Can you say ROADTRIP!!!

Mark your calendars, get permission from your wife and give her a good night kiss 'cause it's Guy's Night Out. That's right gentlemen, we're talking roadtrip. We won't ask for worldly direction but will certainly receive direction from on high at Teen-Challenge service. These are dynamic services that is sure bless you. These men of Teen-Challenge has seen some hard times relying on their own strength but have learned that true strength rest with the Lord. That strength is available to you too! Come with us and find the inner strength or just to rejoice in the Lord.

When: January 4th.
Where: Leaving HCC for Brockton
Time: LEAVING HCC AT 5:45, that's 5:15 Cape and Islands time.
Questions: Call Paul 508-737-1502

Make Room for Jesus

Merry Christmas to all you Chainbreakers! I pray that you are blessed and that you and your families are healthy! I have been thinking and meditating on the Christmas story for a few weeks now. If you have not read through the story this year, take time to open your sword, and give it a fresh read. You can find the story in the book of Luke chapter 1-2, and/or Matt 1-2.

Our lives are so conditioned to habits and behaviors, most of these habits and behaviors are so routine we are unaware we have them. When I thought about this process two things came to my mind. The first was something most of us learned from our fathers, or a coach along the way. Baseball gloves when first purchased need to be conditioned. They need to be oiled, and a ball placed inside, then the glove is wrapped and placed under a mattress. This process continues until a spot has been formed for the ball, you have to make room for the ball if you will. If this is not done correctly then there will be problems catching the ball and holding on to it. One last point, it is a very difficult process to fix a glove that has been broken in improperly, the glove cannot always be repaired, thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our lives can always be repaired.

The second thought was how the habits and behaviors that we condition ourselves in do not usually have a positive effect on our eternity. When was the last time you examined your life? The world you have been raised in is a constant bombardment of commercialism. You need this, you must have that, places to go, things that are a must to do. The world tells us that we must attend every function. Our children must be involved in every program, or sport, especially on Sunday mornings. You must work two jobs and your wife must work two jobs (home is a job men!), or you will not have all the things that bring happiness. You are to worry about the future and how you will survive, and you are not to think about the past because it is gone and you cannot change it. The worlds view doesn’t tell you that God holds the future, and we must examine the past if we are going to learn how to live in the present! Your life becomes filled to overflowing with commitments, and habits, and behaviors, so full there is no room for anything else.

What does this have to do with the Christmas story? Do you remember the story, maybe you should stop and read it before you finish reading this, Gods word is always more powerfully than the latest preacher.

Luke 2: 6, “So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” You have to make room for Jesus! There was no room at the inn, so the innkeeper made room for Jesus in the manger. We must make room for Jesus in our daily lives. Jesus makes the difference in our eternity. Can you imagine how this story would have read if they had no room for Jesus.

What would the Mary of today say to the angel? I have too much going on in my life to have Gods son, catch me later. Maybe Joseph would have been so blinded by his conditioning, so tired from his laboring that he would have ended the relationship, I mean come on a pregnant virgin? The Sheppard’s, would they have had to work a double shift so they could pay the cable bill, and did they have a baseball game for the kids at 6 and a soccer game at 8, there would be no way to make room for Jesus that night. The wise men, would they have been so concerned with their own comfort and leisure time that the idea of traveling half way around the world to bring aid to a less fortunate family would never have entered their mind. Let’s not forget the innkeeper. If he was managing a hotel today, he would have charged extra the moment the baby was born, rooms are priced per person. Can you imagine an inn keeper letting someone stay in a place other than a room own by the hotel, no way, the liability would be astounding.

Chainbreakers, we must make room for Jesus in our lives! I know that for the most part I am preaching to the choir. There are many of you that are making room for Jesus at great personal cost. We need to consider all this from time to time in our walk with the King. What is important, what is not? If this message bothers you, then examine it, repent of the busyness and make a commitment to make more room in the inn, then begin rejoicing in the forgiveness that we have in Christ. If this message is just confirming what you already know, then keep on pressing on! You are the Innkeeper of you heart. The more room you make for Jesus in your life, the more peace you will have daily, and the more those around you will see Jesus residing in your life.

May thee peace of God reign in your lives, may you and your families be blessed abundantly, and I pray you will share Jesus and all he has done for you with someone that has not yet made room for him, in their life!

Merry Christmas,
Paul

Eddie would go, would you?

EDDIE WOULD GO is the only biography of one of Hawaii's greatest heroes. Eddie Aikau was a humble man who was larger than life. As a surfer, he rode the biggest waves in the world; as a lifeguard, he saved hundreds of lives from the North Shore's treacherous waters; and as a proud Hawaiian, he sacrificed his life to save his fellow sailors aboard the voyaging canoe Hokule'a.

