Longview Drive MBC

2009-09-01T07:07:00.000-07:00

Check out MY blog at corysbrain.blogspot.com

No More

2009-08-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

I was not talking about anyone. I was venting after some Bible Study. It had nothing to do with anyone. I'm sorry.

This Blog is officially closed.

2009-08-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

Paul Not a Pastor?

2009-08-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

In my recent studies, I seem to have found a few things that interest me. I wold like to give them to you, and see what you think

1. Paul was never a pastor

2. From Acts 1 on, there is no instance of a Pastor preaching to "flock". The great sermons were always to large groups of the lost, and church teaching seems to have been done in a Home Group setup

What do you think?

Music

2009-07-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

How important is music to worship?

Finding Out About the Family

2009-07-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

So this guy I know (who will remained G-14 classified) called me today. His Grandad is sick. He found out that he did not know if he is saved. So......
1. He went to the hospital and found out(he is saved Praise God)

2. He realized how little he knew about the rest of his family

3. He is on a mission to find out

Do you know about your family?

My One Name

2009-07-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

Here's my name: Billy

I see this guy sitting next to me at the coffee shop, right? He looks like a cop-out(I admit it). He has his hair gelled and a Bible on his lap that is lit-up like Fort Know with Highlighters. This is going to be the guy I witness too for my challenge.

He just got out of his 2nd stint in rehab, is currently jobless, homeless, and planless. I am sure at this point that he is too fried(or possessed) to take any real advice or help. He is big on "claiming things in Jesus' Name". Very Charismatic, very confused. When he stopped talking about all the things he "claimed" and all that Jesus would do for him because he told Him to do so, I cut through the fat and asked him about his salvation. He claimed that the way to salvation can only be found in Romans 10:9- no works, no baptism. As far as he says, he "sounds"saved.

I did as much as I feel I could. He says he is saved. I seem to believe that he is not or he is just really that fried from the Meth. Either way, he needs your prayers. He is one of those you'll probably never cross again, so pray for him.

Thanks For Letting Me Rant

2009-07-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

I need to rant, and I thank you in advance for allowing me to do so...

I just read a blog called "Indefenseoflandmarkism". It drives me nuts that Christians are spending so much time arguing over whether or not to clap, how to dress, what kind of music, or what version of the Bible. It drives me nuts and makes me sad.

If we could only be more interested in "makemarkism" rather than "landmarkism".

Make a mark!!!!

1 Name Before Wednesday

2009-07-20T06:56:00.001-07:00

Ok, the gauntlet has officially been laid.

I vowed in front of the church Sunday morning that on Wednesday Night I would bring the name of someone I had witnessed to.

1. why does this seem so difficult?

2. Will you make the same vow?

My Burden is Light

2009-07-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

Don't worry about anybody else reading this:

On a scale of 1-10 how much do you enjoy your church on Sunday Morning?
(Not like, "Im a believer and I love it", but how much fun is it? Does it lighten your load?)

Go Ahead...Laugh

2009-07-09T07:38:00.000-07:00

Pop Culture v. God's Plan

2009-07-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

I just told a few guys about us canceling VBS. They were confused. People don't get it.

1. I love that our church puts its members' needs over its desire to do what its always done

2. I love that we run our schedule and that our schedule doesn't run us

Do you think God wants us to do what pop culture says we should do to be a good church or what He has gifted us to do?

I can't help but think that He gave us abilities that He wants used to the uttermost.

What are your talents and abilities? Are you using what God gave you or are you just a normal everyday Christian?

Guilt- The Great Motivator

2009-07-07T07:22:00.000-07:00

Hmm, didn't get any comments on that last post huh?

I know, isn't it crazy how preachers try to use guilt to get the point across. hos often did Jesus do that? Did He do it at all? I'll look....you look....we'll see

Would You Rather

2009-07-06T09:57:00.001-07:00

Would you rather....
-slide down a slide of razor blades and fall into a pool of rubbing alcohol
or
-fall of a building onto a safety net and catch your eyelid on a nail on the way down?

Crazy right? How about this one:

Would you rather....
-tell someone about Jesus Christ
or
-let them go to hell?

Which "Would you rather" shocks you more?

Every Rose Has Its Thorns

2009-07-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

Social Networking has become phenomenon. People are addicted to MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, and everyone has a blog.

I wonder what this is doing to us. I wonder what it doing to our culture. I, too, am addicted to certain of these. Ever since I've fallen in love with blogging and Twitter, all I can think is, "If I only had an I-Phone this would be so much easier".

Isn't it crazy how stuff leads to stuff. Jesus said, in His explanation of the parable of the Sower, that some seed would fall and grow up among thorns. They would look good, but they would bear no fruit. He described the thorns as "cares of this world" and "deceitfulness of riches".

Did you know that the average YEARLY Income for the world is around $7,000. I no longer wonder why many of our churches look good, but bring very little fruit. Even our poorest are rich.

Just my thoughts, what do you think?

Unload on Me; I Dare You

2009-06-30T08:17:00.001-07:00

It's been almost a month since I last posted. A few things have happened since then.
1. Kid's Kamp- It was cool. It was exhausting. We had a little girl saved!!!(Praise God) Overall there were around thirty kids saved that week.

2. Pappaw (fill in with good word for died)- He is no longer in pain. He is with His Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!!!(Praise God) All is well, mourning is hard, yet we sorrow not as those who have no hope.

3. I got my golf score down to a 79- Often imitated, never duplicated, but true nonetheless.

If there is still anyone out there..........what's happened to you. Unload on me; I dare you

Just a Little Taste

2009-06-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm gonna give you a little teaser for the sermon Sunday with a question:

We have removed the Law from the plan of salvation, and rightly so; but do we apply it wrongly to sanctification (life after salvation)?

How?

Straight Thru the Bible

2009-06-04T08:26:00.000-07:00

There is definitely something to this whole reading your Bible straight through thing. It has been so exciting to read all those seemingly boring minor prophets (who aren't that boring) as they tell of the destruction of Israel, the mercy of God, and then the coming King who would rebuild the lost city and nation.

The message of Jesus in the Book of Matthew is so much clearer. I see now how much the Jews were awaiting this coming Messiah. It wasn't just a thought in the back of their minds. It was the last thing said to them in al their church services for 600 years.

Have you tried to read the Bible straight through? What do you think?

Offering Worship

2009-06-02T06:51:00.000-07:00

We have been experimenting with the offering at church. Where should it go? One person said, "It should be a part of worship! I don't know why the preachers cut off their nose to spite their faces."

Here's a thought. Is the offering a part of worship? Yes or No? Its a trick question. The answer is, "It should be". Currently, it is a time for the aforementioned person to play with their grandkids.

Have we become confused about what worship is to God? Is the offering in and of itself worship? I can't count the number of times God told His people to keep their sacrifices and offerings. He wanted their hearts instead.

So, what can we do to create worship? Others have said that if we had stronger music, they could worship. What is wrong with that? I so badly want to worship God, with or without music or money.

God a.k.a. Hitman

2009-05-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

So God is a great Hitman. In the past few weeks, I have heard two different people use that phrase...."God put a hit out on me".

