greg | bearss

Some would say that Deflate-Gate is one of the stupidest sports controversies to ever surface! If you missed it or this headline is foreign to you, here's the skinny. There are allegations that the New England Patriots used game balls that were under-inflated during the AFC Championship Game. Eleven out of twelve balls were under inflated by two pounds. How bizarre, how crazy, of all the things to talk about in the world. The consensus is that unless there is a video of someone actually inserting a needle removing air, we will really never know what happened or who is responsible for Deflate-Gate. Yet the media and everyone in and outside the sports world continues to talk about Deflate-Gate. Did anyone miss the final score of the AFC Championship Game? The score was the Patriots 45-7 over the Colts. Colts Dwayne Allen said this on twitter about Deflate-Gate "They could have played with soap for balls and beat us. Simply the better team. We have to continue to build!...

How many times have you said “I don’t have TIME!” TIME for _______ (you fill in the blank) or “If I only had more TIME to_______” TIME is of the essence, TIME keeps on ticking. Our life seemingly is all about TIME. Looking at God’s Word there are a couple of ways that we see TIME referenced. There is the Greek root “Chronos” that is the tick-tock-you-don’t-stop time, days, years. This is the way most of us think about TIME. There is another word that is used, another way TIME is referenced, another way to think about it that just may bring new perspective. The word in Greek is “Kairos” and this reference to time is all about seasons and the right timing or God’s timing. We see this in the Apostle Paul’s writing to the church in Corinth: And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—2 for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now i...

Studying the book of Nehemiah has caused me to ask this question: What if the book of Nehemiah is really a parodox of the family of God?   The book of Nehemiah has been taught in many and various ways.  I have never heard the story of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem as a reflection of what God wants for families that are seeking to live for Jesus or those struggling because of the enemy's ravaging attacks on their family.  Yet that's exactly what I see when I read this rebuilding process.  Maybe you are reluctant and think that families are faring pretty well these days.  As a pastor of “the least of these” let me assure you that unfortunately, that is not the case for the average family in America.  Families in America are under attack and unfortunately, the enemy seems to be gaining ground on his attack on the family.  Look at just a few of revealing statistics regarding families in America: 50% of marriages in America will end in divorce. 8.8 years is the average le...

It seems like the church has somehow lost focus on reaching people the church is suppose to be for---those who don't know God. I think it really is easy to get satisfied with our own tribe and "holy huddle" that we forget about those who Jesus came to find-those who were lost. I am amazed at the teaching that He gives, and the "essieo" of His teaching wanting to help those who marginalized and helpless, He gives all He has for them. Jesus look out at them as "sheep with out a shepherd" http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+6:34&version=NIV I want that kind of compassion yet if I'm honest it's rare to get and keeping it is a fight. It's far easier to look at the sheep in the pen and think that's where all my attention needs to be, because there are needs. Yet at the same time I see Jesus leave town, even when everyone there isn't healed... I do believe we are called to balance. There is a both and here that nee...