Wrong Way

"If you're not butting heads with the devil daily, you're probably just walking in the wrong direction." -Debbie Cannada, NAMB Missionary to West Virginia and Friend

Its the night before our church's Christmas program and you wouldn't believe the stuff that is happening! Half of the choir has been battling sickness, the other half has been working overtime, and no one has any money. Our weather has been colder than usual, but it warms up during the day so everyone is fighting illness. And if my video doesn't mix down tomorrow morning, it ain't happenin'!

I want to scream. I want to run away. I want to find someone to blame and relieve myself of all responsibility. And more than anything, I want to know why. And then I remember my friend and what she would tell me: If you're not butting heads with the devil daily, you're probably just walking in the wrong direction.

I like how the CEV puts 1 Peter 4:12-14, "Dear friends, don't be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire. Be glad for the chance to suffer as Christ suffered. It will prepare you for even greater happiness when he makes his glorious return. Count it a blessing when you suffer for being a Christian. This shows that God's glorious Spirit is with you."

When we walk as Jesus walked, we will be opposed. When we are opposed for the cause of Christ, we know then that the Holy Spirit is with us.

So, WOOHOO! God is with us and NOTHING can prevail against us. Praise God.

In the Potter's Hand,
JW
In the Potter's Hand,
JonWesley

A Sad Goodbye

For three years, FBC Key Largo has had the privilege of serving you through the SHARE Florida Food Program. We received word just last week that this Delivery Day will be our last. SHARE is closing its doors after 20 years of service.

I have so enjoyed getting to know you and your family. It is sad to see this opportunity to serve you slip away. But like it is written in Ecclesiastes, "There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth... A right time to hold on and another to let go." And so we say goodbye to SHARE. 

But that does not mean that we are not here to continue to serve you and your families needs. Please know that everything we can do in any emergency or need, every victory or loss, we will be here for you. Please keep my number and email where you can get to it easily, and I will look forward to hearing from you, as well as seeing you in and around our community.

God bless you and your family.

--
In the Potter's Hand,
JonWesley Barnhill, Associate Pastor/Minister of Music
First Baptist Church of Key Largo
99001 OVS HWY, Key Largo, FL  33037
305.304.1526
jonwesleybarnhill@gmail.com
http://drvn2wrshp.blogspot.com/

The Choral Connection (Head Spinning)

I love my choir! I mean it- they are awesome!

We have been working on our Christmas Program for a couple of months now and we are in the home stretch. Next weekend us the performance. They have worked so hard, and it shows.

Last night God showed me a small piece of His Will. I saw this group as a small, even microscopic snapshot of the Body of Christ as a whole. This program was created and planned by a few in a removed place and purchased with a purpose. Then, each part is taken by each individual and practiced until they begin to know it on a deeper level. Each person assimilates the music and it begins to change as their heart becomes part of the music. Then they bring that into a group of people who have done the same thing. And what comes out if that group is a collaboration of praise that would rival ANY angel choir!

Doesn't God do the same thing? We each take what He teaches us and make it part if our life, adding to it our personal experiences and passions, and bringing it into the Body of Christ where it melds with others and builds an organism that is capable of AMAZING things.

Thank You, Father, for choosing to bless us the at You have. You Grace and Mercy are amazing. Thank You for the gift of Your Son. Than You for making my head spin.

May God make YOUR head spin today.

JW
In the Potter's Hand,
JonWesley

Michael Jackson: A Legacy Defined

I'm going to miss Michael Jackson.

As a 37 year-old, Michael's music was a huge part of my growing up. I remember sneaking to watch M-TV for the "Thriller" premiere. I had a sequined glove, convertible sunglasses, and, yes- even a pleather jacket with the pointy "V" shaped shoulders. I remember hearing about his love for music and sound, and how Michael worked hard to achieve what he heard in his head, even if it was scary sometimes.

And I remember the allegations, the charges, the sight of a lesser man walking under an umbrella for fear of the sun. I remember not liking his last nose, and thinking that living with a chimp was just strange. I remember seeing the pictures of a run-down Neverland Ranch, and how sad I felt.

And now he's gone. Last night, one of the tweeters I follow, @shawnw re-tweeted @feeband saying, "Crazy thought ... The "king of pop" stands before the "King of Glory" today ... Fame redefined."

it's got me thinking about what my legacy will be. What am I doing, saying, singing, etc say about who I am; about Whose I am? I was reminded of a song I wrote and sang at my ordination:

Let the life I live

Be an offering of praise

To my King

May each step

Be louder than the words I sing

Let my voice be silenced

By the things I do for You

And when people look at me

May the only thing they see

Be a light that shines

And points the way to You

I want my life to shout the Name of Jesus. I want every action to be a part of God's story at work in and through my life. I will miss Michael, and I pray that Jesus carried him into Eternity, because that's what I want for everyone, including myself. And that's why I want my legacy to be one of testimony to the Power and Mercy of God's Saving Grace.

Music, The Man, and God

I have often wondered about what would happen with my music.

I mean, I have been writing music now for six years or so, singing all my life (see my Bio), and giving all glory to God, who is the Author of any talent to which I might lay claim. And now, as I grow older (I turn 38 in October of this year) I see my youth is behind me, and my days are filled with parenting, ministry, and work. I get the opportunity to write, and sometimes the writing takes on a life of it's own. So where is this leading?

I have come to understand that "God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden." (Romans 9:18, TNIV) And I know that I want to be in God's Will way more than I want to be out of it. So it comes to this: I have chosen to hold and live this Bible verse-

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." (1 Peter 5:6, TNIV) This is my place, this is where I live from now on. I don't want anything God doesn't give me. And if He never exalts me above where I am now, I'm okay with that, because I know that I will stand before Him and be able to declare (as much as anyone will on that day) that was obedient and humbled before God.

And that's all I have to say about that.

National Day Of Prayer: Pastors In Prayer

"Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2, NLT

This year is the fourth year I have coordinated our local National Day Of Prayer events in the Upper Keys. I consider this a privilege and an honor, as well as a responsibility. I believe that the Bride of Christ should take EVERY opportunity to proclaim "In God we trust!" every chance we get.

This year we are sponsoring a Pastors prayer time, getting pastors from different denominations together on neutral ground to pray for one another, to lift each others' burdens, and, heaven help us, pray for each others' churches. This, I believe, holds high the Law of Christ as stated in this passage. It is my prayer that the Body of Christ should come together, crossing denominational lines more often, and lift one another up in prayer.

The Nature of God

In Exodus 3:14, God tells Moses, "I Am Who I Am." In my TNIV, the note says, "or I Will Be What I Will Be." Now, we have called God "I Am" for ages in the church, but have we stopped to fully understand what this means? (Of course not- duh! Even Isaiah 40:13 says "Who can know the mind of God?" [paraphrased])

But I feel this morning a deeper meaning here; a meaning that says, "I am God. Who I am is Who I reveal Myself to be." The nature of God is unchanging (James 1:17), so if He chooses to reveal a small part of Himself to one and another part to another, this does not contradict Himself; it is only another part.

The beauty is that as we get to know Him more we will learn more of the unfathomable complexity that He is. It is His pleasure to reveal that to us.