He does have a way of reaching out to those whom He loves. One guy had a few friends just say hi, we missed you. Another had a dream that 2 of His fellow beleivers beat him up and read the bible to him( I know right???).

God is the ever-present God who never lets go of His children. Has God ever put a hit out on you?

Communcation

2009-05-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

The sermon Sunday Morning was called, "Maitaining the Biblical Marriage: Communication"

The basic premise was this: Husbands should, in all their communication with their wives, make them feel loved. Wives should, in all their communcation with their husbands, make them feel respected.

I challenged you all to have a serious conversation with your spouse, asking them how you are doing and what you can do better. I just wonder, if there's anybody out there, who did that and how it worked out.

The Ever-Present Grace of God

2009-05-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

I have been amazed at the Grace of God at the timeof death. My Pappaw is only a few weeks from his death now, and things are easily overwhelming for us as the family. He lays in a hospital bed at home, sleeping.

His voice is near nothing now. The other day, his wife and 3 daughters were sitting around his bed as he slept. After weeks of being nearly unable to speak, he awoke and sang a song at the top of his lungs. It was a verse to the old, old country song, "The Great Speckled Bird". This is amazing to me because this song was popular in teh 30's and 40's. There are 8 verses to this song but the one that came to his mind as his brain fires off inconsistantly was this:

" She is spreading her wings for a journey She's going to leave by and by When the trumpet shall sound in the morning She'll rise and go up in the sky. "

God is ever present near the death of one of His saints. He is always speaking to their family. I praise GOd for His faithfulness and comfort.

For All You Newbies

2009-05-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

I'm assuming that everyone just got the newsletter and rushed to their computers to begin blogging. To test it out, here's a few questions to respond to:

1. What do you think of the Esther Bible Study?

2. What do you think of the Landscaping?

3. What do you think of the Missions Budget?

A New Mantra

2009-05-01T09:28:00.001-07:00

As a Pastor, everyone I meet or hear about eventually comes back to the idea of that person fitting into our church or a ministry in some way. It almost gets annoying, both to myself and others.

It occurred to me that this is probably foreign to the minds of the average church member. I remember growing up in a "successful" church. We heard, knew, and taught the Great Commission, but it was not our mantra. Our church always stayed about the same size, and still is.

I have learned that I need to have more patience with the regular church member. I also learned how they need to make the Great Commission their mantra. What does it take to make reaching the lost second nature?

Thougts on Our Church

2009-04-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

The direction our church has taken is paying off. I love it!!! I forget sometimes how great God is blessing until I tell someone else.

At our Small group Sunday Night, we had 16 Adults and 16 kids. In the past, our tactics were to get them settled in to church and then try to build relationships. This approach at building relationships first has been paying off. we have already seen a rise in participation at church, and we will continue to see more.

People don't want or need to be judged by a religion or told what to do. that is direct antithesis to human nature. Human nature naturally rebels against authority, especially in a culture that no longer enforces it. Human nature, however, almost always responds to love and encouragement. Are we building a "feel good" church? God forbid. We are just finding a means to carrying out the Great Commission that doesn't handicap us before we start.

Praise God for His Greatness

Sunday Recap

2009-04-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

Here's just a recap of what went on at Business Meeting Sunday

1. We voted to change our missions giving. We are now going to give as follows
-125- TBI
- 125- Texas Mission Builders
-250 - Pine Springs
- 250- Phil Gavilla (Guadalajara Mexico)
- 250- Jason Clark (France)
-250- Chris Miller (Australia)
- 250- to be recommended by the new missions committee each month

IT is exciting to see our church stepping out in faith, supporting these ministries in the "uttermost parts of the earth".

The Landscaping is nearing a close. THe plants are in the ground and look great. A little mulch and we're all through.

The church also voted to raise one of the pastor's salary. IT is exciting to see a church moving in this direction. As we continue to grow, time will tell how this decision is. THank You.

We are moving in the right direction. Our Young Adult Small Group has seen 4 visitors in the last 2 weeks. Our Adult Small Groups are beginning to solidify and are nearing the next step of growth. God is blessing the faithfulness of His people. I pray we continue in this faithfulness and see how that we truly cannot "out give" God!!!

Amazing Love

2009-04-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

Maybe I Said "Excited" Too Much

2009-04-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about our services Sunday! It seemed, for the first time in months, that everyone was engaged in worship.

I'm convinced that satan(that old jerk) has been doing a number on our church. we saw some substantial growth and then it all stopped. People suddenly found themselves at odds with one another over the pettiest of things. Well, someone realized it, made others aware of it, and they started attacking HIM head on. (Take that Jack)

It is exciting to see the excitement about missions growing at LDMBC. I am ready for this month's business meeting so we can finally utilize what God has given us to use for His Kingdom work! Our small groups also seem to be solidifying. I know it is challenging for some of you guys, but let me praise you for your willingness to try anything to find that one thing that works!!! As we move this direction, we will no longer be limited to the size of our building, but by the number of houses in Henderson!!! Praise God!

The Body of Christ

2009-04-14T07:22:00.000-07:00

When the Bible says that "you are the Body of Christ", does it mean that there is only one person in our church who is supposed to be the lungs or heart? Sometimes it seems like certain churches are in a coma, with only a few who are the heart or lungs working while the rest lays limp in the hospital bed. It also seems that, at times, the heart and lungs get annoyed with the limp appendages that just sit and get bed sores. At whom should they be annoyed? The appendages themselves? The Central Nervous System? The accident that caused the coma?

Much of the conflict in today's churches comes from that question. While many do not realize it, the conflict begins and ends with, "I'm not sure who to be mad at so I choose you". Why must anyone be annoyed with anyone? Why must the blame be placed? Why can't the few organs that do work join together to will that first little finger to twitch, or that leg to jump. Maybe, just maybe, those few organs could work wholeheartedly with the Head, who, let's face it, is the only part that can wake those arms and legs and fingers up.

Rather than EXPECT the Head to do the work, we start to think that maybe a "shock to the system" would help, maybe a cast or a brace, maybe a transplant even. All that leaves you with is a church that can only be understood by watching of the greatest movies ever, "Weekend at Bernies". It is the story of 2 men who find their boss dead, then spend the rest of the movie treating him like a puppet, making everyone believe he is alive (sounds more gross than it is).

A church can't be all heart forever. New cells need to be added and strengthened. Maybe the Head will replace all the dead tissue, or maybe He will resuscitate it. Whatever the case, it is the job of the Head. Come one heart and lungs, let's watch the Head do its work

Isaiah 6

2009-04-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

So I thought it was cool how heaven's priorities have not changed. Sunday, we learned from Isaiah 6 how that Heaven's priorities are:
1. Get the Lost Lost
2. Get the Lost Saved
3. Get the Saved Serving

This is the Great Commission made over.

What have you done to help a lost soul see their lost condition lately?
How have you helped someone see how to be saved?
How have you helped a new believer begin to serve in a more mature way(and yes that is expected of you too)?

The Foci of our Intentions

2009-04-02T07:02:00.000-07:00

What exactly are the focus (foci on the plural ???-I know.....) of our intentions?

-Do we want to see people saved? Really?
-Do we want to spend the time discipling people? Really?
-Do we want to see new churches planted? No, Really?

That about covers it, right? What else is there?

