LIFE IS ADJUSTABLE!

25 Stories

2011-10-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Here are 25 stories you can teach your children. Read the story through many times. Practice retelling the story in your own words. Share it with your children. If you are real creative, you can even act it out with your children.

Creation – Genesis 1-2
Noah’s Ark – Genesis 6-9
Abraham and Isaac – Genesis 22
Moses and the Escape from Egypt – Exodus 3-13
The Walls of Jericho – Joshua 5:13-6:27
David and Goliath – 1 Samuel 17
Elijah and the Prophets of Baal – 1 Kings 18:16-46
Namaan and the Servant Girl – 2 Kings 5
The Fiery Furnace – Daniel 3
Daniel and the Lion’s Den – Daniel 6
The Birth of Jesus – Luke 1-2
The Baptism of Jesus – Matthew 3:13-17
The Temptation of Jesus – Matthew 4:1-11
A Dead Girl and Sick Woman – Luke 8:40-56
Feeding of the 5000 – Matthew 14:13-21
Walking on Water – Matthew 14:22-36
Healing a Demon-Possessed Man – Luke 8:26-39
Through the Roof – Luke 5:17-26
Lazarus Raised From the Dead – John 11:1-44
Jesus Washes Feet – John 13:1-17
Death, Burial, and Resurrection – John 18-20
Breakfast with Jesus – John 21
Peter Heals a Cripple – Acts 3:1-10
Jail Break – Acts 12:1-19
Shipwreck – Acts 27-28:10

Don’t stop here! There are many more great stories in God’s Word.

9 Reasons I Think Baptism Is Important

2011-10-02T18:18:00.000-07:00

Why I think baptism is important:

Jesus was baptized. He set an example for us. Matthew 3:13-17
Jesus commands it. He tells us to go, make disciples, and baptize. Matthew 28:18-20
The gift of the Holy Spirit comes at baptism. Acts 2:38
Baptism comes as a natural response to studying the Scriptures. Read the story of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40
Baptism is a beautiful picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Lesus Christ. Romans 6
You are clothed with Christ at baptism. Galatians 3:26-27
1 Peter 3:18-21 – “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also — not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.”
Sins are washed away at baptism. Acts 2:38 & 22:16
It changes lives. I have seen it happen hundreds of times.

Hearing God's Voice

2011-09-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

Splash the Wonder Dog and I were watching TV the other night. Smokey the Bear came on and said, “Only you can prevent forest fires.” Splash turned to me and said, “That is crazy! Everyone knows that bears can’t talk.”

You know lots of people don’t believe that God still speaks today. I believe that if anyone seriously picks up God’s Word and studies it, they will hear the voice of God. If you want to hear God speak, try these things.

Ask God to speak to you, and then read His Word.

Read God’s Word until He tells you to do something. Then be obedient.

Memorize and meditate on a passage.

Read. Pray. Do.

Not Serious?

2011-09-03T06:14:00.000-07:00

“They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.” Jeremiah 6:13

This verse from Jeremiah is talking about the priests’ attitude toward sin. Sin was not a big deal to them anymore. It would be like your doctor telling you that your cancer was just a minor thing. It is hard to confront sin. It is not fun and often painful. However, we must take it seriously because it separates us from our Heavenly Father and steals our peace. Ultimately, sin leads to death. There is nothing minor about sin.
The cure for sin is very simple.
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Acts 3:19
“Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

Lions and Priests

2011-09-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

The King of Assyria resettled the cities of Samaria after he captured them. They took over Samaria and lived in those towns. 2 Kings 17:25 says, “When they first lived there, they did not worship the Lord; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people.” When the king of Assyria heard about this, he recognized it as a spiritual problem. 2 Kings 17:27 tells us how he took action. “Then the king of Assyria gave this order: ‘Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires." America has a spiritual problem. While it is not lions that are ravaging the land, we recognize that financial ruin, sexually transmitted disease, addictions, etc. are taking their toll. The priest that God has sent back to help is the church. We must teach America what God requires.

Who do we consult?

2011-08-27T05:46:00.000-07:00

In 2 Kings 1:1-4, we see Ahaziah going to a foreign God to inquire about his health. He had Jehovah God, but he chose not to go to Him. Who do we consult about our ministries? Many times I go around God to consult Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, Andy Stanley, or the latest book on the subject. While we may not consult a foreign god, we can be just as guilty of going other places instead of God. We must make sure that our God is the one we consult first.

Don't Beat Up Christ

2011-07-19T11:54:00.000-07:00

Every time that we bad mouth the church or a follower of Christ, it is like hitting ourselves with a hammer. That doesn’t make sense to me. As a Christ-follower, we are beating up the body of Christ when we verbally attack another part of the body. Ephesians 4:29 tells us not to let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths. My mother said, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Here are some ways to stop beating up the body of Christ.

1) When someone starts to talk negatively about a fellow follower of Christ or the church, stop them or walk away. By listening, you give them an audience; and they will continue.

2) Always look for the positive, and praise God for what you have seen.

3) When you see things that aren’t right, pray about it; you won’t have time to be negative.

4) Yell “Ouch” every time someone begins to beat up the body of Christ. They will get the point.

Inquiring for Victory

2011-07-15T05:39:00.000-07:00

I was reading in 2 Samuel 5. In verses 17-25, David is going to battle against the Philistines. Two times David inquired of the Lord. Two times there is victory. I don’t know what battles you are facing today, but I would really encourage you to spend time before our Father before you do battle. We may not be going up before an army like David, but we are battling rulers and authorities of this dark world as we prepare lessons, worship, and do ministry. Before you meet with that person, take it to the Lord. As you prepare a lesson, spend some time talking to our Father about what He would have you to say. If you are going to enter a combative situation, ask the Lord how to handle it. There is a direct correlation between how much we inquire of the Lord and how many victories we will see.

Missing Body Parts

2011-06-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine if a part of your body didn’t report for duty? That would cause big problems! As shocking as it is, it is happening regularly on Sunday mornings. It seems like every Sunday, I hear about a part of the body of Christ that doesn’t report for duty. If the right hand doesn’t show up, it makes feeding difficult and messy. When that preschool teacher is late or absent, there are parts of the body that will go hungry. Please remember that when you don’t report for duty on Sunday morning, the body of Christ is crippled.

