turner summer vacation (mexico)

mary, the girls and i just got back last week from 9 days in mexico - we had a blast.  God is so good to us… theres nothing quite as nice as a free vacation… we got all 4 plane tickets by using miles and super-generous friends gave us a 1,700 square foot (brand new, right on the beach) villa for 7 days. the trip was amazing and we came back rested and refreshed (but a little sunburned).

we did a ton of family activities… horseback riding (on the beach x2), snorkeling (and brought back some coral we dove for - is that illegal?), body surfing in the pacific and the sea of cortez, flea market souiveneer bartering, and enjoyed some amazing meals together.

trip highlight:  creating memories that we will cherish forever.

trip bummer:  having to put sunscreen on 3 times everyday (God created all the turner fam extremely pasty).

check out some of our vacation videos…

Turner Girls Swimming

Abby and the Iguana

Hannah dunking Madison

Turner girls at the beach

Horseback Riding on The Beach

Horseback Riding on The Beach - Part 2

surrender

surrender is defined as “giving oneself up into the power of another”.  following Christ is not just a moment of surrender, but a process of surrender.  i think many people think that you surrender one time and God smiles… you get saved… everything is great.. and life goes on.  i don’t think that surrender is a one-time deal in my life.  why?  because there is a constant battle that rages between the kingdom of me and the kingdom of God.  the kingdom of me is scott trying to live life the way i want to… to do what i want… go where i want… make my own decisions…  chase after my own dreams… to basically live “me first”.

to surrender means to put the kingdom of God first in my life… Jesus said to seek first God’s kingdom (and His righteousness) - His way of living, His way of acting, His way, not my way.  i’ve gotta surrender my lifestyle to Him and purpose to not let sin dominate me.  romans 6:13 - “don’t surrender any part of yourselves to sin… surrender your whole being to Him to be used for righteous purposes.”  a life of surrender is a life of purity and freedom.

i’ve been starting my day by diving into God’s word (mainly the psalms) and seeking God in prayer and worship.  i have to surrender my day to Him and it off in joy and strength.  ”find out for yourself how good the Lord is.”  psalm 34:9   if i don’t seek Him in the a.m., my day will be chaotic and heavy.   a life of surrender is a life of intimacy and closeness.

God’s thoughts are higher than my thoughts, His ways are far beyond anything i can imagine.  i need to surrender my decisions to the Lord and seek His insights and trust Him to lead me.  proverbs 3:5-6, “trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure our everything on your own.  Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track.  Don’t assume you know it all.”  God told jeremiah if people would seek Him, He would show them great secrets and insights that they could not get from anywhere else.  what an amazing God we have that will shower us with wisdom and help us make perfect decisions that bring victory to our lives.  a life of surrender is a life on track.

i get to surrender my resources to God.  every bit of increase that comes into my life, i honor Him by giving Him the first and the best.  i’m convinced that a Christian can’t be fully pursuing God unless they are generously giving to advance His kingdom in this world.  deuteronomy 15:10 tells us to “give generously… and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”  a life of surrender is a blessed life.

finally, i need to work on surrendering my dreams to God.  so many times the dream that I have for my life, family and ministry is dwarfed in comparison to the big dream that God wants to make come true for me.  ”by His mighty power at work within us, God is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope or dream.”  ephesians 3:20   scott sized dreams are way, way to small for my life.  God sized dreams are overwhelming, but can be realized as i surrender my heart to Him and expect the best.  a life of surrender is a life beyond our wildest dreams.

“offer yourselves completely to God… to be used for His good purposes.”  romans 6:13

guard your heart

sorry for not posting more regularly…  thanks for still checking out my blog… i will try to post more frequently

so many times (lately) i find myself thinking about the simple (but powerful) truth revealed in proverbs 4:23 - it says, “guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it.”

God’s word is clear that we are in a spiritual battle and that we need to stay alert keep our guard up. the enemy works overtime to try to slip stuff past our guard and darken our lives.  he attempts things daily…. things like… pride, anxiety, laziness, gossip, bitterness, anger, jealousy, insecurity, lust, hate, and about 50 other sadistic schemes.

never forget that satan slithered into the garden and he continues to work to find an opening in our lives.  in a letter to the church, paul wrote, “leave no room or foothold for the devil (give no opportunity to him).” i clearly hear paul pleading with us to guard our hearts and slam the door on the devil!

