![]() 30 Seconds Back in December of 2010 I decided to try and produce my very first commercial for the Muddy Outdoors annual commercial contest. It is amazing how much time can go into producing a 30 second commercial. By the time I filmed, edited, and produced the commercial I had invested 6 hours of time in order to tell a 30 second story! I have included the commercial for your "entertainment". Once you have watched the commercial and finished chuckling I would love to share some thoughts with you that came to me after I had finished this project. In this short video I had 30 seconds to sell my idea. The message was pretty simple. Get rid of your old safety harness that is always tangled up, hard to put on, and uncomfortable. Then, buy a new tangle free, easy to put on, and always comfortable Muddy safety harness. By the way, I use this safety harness EVERY time I climb a tree, enter a tree stand, and descend the tree after the hunt. I believe in the product and that is why I made the commercial! ![]() A few days after I completed the muddy commercial project I had this thought come to my mind. What if I was only given 30 seconds to tell someone the most important message in my life? What would I say? How would I say it? Would the person be able to clearly see and understand the message I was trying to convey to them? Would I have taken enough time during the business of life to prepare the message and be ready to give it on a moments notice? If I were to ask you these same questions how would you respond to them? One of Jesus' disciples by the name of Peter captured this very thought in a verse of scripture that He was inspired to write under the direction of the Holy Spirit. "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be READY to give a DEFENSE to everyone who asks you a reason for the HOPE that is in you, with meekness and fear" I Peter 3:15 NKJV. If given 30 seconds to tell someone about Jesus Christ, what shoud be the most important relationship in your life, could you do it? Better yet can I do it? That is really the most important question. In closing the following verse of scripture has been a great encouragement to me over the years in helping me communicate the wonderful message of the Gospel and the change it has made in my life. Paul writes the following in Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me". Until next time, share your faith "Without Excuse". paul
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![]() God’s Wonderful Gift Today is January 18th, 2011 and as I sit here to type this devotional I am now officially 37 years “Young”. Yep today is my birthday and I was greeted this morning with a very simple gift that is worth more to me than any amount of money, fame, or fortune that I could buy. This morning while sitting over breakfast in a hotel lobby in Chicago my cell phone rang and as I looked at the caller ID I was excited to see that it was my wife calling from home. I answered the phone with a chipper “Hello” and there was a few moments of silence and then my five children, along with my wife, began to sing “Happy Birthday”. The sound coming from the other end of the phone immediately put a smile on my face and a tear in my eye. What a blessing to have your own personal choir sing sweet notes of Happy Birthday to you and only you! I look forward to the day when I hear another voice join the choir, “Baby Grace”, who will be born in later February or early March. A generation or two ago large families with up to a dozen children seemed more the norm and not the exception. Children were viewed as a blessing and not as a curse. In this generation it continues to amaze me how our culture views the blessing of a large family as a burden, an interruption, and a downright nuisance. In short we have taken what God gives as a precious gift and reduced it down to a choice based on our busy and selfish life styles as adults to say “1 or 2” children is all that we can handle. I know not every family is meant to be a large family like ours. My simple thought for the day though is why not let God make that choice for you and your family. Do not let the fear of man; our culture, or most importantly our selfish desires to live the “American Dream” make that choice for you and your spouse. The “American Dream” with all of its stresses and demands on the family is really the “American Nightmare” In closing I would like us to reflect on God’s word in reference to children. Psalm 127:3-5 KJV Psa 127:3 NKJV - Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate. Today on my 37th birthday I am a happy and blessed man with my “Quiver Full” family! In His Amazing Grace, paul Romans 1:20 |
Pastor PaulSince a young age Pastor Paul has had a love for the outdoors. After he became a Christian in October of 1994 God began to use the great outdoors to demonstrate to Pastor Paul the eternal truths of scripture. In this section he will share some of these thoughts via written or audio devotionals. Archives
June 2013
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