Isn’t that a great call on our lives? To move upward…

It kind of holds a double meaning for my family right now. We are starting Upward Basketball at our church. (BTW, today and tomorrow are last days for sign-up!) My wife and girls are on a prayer team for the season. I joined with them so that we could pray together as a family. Our prayer schedule started last night with praying for a great spirit among all involved. This seems simple and really maybe nothing too special. But if that’s what you think, it’s because you didn’t get to pray with my children!

My girls are are 4, 7, and 11, and they love Jesus! Erin prayed that God would take care of everyone playing, Kara thanked God for the coaches, and Alyssa prayed that God would send more kids to hear about God. Not just play basketball, but hear about God. I would say, their focus is right on.

Now, Upward is a Ministry program as much as it is a Basketball program. Both sides MUST be done well or people won’t continue to participate and neither side can be neglected. I am thankful for opportunities to help touch people’s everyday lives. Jesus isn’t just for Sundays! And sharing isn’t just for Ministers!

What are you doing or praying to affect the lives of others? Be active, involved, and ready to walk alongside those in your circle of influence. Be ready to expand your circle daily. God will refresh you and empower you for all He sets before you!
“The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” Psalm 28:7

Psalm 103:2-5
Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Again, especially here at Thanksgiving, we are talking about being thankful. You never would have imagined that, huh?

But when our God is as incredible as He is, we need to be thankful DAILY!

Here in Psalm 103, the Word tells us that He (God) takes care of our souls biggest issues. Let’s talk through them quickly…

He forgives sin…takes away condemning factor in our life and the guilt that accompanies it!

He heals our diseases…cares for and restores our health both spiritually and physically!

He redeems our life from the pit…His sacrifice is the only one that frees us!

He crowns us with love and compassion…shows us and grows in us His love and His compassion!

He satisfies our desires with good things…meets our needs and our desire as they line up with His!

He renews our youth…keeps us positive, restores our strength, and helps us maintain our thought process of being able to accomplish anything through Him!

Be excited about His provision for you. He meets our definite needs in life! If these are in line, life will be as He wants it!

Thank you God for all you are!

“And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:2

What an incredible responsibilty and privilege! We get to tell the creator of every good and perfect gift “Thank You”! Not just that we should or we can…but He LISTENS!

Thank You, God for loving me when I am unlovable, protecting me when I am stupid, providing for me when I am lazy, and saving me when I am totally undeserving! You truly show us grace and mercy! And because of all You’ve done, I am humbled, blessed, and redeemed!

All praise and glory and honor are Yours and Yours alone! I love You, my God! And every breath I am given is Yours!

People, are you thankful? Voice a prayer for thankfulness here to the Lord for His hand in your life…

It is so awesome to see God move! We had a teenager last week and another this week to surrender to Jesus! I’m thankful for being involved with a youth staff and teenagers that are growing in their understanding that all of life really is about God!

Oswald Chambers once said, “Slowly and surely, we learn the great secret of life, which is to know God.” Everything we live for and stand for is simply to show others who Jesus is and how much He loves us.

I know that sometimes the focus of my ministry (truthfully, the focus of my selfish motivation) is on the willingness of others to catch what I feel is a vital area of spirituality. I know that many in the church (as a whole) have lost the main desires of God and settled into “country-club, it’s all about me” religion. We have taken a body that was meant to be a refuge, a place for refueling, and a life saving organism and turned it outside-in. BUT…

I do see a tremendous heart-wrenching change that is sweeping youth and adults. We need to remember that we, those who feel we are on the right track, still have to pray, lead, and live God’s GREAT AND HOPE-FILLED plan! We are in an incredible time in history, poised for genuine revival. People want change and haven’t found it in the man thought to be bringing it. Real change that brings hope can ONLY be centered around Jesus! No government can bring it. But people are SEARCHING FOR IT and the church, those sold out to Jesus, MUST be ready!

Let’s be ready. Find the joy in the journey. It is found in that daily quiet time with Jesus. He will lead us not out of the church but to restore it through love and leading BY EXAMPLE! This is my conviction. I MUST BE the example not just the “pointer-outer” of wrong directions! Frustrations come for us all. Let’s be  support for each other and bear each other’s burdens. Not to put on a fake front, but to know we have prayer support, friendship with like-minded people, and are plugged into a move of God that isn’t just felt inside ourselves.

We are a shared vision people. At least in the general sense. Find your joy in Him and your reason to continue ministering to the needs of others!
Pslam 46:1-7
1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

James 1:2-4
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect
and complete, lacking in nothing.
May God grant us help when it is hard and the ability to be steadfast when it is rocky! God is moving in those who let Him! Focus in!

