Thursday, November 13, 2008

The End Is Near?

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

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 10th, 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.



Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Is God Enough?

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

Thursday, November 6, 2008

A follow up to yesterday's post


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)? 

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Praying with Purpose

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

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Conflict: Satan's Warning Signal

"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!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

IF THIS BE OF GOD

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?