Sheep Bites

2011-06-17T05:57:00.000-07:00

"Sheep bites can’t kill me, but the gnawing will make life miserable." Brady Boyd

Distracted

2011-05-25T06:36:00.000-07:00

Saul is pursuing David in 1 Samuel 23. His pursuit is not because David has threatened him but out of jealousy. He is hot on David’s trail when he gets word that the real enemy, the Philistines, are raiding their land. At that point, Saul turns back to home to deal with the enemy. As I read that, I thought that sounds like what happens in many churches. There is jealousy and fighting in the ranks of the church while satan is plundering the church. If we are going to make an impact for our king, we must keep our focus on defeating satan.

God's Call

2011-05-05T18:18:00.000-07:00

Listen to what Samuel tells Saul in 1 Samuel 10:6-7. The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. Talk about a total makeover. He is calling Saul to be king and equipping him to be king by giving him the Holy Spirit. God calls us to be His witnesses and then equips us with that same Holy Spirit in Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Pray and Lead

2011-04-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

In 1 Samuel 7:3-4, Samuel calls the people to repent by turning to God with all their hearts and ridding themselves of foreign Gods. Then in verse 9 it says, “He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.” That is the challenge that is before any pastor. It is a balance between leading the people to a closer walk while you are crying out to God on their behalf. If you do just one of these, it doesn’t carry the same power.

Pray For Your Church

2011-04-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

I asked everyone to pray for Northridge on January 2. I just wanted to remind everyone to pray. If you are not a Northridger, you can pray these things for your church.

We need everyone to pray for our church. I Chronicles 4:9-10 will give us a pattern for our prayers.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 - Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.

Ask God to bless us with…

·         Workers for the harvest - Matt 9:36-38
·         Resources to do the job
·         Souls
       WARNING – As you pray, God may call you to work, give, or share.
Ask God to enlarge our territory by…
·         Effective local outreach
·         Helping our world outreach partners reach souls
·         Giving us more people
Ask God to protect us from harm by...
·         Giving us unity - John 17:20-21
·         Thwarting the attacks of Satan - 1 Peter 5:8
·         Protecting the leadership of the church

Set Your Child Apart

2011-04-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

I have been reading about Samson in Judges 13-16. There are some good lessons for parenting in the story of Samson. The first thing I noticed is what the angel told them about Samson in 13:5. The angel tells them Samson is to be set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines. I think that is what God wants for every child. As Christian parents, we need to set our children apart to God and train them to be deliverers.

After the angel appeared to Samson’s mother and told her that their son was to be set apart for the deliverance of Israel, his father prayed this prayer, "O Lord, I beg you, let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born." (Judges 13:8) Samson’s father is asking for help to know how to raise their son. I believe this a prayer that every parent should be praying daily.

Tell Your Children

2011-04-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

Judges 2:7-13 says that the people of Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the elders who had seen the mighty acts of God. After Joshua and the elders died, a generation grew up that did not know God or what He had done. Ultimately, they forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. These verses really show the importance of talking to our children about the mighty acts of God and raising up leaders who know God. I have often heard it said that the church is just one generation from extinction. This statement is shown to be true in these verses.

Hold Fast To Him

2011-04-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

Joshua is sending the eastern tribes home. As they leave, he gives them a road map to help them honor God. Listen to what he tells them in Joshua 22:5. “But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul." When those words are lived out in our lives, we will bring glory and honor to our Heavenly Father.

"As the Lord Commanded"

2011-03-31T06:34:00.000-07:00

I have just finished reading about the allotment of land to the different tribes in Joshua13-21. While these are not riveting reading, they do contain an important message. Throughout those chapters, you read that they did “as the Lord commanded”. They were being obedient to what God had asked. Then in Joshua 21:44, you see the result of their obedience. “The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord handed all their enemies over to them.” As I read that, it became very clear to me that rest and victory come from doing as the Lord commands.

Sun Stand Still

2011-03-29T13:12:00.000-07:00

Steven Furtick has a book called Sun Stand Still. I haven’t read it yet, but I just came across that Scripture in my daily time with God. You will find it in Joshua 10:12. Joshua prayed that the sun would stand still so that he could complete the task of pursuing his enemy. That is a bold prayer. God listened to Joshua, and the sun stood still for about a full day. Joshua finished his task as they continued to enter the promised land. I will have to admit that my prayers are weak compared to Joshua’s. Steven Furtick is a young pastor in Charlotte, NC. He started Elevation Church about five years ago, and it has grown to over 8,000. I think I may get a copy of his book and learn some more about this type of daring prayer.

Sin's Is Wide Reaching

2011-03-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

I was reading in Joshua 7 about Achan’s sin. He disobeyed God and took some of the devoted things for his own. His sin brought defeat to the Israelites. Like Achan’s sin, our sin can affect many people. After reading this chapter, I felt compelled to look for the sin in my life and deal with it because of the damage it can do to the body of Christ.

12 Stone Church

2011-03-21T08:14:00.000-07:00

Kathy and I visited 12 Stone Church in Lawrenceville, GA yesterday. The worship was meaningful and the message challenging. Here are a few things Pastor Kevin said that I thought were good.
• “It is not about how big your church is. It is about how big your heart for the lost is.”
• “Your salvation is a funeral for your will.”
• “It is time to stop church hopping and start church helping.”
• “If the church would clean up its act, they would have a voice in this world.”

You can hear/see this sermon (All New – March 20,2011) at their website www.12stone.com. It would be worth your time.

Complaining

2011-03-20T18:32:00.000-07:00

I can be a world-class complainer. When I start complaining, I just need to read Numbers 21:4-9. The people grumbled against God, and He sent venomous snakes to deal with the complainers. I am glad he doesn’t do that anymore. However, that serves as a stark reminder to me that God does not want any complaining. When the people confessed their sin and obeyed God, He sent a cure. The cure for their sin was a bronze snake on a pole that they were to focus on for healing. John 3:14 tells that Jesus was lifted up as a cure for our sins. I bet if I spent more time focusing on Jesus, complaining would cured.

These Are Not Idle Words

2011-03-19T06:01:00.000-07:00

Moses has just given his final word from God to the Israelites. Listen to what he says about these words in Deuteronomy 32:47, “They are not just idle words for you — they are your life.” He is talking about the Word of God that was given to him for God’s people. We must adopt that same attitude about God’s Word. The Bible must become our life.

Sabbath

2011-03-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

How important is the Sabbath to God? When I read Numbers 15:32-36, it reminds me that God is serious about the Sabbath. Read these verses and see what you think. “While the Israelites were in the desert, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.’ So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the Lord commanded Moses.”
Pardon me if I seem a little distracted, but I am watching for stones.

