May our thirst increase so that we pant to be quenched by God himself. Increase our longing so that we are desperate for you Lord. May we not be satisfied until we have drunk deeply from your presence.

Even now I seek you; pant for you; long for you. In these moments meet me here that I may drink in your love and truth and grace. Life. Goodness. Wisdom. All found in your presence. May all of Christ Fellowship pant for you, O God. May we be a thirsty church. Bless each one that meets with you today; satisfy their souls with yourself.

How priceless is the unfailing love of the Lord. People take refuge in the shadow of the Lord’s wings. They feast in the abundance of the Lord’s house. They drink from the river of his delights.

How can we understand these metaphors? What is the Scripture picturing? A God who blessing us; who showers us with goodness; who secures us. The Lord is a fountain of life – all that life means in the most full and wonderful sense of the word, so much more than mere existence. In his light, we see light. God grants a vision that we could not have without him. He opens blind eyes to see in his light; he gives drink to the thirsty; he satisfies the hungry; he brings life to the dead.

Such gracious love; such overwhelming goodness to those he made who rebelled. We have not nor could ever earn such gifts. In joyous, humble, awed reception we remain stunned into silence as we are called into action; to tell the story; to live the story. How could we not?

In a hostile world, the Maker provides refuge, strength; presence and power to walk through the fire. There is a life stronger than the shadow of physical death; one that lives on through decay and disease; through violence and illness; through threats and executions; resurrection silences death. Life triumphs. So we can boldly live in the Spirit, drinking in life, seeing light as we look forward to the fullness of all that is promised, all that is partial fulfilled in utter glory.

And so we must open our mouths to tell his glory with faltering words; imperfect stories, yet perfect in their authenticity. This is what has really happened to us; how God has changed us.

The voice of the Lord thunders over mighty waters in its majestic power striking with flashes of lightning, so that all around his throne cry out “glory!”

The Lord gives strength and peace. This day let’s receive his strength in our weakness and his peace in our distress.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. 

The refrain repeats through the book echoing its clear call through the chambers of my mind: “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.”

Be holy because I am holy, says God. There is no escape, no wiggle room. The call is crystal clear: be holy.

The reason is rooted in the very being and character of God himself. He is holy. And so as those created in his image, we too must be holy. “Holy” can sound sanctimonious, as in holier than thou; or religious in a dusty old way like a word pulled out of time from older days that does not seem to fit or be hip. And yet “holy” will not be so easily dismissed as out of date. It’s timeless.

Rarely found today in media reports or lists of virtues, "holy" refuses to be discounted; it stands up as the central pillar of human character called for by the Creator.

All his laws and commands radiate from this one point: be holy as I am holy. In my best moments, after a swallow or two, I say, I want to be holy, knowing that is what God demands, knowing what God demands is what is best, so I aim to live holy today.

God provides detailed instructions for sacrificial offerings to atone for sin, including unintentional sin that becomes known to a person or to the group.

Holy Lord God, you demand sacrifice. There can be no forgiveness, no redemption, without blood. There can be no proper offering without a priest. The offering must be done properly according to divine instructions.

Father, thank you for sacrificing your own Son; Jesus, thank you for volunteering to be sacrificed, for giving yourself as the lamb. I wonder and marvel at the sacrificial love you have shown to me and to the world. How can I respond but to love you; to serve you; to give my life for you.

I want to be accused of being a man who is causing trouble all over the world as Jason was. Father, make me dangerous for Christ – a man devoted to you - zealous for your glory - zealous for your mission.

Help me to communicate well to my church family – Movement to Multiply means reaching more people for Jesus – means multiplying outposts of the kingdom – means multiplying the Gospel.

You could build a bigger building to reach more people or you could start another church campus – clearly the campus will reach more people.

Lord open my eyes to see – open my mind to conceive. Free me from the visible seen realities to know the unseen that are richer still and just as real.

O Lord, your glory filled the tabernacle – how amazing; so that Moses could not enter (Exodus 40). One day we will enter into Christ’s glory. We will be revealed in glory as your children; the full realization of what has been started now; the flowering, the unveiling, of what has begun; life ignited in our souls then in full flower unhindered by a death-body or a decaying world; freed in a resurrected body and a new world liberated from the curse; set free.

So today I am filled with hope; empowered to live for you on a cold, icy day because the Sun/Son is coming and creation will be set free from ice; it will always be springtime. And so eagerly I look forward to that day, knowing this is ending soon; the ice will melt and one day never return.

Do not do it all yourself. Raise up leaders; men and women of God who can handle a hundred, fifty or ten. Scopes of leadership relate to number of people in one's charge. Consider the capacity of various ones.

Must identify, appoint and develop these people. And still I handle situations myself, including the more difficult.

We need more leaders at Christ Fellowship.

God is in charge. God judges nations. God delivers his people. These are not fairy tales or myths, but are as real as today’s news.

What we can’t read on the Internet is how the story is unfolding in heaven, but we know we are to trust and fear the Lord and to let the world know his greatness.

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still Ex 14:14.

Increase my faith Lord. Increase my generosity to give like the poor widow. She gave two very small copper coins worth only a few cents. We don’t even know her name. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.”

Then he explains why. “They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.” Amazing. What faith. What generosity! My prayer is to be like the widow. Could I trust God to give that much?

Purge the dross. I invite you to burn away sin and foolishness; to see as you see; to see people, love, truth – systems and processes come and go. Put my eyes more and more on people and truth and faith; to lead well with and through people.

Lord God, make me a man of humble faith; willing to go anywhere with you; to trust you with nothing and with everything; to put my confidence not in money, but in you.

You are the King. You are the Lord. There is none like you. Guide me, lead me, fill me; live through me today. May I think with the mind of Christ and obey with the power of the Spirit.

In the amazing power of God, Joseph tells the meaning of the dreams of the two Egyptian officials and they are true. He asks the one man to tell Pharaoh about him to help him in prison, but in a horrible phrase we are told; “he forgot Joseph."

Already Joseph has been through so much being sold into slavery, nearly killed by his own brothers, then falsely accused and imprisoned for years. And now he is forgotten.

But then the Lord prevails as Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream. Now he is made second in command of all Egypt. What an amazing reversal of fortune. This is the path of Christ: suffering to glory – this is our path as Christ-followers, suffering today, ruling with Christ tomorrow.

This fallen world is a time of living in the pit, in prisons, some we make ourselves and some are just aspects of a dark world, but one day we will be resurrected; one day we will reign with Christ in his kingdom over the whole world. Until that day we are to be faithful. Grant us hope in the pits and prisons; faith to have confidence in God who will fulfill his promises. We will move from the prison to the palace.

Lord, I trust you that you choose older to serve younger; you choose men to bless; churches to grow and have impact in different ways. You have blessed me and blessed the church. I find satisfaction in you. Deliver me from Esau like reaction to hunger – to sell a birthright for stew. Father, may I not sell something huge for something expedient or urgent. Instead, may I trust deeply in you Lord.

You are the King. You are the Lord. I look to you. I long for you. I seek you. Lord, I fast for you – seeking you as my meat; as the sustenance of my life; to find meaning and wholeness and satisfaction in you over food. Father, grant deep insight and wisdom; help us to see as far as possible.

I find myself stunned silent by Jesus’ death: so sad; so victorious; so tragic and so climactic. Here history turns. The Fall is undone. Death killed by Life; darkness scattered by Light; imprisoned creation freed; salvation won.

Teach me the way of the cross; death to victory; the way of suffering that leads to glory. All is not as it seems.

Blood can be spilled in a life-giving way. What looks like defeat can be great victory.

Grant me spiritual eyes to see; the mind of Christ to understand; humble service; true speech; love unconditional and to all kinds of people. Lord, grow me in love; grow me in Gospel speaking and acting.

Hezekiah faithfully works hard and trusts deeply

What a beautiful blend in Hezekiah’s preparation for the invasion of Sennacherib, king of Assyria. He blocked off the springs; worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and built towers as well as supporting terraces. He made large numbers of weapons and shields. And he encouraged the men at the gate with these words: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” (32:7-8).

When it came down to it, Hezekiah cried out in prayer along with the prophet Isaiah. The Lord sent an angel and annihilated all the fighting men of the Assyrian King. He left.

We work hard in faith knowing that the Lord God is our confidence in battle, and that he expects us to prepare fully, not to sit around claiming we trust in God to win the battle. Work and faith are not opposed, but united; friends clasping hands in joint action for victory.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. He is the Messiah, God in the flesh who came to save the world, to bring peace to the earth. What he ignited in his first coming he will complete when he returns as the Lord of Lords, the King to rule over this world.

Today we can know his peace, no matter what storm we face, because his peace runs deeper than any surface disturbance. The Lord Jesus Christ offers a peace that the world does not understand. In this world we have troubles, but he has overcome the world!

Worship Jesus, the Prince of Peace, the Lord.

Jesus healed the man at the pool and told him to take up his mat and walk, but it was the Sabbath; the Jewish folks got angry because the law forbids this; not God’s law, but their explanations and additions to the law.

So sad. May God deliver us from straining gnats while we swallow camels. Keep me focused on what matters.

Jesus came not to seek to please himself, but the One who sent him. I want to live not for my pleasure, but for the Father’s pleasure. And yet it is in the Father’s pleasure that I will be most pleased whether I feel it or not. Building my own kingdom brings no peace, no deep pleasure just passing short bursts of good feeling; but the deep, abiding river of peace that flows in a soul can only come in pleasing God.

When I see you use me Lord, I feel your pleasure; thank you for using me.

“Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.”

May this be true for our community. May Christ Fellowship stand in awe of the Lord. May the Lord renew in our time, his amazing deeds; and yet we plea for mercy in the midst of wrath, for the Lord’s great deeds include his fiery judgment on evil. As what’s wrong is set right; as evil is dethroned; people are destroyed in the fire of God’s holy judgment. Have mercy Lord.

Habakkuk ends his prayer with these powerful, hopeful lines:

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” (3:17-19)

Here at Christmas these truths bring joy in sorrow; enable rejoicing even when loss and reversal would normally send us into depression. In a recession; in job loss and job reduction, yet I will rejoice. May we be joyful in God our Savior no matter what is happening economically. Our joy does not correlate with our finances, which are fickle, but with our God who is constant.

Dedicating the temple to God who cannot be contained in a temple, but loves to dwell there; to God who forgives sins; to God who hears prayers; to God who is greater than anyone or anything imaginable; who acts so that all peoples’ of the earth will know his Name and fear him (6:33).

The heart of God is always for ALL the peoples of the earth and so should it be our heart. Making God known; declaring his wonders.

Use me today, Lord, to share about your greatness, to reach out to friends around me. I love you Lord.

Lord, keep me from asking for seats of honor in any way. Grant me a heart for the poor, the crippled, the blind – enlarge my heart for those in need; those without power. They are the ones to invite to the banquet. Lord, help me see how you use the weak and yet also the strong. Empower your people to minister; to be missionaries for you. Lord God; you are the King. You are the Lord.

Cost of being a disciple: Hate my life. Hate my family. Carry my cross. Give up everything.

If Jesus were a TV preacher, we would write him off as a crazy person, radical, extremist and yet this is what Jesus said. We are to count the cost; much as building a tower or sending out an army to battle; consider if you can afford it; if you have the power to win. Following Jesus involves counting the cost. Of course there is also reward, but there is cost, make no mistake. I pray for an entire army of men and women who have counted the cost, ready to pay the price, ready to die for Christ, on a daily basis. Lord God, make me that kind of man.

I feel rested and ready to go back to work today; eager to lead the church forward and to preach. I feel some nervousness in a good way about moving projects forward; about changes to the team. Lead the way forward, Lord.

2 Peter 1
Through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord
Grace and peace are ours in abundance
Everything we need for life and godliness
Be effective and productive

Central to all three is knowing God and especially Jesus. How can we know God? Through the Word shining as a light in the dark places for the words of Scripture are not from the will of people alone, but the writers were carried along by the Holy Spirit. The Word of God illumines minds to see the Lord and it is in knowing Him that we have grace, peace, life, godliness and an effective life. Lord God, open my eyes by your Spirit to know you.

Through the Lord’s promises we can participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption of the world caused by evil desires. This is what I want - to participate in the divine nature; to escape the corruption of the world. Deliver me from my own evil desires.

Jesus amazes me. He heals and blesses with a heart of great compassion. A Centurion came to him asking him to heal his servant who was sick and about to die, but he did not ask Jesus to come to his house, but simply to give the order. Here is great faith – faith that sees what is invisible; faith that trusts that Jesus can do it; faith that understands the great authority that Jesus carries. Jesus said he had not found such “great faith” even in Israel. I want to be a man of great faith. I want to believe what I cannot see; to trust in the goodness and greatness of God.

Then Jesus raises the son of the widow from Nain because his heart went out to hear as he saw her tears. May I have the compassion of Jesus to heal sons from little towns; sons of widows in great pain.

John the Baptist queries if Jesus is the One. He sends messengers to whom Jesus replies: the blind receive sight; the lame walked, those who have leprosy are healed; the deaf hear, and the dead are raised and the good news is preached to the poor. May our church be characterized by this kind of healing power. May we be filled with compassion for the deaf, the blind, the sick and the poor.

The chapter ends with Jesus being anointed by a sinful women, a prostitute most likely. She poured perfume on Jesus’ feet; kissed them and wet his feet with her tears. A Pharisee who invited Jesus wondered to himself if Jesus were really a prophet because if he were he would know who was wiping his feet with her hair, but Jesus did know and that is what makes him the Messiah -- much more than a prophet. Jesus was honored by the lady that disgusted the Pharisee.

Where am I? Where are we? Would we be honored or repulsed?

Jesus drew the powerful point about love and forgiveness. She has been forgiven much; showed great love; having a large debt forgiven and so she loves much. He who has been forgiven little, loves little. Of course that very person is unaware of all that needs forgiving in his life, which is the point.

Jesus forgives her sin and sends her in peace, a peace that only Jesus gives; a peace that forgives and accepts and blesses.

Lord, I want to live in your blessings and avoid the “woes” –  to live for the next life and not this one. Jesus gives four blessings and four “woes”

• Poor
• Hunger
• Weep
• Hated

• Rich
• Well fed now
• Laugh now
• Those men speak well of

The big point is an eternal perspective. Those who are poor, hungry, and weep now, will be rich in the kingdom, satisfied, and laugh. They will rejoice in that day and leap for joy because of a great reward in heaven. But those who are rich, well-fed and laugh today have all they will ever get and in eternity will mourn and weep.

God, help me to see from the view of eternity and not get fixated on today.

Thank you for bringing me home safely. It is so good to be home! I love my wife. I enjoy the home with which you have blessed us, the familiar was comforting and relaxing. Dealing with new and different places and people has a wearing effect. God, grant me strength today to re-enter my world of Christ Fellowship. Thank you for the new years ahead; the new vision; the new day. Ignite your people to fight this battle; to advance your cause in our day with this team in this day. 

Help me Lord to see clearly; to listen deeply and to lead us well so that we have a simple, clear strategy that helps people find and follow you as best we can. So much is a work of your Spirit that only you can do.

Father, may we faithfully plant, water and fertilize, but you will make it grow; bring a fruitful harvest. Keep our eyes on you Lord. It is love at the center; the Gospel is the point; holiness is required; faith is the power access for your Spirit as we courageously reach people one by one.

1 Chronicles 10

The sad ending of King Saul stands as a solemn warning. His post-mortem report reads like a spiritual autopsy: “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.” Certainly we die of physical causes. Saul was wounded in battle and fell on his own spear ending his own life, but deeper still are spiritual causes of death, unseen to our eyes, but sometimes known in our spirits. Bitterness can kill as can immorality and guilt. May the Lord deliver us from killing sins that destroy us body, soul and spirit.

