Everybody has a story

The Gospel is a true story about how God came to earth and gave His life to save mankind from sin. Every Year we tell the story of the birth of Jesus because we celebrate the power of God's love for us. That almighty God would leave heaven and come to earth opens the door to the greatest story ever told.

When we read the Bible we are reading about the lives of people that God used in many ways. In the Bible we read the stories about how God was involved in the lives of Men.

What is your story? where have you been? Where have you come from? What is happening now? Have you stopped to reflect on all that has happened in your life?

Can you pick out the God momments in your life? Can you put into simple terms what God has done for you?

I recently attended a conference in Houston. One of the speakers was Drayton McLane Jr. Mr. McLane is the billionare owner of the Houston Astros. When he gave his talk it was one story of the successes and faiures of his life. It seemed that everything that had happened to him was a lesson about what his purpose was.

Now as a man in His eighties he was sharing with us the tapestry of what he was. If you have ever seen a tapestry it a beautifully woven picture on the front side but in ther back it is a mess of string seemingly without purpose.

What is your story? It is time to tell someone, any one what God is going in your life.

Taking A Really Good Look

Sometimes you have to take a really good look at what your doing and ask if it is making the differnce you are wanting it to. An honest set of fresh eyes on your current situation might hurt when you have to face the truth but in the short and long run it will make a huge difference.

In Ministry we must be willing to re-evaluate everything we do because we need to be effective in all we do. We don't want to do anything just to do it. Here are some of the things I have been doing:

What is happening from 11am to 12pm @ the Springs? Are we doing our best to give God our best? Is this hour during the week making a diffrence in the lives of those who take the time to attend. Are we truely hospitable? Are we striving for excellence? Do we have first time quest every Sunday? Do we have a system in place to connect people to what we are doing as a church? Is there a spirit of excitement and expectency in the hearts of God's people. Is life change taking place?

These kind of things start during the week. Are we praying, planning and preparing to make good things happen on Sunday.

Healing

Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’

A man has been beat up and placed in a pit…a man comes by and delivers him from the pit but the man remains busied inside and out. He must be healed. The story of the Good Samaritan is the story of Jesus. Jesus found us by the side of the road and picked us up and now is making sure we are being healed.

The heart is desperate and wicked who can know it…The deepts of sin..how far can we fall.
You have to articulate where you are…you must get in touch with yourself.
We can be delivered but not healed. There is process to some things that need healing in our lives.
We must allow the sword of the Lord to pierce our wounds and allow the poison that is sickening us to be realeased. Hebrews 4:12 says "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Everybody has a secret…a need for healing that must take place.
Confession is good for the soul. Who do I talk to?
We must be renewed in our minds
God respects our intellectual abilities because He wants to bring revelation to us.
Reconciled to God /then to self/ then to my surroundings(others)
You know what you have gone through so don’t let anybody devalue that.
God uses imperfect people to help perfect people.
How can I say that God has forgiven me if I haven’t forgiven myself?
God speaks to my spirit and my spirit speaks to my mind.

Our God Heals

Some of the things we go through in life damage us. We become wounded by events that we bring on ourselves or that others bring on to us. God does not want us wandering around as wounded warriors. God wants to heal our hurts and wounds and make us whole.

The blood of Jesus can bring healing to us if we ask God for that healing. To many times we do not want to deal with the hurts in our life but that denial only stops us from being free to be all that God has called us to be.

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing how we can recieve healing in our hearts from all of our hurts. Stay tuned.

Asking some Big Questions

Does Jesus make a difference in the life of a person? Does Jesus make the difference in the life of a person? Does a person with Jesus in there life live a better life then somebody without Jesus? Is Jesus the ultimate difference maker? If I invite someone to trust Jesus in there life am I saying I guarantee your life will be better? Am I making a guarantee that they will live there best life if they live for Jesus?

Is Jesus the savior of the world? Is Jesus the only Savior of the world. Is there another way to heaven. Is Jesus the only way to the Father. Is accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior my only hope?

Looking Back-Moving Forward

I remember serving on a comittee that was asked to write a history about the journey of the unification between two conventions of churches. As comittees do we chose a chairman and off we went. We did research, shared our thoughts and we left the writing to our chairman. The finished product was one mans version of events and the people that where significant in his experience. Needless to say I came away from that project with the understanding that people can see history through different lenses and come to different conclusions. These thoughts and conclusions are mine and may not reflect the reality of others but here goes.

In the late 1980's and early 90's there was what some have labeled Post Denominationalism. Post denominationalism was a movement of some who were serving in churches of denominations and left them due to doctrinal reasons, polity reasons and others for personal reasons. The non denominational movement continues today and networks of churches have emerged as a result.

It is no secret that mainline churches are declining(with the exception of the Assemblies of God). Southern Baptist have been in decline for several years in a row. At there last convention held in Phoenix some of the new leaders even questioned the validity of current numbers.
(more coming...to be continued)

Thoughts on a Random Sunday

We need to learn how to operate at the limits of what we are capable of delivering.
Breaking the piggy bank is a picture of our inability to living steady
We need over the top commitment
RESET!


To stand out from the Crowd we need to:
Do different things
Do things differently
Stir emotion…spread happiness
Be consistent

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great.

Weak men wait for opportunities, strongmen make them.

Light the fire!

one of the worst mistakes anybody can make is to bet against the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.