Out of My Sleep

Right out of my sleep this morning God put this picture in my mind. 

Then He said that is what it is like to be a child of the King. 

I can crawl under His desk and have access to places that are only afforded to His children. 

Enjoy your life as a child of the King this week. 

Jesus Stuff

I overheard a student at the University of Alabama say yesterday,  “I’ve Got Enough Jesus Stuff”. Now she was at Get On Board Day and was walking down the church portion of those seeking to get the students to see that their cause was worth a student’s time. They were getting t-shirts, cups, water, drinks, biscuits, etc. There was a lot of Jesus stuff given away, but that statement just caught my attention. I think there are a few ways to think about that statement. Now, I saw her make it and I think I know what she meant, but I will get to that shortly.

Here are just a few thoughts about “I think I have enough Jesus stuff!”

Ω   You can have “Jesus stuff” and not have Jesus.

Ω   “Jesus stuff” can be good things like faith, hope and love.

Ω   “Jesus stuff” can be religious clutter getting in your way of really experiencing Jesus.

Ω   “Jesus stuff” can be just like all stuff that we have in our lives.

The students statement came off as a dig at Christians. I think she can be right at times. There are times when we are more concerned with giving away “Jesus stuff “ than we are Jesus. We want to give away our programs, events, churches, groups, opinions, denominations, etc and never tell them about Jesus. I think what many Christian organization did yesterday was one great way to reach the students at the UofA, but let us not stop there. Let us seek to give them Jesus. 

Delighting to do God's Will?

Where are you in relation to God’s will? The Psalmist wrote, “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (PS 40:8) Could you say, “I delight to do your will?” That is what surrender is all about. This morning the devotion from the Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest was about surrender and it make me ask myself that question. To be honest some times I delight it so much and at others is seems very difficult to find delight in God’s will. So, where does the problem lie. I think it lies within me. There is this constant battle between the flesh and the Spirit (Gal 5:16-17). When I loose focus of the things that really matter, I loose that delight to do His will. Where are you in relation to God’s will?

Create When Creativity Calls

Create when creativity calls. Each week God has called me to create message to deliver to His people on His behalf. However, the creating part is much more Him than me. Last night sleep was not easy to come by but creativity was. As I lay awake my mind kept drifting to this Sunday’s sermon. Scripture, illustrations and pictures continued to run through my mind. So, I got up and finished this Sunday’s sermon (it might need a little refining) at 2:30 AM. It is easy to try to get God to create on our schedule, but it usually does not work quite like that. I want to encourage you to create when creativity calls. Don’t procrastinate because I promise it will not be so vivid later. 

A Great Word by Seth Godin

This is from Seth Godin's blog today and makes a great point. 

"When using an axe to split logs, it's awfully tempting to aim at the top of the log.

After all, if you miss the log entirely, it's dangerous or at the very least, ineffective. One can argue that if you don't split the top, it's pointless—nothing else will happen.

The problem with aiming at the top is that the axe loses momentum before its work is done and you end up with a stuck axe and half a split log.

No, the best approach is to focus on splitting the bottom of the log. Split the bottom and the top takes care of itself."

So, what is it where your aim is in the right direction but not with enough determination?

Colossians 3:23–24 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.   (ESV)

Lie Bumps and Paper Cuts

I begin the day with a lie bump on my tongue and a paper cut on my index finger. So, I begin the day in much pain. How can something so little hurt so bad. I do not even remember cutting my finger and who knows what you do to cause a lie bump. Oh, that's right you tell a lie. What if our spiritual lives were so sensitive that the little things caused us great awareness? Now I know that sin is sin (James 2:10) but I think God is talking about from the judicial perspective, as in guilt not as in consequence. The Holy Spirit is the one that convicts the world of sin (John 16:8). What is your sin threshold? What does not bother you anymore? Give it some thought. 

Sermon Un-Preached

Yesterday God moved me in a different direction concerning my message. I was a little nervous to say the least. For those who are interested here is the sermon I had planned. 

Who is the Holy Spirit?

We have determined that He is God!

We have determined that He dwells within us!

We have determined He gives stronger or weaker evidence according to how we respond to Him!

We have determined He empowers us!

We have determined He purifies!

The Holy Spirit Reveals

What does He reveal? ANYTHING HE WANTS TO!

I guess anyone who has a television has seen the Verizon commercials with the tag line, “Can you hear me now?”

Henry Blackaby writes in Experiencing God, “An encounter with the Holy Spirit is an encounter with God”. Therefore, when you hear the Holy Spirit you are hearing God.

The Holy Spirit is the one that reveals to you that you are indeed saved.

Ω   “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16, ESV)

The Holy Spirit reveals Himself by helping you remember.

Ω   “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26, ESV)

The Holy Spirit reveals Himself when His fruit manifest Him in our life.

Ω   “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22–23, ESV)

Ω   If you recall from last week we learned that He wants to break sinful patterns in our lives in order to replace them with holy patterns. We said He produces growth in holiness of life.

Ω   When you see the “fruit of the Spirit” you are seeing the revelation of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit reveals Himself when His gifts manifest Him in our life.

Ω   Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵ and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; ⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. ⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4–7, ESV)

o   Varieties of gifts

o   Varieties of service

o   Varieties of activities

o   Manifestation of the Spirit

o   For the common good.

Ω   The Gifts of the Spirit are to reveal Spirit of God for the common good.

The Holy Spirit reveals Himself, His purposes and His ways. We are to “walk in the Spirit”

Again, Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God puts it like this.

