Sometimes we need a little push

I am spending a few days at the lake with my family. The weather up here is gorgeous and the water is perfect. My kids love to swim, they love to play in the water, and they love to tube and ski behind the boat. You would think that every morning they would immediately run down the dock and jump into the water. However, it is quite the opposite. Even with all of the fun awaiting them, it is very typical that one or more of the kids are hesitant to enter the water. Something keeps them from jumping in and enjoying what they love.

I think we sometimes experience this same type of hesitation as it relates to spiritual matters. We know that time with God is awesome. Yet we find other things to fill our days. We know that reading His Word blows our minds and brings amazing change. We know that worshipping God with songs of praise bring us closer to Him. We know that obedience brings favor and blessing. We know these things, yet we sometimes hold back. We don’t always jump in. Sometimes my kids need a little encouragement to jump in and enjoy the water. Sometimes they need a little push. Likewise, there are times that we need a little encouragement to jump in and enjoy God. Sometimes we just need a little push. JUMP IN!

Spiritual stimulus is what we need

Last night was spent talking through all of the issues we are facing here in the United States. We came up with a lot of things that need to be addressed economically, politically, socially, and educationally. However, we concluded that none of these solutions will really matter if this country continues to turn from God. Ultimately, our condition is a spiritual one. It is only when we humble ourselves before the Creator that we will again experience favor. It is only when we turn from our evil ways and pray that God will heal our land. We must turn our hearts back to God. We need spiritual stimulus. People of God, let’s pray!

Passionately pursuing?

In his letter to the Christians in Philippi, the Apostle Paul, states, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” – Phil. 3:10-11

Paul is the man. If anyone knows Christ, it would be Paul at this point in his life. If anyone should be able to sit back and relax, it should be Paul. However, Paul states that he wants to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. Paul’s attitude and understanding of his Savior and Lord is one of awe, of Godly fear, of humility, and of pursuit. Paul knows enough to know that he doesn’t know everything and that he needs to continue pursuing Jesus every day of his life. He is driven by an overwhelming desire to pursue Christ and to know Him more and more.

Paul’s passionate pursuit of his Savior is a model for the rest of us. Are we consumed with a deep desire to know Him more? How great is our need for Christ?

Motivation matters

What is your motivation? Is it your happiness, your comfort, your reputation, your acceptance, your desire to avoid pain? Are you looking to earn points with God? Is it all about looking good to God and to others? Or, are you motivated by a heart-felt desire to obey God, to follow Jesus, and to glorify the Lord? How you answer this question matters tremendously. It’s all about the condition of your heart – your motivation. Is your motivation (heart) still turned to you or is it turned to God?

Maybe you need to cry out, like David did, “create in me a clean heart O’ God. Renew a right spirit within me.” Is this your prayer? Is this your deepest desire? Are you willing to allow this to happen? Caution - you will have to give up yourself for this to happen. However, there is really no option. We are must be completely His. We must be willing to love God with our whole heart.

God will do it

God will accomplish His plans. He will complete His work in us and in the world. His name will be lifted up. God will save those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ. God will do it.

God will deliver His children. He will set the captives free, He will bring liberty to the oppressed, He will bring sight to the blind. God will do it.

God will lift up the humble and bring peace to the broken hearted. He will show Himself to those who seek Him. God will do it.

GOD WILL DO IT!

Fearless Christianity

The early Christians were fearless. They were being thrown into prison, tortured, stoned, and run out of their homes, yet they kept telling people about Christ. Check it out: 

“On that day (the day that Stephen was stoned for preaching Christ) a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” Acts 8:1-4

May God pour His powerful grace on us, that we may be this fearless for Him. 

They waited for the gift

I am still hanging out at Pentecost and stopped for a moment to contemplate the following statement:  

“We (the apostles) are witnesses of these things (the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ), and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him." – Acts 5:32 

It is interesting to see that the presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the apostles was correlated to their obedience. I think we can better understand this passage and this correlation between the fullness of the Holy Spirit and our obedience by looking at the following instructions that Jesus gave to the apostles:  

"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." – Acts 1:4b-5   

Would the apostles have experienced the fullness of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem if they did not obey God and wait? Would the miracles surrounding Pentecost have happened if the apostles had not obeyed? Would the number of believers have grown to 3,000 on that day if the apostles had not obeyed?     

If we want all that God has for us, if we want to be used by Him, if we want to see His glory, if we want to be used for kingdom advancement, if we want the fullness of the Holy Spirit in our lives, then we need to obey God. We need to go when He tells us to go and we need to stay when He tells us to stay.  We need to be about His work and fully submit our will to His will. 

If we don’t remain when God has called us to remain, we are being disobedient, and we will miss out on His fullness. If we don’t go when and where He has called to go, we are being disobedient and will miss out on His fullness. Let’s be people who submit to God in obedience and really follow Him. Let’s be people who love God with everything in us and at all times. Let’s be YES men and women. And as a result, we will be people who advance the kingdom of God while being filled to the overflow with the fullness of the Holy Spirit. 

It’s not really about the shock and awe

Continuing on the topic of miracles, I wanted to point out that miracles aren’t simply for the shock and awe factor. They have a greater purpose. In fact, throughout the New Testament, miracles weren’t really even for the edification of the saints. Rather, miracles got people’s attention and drew men to Christ. Miracles showed the greatness of God and gave opportunity to lift up the name of Christ, resulting in the lost coming to Him.   

Check out Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came in power and the believers spoke in different tongues. This definitely displayed some shock and awe, but the final result wasn’t just a bunch of open mouths; rather, it resulted in 3,000 people coming to Christ. When Peter and John healed the lame man in the name of Jesus, it provided a lot of shock and awe, but it ultimately resulted in the name of Christ being glorified and the number of believers growing to 5,000.

It’s not really about the shock and awe. It’s about advancing the kingdom of God by lifting up the name of Jesus and drawing men unto Him. So, may we see miracles today, resulting in the name of Christ being lifted up and the lost being drawn to their Savior. 

It might take a miracle

As I was reading through the first several chapters from the Book of Acts this morning, the presence of miracles in the ministry of the apostles once again appeared front and center. This wasn’t new, as miracles were instrumental in the earthly ministry of Jesus. They were just continuing the ministry of Jesus.   

God uses miracles to touch people’s lives and to get people's attention. Turning water into wine got people’s attention. Feeding the 5,000 got people’s attention. Raising Lazarus from the dead got people’s attention. Conquering the grave got people’s attention. The move of the Holy Spirit and the speaking in tongues at Pentecost got people’s attention and 3,000 came to Christ. The lame man walking got people’s attention and the number of believers grew to 5,000. The list goes on and on.     

But what about today? Does God still use miracles? He is the same today as He was yesterday. Around the world, God is still using miracles to get our attention. I have seen it first hand. While in Africa, I saw a man who was lame for four years get up and walk. This got everyone’s attention and pointed them to Christ. I have also seen many people physically healed and/or delivered from addictions right here in America. But, it still seems like we live in a culture, even in the church, that doesn’t fully expect God to show up in miraculous power. Is it a lack of faith? Is it a lack of desperation? I don’t know, but throughout history and in the lives of countless many around the world today, God is showing up in power and showing Himself to be the God of Miracles.

Can He do this in our generation right here in the United States? I know He can, but it might take a miracle. Let’s be people who continue the ministry of Christ and in faith allow Him to be glorified as He touches the lives of people through miracles.

Put others before ourselves

As the Apostle Paul pointed out at the beginning of the 2nd chapter in his letter to the Christians in Philippi, the key ingredient to unity is humility. We must humble ourselves and, like Christ, die to our own rights and desires and put others before us. 

By God’s grace, let’s shed the old selfish tendencies and be people who are motivated by loving God and loving people. In fact, let’s be people who don’t go to church looking for how we can be blessed; rather, let’s go to church looking for opportunities to bless others!

Happy Anniversary

Today, June 8th, is my 18th wedding anniversary. I am blessed to be married to an amazing woman of God who loves Jesus with a tender and pure heart. Velvet is my faithful partner, my co-laborer in ministry, my encourager, my helpmate, and my best friend. She is so much more than just a good catch, she is a precious gift from the Creator of the universe. She is a gift from God.

May God continue to take us where we could never go in our own strength; may we always keep our eyes on His cause; may we accomplish every good thing that He has planned for our lives; may our children rise up to call us blessed and may they never depart from the Lord; may the name of The Lord be glorified in our marriage; may we grow old together.

Let's lay it down

In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul demonstrates his willingness to forgo his personal desires in order to minister to others.   

We need to learn this kingdom quality from Paul and be willing to lay down our own preferences, comforts, time, and resources in order to reach others. Let’s be willing to not have everything just the way we personally want it so that we can minister to others. Let’s put the cause of Christ above our own cause.   

In fact, even when we gather together for worship and prayer, let’s not simply seek what will bring us joy or even give us those wonderful spiritual goose bumps, rather let’s seek what will advance the gospel and show love to others. Believe me, then the true joy and spiritual goose bumps will happen.

Things I Love: The Bible

Big Idea:
Beyond being the best selling book of all time, the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God that reveals the character and majesty of the Creator of the universe, while also presenting His love and purposeful plan for us. However, the Bible is only effective when we allow it to penetrate our hearts, minds, souls, and spirits. We must receive the Word and permit it to take root in our lives, resulting in change that will last for all eternity.     

Summary:
The Bible is a special book because it is God’s Word.  Although written by human beings, it is also the inspired Word of God.  God has revealed Himself to us through His written Word, which points us toward Christ. He shows us truth, reveals our hearts, disciplines us, encourages us, and prepares us for life. Reading the Bible helps us maintain and refresh our relationship with God. Additionally, the Word of God has the power to heal and transform our lives. God's word is not like the word of man; it is living, effective and self‑fulfilling. It diagnoses the condition of the human heart and brings blessing to those who receive it in faith.   

Jesus tells us that people have different responses when they encounter the Truth found in God’s Word – The Bible. The first hears the Word, but the philosophies of this world drown it out and actually make it sound like foolishness. This person rejects the Truth of God because they did not understand. The second person hears the Word and initially believes, but because they receive no instruction, they sadly end up falling away and rejecting Truth. The third person hears the Word, believes it, grows in it, but after time they become distracted by the cares, worries, lusts, and riches of this world. However, there is the person who hears the Word, believes it, grows in it, embraces it, perseveres in it, and allows it to completely transform them. The power of God’s Word will change this person and cause them to fulfill the very plan that God designed for them. They end up living a life of spiritual victory and abundance.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Luke 8:4-15 

1.     What does the seed represent? What is the growing process? 

2.     Elaborate on each of these types of ground:  

• Along the path: How does the devil take away the word from their hearts? 
  
• Among the rocks: What do the rocks represent? Why do you suppose they fell away? 
  
• Among the thorns: How do these things "choke" the Christian life? What are indications of maturity? 
  
• On good soil: What are characteristics of people who not only receive the message well, but also produce fruitfulness after much perseverance? 

3.     How can people in the first three categories develop good soil? 

4.     And how can those in the good soil maintain the condition of their soil? 

5.     What type of soil are you growing in?   

Taking Action: Analyze the condition of your soil. Is your life experiencing spiritual growth and are you producing much fruit? Intentionally nourish your soil by frequently watering it. Spend time in God’s Word; allow Him to renew your mind. Put the things of God’s Word to work in your life and watch the growth and transformation happen. 

Ministry Time

“The proof of desire is pursuit.”

Do you want to know what you really desire? Take a look at your life. What are you pursuing? Are you pursuing the things of God? Are you going after righteousness, godliness, faith, and love? Are you taking advantage of every opportunity to advance the Kingdom of God? If so, then Jesus is your desire? Or, are you pursuing the things of this world - wealth, pleasure, comfort, and reputation. Is it the applause of man that you seek? Is it your next purchase or your next vacation that fills your thoughts and drives you? If so, then that speaks volumes about your desire.

Take inventory of your life. God wants to be your deep desire. He will not share that with anyone or anything.

Take hold of the eternal life

Being a follower of Christ is not a one-time decision. It always starts with the loving work of Christ on the cross and His grace that He freely offers to us. We then have the opportunity to accept this gift. But, this is not the end of the story. It is still just the beginning. Check out this passage from the Apostle Paul to his protégé, Timothy. Let’s remember that Paul is writing this to an established man of God – a leader in the church.   

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12 

Notice how these passages remind us that being a Christian is not a one-time decision. It’s not simply about saying a prayer and becoming a member of “the Christian club”.  It’s about taking hold of the eternal life. It’s about bringing the kingdom of God to this lost world. Our confession of faith is just the beginning. It is not the end! Let’s fight the fight. Let’s take hold of what Christ has taken hold of for us. Let’s live everyday for Him and for His glory. Let’s finish well.   

Here’s some more good news. Jesus never told us that being His disciple would be easy, but He did assure us that He has given us all we need and that He will be with us throughout the process until the very end. We are not left to our own strength. Christ is with us. Praise God for His goodness and for His deliverance. Now, let’s take hold of it!

Are you fleeing? Are you pursuing God?

In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he states, “But you, man of God, flee (run) from all this (greed, bad doctrine, divisiveness, controversies, sinful behavior), and pursue (chase after) righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” 1 Timothy 6:11   

I submit that each of us should heed these words of encouragement from the Apostle Paul. I love the use of the words flee and pursue. Paul uses strong words of action. When Paul tells Timothy to flee bad doctrine, the things of the world, and Satan, he is instructing him to run from them as fast as he can. Have nothing to do with this stuff. Turn away and hi-tail it out of there. When someone flees from something, they flat out run away from it as fast as they can. Are you fleeing?   

I also appreciate the use of the word pursue. To pursue something means to chase after it. Pursuit means that you are diligent and unwavering. You press on, keep going, and do what you must until you get it. It drives you. Paul says to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Don’t pursue money, fame, or comfort – the stuff of this sick world. NO! Pursue the things of God! Are you pursuing?   

One other thing, Paul doesn’t simply tell Timothy to think about these godly things or just long for these things, instead he tells him to get up and go after them with passion and with everything in him. Take action!

As followers of Christ, these are our marching orders. We must go after God with everything that is in us. We must pursue Him with passion. 

What's Impressing You?

Part four of our "Tattoed" series challenges us to be aware and be careful of what we allow to impress us because it will affect how we impress others and it will ultimately affect what kind of mark we leave on the next generation.

Big Idea:
Impressions shape our lives in big ways and in small ways, and what we allow to impress us will affect what kind of impression we leave on others.

Summary:
Impressions are more than words that we remember; they impact and change us, sometimes ever so slightly, and yet, a few times in life we encounter moments, events or influential people that leave an unmistakable imprint on our souls. Have you ever thought about what kind of impression you are leaving? We will all leave an impression on the world around us and on the generations that follow us.

Here are three types of impressions we are called to leave: (1) Intentional Impressions: We are called to intentionally shine the light of Christ in a dark world and to teach the ways of the Lord to the generations that follow us. We intentionally make impressions upon others when we live like Christ is the King of our lives and when we make disciples. (2) Righteous Impressions: As agents of righteousness, we have the privilege of working with God to build up, encourage, speak the truth in love, and bear the burdens of others. If we choose to ignore or put down others, we are abandoning our assignment to bless them. Your blessing has the power to change the atmosphere in a room, in a relationship, and in a community. (3) Lasting Impressions: We should not be satisfied with leaving a few “warm fuzzy” feelings and some inspirational thoughts with the generations that follow us; rather, we should be driven to leave an indelible impression that cannot be erased or ignored - an unforgettable reminder that people matter because they are loved by the God of heaven, that their faith response to the call of God will make a difference in a hurting world, and that the only life worth living is the one that represents Christ.

Finally, what you are impressed with will determine what kind of an impression you leave on others. If you are impressed with the things of this world, then you will leave the mark of this world on others; however, if you live a life that demonstrates the evident impression of Christ, then you will leave the mark of Jesus on those around you and the generations that will follow. The world needs people who have been truly changed because the King of Kings has impressed them to the core. Let God impress His Son so deeply on your life that He is seen in everything you say and do. Let’s leave an impression!

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Deuteronomy 6:1-9
How can we practically impress the ways of God on the next generation? What is the result of discipling others? How have you seen this precept work in you and in the lives of others around you?

Matthew 5:13-16
Why is it important to intentionally display Christ in our daily lives? Discuss how we can we “let our light shine”. What are you personally doing in this area?

Philippians 4:8-9
Discuss what things you are allowing to impress your life. How is this affecting the kind of mark you are leaving on others? How does the truth of this scripture change what you will allow into your life?

Taking Action: Write down those who you are purposefully impressing (discipling) in the ways of God. If the list is short, ask God to reveal those you are called to intentionally impress for His glory. Begin making a lasting impression of righteousness in their lives as you teach them the ways of God.

Ministry Time

The Stigmata of the Cross

Here is part three of our "Tattooed" series.

Big Idea:
Just as God has our names tattooed on His hands and His image imprinted on our hearts, He also wants His mark of identification branded on our lives. This mark separates, regenerates, and unites us.

Summary:
The Apostle Paul once said that he bore the “marks” (or “stigmata”) of the Lord as a result of his life and ministry. The Greek word “stigmata” represents ownership. We all wear marks and show our allegiance to something. We tell the world and God where our allegiance lies by what we say, what we do, where we spend our time, how we spend our money, and how we treat others. There are times when we show our allegiance to the world, to our friends, to our political party, and to our social clubs more clearly than we do to the Kingdom of God. There is really only one thing that truly matters in this life, one event which divided the History of the world, one payment which covers the cost of sin: it is the cross of Jesus Christ. May our lives be branded with the symbol of His amazing sacrifice.

