Influence

“I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents”.

Luke 15:10

A little over a week ago our youngest son, Mark, prayed and asked Jesus to come into his heart. What a precious moment it was as we sat on the couch in the living room while Leslie led him in the salvation prayer. I am so happy I was there that morning to witness the special moment.

Luke and Matthew were already at school. Leslie was sitting on the couch in our living room reading her Bible when Mark came in and snuggled up on the couch. They got into a conversation about Jesus and the Bible and Mark decided he wanted Jesus to come into his heart. Leslie called and I came just in time to hear his little prayer. These are the moments that Christian parents live for.

As I have reflected on that moment I think about the influences in young Markey’s life. I have asked myself, what led him to that moment? I think about what he learns at home and church and school. How did he come to the realization at the age of 5 that he needed a personal relationship with God?

I don’t want to give the impression that all our family does is sit around the house praying and reading our Bibles. Trust me, our home can be just as crazy as everyone else's. But, what if Leslie wasn’t reading the Bible that day? What if instead she was watching TV, reading the latest magazine, etc.? Would it have led to the crucial conversation with Mark? Probably not.

Whether we like it or not, we influence the world around us. What is your spiritual investment right now? How are you impacting your family, friends, the people you interact with each day? How are you investing in yourself spiritually? Take time this week to make some positive spiritual investments in your world and watch what God will do!

Practical Prayer Ideas

Never stop praying.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Here is something I read this week from P. Douglas Small of Project Pray Ministries. www.projectpray.org


Practical Prayer Ideas

• Do you know that 75% of Christian couples do not pray together? Break the trend – ask your spouse to pray with you today! Pray to be more like Jesus.
• Go to a secular bookstore, not to purchase new books, but to pray. Walk the aisles. Look at the titles. Pray.
• Prayer walk your house. Pray in every room. Ask yourself, “How can our home itself more fully honor Christ?”
• Find a vista point. Pray for peace in and over your city.
• Go to the census website and look up statistics on your city or county. You may discover that the world is at your doorstep. Ask God if the Great Commission applies to people groups living next door?
• Give a gift today – the gift of joy or kindness, perhaps to someone you don’t even know. Give a “God bless you!” A smile. A prayer. A heart-felt “Thank God for you.”

Testimony

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High.

Psalm 92:1

Do others know what God has done in your life during the last 7 days?

The last 30?

When was the last time you verbalized what God is doing in your life? Sharing our ongoing testimony is an essential ingredient in a vital and growing relationship with God. There are tremendous benefits that come from sharing what God is doing in your life.

• Others hear and are able to rejoice with you.
• You are reminded of God’s faithfulness and goodness.
• It increases faith.
• It inspires.
• It encourages.
• It energizes.
• It helps us and other get through tough times.
• It demonstrates God’s presence and power in our lives today.
• And… God gets the glory!

Take time today and this week to tell a friend or family member what God is doing in your life. Share with your small group. Then email the church office (mail@christianlifechurch.org) your praise report of what God has done for you! Let us rejoice with you and be reminded of the goodness of our God.

The Echo Within by Robert Benson

Another book from My Bookshelf I want to mention quickly is The Echo Within by Robert Benson. Written out of his own lifelong search for and response to the calling voice of God, Robert Benson recounts his discovery of the meaning of vocation, work, and purpose through the ups and downs inherent in family life, professional choice, and spiritual experience.

This book is perfect for anyone beginning a new career or sensing a needed change in their life or wrestling with a transition suddenly thrust upon them. Robert Benson delivers wisdom, humor, and heart in what he’s learned about listening for The Echo Within—and how it can help us discover our calling.

Dinner with a Perfect Stranger & Day with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory

My Book Shelf – Every now and then I like to share with you what I’m reading. My hope is that it will be a blessing and help to you as well.


Dinner with a Perfect Stranger & Day with a Perfect Stranger
by David Gregory

One of the keys to the success of the Christian life and of the Church is the balance of evangelism and discipleship. Unfortunately, many times these important aspects are seen as mutually exclusive. However, there are a couple of books that I want to share with you that are tremendous tools for both evangelism and discipleship.

