Recently I found myself watching a movie with my wife. It was one of those chick flicks that was worth watching and not a waste of my time simply because my beautiful wife, Anna, was in the room with me and because the Holy Spirit reminded me of a simple and yet continually revelatory truth...."He (God, my Father) is just that in to me!
The movie was all about this guy teaching a girl to read the signs that men give women when they are just not that into them. Reasons why their phones never ring, second dates never happen and their dreams of a fairy tale wedding will never materialize....at least with the guy who they are waiting days for him to call them back.
One of the main ideas of the movie was this: If someone is really into, really loves you, really wants to be with you....He will do whatever it takes to make that happen.
WOW!!! If that doesn't remind you of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I'm not sure what will. Even when I was far from God, blinded by my sin and selfish way of living, He came and gave it all to have relationship with me.
God is just that into us.
Into us enough to do whatever it takes to have relationship with us(I John 3:16) .
When it comes to Jesus, you never have to wonder how He really feels about you....just take a look at the price He willingly paid to pursue us.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
An inside job
Enjoy this excerpt from a book I am reading by Kris Vallotton entitled "The Supernatural Ways of Royalty":
The mind has a power to affect our behavior either positive or negative. But it does not possess the power to change our nature. That alone is accomplished when we are born again. When people people are born again, they are transformed from the inside out. It is not the external things that are are likely to change first. God takes up residence in our hearts, transfroming us, as it really is an an inside job. On the other hand, religion works on the outside. While it can bring conformity, it is is powerless to bring transformation. (page 56)
Religion is all about how things look on the outside (form) but doesn't bring much transformation (power).
2 Timothy 3:5
Forget religiosity...let's keep helping one another experience Christ's transforming love!
The mind has a power to affect our behavior either positive or negative. But it does not possess the power to change our nature. That alone is accomplished when we are born again. When people people are born again, they are transformed from the inside out. It is not the external things that are are likely to change first. God takes up residence in our hearts, transfroming us, as it really is an an inside job. On the other hand, religion works on the outside. While it can bring conformity, it is is powerless to bring transformation. (page 56)
Religion is all about how things look on the outside (form) but doesn't bring much transformation (power).
2 Timothy 3:5
Forget religiosity...let's keep helping one another experience Christ's transforming love!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Napoleon complex??
Growing up I always had the hope and expectation that I would keep getting taller. After all my dad is over six feet and I just thought at some point the genes would kick in. As I got older and still hadn't reached that six foot mark, I was told to not lose hope because girls will typically stop developing closer to 18 but guys can keep growing until 25:)...Well, here I am at age 28 and it's not looking like I'll ever get past 5'9"....
As much as I really wanted to be taller growing up, now it doesn't matter much to me because I realize that my height does not minimize my true stature. The world will say that those who are short and live there lives like they always have to prove something are living with a napoleon complex.
I think it's obsurd for any Christian to live with a spiritual Napoleon complex.
It's obsurd for us to try and prove anything to our enemy...especially considering that we are part of the Body of Christ. Our lives are actually hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3). Jesus just happens to be larger than life and seated above all (Ephesians 1:22). And because our lives are hidden in Him, the lowest (the least) member in His Body is superior to the highest principality and power of the enemy.
Let's loose any napoleon complex we've been conned into living. Like the great revivalist Smith Wigglesworth we can say, "I am 1,000 times bigger on the inside!"
As much as I really wanted to be taller growing up, now it doesn't matter much to me because I realize that my height does not minimize my true stature. The world will say that those who are short and live there lives like they always have to prove something are living with a napoleon complex.
I think it's obsurd for any Christian to live with a spiritual Napoleon complex.
It's obsurd for us to try and prove anything to our enemy...especially considering that we are part of the Body of Christ. Our lives are actually hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3). Jesus just happens to be larger than life and seated above all (Ephesians 1:22). And because our lives are hidden in Him, the lowest (the least) member in His Body is superior to the highest principality and power of the enemy.
Let's loose any napoleon complex we've been conned into living. Like the great revivalist Smith Wigglesworth we can say, "I am 1,000 times bigger on the inside!"
Friday, June 5, 2009
Creating a Kingdom Culture
My desire is to not simply pastor a healthy New Testament church, but to actually see a thriving Kingdom Culture established within our family of believers. A Kingdom Culture that will bring heaven's realities to earth in such a way that our community and region, can't help but take notice and are forever changed.
Whenever a culture changes it is because the people of that culture begin to change the way they think. The Bible calls this process repentance leading to a renewed mind.
