Be encouraged in the Word!
"Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men." (Colossians 3:23)
"The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
(Luke 18:27)
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:37)
"Be confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)
"Rejoice in the Lord always, AGAIN I say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand." (Philippians 4:4)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Expectation Matters!
“Ye have not, because ye ask not.” James 4:2b
This weekend we welcome our special guest and friend Steve Sampson to minister at Christian Life. A consistent theme of Steve’s prophetic ministry has been expectation. Steve often says, “Our expectation puts a demand on God.”
I believe that miracles pass by millions daily because no one is expecting their arrival. Satan has convinced many to "wait on God", instead of wrapping expectation around an already given scriptural promise.
God is not only moved by our need, He is moved by our faith. Our faith in His promises. Our faith in His Word. Our faith in our covenant relationship with Him.
The women with the issue of blood did not wait for an instruction, she simply declared her expectation... “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed." (Mark 5:28)
Faith always requires an action.
God is listening. What are you expecting?
Say it often.
Say it aloud.
Say it with expectation!
This weekend we welcome our special guest and friend Steve Sampson to minister at Christian Life. A consistent theme of Steve’s prophetic ministry has been expectation. Steve often says, “Our expectation puts a demand on God.”
I believe that miracles pass by millions daily because no one is expecting their arrival. Satan has convinced many to "wait on God", instead of wrapping expectation around an already given scriptural promise.
God is not only moved by our need, He is moved by our faith. Our faith in His promises. Our faith in His Word. Our faith in our covenant relationship with Him.
The women with the issue of blood did not wait for an instruction, she simply declared her expectation... “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed." (Mark 5:28)
Faith always requires an action.
God is listening. What are you expecting?
Say it often.
Say it aloud.
Say it with expectation!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Six Words
I received an email from Steve May to pastors that I want to share with you this week...
In the 1920s, someone bet Ernest Hemingway ten dollars that he couldn't write a complete story in just six words. Hemingway came back with:
"For Sale: baby shoes, never worn."
He won the bet.
Last year Smith Magazine asked readers to sum up their own lives in just six words. The results are now a book called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure.
Here are some interesting entries:
Following this same idea, Jesus might have summarized his life this way: "To seek and save the lost." [Luke 19:10] or "To give abundant life to all." [John 10:10]
Paul might have summarized his life: "Tough fight, long race, won both." [2 Timothy 4:7]
Peter might have said: "Took chances, failed often, experienced power." [Matthew 14:29; Mark 14:71; Acts 5:15]
King David might have said: "The Lord is all I need." [Psalm 23:1]
How would you summarize your life in six words?
In the 1920s, someone bet Ernest Hemingway ten dollars that he couldn't write a complete story in just six words. Hemingway came back with:
"For Sale: baby shoes, never worn."
He won the bet.
Last year Smith Magazine asked readers to sum up their own lives in just six words. The results are now a book called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure.
Here are some interesting entries:
- Head in books, feet in flowers. (Heather Thomson)
- Trust me, I did my best. (Ray Kemp)
- Married childhood sweetheart. Two kids. Content. (Steve McMullen)
- Partner, pension, motorhome, life is good. (Bob Lindblom)
- Wasted my whole life getting comfortable. (Richard Merrington)
- Worry about tomorrow, rarely enjoy today! (Richard Rabone)
- Four Weddings, Three kids, then cancer. (Gillian Johnson)
- Not quite finished, tell you later. (Dave Nicholson)
- Really should have been a Lawyer. (Gules Fallan)
- Bored, so bored, so very bored. (John Doyle)
- Ditched the map, found better route. (Gillian Smellie)
Following this same idea, Jesus might have summarized his life this way: "To seek and save the lost." [Luke 19:10] or "To give abundant life to all." [John 10:10]
Paul might have summarized his life: "Tough fight, long race, won both." [2 Timothy 4:7]
Peter might have said: "Took chances, failed often, experienced power." [Matthew 14:29; Mark 14:71; Acts 5:15]
King David might have said: "The Lord is all I need." [Psalm 23:1]
How would you summarize your life in six words?
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Grace
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow...”
I thought after our blizzard this would be an appropriate verse for this weekend’s Bible Blog. It also got me thinking about my favorite quotes concerning God’s grace.
