INTERMITTENT

Family Shoot

2011-10-06T09:00:00.001-07:00

Our good friend and photographer, Kelly Carlson, took us on a family shoot. Here are a few of the moments she captured.

DRIFTING: lessons from Solomon

2011-03-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder how people can start off in life so well only to end so badly?

The story of King Solomon is arguably one of the most fascinating and puzzling in Scripture. Wisdom. Wealth. Power. God had poured out His favor on Solomon, and for a while, his life was right on track.

But the story doesn’t end that way. Not even close.

Why? Where did it all go wrong? Join us for the next two weeks as we explore the life of Solomon and learn how his story can change the course of our own - and help us finish well.

Part One: The Problem With Auto-Pilot

Part Two: Getting The Right Directions

To Hell With Hell

2011-03-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this incredibly insightful article by Mark Driscoll that overviews what the Bible says about Hell. It captures God's Word and presents it unashamedly.

And because I feel it's so helpful, I've decided to simple copy it here:

________________________________

Every once in a while, someone of note questions or denies the classic Christian belief of a literal hell with eternal, conscious suffering. Then a debate rages and becomes personal between representatives of various perspectives on the issue.

Meanwhile, the average person’s questions about hell can remain unanswered. So, rather than attacking any individual, I thought it might be helpful to address the issues by answering some of the most common questions about hell. Ministry leaders, including myself, are often asked these questions, and I asked these questions myself as a non-Christian and then as a new Christian in college. Rather than selling you, I will seek to simply be honest and say what the Bible says and allow you to make up your mind for yourself. I will be pulling from a few sections of a book I wrote with a friend who is the former president of the Evangelical Theological Society.

What happens when we die?

God created humans as thinking, feeling, moral persons made up of spirit and body tightly joined together. Death is not normal or natural, but an enemy, the consequence of sin. Death is the tearing apart of these two intertwined parts, the end of relationship with loved ones, and the cessation of life on this earth. The body goes to the grave and the spirit goes into an afterlife to face judgment. The Bible is clear that there will one day be a bodily resurrection for everyone to either eternal life with God or eternal condemnation apart from him in hell.

Christianity differs from all religions in that Christians believe our eternal status depends on our relationship with Jesus. We really believe that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” It may not be politically correct, but our lives are shaped by the reality that “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

Jesus talks about hell more than does anyone else in all of Scripture.

Upon death, a believer’s spirit immediately goes to heaven to be with Jesus. Jesus gives us a picture in Luke 16:19–31 of existence after death. Lazarus, the godly beggar, goes to be with Abraham, while the self-indulgent rich man is in a place of torment.

Jesus, who has come back from death and is thus the expert on what awaits us on the other side, was emphatically clear that a day of judgment is coming when everyone will rise from their graves and stand before him for eternal sentencing to either worship in his kingdom or suffer in his hell. At the final judgment, all—even you—will stand before Jesus. Jesus’ followers whose names are written in the Book of Life will be with him forever. The Bible could not be clearer: “if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

What judgment awaits non-Christians at the end of this life?

A day is coming when God will judge the living and the dead through the Son. When the Son of Man comes to sit on His throne, all will stand before Him for judgment. From the beginning of creation to the end, the Bible makes it clear that the basis of God's judgment is our deed.

Jesus made this very clear, saying in John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Jesus’ death propitiated God’s wrath against sin. Those who refuse this gift have the double penalty of wrath for their sins and for rejecting God’s Son. Jesus himself taught this in John 3:18, saying, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” Unlike Jesus’ words to the sheep, to the goats on his left he will say, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

However, this does not mean that the relatively nice sinner suffers equally with Satan or his most committed human servants. There are degrees of punishment in hell like there are degrees of reward in heaven. Both in life and in hell some sins receive more severe punishment, because that is just.

What does Scripture teach about hell?

Jesus talks about hell more than does anyone else in all of Scripture. Jesus’ words come in the context of the rest of Scripture, which says that God “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Furthermore, he “is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Despite God’s love for and patience with sinners, it is a horrid mistake to dismiss the Bible’s clear teachings on hell. Richard Niebuhr characterized the ongoing attempt of liberal Christians to deny hell as “a God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.” Jesus said more about hell than about any other topic. Amazingly, 13 percent of his sayings are about hell and judgment; more than half of his parables relate to the eternal judgment of sinners.