The Hawaiian Islands, like the mainland, have there seasons also. The summer months bring in the occasional south swells and the 2-6 foot waves. Great for boogie boarding and surfing. The winter months bring in swells that only an expert could even think of challenging. That expert was Eddie. The winter months are when all the professional surfers from all over the world, come to the Islands to catch those perfect monster waves. And Eddie was waiting. We have all seen life guards at our local ponds, pools, and beaches. There eyes and ears are tuned into the body of water they have been assigned to watch over. As the winter swells roll in, there was one who would never question what to do in a serious situation. Eddie was that one.. He risked his life everyday to save another. These swells that would come in, were not your 2-6 foot waves. No, they were your winter swells of 20-35 foot waves. Sometimes even bigger! To understand the enormity of these swells, one must lie down on the ground and look up. This is how a wave is measured. Go home and lie down at the side of your home and look to the top peak of your house and this will give a slight understanding what Eddie faced every day. Surfers knew that with Eddie watching every move of each surfer, they were safe. There is no records on file today that would say that Eddie never entered the water because of it’s surf or dangerous conditions. Hense the Saying – EDDIE WOULD GO. No other life guard could come close to what Eddie would do. As the surf pounded surfer after surfer, there Eddie would wait to enter as needed. Eddie loved the water, the challenge, and most important, his love for people.

In 1978, the Polynesian Voyaging Society was seeking volunteers for a 30-day, 2500 mile journey to follow the ancient route of the Polynesian migration between the Hawaiian and Tahitian island chains. At 31 years of age, Eddie joined the voyage as a crew member. The Hokule'a left the Hawaiian Islands on March 16, 1978. The double-hulled voyaging canoe developed a leak in one of the hulls and later capsized about twelve miles south of the island of Molokai, in a stretch of water known to be the most treacherous in the world. In an attempt to get help, Eddie paddled toward Lanai on his surfboard. Although the rest of the crew was later rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard. That would be the last time anyone ever again saw Eddie Aikau. Hence the saying – EDDIE WOULD GO.

The story of this Hawaiian legend, asks the simple question. Can you put your name on this saying….. ___________ WOULD GO. What a sacrifice, without hesitation what one man did for many. As I sit and contemplate his life, I asked myself would Kevin Go. I have learned over the past many years that, because of my own selfish reasons, I could not put my name into this phrase. However early on in ministry, God gave me the ability to rise above my own issues and take on the responsibility of leading others to Him. One of the greatest gifts the Lord has given me, is the ability to truly Love my brothers. If I know nothing else, I know this, that being a true brother, is to never judge, or have anything but Love towards my teammates and fellow men. For it is from there, all other blessings flow, without it nothing works. The question of “ would you go” challenges us as brothers to really check ourselves and understand the true meaning of brotherhood. As you meet each week, you have the ability and responsibility, to enter into a bond between one another. It is simple to say, but even harder to do. I can tell you honestly, that when you attain that bond, it will feel like you won the biggest prize of your life. You can know your Bible inside and out and still live an empty life. You can go to service every weekend and still live an empty life. You can come every Saturday morning to Bible study and yes, live an empty life. It’s only when you begin to build into each others lives, with an honest, dedicated and clean heart, you will begin to fill that emptiness with the most rewarding gift your true Heavenly DAD will ever give you. Fellowship and Brotherhood. How can I say this? Because for the past 13 years, God has placed wonderful men into my life, who I still have fellowship and brotherly bonds with, and over time, many have moved, began other ministries, and some have just gone into other directions, yet, our bonds will never be broken. Our love for God and each other, will always be there. Time may pass, but TRUE friendships NEVER die, when built on Godly principles. We all have the opportunity as a group, and as individuals, to feel and embrace every area of God’s true Friendship with one another. As Eddie did everyday of his short life, he put himself before others. Why, because it’s all he knew. It was HIS GIFT. In a single moment, God may put you in a situation as he did Eddie. You really need to ask yourself and check your heart…….Would YOU go…….., would you really go for your brother, would you really go for your neighbor, would you really go for the helpless and hopeless, would you really go for the one who wronged you, would you go….would you…..really!..You may say yes, but God knows. The only one I know for sure that went for me, was My heavenly DAD. Check your heart, and your life, and you may find there are many out there that would love to put your name in that phrase, for a selfless act of Gods love. REMEMBER – The opposite of Love is not Hate….It’s selfishness.

Let’s take a test by comparison. Ask yourself this, and be honest. It’s between you and God.

1. Your all dressed up for an event. You’ve planned for months. Your excited and really want to go. – A friend in need calls and says he is in trouble and needs you. What do you do?
2. You’ve made plans with your buddies from work, your child is struggling at school with issues that only you as a dad can help with. – What do you do?
3. Your invited to a party where everyone you know will be. The “A” list is there, including the guy who you need to see, to make the big business deal with. But right before you go, a friend who’s down on his luck and beaten up by life says he needs to talk. – What do you do?

EDDIE'S BODY FOLLOWED WHERE HIS SPIRIT HAD ALWAYS LEAD!

Living for HIM,
Kevin Mahoney
Founder – NEHIM
1994
www.eddiewouldgo.com

Movie Night with the Guys, Reflections

Movie night has come and gone. Luckily Die Hard beat out the Little Mermaid 2:1 and an enjoyable time ensued. I would like to thank all the men who help this come together from the guys who go the pizza all the way to the men who help put the room back together for the youth group. Your service is appreciated. So what is next? How do you think movie night went? What would you like to see the Chain Breakers do next. Write a comment to this post and I'll make sure the leadership hears your cry. We have a great group of talented and gifted men. I can wait to see what you guys come up with. So as the movie title stated...

Live Free (John 8:26) or die hard
Media Tzar