God took the vilest of symbols, the cross, and turned it into the ultimate sign of victory! That God became one of us and allowed Himself to be viciously nailed to that “emblem of suffering and shame,” is remarkable. Only God would do such a thing. Only God could bring glory from shame, taking the stigma of the cross and turning it into a tattoo of beauty - a priceless piece of art. But is this stigma just a symbol, or is it an instrument of deliverance? Do you wear the stigmata of the cross, not just around your neck, but also in the way you live? Do others associate you with what the cross truly represents? 1) The stigma of the cross represents separation. The Greek word for separation basically means to be holy, righteous, and sanctified. When we fully identify with His stigmata, God instantly separates us from our sinful past. Then he progressively separates us from the behavior that keeps us from fully becoming like Jesus. And ultimately, we will one day be completely separated by being given perfect and sinless bodies. The goal of a Christian is to be more and more like Jesus until this happens. 2) The stigma of the cross regenerates us. The work of the cross is what brings us into newness of life and removes the old sinful nature that used to rule us. We are new creations. The old has passed away, and we can now live for God while we shed our sinful lifestyles. 3) The stigma of the cross unites us by making those who believe in Christ into a family. So, what brand to do wear? What stigma do you bear?

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Galatians 6:14-17
What does it look like to “die to the interests of this world”? Give examples of how we can bear the “stigmata” of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:14-17
What does Paul say will happen when we wear the brand of the cross and fully associate with Christ? Share what “old things” have disappeared in your life since coming to the cross.

Hebrews 2:10-11
How can the cross change our identity? What does it mean to you to be called a brother of Christ and also a child of God? Discuss the implications of being a member of God’s family.

Taking Action: Write down where you spend your time and money. Based on this list, what brand are you wearing? Purpose to associate more with the cross and less with the world.

Ministry Time

Time in the parking lot

Late last week I went through a couple of days feeling overwhelmed and anxious. This is not at all a normal experience for me, and I must admit that I was not handling it well. Finally, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit and my wife (sometimes the two of them work hand in hand), I grabbed my Bible and quickly left the house in order to run from the temptation to overreact to the anxiety and instead, to cry out to God for some help. I stopped off at the QT market and grabbed an extra-large Dr. Pepper before finding myself in an empty parking lot. I opened my Bible and started reading. After about 10 verses I shut my Bible and told God, “I need something right now!” God is good, and I believe He very much likes it when we cry out to Him in desperation. That’s where I was – desperate. He immediately told me to read Psalm 43. Here is what God gave me: 

“Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. Why are you downcast, O my soul?  Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. 

I declared this scripture a dozen times continuing to speak it out louder each time. I followed it up with speaking other truth from God’s Word over my life, reminding my self who I am in Christ Jesus. In other words, I engaged in some spiritual warfare. Here’s what happened - the enemy fled. The overwhelming sense of anxiety left. I was back at home only 40 minutes after I had left. I walked in the door and announced to my family, “I am back!” And I was, to the glory and praise of God. 

The battle was not a physical battle against people or even my busy schedule of life and ministry; no, it was a battle against Satan himself. Satan is a liar. He wants to mess with us and he doesn’t want us to live out the purposes God has for us. He is bad news, but in Christ and the truth of God’s Good News, we can drive the enemy away and move forward in joy, peace, and victory as we minister the life of Christ. Hallelujah! We serve the risen King who is victorious. 

What's our motivation?

What’s our motivation for Christ? Is He our ticket out of hell? Is He the means to our best life now? Or, is He our deep desire and our great expectation? Are we Christians because we are afraid of hell and would rather have an eternity of comfort instead of torment? Or, are we Christians because we crave to be in the presence of God? If we crave to be in God’s presence, then why aren’t we chasing after His presence right now? Why don’t we rearrange our day to make significant time for him? Why do we allow the distractions of this world to crowd out Christ from our daily life? Why do we choose 3 hours of watching football or shopping over 3 hours of worship, prayer, and time meditating on His Holy Word? Is He our deep desire? Do we want to really know God? We can be in His presence today. Let’s go for it. Let’s choose God. 

Foundational Truths

During my time in the prayer room on Tuesday, the Lord brought to the front of my mind some foundational truths that can sometimes get lost in the hustle and bustle of life and ministry. It’s good to have them front and center in my heart and on my mind this day.

“Lord, why did You create me? Was it to make money? Was it to satisfy the cravings of my flesh? NO! You created me to be loved and to love. You created me to love you and to love others. You created me to bring glory and fame to Your name – Jesus Christ, the hope of the entire world.”
 
“The work of Christ is enough to fully justify me and to fully sanctify me. His grace is enough! I have all I need for life and for godliness. I am fully equipped in Him. He will complete His work in me. May His full sacrifice be made fully evident in my life for His glory. My flesh is not in charge. It does not control me. I am a child of God who walks by the Spirit! In Him, nothing is impossible.”
- Eric Jones

The humble and God-fearing heart of our President ... Lincoln

Proclamation Appointing a National Fast Day 

the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.

And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.

And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!

It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.

All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty seventh.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward, Secretary of State.

What is imprinted on your heart?

Ths is the 2nd small group study from the "Tattooed" series.

Big Idea:
All of us have something imprinted deep upon our hearts and minds; something that forms our perspective on life, shapes our attitudes, and drives our behavior. What image is imprinted on your heart?

Summary:
The great and wise King Solomon tells us that, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he…” In other words, whatever you have imprinted upon your heart will eventually reveal itself in your character and how you live life. Your “heart” is the place of your deep-seated beliefs. It is the core of your identity and the hidden vault of your values. Your heart is where you develop an image of worth and value or of hopelessness and despair. Ultimately, your inner world always determines the success of your outer world. In order to live a life that glorifies God, benefits the world, and brings fulfillment to your soul, you will have to invest more time and effort into building your inner world than you do in building your outer world. So, what image is imprinted on your heart? Do you walk around with an inner image of despair that says, “Yesterday was bad, today is worse, and tomorrow will take me to new lows?” Or do you embrace the image that says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me?”

There are three things that can greatly affect our inner image. (1) Our beliefs form our inner image. If you want to change anything about your life, you have to change what you believe deep within your heart. You can change your inner image by choosing what you believe. (2) Our expectations form our inner image. What do you expect out of life? What do you expect God to do in you, and through you? If you expect to live a defeated life, then, regardless of the potential that lies within you, your expectations will produce defeat in your life. You can change your inner image by changing what you expect. (3) Our experiences form our inner image; and our attitudes become hardened when we fail to properly process the pain of past experiences. Past experiences often form present attitudes and present perceptions. You can change your inner image by releasing the past; however, changing your inner-image is only useful if you choose to exchange the old image with the image of Christ Jesus. This is accomplished by walking in submission to God, living secure in His love, acting selflessly toward others, and focusing on your God-given purpose in life.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Luke 6:43-45
How does the condition of your heart affect how you live life and treat others? What faulty things have you programmed into your inner image? How has this affected your relationships, your character, and your overall success in life?

Romans 12:1-2
Discuss different ways we can be conformed to this world. How have worldly influences affected your life? What are some ways that we can renew our minds? How does God’s Word renew our minds? Give examples.

Philippians 2:1-11
Discuss how we can have the same attitude of Christ and (1) be submissive, (2) be secure in our identity, (3) be selfless, and (4) be single-minded.

Taking Action: Purposefully write down what is really forming your inner image. Is it external forces and other people, or is it God? Purpose to spend significant time in God’s Word each day this week and allow God to transform your thinking into His reality. Take notice of the change in you.

Ministry Time

Everyone's lookin' for it

This is the 1st small group study in our "Tattooed" series.

Big Idea:
Every one of us desperately wants to be loved and we will often do desperate things in order to find that love. We must come to the realization that we can only find this love in the One God who has always loved us.

Summary:
We all have a deep desire to be loved and accepted. In each of our lives there is a fundamental need to be accepted, understood, and unconditionally loved. Your greatest need is not money. Your greatest need is not success. Your greatest need is not fame. Your greatest need is not a better job. Your greatest need is to be loved. Not with sentimental love, not with sexual love, and not with brotherly love, but with a love that is transcendent, a love that is unconditional, and a love that only God can give.

However, many of us, in search of perfect love and acceptance, have inscribed some ugly images upon our lives: the image of performance, the image of a person, the image of position, the image of physical affection, the image of pleasure, the image of possessions, or the image of pity. The problem with these images (tattoos) on our lives is that they never really produce what they promise. They may produce momentary gratification and meaning, but they always leave you wanting more and, ultimately, wishing you could remove the marks that they leave on your life. That’s where God’s love is so different. It’s a love based on giving. A love based on serving. A love based on an eternal commitment. Here are four beautiful truths that you can safely tattoo on your life without the fear of having to remove them later. (1) God’s love is unmerited. God loves you simply because He wants to. (2) God’s love is unconditional. He loves us at all times. Even in our weakness and failures. (3) God’s love is unchangeable. His love is eternal. (4) God’s love is unforgettable. He will not forget you for “see, He has inscribed you on the palms of His hands.” – Isaiah 49:16. If you have been looking for love in all the wrong places, God is calling you to Him. He desires to be the image that is tattooed on your heart. He is waiting for you to turn to Him, leave the unfulfilling traps of this world, and find meaning, purpose, and acceptance in His amazing love.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

1 John 4:9-19
How does embracing God’s love for us change everything? How can we be confident that God’s love is in us? How has your understanding of Gods unmerited and unconditional love changed your life?

Romans 8:35-39
Have you ever believed that something has separated you from God’s love? How did that affect your relationship with God? Why do you think Satan uses this lie? How can you experience victory in this battle?

Hosea 1:2-3 & Hosea 3:1-3
How does this story of Hosea’s love for his unfaithful wife parallel God’s love for us? In what ways have you experienced God’s unconditional love?

Taking Action: Examine yourself and list what images you have tattooed on your life in an attempt to find love and acceptance. Now, make the decision to lay those down at the feet of the cross and embrace the unconditional and unending love of your Creator – God Almighty.

Ministry Time

Command, don't suggest

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul instructs him to, "Command and teach these things." Notice that he doesn't tell Timothy to suggest the things of God. Rather, he tells Timothy to command these things. The truths of God are not simply recommendations, they are non-negotiable commands. 

As a follower of Christ, are you prepared to receive commands. As a maturing Christian, are you prepared to present the commands of God to others? This is what we are called to do; submit to God's commands and teach them to others. 

Jesus put it this way in the Great Commission, "teach them to obey all I have commanded." 

Adios Diablo

The Apostles James makes an amazing statement, “Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.” What an incredible truth. We actually have all we need in Christ to say no to the Devil; to resist his will on our lives. It is also incredible that when we exercise this God-given grace, that the Devil flees. The devil actually runs from us. We don’t have to live with the Devil. The Devil doesn’t have to be a companion of ours. When we live in the spirit and not by our flesh, when we take hold of the victory that we have in Christ Jesus, when we humble ourselves and receive the amazing grace of God, the Devil will run from us. Hallelujah!

Taking care of ministers

If you have been following Transformed Daily, you know that I have recently been spending a little time in the book of Joshua. Much of this book is dedicated to the distribution of the Promised Land to God’s chosen people. It is always interesting to note that as all of the land is being distributed among the tribes, it is very obvious that the Levites are left out. In fact, it is clear that they are intentionally left out of the land distribution bonanza. Why weren’t the priestly people given any land? Doesn’t this seem like a severe oversight or a grievous error? It seems backwards. Wouldn’t God take extra-special care of His priests by blessing them with the lion’s share of the land? Why didn’t the men of God get the largest allotments of land? Why did they just get some cities that they were allowed to live in, rather than thousands of acres of land to call their own?

Maybe it is because God set apart the Levites to be priests, not farmers. They were called to devote themselves to the work of God Almighty and pastor the people, not concern themselves with clearing land, growing crops, digging wells, and raising livestock. God’s plan was to keep His priests focused on serving the spiritual needs of His people. But, that doesn’t mean that the priests were left to lives of poverty or reduced to begging in the streets in order to survive. On the contrary, God makes sure that His servants, who work in His house, are well taken care of by providing places for them to live and plenty of provisions. God does this by commanding the other tribes to make sure the Levites have all they need.   

We also see that God takes care of His priests by setting aside a large portion of the sacrificial offerings for their food, as well as the best of the oil, and the wine, and the first-fruits, with the tithes of the children of Israel (Num. 18:9-19, 24). God also made provision by commanding the other tribes to give unto the Levites, out of their own inheritance, cities to dwell in (Num. 35:2-5). God makes it clear that those who receive from the spiritual service of His servants, should, in turn, minister to their temporal subsistence. By the way, this is a common thread that is continued into the New Testament as the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians,

“But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:13-14) 

Before I conclude, it is also interesting to note that the Levites didn’t all live in just one city. Rather, they were appointed to live all throughout the land of Israel. God never intended there to be one centralized community of Levites, but every tribe was to have the priestly influence and presence among them. This is also true of the Christian church today. Christ has called us to be among all nations, all tribes, and all people groups. The church is intended to be throughout the entire world and all of society, instead of heading off to make a “Christian country” somewhere. We are called to go. We are called to plant churches in every community. The ministers of the gospel are called to live among the people of this world as they minister the love, compassion, righteousness, and justice of Christ Jesus.  

Who do we associate with?

Do we associate with the world or do we associate with Christ? Do we display worldly things or do we display Christ? Let’s make a bold statement and be "tattooed" with the name of Christ and not with the vanities of this world. May our association with Christ be evident to the world. May we be people of light, like a shining city on a hill. May we be in Christ and in Christ alone. As He has written His name on our hearts, let us boldly display Him to the world. May we get up and follow Christ in all that we do and in all that we are.

AWAKEN

Here is my small group curriculum from this past Easter's teaching. 

Big Idea:
There are moments in life when we face the choice to either remain in the pain of our own disappointment or to awaken and enter the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
 
Summary:
The disciples of Jesus spent three amazing years walking with Christ, witnessing miracles, receiving His teaching, and experiencing His love. However, after the crucifixion, we see them retreating to three different places: (1) sitting in a room enveloped with hopelessness and despair, (2) stumbling down a road going nowhere important, and (3) fishing from a boat as they try to forget the pain of the past.  These three locations reveal three spiritual conditions many people find themselves in. First, there are those who are entombed in hopelessness. Like the disciples, they have come to believe that their condition or situation is beyond hope: “this marriage is beyond repair, this career is going nowhere, this family cannot be healed, or there is no answer for my medical condition.” But what the events of Easter show us is that if God can raise His Son from the dead, He can raise your dead marriage, your dead career, and your damaged relationships; He can deliver you from your addictions, heal your body, and resurrect your dreams. Awaken to the Hope of Christ in you.
 
The second condition we can sometimes experience is a loss of direction. Like the disciples who were found stumbling down the road to Emmaus, we can find ourselves sleepwalking down a road to nowhere without purpose or direction. But, aimlessly living life without knowing God’s plan is petty and pointless. When we discover Whose we are, we will finally understand who we are. We were made by God and for God. Awaken to the truth of Whose you are. Finally, some disciples lost their focus and retreated to their pasts in hopes of numbing their pain and forgetting what had just happened. They were distracted by what their old life was calling them back to. We are too often enslaved by our distractions, which have become our addictions and have lulled us to sleep from the greater purpose of our lives. Awaken to your God-designed purpose in life. “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Ephesians 5:14 (NLT)
 
Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

1 Peter 1:18-21
Discuss the empty and temporal ways the world encourages us to cope with life? Which have you tried and how has it turned out? Share how Christ is your redeemer and how He has restored an area of your life.
 
Psalm 42
When you feel hopeless, what thoughts go through your mind and how do you respond? What did King David do when he began to lose hope? Give examples of things we can speak when we feel hopeless.

Jeremiah 29:11-14
How does this passage depict God’s heart toward you? How can you discover and realize God’s plans for your life? Share what prevents you from running to God in times of trouble.

Taking Action: Spend this next week daily reminding yourself of the hope you have in Christ, who you are in Christ, and the kingdom purpose you have in Christ. Speak these truths over yourself and your family members so that as Christ is fully alive, you too become fully alive in Him.

Ministry Time

Happy Resurrection Sunday

I thank God for His Son. I thank my Savior Jesus for His obedience and love. His act of amazing love on the cross has justified me and it is sanctifying me. Because of the cross, I am forgiven and because of His glorious resurrection, I have been set free. 

The tomb is empty! He's alive! Christ has risen! 

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" - 1 Corinthians 15:55

"My chains are gone, I’ve been set free. My God, my Savior has ransomed me. And like a flood His mercy reigns. Unending love, Amazing grace"

We can!

I have been spending time studying and contemplating the lives of Joshua and Caleb. One characteristic that sets them apart from others is their unrelenting faith that responds to the things of life with a passionate “WE CAN”. From their initial reports about the prospects of taking the Promised Land, up until their last days, they were men who said, “we can.” Let’s fight the natural human responses of fear and complacency with a shout of faith and trust in who we are in Christ by adopting the cry of Joshua and Caleb – WE CAN!

Thoughts on faith

It doesn’t take faith to complain and criticize. It takes faith to go and do the things God has placed on your heart and called you to do. We are called to go, not to grumble. We are called to believe, not to belittle. We are called to shine the light, not to curse the darkness.  

Wholehearted Faith

I love the passages in Joshua chapter 14 where it commends Caleb for following God wholeheartedly. It depicts a man who would not fear the things of this world because of his faith in the Lord. Because Caleb completely trusted God, he was able to enter the promised land, live a long life of purpose, receive the blessings of the Lord, and still have the energy at age 85 to go to battle.