Our heart is a Dixie Cup and God's grace is Niagra. We simply can't contain it all.
MaxLucado
Disobedience happens, not when we think too much of grace, but when we think too little of grace.
Tullian Tchividjian
The law detects, grace alone conquers sin.
Augustine
Let the scandalous grace of God offend your pride and restore your joy.
Darrin Patrick
Grace is given to heal the spiritually sick, not to decorate spiritual heroes.
Martin Luther
Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected.
Jonathan Edwards
Grace is free sovereign favor to the ill-deserving.
Benjamin B. Warfield
Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue.
Eugene Gladstone O'Neil
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
John Newton
Isaiah 1:18
I thought after our blizzard this would be an appropriate verse for this weekend’s Bible Blog. It also got me thinking about my favorite quotes concerning God’s grace.
Our heart is a Dixie Cup and God's grace is Niagra. We simply can't contain it all.
MaxLucado
Disobedience happens, not when we think too much of grace, but when we think too little of grace.
Tullian Tchividjian
The law detects, grace alone conquers sin.
Augustine
Let the scandalous grace of God offend your pride and restore your joy.
Darrin Patrick
Grace is given to heal the spiritually sick, not to decorate spiritual heroes.
Martin Luther
Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected.
Jonathan Edwards
Grace is free sovereign favor to the ill-deserving.
Benjamin B. Warfield
Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue.
Eugene Gladstone O'Neil
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
John Newton
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
SMART Goals
This past December I took time to write down a number of personal, family, and ministry goals for 2011. I was excited about the possibilities that the new year held. The problem is... I forgot about the list. Without thinking, life continued on as usual. My life didn’t all of a sudden go bad, it just stayed to the same. The purpose of the goals was to enhance the life and call that God had given me and my family.
Goals are an important part of life. The help us to be good stewards of the life God has given us. Now that I found my list of goals almost a month into the new year it’s time to get going! I’m not going to lose them this time. Each week I will take time to think and pray about my 2011 goals.
I hope you take time to set goals for your life. Joyce Meyer, in an article I shared with our staff this week, writes about how to set SMART goals. Set yourself up for success by making sure your goals are SMART goals.
Specific. Be specific as possible. Don’t say, “I want to lose wight.” Write down how much weight in what amount of time.
Measurable. Goals that are hard to measure are hard to meet.
Attainable. Make sure the goals are reachable.
Realistic. Dream big and aim high but don’t set yourself up for disappointment with unrealistic goals.
Timely. Give yourself a deadline by which to accomplish your goal.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
I Want The Good Stuff!
Don’t be drunk with wine... Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.
I recently heard that worship leader, Roger Hodges, said that “too often the church is accustomed to getting drunk on the cheap stuff.” Pretty provocative statement, don’t you think? His point was that we settle for too little in our worship experiences with God. We’re satisfied with only a portion of what God really wants to give us. We get so excited about and satisfied with the little that we have that we don’t seek God for more.
The Holy Spirit has been moving in a powerful way at Christian Life this year. The power of God is evident each time we gather together in His name. Each weekend I can’t wait to see what God is going to do in our midst. I sense there is both an excitement and expectancy in our church. I don’t want us to settle or feel like we have arrived. Let’s press in and seek God!
Let’s expect revival in our hearts and in our church! Let’s believe God for even greater things! Are you with me? Let’s be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit! I want the good stuff!
Ephesians 5:18
I recently heard that worship leader, Roger Hodges, said that “too often the church is accustomed to getting drunk on the cheap stuff.” Pretty provocative statement, don’t you think? His point was that we settle for too little in our worship experiences with God. We’re satisfied with only a portion of what God really wants to give us. We get so excited about and satisfied with the little that we have that we don’t seek God for more.
The Holy Spirit has been moving in a powerful way at Christian Life this year. The power of God is evident each time we gather together in His name. Each weekend I can’t wait to see what God is going to do in our midst. I sense there is both an excitement and expectancy in our church. I don’t want us to settle or feel like we have arrived. Let’s press in and seek God!
Let’s expect revival in our hearts and in our church! Let’s believe God for even greater things! Are you with me? Let’s be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit! I want the good stuff!
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