-Having strong ministries established, that funnel people into the church
-Having an organized children's ministry that brings in new parents
-Having a top of the line worship service to "create worship"

These things are the forest, but the people are the trees.

Bulldozers and What to Do with Them

2009-03-27T08:40:00.001-07:00

"Good intentions don't move mountains, bulldozers do"
"Strategies are bulldozers- they're action oriented"
"Strategies transform intentions into actions"

Three great quotes that hit me like a ton of bricks (or a ton of feathers--lol). One thing that strikes me about the way that I have done ministry thus far, is that I have had good intentions, but intentions to no end. the very nature of intent is that it has a focus. With my intentions, the focus seems to have become the means and not the end.

It should not be my intent to create small groups at church. It should not be my intent to create a flourishing children's ministry. It should not be my intent to create an amazing sermon series. It should be my intent, however, to see hearts and lives changed through accountability and Bible study. It should be my intent to see children come to know Christ and be discipled, and for adults to learn how to minister to children. it should be intent for the message of the Scripture to prick the hearts of the people listening.

Without realizing it, I have created strategies to get a bulldozer on site. The problem is that I need a strategy for how to drive it to the mountain, where to put the excess rock, and what to build in place of the mountain.

Now that that's clear.....Let's get to work

Knowing

2009-03-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

I'm findin' that its really hard to breathe
when all the air is right in front of me
and all I ever am or was won't let go with both hands and take the leap

Its funny all the thoughts inside my head
how I can be alive yet somehow dead
will I ever figure out how death is gain but life is You instead

All these thoughts of mine
seem to undermine this mind You gave me new when I became Your child
If I let me go
do You swear to hold me up and if I do how can I know You tell the truth?

And the irony that ends it all
is that the way to learn to fly is fall
You told me that to gain my life I should hate myself and try to lose it all

But I got none but love for me
there's another bit of irony
that takes us now from this catch 22 to the question in front of me

All these thoughts of mine
seem to undermine this mind You gave me new when I became Your child
If I let me go
do You swear to hold me up and if I do how can I know You tell the truth?

I guess I can't if i don't

Let Go

Ground Control to Major Tom

2009-03-24T06:39:00.000-07:00

So what if God's will is not what I want?

A very valid question asked by a very valid questioner. So what if? This, for me, is a question that I only ask as a last line of defense. When I come to this point, it is because I am trying to do anything at all but ask God, "What is your will for me".

In fact, I am currently in the middle of this battle. We go through life on auto-pilot and everything is hunky-dory, then that little light comes on....the voice over the radio says, "You need to land here, so take it off auto and let's do this".

Auto-pilot is nice. You, as the pilot, get the most amazing view of the sky. You see all the beauty of Creation and lazily act as if it is you leading all those passengers to better skies. Occasionally you give a command or suggestion to a stewardess and feel like the King of the World.

Newsflash Genius------YOU'RE NOT THE KING OF THE WORLD---------YOU'RE NOT LEADING THOSE PEOPLE, THEY JUST HAPPEN TO BE ON THE SAME PLANE AS YOU----

You work for the airline; you are not to fly for enjoyment, you are to fly to a particular place and arrive at a particular time, drop off a particular load of cargo and pick up some also. You also, while you work for the airline, your job is to serve the people following behind you. True, you are supposed to lead them, but you are also supposed to serve them, making sure the stewardesses are in order, making sure the people feel safe, and moving them safely to the destination that they are destined to reach.

So, what if God's will is not what I want? Then
1. The people depending on me go nowhere
2. My disciples never learn to serve properly
3. People on the ground in need never get their cargo
4. AND I DON'T GET A PAYCHECK

Lucky

2009-03-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

I Really Love My Wife!

The Mountains

2009-03-17T07:26:00.001-07:00

Ok, here are some song lyrics that I like. If you won't think I'm a little gay, I'll tell you where I got them:

I can almost see it
That dream I’m dreaming but
There’s a voice inside my head sayin,
You’ll never reach it,
Every step I’m taking,
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking but I
Got to keep tryin
Got to keep my head held high

There’s always going to be another mountain
I’m always going to want to make it move
theres always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm going to have to lose,
Ain’t about how fast I get there,
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

The struggles I’m facing,
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes they might knock me down but
No I’m not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I’m going to remember most yeah
Just got to keep going
And I,
I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on,
cause

There’s always going to be another mountain
I’m always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm going to have to lose,
Ain’t about how fast I get there,
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

There’s always going to be another mountain
I’m always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you're going to have to lose,
Ain’t about how fast I get there,
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

This saong makes me think of another song my mom and her sisters used to sing. The words were, "Lord don't move this mountain, just give me strength to climb". this parallels what we saw at small group. Jesus did not pray for His followers to be rescued from the world, but for them to have strength in the world.

I spend a large majority of my time annoyed with the mountains I have to climb. They are here on purpose, and some I'm even gonna have to fail to climb. This is the process of forcing me to learn the difference between spiritual and carnal. Lord, don't move these mountains, just give me strength to climb

(Lyrics are from Miley Cyrus)

Civil Rights v. Spiritual Beliefs

2009-03-12T09:15:00.001-07:00

Here is an interesting article

http://www.musingson.com/ccCase.html

It is basically saying that we should support gay marriage but oppose it church. She believes that spiritually, it is wrong and should never be condoned by Christians, but it is a "civil-right" all the same.

She feels that the "church" should stand for its beliefs, but understand that our place is not to force our laws to follow our belief system. This basic premise is the foundation for our country.

I see(not necessarily agree with) her point......what do you think?

Is this Ranting or Raving?

2009-03-11T07:38:00.000-07:00

So I checked out this Paul Maurice Guy from the other blog. He is terminally ill, bed-ridden, and writing a book that encourages us to create inter-faith dialogues. He basically wants us all to find our own "Divine" and worship it how we want to, and therefore become friends. From His site I found another blog called liberaljesus(the name alone speaks volumes). This guy has a discussion going about why he stopped going to church. He said, and I quote,

"Instead of singing, I spent my time trying to translate the song lyrics into metaphors I could affirm.Instead of praying, I spent my time pondering the moral bankruptcy of a God who would grant any of our prayer requests, while every day, thousands of people starved to death. I tried not to be appalled at people who would follow such a God."

This is what he was doing at church. No wonder he didn't like it. That got me hot. I was ready to fight.....then I read the comments. It was filled with people who praised him and told him how they were in the same battle. They truly found peace when they stopped "playing the game" and learned to "worship in their own way". This was not a blog based out of New York, LA, or even Houston.....it was in Abeline, home of Abeline Christian University.

I stopped being mad and became overwhelmed with sadness. Our world is filled with this mentality. Our churches still spend most(I think 90+%) of our time doing things that edify us. This is not wrong in and of itself, but there is so much more to do. I wonder how much time(percentage wise) God would have us spend on ourselves as opposed to on the world.

It bothers me to no end how that if someone wants to do an out of the box ministry and reach out, they are tagged as fanatic, liberal, or stupid. The fact that these ministries are considered "out of the box" is a testament unto itself. I just wish God would give us a few choice expletives for times like this. I'm so mad, sad, annoyed, and defeated right now, I want to spit!!!!!