Written in the form of novels, Dinner with a Perfect Stranger and Day with a Perfect Stranger present the opportunity to listen in on an intriguing, humorous, informative, and moving discussions between Jesus and the average people that cover Christianity, family relationships, creation, work, other religions, human suffering, an much more about life. These books teach us the truth of Christ and also act as an apologetic to the unbeliever making it a great witnessing tool. These books are so good I make them required reading for my Life of Christ class at the college. If you want to develop your faith and be able to answer the questions people are asking, check these books out. You won’t be disappointed.

If

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.

Deut 7:9 (NIV)

God always keeps His promises. What a wonderful truth we can celebrate as His children. But what I’m noticing as I study the promises of God is how many of His promises come with conditions. The word “if” occurs over 300 times in the Bible. God says if we obey Him, He will reward us. Here are some of God’s promises that come with conditions.


1. Wisdom. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)

2. Health. "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you." (Ex 15:26)

3. Love. "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love. . ." (Jn 15:10a)

4. Strength. "If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace."(Ex 18:23)

5. Prosperity. "If you are willing and obedient . . . You shall eat the good of the land" (Isa 1:19)


Let’s obey God and then watch His promises fulfilled in our lives.

Healing Scriptures

During the past several of weeks of sickness in our home the Lord reminded me how important prayer and the Word is in our recovery and healing. The following are some Scriptures to increase your faith as you pray for healing.

…for I am the Lord who heals you. Ex 15:26 (NLT)

So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. Ex 23:25 (NKJV)

O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. Psalms 30:2 (NIV)

Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. Psalms 103:2-3 (NLT)

He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Psalms 107:20 (NKJV)

A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired. Prov 17:22 (MSG)

…by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 (NLT)

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:11 (NLT)

Silent

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven... a time to be silent and a time to speak.

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7 (NIV)

Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near.

Zephaniah 1:7 (NIV)

But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.

Habakkuk 2:20 (NIV)

Last week I was suffering from laryngitis. I had completely lost my voice. The doctor said the only way to get it back was to completely stop talking for an extended period of time. The problem is I like to talk. You might say (judging by the length of my sermons) I like to talk too much.

But there I was, silent for a week. Needless to say the boys loved it. I couldn’t yell if they did something wrong. Leslie loved it. She got to talk and I had to listen with no interruptions. I think my family enjoyed my infirmity a little too much.

I began to wonder if God enjoyed my silence. Silence, after all, is a spiritual discipline. I wonder if sometimes my words get so noisy that I miss God’s still, small voice?

We live in a noisy world. There will be times when it is necessary to turn off the radio, TV, computer, iPod, Blackberry, etc. in order to connect with God. There will be times we need to disconnect from everything and everyone demanding our attention. What would a little silence do for your relationship with Christ?

This week stop talking for awhile, turn off the noise, and set aside time to meditate on the verse… Be still, and know that I am God... Psalms 46:10 (NIV)

Inauguration Sermon

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual…

Dan 3:16-19 (NIV)

We experienced a momentous moment in our nation’s history this week. One of the little known events was a church service just prior to the inauguration at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington which the Obama’s and Biden’s attended. The sermon was shared by T.D. Jakes. I wanted to share with you his powerful four points from Daniel 3:16-20.

• "In time of crisis, good men must stand up. God always sends the best men into the worst times."
• "You cannot change what you will not confront. This is a moment of confrontation in this country. There's no way around it. ... This is not a time for politeness or correctness, this is a time for people to confront issues and bring about change."
• "You cannot enjoy the light without enduring the heat. The reality is the more brilliant, the more glorious, the more essential the light, the more intense the heat. We cannot separate one from the other."
• "Extraordinary times require extraordinary methods. This is a historical moment for us and our nation and our country, and we enjoy it and are inspired by it and motivated by it."

Uncomfortable

Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, "God is in this place—truly. And I didn't even know it!" He was terrified. He whispered in awe, "Incredible. Wonderful. Holy..."

Gen 28:16-17 (MSG)

I enjoy being in the presence of God. I benefit from worship, time in the Word, and prayer. Whether in solitude, in a small group, or in a church service, I want to experience the presence of God. There is something inside each of us that craves connecting with God. I believe it is because we were all created for a relationship with God.

When we fulfill a life calling we feel good. There is nothing like the feeling you get when you’re doing what you’re suppose to be doing. Our connection with God feels good because we were created for that connection. God’s presence is a great place to be whether alone or at church. But sometimes I wonder if we get too comfortable in the presence of God?

