TNT Explosion

BEYOND THE HOSTILE MIND: Being a Christian

2009-12-16T03:44:00.000-08:00

Where is the battle for control of your life fought? Romans 8, says it is fought in the mind. It is not what you do, but who you are that shows the commitment to the gospel life. Being a Christian is not to enslave ourselves to God so as to be afraid of him, but it is to become his child and call him our Father. Rom 8:15. The law was powerless to condemn sin in sinful man, so God condemned sin in sinful man by sending his son in man’s likeness as a sin offering to fully satisfy the requirements of righteousness under the law. Man now satisfies righteousness by living according to the Spirit; meaning, they have their mind set on what the Spirit desires and no longer on the desires of their flesh (sinful nature). Know that the mind of sinful man is death. It is hostile to God. It does not and cannot submit to God’s law. Rom 8:7-8. Therefore, in his natural state, man cannot please God. It is not what a man does, but who he is that please God. You must declare yourself his child through the acceptance of Jesus Christ, declaring him your Father, and you must submit your mind to His Spirit and have it controlled by His Spirit; then, you will have life and peace. This shows that the Spirit of God lives in you; meaning, you belong to Christ and carry the name Christian.

Living in Christ - Spirit to Spirit

2009-10-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

In Rom 8:1 Paul talks about those “who are in Christ,” meaning those who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. To be “in Christ” means living according to the Spirit. Being “not in Christ” means living according to the sinful nature. Living according to the sinful nature has been condemned by God. Through this we are encouraged not to worry so much about what we do, but worry about who we are in Christ. What lifestyle have we adopted? Do we follow our sinful nature which is also called “the flesh” or do we follow the Spirit? The self-evaluation is simply the following:

Life Expectations with Sinful Nature/Flesh...Life Expectations Living by the Spirit
All life is according to flesh desires.....Life is according to what the Spirit desires
Controlled by fear of death..................Controlled by life and peace
Hostile to God......................................Spirit of God lives within you
Cannot submit to God’s Law................Same Spirit gives life to your mortal body
Cannot please God..............................Puts to death misdeeds of the body giving life
............................................................Become Sons of God
............................................................His Spirit now speaks to our spirit
............................................................He assures us that we are His children

As God’s children we are co-heirs with Christ to share in his suffering in order that we share in his glory.

Event Updates from Thursday Night Live w/ Tony and Trish Radio Broadcast

2009-07-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

· Sent a note last week but the announcement never posted. Seems I have been missing for a while – gone on vacation. I have been very busy in many areas of life. But, I do want to do a better job of keeping you informed.

· Had much fun on the show the last few weeks and I hope it was very informative. Two weeks ago we had Dr. Michelle Thompson and her cousin (our friend) Marvin Eans. They were discussing their business start-up creating and marketing a new custom designer clothing line they named Christian de le Foi. As Michelle told us, they are message shirts she and Marvin designed and pray over as they sow them into the lives of others. Encouraging other believers to use them as witnessing tools by “wearing what you believe on your sleeve” with unique fashion and design. Take a look for yourself at http://www.christiandelafoi.com/.

· Last week we had our friend David Panarelli discussing how God used their situation in raising their Autistic Children (two sons) to humble, yet strengthen him and ultimately birth his newest ministry as a Special Education Specialist teaching Flagler County’s only class dedicated solely to educating children with Autism. David told us of life lessons him, and his wife Marti, learned in raising their children, namely their older son Angelo. Also appearing with David was Dr. Linda Schell. Dr. Schell is a certified Marriage and Family counselor at Calvary Christian Center. We will be bringing Dr. Schell on more in the future for her input in addressing marriage and family issues. Together they were a great pair to have on the show.

· 07/10/09 I pray that you did not miss last Thursday’s show - July 9, 2009. If you missed you can see that show as well as the others by going to our “Thur. Night Live Archives” tab. On Thursday we had Janelle Johnson, who was formally Janelle Baker until 2 1/2 weeks ago when she married Soccer Pro and local native Eddie Johnson. She was pinch hitting in Eddie’s absence. Eddie's soccer team, FulhamFC in England started training camp earlier than expected and he had to leave. Janelle told us of Eddie’s history and then brought us “up to speed” with his career and shared Eddie’s future endeavors, which included starting a youth foundation to aid in educating and training local kids to excellence academically and in sports. It is an exciting venture and we could hardly wait for it to get going. On Friday, Janelle and Trish attended the Embassy of Hope Gala (Vince Carter’s Foundation) to network and grow in understanding regarding what is needed and expected in their future venture. Janelle and Eddie are young people who have experienced the grace and mercy of God and they openly show their trust and faith in him. When Eddie is in town they regularly attend Calvary Christian Center. We pray that God continue to use Eddie and Janelle in a mighty way and that He continue to Bless them more and more. You can follow Eddie’s season by going to his team website at http://www.fulhamfc.com/.