Christianity differs from all religions in that Christians believe our eternal status depends on our relationship with Jesus.

The Bible does not give us a detailed exposition of hell, but there are many descriptions of the fate of its inhabitants in that place of eternal punishment. They include:

fire
darkness
punishment
exclusion from God’s presence
restlessness
second death
weeping and gnashing of teeth

Satan will not reign there. Hell is a place of punishment that God prepared for the Devil and his angels. It is where the beast and the false prophet and those who worship them will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night.

At the end of the age, the Devil will be “thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Hell will be ruled by Jesus, and human and demon alike, including Satan, will be tormented there continually.

People who reject Jesus in this life will not rejoice in him after this life.

Hell is real and terrible. It is eternal. There is no possibility of amnesty or reprieve. Daniel says that some of the dead will be resurrected “to shame and everlasting contempt.” Jesus says, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. . . . And these will go away into eternal punishment.” Paul tells us:

God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.

Perhaps the clearest and most gripping depiction of hell in all of Scripture is the frequent mention of hell as “Gehenna.” The name refers to an area outside of the city of Jerusalem where idolatry and horrendous sin, including child sacrifice, were practiced. Gehenna was a place so despised and cursed by God’s people that they turned it into the city dump where feces, refuse, and the dead bodies of criminals were stacked. Jesus spoke of Gehenna as the hellish final home of the wicked. Since Gehenna is described as a fiery abyss, clearly it is also the lake of fire to which all the godless will ultimately be eternally sentenced, together with Satan, demons, and unrepentant sinners. So when the Bible speaks of hell as a place where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die, the original hearers would easily have remembered Gehenna, where this reality was ever present outside of their city.

What are some of the major objections to the Doctrine of hell?

A loving God would not send billions of people to a horrible hell

In a very important sense God doesn’t send anyone to hell. The only ones there are those who have rejected his revelation, choosing to suppress the truth he made plain to them. God made people in his image, after his likeness, with the power to say no and to reject the universal revelation of himself. Subsequently, sinners have no one to blame but themselves if they are damned.

To get to hell someone must reject the God who shows them his goodness and out of love for all “gives to all mankind life and breath and everything”; reject the Spirit who “convicts the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment”; and reject the crucified Son who said, “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” Obviously, God has been exceedingly gracious to sinners.

People who reject Jesus in this life will not rejoice in him after this life. Hell is only for those who persistently reject the real God in favor of false gods. So in the end, people get to be with the god they love. To paraphrase C. S. Lewis, either people will say to God, “Thy will be done,” or God will say to them, “Thy will be done.” Not only is God loving, but he is also just. Heaven and hell are the result of his love and justice.

A loving God would be more tolerant

People who judge God need to really consider if they would be more pleased if God were tolerant of everyone, including rapists, pimps, pedophiles, and even those who have sinned against them most heinously. The idea is completely absurd and unjust. Not everyone in hell is a rapist, of course, but everyone there chose sin over God throughout his or her entire life. . . .

A loving God protects his children from sin and evil by separating them. In this way, God is a father who is tolerant of all who obey him and are safe for his children. But he is intolerant of those who sin against him and do evil to his children. Subsequently, God is intolerant in a way that is like our own cultural intolerances of those who drink and drive, steal, rape, and murder; we, too, demonstrate our intolerance by separating such people from society. To call such actions on God’s part intolerant is shameful, because tolerance would denote both approval and support of evil.

Hell is mean

To understand what love is, look at what Jesus did at the cross. He suffered and died for the ungodly, for sinners, for his enemies. Or, to say it another way, Jesus suffered and died for mean people. A God who will suffer and die for mean people is not mean. In fact, such a God alone is altogether loving; to be condemned by a God of perfect love shows how damnable our sin truly is.

Eternal torment in hell is an unjust punishment for people who sin for a few decades

Some argue that the punishment of sinners is annihilation. This means that after someone dies apart from faith, they suffer for a fitting period of time and then simply cease to exist so that hell is not eternal in duration. In question is the nature and length of the punishment.

Annihilationism is simply not what the Bible teaches. Daniel 12:2 says, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Jesus teaches the same thing and speaks of those who “will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Grammatically, there is no difference here between the length of time mentioned for life and that for punishment; rather, there is simply eternal life and eternal death.

