Activ8

“Follow me...”  - Jesus


It’s simple.  Jesus is looking for disciples.  People who are willing to follow, listen, and obey.  Making disciples is the heartbeat of the church.  Christ was crystal clear about His Great Commission for us in Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

As a church, we have a big job that we need to take seriously.  According to the Great Commission we must be about the business of making disciples and teaching people to keep all the commands of Christ.  A couple of years ago as a church we set out to see what it meant to be a modern day disciple of Jesus.  I dug in the Word and met with the pastors, staff, and leadership team as well as a wide variety of individuals from our church family to get to the heart of what it meant to follow Jesus.

There were eight principles that kept coming up again and again in our talks and study, and it wasn’t good enough just to know about these eight principles of discipleship, we needed to be active in each of these as we followed Christ.  So the name of our discipleship study became Activ8 and I look forward to sharing each of the eight principles with you in the weeks to follow.

Grace

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Ephesians 2:8, 9

In his book Transforming Grace, Jerry Bridges talks about the two different kinds of bankruptcies: Chapter 7 and Chapter 11.

Chapter 11 is a temporary financial reorganization that keeps a company’s creditors at bay until it can get back on its feet financially. Chapter 7 is a total and complete erasure of all debts, with no further requirement to repay, nearly always leading to the dissolution of the company.

Whats the comparison to the Christian life? Grace is a Chapter 7 experience, but many believers treat it like Chapter 11. We make the mistake of thinking that the mercy received at salvation is a temporary reorganization of the mess we have made with our lives, providing relief only until were able to live in the strength of our own goodness.

That’s not how it works. We’re saved by grace and we live by grace. The same grace. It comes through faith, and this not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. We live the Christian life the same way we begin it: by grace.

For this reason, rather than promising again and again to do that which we are incapable of doing, it’s better to start each morning with a simple prayer, requesting that the same grace which saved us will sustain us throughout the day, so that by this grace we may grow closer to Jesus in all we do.

Happy Easter!

It truly is a happy Easter!  God blessed us at the Ascension Convention (thanks to everyone for your help… you guys are awesome!) and today we get to celebrate our risen Lord and Savior!

The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith.  Some may ask what is the historical evidence that Jesus actually rose from the dead?  Christian apologist Josh McDowell provides six facts that prove the resurrection of Jesus Christ in history. 

Fact 1 – The broken Roman seal
Fact 2 – The empty tomb
Fact 3 – The large stone removed
Fact 4 – The Roman guard goes AWOL
Fact 5 – The graveclothes
Fact 6 – The appearances of Jesus after His resurrection

I don’t  have room to go into all of the powerful details of each of these facts, but if you’re serious about looking into this evidence or know someone who is, please click here Evidence for the Resurrection to get the whole story.

Easter Invite

With Easter coming up next Sunday, now is an excellent time to invite people to church.  Our mission at Christian Life is to Connect People to God.  Each of us is called to share our faith and what better way than to invite a friend, family member, or neighbor to the place where you connect with God.  Here are a few helps for inviting someone to church.

• Big days. Days like Christmas and Easter are perfect times to invite someone to church.  Also, watch for other days throughout the year that lend themselves to inviting someone.
• Special events. There maybe a breakfast, seminar, outing, etc. that peaks someone’s interest.
• Kids. We have an stellar children’s and youth ministry at Christian Life with a wide variety of regular and special activities.  
• Lunch. Don’t forget to take your guest out to eat after the service.
• Share a card.  Take a blue card from the lobby and let them know how they can connect with the church for a service, online, or on the radio.
• Check out our website.  Share our new website in order to let people know about our church.
• Just ask.  Research teaches us that most people will come to church if they are invited.  Just ask!
• Pray.  Pray about who you should invite and that God would make their hearts hungry for Him.
• Keep asking.  God honors perseverance.  

AND, remember the A, B, C’s of inviting people to church.

• A - Always look for opportunities to invite others. 
• B - Be ready to seize the opportunity when it arises. 
• C - Communicate in such a way that says you care. 
• D - Don’t be pushy; there will be future opportunities.