Thank you Lord for Jesus. Thank you for him leading us into the path of peace. Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace; for your goodness and kindness. You are the King of all glory. You are the Lord of all grace. O Father, I delight in you and delight to serve you. You are my King. You are my Lord. I worship and adore you. I seek you. I rejoice in you. I find life in you. My hope, my refuge, my King, my all.

Wright’s book is not for everyone. This is a fairly heavy work of theology, but it is accessible to thoughtful readers. It does not require a seminary education or knowledge of Greek. Be prepared to be intellectually challenged. He argues that most Christians get life after death wrong that those errors show up in our musical lyrics and even liturgies. Common poems read at funerals are often in error.

Since I recently finished preaching through the book of Revelation, my mind was ready for Wright. I found him fascinating, at times disturbing, almost always fair. Wright challenges the basic idea that we are saved to go to heaven. Fundamentally, we are not waiting to go to heaven, but waiting for Jesus to return from heaven. Properly, Wright focuses our attention on resurrection, starting with Jesus. The center of our hope is resurrection of Jesus, of our bodies and of this world into a new creation over which Jesus will rule in his kingdom. Resurrection is not the same as going to heaven.

In a witty, clever, sometimes pungent but engaging style, Wright shares biblical truth and its implications for the Church’s mission and worship. Our salvation is not essentially away from this world but to this world transformed into the new heaven and earth. Wright deals with practical matters such as cremation and funerals as well as the interpretation of crucial biblical texts. Wright is well-versed in theology, philosophy and biblical studies so his work is erudite and substantial without being boring or flat.

Throughout the book he works out what Jesus means when he teaches us to pray: “Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” He discusses what happens when we die. Why personal eschatology is not as crucial as the questions about what will happen to the whole world. He explores the meaning of paradise, heaven and hell. In the process Wright offer insightful commentary on the kingdom of God, what it means today and in the future and what difference that makes today.

Wright defends the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection. Then he shows how Christian hope exceeds both evolutionary optimism and souls in transit (Platonism). Wright turns to the New Testament and helps us see how the biblical images of the future work together to create a coherent picture. He shows how the return of Christ will bring both peace and judgment. Since after we die we wait for the resurrection of our bodies; Wright encourages us to see life after life after death. The future comes in two stages. We go to paradise temporarily but that is not the big finale. We are waiting for the real life that comes at the resurrection when we return with Jesus.

Wright provides a fair and outstanding critique of purgatory (ch 11) along with a good description of paradise although I think he takes the parable of the rich man and Lazarus too lightly. When he gets to his understanding of hell, he admits he’s walking in unmapped territory. While he does a nice job of dismissing universalism and conditional immortality, I’m not sure I can go along with his conclusions. I like his siding with C. S Lewis in agreeing that God will eventually say “Thy will be done.” Allowing people to choose hell. Wright does a nice job of facing the reality of evil and the need for a just, holy, loving God to finally deal with it. Wright argues that people become like what they worship and that eventually in hell people would become, by their own choices, beings that once were human but now are not (182), ceasing to bear the divine image. They then exist in an ex-human state, beyond pity. He may be correct, but this is territory none of us knows. Hell is a very difficult truth.

In the third part of his book Wright moves to the practical ramifications of what he has developed. He argues that a proper grasp of our future hope will generate a powerful vision of the present hope that is the basis of all Christian mission. Wright broadens the dimensions of salvation to include personal redemption but also to include victory over death and the restoration of the created order. He argues that we should be building for the kingdom now knowing that the kingdom is to come to earth. Here I follow most but not all of his points. I agree that we should work for the kingdom today, but I’m not sure that our poems and inventions will last into the new creation. Wright admits he is offering a signpost and not a photograph (209) and I grant the overall point that what we do today matters. God will redeem this world. I appreciate what Wright says about justice today, but I think he overly focuses on what’s obviously a hot button for him: third world debt. Wright also provides a defense of beauty from eschatology that I find compelling.

Wright develops a robust understanding of the church in light of the resurrection of Jesus and the coming of the kingdom now and in the future. He rebuilds for us today a 1 Cor 15 understanding of the centrality of the resurrection in a way I’ve never read. We ought to celebrate Easter far more than Christmas. In his final chapter Wright does a great job of showing the implications of this truth for worship, the sacraments, our mission, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, Scripture, holiness and ultimately love.

This is an engaging, challenging book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Most of it I agree with. It deserves careful reading. The back cover offers endorsements from an astounding diverse set of voices: from Willard to Willimon.

I bow before you in need of your strength and peace. You are the great God. I worship you this morning. I take refuge in you this morning. You are my peace, my stronghold, my fortress in every storm. Lord God, I relish serving you. I am not ashamed of your Gospel. May I give my blood to seek you and serve you and advance your cause in the world as your soldier, your ambassador, your slave.

2 Timothy

The Word of the Lord is perfect, beautiful, powerful, penetrating, assuring, strengthening. It is my food.

Paul charges Timothy to be strong; to be prepared to suffer; to be unashamed. He is to fan into flames the gift that God has given to him. So we must fan into flame gifts the Lord has granted to make the most of what he has provided, not burying our “talents” in the ground, but investing them in the Kingdom mission. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, has destroyed death and brought life and immortality. We are heralds of that gospel, convinced that God will guard what we have entrusted to him to that final day.

Be strong in the grace in Christ Jesus. Entrust to reliable men the truth and ministry that was entrusted to us so they will be qualified to teach others. Multiply. Multiply leaders. Endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Avoid entanglements in civilian affairs. Please the commanding officer. Be a hardworking farmer and a victorious athlete competing for the crown. No matter what happens, God’s Word is not chained.

Be a workman unashamed, correctly handling the Word of truth, avoiding worthless chatter and arguing about words, but rightly divining the word of God. Do not wander from the faith. Flee evil desires of youth and stupid arguments that produce quarrels. Gently instruct to escape the traps of the devil.

Times will be tough and evil. People will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; having forms of religion, but not the power of Jesus. They gain control over women. They learn, but do not know the truth. They have depraved minds.

Instead we must prepare for persecution by steeping ourselves in the God-breathed powerful Word of almighty God that will teach, rebuke, correct and train us to be effective for every good work for Jesus.

Be prepared to share the Word to correct and encourage with great patience and care. Endure hardship; share the gospel. So that at the end we can say we have fought the fight and run the race well to the end. I long to finish well as I long for His appearing.

The Lord is at our side even if everyone else falls away; no matter who deserts the Lord is always with us. He will rescue us from every evil attack. He will bring us safely to his heavenly kingdom. Grace be with you.

Lord, thank you for the power of 2 Timothy. Such great words from the Apostle Paul to his young pastor. I see myself still as Timothy and I am strengthened by your words. I want to live 2 Timothy – to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

This day, use me for your glory – grant me strength and peace and wise clarity; may you pour your Word through me to speak with power and confidence; with passion and strength; to deliver your conclusion as you did Jesus. Use me this day to bless. Use me to see clearly whatever you bring before me.

I love you Lord.

I was invited to share my thoughts on the following three questions…

My prayer is that the new book I’ve been asked to write will be a blessing to church leaders. Your Church in Rhythm awakens leaders to how church life moves in stages and seasons. Learning how to lead in rhythm will both free up churches from unnecessary self-induced stress and focus churches on what matters most at this time. This book builds from my previous book, Your Life in Rhythm. It can be pre-ordered on Amazon now, available in March.

Be sure to join us on November 11 for Leaders & Readers, you can register free at leadersandreaders.leadnet.org

Once again I awoke a bit tired. I know I am pushing. Help me find a healthy pace in this intense time that will last a while. I need to see how to find good rhythms through it. A little intentionality will help – even if I can get just some time away with Tamara. Lord, I seek your face. I long for you. I yearn for you. I am desperate for you. Grant me endurance for one issue, need, person and decision after another.

Guide me with sermon; guide me with next steps to multiply; larger project management plan that I watch over and track the big pieces. Help me to see the role that I should play and how to direct my team well. Help me to draw near to you, be spiritually strong, build into the team, build into the leaders. Help me to inspire, guide, equip, invest in leaders deeply, build intentional spiritual friendships. Bring healing to situations in which you have placed me. Grant me insight into your Word this morning.

Psalm 119:49-72

The Lord is my portion. I seek his face with all my heart. He is enough for me; more than enough, so I seek nothing else, but only the Lord and everything else is subordinated to the Lord. All my life is for the Lord. Why else live? He is what matters. The Lord is my portion, my entire portion. I want to know him more and know his Word. The Lord is good.

It is good to be afflicted in order to avoid going astray or return from going astray. Affliction motivates faith and obedience. It is good to be afflicted to motivate learning God’s Word at deeper levels, knowing his love and comfort.

Father, I trust my life to you. If it is better for me to be afflicted then I invite your affliction. I trust you totally. You are my good and gracious Father. I want your glory more than my happiness. I submit and surrender to your hand, trusting you as my Father. My greater desire is to know you and know your Word and obey you and serve you and advance your cause; my desires, my comfort, affliction, trouble are nothing compared to the advancement of your Gospel, so my life is in your hands. Do with me as is best. Hold back nothing so that I might be a man who holds back nothing.

Lord, you are truth. Guide my spirit into truth – to share truth. May I know your truth and live it. Deliver me from judging; grant me discernment as well. Lord, give me the confidence to keep on asking, seeking and knocking.

Here I am surrendering freshly to you Lord – to be spent for you.

Love this story. The king of Aram has the city of Dothan surrounded with horses and chariots and a strong force. They arrive at night and surround the place to capture Elisha who is staying there. Early in the morning Elisha’s servant went out and saw the mighty army surrounding the city. He asked Elisha, “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” The prophet Elisha answered, “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Humanly it was an impossible situation. To the naked eye there was no way out. They were horribly outnumbered.

And yet, that view does not see the other realm. Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened his eyes and he looked and he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Father I pray you will open my eyes to see the invisible realm; help me see what you are doing in places I cannot see – I’ve felt moments of you working in my life and in the lives of others – Father my sense is that you are at work in ways I cannot see and ways that will be counter to what I see—humanly we are surrounded, but you have more than the visible army. Open my eyes to see. Deliver me from any discouragement related to circumstances, money, people, but to know that you are the Lord and you are moving to advance the Gospel; at times it does not look that way; missionaries die; illness and persecution take out men and women of faith, but that’s all in the plan; death is the way to life. Prepare me for the suffering ahead; for the days of famine and war; for the times of illness and reversal. Keep my eyes on you knowing the truth – seeing what I cannot with physical eyes.

You are the source of all counsel and wisdom. It is you we must consult; you we must seek. Lord, whether the news is good or bad; the direction is comfortable or sacrificial, you are the source of wisdom and guidance for the right way forward. Grant me ears to hear your Spirit.

Daniel 5

God is the Lord over all kings and empires. Wisdom comes from the Lord. Daniel could see into problems and interpret dreams. He read the writing on the wall: mene, tekel, peres – your days are numbered, you have been weighed in the scales and found wanting and your kingdom will be divided and taken away.

No power can stand against God. Pride leads to downfall. Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s son should have know better – he saw what his dad went through, but yet filled with pride he engaged in drinking and worshipping gods of this world, not the God who made it all.

Lord, make me humble and meek, dependent on you. Give me clear eyes to see your power and glory – may I live with vigor for you; not for me in any way; not for my glory but yours; not for any recognition or applause, but for honor and acclaim to you. Help me Lord to exercise the leadership role you have given me and the authorship opportunities with an open hand, with a spirit of humility and grace.

I love you Lord. Thank you Lord for how you have blessed me.

Awesome letter – freshly motivated to seek the Lord with all my heart knowing that Jesus is coming back and will set everything right. This is a time of trials and trouble; we are promised that, but the age to come is so much brighter; it outshines the momentary struggles of this life. Today may I be full of joy and thanks because of the Lord, no matter what happens.

My King, draw people to yourself today – bring my lost friends and neighbors to trust in you.

Make me a man of love – to love with deeds and truth, not just with words. Fill my heart with love for lost people; to reach out more to my neighbors and to people I know who don’t know you. But I don’t know them well. You are the King Lord God of all. This day is for you!

Father, I am so struck by your Word. You are in charge, full of grace and mercy, full of holiness and righteous anger. You mean what you say and we dare not take your words lightly nor obey them only partially.

You empowered Ahab to defeat the huge army of Ben-Hadad. The Lord gives the victory. But Ahab made a treaty with Ben-Hadad instead of killing him. His obedience was partial. So a prophet came to condemn Ahab, taking strong measures to do so. Then Ahab pouts over a piece of land. His wicked wife, Jezebel, has the man killed and so Ahab gets the land, a small vineyard.

Ahab is so wicked. He sold himself to do evil. He behaved in the vilest manner. HE did worse evil than any king yet. So Elijah the prophet, comes to tell him that God will destroy him, his wife and his family so that dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab.

But then, amazingly, Ahab humbles himself before the Lord, and so God relents of this disaster he said he would bring. He delays it. God shows mercy to even the vilest man who humbles himself before God.

Teach me this kind of mercy; this kind of grace.

This is a four week, 30 day devotional on generosity. It’s inspiring and convicting. Each day is about 1.5 pages on a topic and a verse. Each week there is one longer (2 page) story and some discussion questions. Each day there is one thoughtful question to ponder. This would be an encouraging, moving, deepening book for any small group to work through.

Gordon MacDonald is an excellent writer, biblical and thoughtful. He’s written a brief, engaging, powerful book that helps anyone live a more generous life, a life that is truly life. So often the topic of money is filled with guilt and rules, but this approach is filled with inspiration, the joy, peace and life to be found in generosity and the freedom it offers.

Each step is more than practical but rooted in the reality of who God is and what he has done for us in Jesus. I can envision our entire church working through the book.

Colossians 3

We are Christ Fellowship. We have been raised with Christ. Our hearts are set on things above where Christ is seated. Our life is now hidden with Christ in God. We are looking for Christ to appear. Then we will appear with Christ in glory. We celebrate our diversity in Christ. There is no black or white, Arab or Jew, but we are all in Christ as one.

Let's have Christ’s peace ruling in our hearts as members of his one body. We let the word of Christ dwell in us richly. We do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through Christ. We work hard at our jobs knowing we are serving the Lord Christ. We are Christ Fellowship.

And so we ruthlessly put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature. We mortify sins such as impurity, lust, greed and evil desires of all kinds. It’s not that we move away from them or temper them or reduce them, but we kill them. We get rid of anger, filthy language and lies.

As God’s chosen people we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We bear with each other and forgive each other. Above all virtues, we put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Love is the heart, the center, the end, the top and the unifier. Above all love must guide what we do. It is the top priority of our lives and of the church.

We are Christ Fellowship. Paul’s purpose is that we might have the full riches of complete understanding of the mystery of God, namely Christ. In Christ are found all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Christ is the Jesus, the Lord. In him we are rooted and built up, strengthened in our faith.

We must avoid being taken captive by hollow philosophy and instead be taken captive by Christ. In Christ all the fullness of deity dwells. Christ is head over every power and authority. We have been given fullness in him. We have been circumcised by Christ; buried with him in baptism and raised with him through faith in the power of God. We are alive in Christ.

We are forgiven from all our sins in Christ. Christ took away our sins. Christ disarmed the powers and authorities, triumphing over them by the cross. Reality is found in Christ. Christ is the Head. We are Christ Fellowship.

Psalm 99-101

Praises abound because God is great. The Lord reigns. The nations tremble. The earth shakes. Great is the Lord. Praise his awesome name. The King is mighty. He loves justice. Worship the Lord our God. He is holy. He answers prayers. He forgives sin. Exalt the Lord our God. Worship Him. The Lord God is holy.