Satan will not reign there. Hell is a place of punishment that God prepared for the Devil and his angels.

The Bible tells us that “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image” and “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” The word forever (Greek aion) means unending.

This is why the Bible speaks of hell as conscious, eternal punishment. One summary of the Bible’s teaching on the pain of hell says:

Those in hell suffer intense and excruciating pain. This pain is likely both emotional/spiritual and physical (John 5:28–29).
Hell is a fate worse than being drowned in the sea (Mark 9:42).
It is worse than any earthly suffering—even being maimed (Matthew 5:29–30; Mark 9:43).
The suffering never ends (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:48).
The wicked will be “burned with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12).
Those in hell will be thrown into the fiery furnace and will experience unimaginable sorrow, regret, remorse, and pain. The fire produces the pain described as “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30).
The intensity of the suffering seems to be according to the wickedness of the person’s behavior (Romans 2:5–8).
Hell is utterly fearful and dreadful (Hebrews 10:27–31).
This punishment is depicted as “coming misery,” “eating flesh with fire,” and the “day of slaughter” (James 5:1–5).
Those in hell will feel the full force of God’s fury and wrath (Revelations 14:10).
They will be “tormented” with fire (14:10–11).
This suffering is best understood as endless since the “smoke of their torment rises forever and ever” (14:11).
This suffering is constant because it is said that those in hell “will have no rest day or night” (14:11) and
“will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (20:10).

In summary, annihilationism is not biblical. For this reason, it was condemned by the Second Council of Constantinople (AD 553) and the Fifth Lateran Council (1513).

Today, though, it is becoming popular to hope that sinners will eventually repent and everyone will end up in heaven. This is universal reconciliation, the ancient view of Origen. However, there is not a shred of evidence for post-mortem repentance. The continual teaching of the Bible is that we die once and are then judged, without any second chance at salvation. As one clear example, Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”

What people who have never heard about Jesus go to hell?

Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Peter preached, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” The conclusion is simple: there is only one way to the Father and that is through Jesus Christ. All other religious roads lead to false gods and a real hell.

But there are many ways to Jesus. While the norm is responding to the preached Word of God, there are biblical examples as well as life experiences where God gives special revelation of the Messiah to unsaved people in other forms, including direct speech, dreams, and visions. God called Abraham directly. He gave Pharaoh dreams. He spoke to the treacherous prophet Balaam in a vision so that he prophesied about the Messiah. He appeared to Cornelius in a vision, which resulted in him being saved.

Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.”

There are many such stories. The reality is that anyone who is searching and willing to respond to the goodness of God as Cornelius did will receive special revelation. God is perfectly able to bypass the “normal” channels to accomplish his purposes.

No one who comes to the Lord will be cast out. As Paul says:

For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Therefore, while there is no salvation apart from faith in Jesus Christ, there is also no reason to overlook the creativity of God to get the gospel out. His creativity includes using us to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth as pioneering missionaries to unreached people groups and generous givers to ministries that translate the Bible into new languages.

Am I going to hell?

The closing verses of the Bible say, “Come!” as an invitation for all who desire to receive God’s saving grace as a gift. Jesus died and rose and is exalted in heaven. If you repent of sin, change your mind about who or what is Lord of your life, and believe, trusting that you can stake your life and eternity on the truth of what God says, then you will receive full forgiveness of all sin, new life in and by the Holy Spirit, membership in the church of Jesus Christ, a meaningful part in his rescue mission in the world, and citizenship in his kingdom. You will be with Jesus and his people now and forever.

I want this for you.

Have you confessed your sins to Jesus Christ, seeking forgiveness and salvation through his sinless life that is your righteousness, death that is your payment, and resurrection that is your salvation?

_______________________________

Parts of this post are adapted from Doctrine by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears, © 2010, pp. 407–436. Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.

Desiring God

2011-02-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

There's something "moving" about John Piper.

I haven't read many of his books. I haven't been a long-time listener of his podcast. I don't even know much about the church community he leads. But every time I get another little glimpse into his life, God stirs something inside of me.

And this video is yet another example. Just hearing him share about the release of a "long-ago" book, I feel compelled to take a good look at my own life. In John, I see such honest humility. I see a deep, passionate hunger for Christ. I see a relentless, desperate pursuit of God's will. I see an unwavering endurance to uphold God's Truth.