Quotes from Unleash

2011-03-11T09:37:00.000-08:00

I just got back from Unleash at NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC. Perry Noble is the lead Pastor. He had some powerful things to say yesterday. I thought I would share a few quotes.

“God is sovereign. Relax!”
“We must be more concerned with the outsider than the insider. We can’t organize our churches around the preferences of the already convinced.”
“People are coming to church starving and dehydrated. They leave bitter because we don’t give them the living water and bread of life we have.”
“Mature people give up their rights. Parents give up their rights.”
“Don’t confuse reverence with rigor mortis.”
“It was a committee that kept the people of Israel from the promised land and in the desert for 40 years. It was a committee that killed Jesus.”
Talking about Philip in Acts 8:39-40 – “God went Star Trek on him.”
“You can be more obsessed with your gifting than your calling.”
“Hell is hot. Eternity is long. Time is short.”

This Job is too Big!

2011-03-10T19:35:00.000-08:00

Numbers 11:14-15 - “I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now — if I have found favor in your eyes — and do not let me face my own ruin." That is an honest prayer! Moses is feeling the burden of leading the people of Israel. Maybe you are feeling the burden of leading your family, the load of your job, or the weight of your friends and family that don’t know Jesus. When Moses prayed honestly, God answered him. Maybe it is time to be honest with our Father and let Him help us with our burdens.

Listen to God

2011-03-07T18:15:00.000-08:00

I have been reading Exodus, and I have decided I can be a lot like Pharaoh. Like Pharaoh, I see God do mighty things and hear His voice but continue to do what I want. When I see the judgments of God, I will sometimes change my ways but often return to my sin. Pharaoh suffered because he would not listen to God. The people of Egypt suffered because Pharaoh would not listen to God. My number one job is to listen to God and obey. By doing that, I will save myself and the people I lead a lot of pain.

Prayer the Counter Attack

2011-02-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

When I was doing campus ministry at The Florida State University, I could always count on one thing. When fall rolled around as we were reaching out to new students, satan would attack. He typically attacked the plumbing in the bathroom right above my office. Some might have thought that it was nice to have a shower in my office. However, the shower came with a flushing sound. Needless to say, it was not very cleansing. A few times satan attacked our computers. After a few years of these attacks, we decided that a counter attack was necessary. We counter attacked by getting down on our knees and asking God to keep satan from distracting us from the important task of sharing Christ. God came through and satan was bound.

Comfort?

2011-01-05T04:43:00.000-08:00

I didn't go to religion to make me happy.
I always knew a bottle of wine would do that.
If you want religion to make you feel really comfortable,
I certainly don't recommend Christianity.
C.S. Lewis

Armor Up

2010-12-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

He beats me every time! My brother is five years older than I am. When I was about twelve, my parents got us some boxing gloves. I guess they didn’t like me as much as I thought. I remind you of the fact that my brother is five years older than I. Each time we fought, my blood was involved; or I would wake up wondering where I was. There was no way I was going to win. I have come to realize that the same is true if I try to battle satan on my own. I cannot win without the help of Jesus. I have tried myself and watched others try to battle satan without God’s Word, His Spirit, and His help. It is not pretty. Ephesians is all about this warfare and how God gives us the power to win. If you find yourself being beat up, spend some time in Ephesians. At the end of the book, you can even armor up for the battle.

Mowing My Grass

2010-11-13T05:55:00.000-08:00

I love to mow my grass. There is nothing like spending an afternoon cutting the grass and then surveying the lawn and saying, “Look what I have done.” There is a sense of accomplishment. There is a clear visual representation of what has just been accomplished. Sometimes, when you work with people, you don’t get that sense of accomplishment. It takes time to shape a life. Sometimes people move backwards. It is important to have things that show accomplishment in our lives. Today, I tied my shoes! This week, I exercised four times. This year, I read through the Bible.

Splash the Wonder Dog

2010-11-02T04:49:00.000-07:00

When Splash the Wonder Dog wants attention, she grabs something and then taunts me with it. She will grab a sock, a shoe, or anything else that will fit in her mouth. She then positions herself in front me and begins a soft growl. The game is on. I chase her, and she evades me. This doesn’t last long because she has one purpose in this game. After a minute or so, she hurls her body at me with her belly up. She releases the thing that she has captured with her mouth and waits for her reward. This whole thing is about Splash getting her belly rubbed. That is why she is the Wonder Dog.

Priority or Priorities

2010-10-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

“You are spending too much time in the Kingdom and not enough time with the King!” Those are hard words, but they are often true of those who serve in churches. I once had a person tell me that they were just too busy with church work to spend time with God. Of course, I wanted to get judgmental and rebuke them. Then I thought about my life and how many times I had let busyness cut my quiet time short or shut it down. It is often said that we have to get our priorities right. I think Jesus would say to get your priority right. “Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

What would they say about me?

2010-10-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

"Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are.” Matt 22:16
I read these words the other day and thought to myself that I would like to have this said about me. What a compliment they paid him. You have integrity. You teach the way of God according to the truth. You aren’t pressured by others’ opinions. Yes, they were his enemies and trying to trap him; but they saw the good in Him. I think Peter may have been thinking about this encounter when he wrote, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:12

Using What God Gives You

2010-09-10T05:05:00.000-07:00

Erma Bombeck was an American Humorist in the 1970’s who wrote newspaper columns and books. She died in 1996. I just read this great quote from Erma. I hope it is true of me.
“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.”

Plank Eye

2010-09-07T05:24:00.000-07:00

I read this the other day. “If you are occupied with correcting your own faults, you will have no time to see those of your neighbor.” That was a good reminder about the plank (Matthew 7:1-5) that is in my eye. It also helped me remember that the gift of finding fault that I seem to have was given to me for my life and not others.

Quiet Noise

2010-08-31T05:19:00.000-07:00

Today, the world is filled with quiet noise. By quiet noise, I mean the noise that flies off our screens and into our minds. It is emails, spam, tweets, Facebook, blogs, etc. While they don’t go into our ears, they do crowd our minds and keep us from hearing. I think we need days where we shut the noise down. On those days, we don’t go to the email/internet and only look at our phones when it is a call. I believe those quiet days could be days where we hear many good things.

Doing Ministry

2010-08-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

I recently read about a pastor who told his staff, “If we catch you doing ministry, you may lose your job.” One of the core values at that congregation is that the staff is not paid to “do” ministry but to equip others to do ministry. It is Biblical! Ephesians 4:11-13 “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” It has obviously worked since that church has grown to over 4000. How would your church look if the staff stopped doing ministry?