Caleb followed God with every fiber of his being. He trusted God with everything. He didn’t give God most of his life, rather he gave God his whole life. He didn’t hold anything back; he surrendered it all. His entire being was wholly the Lords.

Are you wholeheartedly following God? Is everything in your life submitted to Him or are you holding something back? If we want to take ground for God’s kingdom and win spiritual battles, then we must have wholehearted faith and confidence in God. God is still looking for Caleb’s. He still desires our whole heart - our everything. Let’s be the Caleb’s of this generation who lay it all down for the sake of our God, our King, our Savior, our Lord.

Check it out in Joshua 14:6-15

The counter-cultural King

This week's small group curriculum focuses on our Savior King.

Big Idea:
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, He didn’t enter with pomp and circumstance. He didn’t enter with military power and worldly might; rather, He entered humbly on the back of an ordinary donkey. Who is this Savior King?

Summary:
Throughout the life of Jesus, He confounded conventional wisdom. He never fit into the world’s mold. Jesus came, the first time, as a humble servant born in a stable. Throughout His entire life and ministry, He didn’t live like the royalty of this world, but lived simply and modestly. His entry into Jerusalem was no different, as He triumphantly entered on a donkey. God’s kingdom is vast and without end, set apart from the kingdoms of this world. It started with a few unimportant people who passionately pursued the Man on the donkey. It has not grown by a large takeover or great force, but by one person at a time accepting the Savior King and His ways.

The message of Christ has always been a counter-cultural message. His kingdom has never been in-step with the kingdom of this world. His kingdom is opposite world: a kingdom where the last shall be first and the first shall be last; a kingdom where the greatest of all shall be the servant of all; a kingdom where those who give their lives away shall find in return a greater life, and those who seek to preserve their own lives shall lose them. It’s a kingdom where the best seats at the banquet table are reserved for the least, the last, and the lost. A kingdom where the broken are healed and the seemingly whole are broken. A kingdom where the outcasts are the inner circle and the “know it all’s” are left outside.

The power of God is concealed in what the world considers weak and despised. The glory of God is revealed in what many of us overlook as insignificant. How many times have we missed the presence of God because our eyes where searching for what the world considers greatness? How many times have we missed the supernatural because we were searching for the spectacular? If we are looking for the presence of God, we had better get our eyes off of the things of this world and humbly tune into the heart of God and His kingdom by surrendering our lives to Him and focusing on the things of God – the pure, holy, righteous, and lovely. Remember, God’s ways are not necessarily our ways.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

1 Corinthians 1:27-29
Jesus riding into town on a donkey seemed foolish to the world. Has God used something “foolish” to get your attention or draw you to Him? Share an example where you personally or someone in God’s Word has missed a move of God because it wasn’t recognized.

Isaiah 55:6-11
How are God’s thoughts and plans learned? Share personal experiences or insights from the Word that demonstrate that His ways are different from our own.

Matthew 5:1-12
How does Jesus describe a citizen of opposite world? Discuss how these character qualities should be demonstrated in our lives. How does this differ from the qualities promoted by this world?

Taking Action: Make a concerted effort this week to tune out the noise of the world and tune into God by spending time in His Word and in prayer. Make your ways, His ways.

Ministry Time

God’s Merciful Heart

Big Idea:
As citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, we must embrace the heart of our merciful King by demonstrating a sincere concern for the needy and being moved by the desire to reach the lost, the oppressed, the haggard, the hungry, the homeless, and the dispossessed.

Summary:
God is deeply moved by compassion and mercy for the poor and the needy in this world. Mercy is treating others better than they deserve to be treated and sparing them from harm. Our guest speaker, Jim Cantelon, provides this insight: “I talk a lot about righteousness and justice, but the forgotten part of this equation is often mercy. Simply put - God requires us to love mercy. It’s easier said than done. Being merciful takes a lot of maturity; especially in a culture that jumps on weaknesses. Just watch the evening news today and try and find even a thread of mercy. Most of us have a judgment reflex when somebody around us falls. 

But the Kingdom of God requires something completely different - we are to love mercy… Can you imagine if the Church stood up and decided to exercise mercy as Christ called us to? Think of the orphans and widows in your community, the poor and destitute, the single moms - and in addition to that, the millions of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. What could the body of Christ accomplish if it was truly mobilized with mercy? I’ll tell you - transformation would occur. The Body of Christ would rise up like we’ve never seen before.”

The prophet Isaiah helps us understand the merciful heart of God for the marginalized when he contrasts the type of fast the Lord desires with the kind of religious fasting that was popular at the time. What God wants, says the prophet, is true fasting, demonstrated in these behaviors: standing against injustice, freeing the oppressed, feeding the hungry, giving shelter to the homeless, and clothing the poor. If we are going to be followers of Christ that are actively living-out the heart of God, then we must roll up our sleeves and truly help those in need by giving more generously, sharing more readily, living more simply, and loving mercy. This truly is the “road less traveled” - the call of God on our lives.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Isaiah 58:5-11
According to the prophet Isaiah, what pleases the heart of God? What would the world look like if all of God’s children helped the oppressed in these ways? Discuss ideas and strategies of how we can live-out these things that please God.

Micah 6:8
What character qualities does God want to see in His people? Are these qualities optional?  Explain and apply each characteristic from this passage. Discuss different ways you can show mercy to others: your family, your friends, and strangers.

James 2:14-26
What does a life of “faith without works” look like in today’s world? Can we be Christians without actively helping those in need? Why or why not?

Taking Action: As you are read, watch, or listen to the news this week, allow yourself to become aware of the lack of mercy in today’s society. By God’s grace, retrain your personal “judgment reflex” by purposefully exercising mercy in real ways to others – family, friends, and strangers. Bless, feed, and/or clothe someone in need this week. 

Ministry Time

Take it by force

As I was reading through Joshua chapters 11 and 12, I was again struck with the totality and even the brutality by which the Israelites took the Promised Land. They didn’t mess around. God gave them the land and told them to completely destroy the enemy. When the Israelites obeyed God, He gave them victory after victory. 

These passages give us a picture of the God's nature and His heart for His people. How does this apply to us today? Well, as children of God, we are supposed to take the land and bring His kingdom to this world. We have been commissioned to take the nations. Just like in the days of Joshua and Caleb, this requires some serious warfare. Taking the land involves a fight. It involves destroying the enemy. However, we are reminded by the apostle Paul that, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood (people), but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” – Ephesians 6:12 

Warfare will be a common experience in the life of a Christian. I have said it before, “the Christian life is not a passive experience.” Rather, the life of a Christian is a life of action, a life of warfare against Satan and his demons, a life of passionate obedience to our Commanding Office, and ultimately a life of victory.   

Let’s remember what Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.” Let’s take up arms and forcefully advance God’s kingdom!

Making peace with the enemy

The Israelites were on a mission from God. They were directed to take the Promised Land and destroy the enemy. However, in the middle of this mission from God, they found themselves making peace with the enemy. How did this happen? In Joshua 9:14 we see that the Israelites foolishly made peace with the enemy because they acted in their own wisdom apart from seeking God. They decided to walk by site and not consult the Lord whose mission they were on.

Do we do this in our own lives? Do we find ourselves allowing the enemy to have access into our lives because we act in our own wisdom apart from God? Do we unknowingly make peace with the enemy because we leave God out of our decisions and live our lives without inquiring of our commander – God Almighty? God has a plan and a mission for our lives. He wants to use us for His kingdom purposes. However, we must seek Him for our marching orders and not take things into our own hands.

The dangers of walking in our own wisdom and by our own site is amplified when we consider that we are in a war against the Prince of Darkness and evil spiritual forces that desire to destroy us. Therefore, we must have spiritual eyes and not trust our physical site. We can look at something with our physical eyes and think we can handle it. However, we are blind to the massive spiritual danger that desires to destroy us. Let’s learn from the mistake made by the Israelites and let’s inquire of the Lord. Let’s never allow ourselves to make peace with the enemy.

The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath. – Joshua 9:14-15

Who’s the miracle worker?

When we pray for the sick and they are made well, have we just done a miracle? If this becomes a common occurrence, can we call ourselves healers? Do we ever really do miracles or is it really God who has done a miracle through us?

Based on the Apostle Peter’s words at Pentecost, it looks like he would not only tell us that we are not healers, but that we shouldn’t even fool ourselves into thinking that we have any business doing miracles. In fact, Peter indicates that Jesus himself didn’t even do any miracles, signs, or wonders while He walked this earth. Rather, Peter indicates that it was God the Father who worked through Jesus His son to perform the miracles, signs and wonders. Check this out:

"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.” - Acts 2:22

If this is true of Jesus, then how much more is it true of us. We shouldn’t allow ourselves to fall into the trap of thinking we can do something that only God can do. However, while we cannot perform miracles ourselves, God does want to work through each one of us. Remember what Mark wrote, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

Make no mistake about it, God is doing miracles in the world today. He is healing the sick, providing for the needy, freeing the captives, and even raising the dead. If we are truly in Christ and surrendered to the will of God; if we make ourselves available to Him in faith and obedience, then we will be used by Him in ways that are truly miraculous. It is really a wonder in and of itself that God would choose to use us. What a humbling thing – praise God Almighty. 

Finally, let's press into God, make ourselves available to Him, and see Him do miracles in us and through us today.

Influence

This week's small curriculum reminds us that we can all make a difference if we choose to.

Big Idea:
Just as Christ influenced the world for all eternity, each of our lives is meant to have significant influence on the world around us - both locally and globally.

Summary:
God has called us to be good stewards of our lives and the gifts He has given us – relationships, time, talent, and treasure. But none of those things may matter as much as the influence that God has entrusted to you. Influence is so important because it is the power to affect how someone develops, acts, or thinks. Influence shapes our world and can affect the eternal destiny of people. This is why influence requires careful stewardship. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to influence the world for the sake of Christ, His gospel, and His kingdom. Therefore, we must become the most influential people on the planet. Having a heart for the world is making the commitment to become a person of influence who stands for righteousness, truth, and justice. In fact, neglecting to influence the world around you for the sake of Christ is to completely miss the calling of Christ on your life.

How can we best steward this gift of influence? The Bible teaches us the following three principles. First, we must recognize our influence. Everyone has influence. We are far more influential than we realize. Each of us has some measure of influence over every person we come in contact with in life. Second, we must exercise our influence; otherwise, it is irrelevant. Influence is like money. We can use it for good, we can use it for evil, or we can save it and never use it. The way that we influence the world is through compassionate engagement - through loving, giving, serving and sharing the Good News of the Gospel. Third, we must maximize our influence. There are two legitimate reasons for expanding your sphere of influence – ministry and missions. The enemy is working hard every day to maximize and expand his influence of unrighteousness in the world. Therefore, as Christ followers, we must be about expanding and maximizing our kingdom of God influence. If we do this, we will make a difference in this world and the world to come. 

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Matthew 5:13-16
This passage encourages us to be influential. Give examples of how we can be salt and light. How does Christ look upon those who neglect their influence? What is the result of us exercising our influence? Share a specific story of what has happened as a result of letting your light shine.

Daniel 3:13-30
How did these guys influence a nation? Discuss how your obedience to God’s commands can influence others.

1 Peter 5:8-11
Discuss how the Devil is exercising his influence in the world today. What is the result of his influence? How can our influence make a difference? Discuss ways we can maximize our influence in the world.

Taking Action: Exercise your influence in a real way by engaging individually or as a group in the upcoming “Project Homeless Connect,” by signing up for a short-term missions trip, or use your financial resources to send someone else. Contact Katie in or Outreach Department this week.

Ministry Time

One Degree of Seperation

This is part one of my Heart for the World small group curriculum. Let's get out of our bubbles and reach the world for Christ.

Big Idea:
“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Summary:
According to what the Bible teaches us, there is only one degree of separation between us and every other human being on the planet. That one degree is the person of Jesus, who not only stands between God and man as the only true mediator, but He also stands as the only common denominator that draws us together in healthy community in spite of our vast differences. Jesus underscores this truth when he tells us that how we treat one another, especially the needy and broken, is how we treat Him. In fact, the very acts of mercy toward others, which we are called to perform every day of our lives, are the evidence of the reality of our salvation?

If this is true, then what keeps us from serving those in need? Here are five common objections. 1) I don’t feel called. This objection is based on the faulty belief that one has to be “called” to serve the world. You don’t need a call when you’ve been given a command: “Go into all the world.” In fact, you need a permission slip from Jesus to stay home. 2) I don’t know how. However, God said that HE would guide and direct you. He will be with you when you step out in obedience and show His love to others. You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to be willing enough to actually “go”. 3) I don’t have time. It is often not convenient to serve, but we can always find time for what we value. 4) I don’t know if I can make a difference. All of us can, because all of us have been called by Christ to make a difference. We can do all things through Christ. We can go, we can pray, and we can provide financial support. 5) I don’t want to. This is simply your selfish flesh talking and isn’t consistent with a heart that has been changed by Christ. Say no to your flesh and say yes to the will of your Savior. Go and be His hands and feet.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Matthew 25:36-40
What is the fate of the two groups? What are the standards by which the two groups are judged? Whose needs had they met or failed to meet? Did everyone get a fair chance? Imagine yourself in each group and discuss what would be going through your mind. What are some specific actions that can be taken in meeting each of the needs mentioned?

Isaiah 58:6-9
What are God’s promises to those who take action and help the oppressed, the hungry, and the marginalized? How do our actions in this area affect our relationship with God and our prayer life?

Matthew 28:18-20
Is sharing Christ’s love and compassion to others optional? Why can we confidently do this and know that we will be successful? Discuss practical ways that you can overcome the objections mentioned in the summary of this study.

Taking Action: At some point this week you will find yourself just one degree away from Jesus as you look into the eyes of the broken and the hurting. Don’t turn them away. Treat them as if they were Jesus. Share your experience with the group.

Ministry Time

A BIG Rock

There are BIG rocks and small rocks in the Christian faith. There are ESSENTIALS and non-essentials. The Apostle Paul presents us with one of the NON-NEGOTIABLES in his letter to Timothy:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” - 1 Timothy 2:5.

Jesus said it this way, “I am the way, the Truth, and the Life … no one comes to the Father except by me.” John 14

Believe it or not, this is not the popular view in the world today. In fact, the truth of only one God and Jesus being our only way to Him is even a fuzzy concept in the minds of many “Christians” today. Check out this scary statistic: 57% of evangelicals believe that other religions can lead to eternal life? Whether or not this is a completely accurate statistic, the possibility of any significant number of evangelicals believing that there is any way other than Christ is troubling.

Claiming that there can be another way other than Christ is to nullify His sacrifice. It is to spit on the cross. Jesus said, “if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:24).

It might be politically and socially correct to say that God could make another way for people of other religions, but God has clearly told us in His Word that the only way is through Christ – PERIOD! Paul very clearly says that if you want access to the Father for now and for eternity, then you had better know the Son – Jesus Christ. When I say know – I don’t mean know of Him, but rather KNOW him as you savior and your Lord. Again, “There is only ONE GOD and THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO THE FATHER, BUT THROUGH HIS SON – JESUS CHRIST!”

It's a battle, not a cuddle session

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul encourages him to “fight the good fight.” – 1 Timothy 1:18. Paul also talks about himself fighting the good fight in his second letter to Timothy when he stated, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” - 2 Timothy 4:7.  The concept of the fight is a common view that Paul has of the Christian life. Paul doesn’t talk about the Christian life as a walk, a stroll, or a cuddle session; rather, he speaks of it as a fight, a war, a race, something full of intense action. 

Make no mistake about it, we are in a fight (a war) for our very souls. But remember, “our struggle (battle) is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” – Eph 6:12 

As men and women who are in the middle of this battle, we had better follow the instructions of our commanding officer – Christ Jesus. Living the Christian life without an understanding of our marching orders can result in whole lot of unnecessary pain, being taken as a prisoner of war, or even the loss of our lives. We have been given the offensive weapon of God’s Word – the Sword of the Spirit. It is very advisable to use it and carry it with us at all times by hiding His Word in our heart. Let’s not be clueless soldiers; rather let’s know God’s Word so that we can take hold of the victory that is our in Christ Jesus. 

Get out of the bubble

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” 1 Timothy 1:15

When the Apostle Paul tells us that he has a trustworthy saying for us, we had better sit up and listen.  This is important stuff. In this statement, Paul clearly and concisely let’s us know that Christ came for sinners, not the righteous. He came for the (spiritually) sick, not the healthy.  We also see that in the ministry of Christ, He intentionally shared His hope with sinners – the ignorant and the unbelieving. If Christ came into the world for sinners, and if we are called to continue the ministry of Christ, then we had better be sharing Christ with sinners. Are we Christ-like and intentionally sharing the gospel to the lost or do we spend all of our time in our little church bubble? It can become very easy to insulate ourselves from those who need to hear the good news of Christ. Jesus didn’t say that He came so that believers could circle the wagons, be comfortable, and sing Kumbaya. No, He said that He came to save sinners.

We must be people who are continuing the work of Christ by presenting Christ and His saving grace to people who need it. Let’s get out of the bubble and be about our Saviors business. Let’s share the good news with the lost, the dying, the ignorant, the unbelieving, the sinners. 