over the past few weeks, i have seen so many others let their guard down and have witnessed the enemy penetrate and damage their hearts.  earlier this year, i was really struggling to guard my own heart and could feel the enemy trying to discourage me and get me to cave it.  his attacks are relentless, but God’s grace (His power & favor) is sufficient for us.  God is an ever-present help in times of trouble and gives us the courage and joy to press on.

i don’t know what the enemy is up to in your life, but i know you have to keep your guard up.  in a boxing match… when one opponent is worn out and struggling… he begins to drop his guard… then it is just a matter of time until he gets knocked out.  “so let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good.  at the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.” galatians 6:9

never drop your guard… keep vigilant watch over your heart… don’t give the enemy an opening… shut him out and keep him out!  fill your heart up with God’s incredible word… ask God to fill you with His Spirit… keep fighting the good fight of faith… you are more than a conqueror… you can do all things through Christ who infuses inner strength to you!  tell the enemy, you may try to devour someone today, but it won’t be me.  there is no room, no foothold, no opening for you here!

“God, guard my life, for I am devoted to You.  You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.”  psalm 86:2

(please) grow up!

recently i have been blown away by the lack of maturity i have seen in others and have been struggling to keep from just writing them off.  the truth is, i have seen some immaturity in my own life - and have come to the (challenging) conclusion that i just need to grow up.  sometimes it’s so easy to see immaturity in others, but we fail to identify it in our own lives.  it takes a big person to look in the mirror and say, “wow, i’m kinda immature…i really need to grow up.”  but this is exactly what we need to do!

“God wants us to grow up… like Christ in everything.”  ephesians 4:15 (msg)  ”we are not meant to remain as children.”  ephesians 4:14 (ph)  ”take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces His character in you.”  ephesians 4:22-24 (msg)

how do we grow up?

1.  We grow by hearing, accepting, and obeying God’s word

“God’s gracious word can make you into what He wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need.”  acts 20:32 (msg)

2.  We grow by learning to cooperate with the Holy Spirit

“as the Holy Spirit works within us, we become more and more like HIm and reflect His glory even more.”  2 corinthians 3:18 (nlt)

3.  We grow by having close relationships with Godly friends (and connecting with them on a regular basis)

“become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.”  proverbs 13:20 (msg)

4.  We grow when we don’t give in to temptations

“run from anything that gives you evil thoughts… but stay close to anything that makes you want to do right.”  2 timothy 2:22 (lb)

5.  we grow by understanding the purpose of tests & trails

“we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”  romans 8:28 (nlt)

maturing in Christ and becoming like Him is a long, slow process.   there are no short cuts or easy fixes to becoming more mature.  friedrich nietzsche said, “the essential thing in heaven and earth is that there should be a long obedience in the same direction.”  don’t be a shallow Christian whose life is marked by selfishness and apathy.  determine to not let excuses replace progress and take a step towards becoming more like Christ.

take some time and look at your life (in humility and honesty) and identify which one of the steps above you need to focus on today.  may God help you to live out His word, to listen to His Spirit, to connect with other believers, to say no to sin, and to learn to be cheerful and grateful when you go through tough times.

be encouraged!

week after week i have the privilege of trying to encourage people who are down, defeated, depressed, and dismayed.  really, that is what being a minister is all about - lifting up those who are burned out, worn down, ready to quit, and totally discouraged.  i never get tired of trying to bring encouragement to those who are in need.  i always want to have people walk away from a conversation with me…. feeling listened to, feeling loved and hopefully lifted up (way up)!  this is what Jesus was all about - He listened, He loved, and He lifted people up.

we have an enemy that is relentless in his attacks and constantly tries to overwhelm us and bring us down.  we get discouraged when we start to listen to his lies and look at the things that are not going right.  the enemy comes immediately to steal God’s Word from us and stop God’s power from touching our lives.  so i wanted to provide you with some ammo to combat the evil one and breakthrough the demonic static that is in the atmosphere surrounding us.  so here are some of the most encouraging scriptures that i know, i hope the Holy Spirit releases a spirit of encouragement over you as you meditate on these…

• “if your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, He’ll help you catch your breath.”  psalm 34:18 (msg)

• “God is our mighty fortress, always ready to help in times of trouble.  God fights for us, God protects us.”  psalm 46:1,7 (cev/msg)

• “those who wait on the Lord will find new strength.  they will fly high on wings like eagles.  they will run and not grow weary.  they will walk and not faint.”  isaiah 40:31 (nlt)

• “you (God) revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.”  psalm 23:5b (msg)

• “there is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here.”  1 peter 1:6 (lb)

• “when you go through the deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you.  when you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown!  when you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up - the flames will not consume you.”  isaiah 42:2 (lb)

my rock!