Walking with the Wonder Dog

2010-08-20T05:25:00.000-07:00

Splash the Wonder Dog likes to take herself on walks. When we take a walk, the Wonder Dog wants to carry the leash. She will gather it up in her mouth and carry it for about a quarter of a mile. Then she is through and ready to relinquish control of the leash. I am not sure what she is thinking. I just wonder if she hasn’t practiced all the self-control she can and is ready to turn it back over to me so that she doesn’t get into trouble.

The Presence of God

2010-08-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Gary W. Moon, in his book, Falling For God writes about a worship leader that is praised because he can really lead people into the presence of God. After describing this worship leader, Moon comments - “I thought then, as I do now, that the real trick would be finding someone who could lead you out of God’s omnipresence.” His point is that we are always in God’s presence. Maybe that is why Paul prayer for the eyes of the Ephesians’ hearts to be opened in Ephesians 1:18.

1d 10 t

2010-08-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

When I have needed help with computers, I have often turned to my son. He is very good with computers. On one occasion, I had messed up the computer. Of course, I turned to my in-house computer specialist. With a few keystrokes and a smirk, he told me that it was fixed. I wanted to know what the problem was so I asked him for an explanation. He told me, “It was an id 10 t error.” I said speak English. He said, “Write it out, and you will understand.” I wrote id 10 t. I asked, “Is this some sort of id/identity problem?” I guess I was thinking my computer was having an identity crisis. He laughed and said, “Write it in all caps.” It became clear when I wrote it out in capital letters what he was saying to me. I am glad I wasn’t paying someone to tell me that.

"Prayer-Scaping"

2010-07-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

In his book, Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church, Reggie McNeal encourages people to do what he calls “Prayer-Scaping.” This practice doesn’t look like prayer as we know it. Prayer-Scaping involves getting into a very public place and saying, “Lord, help me to see what you see.”
He tells of a church staff that decided to try Prayer-Scaping. They decided to go to a public place, pray that prayer, and listen for one hour. What they saw was life changing. It was no longer a crowd of nameless faces. They saw people who were hurting, broken, and anxious. This exercise so changed their view that it began a revolution of serving their community.
Instead of going into our closet to pray, it might be good for us to take a day and go into our community asking God to show us what he sees.

7 THINGS TO DO TODAY

2010-07-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

• Thank the Father for 7 things.
• Pray for the people that live on either side of you.
• Invite someone to Northridge this weekend.
• Read 1st John.
• Take five minutes in the morning and afternoon to think about God.
• Pray for your church staff.
• Find someone that is hard to love and love them.

Why Go To Church

2010-07-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

This came across my desk this week. It makes a great point.

Why Go To Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday (or Saturday). "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the 'Letters to the Editor' column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher.

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this...They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"

When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

Just Enough

2010-07-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

"FALLING FOR GOD" is the book we are studying in our small group. It is challenging me to a deeper level of following Christ. Here are a couple of quotes from the book that confront the fact that sometimes we don't want all God has to offer.

“I have spent most of my life as what Dallas Willard calls a vampire Christian. I have wanted just enough of the blood of Christ to have eternal life but not the full transfusion that would make me a new creature.”

“Give me the fire insurance policy. Keep the refiners fire.”

Quote from Tim Keller

2010-07-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

I saw this on another blog. It is a quote from Tim Keller. OUCH!

"Jesus' teaching consistently attracted the irreligious while offending the Bible-believing, religious people of His day.

However, in the main, our churches today do not have this effect.

The kind of outsiders Jesus attracted do not bother coming to our churches, even our most avant-garde ones. We tend to draw buttoned-down, moralistic people. The licentious and liberated or the broken and marginal avoid church.

That can only mean one thing.

If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did."

- Dr. Tim Keller

I AM NOT A FAN

2010-07-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

I am a football fan. I am a huge fan of college football, especially the Seminoles. As a fan, I don’t get involved in the game on the field. I just sit, watch, and occasionally yell at the TV. In recent years, the closest I got to the game was about the third row at Bobby Bowden Field. I have a few t-shirts, sweatshirts, and memorabilia.

I don’t want to be a fan of Jesus. That would be somebody who sits, watches, and occasionally yells when they don’t like something at the stadium (the church building). I want to be a fully involved player. I want to be in the game making a difference for the winning team. I want to run up the score on satan. I want to be a team player who is contributing at every opportunity.

It seems to me that our churches are filled with fans. What will it take to get people in the game?

OWN IT!

2010-05-31T05:10:00.000-07:00

Here is a little something I read from Perry Noble’s Blog from May 30, 2010.

One of the things I would LOVE to do right now is thank every staff member and volunteer at NewSpring Church who understand this simple concept…a church is not effective when the pastor ministers to the people but rather when the BODY ministers to the BODY! When the church becomes a one man show…and that “one man” isn’t JESUS…problems are sure to arise.

Church members are not called to merely receive ministry…but OWN IT! There are times we NEED ministry…and then there are times that ministry needs us to use the gifts God so generously gave us through His Holy Spirit. AND…I love serving in a church where people are continually understanding that when WE work together, using OUR gifts for HIS glory…WE ARE UNSTOPPABLE!

Primal

2010-04-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity by Mark Batterson. It is a really challenging book. He has some really good things to say. This is a challenging quote - “In my experience, it is much easier to act like a Christian than it is to react like one. Anyone can put on an act. But your reaction reveals what is really in your heart.” I think of my life as a cup and ask, what spills out when you are bumped. In other words, how do I react when something bothers me? Jesus put it this way in Matthew 12:34-35 “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.”

A Tribute to my Mother-in-Law

2010-03-25T05:23:00.000-07:00

Last week Katie Donovan, my mother-in-law, went to be with Jesus. My son, Stephen, shared these thoughts about her at the memorial service. I couldn't have said it better.