Becoming a poster child

The Apostle Paul called himself the worst of sinners. He called himself this because he was a really bad guy who violently persecuted Christians. However, because of God’s strength, mercy, and grace and Paul’s faithfulness to Christ, he was transformed into an Apostle that would carry the gospel message of Christ to the ends of the world and write half of the New Testament. (read about it in 1 Timothy 1:12-16) 

Paul’s testimony reminds us that the grace of Jesus Christ can change any of us and when we cooperate with God’s calling on our lives, we can be used in mighty ways for His kingdom. Paul is a poster child of God’s mercy, grace, and powerful transformation. We can be too. If God can change and mightily use a bad guy like Paul, then He can do the same in our lives. We must reject the lies of the Devil that say God can’t use us because of what we have or haven’t done. Christ came to make us new creations that are fully alive, victorious, and useful in God’s hands. Faithfully chase after the kingdom of God and His righteousness and be amazed at where God takes you and how He uses you for His glory. Become a poster child!

Honor's Reward

Here is the small group curriculum I wrote to accompany the message John Bevere presented this weekend in our church services.  

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Big Idea:

God made it very clear that showing honor is essential when He stated, “Those who honor Me, I will honor, but those who despise Me will be disdained.” Understanding the Biblical principle of honor is critical to all followers of Christ.

Summary:
Honoring others is not a popular theme promoted in the world today. The spiritual law of honor is often overlooked by a self-focused and critical generation. However, our decision to integrate the principle of honor into every aspect of life, both functionally and spiritually, will significantly affect us today and for eternity. The Greek word used for honor in the Bible is best defined as “valuing”. To show someone honor is to treat him or her as valuable, precious, and esteemed. We are called by God’s Word to extend honor to our Creator, those in authority over us, our peers, and those who are under our authority. This extends to the four areas of New Testament delegated authority: civil, family, social, and church. 

How we value, respect, and treat others matters so greatly to God that it affects our heavenly and earthly rewards. The Bible gives us examples of how a full reward is offered to those who truly show honor to others by valuing and respecting them; a partial reward is experienced by those who are selective in how they honor others; and no reward is given to those who handle God and others with indifference. Our ultimate reward is eternity in the presence of God Almighty. In several parables, Jesus indicated that faithful disciples would receive great rewards. Sometimes the reward is described as rulership, but Jesus also used other ways to describe our reward: the gift of salvation is symbolized by one day’s wage, a marriage banquet, inheriting a kingdom, being put in charge of all the master’s possessions, rulership over cities, and authority over the nations. However, we don’t want to be people who simply obey God for what we can get out of it. Rather, we need to catch His heart and allow His precepts to penetrate us. Let’s make honor an integral part of who we are and how we treat others. 

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss) 

Matthew 10:40-42

In this passage, Matthew uses the word “receive” which is a synonym for “honor”. Based on this passage, who does Jesus say we should honor? How does this passage associate honor and reward? Discuss what kind of rewards Matthew may be referring to. 

Romans 13:3-7 & 1 Peter 2:17

How can you show your civil leaders honor when you don’t agree with them politically or morally? What should we do if honoring our civil authority compromises honoring God? Discuss ways that we can honor our pastors and spiritual authorities. 

Matthew 19:27-29 & Mark 10:29-30

Is giving everything for the sake of following Christ worth it? What kind of rewards does Jesus outline? Does Jesus promise an easy life for His followers? 

Taking Action: Does your life exhibit honor? Are you showing honor to God, those in authority over you, your peers, your spouse, and those under your authority? Choose this day to honor God and others, and enjoy the rewards. 

Ministry Time

Don’t get the cart before the horse

Why do you want to be in ministry? If it is for prestige, power, or profit then you had better think again. Ministering as a means of providing for your own needs is backwards and is not God’s design. It does make a difference which one comes first – the cart or the horse. Ministering to others must come before your own needs. The calling and heartfelt desire to serve others and further God’s kingdom must precede your need and aspiration for an income, job, or career. Yes, a workman (minister) is worth his wages, but that should never be the goal or purpose for ministry. God’s Word tells us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and then He will take care of our needs. 

Being driven by financial gain has led many ministers to drift far from the will and presence of God, leading to ungodly behavior. This was one of the many reasons Martin Luther protested the Catholic Church. Church leaders were selling forgiveness in the form of indulgences. The church leaders were putting their needs first and lining their pockets instead of ministering the gospel to a needy generation. Pastors and teachers can fall into this trap when they water down the Word of God in order to appeal to a larger audience for the purpose of increased tithes and finances. We are told to freely give because we have freely received (Matthew 10).  We must not minister out of greed or out of fear. God will provide all of our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. He is faithful and will bless those who lift up His name and proclaim His Truth. 

Crazy Love

This is the fourth and last small group study discussing the topic of relationships. It is appropriate that we conclude by focusing on the power and importance of God's extravagant love. 

Big Idea:
Your relationships will mold you and contribute to who you are: however, it is your relationship with Jesus Christ and the impact of His crazy love that will impact and forever change your very soul and spirit.

Summary:
God’s crazy love for us is commonly referred to as “agape” love. The Greek language has three words for love, which enable us to distinguish agape love from passionate devotion (eros) and warm affection (phileo). Agape love is a gracious, determined, and active interest in the true welfare of others, which is not deterred even by responses of hatred, cursing, and abuse, not limited by calculation of results, but based solely on the nature of God. It is crazy because it is love with no boundaries and no end.

There are two important characteristics of agape love. First, crazy love is intentional. God didn’t accidentally send His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sinfulness. No, He intentionally exhibited His agape love to us. “For God so loved the world that He gave.” If you are not purposefully pouring unselfish love into your relationships, then you are not following God’s example of intentional, crazy love. Love that heals our hearts, transforms our homes, betters our marriages, guides our relationships, and saves our souls is intentional love. Second, crazy love is relentless. Love that changes lives and the destiny of souls is unconditional and eternal love. Agape love doesn’t give up because the going gets tough or because it is not immediately received. This is Energizer Bunny kind of love – it keeps going and going. Just like Jesus Christ intentionally and relentlessly came for you and to you, you must also demonstrate His crazy love to others. This is how people are drawn to Christ and away from spirit of this fallen world. This is how lives are changed and nations are won.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Discuss how agape love is different from other types of love. How can these qualities of crazy love be demonstrated in our relationships? What makes it hard to show this kind of love? Why is it possible?

John 1:14 & John 3:16
These passages show the intentionality of God’s love. Share how God has shown you His agape love. Discuss how we can follow Christ’s lead and intentionally show love to others. What does that look like?

1 John 4:7-21 & John 14:15-21
What two principle outcomes of God’s love are presented in these passages? How do we know we have received God’s love? How do obedience and love relate to one another?

Taking Action: Have you accepted the crazy unconditional overflowing love of Christ? If not, do it today. Your LifeGroup will pray with you and your life will be changed for all eternity. If you have been changed by this kind of love, then pay it forward by demonstrating crazy agape love to others. Be intentional and be relentless.

Ministry Time

Living above the snake line

Snake bites can be extremely painful and very often deadly. Many people are petrified of snakes. But are you aware that there is a place where snakes do not go? Snakes do not go above a certain elevation. This invisible line of elevation is often called the snake line. Many hunters and campers are keenly aware of this fact and intentionally pitch their camps above the snake line.  

We know that the devil is often referred to as a serpent and a snake. Just like a snake can cause pain and death, so can the devil. He is poisoning people every day all over the world. It is true that we live in a fallen world and bad things happen to good people – even Christians. However, we can restrict the enemies access into our lives and live above the snake line by following God’s prescription for living life. God’s Word calls us to a lifestyle of repentance, forgiveness,  obedience, and love. We can pitch our tents above the snake line by not allowing ourselves to be “conformed to the things of this world, but rather be transformed by the renewing of our minds” - Romans 12:1-2.

God has enabled His children to live above the snake line. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness" - 2 Peter  1:3.  We should not fear the enemy because the work of Christ has given us victory over him. “I will not fear what the devil may bring me because I am a child of God.” Live for God, follow His precepts, know the authority you have been given in Christ Jesus, and live above the snake line.

Friendlationships - Part 3

This is our third episode of friends and uncovers the all-important dimension of covenant. 

Big Idea:
Do you want your relationships to go to a whole new level? Do you desire deep, meaningful, and life-transforming relationships? Then you are looking for the dimension of covenant.    

Summary:
Why do people feel so lonely, disconnected, and empty in a hi-tech world where we seem to be in touch with more people than ever? Maybe it is because much of the world is settling for imitations rather than pursuing real relationships. Meaningful relationships require serious investment and commitment. The Bible reveals that the dimension of a relationship that makes it special is the covenant. A covenant is the commitment to love and be faithful in all things and at all times. A covenant in the Biblical setting was a pledge to death and was cut in blood. Can you imagine being loved so much that someone would pledge himself to die for the security of your well being? Staggering, isn’t it? In His love, Jesus cut a covenant with us and freely gave His life for us. This covenant also serves as an example of the kind of relationships we are to have with other members of God’s family - the church. These relationships should be the richest and most rewarding we have in life. They should be filled with love and compassion, grace and mercy, encouragement and affection.

The friendship between Jonathan, the son of King Saul, and David, the king-to-be, is a stunning picture of taking a relationship to a whole new level of covenant. The story is summarized in 1 Samuel chapters 18 through 20. Let’s look at five qualities of covenant that made their friendship special and that can take your friendships to that new level. (1) Covenant friends are committed to caring for one another. (2) Covenant friends are faithful, loyal, and trustworthy. (3) Covenant friends are committed to the principles of honesty, transparency, and truth. (4) Covenant friends protect and cover one another. (5) Covenant friends encourage and empower one another. The dimension of covenant is essential if we are going to be the kind of “friend” to others that Jesus was to people during his ministry, the kind of friend that Jesus is to us today. Ultimately, it is essential if we are going to win people to faith in Jesus Christ.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

1 Samuel 18:1-4 and 1 Samuel 20:41-42
Do you have this kind of covenant relationship with another person? If so, please share how it works and what it means to you. How have you shown covenant friendship to others?

Galatians 6:10 & John 13:35
Have you witnessed or experienced first-hand a difference in friendship between Christ followers that is not present with others? Why does the way Christians treat one another matter? Give examples of how our relationships with believers can be enhanced.

Romans 5:8
How did Jesus demonstrate a covenant relationship toward us? Explain why we can commit to a covenant relationship without the other persons commitment? Discuss the kind of relationships that require the dimension of covenant.  

Taking Action: Read 1 Samuel chapters 18 through 20. Examine your friendships. Are you reflecting the qualities of covenant? By God’s grace, commit to exhibiting the qualities of a covenant friend to those closest to you.

Ministry Time

A night of creativity

Last night I watched a movie with my family about the life of Beatrix Potter - "Miss Potter". She was a best selling author of children’s books like “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”. It was very interesting to notice that after watching this movie which highlighted a very creative and artistic person, that we found ourselves playing music, dancing, singing, and our youngest two children even spent time drawing and coloring. Our home was alive with creativity. It was an amazing example of how what we put into ourselves affects who we are and what we do. We watched a movie about creativity and we were drawn to creativity. 

It is so important what we allow into our lives, what our eyes see and our ears hear. I venture to say that if we had watched a movie about fighting and murder that our natural reaction would not have been to sing and dance. This is why God’s Word tells us to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). God’s Word also tells us to be careful what our eyes see and what our ears hear because what we put into ourselves matters greatly and will contribute to making us who we are.

Friendlationships - Part 2

This second installment of our small group curriculum focusing on friendship gives us insight on how to avoid toxic relationships. 

Big Idea:
Relationships are a gift from God, but when they go sideways things can become painful and toxic. However, dealing with toxic relationships in our own strength and wisdom will typically almost always make things worse. This is why we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the patience and love of Christ, and the grace of God.  

Summary:
Relationship with others is one of the most powerful forces in the universe outside of God. They can bring us indescribable joy or unbelievable despair. They can make us whole or fragment our souls. They hold the potential to coach us into destiny or restrain us from our life’s purpose. When ruled by selfish desires, relationships are the greatest challenge you will encounter in life, but when governed by the Word of God, relationships are a treasured joy in life. The relationships that affect us the most are the ones that are closest to us. When these are toxic, they can have a significant affect on us emotionally and ultimately spiritually.

The world teaches us to think of ourselves as victims when we find ourselves in a toxic relationship and to dismiss those who don’t enhance our lives. However, Jesus taught us to love the unlovely and the unlovable. The way of the kingdom is to draw on God’s grace, take a stand, and speak the truth in love. That means confronting issues, situations, and people who put us in bondage and pain because God’s Word clearly shows us that people can change and relationships can be redeemed for the glory of God. Here are 5 simple steps to detoxify your relationships: (1) Confrontation. As long as you ignore the situation, it will not change. Own up to your share of the mess and approach your friend in love. (2)  Grab More Grace. Be grounded in your identity as one who is loved by God and be filled with the power of Jesus Christ that has redeemed. (3) Build Righteous Boundaries but don’t let these boundaries be rooted in selfishness. Begin to shape your life by making Godly choices. Do not allow your friends to keep you from doing what’s right. (4) Forgive the Offender. This is not optional. ’t live in a self made prison of unforgiveness because you could not forgive. (5) Give Change a Chance. Don’t abandon a relationship before you’ve made all the changes you need to make.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Luke 6:39-42
What does this statement from Jesus indicate should be our first step in the process of detoxifying a relationship? Is Jesus advocating mean-spirited rebuke of your toxic friends? Discuss ways in which we can lovingly help remove the speck from our brother’s eye. 

Luke 17:3-5 & Matthew 6:14-15
Why do you think the apostles responded the way they did when Jesus told them to forgive over and over again? How does your willingness to forgive affect your relationship with God? Discuss how forgiveness has been instrumental in detoxifying one of your relationships.

Ephesians 4:15 & Romans 15:5
Why is love and patience so important in a relationship? How has someone spoken the truth to you in love? Have you seen relationships end because of a lack of patience? Discuss how can we be patient and loving without being a doormat for abuse? How does the character of Christ encourage us in this area of relationships? 

Taking Action: Examine your toxic relationships, but before you approach your friend, make sure your heart is right and that you have dealt with any of the toxin that you might be bringing into the relationship. Daily ask God to create in you a clean heart and to give you the grace to be patient with others. Pray for your friends and your relationships. Lay them at the feet of God.  

Ministry Time

Friendlationships - Part 1

This is the first of our small group study about relationships. 

Big Idea:
Friendship is one of the greatest gifts in life. The success or failure of our friendships will be greatly determined by the most important relationship in our lives – our relationship with God.

Summary:
From the beginning of time, man has longed for friendship. Even in the Garden of Eden when Adam walked and talked with God in perfect relationship, the longing for human companionship still existed. Adam’s life was incomplete without the companionship and fellowship of another human being. He craved it. And every human being since then has struggled with the innate craving for human companionship. God created man in His image, knowing that for man to be spiritually, emotionally, and even physically healthy, man needed more than just his relationship with God, he needed relationships with other image bearers. This shows us that our craving for relationship with others doesn’t necessarily diminish our passion for God because God created us this way. We were designed to live in relationship with other people, and when we are deprived of those relationships, we feel empty and incomplete. However, these relationships can only be as healthy as your relationship with God. In fact, relationships become contaminated without God. God created you with a capacity, a craving and the power of choice, but it takes His involvement to keep you from contamination.

There are three primary choices that everybody makes in life which determine the quality, the productivity, and the ultimate destiny of their lives. The first choice is the god that you’re going to worship; the second choice is the person you’re going to marry; and the third choice is the friendships you’re going to keep. Choose wisely - choose friends who model the values you appreciate; choose friends whose influence you welcome in your life; choose friends who welcome your influence in their life; choose friends who are considerate, confidential and candid. Ultimately, our horizontal relationships with others should strengthen and build-up our vertical relationship with God.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
How have you benefited from friendships? Describe how your relationship with others has made you more effective and useful to God. What role does God play in your close relationships? How does this help the relationship?

Proverbs 12:26 & 1 Corinthians 15:33
How do our relationships affect us? Share how relationships have helped you and how they have hurt you. What do you look for in a friend? Why?

John 15:13-17 & Proverbs 18:24
How did Jesus model true friendship? Have you experienced this type of friendship with others? How can we practically lay our lives down for our friends? How does Jesus say we can show him friendship? How does your vertical relationship with God affect your horizontal relationship with others?

Taking Action: Analyze your current relationships. Are they healthy or are they contaminated? Do they bring life and glory to God? Intentionally bring Christ into your relationships with others. 

Ministry Time

The fullness of ministry

This passage in the Gospel of Luke gives us a wonderful picture of Christ’s earthly ministry. He preached the gospel message to the lost; He announced the freedom we now have from our sinful ways, from our addictions, and from the forces of darkness; He brought physical healing; He proclaimed that life in His kingdom is abundant life. In other words, the ministry of Jesus was about preaching, teaching, healing, and deliverance. This is also a clear description of what our lives should be about as we continue the work of Christ.

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." - Luke 4:18-19

Fighting the Devil?

Is it God's plan for the Believer to be in direct confrontation and conflict with the Devil? If we are called to do the work of Christ, then the answer is yes. Jesus was all about battling the Devil and driving out demons and He clearly tells us repeatedly to do the same. Because of Christ and His victory, we can go boldly into battle. Let's roll...

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. - 1 John 3:8

5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. - Matthew 10:5-8

17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons - Mark 16:17

Innocent people can get hurt

I was reading in 1 Chronicles chapter 13 today and noticed that when leaders mishandle the things of God, innocent people get hurt. A man named Uzzah can testify to this fact. Here is what happened. When David called for the ark of God to be brought back to Israel, a decision was made to transport the ark on a cart. This seemed like a logical and expedient decision. However, the ark of God was not supposed to be transported on a cart; instead, it was to be carried by Levite priests on poles. Their plan seemed to be working out just fine until they hit an unexpected bump in the road, which required someone to touch the ark. Touching the ark was forbidden, and Uzzah died as a result of this act. 