God help us, God save them

LET'S DO SOMETHING FOR HIS SAKE!!!!!

No Takers?

2009-03-09T07:39:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I'm a little let down by the lack of comments on the last post. I know for a fact that the idea of inventorying one's life is scary. I still would like to encourage you all to do this with your life. It seems that Jesus was fulfilling the Great Commission in all He did. I would like to tell Him I did the same when we see each other. He may just smile and laugh like parents do at kids who say they cleaned the kitchen, but who only did it "kid-style". I'd like to hear it all the same.

Great Commission Checklist

2009-03-03T07:16:00.000-08:00

Here's a thought:

Do a Great Commission Checklist. Write down the 3 things in the Great Commission-
1. Make Disciples- witness and train
2. Baptize- uh....baptize
3. Teach the Bible- Kinda like training, but deeper

Then, take all the basic activities and relationships in your life and see if they fall into any, if any, area of the Great Commission. I'm going to try to do this with my life, and I'll get back to ya.

Psalm 84

2009-02-23T08:01:00.000-08:00

5 Happy are the people whose strength is in You,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Tears,
they make it a source of springwater;
even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings.
7 They go from strength to strength;
each appears before God in Zion.
(Ps 84:5-7)

If our hearts were "set on a pilgrimage" the Valley of Tears would suddenly become a source of springwater. What and how is a "heart set on pilgrimage"?

What you are versus What you do

2009-02-19T06:50:00.000-08:00

Ronnie Floyd, author of the book I'm currently reading, says this, "What you are is more important than what you do".

We become so engrossed in our lives that often we identify ourselves by what we do rather than what we are. We see ourselves as doctors, lawyers, carpenters, or preachers and forget what we truly are in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3-14 gives us some well-needed insight into what we are:

In Jesus Christ I am
1. chosen miraculously
2. accepted completely
3. forgiven freely
4. planned providentially
5. rich spiritually

In what ways do you identify yourself by what you do rather than what you are?

I Love You God

2009-02-17T07:09:00.000-08:00

So I was thinking, "I really love God."

He has proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that He works in the heart of new believers to help them live a righteous life, He works in the heart of the destitute to lead them to someone with the gospel, He works in the heart of the spiritually mature to break them and keep them in a place of child-like faith, He works in the heart of a marriage to keep it filled with His love, He works through His word to speak clearly even though it was written thousands of years ago, He works in the heart of some to disciple others, He works in the heart of others to desire to be discipled by some, He leads me beside the still waters, He makes me to lie down in green pastures, He restores my soul, He fills my cup till it runs over, He provides financially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically for His children, He knows the heart of depression, He knows the heart of joy, He knows the heart of a parent seeking to raise their child, He knows the heart of a church desiring to turn the world upside-down, He encourages the heart of missionaries as the sit on the edge of the gospel ministry, and above all, He is the only true and active source of love from which we feed on and draw from as we love others.

I Love You God

You Make a List.......

Throuh You and In You

2009-02-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

Ronnie Floyd says in his book, "10 Things Every Minister Needs to Know"

"You cannot expect God to do something through you if you are not allowing HIM to work in you every day of your life.If you want to see what God will do through you, it all begins with what God is doing in you".

Do you ever ask God to use you even though you spend no time letting Him work in you? He works in us in our personal prayer/study/worship time. So let's not beat around the bush--------

Can you ask God to use you and be disappointed when he doesn't if you aren't spending your DAILY time with Him?

Boxing with God

2009-02-09T07:18:00.000-08:00

So God is still in control right? Yes HE is. I get sick of those periods in my life when He seems to get great joy out of reminding me that I work on His schedule and He does not work on mine.
It makes me think of a line from "Seven Trombones"- "Young Man, Young Man, Your arms are too short to box with God"

In Job, it asks the question, "whose arms are like God's". I am still amazed at how easy it is to become enamored with self. Praise God that He reminds me, even if it annoys me.

2009-02-06T08:25:00.000-08:00

This verse broke my heart:

I will instruct you and show you the way to go;
with My eye on you, I will give counsel.
Do not be like a horse or mule,
without understanding,
that must be controlled with bit and bridle,
or else it will not come near you
Holman Christian standard version. (Ps 32:7-9).

Sometimes I want the will and counsel of God so bad. I try to fight harder to establish a daily bible reading, i try to fix my attitude, and pray more. This verse tells me that in order to know that mysterious will of God, I've got to come to a place where I stop fighting Him. These immature battles just need to be over, and HE and I need to get to the next level. Does anyone else see that, or am I crazy?

Stolen Later

2009-02-03T07:44:00.001-08:00

I stole this off of someone else's blog, but I loved the premise.

Proverbs 12:3
A man cannot be established through wickedness,
but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

Once I establish myself, once I get my feet on the ground and have a solid foundation and a stable career, then I'll really have the resources I need to give to God. Imagine how much God will be able to do once I've established myself.

No one ever says that out loud, but sometimes it's easy to live. To make God a "later god." I'll live for you later. I'll give to you later. I'll worship you later. First let me take care of this thing called my life.

You won't be established that way. God is a God of now, as in "I want right now. Not later, not someday. I want to love you right now, right here." And when He does, when that's our foundation, we cannot be uprooted.

Have you ever tried to make God a later god?

Be Disciple-Makers

2009-02-02T07:41:00.000-08:00

So here's what I'm thinking: The sermon Sunday morning was about Jesus calling His first disciples. The basic premise is this- Jesus saw Himself as a disciple-maker and He is our great example. In the Great Commission He told us all to go and be disciple-makers. You should have seen the look on virtually the entire congregation's face when I told them that God expects THEM to be disciple makers.
We've kinda been led to believe by them(whoever them is) that Christian humility is self-deprecation. This is kinda tied into the last post on Pre-grace. I think we convince ourselves that we are good enough to be saved, but still not "saved enough" to be used. This heavily pertains to me and makes me sad. God wants us all to have the same confidence that Paul had when he said, "Follow me as I follow Christ". To say that today would make you a stuck-up, holier-than-thou loser. It shouldn't!
What do you think?

Pre-Grace??

2009-01-27T07:11:00.000-08:00

I asked a certain group of believers if they ever struggle with seeing themselves as “pre-grace”. This is where you know you have been forgiven, but you still see yourself as that sinful person. At times, I still see myself as that punk 12 year old trying to steal cigarettes from the Exxon. It amazed me at the way almost all the eyes went to the floor. It must be an epidemic. We have to learn to see ourselves as God sees us.

I think of Paul when he said, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, for that He counted me faithful putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy.” He understood how that “if any man be in Christ he is a new creature”. He did not forget all that he was, but he also did not allow what he was to define him. His identity was not in being what he used to be, but in being not what he used to be (read that again).

I wonder how many of us see ourselves as a new creation. We know we are forgiven, but we struggle to see ourselves as clean. One small sin can throw us back into the deepest feelings of regret and sorrow. See yourself as God sees you.

I WAS WHAT I WAS, BUT PRAISE GOD I’M NOT WHAT I WAS!

Small Groups

2009-01-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

Hey Church!!!!
What do you think of the new Sunday Night Small Groups?

Isaiah

2008-12-18T08:04:00.000-08:00

I've been reading through the book of Isaiah, and it has me wondering what a weird guy Isaiah must have been.