Words somehow seem insufficient for conveying the beauty and love of a life so well lived. Nevertheless, words and tears and laughter are the only ways to acknowledge the goodness of the life of my grandmother, whom I have only ever known as Grandmomma. When I think about Grandmomma, the opening words to Martin Luther’s famous hymn are brought to mind: “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.” In the middle of her house on Richard Rd. was the fireplace around which the whole house seemed to be built. Grandmomma was like that fireplace. She was the matriarch. She was the firm center around which everything was built.
When we stayed with Grandmomma, she would get up early on Sunday mornings and make her famous biscuits from scratch. As we frenetically scrambled around getting ready for church, we would eat those biscuits. And we ALWAYS went to both Sunday School AND church. In fact, I think she holds a few records for perfect Sunday School attendance. She was a woman of great faith and faithfulness. Just as the fireplace provided warmth during the winter, so too the fire of her faith warmed and kindled the faith in our own lives. I dare say that the faith of her children and grandchildren cannot be understood apart from the brightly burning flame of her faith in Christ. As I grew older, I found out that every Monday, she prayed and fasted for her grandchildren until we all came to faith in Christ. Indeed, my faith cannot be understood without reference to her faith and prayer.
I had the privilege of interviewing Grandmomma about her WWII experience two weeks ago. This interview confirmed what I already knew about her: she was a woman of extraordinary character. Scarcely a month after she finished her nursing training at Louisville General Hospital, she, a 21-year-old raised in small-town Kentucky, was shipped to the Pacific where she served on Tinian in the Mariana Islands. During the interview, it became ever clearer to me that Grandmomma was a woman of great compassion. As a Christian and medical professional, she had a deep respect for the sanctity of life. Although the Japanese were technically her enemies, she was deeply saddened by Japanese loss of life. She had the remarkable ability to see the enemy as fully human, as made in the image of God. This is a virtue that is growing increasingly rare. After the bombs were dropped, she occupied Japan and helped to reestablish hospitals in Tokyo. While doing this, she worked side-by-side with the Japanese. She developed a great respect for Japanese culture. Grandmomma was, above all else, a disciple of Jesus Christ, and following his example, I believe that she learned how to love her enemies in a way that few are able to. Perhaps it was this experience overseas that ignited within Grandmomma a lifelong passion for missions that led her, as an 82 year-old, to go to Mexico on a missions trip.
As I stand here, I cannot help but thank God that I am the grandson of a woman of such beauty and faith as Grandmomma. Because of Grandmomma’s great faith, I feel that it is appropriate to end my reflections with a prayer of thanksgiving. We give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord for the life and faith of Grandmomma. We give you thanks because you are the God not of the dead, but of the living, and we know that Grandmomma lives with you. We ask that the life of Grandmomma will continue to live and burn deep within us. Just as her faith has spilled over and kindled the faith of her children and grandchildren, we pray that her faith may continue to spread and in so doing nurture the whole church. We pray that like Grandmomma, we would see others with eyes of compassion, that we would learn to love our enemies as Jesus taught us. We pray that the beauty and love of Grandmomma’s life may somehow be reflected in our lives to your glory. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Anonymous Letters

2010-03-03T12:05:00.000-08:00

Yogi Berra once said, “Never answer an anonymous letter.” I think that is good advice. I wonder what he would say about answering anonymous emails.

Radicalis - Part 4

2010-02-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

From the last day of Radicalis:
Rick Warren on Purity and Marriage
“The grass is always greener where you water it.”
“If there were more courting in marriage, there would be fewer marriages in court.”
“Blame = Be Lame.”
“There are four ways TV lowers our standards: 1) It glamorizes sin, 2) It implies everyone is doing it. 3) It fails to show you the consequences. 4) It gets you to laugh at sin.”
“God can’t use a dirty vessel.”
More from Rick Warren
“You can’t take wealth with you, but you can send it on ahead.”
“Money is a tool to help further God’s will.”
“God holds you responsible for the depth of your sin.”

Radicalis - Part 3

2010-02-11T20:33:00.000-08:00

Even more from Radicalis:
Rick Warren
“We don’t need to practice what we preach, but preach what we practice.”
“Marriage counseling in two words – GROW UP!”
“As a pastor you have to ignore the cheers and jeers and the strokes and pokes.”
“Never confuse your self-worth with your net-worth.”
“Jesus never got angry at irreligious people.”
“One way you can tell if people are hurting is that they are hurting other people.”
“It is not disobedience to be a small church, but it is to be a small-minded church.”
Mark Driscoll
“On the cross, Christ takes our sin and gives us His righteousness.”
“The cross was done by us and for us.”
“Most Christians sin by omission.”
Ed Stetzer
“Planting a church is a lot like having a baby. It is bloody, messy, painful, and something beautiful comes out of it”
“Missional means joining God in His mission.”

Radicalis - Part 2

2010-02-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more quotes from Radicalis:
Rick Warren
“You only believe the parts of the Bible that you do.”
“You want to train an army, not attract an audience.”
“The biggest problem in the church is the perpetual immaturity of believers.”
“God resists the proud because they are unteachable.”
“You can’t surrender your church to a bunch of whiners.”
“Originality is the art of concealing your sources.”
“Church hopping is spiritually like having a bunch of one-night stands.”
Deano Rizzo
“The integrity of your ministry/church is how you treat the one.”

Radicalis

2010-02-09T19:41:00.000-08:00

This week I am at Radicalis, a conference at Saddleback Church in California. Here are a few quotes from Radicalis.
Rick Warren
“We want better methods, and God wants better men.”
“What you are in private determines how you lead in public.”
“God is not mad at you. He is mad about you.”
“You don’t get credit for starting the race. You get credit for finishing well.”
“You have to move people from come and see to come and die.”
Perry Noble
“Seek comfort less and Jesus more.”
“If you are going through hell, it is because hell is scared.”
“We need to spend less time telling God what He can’t do and more time obeying Him.”
“We are so obsessed with what God wants that we don’t know who He is.”

Taste and see

2010-02-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

For our anniversary (33 years), Kathy and I went to a restaurant called Filet in Greensboro, GA, near Lake Oconee. The food was unbelievable. Everything was delicious. I had the ribs. The meat fell off the bones and the flavor exploded in my mouth. I can’t wait to get back and enjoy another entrée.

Psalm 34:8 reminds us that we should have the same desire about God, “Taste and see that the Lord is good;” Psalm 119:103 tells us we should have that same type of craving for God’s Word, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” When we truly taste of God and His Word, it will create a deep yearning in us that continually draws us back.

Suffering

2010-02-03T07:48:00.000-08:00

I have been keeping up with Matt Chandler, the lead pastor at The Village Church near Dallas. He is battling brain cancer. There is a great article on MSNBC about Matt’s battle. Here is the link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35086396/ns/health-cancer/. You can also read and view more at Matt’s blog: http://fm.thevillagechurch.net/blog/pastors/. I think you will be inspired by Matt and his faith in our Father.