And it causes me to be still. Broken. Aligned. Desiring God.

What's amazing is, I've never even read this book. And I probably will. But most importantly, I'm just so thankful for how God has used John to spur me toward Christ.

All Heaven Rejoices

2011-01-19T06:45:00.000-08:00

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents... (Luke 15:7).

I still can't stop thinking about November 28/2010.

It was a milestone for many who stepped forward and shared with the world that Jesus saves. Forgiveness. Wholeness. New life. These people were excited to publicly declare that they had been made new in Christ, and it was a privilege to celebrate and baptize three of those people.

Jake
Jake is in middle school. And for someone so young, he shows tremendous signs of maturity in Christ. I can see God shaping a future leader in him. He has such a deep hunger for Christ and I know He has a tremendous plan for his life.

Collin
Collin is one of my student leaders. And in all my years of ministry, I have never seen a person grow in Christ so quickly. I mentor him every week and it never ceases to amaze me just how much God is transforming his life. He is completely surrendered and I'm eager to see how He uses him for His Kingdom.

Someone "Unexpected"
November 28/2010 will forever be the most special and memorable baptism celebration of my life. It was the day that I baptized Elisa - my wife. She has been a strong believer since her early teen years, and she's one of the truest examples of Christ I know. But she had never been baptized. And when God began to prompt her heart, she knew that this was a step of obedience she needed to take. It's just another reason why I respect my wife so much. Even though it would have been incredibly easy to not step out in obedience, she did.

In the face of Satan's lies.

In the face of potential embarrassment.

In the face of people viewing her differently (as a pastor's wife).

She still stepped out, and she did it believing that God would use her example to prompt the hearts of others - people of faith in Christ who hadn't yet been baptized. And God used her example to do just that. We have heard ongoing stories from people who have since felt God prompting them to step out and obey.

So, it's never too late to get baptized. Young or old, new or seasoned in your walk with Christ. Either way... ALL HEAVEN REJOICES when we respond to God's heart.

2 Distinctive Moments

2011-01-05T08:01:00.000-08:00

When we first came aboard at Southwest Hills Community Church (SHCC), there were two distinctive moments for me personally.

ONE: Our 360 Weekend was such a rewarding moment. This took place shortly after we started our new life in Austin, and I was overwhelmed by what God was doing in the life of our new church family. The vision that was cast. The people who had responded. And the creativity and labor that went into bringing the 360 set alive. It was a distinctive moment for me, and that day, I realized just how blessed I was to be a part of God's purposes for SHCC. I'm so grateful to be laboring for God's Kingdom here.

TWO: Meet The Cooper's Weekend stands alone for me. Never before have we felt as valued and loved than we did that weekend. Pastor Greg basically interviewed us with a series of questions and allowed Elisa and I to share our heartbeat for ministry and God's Kingdom.

And to top it all off, our church family overwhelmed us with gifts. They came from different directions. Different people. Different ministries. There were gift cards, food baskets, toys for the kids, invites to a night on the town, and even a Longhorns' Snuggie and hockey stick. We were literally "showered" by gifts. It felt like a celebration in our honor, and Elisa and I knew without a doubt that we had been fully received.

We love our new church family. And it's overwhelming to see and serve alongside what God is doing in our midst. And although it was difficult to uproot our life in North Carolina and step out in faith the way He had called us to, it has brought so much peace and happiness to our lives. Because we know without a doubt, this is where God wants us to be.

O Holy Night

2010-12-29T12:32:00.000-08:00

Alright, this is the BEST version of "O Holy Night" I've heard.

Recorded live at Gateway Church, and the arrangement is fun. Rebecca Pfortmiller has an incredible gift, to say the least.

Hope you enjoy it!

Merry Christmas & Happy Apple

2010-12-10T20:11:00.000-08:00

This was recorded live at North Point Community Church during their worship gathering last week.

Fun. Creative. Entertaining.

Just another reason why I love the world of Mac. Hope you find it as entertaining as I did. And most importantly, Merry Christmas Happy New Year!

2010 Summer Vacation

2010-08-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

First day at the cottage. Suited up and ready to go fishing.

Elisa caught a great small-mouth bass. It was a fighter, too.

My first large-mouth bass of the trip - just shy of 4 lbs.

Went night fishing with my brother, Cory. Fish were practically jumping in the boat.

