December 28 - Life Giving Glory

2 Corinthians 3:1-18

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:4-6 ESV)

The Spirit of God changes people. He changed me. He keeps changing me. He keeps reminding me of errors, pointing out needed improvements, and guiding toward necessary refinement in attitude, doctrine, and discipline. The Spirit changes me.

The biggest and most impactful change the Spirit of God has worked in my life is salvation. I have crossed over from the destiny of death into one of life. Jesus made that possible. God made it sufficient. The Spirit has made it life.

Everywhere that I go. Everyone that I contact and connect with. I hope that I am able to give and share life everywhere! Just as the Spirit has called, empowered, and encouraged me; I hope that I will give life—the life of Christ—always and anywhere.

March 14 - All Night

Read: Luke 6:12-16

In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12 ESV)

Jesus had a big decision to make: Out of all the people that had started following him, who would become his apostles? To help him choose he did what we frequently see him do, he prayed. It wasn't a short prayer. It was a token acknowledgement of a scenario that was too large for him. It was an earnest search for guidance.

In the past my wife and I had a student that would ask to use our guest room as a place of prayer at night so as not to disturb his roommate. I nearly always obliged as these requests always came in the midst of a pressing situation in his life. In fact I have always admired his willingness to spend such a long time seeking God's guidance in the meaningful matters of life, as well as his faith in believing that he can hear from the Father in a way that is practical enough to act upon.

That's what Jesus did on the mountain that night. He prayed for an urgent need. He deliberated in the Spirit for quite a long time. He allowed God to guide him in a specific direction and he acted upon it.

What would it take for us to pray like that? I have to admit I rarely spend that kind of time in deliberate prayer. What kind of difference would it make in our decision making? When faced with life's tough choices would it make those choices easier? Perhaps not, but I believe that even in the most difficult of situations it would afford a measure of peace.

10 Things the Church Must Not Forget

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. This week's Ten was written by lovely wife Jamie. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

1. When everything is going well, pray and praise! Don't wait for the downtimes. People are watching you in the good times to see who gets the glory.

2. You can not tell other people their convictions. You must pray God convicts them through His Spirit.

3. If you can't love them while they are in the church there is no way you can love them outside it.

4. Christians have been Supernaturally sustained and provided for in historical periods, under terrible government, in wicked countries, and endured persecution that is far worse than anything you are probably dealing with.

5. Yes if God brings you to it he will bring you through it, but you must be fully armored for the spiritual warfare. Eph 6:13

6. There is no biblical commandment to hoard. The command continuously is to give and go.

7. When you have done everything stand firm. Eph 6:13 Firm. Not back on your heels in fear. Not on your toes trying to do too much.

8. The biggest lie Satan convinces people of is that they simply don't have the time for Christ. Christian and non-Christian.

9. To covet someone else's blessing is to tell God, He doesn't know what's best.

10. The heartbeat of Christ can be summed in three words: Love, Give, and Go. [He LEFT heaven cause He LOVED you and GAVE everything].