Chapter 20 describes how he walked around naked and barefoot (because it would just be weird if he walked around naked with shoes on) for three years. Here's the guy that we're trusting for our prophecy about everything from the birth of Christ to the end of the world, and he's walking around naked for three years. Granted, God used his nakedness as a picture of what would happen to the Egyptians, but still...

So, here's what I gather from that:

1. People must have thought he was a fruit loop.

2. He was willing to look like a fool in his obedience to God.

Sometimes I find it hard to make myself willing to look even a little silly for Him. Are you willing to make a fool of yourself for the cause of Christ? Do you have a boundary in your mind--"I will only stoop this low to obey Him"?

Christmas

2008-12-10T11:39:00.000-08:00

So, what does Christmas mean to you...really? And, I don't mean the Sunday School answer. I mean here in the middle of December, what's on your mind when you think of Christmas?

Cool Blog

2008-11-19T07:08:00.000-08:00

Check out this story

http://web.mac.com/kevinplaster/iWeb/Russian%20Missions/Blog/F4B01C64-CC7B-4BC9-8C01-C4B895078411.html

Weary of Misery

2008-11-19T06:32:00.000-08:00

Judges 10:16 (HCSB)
16 So they got rid of the foreign gods among them and worshiped the Lord, but He became weary of Israel’s misery.

God called His people out of the Wilderness (spiritual immaturity) to the Promised Land (spiritual maturity) for a purpose. They were to conquer the land, throw down strongholds, and move from dependence on God (manna) to faith in the sustaining Word of God (the food of the land). They were successful for a season. They conquered many people. They saw the demise of entire people groups, but they did not complete the job. There is a common phrase found in the history of Israel: “They did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord”.

How many times they fell away from the Lord and came back I do not know. It would take me too long to count. One thing I do know. God gets tired of it. He is longsuffering with His children, but He is not impractical. Judges 10:16 seems to be the first time in the Promised Land that God became fed up.

One thing strikes me. He was not weary of their sin or their sinfulness. I’m sure He was not a proud Father at that moment, but the scriptures show us an insight into God. He was weary with their MISERY.

How many times do we, as believers who have crossed the Jordan into Spiritual maturity, fall away from God and return to Him in sackcloth and ashes. We have made “rededication” a regular part of Sunday. We seem to live in a constant pattern of Spiritual Mountains and Valleys. I can’t help but think in a mature walk with God, those hills and troughs should even about a bit. Our Spiritual life should, at some point, stop looking like a seismograph during an earthquake and start looking like a steady line pulled tighter by an ongoing pursuit of the Blessed Hope, that Glorious Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have the potential to do great things for God, but we spend our every waking moment realizing our stupidity, worthlessness, and weakness. We have equated Spiritual Brokenness with Spiritual Maturity. It is important to spend a little time in sackcloth and ashes. It is necessary to understand who we are in relation to God. But, it is for freedom we have been set free. We are not conquerors; nay we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us and gave Himself for us.

This theme is found elsewhere in the Scriptures. Misery is being Lukewarm. If you don’t care about your sin, you are cold. If you are on fire, you are hot. If you care about your sin, do nothing about it, and stay miserable all the time, you are lukewarm. Jesus says in Revelation 4 that people who are lukewarm make Him want to puke. Sounds serious, huh??

God hates our sin. It is antithesis to His holiness. Sin does not compute in the mind of our Holy God (if that makes any sense). But, what makes God weary, what makes Him sad, what causes Him to look at His people and want to try something else, is seeing those whom He has given Victory living in defeat. It is time to understand that we have not traded in our shackles for shame. It is time to grow up and JUST STOP SCREWING UP SO MUCH. Why would anyone want to join a miserable group of people led by a miserable pastor that asks those miserable people to admit how miserable they are every Sunday? God’s greater than that! Know therefore that Yahweh your God is THE GOD, the Faithful God, who keeps His gracious covenant loyalty to a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commands. Know your God. Know your Victory. Reading this may make you feel miserable. If it does, good. Feel it for a moment and then leave misery for the devil. He’s gonna need it.

Be the Change

2008-11-19T06:31:00.000-08:00

Well, we set the woods on fire this last Sunday. I shared with the church what God has been teaching me about “doing the will of Him that sent me”. We talked about starving for that sustenance from God. There was a great move. Many came to the front to openly admit that they are hungry for the food of the Promised Land and not just manna.

For some reason, I got extremely down after that service. All that I hoped would happen did, but it was not enough. I told them how that I expected the Word of God to start a revival, and it caused more movement than usual, but it was not right. Instead of asking people to come to the front, I wanted to say, “Who’s with me?” and lead a charge right out the back door. Once again tradition wins out. (Stinkin’ tradition).

I had high hopes that this message that truly was from God would spark an unstoppable fire in the hearts of the people. But now, I am reminded of a book Kevin Higgins told me about. It’s about a young boy that decided if modern-day slavery was going to be stopped, he would have to do it. It’s called “Be the Change”.

Fires are not started by words or desires, fires are started by fires. Doug Patterson, the one-liner king, said this: If you want to make change in your life, make change in your life. If there is going to be a revival unbeknownst to Henderson occur at LDMBC, it’s not going to happen because I want it to. It’s only going to happen because I start it. Only Passion is truly passionate. I can’t want passion from my church until I find passion in myself. Passion and hunger feel a lot alike. It’s like when someone is found in the desert. They need to slowly drink room-temperature water, but instead they gorge themselves on ice cold water to the point of sickness. I’ve been in the desert, and I’m thirsty.

Real thirsty.

The End Is Near?

2008-11-13T07:54:00.000-08:00

Things to think about:

The Move of World Power to Babylon- http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/needtoknow/2007/04/want_middle_east_stability_mov.html

A One World Financial Organization-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7724298.stm

Even so Come Quickly Lord Jesus

My Spiritual Food

2008-11-13T07:14:00.001-08:00

John 4:31-34 (NKJV)
31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?”
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

So I was walking around in Lowes this morning looking for a part to a toilet for work. I began, as I most often do, perusing the Home décor aisle. It is a common practice of mine to daydream about my future home. You see, I’ve found myself at a place in my life where I want to settle down. I’m ready to own a home, have real furniture, have a TV I can be proud of, etc. My wife and I are committed to living financially according to the scriptures, so it is taking us a little longer. I find myself yearning for these things. A “real home” with a “real family”. It hurts my heart, I want it so bad.

Recently, our small group studied John 4:31-34. This particular verse has spoken to me many times, but it was in Lowes that I understood its true meaning. While dreaming of my front door and my deck, I suddenly became overwhelmed with what felt like shame. I felt as if I had a hole in my chest thinking that my “grown-up life” would never come. Then it hit me: This is what I desire more than anything. I desire a typical American home with all the amenities. I desire something to call my own. I desire a deck, a pool, an enormous grill, a new bedroom suite, a zero-turn lawn mower, and most of all security. I desire a life that is relaxed, filled with consistency and order. The Holy Spirit asked me, “How does this have anything to do with why I called you?”