I decided to repost a blog from one of my friends today. He is a Youth Minister here in our area. We are all struggling with the idea that people, very specifically LOST people, are to be the church’s focus! Hear his heart. We need to love everyone and figure out what will stir those who are dying all around to walk into our churches and see, feel, and experience the genuine true love of Jesus! That thing is a life lived by US for God!Thank God for the changes I see in my church!

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You Can’t Teach a New Dog Old Tricks!
If my step-dad could have any job in the world I honeslty believe that he would be the front man for AC/DC. He is the embodiment of a rock star. He has tattoos, both ears pierced, and he loves to throw up the “Rock On” fist with certain spontaneity, He loves motorcycles and drag racing, the only thing he is missing is a sweet mullet! The bad part is that he has persuaded my sweet little mother to get tattoos, a nose piercing, and I even have pictures of her throwing up the “Rock On” fist with certain spontaneity. Ah, the joys of being in love! I guess Meatloaf was right when he sang, “I would do anything for love!” The truth is that my parents could not be better for one another. They have given up and sacrificed many things in their lives for each other. They are up front, honest, and what you see is what you get, no fluff or hype. If you ask them how they are doing they might just catch you off guard and tell you they are not doing good some days.

One thing is certain about my parents. They love Jesus. God drew them to himself in the midst of my mom’s bout with lung cancer. They relized that the only true hope was through Jesus. They gave their life to his movement! However the problem that they faced was finding a church that they could call home.

I mean lets be honest, what if on Sunday morning, church was about to start and in walks a man probably wearing sunglasses very Bono-esque, with tattoos and ear rings. I hope that we all say that we would love and cherish this person without distinction. Through their journey of going from church to church they could not find one church where people did not view them as “social outcasts” or a “mission project.” These are two people who were passionately changed by the Lord, and despite how they look, have all the potential in the world to impact it. This blog is not about them specifically. It is about the institution of church. My parents have the same story that is plaguing people everywhere. I will even be as bold to say the majority of society. People are looking for hope and purpose, but they are not finding it at church. This is how I know. According to an article by Ed Stetzer in SBC Life;

http://www.sbclife.com/Articles/2004/02/SLA4.asp,

80% of churches in America are stagnant or declining. What is the problem? The problem is an inward focus. We will fight more about hanging on to traditions then seeing people radically changed by the power of Jesus! I am sick and tired of hearing of churches fighting over the contemporary vs. traditional worship debate! Who cares? Its all about Jesus! Lets have a vision for reaching people for Christ instead of a musical style. But here is the deal. The majority of the next generation prefers rock out… Therefore, lets reach this generation for Christ! It is not heretical to have loud music, or dance, or people raising their hands. The bible even promotes it. The church needs more people that are excited about their faith. If that is what it takes to reach people, lets be about it. Life and Church is not about us. Its about God. Lets put aside and sacrifice our preference to win people to Christ!
In 1 Corinthians 9 :22-23 Paul states:

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Worship is all about sacrifice. Paul also states in Romans 12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Worship is about giving our lives in response to a Holy God who gave his Son for us.
Sacrifice means giving up our preference, likes, dislikes, and traditions, if it will reach the next generation of people for Christ.

I plead with the church, lets not suffocate the hope of the church with stuffy traditions, that keep people away.

Lets engage people and love them! We will have to be completely un-conventional in our efforts. We can accomplish this without compromising the truth of the Gospel.

Hear me! I am not writing this b/c I prefer a certain style! I am writing this because the church in America is spiraling downward and we cannot be passive and stand by and watch anymore.

The way of Christ is worth fighting for!

Ricky

Psalm 119:117-118
117 Uphold me, and I will be delivered;
I will always have regard for your decrees.

118 You reject all who stray from your decrees,
for their deceitfulness is in vain.
You know, in the New Testament Jesus says, “if you love me you will keep my commandments.”

Here in the the book of Psalms, the writer is asking for God to uphold, preserve, or rescue him. He follows that with reminders of his love and commitment to God’s laws. He knows that our God is a jealous God. He loves us all out – with nothing held back. He expects the same from us. He promises to never leave us or forsake us.

None of us like to feel like we are the only one in a relationship making any effort. That very form of neglect destroys marriages and friendships! But we expect God just to overlook our inconsistency. I’m glad God has such incredible love for us! If he loved like I do, I would have been written off long ago…

Praise God for His immeasurable love and unending grace!

Today, remember that obedience is better then sacrifice! Serve Him, love Him, and share Him today!

