Archive for July, 2008
That All May Know Him
July 23, 2008
Birds of the Air
July 22, 2008
There’s a little bird nest that has appeared over the past few weeks on top of one of my pillar type things on my front porch–the home of two little baby birds. When I got home tonight and getting my keys out to open the door, I glanced up and there they were, the two little birds perched in there nest. Instantaneously this Word of the Lord came to me, ”Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
You see, I have been stressing/worrying over a few things lately and what an encouragement from the Lord this was tonight!
Is there something you are worrying about? Stressing over?
“[D]o not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” -Matthew 6:25-27
I just wanted to share this with you. It encouraged me. I hope it will encourage you.
See the full passage below:
Matthew 6:25-34
25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Passage obtained from BibleGateway.com
^ Mark
The ’stache is back
July 17, 2008I mean has it ever really gone out of style?
Click image to purchase
Where’s Our Focus: Part 2
July 15, 2008
Where’s your focus?
Are you focusing on what is pure and holy? What builds others up? What adds value to your life and others? What is beneficial and healthy? What is productive?
Or are you focusing on what tears you down? What hurts and exploits others? What holds you back? What is destructive? What you know is slowly tearing and eating at your soul?
You might think these questions are directed towards you. But they are not. I am asking myself. I am challenging myself. Am I who I claim to be?
My positive focus is only short-lived. I am not solely focused on whom I need to be focused on, Jesus Christ. Right when my focus seems to be so clear, sin has a way of creeping up in my life getting me out-of-focus and even focused on the wrong things.
Although these questions are “focused” on myself, maybe it will get you to take a minute and think about what you are focused on in life. Is it on what it needs to be? Whom it needs to be on? Is your focus positive or negative? What areas in your life do you need to change to get back in focus? Has your focus lead you down a destructive path and you feel hopeless, like you will never get back in focus?
I am reminded of some powerful words my pastor said in one of his sermons, ”You serve a God. You were made by a God. No matter how far you’ve drifted. No matter how hard you’ve run. No matter how many battle alliances you’ve made. No matter how hopeless it seems. No matter how enslaved you are. You serve a God, a good God, who can turn your mistake into a miracle.” – Pastor Steven Furtick
Encore
July 13, 2008
Elevation Church, Charlotte, NC
Pastor Steven Furtick laid out yet another awesome message today in the second sermon of the Encore series. Check it out here. Here are a few highlights from the sermon:
::Great opportunities begin with simple obedience
::God is preparing us for what He has already prepared for us
::If you are faithful in the little things, God will bless you with the big things
::Don’t miss out on your star role to embrace your uniqueness to do great things for God
::God has a race planned out for you
Scripture Readings:
1 Samuel 16, Matthew 25:21, Hebrews 2:12
Elevation Church Worship CD
The Elevation Worship Band released their CD, We Are Alive last week. I just picked my copy up today. I listened to it in the car on the way back from church and let me just say, it is incredible! The worship leaders at Elevation are greatly talented in worship music/lyric writing. I could see their songs becoming like Passion or Hillsong, easily. Check it out here.
4 am
July 13, 2008Its 4 am, I really shouldn’t have worked out at 12 am. Not a good idea. I am just now getting tired. Good thing my church has a 1 pm service! Although, I will probably try to get to the 11:30 service.
I am so thankful for the church God has blessed me with (not only because of the late service)! Elevation is only a little over 2 years old, but is on a roll-coaster ride, called a God movement. The church is saturated with the Holy Spirit. Over 4,000 are now in attendance as God is using His body to reach a city for His sake. Over a thousand of these are new believers!! True church growth. God is touching thousands of lives through this local assembly of believers. I am just blessed and thankful to be a part of such a fellowship that is so involved in the community so that people far from God will be filled with life in Christ. (just felt like bragging on what God is doing through this local body of believers)
However, I have been a mere spectator too long. It is not enough to only give financially, but to give my time, to give myself. I recently signed up to volunteer at Elevation’s newest campus. I would hate to see my life go by and look back only to realize that I had missed it–this movement of God. Whenever God is at work, I want to be there! Seems pretty logical, right? I mean why would we not want to work alongside the God of the universe? It sounds like a no brainer, but too often I get caught up in my trivial life that I miss it! I let it pass me right by. I am only cheating myself. God wants me to experience it.
Too long have I been complacent. I don’t want my life just to be a normal one. I want to make a difference. I want to do something HUGE for God. I would hate for my life to fade away, not be used by God to do great things on His behalf. After all, God is the creator of this life.
Let God use you to do great things on his behalf. Don’t waste your life.
*hopefully this post flows in somewhat of a logical order, I mean it is 4:35 am now…so no telling.
Sometimes the best offense is a good offense
July 1, 2008Your best offense isn’t just merely a good defense. Yes, a good defense helps your offense, but your best offense happens when you push forward and take risks. Strengthen your offense by stepping forward and taking some shots. Learn from your mistakes. Perfect the shot. Defense is good, but you won’t score without an offense!
Is working on your defense only a sign of complacency? True success comes when you truly desire it. But you must move forward–offense. Don’t be content at where you are in life, only working on your defense so that you won’t fail and you’ll stay just where you are–your comfort zone.
If you want your life to be so much more than ordinary and make a difference…if you want to succeed and leave your mark on humanity…then work on your offense!
Go for it! You will score! I’m trying to train myself to think this way. Moving forward. Throwing complacency out the door. I have a long ways to go, but getting the mindset right is the first step as you move up the field.
Don’t waste your life.
