With Everything

This morning, I was listening to a song that has blessed me so much since the first time I got the latest Hillsong CD, This is our God. "With Everything" has easily become my favorite song on the CD and our worship team will sing it for the very first time at our New Years eve service in a few days (I can't wait!) As I begin listening to the words I thought about a New Year that is about to start and the word mandate strongly came to my heart. The word mandate means an authoritive call to action. Almost sounds milliteristic in a sense. I truly believe that this is a "mandate year" upon the church, it's a call to action, it's a call to move, a call to take risks, a call to not just have a vision but to see that Vision come to pass. I believe that suddenly is not around the corner anymore, it's here, things are moving quickly. Yesterday I spoke a message entitled "Run" which is taken from Habakkuk 2:2, Then the LORD answered me and said, "Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run. I believe that we have no choice but run with Vision, you can't walk with it. Running signifies intensity, conviction, it means "With Everything" "When is the last time you saw a football player walk into the end zone from the 50 yard line?" There's a mandate to run, a mandate to vision, a mandate to live With Everything for God in 2009. Those who run will not miss out, but will carry out what has been appointed for such a time as this. With Everything, run!

Home from Work

By the time my wife gets home today, I'll be on my 4th cup of coffee so that I can finish some Christmas shopping tonight. I'm home from work this week, which means I've traded in being a systems administrator and now I am a chef, diaper changer, referee, story teller, dish washer, laundry specialist, jungle gym, hero, video gamer, and that's just a few hours into the day. The title that I cherish the most though, is simply just being called Dad.

Children are an inheritance from the LORD. They are a reward from Him.
Psalm 127:3

Ready for Christmas?

I still have a few gifts to buy which means gift wrapping... But I'm ready for Christmas. I'm ready in my heart. I'm ready to read about the birth of Christ with the family on Christmas Eve. I'm ready to build a legacy in my home of laughter and song. I'm ready to play video games with my son, kiss my daughter and tickle her. I'm ready to hold my wife and reminder of how great life is with her. Are you ready for Christmas, is your heart ready, not the presents or the food or any other preparations but your heart? Make this Christmas truly memorable by preparing your heart and living for what truly counts.

What comes natural?

Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. 24 But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature. 25 No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like. John 2: 23-25

What a statement, people began to trust Jesus but there was a struggle in Jesus to trust people because he knew the nature of man.

I begin to think about what comes natural and what does not come natural in my life, when I read today's passage. The bible say's that people began trust in Jesus because of the miraculous signs Jesus did. What about those times when it's hard to see Jesus in the middle of everything going on in life? Faith comes natural when the road is easy, throw a couple of bumps in and it's a whole new ballgame. It's easier to believe when you can see God working, see progress, see some hope, it's almost as if faith comes natural. But there are also times in life when it's hard to see God. There's little to any faith being used when I can see, it's when I can't see and still believe that faith has truly kicked in.

Loving friends comes naturally, loving neighbors does not. You and I can choose our friends but I've yet to move into a neighborhood, yet to move into a job, yet to attend a church where I can choose all who are there. Jesus said love your neighbor as yourself.

And just because we are days shy of Christmas, Receiving can come natural more than giving can, especially radical giving. Who does not like to receive presents? I love opening presents at Christmas time, especially the ones with my name on it. But I truly want giving to come easier then receiving in any and every arena, not just at Christmas but all year long, not just to family but to anyone who is need. Giving radically is giving beyond what I know I can.

Pleasing God is based on His nature in me becoming greater then my own

The Night My Heart Grew Two Sizes

Last night I had the privilege of being a part of a Christmas dinner with group entitled the Renaissance Scholars. "RS" is a program that recruits and supports foster youth in their education at CSU East Bay, and it's also where my wife Tara works. I finally had the opportunity to meet the incredible individuals that my wife comes home to talk to me about daily.