They had violated the ways of God and a man lost his life. We must handle the things of God His way. We must not rely on our own understanding and do it our own way. We must not compromise and believe the lie that "the end justifies the means." We must do it God's way or innocent people will get hurt.  

Read it firsthand in 1 Chronicles 13:5-14. 

Is Jesus Your Hope? (Audio Teaching)

On Wednesday, February 4th, I taught from the book of 1 Timothy. As is customary with the Apostle Paul, the greeting in his letter packs a punch. This teaching covers the first two verses and drills down into two critical truths: (1) Jesus our Hope and (2) the importance of having spiritual children. It is worth the listen. (Click on the audio player button below to listen to this teaching.)

1 Timothy 1:1-2, City of Grace Church (February 4, 2009)

Taking the Baton

On January 21st. I talked to the Band of Brothers men about the importance of taking the baton from Jesus and running our leg of the race. My primary texts were from 1 Corinthians 9:23-25 & John 14:12. I posted a brief discussion about this topic back in January and titled it "Take the Baton and Run". But, here you can get the whole teaching in audio format. (click on the following audio player to listen)

Taking the Baton, City of Grace Church (January 21, 2009)

God's kingdom advances

When I was in Ghana, I visited the village of Ohawu with my friend Pastor Emmanuel Fiagbedzi. This village was about 6 miles from the village of Afife where Pastor Emmanuel pastors his church. Several people travel from Ohawu to Afife to attend church because there is no church in their village. They travel the 6 miles by foot, bicycle, or motorcycle. While in Ohawu, Emmanuel and I discussed the possibility of planting a church in this village. We got so excited and we began to plan. When I returned to Arizona, I discussed this opportunity with a close friend of mine who immediately funded the construction of the modest structure and the first-years salary of the pastor of this church plant.

This week, the church was planted and the village of Ohawu has a place to worship Jesus Christ the Savior of the world. Hallelujah! Many came to Christ this week in Ohawu as they held a three-day crusade. Additionally, one of the village chiefs received physical healing from the Lord. God is showing Himself powerful to the people of Ohawu. Pray for this new church. Pray for this village. Pray for this new pastor, David, who has been sent by Pastor Emmanuel to pastor this church plant.

These pictures are from the crusade and the new church structure (before the thatch walls). I have also included this message from Pastor Emmanuel. God's kingdom is swiftly advancing.

“Pastor Eric,

New souls for the Kingdom of God! Glory be to His Name! We saw many touched by the power of the Holy Spirit during our second night of services. The crowds grow with each passing night and the hunger for God builds in the hearts. God moved among the old and young. Tonight we look forward to another great harvest. We saw the demons flee at the mighty Name of Jesus. Praise the Lord! God bless you. The feature presentation of the night was "The Passion" and it stirred hearts to come to Jesus! We even pulled up benches to allow them to sit and be ministered to. A great harvest has been gathered over the last three nights. Tomorrow morning we will meet at the newly erected chapel structure. We have assembled canopies to contain the overflow for tomorrow's service. God is moving in Ohawu. Praise His Marvelous Name! God bless” - Pastor Emmanuel, Feb. 7, 2009

The African Anointing Transcript

I have heard from several of you that it is hard to understand Pastor Emmanuel's accent on the video. I guess I have gotten used to it. My wife, Velvet, has graciously transcribed this awesome event. (You must check out the video of this event too - HERE)

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The Jones’ African Anointing, December 14, 2008 

by Pastor Emmanuel Fiagbedzi

Ghana, Africa

The Lord spoke to Samuel the prophet. Go to the family of Jesse. Anoint his head with oil. Let him become the King of My Land. I stand in that anointing today. I stand as a servant of the Most High God, who has never disappointed me before. I walk with Him in power. He has displayed His glory over my ministry, over my life, over the (African) nations. Mighty God of Israel, we glory in His name, the God of Abraham, the God of Elijah, the God of Moses, the God of Isaac and Jacob. You never change. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Whom you have called, You have equipped. Whom You have equipped, You have sent out. Your servant has been polished by You. You have placed Him in Your quiver. You have placed Him in Your quiver. And now, is his season. Now You are ready to send him out as an arrow (of a King), as an arrow….., as a weapon of peace. On that note Father, I release Your anointing upon his life. Mighty God, let there be a turning point toward him – a spirit of grace). Let the anointing of the Lord rest over him. Let his favor be strong. Make him great in the land of Arizona and beyond, O God. Make him to represent You in power.

You are the apple of His eye; You are the weapon in the hands of the Lord. You are favored in the land. You are the 1st, not last. You are the head, not the tail. The eyes of the Lord is upon you; the (lost) are with you. May you go in the power. May you go in the power. May you go in the power. You are claimed for the sake of the gospel.

You are being granted an expanded ministry. Your ministry has been expanded by the favor of God and announced. Wherever you stand, when you raise your hand up, demons shall flee, demons shall run away from you. You will (set them a running). The eyes of the blind shall be opened. Cripples shall walk. Your voice shall sound in the nations, O Jesus.

I release an anointing on your wife, O God. For yours is the glory. For yours is the glory - the power. Display your glory; display your glory; display your glory over her life, O God. Do it for Your name’s sake.

I anoint the children of God. I anoint … Hidden in the frame of the children; hidden in the frame of these are mighty warriors. It was said with Daniel … Lord, thank you. I pray, my God, that Your anointing be great over their lives. Let them grow in power. Let them grow in the Spirit of Jehovah. Let them walk in unison with You, Oh God. Be upon their family. Amen.

Father, the angel I saw guide them, let that angel continue to guide them, defend them, in Jesus’ name, Amen. Let everybody say, “Amen.”

Be Courageous, President Barack Obama

John Piper's recent message to President Barak Obama regarding abortion. 

The African Anointing

At the end of a Sunday morning church service in Ghana last December where I had preached and many from the village had gathered including several chiefs, Pastor Emmanuel Fiagbedzi invited me and my whole family forward. He anointed me by pouring a significant amount of oil on my head and then proceeded to very powerfully bless me and, in so many words, commission and ordain me for the work of the kingdom of God to the nations. He also anointed Velvet and the children and spoke blessings over them and our family as a whole. It was a very meaningful time. Here is the video of that occasion. 

CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE WIDESCREEN VERSION ON YOU TUBE.

Faithfulness matters to God

In 1 Chronicles chapter 10, we again see a side of God that is not often highlighted in the writings and teachings of today's Christian community. It involves the justice of God and His requirement for faithfulness and obedience.

Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse. - 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

God established Saul's kingdom and He then took it away. God elevated Saul and showed him favor, but then removed his hand of favor and demoted him to the point of actually causing his death and the death of all of his sons.

God's Word tells us that this happened to Saul because of his unfaithfulness to the Lord and his disobedience. Saul took things into his own hands and decided to seek the advice and guidance of the wicked instead of trusting in the Lord God. God will not be mocked.

Let's learn from the mistakes of Saul and take note of the character of God. God is love, He is patient, and He is merciful. However, our faithfulness and obedience are also very important. God will accomplish His plans. His kingdom will be established. Let's be people of faith and faithfulness so that we can be part of His plans. Let's turn our eyes, our ears, and our hearts toward Christ every day. Let's be people of faith who trust God for our everything.

Our Hope

In 1 Timothy, Paul refers to Christ as our hope. The Greek word for hope used in this passage is "elpis" which means "deep desire or great expectation". I love the way Paul begins this letter that focuses heavily on the importance of proper doctrine by underscoring the importance of Christ being our deep desire and great expectation. Is this how we are daily living? Do we wake up in the morning with a great expectation of what Christ has in store for us? Do we live every moment of every day with a deep desire for Christ? Is Christ truly our hope?

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope... - 1 Timothy 1:1

Redeeming Time

This week we finish up our series called "Live Like You Were Dying" with a small group curriculum focusing on living a life with the proper priorities.

Big Idea:
The Bible reminds us about the brevity of life, but it also teaches us about the urgency of life so that we do not squander our God-ordained opportunities. We are called to live life with a sense of kingdom priority.

Summary:
Time is one of the most precious gifts given to us by God. No matter our social or financial status, we all have the same amount of time given to us in each day – 24 hours. Using our time unwisely can have devastating effects and prevent us from fulfilling our kingdom purpose in this life. Interestingly enough, we don't see a significant emphasis on saving time or managing time in the Bible. However, God does call us to REDEEM time. What does it mean to redeem time? Simply put, it means that we take back our time from Satan, the world, and sin. A life spent in sin or chasing after the things of this world is a wasted life filled with missed opportunities. We know that what we do today echoes throughout eternity. Therefore, using our time wisely will not only result in satisfaction in this life, but also rewards and eternal life with God. We must make a conscious effort to use our time properly and to take advantage of our God-given opportunities.

We can redeem our time by getting our priorities right and allocating our precious time to things that matter. Jesus told us that the two things that matter most are loving God and loving others. Therefore, we should be spending our time with Christ and doing things that bring Him glory, while also showing others love. In fact, time not given to God and His purposes will often be stolen by Satan, resulting in discontent and squandered opportunities. Have you squandered God-given opportunities? Have you wasted some of the precious time given to you by God? Here's some good news; there is still a chance for you to redeem your time – today! Christ came to redeem, and in Him, we can redeem our time. Take it back and capitalize on the plans and purposes God has laid out specifically for you. Live the rest of your life with a sense of priority.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Ephesians 5:15-17
Contrast how the “wise” spend their time versus the “unwise”. Discuss how we can learn what the Lord wants us to do. According to the Bible, is there a place for “down-time” in our lives? What should that down-time look like? Do you have any God-given opportunities that you have been neglecting?

Colossians 4:2-6
What do our actions towards others have to do with redeeming time? What kind of opportunities should we be looking for? Discuss opportunities you have had to redeem time by ministering or helping others.

Matthew 25:14-30
How does this parable of the talents teach us to wisely use opportunities in the limited time we have been given? What is the result of continuing to disregard the gifts and opportunities God has given us? Who suffers when we don't redeem time and invest it in the kingdom of God?

Taking Action: Spend some time this week reviewing your use of time. Write out how you are spending your time. Don't let your time keep slipping away. Identify time that can be captured for His kingdom purposes and REDEEM it.

Ministry Time

God gives and He takes away

We just got done reading about how God gave the Israelites, including the half-tribe of Manasseh, the victory over their enemies because they cried out to Him and He answered their prayers. However, the very next passage in 1 Chronicles chapter 5 talks about how the half-tribe of Mannaseh was then sent into slavery by God Himself. How does that happen? How does God give someone victory and then take it away so decisively?

The answer lies in what took place after the half-tribe of Manasseh settled-in to their new God-given home. They conformed to the ways of their new world. They adopted the practices and gods of the very people that God had destroyed right before their eyes. They violated the first commandment that states that they “shall have no other gods before Him.”

This passage in 1 Chronicles clearly displays the fact that God is a just God and a jealous God. He will not be mocked and He will not share Himself with any other. Let's learn from the mistakes made by the half-tribe of Manasseh and never allow ourselves to put anything else before God. Let's never allow ourselves to conform to this world and serve anything other than our Lord God Almighty.

23The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous; they settled in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon). 24 These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families. 25 But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day. - 1 Chronicles 5:23-26

The battle cry

The Bible very clearly compares the Christian life to a battle. In a battle, the stakes are high. It is life or death. Everything is on the line. Therefore, we must approach the Christian life with intentionality and know how to battle our enemy – Satan. Let's not be clueless.

This morning, I was reading in 1 Chronicles chapter 5 how the Israelites incorporated prayer into their battle plan. The results speak for themselves. Check it out...

They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. - 1 Chronicles 5:20

Let's make sure we are people who make prayer an integral part of our battle plans.  

God promotes the humble

I am so very proud to bring you this week's small group curriculum which encourages us to live lives of humility.  :)

 

Big Idea:

We live in a world that promotes the proud, the arrogant, and the boisterous, but God’s Word tells us that He will promote the humble. Understanding Godly humility is therefore important, and living it out is essential. 

Summary:

As followers of Christ, we are called to boast in the Lord and not in ourselves. This means that pride must be eradicated from our lives and replaced with humility. Before we continue, let’s make sure we understand that humility is not weakness. In fact, it takes strength to intentionally live humbly. Moses was “the meekest man on the face of the earth,” but he wasn’t the weakest. Humility is not self-abasement or beating oneself up. It is not thinking less of yourself. Rather, it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is also not hypocrisy. It is not acting as if you are something less than what you really are. 

So, what is humility? What does it look like? Humility is surrendering to the sovereignty of God and accepting that God is God and we are not. He is the creator of the universe and He is in control. Humility is learning to rely on the Source of life. We must acknowledge that all of our talent, all of our gifts, and all of our abilities ultimately come from God. Humility means accepting God’s gift of grace. He gives His amazing grace to the humble, which saves us and empowers us to live our lives for Him. Humility is putting the needs of others first. We are called to give up our rights in order to serve others - not grudgingly, but thankfully. Finally, while we are not called to boast in ourselves; we are called to boast in God - in His glory, His marvelous works, His grace, His power, and His love. Let’s tell others of the great things He has done. 

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss) 

Matthew 20:25-28 & Matthew 23:12

What does God say will happen when we promote ourselves? Why is it hard to be humble? How has pride messed things up in your life? How can we be servants to one another? Discuss examples of humble people that have been lifted up by God because of their humility (ie: Mother Theresa). 

Philippians 2:3

What attributes does Paul use in this passage to contrast humility? How does esteeming others more than ourselves display humility? What can we do that shows others they are important to us?  

2 Corinthians 10:17-18 & Jeremiah 9:23-24

What happens if we take the credit that should go to God? Discuss practical ways that we can boast in the Lord. Challenge each other to implement these practices into your daily lives.  

Taking Action: Make this week a week of boasting – not in yourself, but in God. Also, intentionally think of yourself less and think of others more. Finally, make this a week where you purposefully “do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” 

Ministry Time

Who's in control, God or your emotions?

This week's small group curriculum helps us keep our emotions in their proper place as we continue to "live like we were dying".

Big Idea:
God has given us the ability to feel emotions. It is what makes us feel alive. However, we must not allow our emotions to control us. Rather, we must submit our emotions to the Lordship of Christ and let the truth of God’s Word be our guide.

Summary:
God created humanity with an amazing emotional capacity. The Book of Psalms records the emotional rollercoaster ride of King David, the man after God’s own heart. When he’s happy, he feels happiness to the core of his being. And when he is sad, he embraces his despair without reservation. He feels deeply. And at times, his feelings lead him astray. But somewhere along this journey, David seems to discover that as important as feelings are, they are only one part of his total being, and certainly not the most important part. The emotional aspect of our being coexists with our intellectual, physical and spiritual aspects. Every person will build the foundation of his or her life upon one of these four foundations: the emotional, the intellectual, the physical, or the spiritual. And among those foundations, feelings are important but they are not the most important because you are not your feelings. For that matter, you are not your body or your intellect. You are fundamentally a spiritual being.

There are three dangers when we build our lives on our feelings. First, feelings can be distorted. The enemy likes to manipulate our circumstances and our senses in an attempt to throw us off balance. Second, feelings can be imported. Sometimes we have a way of feeling what has been forced on us rather what is truly within us. And third, feelings can be aborted; they can change in a moment. The danger of building our lives on our feelings is that we may not feel the same way about a situation tomorrow as we feel today. Feelings come and feelings go. As Christians, the way we must deal with our feelings is by choosing to believe God’s Word over what we hear, feel, or even experience. Our emotions are the servants of our will. Our feelings are the fruit of what we believe. So instead of struggling to change our feelings, we must begin to work on our belief system and our feelings will follow course.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Philippians 4:6-9
How do our thoughts affect our emotions and ultimately how we approach life? In addition to prayer, discuss other practical things that we can do to guard our hearts and our minds.

Romans 12:2
How do we renew our minds and keep our emotions from running away and conforming us to this world? Share something that you have read recently in the Bible that has transformed your mind and thus kept your emotions in check.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
How do you know if an emotion is healthy or unhealthy? How can we take our thoughts and emotions captive? How have your emotions lied to you? How does the truth of God’s Word speak to those issues and areas in your life? (Example: Your emotions might say you are worthless. But, God’s Word says you are fearfully and wonderfully made.)

Taking Action: Spend time reading God’s Word every morning this week. Meditate on what you have read, and ask the Holy Spirit how this Truth can form your thinking and direct your emotions throughout each day.

Ministry Time

The Championship Game

The NFC championship game is today with the Arizona Cardinals hosting the Philadelphia Eagles. Why in the world am I posting about a football game on Transformed Daily? Well, it just so happens that The Cardinals quarterback, Kurt Warner, is a member of our church. He is an outspoken, yet humble, follower of Christ who gives God the glory and honor due His name. It's only a football game, but that isn't keeping me from shouting out a big GO CARDINALS and GO KURT!

Love God by loving people

How we treat others matters greatly to God. In fact, it appears as though the Holy Spirit is grieved when we handle each other poorly. Check out the context of Ephesians 4:30, "do not grieve the Holy Spirit." It is smack dab in the middle of scripture that in encouraging us to treat one another with love, compassion, and forgiveness.  The Apostle Paul even goes so far as to encourage us to love others just as Christ loved us and gave His life for us. How we act toward others is very spiritual and either glorifies God or grieves Him. You say that you love God... Well, how are you treating others?

