Seeking God's Will all Summer LONG!

This site is primarily for family, friends,

and whoever cares to read about my journey in Christ
Sort of like an open diary.

This blog will cover quite a few subjects and is a little lengthy.

My shared scripture and brief thought:

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship,

and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42

I would like to break down 4 essentials to being God's Church:

1. Committed to Apostles Doctrine (teachings of the BIBLE) 

2. Fellowship - This was doing LIFE TOGETHER

3. Breaking of bread - Either sharing a common meal and/or Lord's Supper

4. Prayers - We need this in our modern church

What a good guideline for the newborn church of Acts and for us today!

That's my little nugget for today's blog.

Now, We'll look at various areas in my journey over the past few months.

CYCLING:

 In my last blog I mentioned hurting my arm and wrist(s) on May 17 when I feel off my bike. Well, I'm happy to report it is pretty well healed, still hurts occasionally ,and I still don't try to lift heavy stuff with it.  Then, this summer I battled with a hurting knee.  That is under control as long as I put ice on it after rides, massage it, and take a basic anti-inflammatory.

Back in the end of July I cycled 35 (34.54 miles) to help raise funds for the
Cycstic Fibrosis Foundation

I had a blast doing it through the rolling hills of Waxhaw, NC

My support for this great cause was slow coming in and then in the last 2 weeks of July it jumped up. My final amount raised was $415.00 - Praise the Lord! 

Peanut Loop - 2 miles

Also, with riding about 300+ miles most months, I have found the Greenways are great for rides and going through UNCC campus (my highlight). Then, recently I started going to the "Peanut Loop" for cycing (above).  It's a nice, safe, well lit oval ride that looks like it was made for cycling.  It is around 2 miles long and I just go around it as many times as I like. It is one of the most popular cycling spots in the north Charlotte area.

WEATHER:

The temperature has been wonderful.  Actually, I like it warm so I'm not thrilled about what the next few months is going to bring but enjoying the moment.  No heat on, no air on, just open windows when it's not too chilly.  Over a 12 month period I would rate the weather in Charlotte as an 8 out 10.  Fall and Spring I would give it a 10 out of 10.  It's just wonderful.  Trees just now starting to turn, so full Fall foliage should happen in another couple weeks.

SPIRITUALLY  

This part of my journey I'll start with this clip from "Casting Crowns" (one of my favorite Christian groups). The song is called, "Praise You in This Storm."   Pretty much tells my story at this time.  

This is the worse financial situation I have been in for the last decade.  The late 1980's and early 1990's had been a pretty bad time financially, and in every other way possible.  In that trying time, I fell a way from the Lord and ran in the wrong direction for awhile.  This time with financial struggles, family issues, and then spiritually things seeming so quiet, too quiet! I have not gone the way of the world to fill the silence, struggles, and pains.  This time is so different than my last desert exprience (in 1980's-1990's). I have really tried to keep my focus on the Lord AND I have a level of peace through it all (which doesn't mean an absence of pain, stress, etc.).  It's hard to explain it. but I'm happy I'm not in 24/7 torment.  I am also blessed with a wonderful wife (Joyce) who is going through this with me. Boy does that make a difference! Though some of it has to be just me and God, she shares in a lot; but she doesn't get to be in my personal desert and time of face to face with God, that is my responsibility.  I know God is working in these trials, I know He is faithful, and ultimately it will all work out.  But in the mean time pray for me to "be strong in the Lord", and also pray for my family and fiances.

CHURCH

We are still involved with 1-2 house church groups, and visit a local fellowship when those house groups can't meet, and we will be starting a church in our home in November.  The main thing is being where God wants you and serving God and seeing His people as church and is not a building, but the people of God under the direction and care of the Lord Jesus Christ.

GO PROCLAIM MINISTRIES 
Our website (www.goproclaim.com) is slowly evolving into a better site.  Also, we are open to ideas for a new logo (I'm working on it, but would love input).  Things have been so quiet in Go Proclaim Ministries (zero support in the past year), but I have been able to chat online with many around the world, and counsel quite a bit by e-mail, chat, messaging, and some on the phone. That has been exciting and rewarding.

Praise note: There is also a couple that I have wanted to see get married, and to do their wedding, a month or so they announced they are engaged and want me to do their wedding (August 2013), I am so excited.   

Also check out my (newer) blog "Simply and Profoundly Christian" at: http://blessedtobeachristian.wordpress.com/
And my brand new "church blog" called "The Gathering" http://thegatheringnc.wordpress.com/  
Note: Some of my blogs have different info, sometime the blogs carry some of the same materials/articles.

BibleFood Devotional  
BibleFood Devotional website (www.biblefood.org) is doing well, last month we had our highest visits for the year with 211 visits per day.  This is another site needing some updates. You can follow BibleFood devotional on our website (www.biblefood.org) and our blog (www.biblefood.blogspot.com) and our BibleFood Twitter account (www.twitter.com/jimmazzulla)

Christian Pool Players Association (CPPA) -  I play about 3 hours a month, but not a whole lot of outreach. We did meet once this summer with brothers and sisters in Christ for a night of fellowship and playing pool for 3 hours (and will be meeting again this week).  It was also good because I got a chance over that time to reacquaint myself with some of the local pool players, it was an all around good time. I would like to play in an in-house weekly tournament, but my game isn't quite what it was. Not that I care about winning, I just would like to play a somewhat respectable game.  It also gives me opportunities to build relationships with other pool players (which has been fruitful in the past).  But my main reason I'm not playing is that with the tournament fee (though relatively small considering I play non-stop for 2 1/2 - 3 hours) and gas (round trip) adds up to about $30 an event - As I stated earlier, money is super tight right now :-/

CONCLUSION

ELECTION - I'm not thrilled with our choices, but please do vote while we still have the freedom to do so.

