Manup Moment - Jay Cookingham

My heart is torn and perplexed with difficult thoughts today. I wonder what would happen if George Zimmerman or Trayvon Martin's family decided to pay my small town church this coming Sunday. How could I minister to their hurts, fears and sorrow... to their sense of loss? Then a harder question comes to mind... What if they both showed up?

I thought I try to encourage you with a few laughs today. Here is one of my famous Top Ten Lists...hopefully it will bring a chuckle or two to your face...which I pretty sure, needs one. BTW, I’m a pastor so I’m free to poke fun at myself! You know a long sermon is coming when...

When I first became a dad 26 years ago, I never realized that I would become a dad of seven… or that God would use these wonderful people to change my life. So I came up with this list of promises to help me remember how important my fathering is to them. I called it… Seven Promises from your Dad

In Exodus 17:1-7 the nation of Israel is in a desert, they were thirsty and in a very bad mood. At the core of Israel’s grumbling about the lack of water was simple, they doubted His goodness.

Fatherhood is a challenge...to be the dad your kids need as they grow up is an exercise that will stretch us daily. Fathering has to be intentional… something done with purpose. So how do we blend the roles of coach, mentor, and role model into our relationships with our kids? It's not easy but here are 5 quick tips that may help you navigate that path.

Imagine you’re at your place of work…at the office, construction site…wherever. One day this guy shows up…he stops by your cubicle or the coffee shop…he looks like he might just be passing by but he stops and says… Come, follow me

I do…that hero is my wife. This woman, with such a depth of character and beauty, has turned his heart into a beating frenzy of compassion. Warming the coldness that once resided there with absolute acceptance and belief he could be the hero she saw in him.

That's a question that has been working on me for over 50 years now.... C.S. Lewis says this… Until you have given up yourself to Him you will not have a real self - C.S. Lewis

Does that question make you squirm a bit? It doesn't have to. We are redeemed from sin to become the person Father God wants us to be. His plan is personal, strategically designed to produce sons and daughters.

Freedom is not about doing whatever you want, whenever you want and however you want. Freedom is about becoming the person you were meant to be.

1st Chronicles 16:27 give us a destination… Splendor and majesty are in his presence. Strength and joy are where he is. This joyride is first and foremost about the friendship and shared experiences we can have with Father God.

A father’s expression of love delivers a message of value and relational closeness.

2nd Corinthians 4:1 reminds to do just that! Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.

I love baseball and believe or not the Apostle Paul has something to say about baseball. In 2nd Corinthians 4:17 he writes… For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

Joshua Harris says this about connections… “Every relationship for a Christian is an opportunity to love another person like God has loved us.”

Our words have a tremendous impact on people. It's important to communicate with wisdom and meaning.

Chances are if you haven’t forgiven someone…your hands are full and so is your heart. But none of it is any good. What we need is a heart like Jesus. 1 Peter 2:23 says this about Jesus… “He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.”

When God uses NOW, it’s an invitation. Salvation was a NOW moment that God used to rewrite out spiritual DNA to look like His. Salvation offers an opportunity to mirror the Father’s heart. NOW… is that moment when God invites you into the miracle of forgiveness.

The disciples found forgiving like Jesus challenging….in Luke 17 we read about it. 4 Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”

In her book…Out of Africa, Karen Blixen wrote this “You know you are truly alive when you’re living among lions.” Dads have this wonderful paradox living inside them. On one hand, we strive to help our children grow up, to become men and woman of character and then…You encourage them to walk through the door of adventure.