29Do 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. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 

1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. - Ephesians 4:29 - 5:2

Live Like You Were Dying (live the dash)

This week, my small group curriculum reminds us that how we live our lives matters. Everything we do is spiritual and has eternal ramifications. Let's not waste the precious time God has granted us in this life to make a difference for His kingdom.

Big Idea:
God’s Word tells us that this life is but a vapor – a brief dash between now and eternity. How we live the dash matters. It matters today and it matters forever.

Summary:
The Bible teaches that there is an unbreakable link between this life and eternity.  What we do in this life matters throughout eternity.  Every one of us will give an answer to God for two things when we stand before Him in judgment. First, we will answer for the way we responded to the gift of His Son. In the face of such overwhelming love did we harden our hearts and reject His grace or did we allow His love to overwhelm us and save us? The second thing we will give account for is what we did with the time, talent and treasure that He called us to steward in this life. In other words, what we did with the dash between our birth date and our death date. Did we live for ourselves or did we live for God and help build His kingdom?

What does it mean to live the dash? It means that we should live with a sense of nobility. We were created in the image and likeness of God; we were created for God’s intended purpose; we were created for greatness. It means living with a sense of priority. We must live for the things of God and the things that build the kingdom of God. It means living with a sense of urgency. While there is a time to wait upon the Lord, we are also called to be about the Lord’s business today. We must love God and people today. We must seek first His kingdom today. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”  Finally, we must live with a sense of eternity. We must keep ourselves from chasing the temporal things of this world. Rather, we must invest our time, our resources, and our lives in things eternal. Remember, every one of us will die. When? We do not know. However, we are told that we are not promised tomorrow. With this in mind, how are we living today? What are we doing with this time between today and eternity – the dash?

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

James 4:13-14
How does this truth affect the way you live your life today? Share with each other what you would do this week if it were your last week. How should this truth affect your relationships?

Matthew 22:37-38
How does this passage direct how we live life today? What does it look like to love God this way? How does this passage affect our relationships and actions today? Describe how loving this way affects today and affects eternity.

Ephesians 5:15-17
How can we know God’s will? Discuss how we as Christians can make the most of every opportunity?

Taking Action: Live the next 7 days as a “No Regret” week.  When we gather back here 7 days from now, let’s be able to say, “I didn’t live in the past; I didn’t worry about the future; I embraced each day as a gift; I didn’t take life for granted this week; I didn’t take the people in my life for granted this week; most importantly, I said ‘yes’ to God and His plans.”

Ministry Time

Memorials Matter to God

This week's small group curriculum talks about the importance of remembering God's miracles and His goodness. 

Big Idea:
People tend to have short memories. At times, we are even guilty of forgetting the goodness of God and His miracles. This is why memorials matter to God: they remind us of the past, point us toward the future, build faith in all those who are on this journey with us, and help us value the process we have been through.

Summary:

It is important to remember the great things which God has done in our lives and the lives of our forefathers. In fact, we see that God has often authorized memorials as a means of remembrance; not memorials to ourselves or what we have done, but memorials to the Lord which glorify His name and remember His mighty works. In Joshua chapter 4, we see God asking the Israelites to build a memorial with twelve stones as a means of remembering the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River on dry ground. We must not be ashamed to tell how God delivered us, helped us, and healed us. Repeating the stories of God’s compassion and care for us over and over again helps memorialize the great things God has done for all to see. As you read through these passages in Joshua chapter 4, you will realize that building memorials reminds us of the past, points us toward the future, builds faith in the lives of others, and establishes the value of God-ordained experiences.

The Apostle Peter reminds us that we are like “living stones”. Let’s remember that each year we are building a memorial. We are laying down stones of faith and commitment, stones of compassion and caring, stones of ministry and help. Our stones are not those from the Jordan River. Rather, our stones are picked up as we read through God’s word, as we spend time in prayer, as we teach people about Christ, as we minister to others and share Christ with them. Every time a person comes to new faith in Christ, every time a captive is set free from bondage, every time someone who is hurting discovers healing and comfort, and every time someone learns new things about God from our sharing, we are witnessing a miracle as great as the nation of Israel experienced as they crossed the Jordan. Let’s remember the great things God has done and let’s make sure we share those things with the generations that follow.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Joshua 4:4-7
What are you doing to share the greatness of God and His mighty works with the next generation? Why is our testimony so important? How has your testimony been used to advance God’s kingdom and His purposes in the lives of others?

Joshua 4:8
Who picked up the stones which were used for the memorial? How does this correlate to our role in the church today? What practical “stones” can we be picking up in order to glorify God and build His kingdom?

1 Peter 2:4-5
How does God intend to use the living stones? Can this be accomplished if we try to walk out this Christian life alone? How have you experienced God bringing Christians together with their memorable experiences to further God’s purposes?

Ministry Time

The common denominator

Most agree that there is a great need in the modern American church to unite the generations. But how does the church of 2009 draw in the "20 Something" young adults while maintaining the engagement of its older members? Do we need to look for a new church program or a new worship style? Is the common denominator yet to be discovered? 

I suggest that the common denominator which will unite the generations is Jesus Christ - period. A church that lifts up the name of Jesus will draw men. A church that turns its face and total focus to Him will be relevant to all generations. The person, power, and presence of Christ will unite all who desire to know Him. It doesn't have to be complicated, it just has to be Christ-focused. You've heard it said, "keep the main thing, the main thing." One way to keep it Christ-focused is to keep it Bible-focused. 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." - John 1:1

To focus on Christ is to focus on the Word of God. Another way to stay Christ-focused is to forsake all others, including fancy church programs, and make sure Christ and the lifting up of His name are the program. The trust must be in Him alone. Do what Christ did and also share with others His love and His power. Let's not let ourselves get distracted, let's keep it simple, let's remember the one thing, let's keep it Christ-focused: the common denominator. 

Take the baton and run

The Apostle Paul frequently used athletic terminology to describe the Christian life. One of his favorite analogies involved running a race (1 Cor. 9:23-25 & Gal. 5:7). These analogies are so important because they clearly indicate that Christianity is not a passive existence. 

Last Friday, God painted me a picture of how we are called to advance His kingdom by running our leg of the relay race. Here's what it looked like:

----------------

Jesus came to this earth to bring salvation and to bring back the kingdom of God. He ran his leg of the relay race with grace and perfection. Jesus also clearly called His disciples to continue the race by advancing the kingdom. He said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." - John 14:12 

In other words, Jesus is saying that He has run His leg of the race and is handing off the baton to those who have faith in Him. He is telling us that we will be able to run the race like Him. However, too often we find ourselves staring at Jesus as he is holding out the baton for us. Instead of taking the baton and continuing the race and thus advancing the kingdom of God, we find ourselves standing still in amazement of how Jesus just completed His lap. After all, He healed people, He drove our demons, He walked on water, He raised the dead, He turned water into wine, and He lived a sinless life. There is no doubt that He ran a perfect race. But that doesn't change the fact that He is still standing there waiting for us to take the baton and continue the race. 

We are called to be runners. We are called to advance God's kingdom and Jesus has assured us that we can do the things He did and even more. What does that look like? Here are just a few things that Jesus told His disciples to do as He sent them out into the world:

"As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." - Matthew 10:7-8

He also very clearly described what our leg of the race would look like in these passages:

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:18-20

"And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." - Mark 16:17-18

It's time for us to take the baton and run! It is a good thing to be in awe of what Christ did while walking on this earth and running His leg of the kingdom race, but we are not supposed to simply look at the shiny baton, we are called to take it and RUN! Let's follow Christ and advance His kingdom.

The Jones Band Rocks in the New Year

That's right, The Jones Band played in the 2nd annual Battle of the Bands and we got second place this year. We played three songs: (1) Raptor {original}; (2) God, King, Everything {original}; (3) Jesus Freak. We competed against seven other bands and are thrilled with the results. I hope you enjoy the show. 

The Jones Band consists of my four children (ages 5 - 12), my wife, and myself. (note: it was a concert venue so the lighting on the video is a little dark, but the kids rocked the house)

"Raptor"

"God, King, Everything"

"Jesus Freak"

Give God Praise

As we reflect on this past year and look forward to what God will do in us and through us in 2009, we must remember that it is important to give God praise for the wonderful things He has done. We must give Him the glory due His name. 

21On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." 23Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24But the word of God continued to increase and spread. - Acts 12:21-24

1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. 2 Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. 3 Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise Him with tambourine and dancing, praise Him with the strings and flute, 5 praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. - Psalm 150

We must be worshippers

In my last small group curriculum, I wrote the following:

"Worshipping God helps direct our hearts and our minds away from ourselves and toward God. Worshipping God helps kill selfishness, jealousy, and the desires of the flesh. Intentional worship of God prevents the unintentional worship of other things."

Here's the bottom line... we must be worshippers. We must intentionally direct our focus onto our Lord and Savior - Jesus Christ. This cannot be something we only do on Sunday morning. It must be who we are. We must be worshippers!

Want success?

In the first chapter of Joshua we see several promises made by God to His children.  Two of the promises involve success and prosperity. Before I continue, let me be clear that prosperity as defined in the Bible isn't about getting stuff here on earth, but rather storing up treasures in heaven. It is about being rich in God's kingdom, not the kingdom of this world. 

With that said, let's get to what I really wanted to point out in these passages. We clearly see a correlation, a dependency, between kingdom of God success and obedience. An obedient child of God will find success. Doing the will of God leads to success and prosperity. Living for ourselves and entertaining sin leads to defeat and destruction.  

Check it out:

7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. - Joshua 1:7-8

Going after God’s heart

This week, my small group curriculum has us examining our hearts.

Big Idea:

Like King David, we are called to be men and women whose hearts are fully given to God. Life is no longer about our will, but instead we seek God’s will and lay it all down for His purposes as we obediently follow His plans. 

Summary:

King David is the poster-child of what it means to have a heart for God. The life of David is a beautiful picture of love, forgiveness, faith, and the complete abandoned pursuit of God. There are three things that we can learn from David’s life about what it takes to be someone after God’s heart. First, we see that David had a sincere desire to be close to God. Like any relationship, closeness occurs when we spend time with someone. How can we become close to God without spending time with Him? God has given us His Word, prayer, meditation, and fasting as means of growing closer with Him. Scripture shows us that having a heart after God can actually be cultivated. As you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you and your heart will be changed. If you are sincerely open, God will renew a right spirit within you. 

A second thing we learn from David is the importance of integrity. Integrity is who we are at the core of our being; it is about doing the right thing for the right reason. Integrity before God is about freely doing His will out of love, respect, and obedience. This can never be faked because God judges the heart of man. So, chase after God with a pure heart. Finally, David shows us the immense value of being a worshipper of God. David was consumed with the need to be in God’s presence. Therefore, he delighted in worshipping God. Worshipping God helps direct our hearts and our minds away from ourselves and toward God. Worshipping God helps kill selfishness, jealousy, and the desires of the flesh. Intentional worship of God prevents the unintentional worship of other things. 

You can become a David. You can become a person after God’s heart.  

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

James 4:7-8

What are ways in which we can draw near to God? How does sin and disobedience pull us away from God? 

1 Samuel 16:7

Ultimately, where is integrity measured? Give examples of how you can do something that looks right, but actually lacks integrity. How does obedience to the commands of Christ relate to a Christian’s integrity? 

John 4:24

What do you think it means to worship God in spirit and in truth? How is this similar to the greatest commandment found in Mark 12:30? Discuss different ways we can worship the Lord. 

Taking Action: Like David, ask God to search your heart and reveal any selfish and wrong motives. Be open to what the Holy Spirit reveals and be willing to change. Remember, a person after God’s heart is a repentant person. Finally, become a worshipper and spend time in God’s Word where He will reveal Himself to you and you can become close to Him. 

Ministry Time

Peace has come

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." - Luke 2:14

Those who glorify God by accepting the gift of His Son as their Savior and Lord, will live at peace with Almighty God and receive good will from Him. Peace between man and God comes only through Jesus Christ - the Savior of the world. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Jesus came, He saw, and He conquered. He is the King!

Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth.

Merry Christmas!

Our African Experience - the video

This short video provides just a taste of what we experienced while living and ministering in Ghana, Africa for 30 days. We are in awe of God's incredible goodness and power. In our short time, we made lifelong friends, we saw people make the decision to follow Christ, children were fed, miracles happened, the lame walked, demons were cast out, fresh water ran through a village for the first time, people were baptized, hearts changed, and our "normal" American perspective was forever ruined for the glory of God. You can also find more information about our ministry time in Ghana HERE.

Your attitude toward the Word of God is your attitude toward Jesus

So many people say that they love Jesus and that their relationship with Him is the most important thing in their lives. Yet, they spend little to no time studying the Bible. How does our time in the Bible relate to our relationship with Jesus? Well, in the gospel of John we see that Jesus Christ is the Word of God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." - John 1:1 

The Word of God is the very presentation of Christ. It encompasses and displays Jesus to the world. If you love someone, you will want to spend time with them, you will want to know everything about them. That is why, "Your attitude toward the Word of God is your attitude toward Jesus."

Spend time with Jesus... spend time in The Word.

Having a birthday in Ghana, Africa

Thursday was my birthday. I turned 41 while in Africa. We had a wonderful party and dined on the local cuisine of banku, pepper sauce, and whole roasted tilapia - head, tail, and all. (Notice: no silverware - you eat it with your hands.) Velvet made some brownies which we enjoyed with some "ice cream". I was blessed with songs from the children at the compound and several rounds of "Happy Birthday". 

Earlier in the day, I attended a Life Christian University class held here at the compound with several local pastors. The topic of study was "The Ministry of Helps." We got into some lively discussion. I was blessed when this group of Christian leaders prayed blessings over me and sang Happy Birthday to me. 

Early that evening, I preached at Pastor Ken's church in Sasieme. It is a recent church plant located in a small village about 3Km from Efife. Pastor Ken is also the Headmaster of The King's Voice Academy - the Christian elementary school in this area. The congregation was very kind and eager to hear God's Word. I preached from the third chapter of the book of Joshua and discussed how God goes before us and He also stays with us. 

Before the church service began, we took a short tour of the village. There was a funeral going on and we found ourselves driving right through the middle of the processional. It is very different in Ghana - the cars have the right of way and they simply honk and the pedestrians must get out of the way - even when they are part of a funeral processional. It was an odd experience. The other interesting aspect of the funeral was that it was a funeral for a young person (teenager) who was an idol worshipper. I am told that you can tell this from the colors and outfits worn by the mourners. 

It was a good day filled with memorable moments. After all, it's not every day that you have a birthday on Africa. If you want to read many more details of our time here in Ghana, you can visit http://jonesteamupdates.blogspot.com/. 

God’s plans are best

Some time after crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land, the Israelites approached Jericho (Read Joshua chapter 6). It was time to take the first city of the Promised Land. How would they do it? God had a plan. God had a specific way by which He wanted to take the city and it was a strange way. It was far from a normal battle plan. In fact, it seemed rather foolish to most:

Walk around the city quietly each day and then on the 7th day walk around it 7 times. On the 7th time around that last day, they were told to shout. How would this work?

You know the story, the Israelites obeyed the Lord, followed His plan, and the walls of Jericho fell. “The victory is ours, when the battle is the Lord’s.” I find it interesting that the final instruction from the Lord was to shout. They were told that the victory would be theirs when they lifted up their voices in unison and shouted. Throughout redemptive history, we see the power of the spoken word. “The tongue has the power of life and death” – Proverbs 18:21. It has the power to bring down walls. Do you have walls in your life that need to come down? 

God’s plans for taking the land are not always our plans. But, His plans are best. When we follow His plans, we will find great success. When we ignore God’s way and do it our way, we will encounter poor results and often experience total defeat.

Remember the story of Gideon’s army? You can read about it in Judges 7. God’s plan didn’t make a lot of sense to Gideon and his people. It wasn’t a military strategy that had been used before. They had tens of thousands of soldiers, but God wanted to send only 300. And He wanted them to go to battle with candles placed in clay jars. Gideon’s army followed God’s way and experienced total victory, while the enemy turned on each other and destroyed themselves. “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.” 1 Corinthians 1:27

Saul decided to not follow God’s plans. (1 Samuel 13) He was told to wait for Samuel to make the sacrifice before going to battle. However, because of fear and to keep his men happy, He didn’t wait and instead took it into His own hands. He disobeyed God’s plan. That was the day the anointing was removed from him and his family. He did it his way and lost everything: his kingdom, his son, and his own life. 

What can we learn from this?

We need to seek God’s plan for our lives. We are not promised victory on our terms. We are promised victory when we do it God’s way. Are you listening for His plans or are you just doing it your way, the way you’ve always done it, the way the world does it? I recommend spending time in prayer, seeking God’s face and His voice. Seek God’s plans and His ways before going into battle, before tackling the issues of life, before moving forward into your future, before ministering to others, before making big decisions. God has a plan and you need to follow it. 

There’s a popular song from a few decades ago called “I did it my way”. This should not be the theme song of a Christ follower. Instead, we should be singing the song, “I did it God’s way.”

God stays with us

In my last post, I discussed how God goes before us. He told the Israelites to put the Ark of the Covenant, which was the earthly representation of God Himself, into the Jordan first. He also told them to leave the Ark in the river until all of the Israelites had crossed over. God remained until His children were all safely on the other side. GOD STAYS WITH US. He won’t leave us. He won’t abandon us. 

Joshua 3:17 “The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.” 

This is a timeless characteristic of God. Check this out:

• “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5) 
• “For the Lord your God will go with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) 
• “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”(Hebrews 13:5b-6)
• “Surely I will be with you all the days of your life.” (Matthew 28:20b) This is part of the Great Commission and is the last thing Jesus said He ascended to the right hand of God. 
  