The truth is that it had nothing to do with it. Somehow my calling had become a calling to preaching once a week, teaching a Sunday school class, and teaching a church to grow. All of these are ok, but they are not the calling of Cory Wayne Page. Any monkey with a church growth book can teach a church to grow. We have had a 15 person increase in Sunday school just by offering breakfast! As of November 10^th, 2008, I lead a very low-impact life. I am ashamed at how much I want worldly security. I am ashamed at the way I’ve turned my back on the God that called to turn the world upside down and settled for a life of comfort. When was the last time I witnessed to someone? When was the last time I wanted to? What am I seeking to fill me? I’m called to be different dangit! I’m called, not because I’m called to preach, to live a life where people look at me and think, “How in the world is he living that way. It doesn’t make sense”. I should live in such a way that I can say, “I have sustenance that you cannot imagine. I am fulfilled by doing the will of Him that sent me. I am called out by the same God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I am called to be as bold as Daniel, and as passionate as Paul.”

I want eyes that desire to see God. I want a heart that desires to know God. I want a stomach that longs to be filled with God. I want hands and feet that long to touch God. I want to be hungry for that food that only comes from Him that sent me. I want to taste that spiritual manna that is as sweet as honey on my tongue. I want, I want, I want, I want, I want……..I guess that was the problem in the first place.

I Need.

Is God Enough?

2008-11-12T11:17:00.000-08:00

We sing songs about how God is more than enough for our every need. We read stories of how God's children trust Him for everything. When it comes down to it, is God really enough?

I've been reading through Job this week...poor guy. If everyone your family suddenly died and all your possessions were taken, would you still trust God to supply for your needs?

If your dreams were shattered, would God fulfill your yearning? If your spouse stopped loving you, would His love be enough? If the world looked down on you, would esteem in His eyes be enough?

I'm not sure I have made it to the point in my life where God is truly enough for all of me. I think I still have a "God and..." attitude.

Posted by Jessica Page

A follow up to yesterday's post

2008-11-06T11:51:00.000-08:00

I totally agree with the quote I posted yesterday. Our prayers should be gritty and personal and specific. My question, as usual, has to do with the employment of this practice in our everyday lives.

I can pray with pinpoint precision about my needs because I know them. But, how am I to pray for my brothers and sisters if I don't spend time talking with them about the personal and the gritty? I have to know the gritty needs of others before I can pray specifically for them.

And that leads to this question: How do you get down to the gritty and personal with a people who are uncomfortable with personal? Everyone I know has "trust issues."

What can we do to become a church that shares the personal and gritty (what I think a church was intended to be)?

Praying with Purpose

2008-11-04T13:23:00.000-08:00

Check out this quote from Pray Big: The Power of Pinpoint Prayers by Will Davis:

Have you ever listened to how we pray? It’s like Christians have developed their own prayer language, and I don’t mean the ecstatic kind. Lord, please bless Bill.What exactly do we mean by that? Do we want God to make Bill more holy or more disciplined? Are we hoping that his business will prosper or that he’ll be a better husband? And why do we ask for blessing when Ephesians 1:3 says that we are already blessed with every spiritual blessing that God can give? God, please be with Joan. God’s already with Joan. His Spirit lives in her, and he promised to never leave for forsake her. What do we really want God to do for Joan? Father, we pray that you give Jack a special anointing. As if there is such a thing as an ordinary anointing. Special anointing is redundant. And, God, we ask that you give Sue and extra helping of your grace. What is that? Does God dole out grace in measured proportions? That prayer makes God seem as if he has a big serving spoon - that he can be either generous or stingy with the helpings of grace he dispenses.
God wants us to be strategic and focused about what we’re asking him to do. We need to pray for things - very specific things, gritty things, personal things, important things, kingdom things - with the pinpoint precision that Jesus modeled in the Lord’s Prayer.

What should we be specifically praying for this week?

Posted by Jessica Page

Conflict: Satan's Warning Signal

2008-09-17T07:10:00.000-07:00

"Change is the seedbed for conflict"
These are wise words that we should remember. Conflict is not always a bad thing. It causes us to either change for the better or become reassured in what we are doing. Many times change occurs because someone's territory is being threatened. We can all say that we understand that Satan has had territory in our church. It has rocked along for a while with very little growth causing us to become very introverted. The Great Commission is extroverted.
Let us be encouraged that conflict has begun. Without it we could wonder hopelessly at whether or not we are finally taking back God's territory. We know for sure now. We are as the Israelites slowly taking the Promised Land. They fought people after people and even fought amongst themselves. You cannot take territory with a passion that is God ordained without conflict.
Praise God for the proof.
Conflict is Satan's warning signal. He is telling us, "You'd better stay back. You're on my land and I've got a gun". Forget him. He stinks!

IF THIS BE OF GOD

2008-09-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

In Acts 5:33-42, the Jews were trying to stop the growth of the New Testament Church. A wise man from the enemies side said this, "Other men have risen up and started revolutions and failed. Leave these men alone, because if what they are doing is of GOD, you cannot overthrow it anyway."

Many allow themselves to become naysayers in the face of growth AND EXCITEMENT. Let them talk to themselves. If this be of God, they have no power over it. If God be for us who can be against us?

I Can Smell It

2008-08-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

“God is changing the church, and that, in turn, will change the world. Millions of Christians around the world are aware of an imminent reformation of global proportions. They are saying in effect: ‘Church as we know it is preventing church as God wants it.’ Amazingly, many are hearing God say the same thing to them.” --Wolfgang Simson (Houses That Change the World).

Something at this church is about to explode. I can smell it. And, I am excited about it! Church, as we know it, is about to change.

Maybe Not Asia

2008-08-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

Paul was on a roll. He was leading people to Christ and starting churches left and right. It only made sense to keep going a certain direction and go into Asia. On his way, the angel of the Lord withstood him. He did not allow him to go the way he wanted or the way that made the most sense. Instead, God needed him to go to Macedonia.

Sometimes, common sense is not God sense. What are some times in your life when you had to choose between Common Sense and God Sense?

New Mercies

2008-08-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning." -Lamentations 3:22-23

How have His mercies been new to you today or this week?

Clarity

2008-07-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

I stole this from John Piper's blog post at desiringgod.org. My question follows his post.

C. S. Lewis’ advice to children on writing is good advice to pastors on preaching, or anybody on talking.

Always try to use the language so as to make quite clear what you mean and make sure your sentence couldn't mean anything else.
Always prefer the clean direct word to the long, vague one. Don't implement promises, but keep them.
Never use abstract nouns when concrete ones will do. If you mean "More people died" don't say "Mortality rose."
In writing, don't use adjectives which merely tell us how you want us to feel about the things you are describing. I mean, instead of telling us the thing is "terrible," describe it so that we'll be terrified. Don't say it was "delightful"; make us say "delightful" when we've read the description. You see, all those words (horrifying, wonderful, hideous, exquisite) are only like saying to your readers "Please, will you do my job for me."
Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.

(Originally published in Letters to Children, letter from June 26, 1956. Quoted in Wayne Martindale and Jerry Root in The Quotable Lewis, p. 623.)

My question: Would more people want to know our Jesus if we focused on simple clarity when talking about Him?

Post by Jessica Page.