Shout for joy to the Lord. Worship the Lord with gladness. Know that the Lord is God. He made us. We are his. Praise his name. The Lord is good. His love endures forever. His faithfulness never ends. Sing of his love and justice.

Lead a blameless life. Walk in your house with a blameless heart. Set nothing vile before your eyes. Hate evil. Live faithful. God is holy. The Lord reigns.

Thank you for how you moved in the services on Sunday. I sensed your power. The first service felt more clumsy, but I think the message came out. Thank you for my team, the panel and the visuals, the camo choir – the power of the men was palpable.

Father, today I am tired, spent in giving vision; I must be careful not to push myself today.

Father, take my team forward. Fill them with joy today and excitement for where we are going; an excitement that they can share with others. Lord, use me to lead well today; to focus on what really matters: simple and reproducible is where I want to focus: on our identity and our vision and then building into leaders.

Help me God to honor you well in serving your church.

Father, protect me and us today for the spiritual attack; when you can coast; when there is a let down. Father keep my defenses up and those of the team. Prepare me for the few voices of dissent of those who may counter and question the direction. Help me to lead them well; to love them and help them see where we are going.

Father, help me today to focus on the majors: to keep our eyes on the prize.

I felt like you were telling me to focus on the 300, not the 30,000, to move with those who are moving, and to move in the direction of decentralization: and also to see the El Dorado campus grow; to see the energy, the strength continue in powerful ways; to reach more people. Father, build your church get out your Gospel. You are the Lord. You are the King. There is none like you. I worship you. I adore you. I praise you. I exalt you. You are the King. I am yours. My strength is small, but yours has no bounds; May I root myself into the vine so that your strength flows through this twig; your life-force animates me with breath. O God, I delight in you. I seek you. I long for you. I desperately need you. This day, I yield to you. This day I seek your face with all my heart. Prepare our people Lord to step out powerfully for you; to step forward in power.

Colossians 1

Paul prays that we will be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding; that we may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way. This is my desire. May we bear fruit in every good work and grow in the knowledge of God. Today may we be strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that we have great endurance and patience as we joyfully give thanks to the Father. The Father has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. He has rescued us from dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Why would we not be filled with joy despite the pressures and difficulties inherent in this fallen, evil world? We have been rescued! We have an inheritance in the kingdom of light! We are redeemed and forgiven. We have God’s strength to face anything the devil might throw at us. Let’s bear fruit in every good work as we live to be a blessing to others today.

We are Christ Fellowship. Christ is the center. He is the image of the invisible God. Christ is the firstborn over all creation. Christ created all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. Christ is before all things. In Christ all things hold together. Christ is the head of the body, the church. Christ is the beginning and the firstborn among the dead so that in everything Christ has supremacy. In Christ all the fullness of God dwells. Through Christ God has reconciled all things to himself. By Christ’s body, and bold death on the cross, sin is shattered, death is undone, enemies are united, dirt is cleansed; evil is made holy. The mystery of the gospel is Christ in us, the hope of glory. And so we proclaim Christ, teaching everyone so we may present everyone complete in Christ. We are Christ Fellowship. Our mission is to be people helping people find and follow Christ. We are all about Jesus.

Psalm 97-98

It is time to sing to the Lord. The Lord reigns. Let the earth be glad. Fire goes before him. The mountains melt. May all people see his glory. Lord, you are exalted over all the earth. Let those who love the Lord hate evil. Rejoice in the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song for he has done marvelous things. Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth; burst into jubilant song with music. Let the rivers clap their hands; the mountains sing for joy. Let the sea resound. Lord, we praise you and exalt you and adore you. You are the King.

Ephesians 6

The battle can be fierce. The devil schemes against us. Make me alert and watchful. He stirs up anger and discord, he tempts and accuses. He lies and kills. Two deaths this week that touch me: Don (whose service is today) and Cody, Ben’s close friend in Afghanistan. The devil kills and destroys, but you Lord live forever. You have destroyed death. I live because you live. And I do not fear death because of the resurrection; I will not die, but be transformed and transposed into glory with you. So make me fearless.

May I be strong in you Lord, in your mighty power. Today I put on your full armor to take my stand against the devil’s schemes.

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms, the powers of this dark world. Open my eyes to see the unseen, to be aware of the true battle. May my whole team put on the full armor of God. May our church be armored up so we can stand in the day of evil, to stand our ground against attacks. May we stand with the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, with our feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace, with the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation. We will extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. May our entire fellowship be praying with all kinds of prayer, spiritually alert to danger. May we pray to be fearless, that we will open our mouths and speak the gospel fearlessly as we should.

Peace be to all of us in the love and faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all of us who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

O God, I seek you hard this morning. I put on the armor. I increase my alertness to the schemes of the devil.

You are the King and there is no other. I worship you. I adore you. I lay down my life before you. Father, I fear you as the great King, the God of all. I tremble before you the majestic One, the only One in the fullest sense of One.

1 Kings 8

The great dedication of the temple when your glory filled the inner sanctuary and Solomon prayed his amazing prayer of dedication inspires me to live for you and worship you.

As Solomon declares the earth cannot contain you much less a temple and yet you consent to dwell in a temple and today you dwell in your people. Lord your presence astounds. How is an omnipresent God more present? And yet you are, an intensification perhaps? A manifestation? You are near to me, to us as your body, your church.

Solomon affirms that you have kept every promise and you will keep every promise. We can utterly rely on you. You never let us down. You never fail. You are God.

We seek you to be near to us and minister through us so that “all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other.” For this to happen our hearts must be fully committed to the Lord so that we obey his commands at all times.

O Lord, raise up your people. Ignite us to obedience and total reliance on you – fill our hearts and minds with the vision, the call for all the peoples of the earth to know that you are the Lord.

Fill my mind this morning with images and words and pictures that help people grasp the vision to multiply: to see goodness move like a virus; to see your church expand and cover the globe; starting with our region: north Texas; to see it; to feel it in their hearts: stories. What if every city, every town, every community in north Texas had a campus of Christ Fellowship? What if every person in north Texas were no more than a 15 minutes drive from a campus of Christ Fellowship? What if every school district in north Texas had a Christ Fellowship campus. There is no better way to change the world; no better way to impact lives or to touch hearts. We would be near enough to invite them to dinner; to visit at the local hospital; to know the neighbors. What if we could bless every town with Clothe-a-Child, with a Garage Giveaway; what if we were to go and be the church in every town showing the love of Christ to the hungry, the hurting, the abused, the lost and confused? Sure, we love McKinney, but we also love Frisco and Princeton and Prosper and Pilot Point...

Solomon built the one great temple in which God dwelt; God has called us to build millions of local churches in which His name dwells; his family meets; his glory rests in a unique way in his church body; the Spirit dwells there in the “temple” which is the local church. Ephesians 2:21 – the church rises to become a holy temple in the Lord, a building in which God lives by his Spirit. O to be part of those buildings; to give our funds to build a legacy of people, a legacy of “living temples.” Years ago thousands of people gave their money and their effort to build the greatest temple Israel ever knew, a place for God to dwell, a place from which the world would know that God is God and there is no other. Today we are building temples, local churches where the Spirit of God lives, places from which the Gospel will go out and people will know that Jesus is the Savior of the world.

Our call is to be imitators of God: as Jesus said, to be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect. As Paul says, to live a life of love just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us – so we too are to love sacrificially. There must not be even a hint of immorality. We must be pure and humble; holy and meek.

God calls us to be very careful about how we live; to live wisely making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. O God, grant me the grace to make the most of every opportunity – to see opportunity and seize it.

O Father, show me how to lead our church to seize the divine opportunities that you provide. You are the King. I must seek your face – to lead, to write, to bless; thank you for the insights you have given me: simple profundity. To illuminate the simple. Help me God to do that each week; to see the depths of wisdom and make it clear and simple, actionable. To teach people to obey you, modeling it first myself.

Father I know it is not my clever words, but your divine power; so Spirit of God move in power through me in the writing, the composing and then move on Sunday morning in power; move as only you can; move in strength; move in victory; move to inspire and transform; to envision; do what only you can do Lord.

Forgive me for my stress; for not trusting you more to have your perfect peace; perhaps my mom’s surgery weighed on me more than I know; and desire to be there; and resolving multiple conflicts and sensitive conversations. Grant me greater endurance to handle many hard conversations, tensions and conflicts and higher stakes decisions. Grant me wisdom and grace and strength.

2 Kings 1

Even at the end when David is on his deathbed; still there is treachery from another of his own sons, Adonijah who tried to force his way into being king through a scheme. Deliver me from all scheming. Let me simply trust in you. Then I am impressed with Solomon’s graciousness – he spares his brother who schemed to take the throne that had been promised to Solomon and yet in wisdom he was not unconditional, but for as long as Adonijah shows himself to be a worthy man. If he turns evil, then it is another story. Make me a man of mercy and compassion and grace tempered with wisdom to see reality and deal directly with evil.

Galatians 5

The heart and center of walking in the Spirit is love. To be led by the Spirit is to love my neighbor. The entire law is summed up in this command. Affirmed in John 13, Romans 13, 1 Corinthians 13 and 1 John, echoing Jesus in Matthew 22. Lord, increase my love. I do not want to gratify my sinful nature, but to serve others.

We are called to be free, not free to indulge our sin, but free to serve in love, with no fear of rejection, no worries for our own honor, to need to protect our rights, no deed to keep our dignity, nothing to protect, nothing to hide, no desire to gain something in return, simply to freely serve in love led by the Spirit whose first fruit is love. Pride, envy and provocation run counter to the Spirit, instead we live with joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Father, make me that kind of Spirit-led man.

I cast myself freshly on you this morning. You are my refuge; may I find total peace in you Lord; Lord, help me to trust you more deeply and to lead more effectively; to love people; to teach strongly; to set a high bar; to develop leaders well and challenge them to your high calling.

Revive us and we will call on your name. Restore me Lord; let me hide myself deeply in you.

I lift up my mom today. May this surgery have no issues, but be as smooth as can be. Continue to grant my mom peace and joy.

2 Samuel 24

Once again the Lord’s anger burns against Israel, but this time I’m not sure why. What does it mean that God incited David to take a census? – that I do not understand. Somehow Joab, David’s commander, realized it was wrong. Counting can be good or bad. There are times when a census is commanded. God counts people. But there are other times when counting is sinful.

What’s the difference? It must be motive – counting to care for people or counting for pride; to know success or to know for the sake of the people: for whom is the counting done? God deliver me from counting anything at the church for my sake; to count “points” or measure success, but instead to guide ministry to care better for people; to help people find and follow you. Grant me your heart Lord.

David realized he had sinned. Gad confronted him – and David knew he had sinned greatly. He asks God to take away his guilt. Gad brings three options: famine for three years, fleeing from enemies for three months or three days of plague. Wisely, David throws himself into the hands of God. 70,000 people die from the plague, until God himself is grieved.

This chapter is a window into what, for me, is a difficult view of God: inciting, punishing, grieving. Lord, keep me close to you. I do not want to anger you. O Lord, even here at the end of his life, David messes up. O God, may I run the race to the end; may I finish well.

Finally David makes offerings to God. And when Araunah tries to offer material and property, David says, “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” God, I must sacrifice for our offering what costs me something; give Tamara that courage as well. Thank you for her heart for me.

This is the time to worship; to pray; to draw near. Attacks are coming; there are battles ahead; now is the time to build our strength; to unite tightly with each other and mostly to you Lord. I must lead our people this way – staff and leaders. There is a faith-adventure ahead, one that not all will choose to go on. One full of danger and opportunity. O God, fill me with courage and strength for the days ahead. Help me to lead well.

No one is justified before God by the law. The righteous must live by faith so we are justified by faith and God credits it to us as righteousness. And so we are blessed.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by “becoming a curse” – Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, became a curse for us. He took on my sins, ours sin. He became cursed by hanging on a tree. He was forsaken by the Father and so paid for the sins of the world. As a result the great blessing to Abraham comes to all who believe.

Through Jesus by faith we receive the promise of the Spirit. Amazing.

Salvation is stunning.

How I long for the whole earth to be filled with your glory. And so it will one day. From sea to sea; every country; continent, city and county will be filed with your glory. You will be praised. You will rule. You alone do the most marvelous deeds. All praise and glory and honor to the King of all the world, the Lord, God of Israel.

O Lord, bring healing and peace to so many hurting people. Use us as wounded healers to heal others; use us as broken vessels of clay to carry your glory and shine it forth in the world; multiply campuses to multiply disciples and converts. Lord, use me to lead and guide us forward for your glory; show me the next steps to take. Raise up even more leaders for your glory Lord. I seek you. Father, open the hearts of your people to see why to multiply; to see to what you are calling us; to see the fields ahead of us.

Father, take my soul to deeper places still, places of faith and courage, places of strength and love; love for all the hurting; love for all those who recoil from the battle in their own pain. Father, I ask that you will enable us to have eyes for the harvest; I want to see people engaged in the fight; to show your love to one person after another; to speak truth; to share your Word; to raise up a leader; to invest in another person to disciple the nations; one person at a time.

To help people find and follow Jesus by gathering in more local campuses right where people live; in neighborhoods and communities, towns and sub-divisions, school districts. Father raise up the leaders; open eyes to the vision; that each person can be part of something so much bigger than themselves.

Help me to be the leader I need to be to cast this vision; to communicate with power as you did Jesus. Help me speak to people’s hearts and souls; to find the pictures, the stories to tell; to help people see what you are doing and what to do Lord. I love you; I seek you; I reach out for you; I cry out for you Lord. Help me see what I cannot see; help me reach for what I cannot reach; to trust you beyond what I can see.

We live lives that sing the glory of his name and make his praise glorious. God, you are awesome in power. All your enemies cringe before you. May we invite people to “come and see what God has done” You have created the world; turned the sea into dry land. Let us rejoice in you. God rules forever by his great power. You have preserved us and yet you test us. We have carried heavy burdens, walked through fire and water, but you have brought us to a place of abundance in Jesus. The vows we made in time of trouble we now fulfill. We spread the word telling all who will listen what you have done for us, that you are the great God.

Father you say if we cherish sin in our heart, you will not listen – expose any sin in my heart. Am I cherishing any sin? Perhaps the thought of church success; a personal delight in what You are doing in which I take some glory to myself, some sense of doing well before my peers or others that is beyond appropriate satisfaction in a job well done but stealing glory that is rightly yours. Lord, deliver me from any pride-shadows that may darken my soul. Grant me a meek and humble heart before you. Take me far from comparison and competition, from even the thought of success, whatever that might mean or however it might be defined other than hearing "well done" from you.

Holy Spirit, search me and know me. Deliver me from hidden faults; cherished sin that I cannot see; expose them; shine the light into my darkness; give me the courage to see myself in the light of your holiness. Grant me a heart for the disenfranchised, the poor and needy; deliver me from a desire to run with the stallions. Grant me your heart for those despised by the world. Grant me the heart of Jesus. Deliver me from a bigger and better desire that smacks of human success in other’s eyes and yet to be zealous for more of your glory and a bigger harvest for the gospel.

Life and death: the only options
Obedience and rebellion: the only choices

Why choose to rebel that leads only to death? Insane. And yet we rebel. We do not listen. And so God pours out his wrath and we die. We defile ourselves and dismantle our humanity; the image of God is obscured; we become less than human. But if we will follow His law we will find life; be fully human. We will know the Lord God who is Life.

It seems we would rather be like the nations of this world than like God, the Creator of this world. Why? What sense does this make and yet I feel the pull, too. But in the end God will show himself holy to us and to the nations of the world. One day we will all know the truth with full clarity. We will loathe ourselves for the evil we have done. We will know that the Lord is God. Will it be too late? How much will we regret?