I sat with three young ladies Déjà, Regina, & Angelia as well as my wife. Usually when I eat in a place with $30+ dollar plates I am much more serious, but last night I laughed and I laughed and I laughed some more, thank you ladies. I had such a wonderful time and feel privileged to have dined with "greatness" last night. I could tell by some of the conversations, that each of these young people has a story to tell. I realized the courage and tenacity that these individuals have within them and I encourage you to never stop, to never quit. I'm probably not far off by saying that these young people should not be in college educating themselves...but they are and they are succeeding. There probably should not be any smiles on their face because of the cards they have been dealt in life but they are smiling and making others smile as well. Last night in just a few short hours my heart grew two sizes I can only imagine the heart size of my wife and others who daily get to rub shoulders with this awesome group of young people.

I’m reminded of a story that I heard from my Pastor, Dan Vera. In the early 90's nobody could take the Orlando Magic seriously. The Magic was young, yet to have a winning season, and two of their last four seasons had ended with them in last place. The 93-94 NBA season gave way to a young man in only his second year playing, named Shaquille O’Neal, and every time this 7 foot 1 giant took hold of the ball it looked like an orange in his hands.
Despite previous last place losing seasons a sign stood above the exit way of the Magic which read, "Why not here, Why not Now, Why Not us." The words penned above the door at every game would enter the court with the Magic and also became the character of the team. If nobody else believed in the Magic, they believed in themselves and in the 1994 NBA season a young franchise team with tremendous odds against them, had their first winning season and was in the playoffs. Although the Magic did not reach the ultimate goal of a Championship that year, the character of the team is what I encourage you with today, "Why not here, Why Not Now, Why not YOU." “When someone believes in you, you win, but when you believe in yourself everyone wins"

RS keep it up, dream and dream big and thank you for making this holiday season special for me, you grew my heart last night and I urge you to grow yours, the skies the limit. To Kevin who is the visionary of this program, the Bible says, “Without vision people perish.” Vision impacts, it influences, it paves way for what could be and should be. Keep spreading the Vision of what could be and should be in the lives of young people. I leave you with one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite movies "Gladiator" "What you do in this life will echo in eternity"

Have an incredible Christmas and go into the New Year knowing that anything is possible... God Bless

The Power of the One Liner

Last night I had a conversation with my buddy Troy. As we joked and laughed around an outdoor fire all of the sudden the setting changed as Troy reached for a notepad and began to write in a little notepad. Because Troy's a singer I assumed he was writing a verse for a song but I was wrong. What Troy was writing was just a random thought that he felt God was dealing with him about. I begin to share how last week I was impressed to jot down some one liners myself in a book. I don't know if the thoughts are sermons, or blogs or just areas that I'm to think about I just know in that moment that I received them that I had to write them down. A scripture that has been on my mind lately has been Habakkuk 2:3 "Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run." When God speaks to you, sometimes you get just clues, clues will point you in the right direction but to seek the fullness of the revelation you have to run after it. So the next time you get that random thought, that insight, that one liner that comes from out of the blue, write it down, so that you can run with it, and see it to fruition.

Making Mondays Count

It's so easy to wake up and drag on Mondays but today as I picked my boy up from school he told me "hey dad I did like you do and I preached today." My boy began to tell me how he spoke to a friend "Harmon" whose parents are separated. I'm so proud of my son Isaiah he truly is influential already, even at 6 years old. I was challenged as Isaiah took what he hears on Sundays and made it count on Monday. I'm learning not to underestimate how God uses your children to speak into your life. Thank you Lord, and thank you son for your obedience.

Sowing Peace

Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:18

Looking at this scripture I thought about what it meant to "sow in peace" because of some things that have recently gone on in my life. To sow means to plant. Many people are familiar with the passage that say's "You reap what you Sow" This is the same principle and James say's if we want to harvest righteousness or living right with God then we must sow peace.

It's difficult to "sow in peace" and it's so easy to do the opposite. The opposite of sow in peace are the following: "prove I'm right and you’re wrong," "make my point," "ignore my flaws and see the flaws in others" or the favorite "making sure I have the final word." Recently I have had the opportunity to sow in peace. Here's what sowing in peace looks like:

Repair the heart: There’s always more to an attitude, a word, or an outburst, these are just symptoms to something deeper, sometimes that's all we see and we ignore the heart.

