Are we working it out?

Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

What blows my mind is the "work out your salvation" and then the "fear and trembling" parts. We don't often think we have to work out anything , we receive what Christ did for us on the cross and then, We kinda relax , waiting for His return or for our departure. However, the word of God says we need to work it out. This reminds me of what Paul meant when he said " I die daily" and John the Baptist said " He must increase I must decrease. Is there more of me today or more of Jesus in me today? Am I really trying to die to myself and live for Christ every moment? Do i still seek after what i want? Lord Jesus change my heart fill it with an overwhelming love for you!

Where are you going?

Well, today I was walking around work and looking at everyone and thinking about how so many people don't know Jesus Christ. It's a bummer when you think about people you know might end up in Hell. You want to tell everyone about God and stuff but they will just think your weird, but what will happen when they pass from this earth and have to face God? It's a bummer. If your reading this and you don't know Jesus Christ ask Him into your heart and ask Him to forgive you of your sins and do your best to live a life that pleases Him! In the end you won't regret it!

Mercy for A heart waxed cold?

 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

                                                                                         Matthew 24:12-13 (KJV)

        Lord Jesus have mercy on me and all who read this. Surely the times of increased lawlessness are upon us and the cold winds of the days chill our bones and our souls, tempting us to grow lax in our love for you. Touch our hearts Lord Jesus fill us with your love and life so that on the last day we can bow before you unashamed! For passion must not only be remembered, but it must continually be had!     
        Mercy! 
        Mercy! 
        Mercy!
        But how can one stand in these last days, it seems our flames are small and our lights are dim. Like homeless beggars  we strive to warm our cold numb fingers around small, dim lit, candles hoping to obtain full warmth for our bodies and souls. Many delights of this present world offer us warmth but none seem to satisfy us for very  long. And after awhile, our hearts bring us back to remember you, your love, your companionship.
        In the midst of death I remember life.
        In the abundance of many things I remember the joy of abiding only in you.
        In the roar of all these present voices, I long for your word.
Remember me oh Lord, look upon me once again, remember your child and have pity. for I do need your presence in my life. 
Can a man and woman in love live apart? No! Now that they know each other things are not the same, and things cannot be as if they never were. The longing for each other would be too great, and if the wait is too long, then the vexation would break them!
        Yea Lord, I desire your flame. Do not forget me lest I be broken too deep. I fear, that if I wander alone in the cold dark woods too long I will be forever lost. Save me Father!  Call my name!
         Mercy!
         Mercy!
         Mercy!
             

brotherly love

I sat behind two brothers today in church service. Their story brought me to tears as I watched them.....Its quite a remarkable story actually, you see, not too long ago one of the brothers was dying.
One brother had a blessed life...good wife, great kids, good career and following Christ.
The other brother was not doing so well...you see...years of  living a hard life style in a hard world had done its toll on his liver, and now in the end, he was dying.

Here is where the story gets awesome.
Brotherly love.

The one brother took the sick brother into his home...he did not reject him or cast him off..he did not close himself off from him...he didn't say "You made your bed now lie in it!"......instead he opened his arms and he loved him. He not only accepted him into his family, he brought him to the family of God...
..and in his dying days the sick brother hears the good news of Jesus Christ and receives Jesus into his heart!

Here is where the story gets incredible.
The family of believers start praying......

Father God steps in and the sick brother gets the medical help he needs and liver transplant...it was rough at first..but after a while...both men, two brothers are in front of me healthy and whole...in church ....worshipping God...because one man didn't give up on his brother...because brotherly love prevailed.

funny..it got me thinking....the liver cleans our blood...too much pollution in the blood  and after a while it kills the liver and then the person dies...that's actually all of our stories
the pollution is our sin..it poisons our life flow, our blood...but Jesus comes and he gives us a transplant...a heart transplant...he takes our sin ...so we may live...to stand and worship and love Him forever!
Its all because of love!

Back to Him

Somehow i got lost in the middle of it.
In the beginning it was pure....it was about being loved and accepted,   being called....a messed up sinner who did not deserve it..... and my heart responded with gratitude and passion.
At some time I was given my draft card and I willingly signed it!
I'm in the Lord's army now!