Busy and Blessed Weekend

2009-06-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

Busy weekend ahead. Trish and I through Calvary Christian Center’s SHINE ministry will be at Bunnell’s Restoration Day at Carver Gym starting just past Noon on Saturday. We will be doing face painting, balloons, and kid’s games. We will be there with program coordinator, Jessie Love. Then, that evening I will be attending the Father and Daughter’s Ball at Calvary Christian Center at 7:00 pm. I will be going with my five daughters ranging from ages 16 to 27. This is an elegant affair costing only $10.00 per person. I am sure we will have great fun. Then on Sunday we head to for worship again at Calvary for Father's Day to celebrate the father of us all, God our Father, and his Son Jesus Christ. I am thankful to God for his graciousness towards me in all things. I feel truly Blessed in all things. - Tony

Love Lifted Me

2009-06-10T13:13:00.001-07:00

John 4:19-4:21 says: 19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
It took me a while to truly learn but I still realized soon enough to make a difference and have implanted this into my everyday interaction with others. If not for the love of God where would I be? His love has lifted me and is what takes all the credit for who I am and what I have been able to do today. This is all wonderful, and many people get to that point but then stop with the lesson. God does not want us to only recognize and thank him, but he wants us to look into what he has been to us so that we can be that to others. Therefore, show the grace and love of God through what we do ourselves and what we say to others. Often times, we get to this recognition, but we fail to take it to that next step and give to others the blessing that we have been given by God through Christ.

Truth in Intercession and Evangelism

2009-05-26T23:34:00.000-07:00

In Romans chapter 1 Paul gives us the example of truth in intercession and evangelism. Often we make promises especially to other believers that we would pray for them, their situation or their circumstance. But, we either grow weary of the cause or never have any intent in actually committing to prayer regarding the situation. We treat the promise of prayer as an after thought such as asking how someone is doing without any true desire to hear or discuss the response. However, Paul made it clear that he constantly remembered the believers in Rome in his prayers at all times. (Rom 1:9-10). He also evangelically longed to see them with the desire to impart a spiritual gift to strengthen the other believers that they may be able to mutually encourage each other in faith. He tells them how he sought to have a harvest even among the faithful believers. Paul expressed his eagerness to preach the gospel saying that it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes, and it is a gospel of which he is not ashamed. Intercession and evangelism goes hand in hand. Someone who has a true heart for outreach not only ministers externally in the physical but also in prayerful intercession spiritually. There is the continuous need for prayer and fasting both for strength and power to accomplish the tasks set before you with Holy Ghost power through and in Christ Jesus. - -Tony

Time To Yourself

2009-05-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

First off, think about the last time you spent time alone with you and only you, physically and mentally. The last time you spent just ten minutes separated from the world of stress and worries and just relaxed. Sometimes a break works like a medicine in restoring inner peace. Establishing a routine of time to yours elf offers the opportunity to clear the mind of many worries that come with being a part of social groups and activity.

So whether that time be spent with God, or exercising, or just listening to nature. Don’t pass it by, take the opportunities to refresh and re-boost your soul. Recently I’ve noticed how hard it is to, just for a minute, completely forget about everything and relax. Especially since, I have been so immersed in activity after activity and worry after worry each day. But for my own good I have had to retrain myself to just turn off my wandering and seeking brain for just a minute and truly relax. It’s harder than you think!

What Are We Rushing For?

2009-05-14T15:21:00.000-07:00

Commonly in today’s society there is an anxiety amongst all people. Most of us have a strong mentality of getting ahead that never ceases far into our ages. We spend more time trying to find the best ways to speed up the processes of what we do and stressing about things not summing up fast enough. But the real question is-why? What is the hurry? What is it that we are racing towards in life? What is the final destination—that which constitutes the right for us to declare success and to relax?
There are many ways to look at this. But one stands out more than the others, which is that there is no rush. We rush towards opportunity in fear of there not being anything when our time comes. But this is only a result of our lack of faith that no matter the time or season God will provide and open doors for us. Around me, I have seen young children rush to become teens but only to run into the burdens of temptation and anxiety of being young adults who struggle with even greater temptation and anxiety of becoming adults who struggle with habits and unemployment and the stresses of being solely responsible and accountable for more than they can bear. So the moral of the story is, just relax where we are and take it easy. Work hard with where you are at day-by-day. What’s the rush? The same opportunities and greater will always be around us. Don’t be confused to thinking this means not to be ambitious. Stay motivated and moving but there is no hurry. The only finish line is death on earth, so why run yourself to the grave before your time?