So what does than mean today?... Choose life!

Choose to obey for life, for joy, to know God, for the best life, for peace, for all that is good, to avoid death and destruction. It is the only choice that makes any sense and yet the clarity of the choice is obscured by the pollution of the world and the distortions of our sinful tendencies that believe the lies of the devil – perhaps the fruit of the tree will be better, even though God said not to eat it. So we eat and we die in regret as we wander in the wilderness away from the Lifegiver.

And yet there is a way back, His name is Jesus.

Doing the study guide on Sermon on the Mount. Anger is hard for me not because I’m angry but because it makes me so uncomfortable. I don't do anger well in myself or in others. I get tense. I want to bring peace not just for the sake of peace, but because anger is hard for me. I need to learn how to be angry and sin not; to experience righteous anger over sin, injustice and blasphemy. Lord, transform me to feel what you feel; to think what you think; to see what you see. May I develop the mind of Christ.

Father, if there is anyone with whom I am not reconciled, please show me and show me next steps to take. I've emailed a couple of people with whom there has been brokenness and prayed for others.

Father, bring healing to anyone with whom there has been brokenness over the years; bring peace to anyone who has left the team or the church and feel hurt for one reason or another. Bless them and encourage them.

Father, grant me a clean heart before you.

Nathan confronts King David with his adultery and murder, sleeping with Bathsheba and killing her husband, Uriah. Nathan tells the story of the man with the little Ewe lamb, his only lamb, who ate from his table and slept in his arms until a rich man with many sheep came and took his one Ewe lamb to kill for a meal with a traveler. Incensed David says this man must be killed. Nathan’s next words cut to the soul, echoing through history: “You are the man!”

I am the man. Each of us is the man. We have sinned and we deserve to die. We dread being found out for our secret sins. And yet there are obviously never secrets from God. We are guilty and yet our guilt is covered by the blood of the Lamb, the innocent one, the only One loved by the Father. The Lamb had to die so we could live.

Father, this gospel is beyond me. A love this deep, this rich is more than I can imagine. Thank you. I worship you. I can find no words. I stand silent before the sheer Love of the Gospel.

And yet sin wrecks. David’s son from Bathsheba must die. The sword will not leave his house. God will take his wives and give them to one close to David (we learn later it is one of his sons) who will sleep with them in public. It happened. So sad. So tragic. We reap what we sow. There is forgiveness. David’s guilt is taken away, but the results of his sin remain. God deliver me from sin and temptation. Keep me from damaging the gospel, your glory and my own life.

And yet there is grace. David is given another son, Solomon, who will become the wisest man who ever lived. His mother is Bathsheba. We must never write off a person or all that a person does because of one tragic sin, even a horrible sin.

“When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.”

Thank you Lord for your incredible forgiveness. You are amazing. Your grace is incredible, amazing. May you use me to help overwhelmed people know that you forgive.

I cry out to you from Ezekiel 18. Thank you that you consider each person’s sin on its own. I will not be judged for anyone’s sin but my own, not my wife’s, my parent’s or my children’s sins are counted against me. There is enough judgment for how I have not been a good enough husband, son and father. Thank you for your justice.

Psalm 62-63

God is my refuge. My soul finds rest in God alone. My salvation comes from him. He is my rock, my fortress; I will not be shaken. I look nowhere else for security, but to the Rock. My hope, my confidence, my security is in the Lord who is the mighty rock, a refuge from all trouble. O God, you are my God. Earnestly I seek you; my soul thirst for you, my body longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

I have seen your power. Your glory outshines the sun. Your love is better than life; better than anything earth has to offer. I will praise you. I will live for you. Your glory I seek. My soul is satisfied in you more than in the richest food, the highest pleasure, the most intense experience. You are life, joy, peace, everything. My soul clings to you.

You are more than enough. You fill my soul. Heal my body and transform my mind. Peace and fulfillment - real life is in you, the Lifegiver. Lord, open my eyes to see you and know you. I worship and honor you Lord.

This day make me a blessing. May my light shine; may I be salty. This day use me to bless other pastors. This day grant me insight into the text of Matthew 5. This day draw me close to you to be humble and holy; meek and pure. Fill me with you Lord.

2 Corinthians 4

Awesome truth: We have this ministry through God’s mercy so we do not lose heart. We do not use deception or distort the Word of God, but set it forth plainly. We do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord. We are servants of the great Lord. His light shines in our hearts so that we might have the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ and shine that light to the world.

The treasure we have is priceless and we have it in jars of clay to show that the all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed but not despairing. Times are tough, but we are not crushed. We carry around the death of Jesus in our bodies as they decay, but that is so that the resurrection life of Jesus can be revealed through our bodies. We give ourselves over to death unafraid for Jesus’ sake; for the sake of others that they might truly live.

O Lord I love your Word, your truth. I believe therefore I am speaking your truth because I know that the One who raised Jesus will raise me and all others who believe in his name. And we will all, together, inherit the new creation to come in the full glory of the King. May grace reach more and more people causing thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. So we do not lose hope because we are being renewed day by day. Light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Lord, shine through me today that your grace may reach more people for your eternal glory. Use me to lead your people to full healing and as well to full mission; to be radical for you.

2 Corinthians 3

Thank you for this morning. Thank you for Life. Help me Lord to shine for you today. I am not competent in myself; nor do I claim anything for myself. You make us competent as ministers of a new covenant, a covenant of the Spirit that gives life. It is only by the Spirit that anything of value happens. By your Spirit that is freedom and glory. May my face reflect your glory by your Spirit as you conform me to your likeness in ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord.

Lord, use me this day to bless other pastors. Grant me insight into their lives and churches. Thank you for the opportunity to share my heart, my life, what you have done in me. Help me to be of genuine help.

Thank you Lord for what’s ahead with campuses and more; thank you for the vision shared by many. Bring the planters; the starters the healers and helpers. Raise up your people to carry out your Gospel in all the cities and communities of our church.

O Lord, draw me near to you; may I speak your words today; fill me with humility, meekness. No need to win or to compete or impress. Teach me what I need to learn from my brothers in this experience. Give me ears to hear from you through other younger pastors.

Struck again by the amazing contrast “a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me” 16:9. Lord I must see the open door and expect the opposition; have the courage and faith to walk through the door. Father I see the door for multiplication – help me to walk through it prudently and yet faithfully and with great faith – trusting in 12 ordinary men; trusting in the Spirit of God working in 12 ordinary men; trusting in your hand to guide the men and women; Help me to give away more of the ministry; to help my staff see themselves as coaches or scouts more than as just players; to give ministry away all we can; to train up leaders for your service Lord; we need development tracks; ways to grow and learn – church-based training in a way that works. The key is tying it to the mission – to the progress of the gospel and multiplication of the church. The mission must drive the training, not the reverse, and never in isolation. So we need more campus pastors; area directors; coaches; men and women to take the next hill; to care for the wounded; to lead the way forward.

I love the end of 1 Cor 16...

• be on your guard
• stand firm in the faith
• be men of courage
• be strong
• do everything in love

Today I am hearing that I must be on my guard against temptation; against spiritual attacks; temptations to trust in myself, to fear, to pride, to anxiety, to being overwhelmed; to the enticement of success. I must stand firm in faith trusting you Lord in the storm; in the avalanche. I must be a man of courage and strength doing everything in love. Grant me courage for each step before me.

I seek you today. I want to rest in you. I want to be used by you. I’m eager to work but know I also need to rest; to live rhythmically – I long for you Lord. I love you Lord. I love your Word – to drink deeply from the sermon on the mount; to learn to be a man of mercy and purity and meekness; I long to be that kind of man; a man who mourns over sin; who hungers for righteousness; who knows my poverty of spirit. Lord, grant me the heart of a peace-maker who actively reconciles with brothers. My heart is to help others. Use me God to make a difference for you.

Father – 2 Samuel 6 is so puzzling with Uzzah – killed for touching the ark – knowing that you can steady your own ark; Father you can build your church; deliver me from manmade, self-reliant techniques and yet may I grow in skill of communicating to make ideas stick. And yet deeper than that to rely on your Spirit to do what only you can do. Give me a heart to celebrate you Lord no matter how undignified I might appear; no matter what others even close to me might think. Grant me freedom to be full out devoted throwing caution to the wind to speak.

Help me hear from you Lord – I am overwhelmed with what’s ahead – I see danger – I see opportunity – I see lots of work – others must rise up; other leaders must arise to take it all forward in a strong way. Open my ears and heart – my tendency is just to work harder and longer, but that will not work and is not necessarily the right track – it is about communication and lots of it with lots of people. I need more margin; to clear as much as possible out of my life. I’ve already made commitments – need to trust you and trust my team. I need to make decisions and empower.

Psalm 55 – while my body constricts with tension over all that is before me and us; yet I trust in you Lord; I cast my cares on you and you will sustain me. You are my refuge. You are the King. Show me how to communicate well the vision.

Our command is to disciple the nations; to witness to the ends of the earth – to disciple as many people as we can – we will reach more people for Jesus if we are in more locations!

So sad. The glory of the Lord departs from the temple. Please God never depart from our Fellowship. Please God lead us forward in your power and glory. Could you today depart from a local church? It would seem so; at least to remove your blessing; your Spirit’s power. I imagine you would still dwell there, but there would be a leaving, a removing. My Lord, I pray that your blessing and your glory would shine brightly in our church; that you will be the King; that you will be the Lord.

We are one Body. Each of us has a part to play -- a Spirit-inspired part as we are gifted by the Holy Spirit as He determined to gift each of us. All parts are equally valuable and should have equal concern for one another. There should be no division in the Body, but differences are beautiful. We are not the same, but we are united as One. If one part suffers we all suffer with it, just as our human body does. If one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. We are the body of Christ. The church is his body and each of us is a part of the body, of the church with roles to play based on our gifting. May we each fulfill the role we have been given. Lord, may I use my gifting to the maximum; to be faithful in being the part you have made me to be.

I must live for the next life; not this one. This life is passing and will soon be over; the grave calls out and I will soon answer that call. At 49, there are less than that many years left to go; I more likely have 30-40 more years based on life expectancies and yet I know I could be gone tomorrow; I must be faithful today. Faithful to write well; to edit this book; faithful to preach well; to lead well; faithful to care for those around me; faithful to obey you Lord; to be holy and humble. Father, enable me to follow you well. Enable me to seek you with all my heart, mind and soul. You are my King. I exalt you. I worship you. I adore you.

May today be all out for your glory; you are the King; you are the Lord; I worship you.

Thank you for life today. I’m a bit tired after a long day yesterday, but eager to prepare a meal for your people; eager to compose a sermon of your words with your power; Lord, please form this sermon to pierce souls; to compel people to follow you. Lord God, I am your servant; I surrender to you freshly. You are my King. I serve you. I worship you.

My King, thank you for my team; help me to lead forward with strength and clarity. Give wisdom on communication in today’s world to reach more people for you. Romans 8 keeps ringing in my ears; it’s close to my heart; it is a pinnacle of glorious victory of Christ over the world. It gives confidence and hope and strength in troubled times. It is our victory. There is therefore now, no condemnation. Who can separate us? I would rememorize it! Challenge people to do the same in five weeks.

Lord, open my eyes to Matthew chapter 5. Help me to see what you are saying to me.

I must listen to Jesus. He has authority that is incontrovertible. These are not words to consider as if I may or may not believe them and accept them. These are not sayings with which I am free to agree or disagree. This is not teaching that I choose to accept some of or evaluate. These are not commands that I can ignore. There is no freedom to do that; the only route is to thoroughly understand them and obey them the best that I can.

I come from a mom who always sees the positive, who encouraged our ability; sees the silver lining always. For me it is hard to fully, truly realize and embrace my spiritual poverty; perhaps becoming a Christian at a young age makes it harder; perhaps being ‘good’ all my life makes it harder; being a pastor. Pride right at the heart of the matter. Lord God, holy god, help me see you so clearly that I see myself more truly to realize my humble estate, so to speak; to realize I have nothing to bring to you that has not been given to me; to realize that I offer nothing to save myself. I bring nothing to the table, but only receive what you give in creation and redemption. O God, forgive my pride, my ego, my arrogance -- to even imagine that I have something of worth to bring to you. I am valuable because you make me so and declare me to be so. Help me realize my need for you, my dependence on you, at deeper levels.

I’m getting better here, but far to go; I’m mourning sin and the destruction I see that is frankly tragic. Deliver us I pray. I see my own sin and despise it; hate it. I see the injustice, brutality and perversion in the world and it sickens me. I grieve for the downtrodden; the raped; the abused. I’m beginning to feel their pain; to cry your tears; to feel your hot, righteous anger. Help me to mourn sin more deeply, more fully.

My heart cries out for meekness; to be genuinely humble. Deliver me from aggression; from my forcefulness to make things happen and drive forward. Grant me a spirit of meekness; gentleness; to hold back; to trust and rest in you to do your work in your way and in your time and as only you can; I cannot make anyone be saved or grow; that’s a work of your Spirit; I can simply water and fertilize and pull weeds.

here is my heart; I long to be righteous; I long to be delivered from sin; I hunger and thirst to obey you; to follow you fully; to be pleasing to you. God, may it be so. May it be so. I yearn; I pant after you and your righteousness. I want it; I am eager for it; I thirst for it; more than for food. I want to be confirmed to the image of Jesus; to be filled to the measure of his stature; to be mature.

how I long to be a merciful person; to care more deeply; to be filled with compassion; to feel it and to show it. Give me a heart Lord for the hurting like Tamara has; like my mom has. O God, make me a man of mercy as you are a God of mercy. You give me and the world what we don’t deserve. Thank you. Lord, grant me a tender heart of mercy.

I long for purity; for single-minded utter devotion to you Lord; for no mental dirt; for no lust; for no wandering after anything in my mind but for you alone; for your glory; for your gospel; for your church. I do want to see you Lord and I know the route to sight is the pursuit of purity.

I long for unity among myself and your people. I eagerly desire peace and to be a man of peace. There are two major situations before me in which I can be a peace-maker – help me to do so Lord and to do it well. To return to those sermons; those notes from your Word; to be guided by the Word and by your Spirit.

I don’t like pain, rejection or criticism, but I must get tougher. I am open to persecution and express to you Lord a willingness to suffer and die for you. And yet I’ve never faced anything hardly. I am willing. I know that your promises will all be kept. I know that I am blessed as I am yours.

When the world turns against me in insults and evil and persecution, I will rejoice and be glad because an impact is being made; progress is happening; because I know my reward from you is great; I live for the next life over this one; for eternity over this brief stay of several decades only. Lord, prepare me for greater attacks as we boldly move forward to storm the gates of hell in north Texas and beyond.

I want to be salty and bright. I want to shine like a city on a hill not like a lamp under a blanket. O God, shine through me. Make me more bold for you; more on fire so that I shine the light of your Spirit through my life. Here’s the point of it all – to make a difference for you; to see you make a difference through me. O God, make me salty and bright today.

Draw many people to church this weekend for the start of the series. O Lord, draw people to you. Draw people to invite; to reach out. Draw people to invite friends and neighbors. Lord God, I pray that you will move in power.

I worship you Lord God. I seek you. I praise you. I surrender to you. This day pour through me for your glory. May I be a blessing to each person you put me in front of. Grant me wisdom for each decision; write the sermon through me by your Spirit.

Thank you for this morning. My Lord, I seek you. I long for you. You are the Lord of my life.

Father, I seek you this morning – thank you for a great time with David and Grace – church, Kayaking, eating meals; working out with Grace; sharing life with them; opening of football season; seeing Seattle. Thank you Lord. Thank you for the good time with Tamara. Thank you for the time in Vancouver with Michelle – really great. Bless her and Jodi and their ministry.

