Monday, February 27, 2012

Prayer

Here are 12 prayer maxims from Mark Batterson’s newest NY Times Bestseller, The Circle Maker.

  • Prayer is the difference between YOU FIGHTING FOR GOD and GOD FIGHTING FOR YOU.
  • Prayer turns appointments in DIVINE APPOINTMENTS.
  • Pray like it DEPENDS ON GOD and work like it DEPENDS ON YOU.
  • If you don’t establish a PRAYER HABIT you’ll never break the SIN HABIT.
  • Prayer is the difference between THE BEST YOU CAN DO and THE BEST GOD CAN DO.
  • The more you HAVE TO DO the more you HAVE TO PRAY.
  • You are only ONE PRAYER away from a totally different life.
  • The MORE YOU PRAY the MORE YOU DREAM and the more you dream the more you HAVE to pray.
  • WHO YOU BECOME is determined by HOW YOU PRAY.
  • 100% of the prayers you DON’T pray WON’T get answered.
  • God honors BOLD PRAYERS because BOLD PRAYERS honor God.
  • The greatest tragedy in life are the prayers that go UNANSWERED because they go UNASKED.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

HALT

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
- Jesus (John 10:10)


Last week on 180 WITH KARL CLAUSON, a new program in the afternoons on AM1160, they were discussing how NOT to experience the overcoming Christian life.  That if you want to live in lack, depression, and an overall defeated life, just live the “HALT” way.  Want to be defeated in life?  Just live...


HUNGRY - Live life continually running on empty.


ANGRY - Forget peace and love.  Live mad.


LONELY - You don’t need anyone else bothering.  Stay isolated.


TIRED - Rest is for wimps.  Keep the pedal to the metal.


The host and guest were obviously having some fun with the listeners but the point is well made.  If we want to live the abundant life God promises we have to live life God’s way.  God’s Word teaches how to live the overcoming life.  We can’t live according to how we feel at any given moment we have to live a life of faith saturated the Word of God.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Active Discipleship

“Follow me...”
- Jesus




Following Christ requires action.  There is no such thing as an absent or passive disciple.  I remember at the end of one semester when I was asked to turn in a grade for a specific student.  I remember telling administration that I didn’t know who the person was.  They informed that this individual had signed up and paid for the class and thus needed a grade.  There is only one grade that can be given for a student that doesn’t show up or do the work for a course.


Jesus provides the ultimate discipleship teaching for His students in the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7.  Jesus deals with a wide variety of life issues as well as the attitude of our hearts.  Jesus didn’t say IF, He says WHEN you pray, fast, give, etc.  Jesus is assuming our action as apprentices of the master.  Actively living out the Sermon on the Mount is one way of following and becoming like our teacher Christ.


Our job as a church is to teach all the Jesus commanded us to do. (Matthew 28:18-20.)  Last year we launched our activ8 series.  Eight active practices that true disciples partake in.  You can borrow the DVD’s from this series in the Welcome Center in the lobby to help you continue on the road of discipleship.