Layton's first fish of the trip - off the dock. His smile says it all.

London's favorite spot - Nana's backyard swing. She spent hours swinging.

Elisa loving on London in the backyard.

Taking in the view I often took for granted growing up.

Layton wrestling Cooper in the backyard.

Layton showing his personality. This is a historic one-room school my parents purchased when I was a child.

We took Layton and London to Portrait Innovations. Love this shot.

We were so proud of Layton. He sat still for a long time.

London loves the camera. She could have sat there for hours.

Taking Responsibility For Your Life

2010-06-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

What if you could sit down and have Andy Stanley speak directly into your life about responsibility?

Good news - this Sunday we are launching a whole-church video series by Northpoint Community Church called Taking Responsibility For Your Life.

This four-week journey dives directly into the importance of taking seriously the ownership God has called us to.

Come worship with Connections and learn with us how to embrace the responsibilities we can't afford to neglect.

2 Must-Hear Messages

2010-05-10T06:43:00.000-07:00

Part of my daily quiet time is listening to (and studying) a message online. It's always been an a great outlet for me - something to plug into, hear from God, and get fueled up for the day.

Over the years, I've listened to messages from countless pastors. But my all-time favorite - and who has become a spiritual father to me - is Pastor Robert Morris from Gateway Church.

He has become a "distant mentor" to me - for countless reasons.

Although his sermon pool is stocked with great messages, these two messages in particular have really encouraged and challenged me personally. In my opinion, these are must-hear messages for every believer:

HAVE YOU BEEN SENT OR JUST CALLED?

THE SIN OF COMPARISON

Hope these encourage and challenge you as much as they have me.

Here In Your Presence: 4.25.10

2010-04-26T02:13:00.000-07:00

Invited into the presence of God is our greatest privilege.

But, to be honest, we all face seasons when we struggle to get there. Sometimes we don't feel hungry to spend time with God.

Why? What does that mean about our relationship with Christ?

This past Sunday, I had the chance to teach God's Word on this topic: Here In Your Presence. At the core, it wrestled with the reality of our sinful nature, Satan's objective and primary weapon, and the message God is shouting to us all.

You can listen to the Podcast HERE.

Below are a few points I shared in this message:

Our flesh understands that if it can keep us from being still, it can prevent us from realizing He is Lord.

The presence of God isn't something we necessarily approach, it's something we enter into.

We don't spend time with God to be loved, we're invited to spend time with Him because we are loved.

The problem isn't Satan's lies, it's removing ourselves from God's promises.

When we fail to dwell in the presence of God, we remove ourselves from our our covering, which is God's promises.

The time we spend with God is far more valuable than the answers we seek.

It's not a possibility that God will answer our cry, it's a promise.

Seeking God is not simply a way to understand God's plan for us, it is God's plan for us.

God is not a means to our purpose, He is our purpose.

God's "Jeremiah 29:11" For Us

2010-04-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

The Bible clearly teaches that God has a specific plan for us.

Not just for a selected few. And not just some random, general plan. A specific plan, for every person He creates:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

Our Creator detailed our lives - according to His will - with a specific plan filled with eternal hope.
Although it might be easy to agree with that, many people struggle to understand God's plan for them. They float around life - wondering if they will ever be lucky enough to experience the hope-filled future He promises.

Life can easily become a aimless labor for fulfillment. A quick choice to settle for second best.

But it doesn't have to be. And it shouldn't be:

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:12-13).

We are called to pray and seek Him wholeheartedly. And when we do, we will find Him. Understanding God's plan is a natural outflow of spending time with God. As we grow closer to Him, we grow in our understanding of His will.

But I believe verse 11 and 12 carry even greater value than that.

Seeking God is not merely a way to learn God's plan for us. Seeking Him is His plan for us. It's what we were created for - to glorify the Name of the Lord. Nothing gives God greater joy than to spend time with the children He died for. And nothing else satisfies the yearning of our souls.

Understanding God's "Jeremiah 29:11" for us is important. But the time we spend with God is far more valuable than the answers we seek.

The Other Book That Changed My Life

2010-03-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard The Brooklyn Tabernacle's story?

You should - it's a story only God could write. Absolutely incredible.

Last week, I was literally bed-ridden from a viral infection that lasted two days. And as I rested in bed, I asked my wife to grab from my bookshelf Jim Cymbala's book, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire.