Kid's Kamp

2008-06-27T16:56:00.000-07:00

Well, we had a good week of camp. There were 15 professions of faith, and many other decisions. I had the opportunity to pray with a few children. There was little movement with our group, and there should have been. The devil used many distractions that are obvious to you and me, but new to these kids. Pray for our children that they might be saved. They ALL are so close. Thanks for your prayers.
Cory---out

A Word of Prophecy

2008-06-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

The book of Zechariah tells of a woman (symbol of sin) weighted down by an ephah of silver (symbol of financial power) and held in a large grain basket (symbol of economic power)being carried to the land of Shinar (a.k.a. Babylon). Many believe this shows that the center of political power will be shifted to the Middle East. While in Iraq, my brother was stationed in Babylon and saw the new temple Saddam was building. He believed himself to be a descendant from the great Nebucchadnezzar. Check out this website and see what you think. We may fund the whole thing.

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/needtoknow/2007/04/want_middle_east_stability_mov.html

Would any part of the Bible seem wrong to you if you didn't already know it was Biblical?

2008-06-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

A fellow blogger posed this question and I wanted to hear from you.

If Bible passages had been blog posts, are there any that you’d have suggested the author sleep on before he hit publish?

Progressive yet Unchanging

2008-06-02T07:20:00.000-07:00

While the Christian walk is progressive, it is also unchanging. This seems to contradict itself. I was reading in Matthew and saw the time John the Baptist was in prison. He was about to lose his head for taking a strong moral stand. He had heard of the miracles Jesus was doing and wanted some of his disciples to make sure Jesus really was the Christ. John, who had seen the miracles firsthand, who had seen the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus like a dove, and who himself claimed Jesus to be the "Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world", now questioned Jesus. Jesus did not scold him or degrade him. He simply said this to John's disciples, "Go and show John again those things which you do hear and see: the blind recieve their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them". Many times, we make the Christian walk so "progressive" that we create guilt in those who try and don't see progress. Jesus encourages us here to remember that which we already know. Worship again in that which caused you to worship in the good times. He could tell us to kill ourselves seeking newer and greater things, but instead He just says, "relax and remember". Praise God

Lessons from Vomitting and Diarrahea (ooo gross)

2008-05-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

Some events in the past week have caused me to remember a verse in Jeremiah. It says,

"If I say, “I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,”
there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot."

Between Wednesday and Sunday about 90% of our church "shared" a stomach bug. Many had something inside them and had no choice about holding it in or not. They just shared it. Jeremiah, known as the weeping prophet, became fed up with giving a gospel to a people who would not take it. He constantly tried to tell them to change their ways, but they would not. He finally decided to quit, and something inside of him caused him to say those words.
O, that God would give us the fire so we would not have a choice. No. O, that we would not hinder the fire in us from burning to the point that it would remove our choice. How might we be "quenching the Spirit?", and what might we do about it?

The Pursuit of God

2008-05-20T13:37:00.001-07:00

"The soul’s paradox of love is to have found God and still pursue Him" A.W. Tozer

I love my wife. I have apprehended my wife. I still desire to continue to pursue my wife as a new lover.(or I should)

I can be exhausted after a day's work outside in the heat and drink enough water to feel physical pain, yet still desire more water.

I can eat my favorite food until I am too full to breathe, yet I want more.

We have come to the belief as a people that salvation is the pinnacle of our Christian walk. We have attained God. Just as in an unhealthy marraige, we do no longer pursue Him as a "lover of our youth". How many sitcoms poke fun at the ignorant man who does not seek his wife? It is our version of comedy, yet it speaks volumes of our overall idea of what a relationship with God should be like. We say that a person needs to accept salvation (a term which is not used in the Bible), and it leaves the idea that they will have accepted wholly the God who saves them. I understood that when I was married, I would have a lifetime of new discovery. I did not understand that it would be the same with God.
Paul explains this idea in Philippians 3-
12 Not that I have already reached [the goal] or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly [b] call in Christ Jesus.

We have not grabbed God, He has grabbed us. Our life is then to be spent seeking to put both arms around God and hug Him with a love grounded in worship for the awesome gift of salvation. Do we pursue God?

I Need Answers

2008-05-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

What do you think is the largest physical hinderance to our church's growth?

Spiritual hinderance?

In The World You will have Tribulation

2008-05-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

This is a phrase that is often questioned. Why should we have tribulation? Where will we find tribulation? In our world today, what does tribulation look like? In order to understand why and what, we must understand a few things.

1. Look at God. He is a holy and righteous God. It is His desire for us to be Holy (Be ye holy as I am holy). The only way to burn away the chaff is with struggle. There is a couple in our church who are dealing with an unforseen situation with their son. One person asked me, why should this happen to such great people? I think that they are so wonderful at their christian walk that they are truly ready for the next level. Paul said it this way, "Therefore I delight in my infirmities, in my weakness... for when I am weak, He is made strong". Tribulation is a cleansing process.

2. Look at us. We are a dual-natured creature. Inside each child of God is a new regenarated man that cannot sin and a fleshly nature that is not subject to the laws of God, neither indeed can be. Tribulation, at times is the natural struggle between these two entities. Why am I in such a bad mood? Because I am allowing my soul to be vexed by my soul.

3. Look at Satan. He walks around as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He is always on the prowl, seeking those children of GOd who desire to serve Him. At times, tribulation is the struggle against evil spiritual forces in our lives. In our culture, the idea of spiritual forces is over looked, and I think this works to Satan's advantage. Be aware. Walk circumspectly.

What's the deal with tribulation for God's children? It is absolutly necessary. The real wuestion is: Am I experiencing tribulation?

A Quick Note

2008-04-30T04:55:00.000-07:00

Just a few quick things:

1. I love doing this blog. When School is out and I am able to find more time with internet access, I plan to make it weekly for sure. Pray that it will become a sounding board for thinking in our church.

2. Pray for Bruce. The constant grind of being bi-vocational is wearing on a man. Many do not understand the amount of work that goes into even one of the greatest churches.

3. Pray for our church and missions. I have been burdened to see a few changes made, but changes are always slow going. It is not enough to change a process if minds aren't changed with it, so pray for our church.

Zerubbabel???

2008-04-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Zerubbabel is not the most famous of Israel's leaders. He led the forst group back from Babylon to begin rebuilding the temple. He did a great job at first, but then the opposition came. A certain group of men tricked the new king into issuing a decree halting building on the temple. A certain verse of Scripture spoke to my heart. "Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Sheltial and Jeshua the son of Jozedak and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them" Ezra 5:1-2
What would our world be like if we allowed ourselves to so clearly hear the Word of God. We hear it in every sermon, every time we read our Scriptures, and every time we stop and pray. What are we doing with it?
Two verses come to mind: "To him that knoweth what is right and doeth it not, to him it is sin" and "For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was".
Let's be doers, no, extreme lovers of the Word of God. Let's allow our hearts and attitudes to be moved as quickly as Zerubbabel.