A Perfect Heart

The Bible tells us it is possible to walk before the Lord with a perfect heart.  God said to Abraham, “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” (Genesis 17:1)  God told Israel, “Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.” (Deuteronomy 18:13)  David said, “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way...I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.” (Psalm 101:2)  Solomon fell short of having a perfect heart, “...his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father... (He) went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.” (1 Kings 11:4, 6)

The command to be perfect continues in the New Testament.  Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)  Paul wrote, “That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” (Colossians 1:28)  Later Paul added, “that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” (Colossians 4:12)  Peter wrote, “The God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10)

How is this possible?  Can we obtain this perfection?  Obviously a perfect heart does not mean a sinless heart.  David was said to have a perfect heart toward God all the days of his life and yet his life was marked by failure, most notably, adultery and murder.  

So what then does it mean to have a perfect heart?  The biblical definition of perfect (both in the Hebrew and Greek) begins with the idea of “completeness,” “maturity,” or being “totally obedient.”  John Wesley thought of perfection as “constant obedience.”  In essence a perfect heart is a responsive heart.  David Wilkerson said a perfect heart, “reacts to the Lord’s wooing, whispering and warnings.”  The perfect heart says, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.  Show me the path, and I’ll walk in it.”

For more on having a perfect heart listen to our podcast from last Wednesday’s prayer service at http://christianlifechurch.org/watch-now/audio-sermon-player.

Stage of Life

A BIG thank you to everyone who came to last week’s Ignite Spaghetti Lunch.  You helped raise above and beyond $2,600 to send our students to the upcoming Ascension Convention (www.theascensionconvention.com).  THANK YOU!  We are blessed with a great group of middle and high schoolers and a great team of leaders headed up by Mike Bell.  More and more they continue to come, bring friends, and grow in God.  I’m proud of our Ignite youth ministry.  

At each stage of life we have so much to learn.  I read this week from H. Jackson Brown Jr.’s delightful book, Live and Learn and Pass It On.  It’s a fun compilation of life’s little learning curves.  From the cradle to the grave, Brown reveals what we learn and when we’ll learn from them.

• Age 11, if you’re in trouble at school, you’re in more trouble at home.
• Age 13, just when you get your room the way you like it, your mom will make you clean it up.
• Age 24, nothing brings on an emergency as fast as putting money aside for one.
• Age 29, wherever you go, the world’s worst drivers are going there too.
• Age 32, the time to read the instruction book is before you put the swing together.
• Age 39, if your children feel safe, wanted and loved, you are a successful parent.
• Age 46, children and grandparents are natural allies.
• Age 48, there’s no elevator to success; you have to take the stairs.
• Age 54, you can’t hug your kids too much.
• Age 61, you can inherit wealth but never wisdom.
• Age 76, the best sleeping pill is a clear conscience.
• Age 81, even when you have pains, you don’t have to be one.
• Age 88, the days may be long, but life is short.

Expectation Matters!

“You have not, because you 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 woman 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!

God has created you to be you.

The LORD has made everything for His own purposes.

Proverbs 16:4 (NLT)

Have you ever wondered why “The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren was one of the best-selling books of all time?  Could it be deep down we all desire to know that we were created for a purpose?  We all want to be great.  To leave our mark.  To do something significant with our life.

In a TED talk a while back Rick Warren said, “Some people have the misguided idea that God only gets excited when you’re doing “spiritual things,” like going to church or helping the poor, or, you know, confessing or doing something like that. The bottom line is, God gets pleasure watching you be you.”

God has created you to be you. Regardless of what you think or feel about yourself, God has created you with value, worth, and a purpose. He has given you talents. He has given you gifts. He has orchestrated your life. He has provided you with various experiences, opportunities, creativity, and a circle of influence that is unique to you.

What are you doing with what you have you been given by God? Are you seeking to make yourself great, or are you seeking to make Jesus great by serving him and others?

Life of Faith

And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:17 (AMP)

At Christian Life we are embracing Colossians 3:17 as our verse for 2013.  We need to highlight it in our Bible, memorize it, and even more importantly LIVE it out in every area of our lives.  We are beginning this new year with a series called Life of Faith.  Our Christianity has to work in every part and parcel of our life.  We must live ALL of our life for Him.  We are called to be Colossians 3:17 people.