The day before, before I even got sick, a close friend called and suggested that I read the book. Interestingly, the book had been sitting on my shelf for years. It was one my wife read as a teenager as preparation for a inner-city missions trip to New Orleans.

As I opened the book and quickly flipped through the pages, I saw the bright yellow highlighter and pencil markings from my wife's study. Just a first sight, I could tell how much it had impacted my her as a teenager. Amazingly, 11 years ago, God began a work in my future wife's life that He was now about to do in me.

Hands down, this book changed my life - forever.

From the first page to the last period, I couldn't put it down. It resonated with me and I strongly sensed God had an appointment to do a powerful work in my life. And He did.

Cymbala's heavy focus on prayer and spending deep, no-agenda-time in God's Presence really challenged me to the core. It was a "fresh" reminder of how desperate we are for the Holy Spirit.

We need the Holy Spirit's power. But that comes from only spending time in His presence. They are completely intertwined.

God has not called us to plan out His agenda and ask Him to bless it. He has called us to seek and worship Him wholeheartedly - and then respond to what He is doing in us. That is God's very agenda - that we would call upon His name.

The Brooklyn Tabernacle's story is one of complete redemption. But more specifically, it's a reflection of what God wants to do in all of us - to remind us of how much we desperately need Him.

Apart from Him, there is no glory, power, wisdom, passion or even life. Without Him, we simply live dead lives.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Not just to pastors, evangelists or missionaries - this is a message we all need to hear. Again and again.

10 Reasons We Need The Holy Spirit

2010-03-07T17:38:00.000-08:00

God has been stirring in me a deep hunger and passion for the Holy Spirit lately, well beyond the norm.

So, below are 10 reasons why God, the Holy Spirit is essential. And over the next several weeks, I'm going to cover each of these topics in depth.

We are...

Drawn to God by the Holy Spirit (John 6:44).
Born again and atoned to Christ by the Holy Spirit (John 3:6-8; Titus 3:5; Acts 19:1-6).
Indwelled by the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17).
Empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; 4:31; Luke 24:49).
Counseled by the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 16:7).
Convicted by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8).
Led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:13-14; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
Given gifts by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
Sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Cultivated and harvested by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

I'm really looking forward to revisiting and teaching the Truth about God, the Holy Spirit. We need Him desperately.

Thankful For The Internet

2010-02-26T08:56:00.000-08:00

I'm so thankful for the Internet, especially when used as a tool for building God's Kingdom.

This week, over 1000 pastors gathered at GateWay Church for the Connect 2010 Conference.

As the event drew near, Twitter was chocked full of tweets from excited leaders. The anticipation was obviously building quickly, and honestly, I was getting pretty excited, too.

It was impossible for me to attend, due to this week's schedule. But I heard the conference was going to be streamed LIVE. And I'm so glad it was.

Although I was sitting in my family room - thousands of miles away from the event - it was one of the most life-changing worship experiences of my life. God spoke directly and powerfully to me.

Yes, He's always faithful to speak. But this was one of those rare moments when I sensed God was going to do a major work in my life. And He did. There was an unmistakable anointing on every speaker, worship leader and message.

Tears, conviction, praise, laughter, encouragement - these were all there. It was a messy and beautiful combination. And I found myself face down at His feet, hungry to empty myself and drink deep. It may have been in my family room, but His love has no boundaries.

I am so thankful for those three days, for the Internet, and for moments when God so graciously changes my life forever.

I hope to be there in person next year.

Giving It To God

2010-02-22T06:11:00.000-08:00

Alright, I'm going public. Here's my confession.

God has been really convicting me about an area of my life that's unhealthy. Ever since college, I have struggled with weight. Zero gym time. Little exercise. Unhealthy diet.

There are moments when I'm sensitive to the Holy Spirit's stirring, and for a while, I exercise, eat a little better, and make sure I get my vitamins. But it only lasts so long and my weight fluctuates as rapidly as my commitment.

In moments of weakness, I allow my flesh control and begin to justify all the reasons it's alright to be physically unhealthy. But as persistent as my flesh is, these excuses never satisfy, and God continues to speak to me.

The truth is, I have no good excuse. God has given me everything necessary to be healthy (Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 9:8).