Father, what are you saying to me? Time for relationships; time to go slower; to be with people and let things unfold by your power; push against injustice; push for righteousness with compassion; more heart for hurting people; for wounded people; compassion, patience in the messiness; believing that you can heal.

Lord of all, once again I see the power and goodness of presence; and am reminded of the power of community; of a church reaching neighborhoods; rather than a regional church; I believe we should be a multi-region church; a multi-neighborhood; multi-community church; aiming to be the best church for multiple communities. I see community ministry and I see "care" as a forward planting for the gospel; empower people in their own communities to extend gospel-works, care for the poor into their areas in the name of Christ.

Thank you for your Word. Thank you for the model of David. He is faithful and righteous. He showed grace to his enemy even when it was within his power and would have been reasonable to kill Saul. Father, grant me that kind of grace and mercy. Make me a man of faithfulness and righteousness. I want to be devoted to you - and on my guard, for David of course fell as we read further in your word. O God, make me holy and humble; full of faith and love. I want to love you and love people; to be a man who helps others to find and follow Christ.

Incredible destruction can come from your hand. You should be feared. Teach me to fear you Lord; to fear you more than I fear any man or anything here on earth. There is much more to fear from you than anyone or anything else. Forgive me for presuming on your grace. Forgive me for presuming on the cross – arrogance, a form of blasphemy. Deliver me Lord from such a lack of fearing you. To fear you is the beginning of wisdom. I need wisdom to lead well; to guide my team where you are taking us. Help me Lord to follow you faithfully; guide me Lord to honor you.

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

O God, I long for you. I pant for you. I thirst for you. When can I go and meet with you and spend time with you dwelling in your presence? Today I can. Today I will dwell with you and in your Word. Seeking your face. Listening to you.

I put my hope in you and praise you all day – my Lord and my Savior. You are the King of glory. You are the Lord of all the earth. You are the holy One. O God, I worship you with all my heart and soul. I long for you. I want to abide in you and walk with you so that you live through me. I want to have your wisdom for multiplication step by step.

I will praise you my God and my Savior. I will praise you!

In the church services I asked for people to raise their hand if they live somewhere other than McKinney. When about 1/3 of the people present raised their hands the whole room reacted. It was surprising and revealing.

These days I’m praying about what it means that we are a regional church. How would God have us be people helping people find and follow Christ right where we live, no matter what the name of the city or community? Do outreaches such as Clothe a Child need to expand to other cities? Do we need to form gatherings of Life Groups by city? I do not have the answers. Would you pray with me?

Lord, many hard things will come; suffering. Yet you are with me and you will rescue me in the end even if that means physical death. May you be the theme of my praise (25). May you be the theme of my life. You will rule over the nations, all families of the earth. Come Lord Jesus; come and take your rightful throne. Until that day, I will proclaim your righteousness (31) that you are the rightful King who died and rose again. Use me to tell future generations (30); to build and multiply churches that will keep proclaiming you for decades and centuries after my death; to invest in spiritual sons who continue a legacy of faith and leadership; to invest in my own five children that they may pass on a legacy of faith to future generations. Help me to see further than today or than even my own lifetime, but to see posterity, future generations who need to be told. May we lay solid foundations today for generational impact.

Lord God, may I remain in you today and bear much fruit. Almighty King, bear fruit through me I pray as I stay close to you. Bring revival to north Texas. Raise up leaders; open doors.

Here I am in Seattle. Help me hear you Lord. Help me to listen to your Spirit through your Word. I know I am tired - in just one month or 5 weeks from my rest in July. Once again I’m tired, but with a short tiredness - not a years' worth or even an entire season, but just so many things going on all at once; all moving forward. Requires strong leadership.

Have we got it as we need it for the days ahead? Is this what you have for us Lord? Guide us I pray. I love the questions. Not sure on the specifics – love the tweaks to worship in gatherings and progress.

Father, speak to me from Lamentations and Corinthians – it seems the biggest ways you are speaking to me are to trust in you and to be radical as David Platt wrote in his book – to step out in bold faith without pushing; not aggressive in a human way, but humble faith steps that could be seen as foolish in the world’s eyes and modest Christians. Lead us strongly to go all out for you as we rely totally on you. Relax in total faith that you are in charge. This is your church; your mission. My role is be faithful with what you put before me and to lead faithfully in the context in which you place me. And so help me to faithfully and in faith lead us to multiply; to make a major difference for you Lord: to disciple the nations for your glory; to show your glory in word and deed as we grow and impact; as we mature and multiply.

Father, guide every step of the way. Lead me forward. Draw me close to you; to know you; trust you and obey you.

Give me insight and strength to edit this book well.

My concerns are messing up; going off on my own; striking out when you have not sent me. Nor do I want to hold back when you are saying to attack with the 300; when you are going ahead to win the battle. I have confidence in elder unity. I am a man under authority. Guide me with name and campaign and visions to multiply – help me to listen deeply to my team – caution to be sure we have a leader. , but need to take some risks as well. Guide me Lord; give me wisdom from others; from Rafe, from Dave Lewis. Help me to see, Lord. I want to see more people reached for you even if it is not all the way I would do it and yet it is all pleasing to you Lord. I am a starter, a dreamer, an initiator; help me to guide well; to lead well; to move at your pace; neither racing into battle with my army without your blessing nor refusing to climb the cliff with one man when you have given the victory. O Lord, let me look not just to human reasoning, but to seek your heart.

I listen to you – I look for you. Holy Spirit – confirm in me where we are going – change the name; lead the campaign; multiply steadily, slower than you think; one step at a time; build with leaders; men of faith and character; men after your heart, Lord; men dedicated to you.

Lord, am I too direct? That’s my approach. It could lead to less than good results because I am obvious and could get answers I want to hear rather than truth. Yet I don’t want to be subtle, but direct. I must trust Dave L and Rafe W and the elders and my XP team. I must force myself not to add but direct all energies to multiply; to do what relates directly to that end. Do not get distracted. Do not add things, even good things. Resist. Say no.

Guide me to what to preach – Romans 8?? I’m drawn to it – spiritual power – such a passage you have impressed in my soul. Long ago I memorized Romans 6 and 8, then 1-3; before that the SOM that I’m preaching this fall and of course Philippians and 1 Peter. Lord, am I seeking counsel from the right places? It seems so, best that I know. I could see more work with Will on rebranding- moving from one name to the other. Help us Lord. Help me to lead well in the next nine moths of crucial change and vision casting.

Father, here I am. I yield to you freshly right now; I surrender to you. I seek you. I wait before you... I will be still. Draw near. My Spirit’s power is made perfect in weakness. Welcome weakness. Embrace it. You use broken people; not always the beautiful people; you honor “mites” more than fortunes; you honor integrity.

Love is at the very center. I love you Lord. I seek you and long for you. I worship you. I am yours. I rest in you; rely on you. Live for you alone. You are the great King. O God, help me rest deeply in you. Forgive my anxiety. Forgive my fear. Help me to lead well.

King of glory, I submit to you. I want you to direct me. I want your will. Please Lord, have your way. Do not let me have my way whenever my way is not your way; I reject and pull back any prayer that does not conform to your will and way.

I praise you and thank you and bless you. Thank you, Lord, for what you have done. Thank you, Lord, for how you have moved and acted. Lord God, I am so grateful.

Lord, I cringe over Samuel’s sons. Father, I so want my sons to follow you and not dishonest gain. Father draw all my kids to you; grant them a strong devotion to you. Grant them a dedication to you and to your cause. Keep our people from looking to me and instead to look to you Lord as the King, the Leader of the church.

A time comes when evil has persisted so long, when hearts are so hard and minds so stubborn that the Lord says enough and brings judgment. Sin leads to death. Evil will be stopped; at times on earth and once and for all on that great Day of the Lord to come. I must warn people.

O Lord, I am so strengthened by Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” All my life you have reminded me of this truth. I remember our family vacations where we made up so many crazy verses of things in which we might trust, but then to sing over and over again that we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Tamara was so good at providing us with songs for verses and stories from the Bible. Lord, teach me once again that my trust is not in budgets, leaders, processes or strategies, but in you, the Lord God. You will build your church; you will change lives. O God, I love you; I trust in you; help me to trust you more, for my children, for our church.

Simply magisterial. Romans chapter six rings deep with spiritual truth for how to live as a Christ follower. The core issue is obedience rooted in a new identity in Jesus Christ; being united with him in his death to sin and his resurrection to life. So we must offer our bodies not to sin any longer, but to righteousness. We have shifted masters; from sin to God. Sin leads to death and Jesus Christ offers eternal life as a gift from God by grace received by faith. We have been set free so we must live free from sin. Holy God, implant these truths deep into my soul; to know my union with Jesus in his death and resurrection; to understand what has happened at salvation.

O Lord, this day is yours. You are King. You are the Lord. None is like you. Father, I am full of thanksgiving, gratitude for you my King. You are leading us forward and meantime battles of various kinds. Lord, you know. It’s not horses and chariots but it is you who are the strength, the confidence, the Lord, the King. I worship you Lord. I dedicate and surrender newly to you this day. This is your day – may I lead strongly and may I have opportunities to witness where I am. You are my King. My life is yours.

Thank you for this morning, for time with Tamara; for sharing your Word and prayer. Thank you for your Word. Draw me close to you Lord.

God looks at the heart, not the outward appearance. As men and women rise up to lead the church forward, I want to see as you see. You see hearts not “outward appearances.” Leaders may not look like leaders in this world. Eyes of Christ to see potential; to see a heart that beats for you with purity and humility and confident faith; contend to tend sheep and willing to fight bears.

Love is the fulfillment of the law. All the commands are summed up in the one rule to love your neighbor. I must see deeper to more fully grasp the centrality and universality of love. Love is more crucial than I know, more difficult and more profound. God is love; to love him is the essence of our duty and that is expressed in loving others. 1 Corinthians 13 matches Romans 13 in sharing love as the greatest of all; the center and essence of obeying God. Open my eyes to see love and to be loving.

Judgment is coming. God will not be mocked. What is sown will be reaped. Sin will yield death. Judah was carried into exile away from her land. One day all people who reject the Lord will be carried into eternal exile in hell away from the beautiful creation; into a foreign place – a Babylon ruled by evil unrestrained.

I’m wondering about the biblical theme of hell as exile; as the place out of the camp; away from God and his paradise; outside, east of Eden, the wilderness. I must be warned. Teach me to fear you Lord more and more.

Strength and assurance come from the Psalms in their call to make the Lord my refuge. He is my strength and nothing else. The Lord is my refuge from sin and guilt. He is the forgiver even as he is the judge. He is my rock of refuge, my fortress. I trust in the Lord. My times are in his hands (31:15). His goodness is so great. I will be strong and take heart for I trust in the Lord and my hope for today and forever is in the Lord.

I am so thankful that my sins are forgiven. I am blessed. Lord, you do not count my sin against me. You cover my sin. You forgive my trespasses. (32:1-2). I am forever grateful. Without your gracious forgiveness I could not stand. You are my hiding place in times of trouble. You protect me and surround me with songs of deliverance (32:7). I rejoice in you Lord. You fill me with joyous strength this morning for all that is before me today and in the next few days.

I give you the book and its edits; I give you the Vision frame and the name and the hurting people in crisis and CCBT and funding multiplication.

I love you Lord. I am so thankful for you. I praise you and exalt you. I submit to you. I commit to you. I surrender to you. Thank you Lord for showing me again that I do well in an unscripted environment – help me see how to leverage that for your glory. O Lord God, this day open my eyes to your word; may I be a blessing. May I be a great father to my kids. This morning, open my eyes to your Word.

The prophet Samuel has a message from God for Saul. Saul came to him because of missing donkeys. His servant suggested talking with the prophet. Father, grant me spiritual sensitivity in the ordinary things of life; such as lost donkeys. Nothing happens by chance.

The fight against sin is brutal and tough. Sin crouches at the door eager to pounce and destroy. Sin has seeped into our mind and inner being, which drags us down. Sin lives in the world whispering lies, setting traps. Sin has consumed demons that tempts us and seduce us into evil. O God, deliver us from sin; deliver us from temptation. I want to be holy and humble; pure and righteous. Thank you Jesus for delivering us from the power of sin in your death and resurrection. Still sin rattles its weapons, but the sound is hollow against the power of the Spirit who gives life that overwhelms death. Today, Lord, may I live in the Spirit, in Christ who lives through me. Today deliver me from sin. Today I fight against the enemy of my soul.

Core truth: “Do not be afraid” – “because I am with you.” Lord, today may I know your nearness, your presence. Deliver me from fear; fill me with deep awareness that you are with me. I am not alone. I am not by myself. You are with me. I trust you. I rely on you. I rest in your nearness for researching the sermon today; for decisions ahead, for directions ahead for how to multiply well. I trust you Lord.

There is no condemnation for me or for any who trust in Christ because we are set free through Christ who is our sin offering. He condemned sin and met all the righteous requirements of the law. So today I do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

My mind is set on what the Spirit desires, not my sinful nature for the sinful mind is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. I want to please the Lord, not be hostile to him.

Spirit of the living God, control me; have free reign in me. Give life to my mortal body that I might please my King.

I am obligated to live according to the Spirit because I am dead to the sinful nature and alive to the Spirit. So may I put to death the misdeeds of the body. I put to death lust and pride. Thank you for giving the Spirit of life and sonship so that I can rightfully call you Abba, Father. I know I am your child and your heir, a co-heir with Christ, so embrace his sufferings and look forward to sharing in his glory.

The sufferings of this time are not worthy to compare with what’s to come. You will set me free and all creation free from bondage into the glorious freedom of your family. Along with the whole creation, I groan waiting for the full redemption of my body and the restoration of creation, the completion of adoption. This hope is solid; secure, certain. Help me pray well by your Spirit.

O God you work out everything for good for those called to your purpose. You knew me and are conforming me to your image so I can bear your likeness. I want to be like Jesus in my thinking, feeling and desiring. Thank you for your calling, your justification and glorification to come.

If you are for me, who can be against me? If you are for us who can be against us? You did not spare your own son, but gave him for us all, how could you not also graciously give us all things? Praise you. I worship you. Who can bring a charge? You justified. You intercede. No one can separate us from your love. I can live fearlessly. Make me more than a conqueror through you and your love for me. I am absolutely convinced that nothing, nothing, nothing can separate us from your love. So I am secure.

This day Lord, use me for your glory; this day open my heart to write a compelling sermon; this day may I bless others; give me insight as to when to comfort and when to challenge; guide the way for my decisions; Father, guide service planning. You are the King. I surrender to you. This day may I advance your gospel; use me Lord. Grant me greater boldness and deeper love for lost people - may I be passionate for them.

Father use me today for your glory however you wish.

Thank you for this morning. Thank you Lord for life. Thank you for your love for me. Thank you for all my kids.

Saul is anointed King by Samuel. The Spirit of the Lord comes on Saul in power. Most of the people rejoice and shout “Long live the King.” But some troublemakers said, “how can this fellow save us?” They despised him.

I must remember that there will always be opposition. As excited as I am and as certain as I am about multiplication, people will doubt it and despise me.

Father, be my strength when those conversations come. Prepare me to stand strong in the face of resistance. Let me find joy in those who join hands and hearts to move ahead with your direction and my leadership. Father, I ask that you grant me power by your Spirit as you did Saul. My need for wisdom, faith and love is great. With all my heart I long to be more holy, more humble. Show me how to lead with wisdom and faith and courage and love. Lead through me by your Spirit’s great power. Grant me spiritual eyes to see what matters and what does not. My focus is to be people, relationships, building trust; investing in people; delegate financial and policy detail with oversight and directional guidance.