When you think about it, when anyone in the Bible experienced the manifest presence of God they were terrified. People got scared in the presence of angels let alone the very presence of God. The question is, “Should I be so comfortable in the presence of the living God?”

I believe there are times we should be uncomfortable. When we focus on God’s holiness and justice. When we think about His omnipotence and glory. If you don’t feel uncomfortable maybe, in the words of J.B. Phillips, “your God is too small.” Perhaps you’re staying at a safe distance, not drawing as near as you should.

Draw near to God. Uncomfortably near. Get terrified. And when you do, remember His great love and grace that covers our sin and invites us into an intimate relationship with the living God. The relationship you were created for!

Prayer

Prayer is one of the key components to our mysterious relationship with God. Here are some of my favorite prayers from great Christians.

O Holy Spirit of God, abide in us; inspire all our thoughts; pervade our imaginations; suggest all our decisions; order all our doings. Be with us in our silence and in our speech, in our haste and in our leisure, in company and in solitude, in the freshness of the morning and the weariness of the evening; and give us grace at all times humbly to rejoice in the Thy mysterious companionship.

John Baillie

Grant that I may not pray alone with the mouth; help me that I may pray from the depths of my heart.

Martin Luther

Lord, make my life a window for Your light to shine through and a mirror to reflect Your love to all I meet. Amen.

Robert Schuller

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.

Augustine

Lord, teach me to listen. The times are noisy and my ears are weary with the thousand raucous sounds which continuously assault them. Give me the spirit of the boy Samuel when he said to Thee, "Speak, for Thy servant heareth." Let me hear Thee speaking in my heart. Let me get used to the sound of Thy voice, that its tones may be familiar when the sounds of earth die away and the only sound will be the music of Thy speaking. Amen.

A. W. Tozer

For more inspiring prayers pick up the Great Prayers of Great Christians sheet in the church lobby.

Pilgrimage

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,…

Psalm 23:6 (NLT)

Our time here on earth is a pilgrimage. All of our days are meant to be filled with the “abundant life” Jesus promises in John 10:10. We just celebrated the Christmas season where we looked back at Christ’s birth. We recently ended a sermon series called The End where we looked ahead to Christ’s future return to earth. As we begin a New Year we need to look around to discover Christ’s work in our midst now.

Our journey with God is a day by day adventure. God is at work all around us inviting us to join Him. God has more for you and your life than you could ever imagine. When we are close to God we will experience the relationship and abundant life we were created for.

May I ask you a question? How do you intend to stretch and grow spiritually in 2009? Our relationship with God is the most important relationship anyone of us will ever have. It is essential for us to be near to God in order to hear and follow Him every day of our lives.

Here’s an ancient prayer we can use as a guide as we begin 2009…

• Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being. We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget You, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
  

Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight

My Book Shelf – Every now and then I like to share with you what I’m reading. My hope is that it will be a blessing and help to you as well.

Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight by Karen Scalf Linamen

You know I love a great book title and I just couldn’t pass this one up. Now I know it’s a book for women but we all need a little help in getting to where we want to be in life so I thought this would be the perfect book to review as we end 2008 and begin 2009.

We all long for change in our lives. That’s why we use the New Year to make our list of resolutions. Too often we forget about our list within the first few days and sink back into our old habits and emotions. Either we are just too comfortable to change or we’re too afraid. True positive change often seems out of our reach so we give up on our dreams and goals and settle for what we know is less than best.

We all need a little help. In Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight, Karen examines 52 powerful actions readers can apply to any change they long to embrace. Her insights apply to career, finances, personal health and fitness, relationships, faith—in fact, every facet of life. She is able to blend great stories, laugh-out-loud humor, and practical wisdom to help each of us transform our life. She provides the help we need to end bad habits, stop procrastinating, and generate the energy we need to pursue the life we desire.

God has so much more for you. Don’t settle. Strive for your personal best in 2009 and honor God with your life!

Author Bio: Karen Scalf Linamen is a popular speaker and the celebrated author of ten books for women, including Due to Rising Energy Costs the Light at the End of the Tunnel Has Been Turned Off and Just Hand Over the Chocolate and No One Will Get Hurt. She has been featured on more than one hundred radio programs, including FamilyLife Today. Publishers Weekly describes her as “funny, forthright and unforgettable.” Linamen lives with her family in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Visit her website at www.karenlinamen.com.