When we give our lives to Christ Jesus, we are not alone. He is with us everyday of our lives. And He sends us the Holy Spirit to guide us, comfort us, lift us up, educate us, and empower us. We are not alone. God is with us! God leads us and He stays with us! Hallelujah!

God is the ultimate leader

God understands leadership. He is the author of leadership. God shows us that leaders lead. They don’t just tell people what to do. No. They lead. They go before. Leaders are in front. You can’t take someone someplace you haven’t been. 

For instance, you can’t lead someone to Jesus if you don’t know Him yourself. Additionally we see that a good military leader doesn’t lead from anywhere accept from the battlefield. They lead their troops into battle, not simply command them into battle. They lead!

In Joshua 3, we see how God leads. He once again led the way for His people. God went into the river before His people. He put Himself in the place of perceived danger first. 

Before reading these passages, I want to point out the fact that the ark of the covenant in those days represented the very presence of the Lord. It was His seat. It was the place where His Spirit dwelled. 

Joshua 3:5-13 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves (purify yourselves), for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.
And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river’.”
Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Gebusites. See the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose 12 men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord – the Lord of the earth – set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” 

Not only was God the first to enter that place of danger, but He stayed in that place until all of Israel had crossed the Jordan safely.

Joshua 3:17 “The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.”

Look, God didn’t simply point the Israelites in the right direction and tell them to go for it. I’ll see you later guys. You’ll be fine. Have a nice journey. No, God Almighty led the way and remained until all of His people were safe. The ark of the covenant was first to enter the water and the last to leave. This is leadership. This is the leader I follow today and the one I will follow all the days of my life! 

We follow the greatest leader in the universe. We follow the King of kings. We follow the ultimate commander. We follow the LORD Almighty! God goes before us and He doesn’t call us to go anyplace He hasn’t already gone.

Check this out:

• He tells us to say no to sin – He was tempted in everyway, yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
• Be holy as He is holy – just as He who called you is holy, be holy in all you do. (1 Peter 1:15  )
• He calls us to forgive others. God led the way and has forgiven us. “Forgive as He has forgiven you.” (Colossians 3:13)
• God calls us to love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength … and to love others. Well, God first loved us with His everything. He gave His all for us. (Mark 12:30-31)
• He commands us to make disciples. Jesus was all about making disciples. (Matthew 28:19)
• He tells us to cast out demons, raise the dead, and heal the sick. (Matthew 10:7-8)
• He tells us to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:29)
• He calls us to pray & fast – when you pray & when you fast – not if… (Matthew 6)
• He says that we must die to self and live for God.
  

You name it, God has gone before you and has led the way. He is THE LEADER! Let’s be people who follow our leader, Christ Jesus, with confidence.

Where are the signs?

Most Christians are familiar with the Great Commission that is recorded in Matthew 28:18-20. However, the gospel of Mark also records a "great commission" given by Jesus before He ascended. Here is how it reads: 

15He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." - Mark 16:15-18

This passage of scripture is almost a combination of the "Great Commission" in Matthew 28 and the instructions given by Jesus when He sent out the disciples in Matthew 10. But, why don't we see much expression of these signs today? In fact, why does there seem to be such a noticeable lack of expectation of these signs in the modern church? If these signs are supposed to accompany those who believe, then why aren't they commonplace in the church and in the lives of Christians today? I don't know about you, but I sure see a need and a relevance for driving out demons and healing the sick. 

Are we selling ourselves short? Have we settled for a watered-down Christianity? Have we become so accustomed to eating only the crumbs that we have missed the feast which has been prepared for us? 

I say, let's live out the fullness of the Great Commission by making disciples, teaching them to obey the commands of Jesus, and also taking real ground from the enemy today by driving out demons and healing the sick. Let's expect the signs and wonders to accompany us because we are children of God, follows of Christ Jesus, and people who believe. 

Willing and able

Jesus has made it very clear that He is willing and able to physically heal us. Will He always do it the way we think it should be done or when we want it to be done? Not necessarily, but let's not get hung up on that. Rather, let's be assured that God is sovereign and His Word is true. 

During His earthly ministry, Jesus said on on a number of occasions that He is willing to heal and He showed us time and time again that He is definitely able to heal.  

Take Matthew 8:3 as an example:

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.

Here's the kicker, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God is a God of healing. I have read about it in His Word and I have seen it with my own eyes. He is willing and able. 

Ghana Updates

I wanted to remind all Transformed Daily readers that you can get relatively frequent updates of our ministry activities in Ghana, Africa at www.jonesteamupdates.blogspot.com. 

Friends

I found out just how easy it is to make a friend. Today, while waiting at the gate in New York for my flight to Ghana, Africa, a man named Amaning approached me to say hi. He was on our flight from Phoenix to NY and was also flying to Ghana - his native country. He just wanted to say hi. We struck up a conversation and I found out he was traveling with his two brothers back to Ghana to attend their sister's funeral. About 45 minutes later, I walked across the room to again say hi to Amaning and also to meet his his brothers. The four of us talked for 30 minutes about life and about the Arizona Cardinals. I made some new friends today.

Amaning was so kind and it was a blessing to meet him. May the Lord reveal Himself to Amaning and his family during this time of loss. Please pray for Amaning and his family. 

But, that was just the first experience at how easy it is to make friends. My son, Ben (age 5) met a young African boy on the airplane and immediately they hit it off. Ben simply referred to him as "Friend". It was beautiful. They spent time sitting next to each other and just being friends. 

Why do we make relationships so difficult? In America we live such isolated and guarded lives. It is really sad. 

Lord, please help me show care, compassion, and interest in others. As you have given us the privilege of calling you friend, may I show friendship to others. 

Men go for greatness

Friday night and Saturday, we had our church's men's conference. It was an incredible time with hundreds of men praising God - arms raised and hearts open.

On Friday night, we saw nearly 200 guys go for greatness as they came forward and fell on their knees in repentance and surrender to the King of kings. It was their time to go to a whole new level! 

God is at work and His kingdom is advancing.

Ghana Updates

Do you want to receive updates about our ministry in Ghana? If so, you need to visit a new blog I created specifically for this purpose. It is located at http://jonesteamupdates.blogspot.com/. (Note: You can also sign up for automatic email updates on this site.)

A little ditty about The King

I did something yesterday morning that I haven't done for years - I wrote a song. This is a simple worship tune that I hope to play with my family. If we get a chance to record it, I'll post it online. In the meantime, we'll have to see if it makes it past my kids. They can be a pretty tough crowd.  The song doesn't have an official name yet, but here you go...

Intro:

Verse 1:

You are God alone

You are King on the throne

You are Lord of Lords

You are the One I adore

Chorus:

You are God, You are King, You are Lord of everything

You are God, You are King - Jesus    (repeat)

Verse 2:

You spoke the universe to be

You saved my soul on Calvary

You freed me from my sinful ways

You gave me new life, so I will say...

Chorus:

OK, I think it needs a bridge in there somewhere.

What is success?

This week, my small group curriculum challenges us to look at success from God's perspective.

Big Idea:
How do you define success? What drives you? The world has its explanation and prescription, but as Christ followers we must embrace the definition and truth of success presented to us by the View Master – God.

Summary:
What is success? Is it the accumulation of things? Is it simply about achieving more, acquiring more, and possessing more? Your answer will be based on the source of your worldview. The world’s view of success is really quite straightforward: getting what you want while gaining fame or prosperity. However, the ultimate view master, God Himself, reveals to us that the purpose of life does not exist in the abundance of things. There is more to life than what you own, where you live, what you drive, and who you know. But for many people, even some Christians, having more is the prime motivation in their lives. Why do people exchange what is eternal for what is temporary? It is so sad and frustrating to see people giving up the victory, freedom, joy, and peace found in Christ for the trappings of this world. It is heartbreaking to watch the destruction of holy matrimony over the pursuit of momentary pleasure.

God has provided us with several criteria for determining whether or not we are living a successful life. He tells us that relationship matters. Our relationship with Jesus Christ must matter more than anything else. He tells us that serving others and putting the interests of others above our own is a measurement of successful living. God tells us that living lives of faithfulness to Him, our families, our church, and our kingdom assignment is success. Finally, maintaining a credible and relevant witness to a lost world is a component of success in the eyes of God. We cannot forget what matters most to God. We must allow God, through His Word, to be our View Master and the definer of success in our lives.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Matthew 13:44-46
What does Jesus say we must be willing to give up as we pursue true success? Give examples of false success. Discuss how we can stay focused on the prize and not get trapped in the pursuit of temporal success.

Matthew 16:24-26
Again, what must we give up in order to gain ultimate success? What is the result of pursuing worldly success? Share with the group an area of success in your life that doesn’t have anything to do with money and fame.

Matthew 25:14-30
How does the faithful exercise and use of the talents God has given us contribute to ultimate success? How does Jesus describe people who aren’t faithful with what God has entrusted to them? Share examples of how selfish living, the pursuit o personal gain, and unfaithfulness have ultimately brought defeat rather than success. Discuss some of the talents God has given us that we must put into use for His glory.

Taking Action: What is your definition of success? What are you pouring your life into? Honestly assess your life and determine if you are investing in temporal success or eternal success. Make the necessary corrections today. Don’t know what to do? Start by reading God’s instruction book – The Bible.

Ministry Time

The result of faith

Paul opens his Roman letter by stating that obedience is the result of true saving faith. In other words, obedience is the evidence of faith; it is the fruit of faith; it is the necessary outcome of a faith that saves. Therefore, lack of obedience indicates a faith that is broken or possibly all-together dead (James 2). If our lives are characterized by ongoing and perpetual disobedience (especially willful disobedience), then we must go back to the cross, back to repentance, and back to Jesus. 

Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. - Romans 1:5

Famous Faith

In the introduction of his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul tells them that their faith is "being reported all over the world." In other words, their faith is so strong and obvious that it is being discussed and held in high regard around the entire globe. Their faith is famous. 

Is our faith famous? Are we living a life of such abandonment and obedience to Christ that people are talking about it on the other side of the world? Ok, does that seem like a stretch. How about across the street? Let's be men and women who put our faith into action in the good times and the bad times. Let's be the people of God who really live it out. Let's be the real deal and lift up the name of Christ in such a way that our faith becomes famous. Not for our glory, but for the glory of the Famous One - Christ Jesus.

Got Truth?

This week, my small group curriculum focuses on the important issue of truth and worldview. As Christians, our worldview must be shaped and formed by the Word of God.

Big Idea:
How do you view reality and make sense of life and the world? Do absolute moral truths exist or is everything relative? What determines truth? How you answer these questions matters greatly.

Summary:
Everyone has a worldview. Whether or not we realize it, we all have certain presuppositions and biases that affect the way we view all of life. What have you allowed to influence and shape your worldview? Many Christians profess to build their lives on absolute truth, but they have allowed themselves to be influenced by a postmodern culture that tells them everything is relative. This leads to interpreting truth on a case-by-case basis. However, truth is ultimate reality and is framed by the Creator of the universe – God. In fact, absolute truth exists because truth is the person Jesus Christ, who Himself declared, “I am Truth.” Jesus does not claim to be just one truth or one reality among many. Rather, He claims to be the ultimate reality; the foundation and framework for all that we can see, know, and understand. Just as Christ is the one-and-only Way, He is also the one-and-only Truth.

Additionally, the Apostle John tells us that Jesus is the Word. In other words, to know Jesus is to know the Word of God. And thus, to know the Word of God is to know Jesus. Furthermore, to believe Jesus is to believe the Word of God and to believe the Word of God is to believe Jesus. There is perfect correspondence between the two because the two are somehow one. If Jesus is Truth and Jesus is the Word, then the Word of God (The Bible) is ultimate Truth.

Thus, the worldview of a Christ follower is based on the infallible Word of God. When you believe the Bible is entirely true, then you allow it to be the foundation of everything you say and do. We must embrace Truth with confidence. We cannot think that anything apart from Christ and His Word is a solution. We have one life, and we must quickly eradicate every compromise of Truth and allow Jesus Christ to fully reign in our lives. GOT TRUTH?

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

John 14:6
How does the character of Christ depict truth as absolute? Is there any other way to God apart from Jesus? What does this scripture tell us about the ultimate source of truth? Discuss why it is dangerous to look elsewhere for truth.

2 Timothy 3:14-17
Where does this passage state that all scripture comes from? Do you consider all scripture, the whole Bible, to be trustworthy? Why is it important to know God’s Word? Discuss your motivation to be in God’s Word.

Romans 12:2
Why is the Bible essential to the transformation of our minds? What is the result of a transformed mind? Discuss how the Bible has changed your way of viewing the world around you and affected what you do and who you are. Give examples.

Taking Action: Examine your worldview. Is it rooted in the truth of Jesus Christ – The Word? Do you have a biblical worldview or is your worldview skewed and polluted by the influences of this fallen world? Make time in God’s Word a priority. Schedule a daily time of Bible study and prayer; not to be religious, but to allow God’s Word to transform your mind and your view of truth.

Ministry Time

Just do it ... now

The harvest is now. Are we missing it? Do we keep planning ministry instead of doing it? Do we keep saying, "when I have reached this place or achieved this position, then I will be able to serve God?" We must wake up and not allow ourselves to fall into this trap. The fields are ready for harvest. People need the Lord today. How will they find the Savior, Christ Jesus, if we don't tell them?

Let's be men and women of action who go to all the nations today. For most, the nations start with our neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family. There is not better time than the present. In fact, we are not promised anything beyond the present. So, let's be about our Father's business today and every day.

"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do ou not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and ook at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, ven now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. - John 4:34-36

God provides

I get frustrated with the disciples when I read in the gospel of Mark how they questioned Jesus' ability to feed the 4,000. Jesus had already fed 5,000 with only 5 loaves and 2 fish. The disciples had already witnessed this miracle of multiplication and provision. How could they so quickly forget and doubt?

Well, do we do the same thing in our lives? Do we forget how God's hand has been on our lives; how He has delivered us; how He has provided for us? When the going gets tough, do we question God's ability to deliver us and provide for us?

We serve and follow the God of the universe who is full of love for His children and who is completely able and capable. We have no need to doubt or to fear. "God will meet all our needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

People of Refuge

This week my small group curriculum reminds us that since people matter to God, they had better matter to us. We must be people of refuge.

Big Idea:
People are hurting and are in desperate need of a refuge. As children of God, we know that the Lord is our refuge. But, what are we doing to share our place of refuge with the rest of the world?

Summary:
God is a refuge for those who put their trust in Him. Refuge is defined as protection or shelter from danger or hardship; a source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble; a place of safety, healing, and redemption. Our God is certainly all of these and more. He is there to protect us from the dangers of life, and shelter us in each of the storms we go through. As God’s children, we are called to be like Christ and show the characteristics of God to a hurting and dying world. Therefore, we must be people of refuge, and the church must be a place of refuge.

What does it mean to be people of refuge? (1) Being a person of refuge starts with loving others. Christ tells us that our love for one another will prove to the world that we are His disciples (John 13:35). People matter most to God and they must matter most to us. (2) If people really matter, then we must treat them with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12). People of refuge display God’s grace through generous gestures and acts of kindness. (3) People of refuge forgive one another just as they have been forgiven by God Himself. Offenses, accusations, bitterness, and the critical spirit are definitely not characteristics of refuge. (4) People of refuge let the light of Christ shine brightly in their lives. Jesus instructs us to, “let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). By letting the light of Christ shine, we are directing people to the true place of ultimate refuge – the almighty, living, and loving God.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

1 John 4:7-21
Why is love so important? How does love help create a place of refuge? Can we be people of refuge without love? Discuss how we can show love to those in need of refuge.

Ephesians 4:32
Compassion and forgiveness are refuge characteristics. In what ways do you show others compassion and generosity? Share your story if you have been the recipient of these characteristics. Why is forgiveness so important?

Matthew 5:13-16
Why do Christians have a unique ability and responsibility to be people of refuge? Discuss examples of how we can shine the light of Christ in this world? Share testimonies.

Taking Action:
Are you a person of refuge? Are you a safe place for the needy and the hurting? Ask God to fill you with His grace to become a person of refuge. Look for opportunities this week to love others, show compassion, offer generous gestures, forgive others, and let the light of Christ shine brightly through you. Be Christ to this hurting world.

Ministry Time

Sharing our lives

As important as it is to share the Gospel with people, we must get to the place of true love where we share our very lives with others. This is where the rubber meets the road. It often gets messy and can be time consuming, but love takes work. Jesus has called us to live a life of love displayed in word and deed; a life of ministry that addresses the physical, emotional, and social needs of others while maintaining our eyes on the prize – spiritual transformation.

Here is how the Apostle Paul put it:

We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. – 1 Thessalonians 2:8

Is your vote spiritual?

Everything is spiritual; however, many Christians separate the sacred from the secular. They no longer believe that all of life is spiritual, so they compartmentalize their faith by separating the spiritual aspects from the “less spiritual” aspects of life. In this philosophy, the spiritual stuff belongs at the church and the rest of life is inherently secular. Unfortunately, this is true of how many Christians approach their vote.

Like it or not, we will be held responsible for everything we do. We will be judged for our action and our inaction. In America, we have been given the gift and responsibility of voting. As Christians, we will be held accountable to God for how we use this gift. Did we use our vote to further biblical values and God’s kingdom or did we use our vote to advance our own selfish agendas and personal financial gain? By the way, not voting is not an option, it is a cop-out.