But somehow, over time my service became stale and  worship became a pattern....it became about attendance and proving to others that I loved Jesus ...proving it to myself .
I found myself feeling guilty or afraid if i didn't meet up to the expectations of others, if i didn't do what I was supposed to do.
Maybe things didn't feel perfect, but that's OK...after all I was doing what I had to do for God...right?
I looked to my fellow recruits for advice. Some got angry with me for not being committed to the plan. The machine must be fed.  Others were tired, just trying to hang in there until the Lord called them home or returned here.
But a few understood my heart, that the machine,  like the Tin Man needs a heart to be complete, to truly live.

I'm finding out that In true worship our motivation and actions spring forth from love and gratitude to our Savior.
In the institutionalized state our actions and deeds are often propelled by feelings of obligation, guilt and fear of criticism.
Crazy how the institutional pattern removes the zeal and love motivation....most people try to solve the fellowship gap with more activity, more works.
Just stay busy until or Lord comes or until we go to Him.
if things don't feel right do more....your service will be rewarded.

but its not about religious business....its supposed to be a love relationship...a friendship, deep and personal.
...not a work contract.
In the fellowship and abiding the Lord will whisper to His bride  once again "come away with me"
The Lord will show His children how we were created to glorify Him!
How we each have a special and unique calling.
so why is the body of Christ copying each other....copying the past?
Lost in a pattern the bride has become an institution....but many are hearing the Lord calling them back....back to Him.
........Jesus has our marching orders and duty assignments and they won't lead us away from Him.
..........Holy Spirit speak to your church...fill us with your love..revive us...ignite us with your fire!
............Father we need your presence, by your Spirit may we always abide in you, empowered and motivated by your love.

John 4:23  (ESV)

23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

the heart of a hero and the call of God

      What is it about stories of heroes and battle that thrill the hearts of men? The brave warrior who wins and rescues the beautiful girl. No matter how much the same story line is repeated, it is loved. Brave heart, Gladiator, 300,  the matrix, John Carter,  the list goes on and on, it is endless. There is something in us that wants purpose, and not just to have it, but to win at it. To have battle and struggle and in the end to overcome it. To have love and to be loved, to be needed by the ones we cherish. To be admired by the crowd around us. To be the rescuer, the hero!
       Why is this hidden away in the hearts of men?
        I would say because it is the unseen story of our lives. We have a day to day battle to overcome the evils around us, and not become that which we despise. Its harder then it sounds. The hurts of living in this world weary the strongest of men. If we live long enough we will all feel the temptation to carry a bitter heart. To give into temptation for temporary pleasure. To allow the lines of morality to be blurred for personal gain, after all, everyone else is doing it. Right?
        But, the heroes heart calls us to more, to stand against the tide. To confront the enemy and bow our knee only to truth. To do that which is right, even at the cost of our comfort. To not let the light of our souls to be stamped out by this dark world. The question is, are we brave enough and strong enough to go against the grain of our society? To live righteous, dare I say holy?
        There is a God, and he is calling the men and women of this world. Calling us with Him and His purposes. Calling us to be heroes, calling us to love. Calling us all to live for more than a moment... but for eternal glory with Him.  Whether we realize it or not we are all living out a story, an adventure, and Jesus Christ wants a heroes ending for us all.
          When I depart from this life and move on into eternity, I pray that that the people who knew me on my journey will say simply "Here was a man after Gods own heart, who dared to love God  in this dark world. Here was a man loved by many, because he was a hero"
              Galatians 6:9
              And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Poem / This cluttered soul

This cluttered soul 

There’s a quiet loss in me

That I can’t explain

I try to run from it

But it finds me again

Inside I’m running like a child

In an open green field

On a bright summers day

Looking to the sun

To wash it all away

But it floats back up top

At unexpected times

Clouding my vision

and polluting my mind.

It’s the memories that haunt me

The pain of days gone by

Forgotten people

Forgotten places

Forgotten times

It’s a waste to ask why

Hope and faith it’s all that I have

Believing one day

I’ll get it all back.

                                                                                                Jimmy Gammalo

Victory now!