Extend Grace: Grace pardons, it forgives, it's hard to do immediately but when grace is attempted immediately more often then not you'll see immediate results (A Gentle answer turns away wrath...Proverbs 15:1)

Have a Love that stretches: The bible say's "Love covers a multitude of sin." The ability to cover someone in love is found when your love can stretch past offense, past hurt, past wrong doing.

"When we sow in peace at the same time we are sewing back a relationship, the heart, and a life and this is where the righteousness of God can truly be found."

Monday Morning Thoughts...

I haven't posted a Monday morning thought in a while. After an incredible Sunday service yesterday I feel compelled to today, so here it goes:

• Production Day unfolds as CWC'ites are running around like little ants
• Quad shot Gingerbread Latte is waiting for me in the kitchen hows that Mazda commercial go a again "zoom, zoom"
  
• Ronnie did a great job with the props, hard work but well worth it, the stage looks great
  
• The Church hallway looks like Disney's Main street
• Service starts, incredible energy in the building
• Wow good crowd but it may empty out when the play starts...
• Wow the seats are still full, if we had advertised we would of had no room left
  
• Good touch of humor in the production, people need to laugh
• Three kings are too cool
  
• Was that...thriller Dance? it scared me when I was little but it looked great in church
• The play was called Home for Christmas, in the end I believe that's what we made people feel at our church on Sunday, 5 people came to know the Lord and looking out in the crowd at the faces and the tears I know there was more. You don't always score a touchdown with some people and that's ok, but a lot of yardage with gained, they are inside the 20 and almost there.

Yesterday was awesome. Thank you PBen and the production team for giving of your time, your energy and your hearts, you guys preached a great sermon yesterday. Tear it up in SJ next week!

Oh one last thought...

• How come Santz and Zai are going up for the final bow they were'nt in the play?

I had to fight it off

"...We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation." Hebrews 6:9

Yesterday was a tough day, I had a lot on my heart, and this morning I felt the tug like today was going to be even tougher. I'm driving to work and this thought pops in my mind and simultaneously deep in my heart I feel I needed to hear those words. I realized at that moment it wasn't me just thinking, but the Lord was speaking to me. The words that popped in my mind and gave me energy today was "you have to fight it off." Discouragement, doubt, frustration, stress, whatever it is that weighs you down, You have to fight it off. Then today's verse spoke into my life even more, so much that I had to stop reading and instantly begin to write. You are meant for better things, that come with salvation. What comes with Salvation found in Christ and Christ alone?; peace, security, completeness, hope, purpose, and the list can go on and on and on.

We have to fight off what weighs us down because we were meant for better things. I was not meant for discouragement, I was meant to have a gleaming hope for all to see. I was not meant to be in worry, but to live in freedom and joy. I was not meant to just go through life but to live life with a target called purpose and with passion. I-YOU-WE-US were meant for better things. Fight it off, there's so much to fight for. I know of many people who are struggling this Christmas but you have to fight it off, Your meant for better things!

Lord I thank you because it's IN YOU that I have life and find the ability to live.

Fill in the blank

"As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God..."

2 Timothy 4:6

What an incredible statement to be able to say, "my life has been poured out..." There's great meaning behind that statement "poured out" especially when looking at the life of Paul. If you read between the lines and look at Paul's life poured out means "I gave it everything", "I risked it all", "I was persecuted but was never stopped", I have nothing left, everything was spent, everything was used, everything was poured out so that others might know the love of God.

What does poured out mean in your life today? Poured out might mean:
I really need to speak to _________________ today so they realize the love of God.
I have always had a dream to do___________________for God.
In 2009 I want to make sure that I accomplish _____________for my family, my home or my marriage.
I don't want to die without seeing ______________ occur in my life.

We will determine how much of our lives we pour out, and into what or who we pour our lives out to. We will determine what song, what dream, what creative idea, what sermon, what good deed, what influence, will be used or not. I want my life poured out as an offering to God. I want my life to please Him, I want my life to matter, to count, I want my life to live past my grave. Where do you need to fill in the blanks?

