Impact

We are in Savannah, GA at the Next Level conference at Savannah Christian Church with our staff & some of our elders this week. It's always a challenging & uplifting time for us and is a powerful way of proving Mark Batterson's axiom correct: Change of place + change of pace = change of perspective.

A question that has been mentioned several times today & rolling around in my head is this: if our church would disappear from our city, would it affect our community? In asking this question I am not discounting the power of God to continue His work no matter what the earthly circumstances are. It is more of a focus on making sure that God's church is fulfilling all that we are called to be in our community. We should be such a beacon of hope, grace, mercy, love, and salvation that our absence would create a void. It is the same impact we should seek to make with our individual lives-not for our own name's sake, but so that we would be powerfully effective for the advancement of God's Kingdom. 

New Title

The voice of satan whispers in our ears and reminds us of our past sins. They are lies that attempt to negate the power of forgiveness that has been given to us. If we allow that to dominate our thoughts it can spiritually paralyze us and cause disruption in our mission as Christ-followers. It is a constant in counseling and unfortunately a battle that I face as well.

Even while I torment myself over past sins & the reminders that satan throws in my face, God continues to use me. I need to firmly grasp onto the forgiveness that I have already received and stop doubting. Even if I feel low & disqualified because of sin, the truth is that God has redeemed me.

I cannot surprise God-He knew how I would fall and how much I would need Him. In spite of that, He has positioned me in ministry and put a fire in my heart to serve Him & His Kingdom. He would not have done so if I was no longer able to fulfill His purpose in me.

We all need these reminders of His grace for us. We cannot talk about it or experience it enough and as we share forgiveness and redemption in our own lives, we will see others start to believe in the gift that God offers.

While satan wants us to view ourselves through the lenses of sin and mistakes, God looks at the whole picture of our lives and re-titles it "Grace."

Against God

Recognizing that you have sinned is not comfortable. There is a realization that you have done something (or not done something) that is clearly outside of God's plan for you. The results of our sin can also damage other people around us-family, friends, co-workers, and people in our church. The regret that we feel is often a result of the fallout of those transgressions in our lives. We don't want other people to think badly of us and become focused on seeking forgiveness from those we have wounded. We repeatedly plead with people for their forgiveness, but spend cursory moments asking God to wipe away these blemishes.

True repentance & forgiveness can only begin when we understand that our greatest sin is not against the people in our lives, but against God. While this does not diminish the outcomes in this physical world it does help us gain perspective on our relationship with our King. Any sin in our lives separates us from Him and must be recognized for what it is-a rebellion against the leadership of the Holy Spirit in us. When we genuinely confess our sin to God and become overwhelmed at how we have worked against Him, we begin a transformation process in our hearts. This will lead us into a deeper walk with God that will change us more into His likeness and allow us to eventually overcome the hurt we have caused to those we care about.

Father, May I?

I remember playing the game, "Mother, may I?" when I was a kid. There was nothing fancy to it, but simply a matter of requesting permission to move from the "boss" of the game, and them telling you how many baby or giant steps you could take. Your objective was to get to the leader before everyone else did.

I was reading this morning in Numbers about the Israelites in the desert after fleeing from Egypt. They were moving towards the Promised Land, but did so on God's timetable and not on their own. When the Cloud that represented God's presence rested on the Tent of Dwelling they didn't go anywhere. When that Cloud lifted they would march to wherever God led them. Scripture tells us that it didn't matter if the Cloud hovered over the dwelling for two days, a month, or a year-as long as it stayed they didn't move. When the Cloud went up, they got up and marched.

It's a simple matter of obedience to God's leading and a reflection of our trust in Him. There are times when He is ready for us to move forward and times when we need to rest, meditate, and prepare.

It doesn't have to be about leaving your physical area, but allowing God to stretch you spiritually in your current location. New ventures in faith require that God leads the way and that we choose to follow. Our eyes have to be constantly fixed on our Father so that we see when He is moving us into new areas and when He wants us to rest in Him.

They camped at God's command and they marched at God's command. They lived obediently by God's orders as delivered by Moses. Numbers 9:23

Living Generously

I've been blessed by the generosity of so many people in my life. I couldn't even begin to name all of them and would have a hard time just giving honor to those from this past year. Our lives have been drastically improved and blessed by friends, family, and strangers who have shown us kindness.

True generous living is more than just an act or an infrequent occurrence, it's a philosophy of existence. Most people tend to think of giving generously and how it applies to their finances. While this is an important part of it, a truly benevolent lifestyle involves other aspects of our lives. When we truly are motivated by the desire to bless others we will do so with our time, prayers, compassion, energy, and service as well. It is marked by a genuine concern for others and the realization that all of our resources, tangible and intangible, are given to us by God and intended to be used for His glory.

With that realization in mind, I question myself frequently about how I am stewarding what God has given to me. I believe that He strategically positions us where we are to make the most impact with our gifts. The willingness to be generous in our current time & place is a mark of obedience and a revealing of God's will for our lives.

Actively Disengaged

God is relentlessly working to draw people to Him through any means necessary. If someone claims that they can't find God, they just aren't looking or responding. He does not decrease, fall asleep, lose power, become ineffective, or cease to be ever-present. The potential for power in worship, teaching, and serving is always simmering and ready to be released as soon as people accept what God is offering.

Flowing with the current of life and ignoring what God is doing is not a passive act. It takes an active, intentional (and perhaps subconscious) effort from us to miss it. I have seen far too many people start to move closer to God and then decide to step away from the potential of a Christ-like life. My heart is broken for the crowds of children, youth and adults that have made the active choice of removing themselves from the direct influence of God in their lives. I posit that it takes just as much effort to ignore God as it does to choose to experience His hope.

We are all faced with the daily choice to intentionally seek God and His Kingdom or to actively disengage and follow our own path that can only lead to dissatisfaction, damage, and ultimately death.

Grateful?

In Ephesians 5:18-20 we are told to be filled with the Holy Spirit and that the result of that intimate relationship will be worship. The phrase that hit me this past weekend was in verse 20-"giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

As I sat in our worship service, I had to ask myself a big question. Am I grateful always and for everything? I don't doubt that I am grateful for my physical blessings, my family, good friends, and the church. My consistency wavers however, when it comes to expressing gratitude when things are not going as anticipated. I would wager that most people are in the same predicament. 

Can we truly be grateful when we struggle with tension in our lives, emotional hurts, woundedness and brokenness, disappointment, physical illness, marital strife, financial stresses, or weariness? God didn't tell us to show gratitude only when the sun is shining, but also in the darkest of nights. It is an indication of our hearts and our belief that God is the King of all times and not just a rabbit's foot that gets credit for good luck. It is the difference between a vapor-like faith that can be blown away by changing circumstances, and a confidence in God's love and provision that is built on a foundation of rock that withstands all this life has to offer. 

Our response doesn't only reveal our hearts, but leads to a life of joyful worship that helps us persevere through tough times and reach our community for Christ at the same time.