Every line speaks to my soul.

The earth is yours and everything in the world. You created and own it all. We have whatever we have in stewardship. May I be a good steward of the parts you have entrusted to me, to be wise in managing your things.

The one with clean hands and a pure heart ascends the hill of the Lord and stands in the holy place. Lord, I want clean hands and a pure heart because I so want to ascend your hill. My heart is to know you. You are the King of Glory, the Lord Almighty. Who is like you Lord? I seek your face, your blessing. Not for my glory but for your to whom all glory belongs.

I love you. I am delighted to be with you this morning. I seek you Lord. I long for you. I want to know you; to walk with you; to be in fellowship with you; to dwell with you; for you to abide with me and me to be in you like a branch in a vine.

1 Samuel 12

Lord, keep me from seeking what is not your best. I do not want to ask for a king when that is not the best. Even if you would allow it, I don’t want it. Father, keep my eyes fixed on you. Father if I am off-base in anything I'm doing, show me. Keep me from going a direction that may hurt people or your church in some way. Prepare me for what will come in the next days and weeks and months. Some may leave, may stop giving, may become angry; even those close to me, an elder, pastor, close friend. Keep my eyes on you, Lord. Deliver me from stubborn, foolish thinking and yet deliver me from being distracted or deterred by opposition. May my eyes be fixed on you Lord; even if ‘kings’ see it another way. You came for the lost, the lonely, the needy, the ones who are in grave danger. Show me how to take those steps forward well; how to execute your plan.

“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.” 12:23. O Lord, give me a heart to pray for the people - to intercede. Let me not fail to pray for the staff, the church and the communities. Open my eyes to see beyond here, to see what’s to come. Help me to see the next steps. One of them is prayer for others.

“But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider the great things he has done for you.” 12:24. God, may this be true about me. May I fear you and serve you faithfully with all my heart. Father, remind me to see the great things you have done. You have blessed me outrageously. You have poured out goodness. Thank you Lord for clarity; the strength of decision. I ask you for unity and strength in the next leadership teams' consideration. Father, thank you for Ken and Vince and for David. Help us to take the next steps forward in a way that pleases you. Thank you Lord for Pate and the jail and the Internet; for a heart for more; Relationship building; drinking from your word; from good books; working together; learning together. Prayer together. Unite hearts and minds for the cause.

Father, my heart’s desire is for the salvation of the people of north Texas – o God, draw people to yourself. Everyone who calls on your fame will be saved, but how can they call on your name if they don’t know your name and how will they know it if we don’t share it? How can we bring the gospel to the people of north Texas and beyond? We must multiply.

O God, thank you for the clarity on who we are; on leadership. Thank you for the staff and the elders. Draw them to you; Guide their hearts and minds by your Spirit. Lord, you know; Lord, you are the King. Lord, you are the one who directs and guides. Lord, it is your church. These roles are so crucial. Guide us Lord to who you would have. Guide us in each step as we consider how to lead forward in the next months. O Lord, inspire us; fill us with zeal for your cause. Give them a heart for the lost and for those who are alone; for the addicted and despised. Lord, open my eyes to see the harvest and to send our workers into the harvest. O Lord, help me to take next steps for you wisely and boldly and in faith. Guide my hands and my heart.

And yet Lord you will move to others if some will not go for you and with you; you will bring your gospel to Jews and then to Gentiles and all nations; perhaps we are to go to rural areas beyond the city; to ethnic groups; African church, Spanish church, and more. Father, open our eyes to see where you would have for us to go.

O Lord, let me not try to make certain things happen; let me rest in you; move in your time and in your way. I’m not even sure that house or micro churches would work well in this area, but I’m willing to try. Lord, give me a heart and passion for the gospel that will never be put out; a fire in my soul. Open the eyes of our leaders; move in their souls. Help me to cast the vision with clarity and strength.

Why now? What about us? Our needs? Our pain? The pain of those around us? The hearts cry out and always will. Pain presents itself daily and sin will not be gone and nor will the poor which is all the more reason to bring the good news to those dying; to those lost and wandering blind in the dark. O Lord, may we each reach out and bless one more person. May we each make an impact for you.

So rich! A chapter full of important truths.

I remember my baptism when I was 17 years old. My dad baptized me in a church plant, then called Fellowship Bible Church Park Cities. Just before I was baptized I read Acts 17:6 in the King James version. Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica to bring the gospel and many responded. Some of the believers were meeting in Jason’s home. A mob formed a riot and rushed to Jason’s house searching for Paul and Silas. When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city official shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.”

At my baptism I said, “That’s what I want people to accuse me of, that I turned the world upside down.” The NIV says, “caused trouble all over the world.” I hope that I am a trouble-maker for the devil, a trouble-maker for all those who oppose God. I hope I am a trouble-maker in the same sense that Jesus was.

Jesus upset his community with the truth, with love, with the power of the kingdom healing and casting out demons, forgiving sin. Now we have the authority, the “keys” to bind and loose, to declare sins forgiven in the name of Jesus; to pray for healing in Jesus’ name. Lord may we trouble North Texas in the power of your Spirit; may we turn North Texas upside down with the Gospel.

Then Paul went to Berea where the believers faithfully examined the Scripture to check Paul. May we have a Berean spirit that examines the Scriptures daily. In both cities the text says that many “prominent women” believed. It seems that they were key to the spread of the gospel by hosting churches in their homes and funding the gospel. Once again might “prominent women” be used to reach North Texas with the gospel, opening their homes and bank accounts for the gospel.

Then Paul went to Athens where he conversed with philosophers using their own literature to convey the gospel. It spoke in their terms using their language, inscriptions and poets. Today, how can we speak the language of our day to share the good news? Then and now people balk at the resurrection, the center of Christianity. Yet some believed including an Athenian leader. Father, bring people to faith in places of learning across North Texas, move in the circles of the intellectuals and the cultural elite to bring them to faith. Show me how to use my education for the gospel.

As your gospel spread in Thessalonica, Berea and Athens, may it spread today in McKinney, Allen and Prosper; in Princeton, Celina and Anna. Father, move in power by your Spirit to bring a surge of repentance and flowering of faith; for many new churches to form; for prayer to explode; for many missionaries to be sent from North Texas around the world. Start revival in our hearts; our homes and fellowship.

Stearns serves as the President of World Vision. This book will rock your world. I read it in Uganda where I heard and saw first hand some of the kinds of stories he tells. Stearns’ own stirring personal story of how he wrestled hard with taking his job had me wiping my eyes a couple of times.

Every person I know should read this book. It challenges you to take seriously Jesus’ call to care for those in need wherever they are in the world. Stearns helps remove the calluses from our hearts to feel compassion once again as Jesus does.

Story after story united with biblical truth compels us to ask what God expects of us beyond going to church and Bible studies. Here’s an accurate quote from the back cover: “The Hole in Our Gospel is the compelling true story of a corporate CEO who set aside worldly success for something far more significant, and discovered the full power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to change his own life. He uses his journey to demonstrate how the gospel – the whole gospel – was always meant to be a world-changing social revolution, a revolution that begins with us.”

What if we actually demonstrated God’s love for the world? Imagine a world in which the two billion Christians embrace the whole gospel to show the love of Christ to all the world’s needy? What if we formed armies of compassion meeting needs in our corners of the world?

With stories, statistics and Scriptures, Stearns builds a powerful, inspirational call to be the body of Christ in this world; to live the Gospel in our communities and beyond. It is a stirring call to action.

Which story most moved you? How could our church take further steps to show the gospel to our communities? I thank God for what we are doing here and in Uganda and elsewhere, but we can do more. The biggest change needs to happen in my heart and yours: to grow in Jesus-like compassion.

This simple story compels, convicts and astounds me. Standing there near the temple, watching people give their offerings into the temple treasury with his disciples, they saw rich people put in large amounts, then Jesus noticed a poor widow. I wonder if she was invisible to most people’ a woman passed by; no eye contact; no words of greeting. She is simply part of the scenery, not the pretty part; a woman easily overlooked, unlooked at; dismissed, ignored, by-passed. Jesus gave her special notice. He called his disciples to him to point her out and honor her example.

She simply put in two very small copper coins, nearly nothing; like the change we leave in the jar on the convenience store counter, not even worth keeping in our pocket. Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.”

What do you say? My mouth is shut. This poor widow shames America; she subverts suburbia; she challenges us far outside our comfort zones. Who would put into the offering every dollar you have in every bank account? We call that crazy, irresponsible, foolish, ridiculous, extreme. Jesus honored her for it. What do we do with this woman and Jesus’ response to her? We want to dismiss it with cultural explanations about the way the economy worked back then. Surely she had other means of support or knew that money would be coming to her soon from some source. We need to find some way of smoothing off the rough edges, of dulling the convicting sword that slices into our lifestyles.

How can I trust more deeply and love more fully so that I give more generously? Interesting to see the context for this story of the widow’s offering. Glancing back in chapter 12 Jesus had just rebuked the religious leaders for their show of piety designed to make others think well of them. Just before that he gave the two great commandments. Could this widow be showing that she loves God with all her heart, all her soul, all her mind and all her strength because she gives all she had to live on?

The greatest commandments: love God, love your neighbor, but what did Jesus fully say? “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: Hear o Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all you soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

The commandment begins with a statement, a truth, a reality of who God is. The Lord is God, the Lord is one. There is no god but God. He alone is god in a category of one. Then we are told to love him, but not just to love him, but to love God with all: all our heart, soul, mind and strength with an accent on “all” repeated with every word.

How can we do this? We always fall short of “all.” And yet we strive all our lives for the “all” – that we will more and more love with more and more of our heart, soul, mind and strength; to love with all that we are and with all of every aspect of who we are made to be. Because God is God and He is the One, the One and only God of all. Then loving God must include loving our neighbor as ourselves; our neighbor made in God’s image as we are made so, our neighbor who is our brother; our neighbor for whom Christ died.

Father, deepen me in love. Grow my love for you and for my neighbors. This is utterly foundational, core. May these greatest commands become the greatest things in my life. May their greatness be great in me, in my imagination, in my thoughts, in my actions and in my words. My love for you and my neighbors animate my day. This day may I love you and love neighbors. What else is worthy of my breath, of this day? What else will matter on that great Day when the books are opened?

People are fickle.

When Jeremiah preached that the people must repent or the Lord will bring destruction; in fact destruction is coming, but the Lord will delay if they repent; the people said, “you must die!” They demanded Jeremiah’s death because he spoke against the city.

Then Jeremiah said he came form the Lord and is innocent. They reversed and said, “This man must not be sentenced to death.”

Tough messages create reaction. People do not like to be confronted with sin and the judgment that sin deserves, but it must be said. Warnings must be given because judgment day is coming for every person and to the entire earth. Truth must be preached regardless of how people respond or personal consequences.

Destruction is coming, worldwide horrible judgment from you Lord. Your cup of wrath will be drunk and will bring terrible pain and destruction on all the nations of the world. Then you will reign. I must, we must be vigilant and bold to share the news before that day comes and it is too late.

Show me how to be bolder and more direct in my social circles. I need to take conversations to the next level; I need to offer dinners; meeting beyond a game or workout. I can only offer and people can only refuse or accept; what is there to risk? So little – because judgment day is coming.

As a watchman, I must sound the alarm; then people can stay in danger or run to rescue, but I am responsible to sound the alarm and announce the rescue that is available to all. Bring them to salvation, Lord.

I glanced out the window and saw the morning sun streaming in – reminds me that you will come as the SON of God in all your glory streaming into the world, burning away the darkness with no where to hide; your light will bring life, but first it will burn all evil. Before you come is the only time to bring the gospel before it is too late.

Father, I wonder about how much I don’t know. The angel you sent to Manoah and his wife, the mother of Samson, said even his name was beyond understanding. My goodness Lord, how much do I not understand? Forgive my arrogance in thinking that I know, thinking that I understand, when the truth is that I know so little as a human being; even the knowledge possible for me as a human – of that I know so little – every course in every university in the world I could take and understand with time, but even all that knowledge is a speck of yours and of what’s real.

If I read every web page on the Internet; read every book written; still then how much would I know? More facts of history; more facts about this world; some more philosophy and theories; how more things work, but that would be just a slice; a fragment of what could be known; even with every frontier of knowledge being pressed; we are only microscopically extending human knowledge. Yet Lord you see so much more. I want to know you; to know spiritual realities; to understand faith and love; to grasp more of Christ’s sacrifice; to understand how the last is first and how I must be a little child to enter the kingdom and how love can abound in knowledge and how to fight temptation and how to grasp better the hope of resurrection to come; o Lord, to know you and your power and your love; to see evil’s danger more clearly and to experience the fruit of righteousness in my life.

I long to honor you. I long to know and be used by you as the great potter; to be your servant; to understand your Fatherhood and my status as your son – mysteries, depths of knowing beyond bare facts; to peer into spiritual reality not for my advantage, but for the kingdom and to bless others. Let not pride ruin or discolor my longings for spiritual realities. Grant me a pure heart o God; grant me pure longings after you; after truth and love and wisdom and holiness.

Jesus, you are the King. You came on a colt and you are returning on a white horse. The fickle crowd shouted hosanna echoing the multitudes around your heavenly throne shouting and singing to you the King of Kings. May I shout the same. May I say blessed is the coming kingdom of our Lord.

O Lord God, Jesus my Savior, to be part of your work; your kingdom, your mission. There is nothing sweeter; nowhere I would rather be. Teach me patient love, to listen, to be still and know you and to love other people with the gospel. Jesus you cleaned the temple of those using it for gain and called people instead to prayer. Teach me to pray more; to rely on you more.

I seek you now Lord. You have the authority. You are the Son of God. Spirit of the living God, bring to me from my time those days last week – fighting dreadful pride, the dragon, the snake that constantly comes back to haunt and poison; even in my prayer time with you as if I could be proud of that and I have been. How ugly. My every step for you is marred by ego that colors the white of my devotion with stains of self.

Father, Son, Spirit this morning guide me into what to share with the elders and the pastoral team – guide me Lord to remember and to re-hear what you are saying that I must share to lead the way

“So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers” 16:5 – how I want that summary of the churches in north Texas. For our church, may we be strengthened in the faith and grow daily in numbers, numbers that are each a face, a story of redemption, of healing and hope restored. May my faith be strengthened and Lord may you use me to see one more person rescued from darkness, from chains of this world and sin. Lord, this day could I be a light wherever I am.

Remember that advance of the gospel will bring opposition. In a wonderful miracle God used Paul to set a slave girl free from demonic oppression. But the spirit inside her enabled her to predict the future. Now her owners would not make money from her fortune telling. So they seized Paul and his partner Silas and dragged them before the legal officials.

Remember when money is touched, violence erupts. Attacks are often legal. They claimed it was unlawful and that these Jews were creating an uproar. Defense of civil order is always a handy way to put down advances of the Gospel that do disrupt the worldly state of affairs. May the gospel do disrupt north Texas that bars close and alcohol sales plummet. Drug dealers go out of business; pimps and prostitutes lose their clientele. May our police forces be rescuing cats and our jails be empty.

Sometimes the darkness wounds us. The magistrates ordered Paul and Silas stripped, severely flogged and thrown into prison. Never lose hope just because the darkness seems to have blunted gospel efforts. God is so much greater. Paul and Silas are singing hymns and praying at midnight, and all the other prisoners were listening. God just gave them a new congregation; people who could not hear the gospel on the street. Then God sent an earthquake that so shook the prison that all the chains fell off and the doors flew open. Knowing he would be held responsible the jailer drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted, “don’t.” “We’re all here.” Immediately the jailer fell down trembling and asked, “What must I do to be saved?” He and his whole family were filled with joy.