The Spirit of AL

I'm a visionary and passionate one at that. One thing that I've noticed in leadership is that your greatest strengths can become your greatest weaknesses. Because I am so driven and so passionate about influencing lives for Christ my motor is constantly running. I was watching my favorite channel the other night (Food Channel) they were having a holiday decoration contest made out of food. One guys tree was over the top as I watched the show further I realized not only was this guys creation over the top his personality and his character was too. I asked my wife, is that me, she replied yes, sometimes.

I love my wife, she makes me better, her answer was sweet, subtle and powerful. She often will wait till I see things rather then trying to make me see what she see's. I know it drives her nuts. Let me explain what I mean by the spirit of AL. I am a Raider fan, but the owner, Al Davis has his hands in everything, as a result he has stifled his team and his organization to the point where last Thursday the sports commentators were flat out making jokes about them. The "Spirit of Al" is driven, but it drives relationships south, it stifles growth and in the end what you are most passionate about will never come because the team is out of balance.

Here's what I'm realizing:

• If an event or a task has gone south it's usually because I did not communicate it effectively.
• Allowing people to dream builds an invaluable trust
  
• I learned this from my Pastor, "sometimes you just have to allow folks to sink or swim", If I have have prepared a team member, if I have set them up in area of their strength, if I have communicated effectively, chances are they are going to swim and they might just be the next Michael Phelps of Ministry
  
• In the end you hurt the team and hurt yourself in ministry if you stunt the growth of the players.

A note to all those running the race next to me, thank you for your continued patience, thank you for trusting me, I truly do have complete confidence in you. I believe in You, I need you, have much luv for you all. I rebuke the spirit of Al

Consistency Is The Key

"Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come." 1 Timothy 4:8

The key in any type of training is consistency. Improvement in any arena is impossible without consistency. Today's verse talks about training for Godliness producing benefits in this life and the life to come. I truly want my life to reveal God. I want what I do, how I treat people, how I speak, everything to reveal God. I want Godliness to be revealed in my marriage, in my parenting, in my work ethics, in my relationships. When thinking about this scripture today I thought, what is the first thing that I would like people to think of when my name is first mentioned? How do I get there? The key is consistency. Thinking about 2009 I want to start mapping out the areas of my life that I struggle with consistency in. It's ok to struggle by the way, struggle means there's a fight, I rather have a fight in me then no fight at all. Even Paul said "...we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God..." It's going to be a struggle to get to anything that will echo in eternity. Words like "I made it", "I believe", "we won" all carry consistent hard work in the back drop. There's something about consistency that reminds you of how far you have come and how much you have to go, it keeps you sharp, it keeps you progressing and keeps you growing. Living life without consistency is like saying you want to win an Olympic medal and not train for it. What does your life, relationship with God, marriage, children, home, relationships, finances, look like if you are consistently training to improve in Godliness?

In The News

Couple of things that stood out to me today as I read the news. The first was the economy and the current job rate. 533k people lost their jobs in November it's the most in 34 years. The past two days at my job people have been let go. It's disheartening watching someone walk away carrying a box of their things.

The second thing that I noticed was in Saudi Arabia 3Million people gathered for the Muslim pilgrimage hajj.

Have you ever read the news and felt like you were just standing still looking at a world that is lost, hurting and in deceived. Check out Habakkuk in the bible his people were going through an extremely difficult time. Habakkuk is begging, complaining and crying out in the first chapter, you can feel his anguish and heart. Then the Lord answers in Habakkuk 2:3 For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.

We desperately need a move of God in the world and I believe it's coming and you and I get to be a mouthpiece, an influence, a servant in God's work. The Lord's vision will press on to fulfillment, and it will not disappoint, if it delays wait for it. What are you doing in the waiting? What you and I do in the waiting will determine how much we are part of the vision. Prepare yourself people of God, prepare yourself to be used, prepare your hearts to love the unlovable, prepare to work, prepare to give, pray and seek and find the Lord. The Lord's vision will press on and it will not disappoint!

Spending Money Or Spending Time Pt. 2

or Being ALL there...