Cold & Snow

The cold and snow has arrived this first week of December. While I don’t like the bitter cold I enjoy this time of year as we give thanks at Thanksgiving, prepare our hearts for Christmas, and we look forward to a new year. Like the cold or not, this is an important time of the year in our lives.

There is one thing that I am going to miss now that it’s cold. I have gotten into the habit of taking the farthest parking spot at stores and such. It’s not about the exercise, although I know that’s beneficial. I have been using that extra walking time for prayer. Sometimes we are in such a hurry in our everyday lives that we miss little opportunities to connect with God. This was one way to add a little extra time with God each day.

Amazing things happen when you make room for God. I heard God speak to me as I was walking, and the feeling of being closer to God and an amazing opportunity to minister to someone at the store were just a few of the results of walking a little farther each day.

Now I have to find a new way to find those extra minutes with God each day. What do you do to connect with God? Let me know, I am looking for suggestions.

Push and Pull

It seems like life is endless game of push and pull. I feel like my alarm is pushing me out of bed each morning into a day with a “To Do” list that is impossible to accomplish in 24 hours. And everyone said, “Amen.” Our stories are probably similar: constant demands, overwhelming schedules, too much to do, too little time.

By the end of each day I look at my Palm and see all the things I didn’t get done. I begin moving the mountain of tasks to tomorrow’s “To Do” list. So before one day is over I already feel pulled into tomorrow by my subtly increasing time debt.

There is nothing wrong with a lot to do. It’s part of the world in which we live. Everyone is pushed and pulled through life. The important question to ask is, “Who is doing the pushing and pulling?” While I believe we are responsible for the choices we make in life, it seems at some point we lose control and something or someone else takes over.

Who is doing your pushing and pulling? As Christians, the answer should be God, His Word, the example of Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When asked about what He was doing Jesus responded, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” Jesus was in tune with the Father’s will. It wasn’t about what He wanted to do. It wasn’t about what people expected Him to do. It was all about what God wanted Him to do.

Our lives are not our own. We are stewards of our lives, our time, and all that we have been given. At some point we will stand before the Judge and give an account and the question will be, “What is your relationship to the Judge?” Take time this week to reflect on the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42 and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about your work with and relationship to Him.

Top 7 Christian Movies

With the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons upon us I thought I would blog about something fun that could also be beneficial for gift giving or family times around the TV during the holidays.

Why only 7 you ask? Well, I don’t have a lot of room on the back of a bulletin and it seemed to be the right number when discussing “Christian” movies. Now I know there are some that would ask, “What makes a movie ‘Christian’?” Well, I’m running out of room, so we don’t have time for a philosophical discussion right now.

Here are my Top 7 Christian Movies in no particular order:

1. Fireproof – Moving movie from the makers of “Facing the Giants” (another great movie). Still in theaters!
2. The Nativity Story – Authentic look at the first Christmas.
3. Left Behind – Got to love Kirk Cameron missing the Rapture.
4. The End of the Spear – Powerful!
5. Peter & Paul – Nothing better than Anthony Hopkins as Paul.
6. The Cross & the Switchblade – 70’s cheesy cool movie with Eric Estrada.
7. The Passion of the Christ – One of my all-time favorite movies ever.

Honorable Mention:

• A Thief in the Night (Part 1) & A Distant Thunder (Part 2) – End Times movies from the 70’s that scared me to death as a kid. I pretty much love all End Times movies from every era.

So many more great Christian movies so little time. Let me know what your favorites are and let’s build a list.

Following & Obedience

Following Jesus requires obedience. You can’t call yourself a disciple if you’re not willing to follow the guidance of the teacher. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

One of the ways that we follow Jesus is by being baptized in water. It is a step of obedience to the Lord following conversion. It is part of becoming a disciple (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 2:38). It is also the answer of a good conscience toward God (I Peter 3:21).