“God reveals Himself to increase my faith…God reveals His purposes so I will do His work…When God came to Noah He did not ask, ‘What do you want to do for me?’ He came to reveal what He was about to do…In contrast, we set about to dream our dreams of what WE want to do for God.”

His plan is to let us in on what he is about to do and we can choose either to join Him or not. The Holy Spirit wants you to be a vessel for Him.

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man,

but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (ESV)  

Blackaby continues, “God reveals His ways so I can accomplish His purpose.” He purpose is only accomplished through His ways.

Will you join Him?

17

Seventeen years ago today Lord of the Harvest Baptist Church was planted. Today, she is known as Harvest Church. The reason the church was started on this day was:

To reach the lost.

To reach the person who is laying in bed on Sundays instead of being part of a faith family.

To reach the person who had had such a bad experience in church that they had sworn never to return.

To reach the person who does no believe in God.

To reach the husband who never goes to church with his family.

To reach the wife who stayed home while her husband and children went to spend time with a faith family.

To reach the drug addict and alcoholic.

To reach the divorced who felt like they did not belong.

To reach people that the current churches were not reaching.

To be a safe place for those who felt so different.

To reach out to the ragamuffin and the downtrodden.

To reach those who never seemed to be able to measure up.

To reach those who were ready to give up.

To reach those who we have to hold up.

To reach out with hands of kindness and love.

To do it different if it needed to be.

To conform people to the image of Christ.

To live in the power of the Spirit.

To continue unto the end. 

IN A FOG?

Fog delayed the beginning of the PGA Championship this morning. One of the biggest golf events of the year is delayed because of very little water. Fog is just water droplets. "Fog formation requires all of the elements that normal cloud formation requires, the most important being condensation nuclei, in the form of dust, aerosols, pollutants, etc., for the water to condense upon." Sometimes there is so much dust in our life that we find ourself in a spiritual fog. We lose our sense of vision, creativity, and effectiveness due to the fog. The sun burns off the fog or actually evaporates the water. The way I burn off the fog in my life is to put it under the Word of God. Put the dust of your life under the word of God and you might just find that it is never used to create fog. 


How do you burn your spiritual fog off?

Should A Church Feel Like a Coffee Shop?

Last night Luke and I spent some time in a coffee shop in Nashville called Fido and I loved the environment. It was live, comfortable, engaging, public and private. It is part of Bongo Java Roasting Company. What is it about the environment that made it so enjoyable? 

1. It was my first time. First times usually make us take in an environment. Slowing down and see what is around me instead of rush in and out. Looking to see what ALL they have to serve and what ALL is on the shelves to sell. I drank my first Naked juice last night. 
2. It was very public - full of people, but a table could be found,but no plug :( . 
3. It was very private - no one intruded our space.
4. It was live. Chatter was everywhere. Computers were everywhere. Deep conversations were going on as well as simple conversations. 
5. It was comfortable. Not that the seats were some new kind of cushion but it just felt good to be there.

Why do people not feel that way at church? Or should we?

WATCH THIS

Video worth your time.

LEARNING - Never Stop

Luke and I are headed to Nashville to enjoy a day of mentoring by Stephen Brewster at Crosspoint. Pete Wilson is their lead pastor and is making a huge impact in Nashville and beyond. I desire to continue to learn from people who have not given up on church, but seek creative ways to fulfill their God given vision. I believe when we cease to learn we begin dying. Realize you are never too old to learn and create.

When I Grow Up....

What do you want to be when you grow up? That is a good question for all of us. I find myself like the Toys-R-Us song sometimes. “I don’t want to grow us, I’m a toys-r-us kid”. But I think I sometimes change the song to go, “I don’t want to grow up, I’m a It’s-All-About-Us kid”. Yea it is harder to sing to the tune but it seems more accurate for most of us. What does God want you to be when you grow up? He wants you to be more like His Son every day – full of love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. What do you really want to be when you grow up? How about I want to be like Christ. Sound cheesy. Try it and you will think cheesy!!

Book Review - Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola hit the spot. They seek to give us Jesus and not some watered down version of Him. If one could erase all their brain has stored about who they think Jesus is, and let this book guide them through the Scriptures they might end up in a different place in their belief system.

It seems like Jesus has just become some cool guy in a pair of sandals hanging out at the local coffee shop. As they present in this challenging book, Jesus is much more. He might would be that guy in the coffee shop but He would be the main guy in the coffee shop. He is not some second rate person who is around to make everyone feel good about themselves. He is the all powerful, never surprised, amazing Savior and Lord. Western society seems to have produced this Jesus that looks very little like the one seen in the word of God. Take the time to read this book and be challenged in your life as it relates to Christ. 

Am I Making a Difference?

Last night I was watching something on television (I don’t remember what.) and the thought came to me, “Are you making a difference even if it does not feel like it, you can’t see it or know it?” I remember several years ago a first year teacher told me her biggest disappointment was that she thought she would make a difference. In ministry I have had the same feeling at times. A policeman might have the same thought as he/she picks up the same person time after time. What about Moses as he went to Pharaoh for the 9^th time? What about Jesus as Peter said “I do not know Him”. What about Paul with and church after church that just did not understand grace? You can make a difference just doing the little things. Oswald Chambers puts it like this, “We have no idea what God’s goal may be; as we continue, His purpose becomes even more and more vague. God’s aim appears to have missed the mark, because we are too nearsighted to see the target at which He is aiming.” Below is a clip about a man who just did the little things in a town of 2000 people. What if we all lived like this?