“He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, i will never be shaken.”  psalm 62:2 (niv)  it sure seems like this world is being shaken up by some crazy stuff:  lots of earthquakes, continued economic uncertainty, strange flu viruses and all the usual stuff that goes on.  but the real issues are not ones that we see on the 6 o’clock news or on yahoo.  our main concerns are not the ones that we can see with our natural eyes.

the real issue is that we have a enemy that works 24/7 to try to discourage, defeat, and destroy us.  jesus said, “the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy…”  paul clearly warned us (in ephesians 6) - “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places… be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power… resist the enemy… then after the battle you will still be standing firm.”

we have to do our part, but more and more it’s becoming so clear that God has to do His part or we don’t stand a chance.  our part is seeking God, staying in faith, speaking God’s Word and being watchful in prayer.  but we need to constantly remember that without the rock under our feet it’s game over.

things are being shaken all around us - both in the seen and unseen world.  but don’t worry, “the Lord lives!  praise be to my rock!  exalted be God, my rock, my savior.  God is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which i live, my rescuing knight.  my God - the high crag where i run for dear life, hiding behind the boulders, safe in the granite hideout, my mountaintop refuge, He saves me…” 2 samuel 22:47,2-3

if you are feeling down, discouraged, defeated, or depressed - just start to praise your rock-solid God - the one who is ever present and all powerful.  don’t be moved by what you see in this world, don’t be shaken, don’t allow hopelessness to overcome you.  rise up, seek our amazing God, proclaim His goodness and allow His joy and strength to saturate you.  remind yourself that you will never be shaken… because you are on the rock!

Jesus said in john 16:31 (msg) , “so that trusting Me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace.  in this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties.  but take heart!  I’ve conquered the world.”

“do you see what we’ve got?  an unshakable kingdom!  and do you se how thankful we must be?  not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God.”  hebrews 12:28 (msg)

God with you = rock solid & unshakable!

thanks God!

so many times i find my thoughts slipping down the slope of negativity - my carnal mind seems to focus on what is not working, what i don’t have, and what will never be.  no doubt the enemy is behind all of these discouraging thoughts and is relentless in his attempt to steal my joy and dishearten me. he constantly tries to shift my thoughts off of God and on to problems, challenges, circumstances and… well… anything else other than Christ (and the bright future that awaits me).  paul warned to be carnally minded is death!  if i give into these dark / demonic thoughts it literally kills my future and sabotages the plans God has for my life.  2 cor 4:4 reveals that satan is successful at blinding the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing God and His amazing light and illuminating truth.  satan tries to blind my mind -  to keep me down, to hold me back, to wreck my life.

recently i have gone back to a truth that somehow escaped me (for a good part of 2009).  it is a simple, but powerful weapon to overcome the enemy and shut his filthy (big) mouth.  the weapon is gratitude!  i have been annihilating the enemy and shutting down his attack by having a heart of thankfulness - just telling God how good He is and how grateful i am for all he does for me.

scripture is clear that my life (the life of a believer) should be characterized by joy, peace, contentment, and gratitude.  even though i encounter difficult trials and situations constantly, i must remember to always thank God and verbalize my love and appreciation for Him.  the bible reveals that He is my rock, my redeemer, my delivered, my healer, my provider, my ever-present ever-loving Father!

so regardless of what problems, challenges or frustrations are trying to overwhelm me and bring me down - i look up and start to thank God for who He is, for what He has done, and (by faith) ask Him to do it again.

“how great is the Lord, how deserving of praise…”  psalm 48:1 (nlt)

“let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them.”  psalm 107:8 (nlt)

“you did it (God): you changed wild lament into whirling dance; you ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers.  i’m aobut to burst with song; i can’t keep quiet about you.  God, my God, i can’t thank you enough.”  psalm 30:11 (msg)

“i’m ready to worship, so ready.  i thank you, God - you’re so good.  you got me out of every scrape, and i saw my enemies get it.” psalm 54:6 (msg)

“thank you!  everything in me says ‘thank you!’ angels listen as i sing my thanks.  i kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: thank you!  thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; most holy is your name, most holy is your word.  the moment i called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength.”  psalm 138:1-3 (msg)

“every day (with its new reasons) will i bless you (affectionately and gratefully praise you),’ yes, i will praise your name forever and ever.”  psalm 145:2 (amp)

look up (right now) and say thanks God!