Making Beautiful Music

2009-12-24T07:33:00.000-08:00

We went to a wonderful Christmas Concert at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Milledgeville. It was mixture of strings, piano, and woodwinds. It was very simple. As I watched the musicians, I saw people of different ages, and nationalities with various instruments make beautiful music. They were all very different. How can such variety produce a sound that is so appealing? It is because they were all playing from the same piece of music. Each of them did his or her part. Churches can make beautiful music too when we all look to God’s Word and do our parts.

Off the Injured Reserve List

2009-12-16T10:29:00.000-08:00

Splash the Wonder Dog has been taken off the injured reserve list. She is back to her old self. Whenever there is a sound in the kitchen, she responds promptly to make sure no errant food hits the floor. She has even been on a couple walks to patrol her neighborhood. I am not sure why God created dogs, but I am sure glad he did.

The Building Shook

2009-12-14T10:42:00.000-08:00

We were at our small group meeting when the building shook. Was it an Acts 4:31 small group experience? Acts 4:31 describes a time when Peter’s small group met, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” That night after our small group shook, the news reported that a small earthquake was centered near where we were meeting. Was the earth just adjusting, or was God responding to His people gathering in His name?

Getting Clean

2009-12-09T05:05:00.000-08:00

My car is filthy. It was clean yesterday until I drove through an area that had a thin layer of Georgia red clay on the road. My car now has a thin layer of that same red clay. I didn’t intend for my car to get dirty or clayee. It just happened through the normal daily use. This means that I need to get the hose, soap, bucket, and rag out to wash it. I thought about driving down a clean road and getting a thin layer of clean on it, but it doesn’t work that way. That is a great picture of life. As I move through this life, I will accumulate some dirt. While I don’t intend for it to stick to me, some of it just does. It may show up as a bad attitude, unwholesome talk, or even a habit that is not healthy. It would be great if I could just go to worship and get a thin layer of holy to cover it up. However, that thin layer of holy won’t do the job. Just like with the car, I need to get the tools to get my life cleaned up. I would like to write some more, but I need to get a willing heart, God’s Word, some repentance, and a little confession to get started on some soul cleaning.

Nickels and Noses

2009-12-05T05:03:00.000-08:00

We just keep growing at Northridge. Typically, we measure that by the amount of people who attend our Sunday services and how big the offering is each week. Some would say that we count nickels and noses. If we really want to see if that growth is real, I think we should measure a few other things. I wish we could get a count on how many people are reading God’s Word and praying daily because that tells that they desire to go deeper. Another spiritual marker is shown by how many people share Christ each week. The number of people who are showing love through visiting the sick, ministering to the poor, and encouraging the hurting is a great indicator of spiritual development. While numbers are important, I think another vital concern should be that we are growing disciples. We just need to figure out a good way to count more than nickels and noses.

Pray for Your Pastor

2009-11-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

This is a good post Pray for your Pastor by Perry Noble at New Spring Church in Anderson, SC. Check it out. The staff of Northridge could sure use your prayers.

Injured Reserved List

2009-11-28T05:52:00.000-08:00

Splash the Wonder Dog is on the injured reserved list. As she rounded the corner into the kitchen the other night, she slipped on the tile floor and pulled a muscle. It was obvious from her yelp that she was hurt. She is limping around and not very active. When it first happened, she wouldn’t even come to the kitchen to make sure that anything that spilled didn’t touch the floor. She is recovering. I think if the deer were to attack our home again that she could still defend it, but I don’t think she is up to our normal walks in the neighborhood. She will miss her adoring public as she parades through the streets of Greystone. Hopefully, she will be back on duty in a few weeks. This may take some time to heal.

Somethings I Am Thankful For

2009-11-26T07:39:00.000-08:00

Some things I am thankful for…

A place in Heaven with my name on the door
An incredible wife who is a gift from God
Two children that are following Christ and excelling in all they do
A grandmother that prayed for me daily
My mother who loved me enough to see that I was in church
Northridge Christian Church – a church that has changed to reach the lost
A staff that works hard and lifts Jesus up for the community to see
An incredible group of people that lead worship at Northridge every week
Elders that pray and get it
That I live in a college town (I love college students!)
The folks that take care of preschoolers at NCC
The view from my office
Splash the Wonder Dog
People who come to the 9:15 service to make room for visitors at 10:45
Our small group
The great response to the New Testament Challenge

What's Important

2009-10-20T05:08:00.000-07:00

This morning I read Acts 6:7, “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.” When I read that a large number of priests converted, I wondered why? I think the key is found in the previous verses. The leadership of the early church had gotten distracted and needed to refocus. They were busy. However, they were not busy about the important tasks of God’s Word and prayer. They were doing the good work of helping people, but neglecting the important work of being in the Word and on their knees. Acts 6:3-4 tells us how they regained focus, “We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." If we are going to lead a church to radical growth like we see in Acts, it means leadership will focus on praying and sharing the Word. It also means that many tasks will be turned over to others.

Overflow

2009-10-16T05:01:00.000-07:00

Paul seems to explode into praise two times in 1 Timothy. It seems that he can’t contain himself and just has to talk about the greatness of our God.

1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
6:15-16 God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

Paul often talks about overflow. I think these two bursts of praise are great examples of overflow. I am praying God fill me to overflow into other people’s lives.

Don't Be Ashamed

2009-10-08T04:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of verses from our reading in the New Testament Challenge that really encourage us to take a stand for our Savior. The consequences for not lifting Christ up are severe.
Luke 9:26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Luke 12:8-9 "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.

Change

2009-10-02T05:19:00.001-07:00

CHANGE
A recent study done on folks that have had heart-bypass surgery found that only 10% were making significant changes in their lifestyles to avoid a possible relapse. You have to ask, why aren’t these people making changes since their lives are on the line?

The sociologist and psychologist who did this study found two things to be true about change. 1) Fear and negative outcomes rarely produce lasting change. If you can paint a compelling picture of the future, you stand a better chance of changing someone’s behavior. That would mean more preaching about Heaven and less about hell. 2) It is easier and more effective to make radical change than slow incremental change. In Acts 19, you read about some people that were so moved that they burned some books in repentance. Their sin cost them, and it would cost them if they went back to it. You have to “burn your boats” to keep from turning back.