I’m sensing an urgent expectation in our congregation as we gather together for worship and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us in the weeks and months ahead.  Let’s equip ourselves to draw near to God.  Let’s take even greater steps in a new year to grow as disciples.  Along with worshipping together every weekend we have added a prayer service, along with children’s and youth ministry, on Wednesday nights at 7PM.  Sunday school meets every Sunday at 8:30AM in Room 111.  There are a wide variety of resources, ministries, and special events for you to grow in and serve God with others in our church family.  Read through the bulletin.  Visit the church website.  See where you can be involved.  And after worshiping and being equipped at church we need to take Jesus, His love. and the Good News to every part of our world.  It’s time we live ALL of our life for Him!

FRESH

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!”

Revelation 21:5

I recently received a poster in the mail from Joel Osteen Ministries.  Its message for the New Year is perfect.  Let me share the acrostic for FRESH that was colorfully displayed on the banner.

Forgive those who have hurt you.  Holding onto the hurts and pains caused by others will limit the new thing God wants to do in your life.  Forgive the person who hurt you and move forward.  Trust that God will make it up to you.

Refuse to look back.  Whether something happened twenty years or twenty minutes ago, learn to let it go and move on.  If you’ll let go of the old, God has promised He will bring you a new beginning.

Expect God’s best today.  Expectation is a catalyst for miracles.  Declare God’s favor over your life and expect to see His goodness today and everyday.  By faith declare, “I’m expecting God to do something amazing today.”

Stay in faith and move forward.  Don’t let circumstances, naysayers, or the enemy steal your joy.  Stay in faith, knowing that God’s promises are “yes and amen” in your life.  Today is a new day!  Believe that now and enjoy all that God has in store for you.

Hope for tomorrow.  When you have hope, obstacles become opportunities and setbacks become comebacks.  A fresh start in God begins with hope in His Word.

Finally, Joel wrote, “Today can be a new beginning.  Press forward to the great things God has in store.”

Connecting with God at Christmas

Christmas is the perfect time to connect with God because its the moment God chose to connect with us.  “She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us.’” Matthew 1:23b  Let’s make the time to focus on God this season and follow the examples of the Bible characters in the original Christmas Story.

• Listen & Obey - Mary found herself with an overwhelming calling.  Joseph found himself with a difficult decision.  Both listened and responded positively to God and His leading.  (Luke 1:38; Matthew 1:24)

• Worship & Give - The Wise Men also listened and followed the leading of God both through the star and an angel.  Their journey of obedience ended with them worshipping and offering gifts to the newborn King. (Matthew 2:11)

• Reach Out & Invite - Shepherds were considered the “least of these” in their culture.  Because of their status in society they weren’t even allowed to give testimony in court.  And yet, God chose them to be the first witnesses to the newborn Savior. (Luke 2:20)

Make time this Christmas to listen and obey, worship and give, and reach out and invite.  You (and He) will be glad you did.

Celebrate Christmas

(The angel) said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” Luke 2:10

I love celebrating Christmas!  The food.  The lights.  The decorations.  The trees.  The food.  The cookies.  The family gatherings.  The presents.  The pageants.  The carols.  Did I mention the food?  I love it all!  

For many, Christmas is anything but a celebration.  In fact, maybe reading through my list is causing you unneeded stress or sadness.

I get it.  Too much to do.  So little time.  And for what?  Really?

Christmas needs to be a celebration.  It’s all about the good news that brings great joy.  How you celebrate isn’t the important part.  In fact, some of our celebrating may get in the way of the true reason for the season.  But, none the less, it is a time of celebration.  The new King has come and our lives will forever be changed!

“For a child has been born—for us! The gift of a son—for us! He'll take over the running of the world. His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness. His ruling authority will grow, and there'll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.” Isaiah 9:6 (The Message)

Thank you for being a part of our Christmas celebration at Christian Life!  My prayer is that you connect with God today and prepare your heart for the coming of Christ this Christmas. 

Advent

We have entered the Advent season on the Church calendar.  “Advent” in Latin comes from a word that means “coming.”  We celebrate and prepare our hearts for the coming of our King Jesus.  We remember his coming in the past as a baby in the town of Bethlehem.  We celebrate the present as Jesus comes into our heart.  And we look to the future as He comes as King to establish His new Kingdom.

In the front of church we have an advent wreath with candles.  Each week we light a new candle which symbolizes the expectation of our coming Messiah.  

Week 1 - (Purple Candle) Represents HOPE, signifying the hope that we have in Jesus when we allow Him to lead us out of darkness into light.  