Just a Little Something to Argue About (He He)

2008-04-07T10:04:00.000-07:00

The sermon last night on Revelation 5 led to some interseting conversation about the rapture of the saints. The idea that we will taken out before the tribulation is the most prevalent view. There are reasons for that that I will not discuss. I personally feel that scripture shows us that we will be here to see it. These are just things for you to consider, I'm am not bothered if you think differently. A healthy discussion is the best way to gain knowledge.
1. God, at every other point in history, saw fit to allow His people to go through great tibulation and persecution.
2. Revelation aside, II Thessalonians 2 is written by Paul because they had been told that the end had already come and they missed it. It teaches that it will not occur except a. a great falling away occurs b. The antichrist be revealed c. The antichrist is seen in the Temple setting himself up as God.
3. In Matthew 24, known as the Olivet Discourse, Jesus tells us that the generation that sees the beginning of the end will see it all.
I know that there are other verses that can be used for the other argument, but in the light of this passage, they may have to be rethought. Just something to think about.
What do you think?

Being Filled With the Holy Spirit 2

2008-04-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

You guys seem to have a firm grasp on this concept. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is being Spirit led. This requires submission to His will, the desire to have knowledge of His will (i.e. the Bible), and the attempt not to quench the Spirit. But, you said that already. Let's be Spirit filled!!!

Being Filled With the Holy Spirit

2008-04-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

Just a question: What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? I know I have the Holy Spirit because I am saved, and yet in New Testament we see people being filled with the Holy Spirit. Before I comment on this, I would like to know what you think.

2008-03-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

I read a wonderful story today in the book of Revelation. It is usually shrouded in mystery, so I was surprised when I saw such a tender story. In the first chapter, John stands in the presence of Jesus Christ. His beauty is too much to tell and His voice was like a trumpet. Not in reverence, but in complete fear he fell before Jesus and would not lift his head. It says then that Jesus placed His right hand on John and said, "Fear not, for I am the first and the last, Amen, and have the keys of death and hell."
I can remember a few occasions that I fell before God. Sometimes it was physically on my knees and sometimes it was in my heart in a crowded room, but I was beneath Him all the same. Sometimes it was in worship at His greatness and sometimes it was in fear because of the wickedness in my life. No matter the reason, He has always kept His promise and has never left me comfortless. It amazes me that a Great and Almighty God, who is the First and the Last, who holds the keys of death and Hell, in whom all things are made and consist, who is the express image of the Father in heaven, in whom all the fullness of God saw fit to inhabit, who was in the beginning and who was the beginning would reach out His hand to someone the likes of me, a sinner by nature and by choice, and place it on my shoulder each and every time I need it as if to say , "I love you and will always sustain you, no matter the situation. Fear not MY CHILD."
Praise You God!!!

Frustrating the Farmer

2008-03-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

I heard an intersting analogy today. "You can take a plant and give it water and light, and it will grow. What you can't do is smack the plant around and tell it to grow." It seems that my focus has become to see our church grow, and rightly so. There is nothing wrong with growing, in fact, we must grow to carry on the work of God. The problem arises when church growth is th goal. We, namely I, must worry less about trying to convince the plant to grow and worry more about feeding and watering the plant. If we focus on that, the plant will naturally grow. All that will come of a man telling a plant to grow is frustration. Pray for our church, that our goals will be God's goals, and our growth will be growth given by God. "One plants, one waters, but God give the increase!"

Another Time and Another Place

2008-02-26T13:03:00.000-08:00

Very rarely am I moved to tears anymore. I was sitting in the office doing homework (Hebrew/boo, hiss) with the radio on in the background. An older song came on by Sandi Patti, so I decided to continue ignoring it. Then came the chorus:
So, I'm waiting for another time and another placeWhere all my hopes and dreams will be capturedWith one look at Jesus' faceOh, my heart's been burnin'My soul keeps yearnin'Sometimes I can't hardly waitFor that sweet, sweet somedayWhen I'll be swept awayTo another time and another place
These words drove me to my knees. Suddenly i couldn't contain the tears. Praise God that one day there won't be this body with its sinful desires to deal with anymore! Praise God that every relationship in Heaven will be perfect, not because it is Heaven but because we will be in the overpowering presence of the Almighty God! Praise God that through His grace, He qualified us to be shareholders in the inheritance of the the saints of light. To begin to understand what our reward will be is to begin down a path of complete misunderstanding, but I'm going to try, because it feels so good. Thank You God!

Full Knowledge

2008-02-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

So I was reading Colossians the other day and I found something interesting. Paul prayed, in 1:9, that they would be "filled with the knowledge of His will". The word in the Greek means the "full knowledge" or "complete understanding". We can know fully what God has for us in His will each day!!! He wanted them to know fully the will of God so that they could "increase in the knowledge of God". This literally means in the Greek to "grow in the FULL KNOWLEDGE (same word, you guessed it) of God". This tells me that we have not yet come to a place where we can know God fully. In Romans, it says, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us". That glory is when we meet Christ and see Him as He is because we will be like Him!!!

So often, we treat knowing the will of God the same as knowing God. So many people in the church of today do very little because they "don't know enough" or "aren't spiritual enough". We cannot be expected to know God enough, but we can know His will and His will is for each member of His Body to be doing something for Him. Seek the will of God and you will find it.

Worship

2008-02-19T06:17:00.000-08:00

I think a lot about worship, having spent many hours leading "worship" services. Until I began to study, I believed I had a clue about what it really is. Worship, in the Scriptures, always tells of falling down before thing, be it God or something else. The Old Testament word tells of depressing yourself down to the ground, and the New Testament word tells of falling prostrate. It was interesting to me that nearly every time someone worshiped God in the Old Testament, it was a direct cause to something God had just done. God would give a victory in battle, cause a revival, or show His goodness in some way. One particular time in the scripture, a certain man did not worship in response to God's actions. In fact, he worshiped at a time of very little action on God's part.
Job was a good man that suddenly lost everything: his cattle, servants, and children. In the trying moments after this devastating loss Job "rent his mantle, shaved his head, fell down on the ground, and worshiped the LORD." He understood a certain truth about God. We like to make our worship conditional, choosing to worship when God blesses us or shows us His glory. Job truly understood God's sovereignty. "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."
Let us pray this week that God would prove His sovereignty to us in such a way that we will worship His holy name with or without a "pie in the sky" life.

A Crack in the Armor

2008-02-05T08:22:00.000-08:00

Bruce made a comment the other day that has had me thinking quite a bit on Satan. From the vantage point of a pastor, we can see many different issues going on in the church. It is obvious that Satan is running rampant since we showed our new vision for the church. At first, it caused both of us great grief; but after some thought, we realized this should be no surprise. Satan is always at work, walking around as a hungry lion seeking whom he may devour. On August 1st, the I 35w bridge collapsed in Minnesota, killing 13 people. It was caused by a defect in the structure. This defect was seen in 1990 but the warnings went unheeded. Over time, crew continued to add weight to the bridge, concrete on concrete. The weak area was pushed to its limit, and down came the bridge.
While Satan is not all-knowing, he makes it his business to search out our weak points. He will find what is vulnerable and exploit it. The lion does not seek the gazelle in the middle of the herd. He seeks the one on the outside, alone. There is power in numbers; this is what Christians call accountability. No matter how strong you are, we are moving into the next phase of our church's history. Satan will seek out your weak points, your secret sins. Find someone that can be trusted to know these sins and can hold you accountable. Remember, that great bridge would still be standing if only they would have put one more piece of steel on top of the one that failed.