Remember that attacks that seem like defeats can simply be redirections. God has other plans. God uses evil for good. In the end of the chapter the magistrates realized they had messed up and tried to appease Paul. Paul went out and met with the brothers in Lydia’s house to encourage them. Notice Paul’s faith. He’s been beaten and imprisoned and he is encouraging them. I would think they would encourage Paul, but suffering brings greater faith when you turn to God, so it is Paul who in fact encouraged those who had not been in prison or beaten.

I see the brothers were gathered in Lydia’s house. Homes can be the center for new churches. Perhaps she was a single woman of means with a home large enough for many to meet. We, too, can expand the gospel in homes. Single women can play a central role in the expansion of the gospel. What if home after home across north Texas hosted meetings of believers where we prayed and studied the Bible and strengthened each other to reach out to more people with the Gospel. If each home were a light, God could light up north Texas with the gospel. Inspire us to use our homes for the gospel as Lydia did.

Overall the book is written in an engaging almost chatty style as if Hugh and Matt are sitting down and sharing their journey with you, a journey of starting a church and coming to realize the power of “And.”

Halter and Smay helpfully move the conversation away from arguments over the proper form of the church to what really matters: the function of the church. Whether a church is mega or micro; more attractional or incarnational, the point is being missional to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The right debate is not over multi-site vs. church planting or the best size of a church, but are we making, as Ed Stezer says in his Forword, both “more AND better followers.”

The authors started Adullum Community in the Denver area that they write about in an earlier book, The Tangible Kingdom. Their strong orientation is to the church scattered, but they realize the importance of the church gathered while acknowledging that is hard for them. Their gift to the church is challenging those of us who are more focused on the “gathering” dimension to give equal energy to “scattering” the church into the world.

On pages 26-27 they list a series of helpful “ANDs” avoiding simplistic either-or, black-white kind of thinking. Clearly we need organization and fluidity; old skills and new habit; centralization and decentralization.

They are helpful in speaking to churches wherever you find yourself, not just those who are planting churches from scratch, but also those starting from structure (chapter 2). I appreciate the encouragement to launch “pilots.”

Chapter 3 offers a strong challenge to traditional churches to move Christians away from consumer Christianity which is fed by churches who give people all sorts of religious goods and services teaching them to be consumers. “Consumerism is the self-focused drive to get as much as I can get with the least amount of effort.” (73) It coercively shifts the church from its true call: from giving to getting. Great challenges to church leaders on how we measure success contrasted with the questions Jesus will likely ask us (76-77).

Chapter 4 acknowledges the difficulties of spiritual formation and attempts to outline a non-consumeristic approach using a process of apprenticeship with a focus on transitions. The suggested flow is from observance to preparation to participation to partnership. From our story/their story to active spiritual formation to real life practice to leadership and ownership. The explanation and value of transitions is a huge insight.

Chapter 5 develops Ralph Winters classic missional insights into sodalic and modalic communities and applies them to a local church. They unite them to the “go” and “make” of the Great Commission. Chapter 6 shares about how to morph from simply scattered to both scattered and gathered. Chapter 7 raises the question of whether to gather at all in terms of worship services.

The final chapter is a stirring call to live as if you’re really dying. Everyone dies but not everyone lives. “If spiritual leadership is anything, it is a journey of death and a journey to death.” We must inwardly die to ourselves as we prepare for our physical death when all that matters is the legacy we’ve left for those who will follow. (205).

I wonder how our church can become more missional. How can we move more people from being consumers to missionaries? How do we contribute to a consumerist mentality in the way we “do” church? How many of us like we are dying because we know there are people dying?

Father, help me receive your kingdom like a little child. Grant me humility and a servant’s heart to be last. Deliver me from the desire to be first.

So much rich truth in this chapter – it’s more than I can take in – little children as a model of faith. The rich, young man in great contrast with little children finds it too difficult to enter the kingdom because he will not part with his stuff. But with God all things are possible, even for wealthy to come to faith.

Peter said he and the others have left everything to follow Jesus. Jesus answers that they will receive much more in this life and the age to come. Many who are first will be last and who are last will be first. My heart is to live for Jesus, not this world. Jesus is worth hundreds of times more than anything this world has to offer.

Then Jesus predicts his death and shockingly, immediately, utterly clueless, James and John ask for the privilege of sitting at Jesus’ right and left hand in his glory. Did they miss everything Jesus has said about little children, about being last, about dying soon? Father, help me hear you and not act like James and John. Jesus says that whoever wants to be great must be servant of all. He himself did not come to earth to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. So today our calling is the same: to serve, to give our lives that many might be ransomed from sin and death, from darkness and despair, from traps of the devil.

The chapter ends with blind Bartimaeus who receives his sight. His faith healed him. Jesus asked him want he wanted. He said, “I want to see.” I, too, want to “see.” I want to see Jesus; to know his love and power and glory. Father, grant me faith to see spiritually that I might follow you closely.

Lord God, make me a good shepherd. Deliver me from speaking what you have not spoken. Draw me close to you Lord. You are a God nearby and a God who fills the heaven and the earth.

I fear you. I honor you. I seek you.

You are the Lord God. This week I will dare to speak your word; to declare your truth; speak Spirit through me as a faithful messenger.

Could we today send off leaders in twos and teams to carry the Gospel to other parts of north Texas? When they go, what will they do?

When they arrived, they proclaimed the word of God. They traveled the whole region. A man opposed the Gospel and tried to turn people away from the faith. Then David, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at the man and said, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting right ways of the Lord?”

Then our “sent ones” traveled to other cities sharing the story of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They urged those who were saved to continue in the grace of God. Nearly an entire city gathered to hear the word of God. But the other religious people were jealous and talked abusively about them. The word of the Lord spread through the whole region of north Texas. But people stirred up persecution against David and Michael and expelled them. So they went to other regions. The people of McKinney Fellowship who follow Jesus were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

I’d love to part of this move of God’s Spirit. Lord, raise up men like Paul and Barnabus that we can send out to advance the gospel and form new churches. Father, give us the courage and faith to send out key leaders to leave us for the sake of the mission. Grant us courage in the face of opposition. May we, too, experience the joy of being an active part of the Spirit’s powerful mission.

But perhaps the thanking comes before the multiplying; the gratitude before the faith. Perhaps worship precedes miracles. Not always of course, but in general, Jesus’ thankfulness contrasts starkly with the disciple’s fretting -- over their lack in a remote place where they saw no other resources.

At the end of the chapter, Jesus predicts his death and resurrection, Peter rebukes him. It sounds so crazy for a human being to rebuke the son of God. How could Peter dare? And yet, how many times have I thought God was doing the wrong thing, and in prayer tried to tell him so? Forgive me Lord for not understanding your greatness, for the arrogance to imagine I might know better than you do, for the lack of faith in your goodness and wisdom, even when I don’t understand. Jesus had to rebuke Peter and actually identify Satan behind his thoughts: “Get behind me Satan!” Scary to think of how many satanic lies may have infected my thinking revealed in the times I doubt God’s goodness or greatness or both, when I try to tell God he’s not running the world the right way. Jesus tells Peter,” You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of man.” How can we learn the difference? Peter did not want Jesus to be killed, who would? What’s the difference between the “things of God” and the “things of man”?

It’s at this moment that Jesus tells his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Could this be the “things of God” in contrast with the “things of man”? Man wants to save his life, gain the world and be well regarded in this world. God has for us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Jesus, lose our lives for the Gospel, and be unashamed of Jesus and his words. The result from man’s things is forfeiting your soul and being ashamed at the return of Jesus when you will lose your life. The result from God’s things is to save your life being with Jesus when he comes in his Father’s glory with his holy angels. I would rather be with Jesus.

O Lord, I love you – I seek you – I long for you. I am excited about this day that starts the new season of ministry. Use me today for your glory – help me to lead the way with strength and clarity, with wisdom and power, with love and humility. O God, move among your people in ways that shine a bright light and give off a lovely aroma. May Jesus shine through me and us today. I ask for heart for the gospel; I ask for opportunities to share your gospel.

Every believer at McKinney Fellowship ought to read this book. It inspires, challenges and provokes you. Could God use us to spark a movement that changes the world?

Movements That Change The World, Steve Addison

Steve Addison’s slim 129 page 2009 book from Missional Press is powerful and compelling. His opening story of Patrick’s revival in Ireland in the 5th century inspired me. Patrick led a movement of multiplying churches. Although he was poorly educated, his love for Christ compelled him. Patrick’s story instantiates the five characteristics of a missionary movement that Addison highlights:

• White-hot faith
• Commitment to a cause
• Contagious relationships
• Rapid mobilization
• Adaptive methods

 
Each of his chapters will explore one of these characteristics and tell a story that demonstrates its reality in history.

In his Introduction Why Movements Matter, Addison points out that Jesus was the first missionary with no organization, no book and he did not run for office.

In Ch 1 White Hot Faith, we see that it is men and women of faith who have met with God that change the world. What matters is not so much finances or resources, but white-hot faith. Profound encounters with God are a catalyst. The story of Moravians with Count Zinzendorf.

in 150 years 2,158 are sent to remote areas. The story of Pentecostalism reveals the fastest expanding movement in the world. Contrary to media portrayals, most Pentecostals are not high profile TV preachers, but poor women in villages. Often it is a deep experience of surrender that will precede revelation of God’s purposes and outpouring of his power to achieve his will (45). It will yield not an institution with command and control, but a movement with passionate faith. Consider: southern Christianity: Africa, South America, China.

In Ch 2 Commitment to a Cause, Addison tell of the Methodist revolution: doctrine with discipline. At one point Wesley removed 170 of 900 for sin. Every Methodist was to have a ministry; one in ten had a formal leadership role of classes, etc. Effective movements know who they are (61). They created alignment with classes, band, societies. The proper tension is to be distinct but connected: engaged but orthodox.

In Ch 3 Contagious Relationships, he quotes C.S. Lewis “Every real friendship is a sort of secession, even rebellion… Each therefore is a pocket of potential resistance.” Addison tracks the Rise of Christianity.

AD 40 1000; By AD 300 6 million. Ideas spread like viruses; conversion is accepting the opinion of your friends. Know the strength of weak ties – acquaintance takes you into the world of a new network of relationships. We need tight but open social networks. Every person is just six handshakes away. Jesus had contagious relationships: Andrew, etc. Tells the story of Neil Cole and the organic church movement.

“There is no faster or more cost effective way for an idea, a fashion or a rumor to spread than from person to person and group to group.” P 84 Far better than technology. “What it takes is ordinary people, on fire with the love of Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, who are willing to tell their families, friends, and casual acquaintances what God has done for them.”

In Ch 4 Rapid Mobilization, we hear the story of Des the builder who says, “I build builders.” Leadership development is key. Addison tells the remarkable story of the multiplication of churches in the American West in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

• Methodist sand Baptists
• 1771 300 American Methodist led by 4 ministers
• 1816 Asbury dies 2000 ministers 200K members
• By 1830 500K members, attenders 6 million

 
They were willing to suffer; circuit riders; little money; young; trained on the job; education can kill mission. They were trained on the job. Trained 6K ministers before one graduated seminary. Apprentices; lifelong learning, graduated the day they died. (91)

New converts tell their story immediately.

“Heresies are not produced by ignorance but by the speculations of learned men” (96). Great things of God are beyond human control; control produces sterility. Story of Ralph Moore and Hope Chapel

Mini-Churches (started in 1972). Three important questions:

• What did you learn? Head
• What did God say to you? Heart
• What will you do? Hands

 
In Ch 5 Adaptive Methods he tells the story of soccer as a world game and in history. Then connects soccer to the story of Willam Carey in India. Christianity is most culturally and linguistically diverse religion: functionally, responsive, simple, sustainable and resilient.

New ideas come from fresh challenges.

“One of the best ways to renew an existing church is for that church to plant a church and watch what happens.” 111

Notice nice chart of unsustainable and sustainable churches. 112-113

Jesus and early Christians faced tough challenges: no precedents, hostile culture, limited finances, no organization

Simple strategy: win as many as possible to Christ, gather into communities that became mission centers until he returned.

Cultural relevance not cultural relativism; Gospel not pragmatism.

Adaptable without being syncretic; Contextualization and indigenization.

In his Conclusion, Addison tells the story of Nairobi chapel with Oscar. Oscar develops leaders whom he calls sons and daughters. Then Addison moves around world to Korea, Nigeria, Tim Keller, Bob Roberts and Mark Driscoll. He asks, “What part do you want to play in this great cause?” It all started with 120 in upper room.

“What would it look like to align your life with Christ’s command and to join a missionary movement that will one day reach every tribe, every language, every people and every nation? To be involved in seeing countless millions make Jesus Christ Lord of their lives?” 128

How do you respond to Addison’s book? I’m compelled.

Could it be that we would do this today? Why not? Just like today the response was not all rosy. People in Iconium plotted to mistreat them so they fled to Lystra and Derbe. In those towns God moved with power so much so that people said Paul and Barnabus must be gods such as Zeus and Hermes. Spiritual success carries inherent dangers that people will worship you and not God. Any church leader at any level must confront the praise of the “crowd.” Paul and Barnabus rushed out shouting, “We are only men, human like you.”

Rightly, they rejected the excessive hero-worship. May God give me and all church leaders the humility and sense to point people to the living God and defer and decline attempts to put us on a pedestal. Even with their words, the crowd still wanted to sacrifice to them. No matter what’s said, people will want to shower leaders with gifts and praise, at times inappropriate. Pastors are not “gods” or “heroes,” but ordinary humans.

In spite of the over-the-top response of the people, others came in from other towns and won the crowd against Paul and Barnabus. People are fickle. They literally stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. Remember the crowd will worship you one day and try to kill you the next. Remarkably in his courageous faith Paul got up and went back into the city. Grant us grace to get back up and keep speaking the good news.

Paul then went back to the original cities. He strengthened the disciples encouraging them to remain true to the faith telling them we must go through hardships. Then they appointed elders in every city. With prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had put their trust.

Here is the fundamental process: evangelize, disciple and equip leaders. Could we not do this throughout north Texas today: preach the good news of the gospel in each town, strengthen the disciples and appoint elders? Then report back to the sending church as Paul did rejoicing in what God has done. I pray that our church will have the heart and faith to bring the gospel to north Texas starting many new churches in many towns, expecting opposition, but trusting in the power of God to see many come to faith.

Father, in these days I am not surprised to see destruction because we have forsaken you. Father, deliver me from wandering, from distraction. Bring me close to you, Lord. Bring me close to your heart. Help me, Lord, to hear you. To know you. To obey you.

Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness and his upper rooms by injustice. O God, deliver me from taking advantage of others in any way. Deliver us from not paying for labor for making countrymen work for nothing. Father, as a nation the gap of rich and poor is immoral. Father, help me from what you have blessed me, to be more and more generous, to share, to give, to bless others. Deliver me from selfishness, from accumulation, for gathering and spending more for myself.

“Does it make you more of a king to have more and more cedar?” God, deliver me and all of our church from thinking that nice things make us more successful, more important, more blessed, but rather will we defend the cause of the poor and the needy – “is that not what it means to know me?”

What is my “cedar”? Father, deliver me from wanting or pursuing more “cedar,” but may I be content with what you have provided and give to the poor and needy – what it means to know you.

Father, I know that I am weak and I tremble at the mighty task ahead this year, but you are greater still. You are with me and are leading us into this new huge vision ahead, a vista of spirit-empowered ministry; an advance of the gospel of Jesus Christ for your glory; deliver me from any glory. I must decrease. And yet I must boldly answer your call. I must get up and muster the troops to fight the Midianites. I must tear down the altars of Baal and build altars to worship you Lord; to tear down the opulent mansions built to the honor of Mammon; tear down the drug houses; marijuana fields and crack houses.

O Lord open up north Texas and let your Son shine. May Jesus reign over the towns and developments; suburbs and rural roads; lanes and highways. O God, may your kingdom roll; may goodness and justice be demonstrated in the name of Jesus. May your gospel be preached with bold power. Lord, can I see you? You appeared to Gideon to call him and then he asked for so many signs; seems like a lack of faith and then he tore down the altar in the night. Give me courage Lord to act in the day; courage to trust you without fleece. To trust you when the people are upset because Baal’s altar is torn down.

We must not worship as consumers; we must not come to the “cross” in hopes of improving our lifestyles or standards of living. O God, stir in the people of McKinney Fellowship a holy boldness, a righteous fire; fill them with such a vision of your glory that they are compelled; that I am compelled, to live for you full out – with a radiance that impacts people at Which Wich and LA Fitness and wherever I am.

O God, make me a godly man, an evangelist. The point is far from expanding the church to have more people or make the budget; in fact we may lose people and the budget may decrease – but people, real people, individual people with unique noses and stories are changed forever by the power of the Spirit with the resurrection Life of Jesus. That’s what matters.

Mission trips push you beyond your human limits and put you on your knees. For me it was the responsibility of speaking in the Gospel Crusades and giving the altar call that scared me. My insecurities screamed at me that I would not know what to say; how could I relate to people so different from me, living in a village in the jungle?

That's just where God wanted me to be, at the end of my resources, unable to depend on my training and preparation. I knew it would only be his strength and not mine; his words and not mine. The Spirit grew my faith to depend more fully on Him.

During the long set of music before I spoke, I prayed and I prayed and I prayed. God listened. Many came to Christ. It's embarrassing to admit that I was surprised, but I was. Another way to grow my faith. God really used me. In all four villages we saw people trust in Christ. Four new churches were started. It was intoxicating.

Back home now, I have a spiritual hangover. Old temptations trap me. Familiar routines threaten to deaden my zeal. But I can't shake what God did.

Of course, he's the same God here. What does all that mean for me now, here? It's the mission trip hangover: through the fog of home and all its normality, it seems that God wants to do something more in me and through me. I can't be the same. And yet, America is not Africa. My life is not a two-week mission trip. So I'm asking God to help me drink deep of the Spirit that I will be filled (Eph 5:18), "intoxicated" with the Spirit right here at home on a life-long mission trip for Jesus.

Tuesday night I dreamed of disappointment; of something significant I was invited to do and then at the last minute it was taken away without warning. Wednesday morning it dawned on me that Joseph's story was haunting me. God and I talked about what he might be saying to me.

Do I really believe he is the good and faithful God when bad things happen, when what I thought was going to work does not, when a dream blows up into a nightmare? Until my faith is tested I won't know for sure, but as I wrestled with God I determined to trust him more deeply.

Joseph's story both reminded me of the reality of suffering for which I must prepare myself and reminded me of the powerful goodness of God who will work it all to ultimate good in his time. By the time I got to my office that day I had resolution in my soul and found myself wanting to dwell longer and look deeper into the story of Joseph, which I have discovered is more the story of God.

I've spent the day wrestling with major biblical texts: Genesis 2, Matthew 5 and 19, Ephesians 5, 1 Peter 3 and Malachi 2 as well as Proverbs 5. Here's an idea -- PREP for the sermon on Sunday by reading these chapters!

My heart breaks for the couples who are crippled in marital pain. Recently after a service a young lady came forward for prayer so torn up she could not talk but simply handed me her Care Card. It said that her fiancé had cheated on her. She had just found out on Thursday. Tears were streaming down her cheek so hard she could hardly talk. I'm praying for how to speak to those of you in terrible pain.

All of us have messed up and thankfully there is grace for all of us.

I'm also praying about what to say to singles and those who are divorced or in the middle of a divorce or in abusive situations -- it's hard to speak to every person in very different cases -- my thought is to aim most of the message at the majority -- which I think are mediocre marriages with little understanding of how their marriage relates to the kingdom of God.

What do you think? I'm open to input

Glad to be part of the bride of the King!

What does the kingdom have to do with a family or with raising kids? Of course some people ask what's a family itself? If you don't have kids what will the message have to do with you? Come find out.

I'll be sharing about E6 and D6 parenting. And having fun with acronyms such as ICE and MTV. All the secret answers will be told in the sermon live and on-line!

May we all seek God in his Word as these ladies do.

Find out about Easter at McKinney Fellowship

Writing a letter like this might be a good idea for families and individuals as well. I found that during the writing process I had to look deeply at areas where we might be lacking and consider things that we should change.

Letter to McKinney Fellowship

Anticipation fills an informed believer just before death.

Two days ago I sat with Mike, a dear member of our church and faithful servant on our tech team for worship services. After a valiant fight with cancer, Mike said he was ready to go Home. We sat together and prayed as we talked about the excitement of seeing Jesus in just a short while.

I read Mike the description of Jesus in Revelation one, as a preview of Who he is about to see. He smiled. He could only say a brief word or two.

Then I shared about seeing the last chapters of Revelation as a travel brochure for paradise. Mike listened as I read Revelation 21-22 describing where he is about to go; giving us a glimpse of our ultimate Home.

He smiled.

The vision of Jesus staggers our souls and shatters our minds. Personally i confess my picture of Jesus comes more from the Gospels and popular depictions. When have I seen Jesus as he appears in Revelation chapter one, which is what he actually looks like today?!

No other book in the Bible promises a special blessing if you read the book. Revelation does (1:3). Of course the blessing comes when we not only read, but also obey.

Can't wait for Sunday to share more. Please pray for me tomorrow as i put it all together as a sermon. I want the Spirit of God to guide every word.

As evening came, the disciples wanted to send the crowds away, but Jesus fed them by multiplying five loaves and two fish. But immediately after they had eaten Jesus sent the disciples away on a boat and dismissed the crowd. He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.

Jesus wisely moves from intensity of compassionate ministry to renewal in private prayer to the Father. How can we learn to discern better when to retreat with God alone and when to give ourselves out in ministry to others? 

The closer we get to Jesus the more we can live in Christ-like rhythms.

Learn more about living your life in rhythm

That's the church. It takes all of us, each working on our section of the wall to build the body of Christ; to reach out to the broken people in our community. Nehemiah 2-3.

But starting in January we are doing something different. When Jesus developed his disciples they not only learned, but he also sent them out to minister and then they came back and talked about how it went.

We are devoting Sunday nights to evangelism. Our normal meeting has been from 6-8 pm. We all have good intentions to build relationships with lost people, but often are challenged to make time with other commitments. So our intent is to give our Sunday nights to be with lost people. It will look differently for each of us: having dinner; being out socially; talking on the phone; walking across the street. We will stumble along the way, but we are determined to step out in faith.

Every couple of months we’ll get together on a Sunday night to check in with each other, tell stories and encourage each other to keep going. What’s your plan for reaching out in 2010?

 This Christmas if there are no herds in your stalls, follow Habakkuk in rejoicing in the Lord who is your strength who gives you salvation! Our joy does not depend on circumstances that change but on the Lord who never changes.

Lately we've been encouraging each other to more missional prayer. Before my trip to Uganda I was congratulating myself on committing to an hour of missional prayer on Tuesday mornings at McKinney Fellowship. But the prayer of the believers at Victory Living Word Church put me to shame. When I heard their normal practice, I was stunned and could hardly believe it. Every Friday night they pray all night long from 10 pm to 6 am. Then they have three intercessory teams who pray during the day on Wednesdays in three different corners of their worship center.

Hard work gains my applause. It's a value I hold high. The Ugandans blew me away with how much hardship they endure with smiles; how hard they work just to make life work, not to speak of what they do to carry out Christ's mission.

Few people have running water. They walk up and down hills for up to a mile to carry very heavy plastic containers filled with water from a well or community tap. Few people have access or can afford electricity. They cook on wood or charcoal fires and use kerosene lamps. They live with no refrigeration, no plumbing and no sanitation services. They burn their trash. Cars are uncommon; a few have motorcycles and a few more have very used bicycles, but most walk and ride in taxi vans. They often walk for miles to do anything from school, to buying food, to working, if they even have a job.

60% live on only one meal a day. People in the villages often only eat meat at Christmas; some get it maybe once a month such as eating chickens they have raised. most live on bananas, rice, and other fruit and grains.

Of all that touched me in Uganda, I was touched most profoundly by the born-again Christians' passion for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastor Makumbi Johnson shared with me that he is not paid anything by the church nor are any of the other pastors in his association of churches. So I asked what the offerings go toward assuming he would say the rent on the facility and utility bills, but instead he told me the offerings are used for evangelism. What an answer! We could not say the same. They have an evangelism team that does open air preaching in the streets and gathering places of the city. They go door to door sharing Christ to those in each home, hut, and shack. They use music to draw people so they can share the gospel. They print flyers and hang banners. They put on Gospel Crusades which last for 2-7 days with hours of praise and the preaching of the Gospel. They have reached hard to reach people. 2/3 of the people in Victory Living Word Church are former Muslims.

Next summer we will be joining the believers of Victory Living Word Church in four Gospel Crusades in four villages to launch four new churches. I can hardly wait to be there and see what God will do.

We are building a team of about 25 people. We need two cooks; several to sing and play instruments on a worship team; we need doctors, dentists, opticians, nurses, and medical personnel to put on a medical clinic during the day at the sites of the four crusades. We need several people to entertain and share the gospel with kids and youth during the day while the medical clinic is blessing people. We need an audio engineer to help run sound. If God is working on your heart and asking you to "go" to Uganda, I pray you will follow His prompting. You will be blessed.

There is no big issue. We have found that “McKinney Fellowship Bible Church” is a long name. It is hard to remember and say. Most outsiders miss-state our name as “McKinney Bible Fellowship Church” because it flows off the tongue more naturally to say “Bible” before “fellowship.” In our town we already have a smaller church called “McKinney Bible Church.” We do not want to injure them or be confused with them.

So for ease of communication we use “McFBC” and “McKinney Fellowship” as shorter names. We have not changed the legal name of the church. Most importantly, of course, we are certainly Bible-based. No less than ever before, we have the conviction that the Bible is God’s Word. 

Our desire is to use an easier name for you to share with your friends. As you talk about your church and invite them to come be part of what God is doing here, it’s easy to say, “come join me Sunday at McKinney Fellowship.”

I am refreshed and ready to lead the charge through Romans!
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  Romans 1:16
 
Praise God! Sunday, Aug. 24 was one of the largest non-Easter attendance Sundays in the history of our church. Over 2,400 were in attendance which included 40+ new families. Newcomers may be looking for groups to join so please let us know if you have room in your Life Group.
 
You answered the call for Clothe-A-Child donations ... thank you! We now need 500 volunteers to show up at 5:30 am on Saturday, Sept. 19 or 26 at Kohls. Bring your group - it is such a rush to be there early with all of the families! Click here for more information and to register.

I will be offering a Your Life in Rhythm workshop at the church on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 8:30-2:00 pm. The cost is only $20 per person and it includes a workbook and lunch. I am offering this to our church body as an outreach opportunity. Please invite your friends who may not come to a "churchy" event but would be interested in living their life in rhythm. You may register for the event through our website by clicking here.
 
All are welcome to join me if you can for a Missional Prayer Group on Tuesdays from 7-8 am. We meet on Main Street at the church. Even better, lead the way with missional prayer by forming and leading a group. Email Laurie Wright at lwright@christfellowshiphome.com with your prayer group information and we will have it posted on our web site.

Bruce,

We enjoyed a Gospel, bluegrass time of worship with a guest musician which  just added to the joy. It was an awesome morning. I felt like we were experiencing a bit of heaven.

I wrote the following in my book, Your Life in Rhythm and now i am trying to live what I wrote:

“Wisdom calls us to live fully in each season, without getting sidetracked by regret for a season that’s past or by fear of a season yet to come.”

“Let’s not try to live as if we have an empty nest until the kids are gone’ and once they’ve left home, let’s not try to keep rearing them.”

“As stages shift, we must release the expectations of the stage we are leaving and embrace the new realities of the emerging stage.”
 
“If we don’t release the expectations of the previous stages, we inhibit our ability to receive the blessings in the new stage that’s beginning.”

So we praise Him

We fear Him

We serve Him

We live for Him

We worship Him.

God was present. Both families are full of believers. Every aspect of the wedding was great. In a sense it was a storybook wedding. See my Facebook page or Tamara’s for pictures.

Thank you for your prayers.

The feeling of marrying your own son is hard to explain. Standing a few inches from him and his wife-to-be was very emotional for me. Several times I had to choke back tears. I’m so proud of my son and so delighted to have Grace as a new daughter. God is good. I am deeply grateful to the Lord.

It seems like Jesus should do the same in our hearts. Jesus and his return should orient our lives.

Think back and thank God for:

• I Am Second
• Dozens of baptisms at the All Church Celebration
• Spanish service growing; doing Yo Soy Segundo
• Love McKinney involving over 600 people in projects across the city
• Run for Cover involving 712 people and raising more than $17,000 for the Samaritan Inn homeless shelter
• Garage Giveaway, more than 3,000 people came through McKinney Fellowship in a single morning
• Over 800 people serve on a regular basis at McKinney Fellowship
• Camp His Way
• mission trips to Mexico and Nicaragua
• Awesome elders and a great staff
• Personally, I have an amazing wife, Tamara, and a solid relationship with each of my five kids: Bart, Jimmy, David, Melanie and Ben

The second insight is that we are right where we need to be as a church. Our call is to be faithful to the people and plan right before us. Great ministries are in place, let's carry them out. Stay focused on what we know to do and are doing well. By God's amazing grace, your generosity, wise leadership from the elders (including difficult decisions) and frugal spending by the staff, we ended our fiscal year June 30 in the black and were able to put back cuts in salary that the staff took earlier this year. Praise God for your stewardship and His faithfulness. Our church is financially healthy.

A third insight is to have eyes open for God-shaped opportunities. We do not know what may come around the corner -- I Am Second -- was an unplanned opportunity that resulted in great work for the Kingdom. So we must be ready to move when God says. We need ears to hear his direction and we need eyes to see opportunities that come from him, personally and as a whole church As I consider this coming ministry year, clearly our focus should be to love our neighbors with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are so internally healthy, but we are not externally focused enough. We need to pray for God to give us hearts to love the world as he does, enough to sacrifice his only Son. This is my prayer for myself to grow in evangelism fueled by faith-filled prayer. That’s how I need to grow to be more like Jesus in my life.

How will you grow more like Jesus and help others follow him?

This is an important and amazing work. The book published by Hendrickson in 2004 is a translation from a book published in Germany in 2000 based on a dissertation at the University of Tubingen. Gehring shows high level academic erudition in biblical and historical scholarship. I know of no peer to this work. He thoroughly analyses the evidence with scholarly objectivity and an eye to implications for church ministry today. I agree with his conclusions that the NT focused much more on individual local churches than on some notion of the church universal. Even most of those statements indicate the aggregate of the local churches rather than some other entity. He shows that there were more than likely house churches in a city who then gathered as the church of that city in larger gatherings. The conclusion is balanced and helpful in applying his research to today’s situation. It would be interesting to know how he responds to Neil Cole’s Organic Church.

What I have never noticed is the immediate context right before and right after the command to love one another as Jesus as loved. Right before he said that one of them would betray him; Satan entered Judas and he went out into the night, a very dark moment. Right after, Jesus says that Peter will deny him three times before the rooster crows.

So Jesus command to love one another is sandwiched between one who will betray him and one who will deny him; and yet he loves them and so we are to love one another including those who will betray us and deny us.