 ”Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Some of my hardest times in life have been made easier by having my wife alongside to not just pick me up, but catch me on the way down. She sees the hurt or the struggle that goes unnoticed by others. That is truly one of the special things about loving someone! Especially in the God-ordained marriage relationship. The two ARE one! The feelings are shared…

There are also those Christian friendships that develop and are so important. The Word also talks about bearing each other’s burdens. This is a spiritual thing. It is one thing to recognize the pain of another and even feel for them, but it is a total Jesus thing to carry the weight of their problem with them. That is the weight of the cross! It is our call!

What kind of spouse or friend are you? Do you criticize or point out fault, or do you shoulder up to the pain and problem? One way is a hindrance and source of discouragement and anger, and the other shows Christ’s love through you. There is a time to discuss and “troubleshoot” but their is also a time to listen, love, and pray.

Be discerning today. Someone needs you! What kind of friend will you be?

Galatians 5 shares with us the fruits of the Spirit. These are the things that should be evident in our lives. Isn’t it awesome that the power of God shows itself so clearly through these fruits.

Make sure that you surrender to His leading and His light shines through. Read Galatians 5 and then leave me a comment here about who has made an impact on your life by living out these fruits!

Then…tell them. Everyone needs encouragement!

A holy discontent is all around us. A feeling that status quo just won’t do. A desire to come back to or realize what living for Jesus really means. A call to be more than a group of people who keep appointments on Sunday and Wednesday, but seriously try to be light to everyone. Things just can’t stay as they are.

The days of a church staff on a pedestal and the membership loving dropping their names…the days of hiring a workhorse staff and watching them work…the days of letting 20% of the church do 80% of the work…the days of hearing of tragedy from within our circle – to the far reaches of the planet and not even flinching…the days of ignoring the plight of nations riddled by disease and war and having no sense of needing to be involved…the days of thinking a week of “revival meetings” answers the call of evangelism that is on EVERY ONE of us…

If the church is to be the church that God intended, those days are over.

But I see positives everywhere. The youth at my church are developing hearts for those around them. They have, I believe, grown in great amounts the past year and a half. They are one of the biggest reasons I am excited about the future of our church!

As leaders, we MUST recognize our immature, selfish thinking and teach discipleship! Our pulpits must be full of men who lead through the Word, lead through their example, and lead by speaking truth boldly without apology. Thank you, God for our Interim Pastor and his commitment to preach the Word!

The following things have been on my heart for quite a while. This isn’t the whole list, but a few I thought I would mention:

1. Teenagers (adults too) need to hear the truth of the gospel. When they hear it, they respond! Praise God!

2. God’s expectations and opportunities for us are great. God has set the bar high and we should help each other reach our potential!

3. We are called to go, teach, baptize, and make disciples! Not entertain, party, and make excuses for the behavior of the saved! No more excuses or substitutions for real Christian living! People respond when the Gospel is GENUINELY lived out in us!

What if God is saying these words to us right now as he did to Habakkuk…
“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.” Habakkuk 1:5
Is He working through you?

Jesus said in Luke 12:49 – 53, that He didn’t come to bring peace. He said that His work and truth would split families. It would set fathers against sons and mothers and daughters and vice versa. His truth demands  a choice.

In our “Christian” society, that very word (Christian) has lost meaning and respect. Our stance and our lives rarely reflect Jesus. People who followed Him during the time He walked the earth and even for many years afterwards were persecuted and many even cut off by their families. You know why? IT WAS A TOTAL LIFE CHANGE! They changed beliefs, habits, sometimes even vocations because He changed their life. It changed their desires too. They knew their family needed Him and worked hard to show them why and how to follow. TODAY…we don’t change much of anything except adding a few hours of church time each week…maybe…

Following Jesus brings CHANGE! It splits our old desires from our new self, our old habits from our new life, and our concern for our own well-being to the compassionate caring for others’ needs first.

In conversation the other day it hit me that our teens live what they see in me and other adults in the church. They watch us compartmentalize Jesus. They watch us stand firm on His truth until it would be uncomfortable for us. They watch us guard what we say at church (“I could tell you but I’m at church”) and have no issue other times. They hear us speak of caring for others above ourselves and then berate the drivers alongside us on the highway. They see “passive” Christianity! Which, by the way, doesn’t exist!

Pray about the “SPLIT” moment in your life. I am. Was it a split that Jesus made removing our old sinful heart and replacing it with a new heart? Or was it a decision to try to be a better person with Jesus’ help?

True conversion, salvation, surrender or whatever word you want to use is based on His call to us and our response of following whole-heartedly. It is not our decision to “try this Jesus thing,” walk down an aisle because I need to be a better person, or responding to a desire to have my best life now! It is all about answering His call and surrendering to Him.

Has your life been split in two? It isn’t always comfortable, but it is His way!