  Satan knew it.  The truth is, participating in the sinfulness of porn causes portions of your marriage to die.  So I had to come to point in my life and in my marriage where I admitted my sin.

The application of these verses for me is...yep, I'm tempted.  Yep, I've fallen into temptation's trap.  Yep, I don't desire to walk down those paths anymore.  And yep, Satan, knows I don't desire to...but he knows parts of me still want to...so because I want a GREAT marriage more than I want porn, because I want to physically be fit, not fat.  I have to...

First:  Admit I've got a problem.
Second:  Give the control of my will and my life over to Jesus
Third: Allow others to hold me accountable (even Sue), put boundaries in place,
Fourth:  Stay away from situations and circumstances
Fifth: Continuously remember, that the allure and the enticement is NOT BIGGER than Jesus in me
Sixth:  Know that in Jesus, I have the discipline, the victory, so live in it! (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)

Where are choosing to give into Satan's temptations?  Well, I'm here to tell you...you, too, can be free.  I'm praying for you.

Tim Celek
Lead Pastor
The Crossing
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facebook.com/timcelek
thecrossing.com/3thirty