follow

Jesus told his original 12…  ”come after me (as disciples - letting me be your guide), follow me and i will make you…”  matthew 4:19 (amp).  following Christ starts at salvation, but continues through the daily disciplines (prayer, devotional bible reading & meditation, worship, obedience).  deitrich bonhoeffer said, “salvation without discipleship is cheap grace.”  unfortunately, i see this all the time… people that have received Christ as savior, but fail to follow Him as lord (the one they trust, obey, and follow daily).  i want to be a disciple that is fully devoted to Him.  a man after God’s own heart.  in pslam 63:8 (kjv), david cries out (in some sweet old-school language), “my soul followeth hard after thee.”

in matthew 16 Jesus says following Him starts with desire “whoever desires to come after Me…”  this is what we need, a renewed desire to give Him our best everyday.  exodus 34:14 reveals that “He is a God who is passionate about His relationship with you.”  we need to be passionate about our relationship with Him.  back in matthew 16 Jesus goes on to share that anyone who has the desire then has to purpose to live a life of self-sacrifice and obedience.  In Matthew 16:14 (msg) Jesus said, “don’t run from suffering; embrace it.  follow Me and I’ll show you how.” He keeps talking about denying ourselves and picking up our cross.  He warns us that there will be a price to pay - that is why He told His followers “to count the cost”.

this past sunday, we asked people to take a piece of paper, write down what is keeping them from fully following God (passionately) and then nail it to a 8 ft. wooden cross we have at the summit.  it was so encouraging to see the cross peppered with tons of the little pieces of paper - i know God is moving in our hearts as He is helping us change and fix our attention on Him.  take a few minutes (right now) to let go of anything that is holding you back from following hard after Him.

“earth has nothing i desire besides You.  God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  as for me, it is good to be near God.”  psalm 73:25-27 (niv)

never alone

the message of Christmas is simple - we are never alone!  God sent Himself to us so that He would be our ever-present, closer than anyone else…. savior, healer, deliverer, father, mentor, friend.  this is why the angels (at the first Christmas) said, “don’t be afraid!  i bring you good news of great joy for everyone!”  luke 2:10 (nlt)  ”great joy” is exactly what i’m experiencing right now (and everyday of the year) - all because God is with me, He will never leave me or forget about me.

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”  psalm 46:1  no matter what i’m going through or regardless of the pressure, pain or hurt i’m experiencing - i can always find joy in the truth that God is in it with me and giving me the strength to keep moving onward and upward.  ”don’t be afraid, for I have ransomed you.  I have called you by name; you are mine.  when you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you.  when you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown!  when you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.  for I am the Lord, your God… your savior.  do not be afraid, for I am with you.”  isaiah 43:1-3,5 (nlt)

we have a personal savior that is always with us.  a personal healer that loves to touch and restore us.  a personal deliverer that always comes through.  a personal God that we can completely trust with our very lives.  Christmas reminds us that we are never alone.

“thank God for His Son - His gift too wonderful for words.”  2 corinthians 9:15 (lb)

illuminate

winter solstice will take place in a few days.  basically it is when the earth is tilted the farthest distance from the sun and it is the darkest day of the year.  it is so incredible that during the darkest moment (the longest night) of the year we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ - the light of the world!

“I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the darkness.”  john 12:46 (nlt)

“I am the light of the world.  if you follow Me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path.”  john 8:12 (lb)

look around at all the christmas lights - it’s amazing.  mary, the girls and i love to drive around and see the lights.  i’m looking forward to reminding hannah and abby that light played a major role at the birth of Christ.  the angels put on a spectacular light show for the shepherds… the wise men followed a bright light on their journey that led them to Jesus… and God was saying again to the world, “let there be light” as He sent His Son to illuminate our hearts and set us free from the darkness.

“His life is the light that sines through the darkness-and the darkness can never extinguish it.”  john 1:5 (lb)  every year i’m amazed by the fact that during the darkest moments of my life, Jesus shines.  when dark thoughts try to invade my mind, when doubts and fears try to run rampant in my soul, when things aren’t going the way i think they should, when i’m down and discouraged…. Jesus illuminates me - He lights me up and suddenly the darkness flees.  when His light hits me (and fills me) the shadows dissipate and it is at that moment that i realize - i can do all things through Christ who empowers me.  i’m instantly aware that His grace is more than enough - it is by His strength that i can get up and keep going.  i’m overwhelmed by the warmth of His love and i’m thankful that he chooses to show up during the dark seasons of my life and fill me with His marvelous light.

“the light makes all things easy to see.”  ephesians 5:13 (NCV)  i pray that He will illuminate your life and you will clearly see Him and follow Him.  may living light flood your life and may all the darkness that has surrounded you disappear.