Please pray for ministry opportunities to open soon.

Thanks all for taking an interest in my life :-)

Jim

Life is NOT a Bed of Roses – Okay!

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Paul in the same letter wrote these words:
“In journeys often, in perils (danger) of waters, in perils (danger) of robbers, in perils (danger) of my own countrymen, in perils (danger) of the Gentiles, in perils (danger) in the city, in perils (danger) in the wilderness, in perils (danger) in the sea, in perils (danger) among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things [like being stoned (i.e. rocked to death) and left for dead], what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches." (2 Corinthians 11:26-28). Yet, Paul counted these as light when compared to the "substantial magnitude" of the glory awaiting him in heaven. We would count these things as heavy weight and maybe even unbearable – But Paul looking at what awaits him in heaven and then being fully in God’s presence says, “Our light affliction.”

I want us to keep that in mind as I share from my heart about what life has been like lately. When I get to sharing in my devotions and blogs, I want to share all the "good" and "exciting" things with you all. And normally that's what you'll primarily get, but with that being said, I also think that we (including me) need to be transparent enough that we don't have everyone thinking we "walk on a bed of roses." Because that is not true for me and it's not true for anyone reading this. As Job says, “Yet man is born to trouble…” (Job 5:7 also see Job 14:1) and as Solomon says apart from a walk with Christ, these words, “Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun” – Eccles. 2:11. If we don’t keep our eyes on Jesus (see Heb. 12:2), we will feel just like Solomon in this passage. Here is one reason we need to let the body of Christ (at least those we trust) know “hey, everything is not great." (See Heb. 10:25)

Personally, I struggle with major fatigue issues, insomnia, and other health-related issues, also some hurtful family matters, unemployment (no job) and not looking so bright for a 51-year-old with little "secular" talent. But God will make a way!!!

So, I guess in this update I want you to know I'm going through a really rough time in many areas - But through it all I am attempting to keep my eyes on Jesus. If I could just talk about Jesus and read about Jesus (when not too fatigued) all the time, I think that would be great. But in truth, life has its exciting times (mine are mostly Christ-related) and its down times (health issues, family issues, financial issues, etc). Note: Through it all I have a very understanding wife. Praise the Lord!

Lesson learned on trials and suffering:
Back in the late 1990's I started BibleFood Devotional (www.biblefood.org) and had an e-mail list at one time of over 6500 members (quite exciting). Then, over next decade the internet has changed and membership dropped to a smaller list (2,000) and has really gone more the way of the blog for sharing my devotions (www.biblefood.blogspot.com).

The point is through that devotional many, many wonderful things have happened. Among those things, I started to see almost everyone has "stuff" they are dealing with. It might be an illness, a divorce, a death, a rebellious child. The list is endless (and many have a combination of these ALL going on at the same time).

I think this has helped me to see my personal trials were not special or unique and to see that everyone has life trials. I like to tell people, "THIS AIN'T HEAVEN." I think the sooner we see that, the better off we are, as we will stop the why me and start seeing it is ALL of us living in a fallen/sin-filled world.

I even thought (sometimes still tempted to think) "why God did you make me thus?"

Yet, in all that I don't necessarily like about myself, my weaknesses, my "lot" in life, God has flowed through this broken vessel called Jim Mazzulla, yeah, he has!!! Blows me away!!!

I also love the fact that the less I accomplish (in my power), the more I can see God working in this broken vessel (Jim). (See Rom. 8:28, Phil. 1:6)

Life is not all fun, I don't handle everything like a "spiritual giant", but to KNOW that my God will NEVER leave me or FORSAKE me (see Heb. 13:5) is absolutely awesome. No matter what outside circumstances are screaming at me, God will see me through! (See Phil. 4:13)

So be encouraged that you were wrong to ever think this life would be easy or trial-free AND try to accept what you have no control over, or move out of the way in those areas God has told you to leave alone.

In the end it is all about GLORIFYING GOD!

My prayer for me and you is that our Lord would reveal to us, that no matter how dark it may seem (or be), He is with us ALWAYS! And that our lives here are to be lived not for us but for our creator, and to GIVE ALL GLORY TO HIM.

(These scriptures alone make for a good study on Glorifying God, please take the time to read them - See Psa. 50:23; Jeremiah 9:24; Isa. 24:15; I Cor. 3:20; I Cor. 10:31; I Peter 4:16, Rev. 4:11 & 5:13)

So my friends, family, and brothers and sisters in Christ, don't let ANYTHING (or anyone) take you away from the truth that "if God before us, who can be against us" – Rom. 8:31

He is God and I will praise Him! (Read PSA. 150:1-6)

AMEN! AMEN!

Other devotions/teaching on trials, test, tribulation (and other subjects) are available at: www.biblefood.org/archive.html