One of my favorite restaurants is Chili's. If it's not a burger, it's the Monterey Chicken or the Quesedilla explosion salad, ok that's enough I'm getting hungry. The problem that I have with a restaurant like Chili's and going with the family is "being all there." You see, 90% of the time Chili's has ESPN playing in the background, which usually accounts for me being 50% there with my family instead of 100% ALL there. Instead of engaging conversation, laughing, enjoying the time out with the family I'm glued to the sports world and I'm not ALL there. It doesn't stop at Chili's though. I have this little thing in my pocket called a cell phone and like OCD I pick it up constantly even at the dinner table once again affecting me being ALL there. The other day when I went to eat with Isaiah I purposesly showed him the phone on the table, I turned it over and I pointed out to him that I was not going to pick it up. I showed Isiah that I valued our time, our conversation, our relationship more then an email or a text and I was all there for Him. Making time is one thing, Being All there is another step that I have to take initiative in. Maybe you have to turn off your phone, maybe you have to not eat where there are TV's. Maybe you have to sit with your back towards distractions, whatever it is make sure YOUR ALL THERE.

Spending Money Or Spending Time

My boy and I have another afternoon planned together today. We are heading out to Panera his favorite sandwich spot to do his homework. Anytime Isaiah and I do his homework we make it fun like a math problem is a "bad guy" or the world is depending on his next answer. My boy and I have had so much fun lately and I'm loving in it. For many parents, including myself I have been guilty of spending extravagantly on loved ones for Christmas as a way of making up for what's been missing all year long. I don't plan on spending as much this year on gifts, but I do plan on spending more on time and although I haven't started shopping yet for Christmas items I have been spending on time already. Sometimes it takes creatitivity, sometimes your dragging tired, sometimes you have other things you have to do (what we think is urgent), giving of your time in those moments is priceless. Make up with more time not with more gifts this year, again create moments that you will live twice. I'll have part two of this little pep talk later. (Being All There)

Infuenced by a 6yr. old

My son and I planned to hang out yesterday, so we went to grab a bite to eat at ToGo's then some coffee and coco at Starbucks. While waiting for our drinks my son started with the following sentence, "Dad I have something difficult to say" I sat back and waited for my son to talk and he begin to tell me how his teacher is not a Christian. I could tell this wasn't sitting well with Isaiah. I asked "so what you are you going to do about it?" The response that I received was "I'm going to talk her into being a Christian" I replied how are you going to talk your teacher into being a Christian? Isaiah replied "I'm going to tell her that being a Christian is better then not knowing God" I gave my son some pointers but I walked away with a few pointers from my son as well. I come into contact everyday with people who do not know Jesus and I'm sure you do to. How much does it bother you to come into contact daily with people who do not know Jesus? What are you doing to make Christ known in the simplest of ways? I know if Isaiah was influential to me, he certainly has and will continue to be influential in his teachers life and he is convinced she will know Christ one day, with faith like that I believe it. Thanks son, I love you.

Hope That Will Not Disappoint

"...this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." Romans 5:5

Finding hope in your life can be difficult at times, it seems lately that people are finding it difficult to find hope day by day. Have you ever hoped in someone or something only to find disappointment? Paul say's, in every problem, and in every trial, everything that we face, everything that is in opposition to you, everything that stresses, frustrates and wearies your spirit we can consider joy in all these things because of a hope that we have in Christ. The demonstration of God's love to mankind, his willingness to send Jesus into this world with humble beginnings, and the sacrifice that Jesus gave, gives me all the reason to hope in times of little hope. And the bible say's...this hope...will not lead to disappointment.

Have you ever placed hope into someone or something only to be met with disappointment? People will fail you, sometimes plans don't always work, unexpected situations take place, but the hope we have in Christ will never disappoint. Christ does not promise the perfect life but He does promise the perfect path, the path that leads to Him and a path to eternal life. Life is not easy, it's not always clear, it won't always go according to our understanding. The hope I find in God's word, and in His voice, give me direction in the darkest of times, it gives me endurance just when I thought I could not go on, and it gives the ability to bring hope to others. A jump in the stock market, job security, or new president is not enough, we need the hope of Christ, today.