I've always believed this. I teach it to others (often). But in this area of my life, I've been trying to lean on my own efforts. It's been on my terms. My strength. Somewhere along the line, I've separated God from it. The problem is, like any area of our lives, the Holy Spirit is essential for success (Zechariah 4:6).

This is a spiritual battle and my only hope for health - and to honor God in the process - is by yielding to and leaning hard on Him. I need to partner Him, as He leads, on His strength.

Sure, I want victory for the physical benefits. I want to give my wife my best. I want to have the energy to play with my kids after a long day. I genuinely want to shed the 35 lbs. But what underlines it all - I want victory for God's glory. I want this area of my life - like every area of my life - to honor Him (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

So, what's my game plan?

Seek God first and give Him this area of my life daily (see Matthew 6:32-34). This is a lifestyle, not a diet. I want to partner Him, as He leads, on His strength.
Create some practical boundaries for accountability and support.

How about you? Is there an area of your life you still need to give up to God?

Have You Opened It?

2010-02-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

Is your life filled with joy?

This past Christmas, instead of reinventing a new way to communicate the birth of Jesus, we decided to focus on one of the major themes of Christmas - joy.

We used a three-part teaching series by Francis Chan called JOY. Few teachings have had the amount of impact on my life than this series. It just completely shipwrecked my perspective and challenged me to the core.

In Philippians 4:4, Paul commands us to "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice." This is literally a command to make the decision to have joy. And this verse set the rhythm for all three teachings.

But of the entire series, the most impacting lesson from what Francis shared was his stab at defining what true biblical joy actually is:

"Joy isn't something we just lose; we choose to throw it away. It isn't something that just happens to us; it's a decision. Joy is something we fight for."

After each teaching each week, we would debrief the message and help people begin the process of putting it into practice. I summed it up this way:

Joy is like a beautifully wrapped gift that we receive through Christ.

It has a fancy bow that glitters. It has a special place in our house. We sing about it. We write it in Christmas cards. Retailers use it to market their products. We smile at the very thought of it.

We assume that because we hold onto the gift, we possess it. But according to Paul's command in Philippians 4:4, we're taught that joy is a choice. Joy is a gift that must be opened.

How do we open the gift of joy?

By choosing to celebrate the good and not focus on the bad. Joy starts with being intentional about thanking God for all of the gifts He extends to us, and not focusing on what we don't have. If we made a point (daily) to consider His provision in our lives - temporal and eternal - we would find ourselves overwhelmed and literally bursting with the incredible gift of joy we recieve in Jesus Christ.

Have you taken the time to opened it?

Is Your Church Closed Tomorrow?

2010-01-30T12:06:00.000-08:00

Last night delivered a heap of snow - four inches topped with a hefty layer of ice.

While the sight of snow and ice was exciting, I knew it would have huge implications for traveling. So, to be on the safe side, due to road conditions, we made the decision to cancel tomorrow's service.

What about you? Is your church closed tomorrow?

If so, I've included a few suggestions for spending some quiet time with God tomorrow morning, in the comfort of your home. These are my personal go-to resources:

Listen to a past message on the Podcast of North Point Community Church, Passion City Church, Cornerstone Church, The Village Church, C3 Church or Bethel Church.
Read through the book of James and consider what areas of your life are not living God's Truth out.
Be still (and silent) before God in prayer. Allow Him to speak.

Enjoy the snow. Enjoy the change of pace. And be sure to grab some time and enjoy God tomorrow, too.

iPod Repeats

2010-01-25T20:16:00.000-08:00

God has always spoken into my life through music.

If I had to dive into my entire collection and pick just three favorites, I would undoubtedly go with Jesus Culture's worship material. It's Spirit-led, carries a message of Truth, and literally draws you in to see God's Majesty and fall passionate at His feet. The listener becomes the worshiper.

Whether spending alone time with God, driving to work, blogging about what God is teaching me, or writing a message for Sunday, these three albums have become my iPod repeats - in this order:

So, if you've been wanting to find some music that will stir a desire for more of God, keeping you focused on your relationship with Him, I would strongly recommend these. Just click on the albums above for a preview.

You won't regret spending the money. Seriously.

Backsliding

2010-01-22T06:12:00.000-08:00

This morning I grabbed some quiet time with God.

The usual - a good cup of coffee, a quiet place, my Bible and journal. I've been meditating on Jesus' letter to the Ephesians in Revelation 2:1-7.