This public event tells God and everybody else (the church, your family, and friends) that you are a true follower of Christ. Jesus identified with sinful man when He was baptized by John. We are identified with Christ when we are baptized in Christian baptism. It is a symbol of your new life in Christ. Baptism is an act that demonstrates you have buried your former sinful life and have been to the cross, just like Jesus. It shows you want to put an end to the old life, and then to be resurrected “to walk in the newness of life.” (Romans 6:34)

I want to personally invite you to follow the Lord and be baptized in water. Take this crucial step in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ! A Water Baptism Information Sheet is in your bulletin as well as available in the lobby. Everyone is invited to our Worship, Prayer, & Baptism evening at Christian Life Church on Sunday, November 23 at 6PM. It is one of the most inspiring evenings of the year as we watch young and old follow the Lord in water baptism.

If you have been baptized in water are you walking in the abundant new life God has given you? Take time this week to evaluate your discipleship. Are you following God and His Word? Are you close to the Teacher heeding His guidance for your life? Let’s be Christians who hear God say "This is the way; walk in it." (Isaiah 30:21)

Simple Discipleship

…love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.

Mark 12:30 (The Message)

Jesus makes things simple for us. By the time Jesus shows up in history the religious leaders had accumulated over 600 laws that you needed to follow in order to be in right relationship with God. It was impossible for anyone to remember all of the laws, so they were constantly trying to distinguish between the major and the minor laws. When asked which is the most important, Jesus answers, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Jesus goes on to teach that the second most important law was to, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31)

Jesus lets us know that the ultimate Christian creed is to love God and love others. That’s it. Period. Simple isn’t it? And yet, so difficult to accomplish.

I believe more than ever, in our moment in history, we need to be reminded to follow the Great Commandment. Sometimes we have the tendency like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day to make discipleship tedious. The reality is Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30) Ultimate discipleship is simply loving God and loving others. Take time this week to check your heart. How is your passion level for God? How’s your heart toward your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, schoolmates, etc.? Let’s be doers of Jesus’ words this week.


One final thing I would like to ask you to do this week… please sign up to pray for our nation and President-Elect Barak Obama at www.presidentialprayerteam.org. You can also join others at Christian Life praying in the prayer room on Tuesday Evenings at 7PM.

Pray. Vote. Change.

Change is coming. This week our nation will elect the 44th President of the United States. No matter what happens on November 4th, there will be new leadership in Washington, DC.

Our Tuesday ballots are loaded with profound consequences for the future. As Americans, we have a right to vote. As Christians, we have a responsibility before God to pray and vote according to the witness of His Word. Proverbs 14:34 says, Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. It is important, to the best of our ability, that we do things God’s way. The future and God’s blessing of our nation hangs in the balance.

If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country…
Deuteronomy 28:1-3

As we begin this historic week don’t forget to pray, don’t forget to vote, and don’t forget to remember that God is in control. On November 5th God is still in control of the universe no matter who is elected president. As we have been learning in our study of the end times Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords and His kingdom is without end. Never forget, we were made for eternity, we belong to God, and heaven is our real home.

As you pray (and possibly fast) this week for the future of our nation read Joel 2 and allow God to speak to you from His Word.


You can also check out my blog and most recent teachings at http://christianlifechurch.org.

The Greatest Words Ever Spoken: Everything Jesus Said About You, Your Life, And Everything Else

My Book Shelf

The Greatest Words Ever Spoken: Everything Jesus Said About You, Your Life, And Everything Else.

Every now and then I like to share with you what I’m reading. My hope is that it will be a blessing and help to you as well.

Since 1993 I have taught Life of Christ at Christian Life College. It is by far my favorite class to teach. There is something special about diving in and studying the words and works of Jesus. It’s as though you receive your abundant life as you study His.

I try to stay fresh each semester by reading the latest books on the life of Christ as well as the Gospels. This fall I found a great new book called The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott. I’ve never seen anything like it. It takes all of the sayings of Jesus (over 1,900) throughout the New Testament and organizes them into over 200 different topics Jesus addresses. It’s like being able to ask Jesus any question and get His perfect answer. I have used the book to study Jesus’ words on the End Times for our current sermon series. A wide variety of topics are covered such as: prayer, forgiveness, eternity, anger, temptations, relationships, grace, and many, many more.

There is a great introduction to Jesus’ life and words as well as short introductions to each topic. This is one of the most exciting resources on the life of Christ I have found in a long time and can’t wait to use it as a text for my course next semester. Reflect on this verse next week and allow the words of Jesus to guide you in life and into eternity.

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.” John 5:24-25 (NKJV)