I was reading a book Bill Johnson (one of my favorite authors) and found 4 cornerstones of thought that are needed before a Kingdom Culture can be established within a church. Last week I had the chance to sit down with Bill over breakfast and have him share more on these four areas. The thoughts below are taken from that conversation as well as his book, "Face to Face" p. 194-196.
4 Cornerstones of thought:
#1 God is good.
God really is in a good mood. He might be mad at someone, somewhere but He's not mad at me. I'm his kid. God really is better than we think, so we need to change the way we think. We cannot afford to live this life with thoughts going through our minds that are not in His.
Brewing in the earth right now is a conflict and the leading issue in this conflict will be centered around the goodness of God.
#2 Nothing is impossible.
As believers we have been assigned to invade what has previously been called impossible. Many Christians believe in miracles but shrink back from contending for miracles. One of the saddest parts of this belief and practice is that we begin to think over time that the rest of the Christian life is actually possible! The fact that I am able to love others, have a desire to read and apply God's Word into my life, etc. all require supernatural grace and empowering. Jesus meant what He said in Mark 9:23. You know your mind is renewed when the impossible looks logical.
#3 We fight from the victory of Christ.
The warfare we engage in as believers is not in order to win a battle but rather to enforce the victory Jesus already won for us at the cross. The church of Jesus Christ is not on the defensive. We are on offense and have been given the ball. We are living out Jesus' win, not living in such a way as not to lose. There is a big difference. This revelation will change the way we pray, worship, lay hands on the sick, etc.
#4 I am significant
The discovery of this biblical truth is so liberating and actually produces true humility. There is a humility that comes from seeing our past. But the greater measure of humility comes from seeing our future. As the Holy Spirit leads us into a greater discovery of personal significance our awareness of our dependency on God actually grows. Face it....we are a big deal in heaven and we are a big deal on this earth. We just need to be careful not to confuse our destiny with our assignment. Our destiny is heaven and our assignment is to bring it to this earth. Our Father has entrusted to us the continuation and fulfillment of the mission, His Son, our elder brother Jesus began. (I John 3:8)
What a playbook, what promises, what a family, what challenges, what empowerment, what a life our Father has called us to live!
I personally don't have time to be bored when I take a moment to think about the hour in which we live:)
Whenever a culture changes it is because the people of that culture begin to change the way they think. The Bible calls this process repentance leading to a renewed mind.
I was reading a book Bill Johnson (one of my favorite authors) and found 4 cornerstones of thought that are needed before a Kingdom Culture can be established within a church. Last week I had the chance to sit down with Bill over breakfast and have him share more on these four areas. The thoughts below are taken from that conversation as well as his book, "Face to Face" p. 194-196.
4 Cornerstones of thought:
#1 God is good.
God really is in a good mood. He might be mad at someone, somewhere but He's not mad at me. I'm his kid. God really is better than we think, so we need to change the way we think. We cannot afford to live this life with thoughts going through our minds that are not in His.
Brewing in the earth right now is a conflict and the leading issue in this conflict will be centered around the goodness of God.
#2 Nothing is impossible.
As believers we have been assigned to invade what has previously been called impossible. Many Christians believe in miracles but shrink back from contending for miracles. One of the saddest parts of this belief and practice is that we begin to think over time that the rest of the Christian life is actually possible! The fact that I am able to love others, have a desire to read and apply God's Word into my life, etc. all require supernatural grace and empowering. Jesus meant what He said in Mark 9:23. You know your mind is renewed when the impossible looks logical.
#3 We fight from the victory of Christ.
The warfare we engage in as believers is not in order to win a battle but rather to enforce the victory Jesus already won for us at the cross. The church of Jesus Christ is not on the defensive. We are on offense and have been given the ball. We are living out Jesus' win, not living in such a way as not to lose. There is a big difference. This revelation will change the way we pray, worship, lay hands on the sick, etc.
#4 I am significant
The discovery of this biblical truth is so liberating and actually produces true humility. There is a humility that comes from seeing our past. But the greater measure of humility comes from seeing our future. As the Holy Spirit leads us into a greater discovery of personal significance our awareness of our dependency on God actually grows. Face it....we are a big deal in heaven and we are a big deal on this earth. We just need to be careful not to confuse our destiny with our assignment. Our destiny is heaven and our assignment is to bring it to this earth. Our Father has entrusted to us the continuation and fulfillment of the mission, His Son, our elder brother Jesus began. (I John 3:8)
What a playbook, what promises, what a family, what challenges, what empowerment, what a life our Father has called us to live!
I personally don't have time to be bored when I take a moment to think about the hour in which we live:)
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