You're Covered

2009-09-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

Kathy’s car wouldn’t start the other morning. After I took her to work, I opened the hood to see a big pile of blue junk on the battery. It was terribly corroded, and the connection crumbled when I touched it. I thought about trying to fix it myself, but I had a very busy day. I called AAA and had it towed to the Toyota dealer. About three hours later, they called to say my car was ready. He said they had replaced the battery cable and battery. I asked how much? The repairman said it was covered by warranty. I love my Toyota.

The other morning I was confessing and repenting of some thoughts and attitudes that weren’t right. I often agonize and beat myself up over these types of things. The Father said to me it is time to move on because these are covered by the blood of the Lamb. I love my Lord.

Champions

2009-09-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

It was a great game, but my team (The Florida State University) lost. Miami has knocked FSU out of contention for the national championship too many times. They really just seem to have our “number”. Sometimes I feel that way about satan. He just seems to know the little things that set me off or get me going. He seems to know how to defeat me. When those times come, I have to remember that we are only talking about a couple of plays. The game has already been won by Christ. I know satan, the accuser, is going to try to get me to focus on one or two things that will make me feel like a loser. Romans 8 tells me that I am more than a conqueror. I need to live like the champion that Christ has made me.

College Football and Passion

2009-08-31T04:53:00.000-07:00

Just a few days until college football starts! I can’t wait! They say that The Florida State University might surprise a few people this year. We can only hope. I don’t much care for pro football. They get paid big bucks, and most of them act like spoiled brats. At the college level, they play for the love of the game. You see passion in the college athletes. They sacrifice time, energy, and sometimes their bodies to win. I wish that every person in the church would have the passion of the college athlete. If we did, we would see a lot more victories for the Father and satan would be defeated.

GO 'NOLES

Nip it; Nip it in the Bud

2009-08-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

Splash the Wonder Dog was headed out the front door the other night and was greeted by four deer that were about 10 feet from our door. They were in her space. They were snacking on some of the flowers in our flower bed. Needless to say, the Wonder Dog quickly dispatched those deer. As she came back into the house, she quoted Barney Fife and said she nipped it, nipped it the bud. Sometimes, I need to be like Splash and deal quickly with those things that are gnawing at me. It might be a bad attitude, a thought, or even a sin. If I let them continue to eat at me, the things of beauty will soon be gone.

The Perfect Storm

2009-08-26T04:51:00.000-07:00

In the movie The Perfect Storm, there is the simultaneous occurrence of weather events which produces a monster storm. This is rare and powerful occurrence. The individual weather phenomena are far less powerful; but when they combine at the right time, it is fierce. I believe we are in a perfect storm event at Northridge. God has brought together a number of things like new location, volunteers, staff, facilities, outreach, and many other aspects at just the right time. We are getting a front row seat to see God work in a powerful way to reach Baldwin and surrounding counties. Each individual thing that is happening is good; but when God brings these together at the right time, you see a mighty work of our Father. This doesn't happen everyday. Beg the Father to keep blessing!

NOT TO DO LIST

2009-08-21T06:40:00.000-07:00

I read about this in a leadership book not too long ago. It is a popular thing to do or talk about doing. I have decided that maybe I need a “not to do list”. As you can see from the following Scriptures, God has already started this list.
· Job 37:14 “Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders.”
· Isaiah 1:16 “Stop doing wrong.”
· John 5:14 “Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”
· Romans 14:13 “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another.”
· 1 Corinthians 14:20 “Brothers, stop thinking like children.”
Here are few other things that I thought needed to be on my list.
· Stop focusing only on what needs to be tweaked and take time to celebrate the victories.
· Stop believing I can eat what I want and lose weight.
· Stop thinking my way is best and learn from others.
· Stop thinking people who are not with me are against me.
· Stop believing I have to do it all.

Let's Go For A Walk

2009-08-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

Splash the Wonder Dog loves to go on walks. If you mention walk or leash, she goes ballistic. If she sees us changing into walking clothes, she begins to bounce off the walls. She just wants to get out and explore the neighborhood. She enjoys her time with her family. I got to thinking when the Father says to me let’s spend some time together, do I get as excited as Splash the Wonder dog. Splash will even bring her leash in anticipation of our time together. When Christ calls, do I show up with my Bible and journal ready to listen. I hope I am as excited about walking with my Master as Splash is.

I Don't Go To Church; I Am The Church!

2009-08-14T05:24:00.000-07:00

I loved the message on a t-shirt that I recently saw. It said, “I don’t go to church; I am the church.” That is the type of thinking that it will take to win the world. Reggie McNeal said it this way, “The shift from “doing” church at the clubhouse to “being” church in the world is a paradigm shift that has apparently eluded many church leaders.” I heard someone say it is time for the church to get out of the barn and into the field. They went on to say we have stood at the barn door and invited the crops in for too long. Jesus said in Mark 1:17 that if you are following Him, you are fishing for men.

The Red Devil Behind the Pearly Gates

2009-08-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

“Your tongue is the red devil behind the pearly gates.” Think about that statement for a few minutes. James says it this way, “Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” (James 3:5-6)

One of my favorite pastimes is complaining. I am good at it. Let’s be honest. When you complain, you unleash that red devil. The people of Israel were world class whiners. Listen to what to what Paul says about them, “And do not grumble, as some of them did — and were killed by the destroying angel.” (1 Corinthians 10:10) We probably all need to find a way to shut the gates and keep that little red devil locked away. We might want to put our tongues on an Ephesians 4:29 training program – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

The Disease to Please

2009-07-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

One of the quickest ways to disobey God is to worry about what people think of you. I think this is a constant battle for any pastor/preacher. Craig Groeschel says, “Becoming obsessed with what people think about you is the quickest way to forget what God thinks about you.” Ed Young says when you worry about what people think of you, you have the disease to please.

As churches grow and change, people often get upset because things aren’t the way they used to be. We often focus on making the church goers happy and forget about those who are far from Christ. I would agree with Ed Young when he says, “Quit asking who’s leaving and ask who aren’t you reaching?” If you try to please people, you never know what it takes. There is one thing that I know that will please our Heavenly Father and that is people accepting His Son as their Lord and Savior. I would rather do that one thing that I know will please God, than to wear myself out trying to please people.

The Phone Call

2009-07-07T09:52:00.000-07:00

My son just got back from a three week trip to the Middle East. While he was there, he did not have access to a phone. He didn’t get back until late on a Monday night. He called and left a message on my phone. It was so good to hear his voice and know he was safe. My daughter travels out of the country often. Most of the time, she can call and let us know how things are going. We love getting those phone calls and knowing all is well. If we hadn’t gotten those calls, we would really be disappointed and concerned. I can’t imagine how our Heavenly Father feels when His children don’t take the time to talk to him. When was the last time you prayed? Our Father loves it when you do!