After wrapping up, I jumped on Twitter to get the latest on what God is doing in the life of so many leaders I love and respect. As God speaks into their lives, He speaks into mine.

One of my "mentors" is Greg Laurie. This morning Greg updated his Twitter account and tweeted, "New blog post: Keep Moving." I clicked the link and stumbled onto a great post about the dangers of backsliding.

Backsliding is rarely talked about anymore. Seems like the "Church" has sadly become comfortable with sin. In some strange way, sin has become like a household pet that we feed, take pleasure in, and sometimes - when we have had enough - yell at or scold.

After reading Revelation 2:1-7 again this morning, Greg's blog really resonated with me. Tragically, I think many pastors and leaders feel it's more loving to steer away from people's sickness, maybe acknowledge it briefly, but ultimately, hope God will move and that people will eventually just figure it out.

But is that Biblical? Think about it, does that approach remotely reflect Jesus' ministry? No, not at all. We are called to uphold God's Truth, because it's Truth that frees us from our sickness (John 8:31-32).

Sure, the best word to express Jesus is love. That tends to be the argument, "I want to love people like Jesus, not point out all their shortfalls." The problem with that mentality is that the greatest expressing of Jesus' love for us is loving us enough to teach the Truth (Matthew 9:11-13).

Jesus loved us enough to carry us to the cross - where repentance, forgiveness, wholeness and freedom happen.

Even the author of Hebrews understood the dangers of backsliding and urges us to embrace our responsibility to hold each other accountable:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:23-25).

We can't just hope people will figure it out. Yes, God will surely move, that's not disputed. But we must realize - He often works through us, the Church.

Will you partner Him for His Kingdom's sake? With gentleness and respect, grace and truth, will you carry people to the cross?

Be sure to check out Greg's blog.

Are You Ready?

2010-01-20T18:49:00.000-08:00

Influence.

The word in and of itself just sounds heavy, right?

Over the last several weeks, God has been pressing hard into my heart the need to stir a mindfulness of the influence that surrounds us all. The bible tells us that influence is a relentless fire that bombards our lives, impacts our worldview, and can easily become a force that leads poor decisions.

Read over Ephesians 6:11-13 carefully.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle 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.

Paul is careful to explain that life's difficulties and struggles run deeper than we often think. It's a spiritual battle - a constant war between God's work in us and Satan's objective to destroy it. Without the proper mindset and armor, influence - in it's various forms, shades and colors - is destructive. Like a domino effect - a signal choice has the power to leverage the direction of the rest our lives.

We must dive into the wisdom and protection found in God's Word - so we as Christ-followers can be steadfast and burn brightly for Christ, even in the midst of struggle, temptation and pressure.

Careful - don't be fooled. Our relationship with Christ is a spiritual battle and we must be ready to fight.

Are you?

Seeking God First, Not Second

2010-01-20T12:38:00.000-08:00

Need a challenge? A really big challenge? Grab a seat and spend some time meditating on Matthew 6:32-33. Then read on.

For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:32-33).

The term pagans was viewed very negatively in Jesus’ culture. Although it has a wide range of meaning today, in short, it's similar to heathen and mythological practices. Jesus uses pagans to describe the mentality and lifestyle of a people-group who tried to make life work for themselves. The imagery run after is like trying to chase something that's impossible. Running a race that has no finish line. Searching for something that does not exist.

Jesus then urges, But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Jesus is calling us to, before anything else, pursue our relationship with God, becoming more like Him. Spending time with God is our greatest privilege. But Jesus is also stating something else – that everything, our entire existence (marriage, parenting, finances, relationships, ministry, school, work, etc.) is provided out of a relationship with Christ. Not only is God the Creator of all the things we long to achieve and experience in life, He is the Source for which we receive them.

Jesus concludes His statement with all these things will be given to you as the alternative to chasing after them. Not only is it impossible to achieve a fruitful life on our own, but as we begin to focus on our relationship with Christ, and as He becomes our central focus, He gives us the things we need to live God-honoring lives. In short, it's only when we are aligned with God’s will that we are capable of managing His gifts well.

How would our lives be different if we Christ-focused? How much differently would we approach each day if we allowed God to set our rhythm? What if we decided to seek God first, not second?

These are tough questions.

Imagine if we took the time (daily) to answer them.