The Bible speaks very clearly to several of the hot political and social issues of our day. God instructs us to choose life over death and He commands us to not commit murder (Exodus 20:13). God’s Word also underscores the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24). Fiscal policies tend to get much of the attention in today’s political environment. This is especially true this year as we are facing an economic crisis in our country and throughout the world. However, the Bible is rather silent on the fiscal policies of governments. When confronted with a question about tax and fiscal policy, Jesus responded by telling us to, "give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" (Matthew 22:21). Do we so cavalierly think that just voting for a candidate with anti-biblical views and agendas leaves us far enough removed that judgment won’t fall on us? Our vote matters greatly to God and is an opportunity to champion His values.

We are called to be “in the world but not of the world”. The things that drive the world should not drive followers of Christ. Christians should be advocates for the helpless, for the unborn, for the widows, and for the orphans. As representative of Christ, we must take the privilege and responsibility of voting seriously. We are ambassadors of Christ, and our vote should represent that fact. Therefore, our voting guide cannot be CNN, Fox News, the Arizona Republic, or conventional wisdom; it must be the Bible.

Prayerfully consider how you will use your vote this November. Remember that your role at the poles is spiritual and God is watching.

Powerful Prayer

This past weekend I taught from the fifth chapter of the book of James where "Old Camel Knees" tells us that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. I don't know about you, but I want some of that powerful prayer.

James - Powerful Prayer, City of Grace Church (October 19, 2008)

Note: if you have received this via your email subscription, CLICK HERE to access the audio file of this teaching.

Faith in Action

The Apostle James tells us that faith without works is dead. This teaching of mine discusses the inseparable relationship between faith and works and presents why we must have faith in action.

James - Faith in Action, City of Grace Church (October 12, 2008)

Money, money, money

This week's small group curriculum reminds us that everything we have is a gift from God and must be handled in a God-honoring, biblical manner.

Big Idea:
How we view money and how we handle money matters to God. We are called to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us by managing them God’s way.

Summary:
Stewardship is simply managing God’s money the way God wants it to be managed, with obedience and with faith. God has called us to do two different things: bring the tithe and give offerings. Tithing is returning to God ten percent of what already belongs to Him. It is the acknowledgement that God owns everything and is the giver of all things entrusted to our care. Giving, on the other hand, really begins after we have tithed. We are encouraged to give freewill offerings from what is left over as an act of faith and worship. When we fail to do either, God is dishonored. Bringing the tithe is an act of obedience. Giving offerings is an act of faith. Both are signs of good stewardship.

“First fruits” is the important biblical principle of giving our first and best to God. God gave us His best, His Son, and we should give our best in return. The opposite of first fruits is giving God only what we think we can get away with or planning out what we want to spend and then looking at what is left and figuring how much of that we can give to God. Jesus says that we can tell where someone's heart is based on where they invest their treasure. To have our hearts with God is to give generously of our financial wealth to God, His church, and His causes. Since we also value our time and talents, we should invest them with God in faith.

God is serious about this issue of financial stewardship for two reasons: 1) It is the most obvious way we honor Him. How can we trust God with our souls if we can’t trust Him with our money? How can we trust Him with our salvation if we can’t trust Him with our finances? 2) It creates the opportunity for Him to give us more. When we honor God with our resources, He has promised to multiply those very resources so that we can honor Him even more. God sets us up for blessing by requiring an act of obedience from us. Let’s reclaim our finances for God’s kingdom by obediently managing our money His way.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Luke 16:10-15
How can money become our master? Give examples of how we tend to serve money and make it a god. What practical things can we do to keep money from controlling us?

Deuteronomy 26:1-12 & Proverbs 3:9-10
How is the gift of Jesus a picture of first fruits? Why should we give God our first fruits? Discuss how we can practically live out the principle of first fruits.

Malachi 3:8-10
Why is holding back the tithe considered robbing God? Give examples of how God has blessed your faithful and obedient giving.

Taking Action: If you haven’t committed to tithing, make that commitment of obedience today and honor God. Additionally, you are encouraged to take a step of faith by sowing into God’s kingdom through a generous freewill offering. Join-in on the “miracle offering”.

Ministry Time

Is your hope alive?

How do you respond to the difficulties of life? Many people bail out; they run from the troubles and trials. Some people actually blame God for their problems as they lose their eternal perspective and hope is extinguished.

This is how King David responded to difficulty:

14 But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. 15 My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. 16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. 17 Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. 18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come. 19 Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you? 20 Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. 21 You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. 22 I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I, whom you have redeemed. 24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion. - Psalm 71:14-24

My name is pride

My wife, after reading my last post, forwarded me this poem on pride by Beth Moore.

My name is Pride, I am a cheater.
I cheat you of your God-given destiny....because you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment......because you "deserve better than this."
I cheat you of knowledge......because you already know it all.
I cheat you of healing......because you're too full of me to forgive.
I cheat you of holiness.......because you refuse to admit when you're wrong.
I cheat you on vision......because you'd rather look in the mirror than out a window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship......because nobody is going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love....because real romance demands a sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in heaven....because you refuse to wash another's feet on earth.
I cheat you of God's glory.....because I convince you to seek your own.

MY NAME IS PRIDE. I AM A CHEATER.
You like me because you think I'm always looking out for you. U-N-T-R-U-E.
I'm looking to make a fool of you. God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry........ If you stick with me YOU WILL NEVER KNOW.

Pride is a nasty thing

I recently received a generous gift from a friend and colleague: an all-tube guitar amplifier. I was blown away by the generosity and excited to receive such a cool gift. However, to my disappointment, I also felt a little awkward. Why was this awkward feeling such a disappointment? It was disappointing because it revealed pride.

Pride is a nasty thing. It is so nasty that it can actually make it uncomfortable, and sometimes impossible, for us to accept a generous gift from someone. For some reason we have this warped perception that receiving a gift makes us appear weak or incapable of providing for ourselves. Therefore, people often awkwardly accept gifts or altogether reject the gift in an attempt to maintain their pride. Unfortunately, pride has eternal consequences for many people because it is one of the primary reasons people do not accept the ultimate gift of salvation from Christ Jesus.

Lord, I repent of this pride. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. I set my mind on what the Spirit desires and choose to live by the Spirit and not my flesh.

In God’s hands

Are you going through difficulties? Are you feeling the effects of these shaky economic times? Are you allowing fear to creep in and take hold of your mind and emotions?

If so, you need to read Psalm 31 in its entirety to see how David dealt with difficulties and how God delivered him in his hour of need. In the meantime, check out this statement of King David:

I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hands... – Psalm 31:14-15a

As followers of Christ Jesus, all events and circumstances of life are in the hands of the Lord “our God”. Our provision and future are in God’s hands. Do we believe this? Is our trust in the Lord? It has to be otherwise we will go crazy in these crazy times. We need to trust in the Lord and invest in His kingdom. Let’s not let the times that we live in or the failure of the world systems dictate our obedience to God or our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Together we are stronger

This week's small group curriculum focuses on the importance of all generations being actively represented and engaged within the body of Christ. Together we are stronger!

Big Idea:
Generational segregation in the body of Christ is not only unhealthy, it is also unbiblical. We are called to be “one body” in Christ Jesus that passionately serves His purposes in our generation.

Summary:
God is looking for people who will bravely follow Him – young and old alike. It’s not about age; it’s about heart and commitment. Have you ever felt too old to serve God? The good news is that you and I are never too old to serve our King. Have you felt too young or too inexperienced, or even not gifted or wise enough? Remember, God is more interested in our availability than our ability! In fact, God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. The truth is that we need the strength of youth and the wisdom of age. We need the energy of the young and the stability of the old. We need the creativity of emerging generations and the life experience of preceding generations. The Kingdom of God makes room for both, even though the world seeks to divide us.

God is glorified when His church is a multi-generational community which celebrates (not simply tolerates) young and old. We are called to be a people and a church that keeps Christ the main thing while energetically following His plans for this generation by being “young at heart”. Here are a few characteristics of a “young at heart” church: (1) A young at heart church is committed to the next generation. (2) A young at heart church will not allow generational differences to divide them. (3) A young at heart church is forward thinking. (4) In a young at heart church, older leaders surround themselves with young leaders. (5) A young at heart church is committed to leaving a legacy. Are we ready to be this kind of church in this generation? We must renew our thinking and “kindle afresh the gift of God which is in each of us” while we serve our King as ONE BODY.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Romans 12:3-13
Why do we need each other? Is our age the determining factor of our usefulness? Share how your gifts or the gifts of others you know have been used to edify the body of Christ. How should we treat others in the body of Christ? (v.9-13)

Joshua 14:10-14
Did it sound like Caleb was retiring from doing God’s work? Discuss why retirement from serving God is neither an option nor beneficial. Discuss practical ways we can stay forever young at heart, like Caleb, as we serve Christ and His church.

Malachi 4:6 and Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Why is it important for the hearts of the older generation and the younger generation to be in unity? Explore together ways in which the older generation can pass the baton off to the younger generation. Discuss how the generations working together advance the kingdom of God – give examples.

Taking Action: Decide, this day, to adopt a heart like Caleb’s and remain vigorous for the kingdom of God. No matter your age, be young in your thinking by being a follower of Christ who is teachable, flexible, vibrant, and charitable.

Ministry Time

God funds His plans

God has been blowing my mind with His abundant provision for our upcoming mission’s trip to Ghana, Africa. He is providing more than we could ever have imagined or hoped for; even in the midst of these uncertain economic times.

Last Friday night at our Encounter Service, the Holy Spirit clearly spoke these worlds to me:

“You have seen that God funds His plans. God underwrites His kingdom projects. Lack of finances will never prohibit or stall the plans of God, only disobedience will do this. It is not about finances, it is about obedience to the calling of God.”

No more WIMPY Christians

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." - 2 Timothy 1:7

Does this describe you? We need to live like people who have the Savior of the world living within us. We need to live like conquerors and not cower like wimps. God has given us all we need for life and godliness. Do you believe it? Then live it. Let’s stop tip toeing around like we have done something wrong. Instead, let’s boldly live the lives Christ died for us to live. As Paul said, let’s live in power, love, and self discipline. Let’s bravely show the world Christ in us and draw all men unto Him.

Come in power

Lord,
Come in power. Jesus, just as you came performing miracles and drawing men unto you with signs and wonders, so I pray for signs and wonders in this generation. This generation wants to feel alive. They are experimenting with all kinds of things, like cutting themselves, just to feel alive. Jesus, you are the way the truth and the LIFE. Draw this generation unto you and show them that true life is found only in you. May we, your followers, shed our pride and fear and have the faith to expect miracles. Come Holy Spirit and move among us in power. May we stop holding you back and allow you now to blow our minds with your presence and power. May we be a people filled with both Spirit and Truth. AMEN.

Shooting straight

In Psalm 127, our children are referred to as arrows.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! – Psalm 127:4-5

If the arrows are in my quiver, then that makes me an archer. This is a huge responsibility because I must make sure I release these arrows at the right target and make sure the arrows are properly prepared so that they will fly straight. I must also make sure they are sharpened so that when they hit their target, they penetrate the target with effectiveness.

This analogy of arrows in the quiver applies to all followers of Christ because we are all called to have spiritual children. We are all called to disciple others and help them grow up in their faith and then send them out to hit the mark for the kingdom of God. (Matthew 28:19-20)

As the archer, do you have a quiver full of arrows? In other words, are you discipling others? Have you thoroughly prepared your arrows for flight? Do you have arrows that will fly straight and hit the target? Have you sharpened them with the Word of God? Are they balanced with Spirit and Truth? If their fletching (feathers) has been damaged, have you applied correction, compassion and love in order to repair them?

Remember, blessed is the man who has a full quiver. We must be sure our quiver is full of disciples – spiritual children. We must take our role as the archer seriously because we are called by God Himself. Finally, we must remember that arrows weren’t designed to remain in the quiver indefinitely. Eventually the arrows are sent out. They are purposefully shot at a target for the glory of God and for the furthering of His kingdom.

Another disappointment - Yeah ... ?

This week, my small group curriculum focuses on handling disappointment.

Big Idea:
We live in a fallen world where bad things happen to good people – yes, even to Christians. The question today isn’t, “will I experience disappointment,” but “how will I handle it?”

Summary:
When we put our hopes and dreams in people or in circumstances, we usually find ourselves disappointed. Have you found yourself disappointed with your own choices and actions? Has someone betrayed you or has a close friend rejected you? Have you set your hopes on your children being all you want them to be, only to be let down? Did you marry, thinking your spouse would meet all of your needs? I hate to burst your bubble, but no man can meet all of a woman's needs, and no woman can meet all of a man's needs. If our joy is dependant upon circumstances, we are in trouble, because circumstances are always changing. Did you expect a promotion, and someone less qualified received the job instead? Has illness permanently altered the plans you had for your family? Has an unwanted divorce drastically changed your circumstances? If you are trusting in someone or something other than God to bring you happiness, you are a candidate for continual disappointment.

How do we rebound from disappointment and prevent it from defining or defeating us? How do we go from disappointment to destiny? We do this by putting three biblical principles into practice in our lives. (1) Surrender our will to the will of God. Our Heavenly Father has a plan and purpose for our lives. We need to surrender our plans and embrace His. Even Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done.” (2) Trust God with those things we don’t understand. We must never rely on our limited understanding, but instead daily put our faith in God who will show us the way. (3) Put our hope in the Lord. The world will let us down, but Psalm 130 reminds us that, “with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption.”

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Jeremiah 17:5-8
What happens when we put our trust and confidence in people or circumstances? Share how you might have experienced this in your life. Instead, where should we put our trust and hope?

Proverbs 3:5-8
How would your thought life and prayer life change by applying these verses and trusting in God’s wisdom instead of your own? Discuss blessings you’ve experienced by doing things God’s way instead of your way. How does trusting God help you rebound from disappointment?

James 1:2-4
Why should we rejoice when we encounter the trials and disappointments of life? Discuss how God has used a trial in your life to mature you. How does this truth change the way you will handle disappointment?

Taking Action: Do you have disappointment in your life? Has it escalated to depression and defeat? Surrender that circumstance or relationship to God and commit to memory Jeremiah 29:11. Proclaim this truth daily - when you awake and when you go to bed.

Ministry Time

Treasures in heaven, not banks

Fear is a nasty thing. Fear can grip us and cause us to focus on wrong things and make wrong decisions. During this time of economic craziness and turmoil, we cannot allow fear to distract our focus from Christ and His sovereignty. We must remain God-focused and seek first His kingdom.

Today, we must say no to fear and worry by focusing on God’s truth that our treasure is not here on earth, but in heaven, and that our heavenly Father knows our needs and will provide them.

19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...

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. – Matthew 6:19-34

An uncomfortable parallel

Telling God that you love Him while you are knowingly engaging in sin is like telling your wife that you love her while openly carrying on an adulterous relationship.

P.S. Not that I really need to say this, but obviously any adulterous relationship, whether open or hidden, is a complete violation of your marital relationship and the antithesis of true love. Likewise, all sin hurts the heart of God; not just the big ones or the ones that have been going on for some time. Both situations require complete repentance.

Remaining requires faith & obedience

This week, my small group curriculum discusses what it takes to possess the land and then remain in it.

re: the art of starting over
(re:possess)

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship

Big Idea:
Crossing thresholds is a part of the Christian journey. It is not possible for us to move forward without crossing some thresholds into new places, new experiences, new opportunities, and new victories the Lord has waiting for us on the other side. While it takes faith and obedience to cross a threshold, it also takes faith and obedience to remain on the other side of the threshold and possess the promises of God.

Summary:
Many times, crossing the threshold is the easiest part of the journey. Dealing with what we see, think we see, or maybe don’t see on the other side can often be the most challenging part. When the Israelites finally crossed the threshold and stepped into the Promised Land, they were faced with the seemingly impossible task of taking the well-fortified city of Jericho. At this point, they could have given up and turned around. However, they chose to remain in the land and possess the promises of God. The Israelites chose faith and obedience over fear. We, too, must chose faith and obedience over fear so that we remain where God has called us and don’t retreat when we encounter strongholds of stiff resistance while pursuing the will of God. Just because something is difficult doesn’t mean it is not God’s will. We cannot allow obstacles, fear, or doubt to deter us from possessing the land.

Faith is important because it is believing in what is true – God, His character, and His promises. While faith requires being convinced that what we believe in is true, just knowing the truth is only half of faith. God’s word must be hoped for, embraced, and seized. This is where faithfulness and obedience play an important role in our possession of the promises of God. We must put our faith into action and actually do what God has called us to do. Let’s always remember that with God all things are possible. But, faith and obedience apart from Him are worthless. As much as we pour our passion and efforts into something, ultimately God has to do it … and He will.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Joshua 6:1-20
How did the Israelites display faith and obedience at Jericho? What was the result of the Israelites daily obedience? Discuss instances where you have crossed a threshold just to find strongholds of stiff resistance. Has God ever asked you to do something “unconventional”? How did it turn out?

Matthew 14:25-33
How was Peter able to get out of the boat with the confidence that he would not sink? Why did Peter eventually sink? What areas in your life require complete faith?

Deuteronomy 11:22-27
How does this passage correlate obedience and God’s blessings? Discuss how you have experienced the blessings of God as a result of your obedience.

Taking Action: Are you facing a Jericho in your life – a stronghold of stiff resistance? During this season of fasting and prayer, daily submit this “giant” to the Lord, trust Him, obey Him, do not turn back, and see His victory in your life.

Ministry Time

Printer friendly copies of curriculum: full version or text only.

Daniel and his fasting

Daniel was a man who did not compromise. He consistently said no to the world and ye