THE FAMILY GLUE

2009-04-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

It is interesting how families often allow one person to be the “glue” that keeps all of them together. For our family that was my mother. While she was living my brother and I, and family all over the country were very close. We called each other and visited all the time; we checked on each other’s well being; we sacrificed for the other’s good or for the good of their household; and we forgave the faults of each other. We saw the power of unity in the family. But, once my mother died, all things fell apart. It wasn’t an immediate shatter. But the joints that were held together by her examples of love, patience and counter–dependence slowly disintegrate until all was completely demolished to nothing. This is a sad but successful ploy of the enemy. It leaves the appearance that he has power over our lives. We can look at the circumstances and be lulled into believing that he is right and that we will be separated forever. But, be careful for nothing. Do not be afraid to reach forward into dark places. Sometimes that is where we have to reach to pull a family member from the enemy. When we are small we are taught to fear the dark. We hear mysterious sounds and we feel lonely in the dark. So we tend to grow–up with the same fears and cautions with dark places. However, when we carry the Light of the Gospel, there is no darkness that can withstand or overcome the light; instead, light immediately overcomes the darkness in all circumstances. Greater is He that is in the believer than he that is in the world. No weapon formed against the believer shall be able to prosper, and no enemy shall be able to stand.If you are the “glue” person in your family that all look to and depend upon, push that dependence and faith in you hard towards Christ so that when you are gone there is a focal point that keeps all things together. For when Christ is lifted all members of the family will be drawn together by being drawn to him. As families that have separated encounter the savior, my prayer and hope is that they are reassembled into powers of unity to the glory of God showing the love, hope, trust, faith and forgiveness to one another that has been given to them through God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Emotional Week

2009-04-14T19:58:00.000-07:00

Last week was a week of reflection and high emotion. So far this month I memorialized the death of my mother (she died a week before my 18th birthday), and the death of Trish's mother (died last year almost on the same date as the death of my mother). Also, to the day, we celebrated the birthday of our first grandchild. Throughout this week we will be celebrating my birthday, my wife’s birthday, my sister’s-in law birthday, and my father’s birthday. But, there is no bigger event to memorialize or to celebrate than what we celebrated last Sunday; the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Truly, without God we can do nothing, and it is because He lives that we can face tomorrow. There is no greater love that one has than this, to lay down his life for a friend.

Life is often filled with much chaos and many questions but I stay encouraged knowing that Jesus is the answer, and it is in Him that I place all of my hope and trust. God Bless you. -Tony

AWAKEN TO THE PROVERBIAL PURPOSE

2009-04-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 1:1-4, says the book was written for the following purpose:
2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight;
3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-
As we come to the new awakening that Spring-time brings let us follow the advice of Proverbs 4:7 which tells us that Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. In so doing, we will show that we recognize the truth of Proverbs 1:7 that The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Join us Thursday 7pm eastern time on WAPN 91.5 FM in Holly Hill, Florida. You can also hear and see us streaming on www.wapn.net.

TONIGHT'S GUEST

Dr. Blair-Britt
When: Thur, April 2, 7:00pm – 7:30pm
Where: WAPN Studio Holly Hill, FL ()
Description: Join us live with Dr. Blair-Britt this Thursday.
DISCUSSING ORGAN DONORS

Paul's Return to Jerusalem

2009-03-30T20:36:00.000-07:00

I was looking at Acts 21 and found it interesting that the journey of Paul went full circle. He starts early in the book as one who was the enemy of the Jews who were proclaiming Christ and was ordered to persecute them. Now in Chapter 21, Paul is being accepted by the Christian Jews but is in need of protection from other Jews fortaking the message to the gentiles. He is further accused of telling Jews who lived among the gentiles not to follow the laws and customs of Moses. This triggered the reply of Paul's full testimony and calling starting with a call to leave Jerusalem quickly even though he was a zealous Jew, because they would not accept his testimony there. His statement that God them sent him far away to the gentiles angered the crowd to a murderous rage.

Often the crowds in our life decide who we are and the way we should go. They struggle to silence our testimonies that say we are no longer who we were and are no longer doing the wrong things we once done. But, the principle aspect of being born again is that of change - repentence is no longer going in the direction you were going before but changing to a new positive direction. This is the true rebirth when old things have past away and all things have become new in Christ Jesus.

Running the Race

2009-03-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

At church today, we watched a short video that showed a high school boy with cerebral palsy. Though he was physically limited and fell at times when running, he was determined to run for the high school cross country team. Despite several falls he eventually completed the race. Many people were in tears by the end of the video to see the young teen so determined and persistent to finish the race.

We as Christians are running a similar race. We are continuously falling down, offending God in the things we think, do, and say--glorifying our flesh and not our Lord and Saviour. However, we are able to get back up again thanks to the blood of Jesus Christ! When we decide to let Christ into our hearts and wash our hearts in his blood, Gods angels rejoice and celebrate our arrival to his Kingdom. In Hebrews chapter 12, it reads: "wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking to Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith."