GPS

At the risk of being redundant, I have often looked at the abbreviation for "Global Positioning System - GPS" and wondered if anyone had ever thought about using the same abbreviation for GOD's Positioning System?

Samuel must of had one of these...

1 Samuel 3:3-4 NLT

"The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God."
Samuel was still a young boy when he first heard God call his name. But it is interesting that scripture mentions where Samuel was sleeping - "near the Ark of God". Samuel grew up learning the priestly duties and the ways of God. Samuel honored God and God bestowed His favor on Samuel.

1 Sam 3:19-4:1NLT

"As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable. And all Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh and gave messages to Samuel there at the Tabernacle. And Samuel's words went out to all the people of Israel."
Samuel chose a position near the Ark and God spoke to Him. What position are you choosing?

Besides coming to church once or twice a week, where are you spiritually? Are you in a position to hear from God's Spirit? Do you have a clean heart and clean hands so God can speak into your life and use you? Or, are there things that keep you away from such a position? Things like pride, sin, selfish and/or ungodly ambitions and complacency.

Samuel positioned himself in God and unknowingly or knowingly positioned himself for God to greatly use him.

Where are you positioning yourself today?

Un-Comfortable

<p>I had some time to think today, so I was contemplating about why I never feel relaxed, comfortable or calm. I didnt come up with any profound conclusions but as i was thinking about it a friend posted the title of a chapter in a Len Sweet book. The title?

"Life wouldn't be interesting if you didnt feel out-of-place."

Thanks God!

Get Off of the Cycle

  So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.

Judges 6:6 NLT

That's the cost of exalting oneself. When we exalt ourselves, God has a way of making us humble. Learning and walking humbly before God is a way of life.

All to often, we point our finger at the ancient Israelites as their continual disobedience brought about what is known... as "the cycle of the judges".
1. Israel would be at peace with their needs provided for.
2. They would drift away from God and His commands and begin to worship other gods.
3. They would fall under God's judgement at the hands of their enemies.
4. They would gather at an altar, repent and turn back to God.
5. Then God would raise up a leader to deliver them.
Repeat! Repeat! Repeat!

If we actually think about it, don't we do the same thing?

1. We walk humbly before God and in the power of His Spirit.
2. We become lax in our devotions, in prayer, in church attendance - following and making gods out of the TV, entertainment figures, sport heroes, hobbies and our family.
3. We fall under the results of our sin - those destructive habits and beliefs that following the other gods mentioned above produce.
4. We hear a sermon that speaks to us and we repent at an altar.
5. God welcomes us back and forgives through the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ.

It's the same cycle. But, don't we get tired of it? Some of us may even be getting dizzy! Christ desires an intimate relationship with each of us. Pride and selfishness starve that relationship. Learning and walking humbly before God feeds it.

Are you selfishly starving or humbly feeding the source that will enable you to really live?

Wolf Patrol

"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears."
 Acts 20:28-31 NIV

"They are going to think I am so rude!" The thought flashed through my mind as soon as the man left the building. My heartrate slowed to normal, as my wife gently caressed my arm. The whole incident lasted only a minute, we were enjoying a Sunday night time of fellowship with the married couples of the church, when I heard the front door open. In an instant, in walked a man in a trenchcoat. I recognized him immediately and remembered the discernment the Holy Spirit gave me about him a few years back.

"You don't have an evening service?" the man asked. When I explained that we used our Sunday nights for specialized ministry, he left in a huff. I never rose out of my chair.

After a brief moment, I stated something to the group of couples that was to the effect of, "You might be thinking that was rude, but I know who that man is." One man immediately responded, "We trust your judgement."

I believe that all of us and especially pastors, need the Holy Spirit's gift of discernment. In an effort to be inviting, friendly and welcoming to everyone, there is bound to be a wolf that is trying to slip in among the sheep at some point.

We need discernment to identify these predators and we also need the same gift to evaluate our own thoughts, our own actions and our own motives. As a pastor I am charged to love and care for the people God has placed in my charge. I pray daily that God would help me to remain pure in thought, speech, actions and motives. I also pray for discernment in order to protect the church from wolves.

When a shepherd spots a wolf, he acts and rightly so. I would rather appear rude by not welcoming an individual that I have been warned by the Holy Spirit about, than to risk the spiritual lives of so many people that both God and I love.

Pastors, watch out for wolves.

What A Ride

I was thinking back over the last few months today and am totally amazed at what God has been doing in mine and my family's lives. If someone would have told me 6 months ago that I would be where I am today, doing what I am doing and loving it as much as I am, I probably would not have believed them.

There is just so much to be thankful for.

1. I am blessed with a wonderful wife - who I love more than ever.
2. I have great kids who are serving the Lord, making wise decisions and are giving me reasons to be proud of them.
3. I am privileged to pastor a great church, full of friendly, loving people who are ready to impact the community and world.
4. God is opening new doors, that only he can open and is giving us favor with the community.
5. Lives are being changed as people are making decision for Christ regularly.

God is good.

If Jesus Came To Walmart

OK. I'll admit it, I'm on facebook a lot. I enjoy the encouragement from God's Word - posted by individuals from their daily devotions. I enjoy connecting with people that I do not and cannot physically see and communicate with on a regular basis. I enjoy the connectivity!

One thing that I have noticed in the connections through facebook, that has me greatly concerned lately, is the fact that some of God's people have become lulled to sleep by an exclusionary gospel and have limited Christ's love to people who are, to them, acceptable. Some have become incredibly and especially cruel towards the people who shop at Walmart. We shop at Walmart - extensively and, yes, we also shop at Save-A-Lot and Aldi's.

Every time I go into any one of these stores, I pray that God would give me the eyes of Christ, that I might be a blessing to someone, that I might touch someones life. I think of the Apostle's Paul's words to the church in Rome, to which he wrote,

"Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people.

And don't think you know it all! "

Rom 12:16 NLT

If I can't enjoy the company of ordinary people, then I can't even enjoy my own company because I'm as ordinary as they come. In fact, if I'm completely honest, most of the people who I encounter at Walmart are, simply, real people with real needs and real feelings. If Jesus was physically on the earth, I think his favorite place would be Walmart. He always went where the needs were.
It doesn't matter what people look like, dress like, what their manners are like, how they interact or fail to interact with us. What matters is that Jesus loves them and we are the only ones who can carry his love to them. When it comes right down to it, "them" is US.
 

If Jesus came to Walmart

with aisles and aisles to shop

the need would move him to compassion

he wouldn't dare think to stop.

 

 

The next time you are in Walmart, as you shop, notice the people around you, smile and say, "Hi". Grab an item from the top shelf that an elderly woman is trying to reach. Wave at the kids that are waiting impatiently in the carts. Show everyone Christ's love. When you do, Jesus will indeed be walking the aisles of Walmart.

GROWth

It has been a thrilling Month. We have been watching God do amazing things in our services at True North Church. God has increased our number of attendees from 39 people to nearly 70 people. 12 people have made decisions for Christ. Nearly 20 have recommitted their life to Christ, this past week alone. Wednesday night Bible Study and Prayer has doubled in attendance. We have seen a $450.00 increase per month in Missions Faith Promises. And I am believing that God's just getting started.

As excited as we are at what God is doing, I am equally excited at what God is doing in me. I know that to be an effective leader that I must grow in God. Is this growth exciting?  Yes. Is it challenging? Yes. Is it scary? Oh Yeah. That's why I have to grow.

Someone once said that it is great if you feel as though you are in over your head. Then, you'll be totally dependent on God. I am on both parts. Indeed.

To grow in God, I have become very determined and protective of my daily time in His Word. I am striving to be more disciplined and passionate in prayer. I can always do better but I must also let Christ work in me while realizing that I can't "DO" it at all. 

My prayer is that I will stay out of the Holy Spirit's way and let God be God at True North Church. It's exciting but I am keeping my eyes wide open and fixed on Jesus.