I was in a church service not too long ago and an old familiar song was being played. "When I die Halleluiah bye and bye, I'll fly away Just a few more weary days and then I'll fly away To that land where joy shall never end I’ll fly away“ Now, I understand what the song writer was saying. I think if we live long enough in this world we find ourselves at times; especially difficult times, just wanting to “fly away” And I know as Christians we have a lot to look forward to, our future in eternity as citizens of Gods kingdom, and being with our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus forever! But this Sunday morning I found my heart longing and asking God for something else. I prayed “Lord I know after my life here is over I will be with you in Heaven, but I want the victory now Lord, in this life, please give me the total victory in every area now!” I keep thinking about how the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years and finally the Lord told them to go in and take the land and over throw the giants of the land. God wanted to give His people the land flowing with milk and honey! God wanted His children to have the victory and to have total dominion! God wants His children to be blessed. I heard a preacher say that God meets His children in the wilderness and I know that’s true. But I also know that if you stay in the wilderness too long you will die there. I don’t want to die in the wilderness. I want to make it into the land flowing with milk and honey. I want to take hold of the promises of God. I want God’s blessing to overtake my life, and I want it now, in this present day, not just when my Spirit leaves my body! The wilderness has made me tired and thirsty. Has it made you thirsty? Thirsty for God, for relief, for fulfillment, for total victory for renewed strength! And it has to be by Gods hand because I have none of my own strength left. My deliverance can only come from Him, I can’t do it. I don’t know how to do it and I’m not even sure what it looks like all I know is my soul is longing for it. But I do know our Father wants us free!                                                                                                                     Isaiah 55 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. 4 Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. 6 “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

feeling weary?.....

Have you ever felt weary? Have you ever tried to get motivated for Jesus but just couldn't? Ever want to be a flame but felt like a smoldering ember? I have. Is a Pastor supposed to feel like that? Is a Pastor supposed to admit that? I'm not sure. Probably not, but I'm not good at religious politics. But I do know what its like to want to quit, to want to give up. To be tired. And I'm not the only child of God who goes through this. My wife and I were recently comforted by some dear friends of ours. As we shared our struggles and prayed together they brought us back to a great scripture in Gods word: Isaiah 40:28-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. How do we find solace in time like these? One thing I have learned to do is go back to the beginning, back to the base, back to what it is all about. A relationship with Jesus Christ!. Our loving God who created us, gave us life, died for us, justified us, fills us with His Holy Spirit, watches over us, loves us with an everlasting love, showers us with grace and mercy every morning, is preparing a place for us in eternity right now and, renews our strength! We must get back to seeking God's face and His holy presence in our life "but they who wait for the Lord..." . It is so easy to get too busy for God, for prayer, worship, or the reading of the bible, but we must! We must return to our Father, our Spirits within us will not let us be content unless we are abiding in Christ Jesus Himself! We must not look at the world around us for comfort the world is passing away. We must not look at our circumstances they will only deceive us and discourage us. God alone will renew our strength! God alone will bring us the victory in every area of our lives. Remember everything around us is going to burn. Don't allow yourself to follow after the temporary. Seek an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ, its the only thing that we will take with us into eternity.

THOUGHTS FOR MY FELLOW PILGRIMS ON THE JOURNEY TO THE EVERLASTING CITY: Ode to John Bunyun:

Its not our works and deeds that condemn us, sin goes deeper than that....it is
our fallen nature, the mystery of iniquity is at work within us...that old man refuses to lie down for very long and he often raises his ugly head, pulling us away from the holy path. The old man has a invisible friend that wanders in this world, he has a loud voice and he likes to present to pilgrims temptations that pull at the lust of the eyes, or the flesh, ah the pride of life in this present dark world. How can darkness seem so attractive and so strong? We have learned as pilgrims that following the invisible one leads to guilt and shame, but he is so persistent, and he covers his ugly visage with light that tempts and deceives us over and over again.
So what shall we do Pilgrims? Keep moving towards the everlasting city, tread again on the path of holiness. Do not be weary of well doing. Don't give up the fight. The one who has called us away has a love for us that endures forever, he has mercies that are renewed for us every morning. He bares our scars on His body! He also has an invisible friend in this world who desires to teach and comfort all pilgrims on the journey, but He speaks in a whisper so you must shut out the loud clamorous world to hear His instruction and feel His peace.
DON'T QUIT FELLOW PILGRIMS!

Godspeed Jimmyg