Am I Crucified with Christ?

2009-06-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

A. W. Tozer says that there are three things that are true of people who are on the cross. First, they no longer have any plans of their own. Next, they only face one direction. Finally, they can’t turn back. If those things are true for me, I can echo what Paul says in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

2009-06-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

When I first saw the Canadian geese in my yard, I thought those are beautiful animals. I liked having them there and looking at them. My feelings have changed. These geese are making a mess! Okay, I am not sure if they are Canadian. I don’t really want to blame Canada for them. That could cause an international incident. I guess I could call Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, because they might be illegal aliens. They are fouling (pun intended) my yard and the church parking lot. They don’t really seem to care. Couldn’t they go fertilize a field or parking lot where no one lives?

When sin first comes, it looks really good. However, it always leaves a mess. There is an easy way to deal with sin. Stop it! Confess it! Repent of it! Don’t blame anyone else. Don’t call anyone else to deal with it. Don’t send it anywhere else. Just stop it and start cleaning up the mess.

2009-05-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

I have a friend that was an airline pilot. I asked him if he felt a huge responsibility for getting everyone to their destination safely. His answered shocked me. He said, “I am not too concerned with them. I just want to get there myself.” I thought to myself this guy is a selfish jerk. His attitude bothered me. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. After about three weeks, I finally got it. If the pilot doesn’t there, no one will get to their destination.

That was a great leadership lesson for me. Since that day, one of my focuses has been to make sure I am getting there myself. That is why my personal Bible study, prayer, and spiritual disciplines are a priority. If I am not taking care to move closer to Christ, those who are following will not move closer.

2009-05-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

Splash the Wonder Dog is prone to wander. Yesterday, I let her out and then got distracted doing something. When I realized she wasn’t near me, I called for her to come. I called and there was no Splash. She had sniffed herself out the range of my voice. She had gone from being Splash the Wonder Dog to being my little lost sheep. I immediately went into shepherd mode and began my search for the wandering pup. I found her in the field on the other side of the house with her nose to the ground following an interesting scent. I was happy to see her and angry that she had wandered so far away. When she saw me coming, she wasn’t sure if I was mad or happy. She tucked her tail between her legs while it was wagging. That same scene has been played out in my life because I tend to be prone to wander. I often find myself coming to the Father after I have wandered away. I am thankful He forgives my wandering.

Headstarts

2009-04-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

If you give me enough of a head start, I can beat any world class athlete in the 100 meter run. I believe in ministry we gain that head start through prayer and preparation. When we take the initiative to prepare and pray, we give ourselves a huge head start. I am always impressed by watching Jesus carve out time for prayer. When they came for Him in the garden, Jesus was prepared through prayer. Because of Jesus’ prayer and preparation, satan was defeated. I believe if we are to put satan in his place, we must make time to pray and prepare.

You know it is going to a great Sunday when...

2009-04-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

You know it is going to be a great Sunday when you step into the worship team’s practice and it is more about worship than practice. I was blown away by our team as they prepared for worship. I just sat and enjoyed as they worshipped. Then I went to the prayer room to pray with folks before things got cranked up. I knew God was up to something when one of our teens joined us in the prayer room. He prayed an awesome prayer. The preparation and prayer pumped it up. We had 535 in worship and 263 in Bible school. I can’t wait until next week!

Member?

2009-03-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

Last week, someone told me that they were a member of my church. I was polite and very nice on the outside, but the inside of me was having a different type of reaction. First, I was thinking that I don’t have a church. I was not the One who paid for the church by giving my blood, body, and life. I wanted to tell this person, “If you knew Jesus, you would know it is His church!” I have been at Northridge for about 6 months. This “member” has not attended during this time. I am sure they are a card carrying member, but they have been disconnected from the body for at least six months. I think you call something that has been disconnected from the body for six months dead and stinky. Let’s not play games and think that membership has anything to do with our relationship to Christ. What counts is our daily walk with Christ and our connection to His body the church.

I Want To Be A Star!

2009-03-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

In August, I visited the Richmond Outreach Center (www.richmondoutreachcenter.com) in Richmond, VA. This church is reaching a lot of people for Christ. I have gotten a number of emails from them. There is a Scripture reference on the emails of Daniel 12:3. I finally decided to look it up and see what it said. “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” I like what it says. It reminded me of Philippians 2:14-16 “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life — in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.” I decided I want to be a star. I don’t want to be a rock star or a movie star. I just want to shine for Jesus and bring glory to the Father. Whenever I look at the stars and marvel at the greatness of God, I am reminded that I need to glorify God like those stars.

Don't Forget What God Can Do!

2009-03-05T18:41:00.000-08:00

I have been praying through this Sunday’s sermon. It is the last in the Exodus series. The people of Israel see giants big and tall and forget all that Jehovah God has done to get them to that point. God persuaded Pharaoh with 10 unbelievable plagues. He split the Red Sea so they could walk across it on dry land. El Shaddai provided food and water for them in a miraculous manner. Through it all, He has given them a visible reminder of His presence in the cloud and pillar of fire. They are on the verge of the Promised Land and they forget what God can do. They end up wandering in the wilderness. I have been in that wilderness and I don’t want to go back. I am pumped about this sermon because it speaks directly to me – DON’T FORGET WHAT GOD CAN DO.

The prayer Americans refuse to pray

2009-02-24T07:47:00.000-08:00

I just watched a July 4, 2008 video blog by Francis Chan. He is commenting about the prayer Americans refuse to pray from Proverbs 30:7-9. It is in your face challenging. Check it out - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2oi6y292kE&eurl=http://francischansblog.blogspot.com/&feature=player_embedded

Life is adjustable!

2009-02-17T18:39:00.000-08:00

A number of years ago Billy Sprague came to the church where I served. He is singer/songwriter who writes some very real and transparent songs. While he was introducing a song, he said that he had learned that "life was adjustable". For some reason that thought/phrase has stuck with me over the years. As a Christ follower, I have had to adjust my life to my Lord's. There have been lots of adjustments in being a husband and father. Taking care of my black lab, Splash the Wonder Dog, has also meant making a few adjustments. I have discovered that there are many adjustments since I have become the lead pastor at Northridge Christian Church.

I am now attempting to adjust to a new world of social networking by being on Facebook and doing this blog thing. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks - no offense to Splash.