Week 2 - (Purple Candle) Represents PEACE.  Jesus came to bring peace.  From the words of Zecharias in Luke 1:79….”He will guide our feet into the way of Peace”.

Week 3 - (Pink Candle) Represents LOVE.  We are reminded that He is Love and that He loves us with an everlasting love and that we are called by Jesus to love others.

Week 4 - (Purple Candle) Represents JOY.  The angel in Luke 2:10, "...I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”  As the day of celebration draws close we become excited with anticipation and joy. We are reminded that a life with Him is one full of Joy! 

On Christmas Eve a final white candle is lit.  

This Advent let us all prepare our hearts for the coming of the King.

10 Sentences That Will Change Your Life

I recently read this post from Scott Williams’ blog.  

These sentences by themselves are quite simple, yet if the true essence of them is truly embraced, the results will be profound.

These 10 Little “I Am’s” Will Change Your Life.
1. I Am A Follower Of Christ
2. I Am Created For A Purpose
3. I Am More Than A Conqueror
4. I Am Held Accountable For My Actions
5. I Am Defined By What God Thinks Of Me and Not What People Think
6. I Am Called To Love and Make A Difference In The Lives Of Others
7. I Am Characterized By The Potential and Not My Past
8. I Am Writing My Testimony
9. I Am A Work In Progress
10. I Am Born To Manifest The Glory Of God Within Me

Obedience to God

My soul follows hard after You...

Psalm 63:8 (KJV)

If I asked the people closest to you what characteristic best describes you, what do you think they would say?  What if I asked God the same question about you? What would He say?

When you examine the men and women mentioned in the pages of Scripture, you can define their lives in one of two opposite characteristics.  They are either characterized by OBEDIENCE or DISOBEDIENCE to God.  The mark of the Christian life must be obedience.  We are called to be followers of Christ, and following assumes obedience.  

Is obedience to God the prime characteristic of your life?  As a follower of Christ it should be.  Examine your life, dive into the Word, and follow hard after God!

Click here to listen to this weekend's sermon on obedience taken from the life of Ruth.


The spirit of obedience gives more joy to God than anything else on earth... When the love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost (Romans 5:5), I am possessed by the nature of God, and I know by my obedience that I love Him.  The best measure of a spiritual life is not its ecstasies, but its obedience. “To obey is better than sacrifice.”

Oswald Chambers

You are the pastor of your home.

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua 24:15

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of having lunch with Pastors Phil and Kari Vance of Living Faith Fellowship in their home in Pullman, Washington.  One of their adult sons was eating with us and when we had finished praying for the meal Phil, in a loud voice announced, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”  To my surprise everyone at the table began to cheer.  They could tell by my silence that I didn’t understand their unique family custom and went on to explain that from the time their children were very young this is something that has been done during the prayer time at every family meal.  What’s great is this tradition now extends down to their grandchildren.

It was so beautiful to watch that needless to say I wanted to bring this tradition home to my family.  While awkward the first couple of times our boys now love it!  They quickly remind me if I forget, or even ask if they can say it at the end of the prayer.  And now our house is filled with plaques that read, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

This powerful statement about a family commitment to serve the Lord comes from the life of Joshua.  Joshua was one of the few Bible characters that started and finished well.  Not that Joshua was perfect but he was committed to the call of God on his life, his family, and his people.  Joshua followed Moses, spent time with God, was a mighty warrior, and led his 
family and people into the promised land.

You are the pastor of your home.  Like Joshua, God has called you to lead.  Make that commitment to follow God and live for Him.  Be the lead for your family and those around you.  Declare today and each and every day, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

Why Should I be a member of a church? (Part 1)

In today's society of independence and self-reliance, the thought of becoming a member of a local church seems unnecessary to a lot of people. Also, many Christians feel that being a member of the Body of Christ is sufficient for them to please God. The following confirms the necessity and benefits of belonging to a specific local church.

Church membership keeps your fire burning for the Lord. If a coal in a fire is removed or isolated, it’s flame will eventually go out.  The same is true for the Christian.  Membership provides opportunities for refueling, kindling, and staying connected to the fire.

Church membership protects us from self-deception. James 1:22 says to be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. It's easy to think we are walking in truth when in actuality we can be fooling ourselves. In right relationship with other believers, any deception will be recognized. Remember, whatever we possess in our relationship towards God that doesn't translate horizontally into our relationships with people isn't genuine.

Church membership leads to maturity. In the case of our natural families, some of the hardest lessons of life were learned from the conflicts with our brothers, sisters, and parents. If you had good parents who disciplined you and taught you to resolve the differences in your family, then you know that you are a better and more mature person today because of your family environment. The same is true for the church family. Listen to Proverbs 18:1, "A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment" and Proverbs 12:1, "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid." Commitment to a local church gives God the leverage to mature you as His child. This isn't always easy, but it is necessary and proper.

Church Membership - activ8

On Sunday, October 28 we will be having a special baptism and membership service.  You were created to be a part of a local church family.  Perhaps you’re newer to Christian Life but want to be an active part of our church family?  We want you to feel welcome to become an important part of what God is doing at Christian Life.

Jesus commissioned his church to make disciples (Matthew 28:19) and that is a calling we take very seriously.  Last year at Christian Life we went through our discipleship program called activ8.  The videos of these sessions are available to borrow in our Welcome Center and are available for you to watch 24/7 online at www.christianlifechurch.org, just click WATCH NOW and then choose activ8.  

The name activ8 came from a number of discussions within our church leadership on what it meant to be a disciple.  There were eight principles that kept coming up again and again in our talks, and it wasn’t good enough just to know about these eight principles of discipleship, we needed to be active in each of these as we follow Christ as modern-day disciples.  Here is the list of our activ8.

• Active Love 
• Active Attending 
• Active Devotional Life
• Active Learning 
• Active Serving 
• Active Evangelism 
• Active Giving
• Active Integrity 

Take time this week to do a discipleship check up on yourself.  Are you active in each of these?  Be a part of Christ’s church means being an ACTIVE disciple!

You Can Hear The Voice of God

At Christian Life Church we believe that God still speaks today.  We are honored to have Steve Sampson as our special guest this weekend.  Steve moves in a prophetic gift that is spoken of in the New Testament.  Steve wrote the popular book, You Can Hear the Voice of God.  I hope you pick up a copy today after the service.  Here is an excerpt from the book from the section, The Voice of the Spirit.


Factually speaking, few individual Christians really know and discern the voice of the Holy Spirit.  God is always willing to speak to His people, but His voice is often undiscerned and unrecognized, because we fail to understand the way of the Spirit.

To learn to hear from God is the greatest ability and Christian can possess.  Well-intentioned Christians make “Kingdom” decisions that are derived from man’s perspective and not God’s.  These decisions are frequently made from information and logic and not based on knowledge given by the Holy Spirit to the believer.

Certainly everyone had seen misuses and abuses by those who claim to have heard God.  But it is normal Christianity to walk in fellowship with God that is intimate enough to enable us to hear from Him on a daily basis.  Jesus didn’t say that His sheep would listen to tapes, read books or memorize Bible verses, although these things are all good.  But He did say, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27) 

Adoption - Christian Life Daily Devotional

Are you reading and sharing the Christian Life Daily Devotional?  It is important that you experience God’s Word each day in our lives and share it with others.  If you don’t have a copy or want to share a copy with someone you know, you can get extra copies in the lobby following the service or you can email me and request a devotional and I'll send you one.  The following is an excerpt from a reading this week.


The Bible says, “[We] received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 15-17 NKJV).  Adoptive parents understand what it’s like to have emptiness in their hearts, to search, to set out on a mission, to take responsibility for a child with a troubled past and an uncertain future.  And that’s what God did for you.  Knowing full well the trouble you’d be, and what it would cost, He sought you, found you, paid the price for you, took you home, gave you His name and the right to call Him “Abba,” which means “Daddy,” a term of endearment.  Adoption isn’t something you earn, it’s a gift you receive.  You’d never hear adoptive parents say, “We’d like to adopt little Mary but first we want to know—does she have a house, money for tuition, a ride to school in the morning and clothes to wear every day?”  The adoption agency would say, “Hold on, you’re not adopting her because of what she has, but because of what she needs.  She needs love, hope, a home and a future.”  You don’t earn the Spirit of adoption, you receive it by faith.  That’s important because if you can’t gain it by your stellar efforts, you can’t lose it through your poor performance.  How reassuring!  And it gets better; you’re an “heir” to all your Father owns.  That means you’ll never have a need He cannot or will not meet.  How good is that?