Receive His Blessing

Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it! Numbers 23:20 Balak the Moabite king was threatened by Israel so he sought out an oracle of the Lord to curse Israel but Balam the oracle of the Lord could not because Israel was blessed. When dealing with the King, Balam holds onto the word of God, remains obedient and is literally unmovable in his position. The scripture above pretty much says "look they are blessed because of God and I cannot do anything about it" The king comes back even again and says "ok so maybe you can't curse them, but stop blessing them" Did it really matter, Israel was set apart, God does not change His mind, God does not lie, no misfortune was to come upon His people, they were just blessed.

In this story we have two people one who is able to recognize the blessing of God and one who does not. I think at times I've struggled with seeing God's blessing on my life and no matter how many times, I hear it, read about it, or even see it, when your in the thick of tough times it's like a wrestling to believe that you are blessed. I heard a quote the other day and it rocked me. The quote was said in a middle of a conference to all the attendees. "God doesn't want to use you" The only time God used people in the bible was his enemies. "God wants to bless you" In fact that is what God did with Abraham, he blessed him so that he would be a blessing. I believe the same promise, the same blessing is upon his church today and even though it's a wrestling match at times, it doesn't change the fact that God has blessed and nothing can reverse it. Walk in the blessing of God today, you may not have what you want, may even be fighting tooth and nail just to keep moving. Blessing has nothing to do with what your facing, it has to do with who you belong to in Christ. Receive His Blessing!

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High Tech, Low Touch

Itunes and Amazon MP3 have aquired 2.5 Million additional customers in the last year. What does that mean? It means people no longer have to get in the car and drive to the mall to pickup their music. What else does it mean, it means that people no longer care about having the tangible CD or Movie we are completely comfortable with the digital format. This is the perfect example of our culture today. We live in a High Tech, Low Touch world. We are perfectly comfortable with digital relationships instead of the real thing. I no longer have to visit someone, and calling folks is quickly fading, now I can just e-mail or text. Don't get me wrong, I'm a techie, I love gadgets "and I still love technology" (for you Napoleon Dynamite fans). The amount of power at our fingertips today is astonishing, and just like the quote from Spiderman "with great power comes responsibilty" As a Christian and as a techie, I have a responsbility to make sure that I don't lose touch. My job and my world is constantly connected, and if I don't watch it I can easily become disconnected with those I love. I have a saying that I try to live by always online but not always connected. I love the way Mark 8:36 in the Message Version put's it What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for? So what I'm saying is that the next time your talking to someone, having lunch with someone, playing with your kids, BE ALL THERE. Being all there for me means I go through dinner, without checking my e-mail. Being all there means remaining in touch with those I love. Don't lose touch!

Blessing in the time of need

I just left Walgreen's after picking up some lemon lime soda, saltines and Pediasure. My kids and I look to have caught a lil food poisoning from KFC. We'll be fine in due time. As I was entering in the store a homeless guy that I've met before was sitting on the side. I asked "Larry" if I could pick up something for him, he asked for some beef sticks and chips. As I left I handed Larry his items and few bucks, then we prayed. Larry gave me a big hug and yelled out "I don't know you but I love you"

I drove away and Larry just stood watching me leave, with the biggest smile. I could feel God speaking to me and smiling as well. I felt the Lord telling me great job because you still blessed even in your time of need. My kids will be fine, we've faced worst moments and I know that they are in God hands. Lord, I place Larry in your hands as well tonight, watch over him, it's raining and it's very cold, turn his situation around somehow. -Amen

Our idea vs. God's idea of Church

I was challenged all last week about living "unrehearsed" for God, that is getting out of the norm, the common recipe of seeking Him and pursuing God in a new way, with new expectation and deeper understanding. My spirit was frustrated and hungry for something untapped in the presence of God, so I sought it out in my own life, then I challenged the team, then I challenged our church. Our ideas, rehearsed services, routine recipe flew out the window and I got a lesson in what church should look like.

1) Community of believers, not just a group of people coming to a building we call church.
We opened with everyone praying for one another, you could feel the relational walls falling instantly. Set the tone with community, i-n-s-t-a-n-t-l-y.

2) Everyone is touched
There's enough of God to go around. God's recipe always feeds everyone. Our position as leaders is to find each ingredient and make sure it's living and active in our lives first, then when we meet on Sunday that recipe comes together and makes for a bountiful feast.

3) Even the ministers are ministered too
It's beautiful thing to lead and and be led at the same time in God's presence. Leaders know the way, show the way and, go the way (John Maxwell). Everything we do in ministry must reveal how it's touched our lives first. Make it personal.

Yesterday was awesome, but I don't want the same meal next week, because I know God has something totally new for next week. Can't wait to see what's next!

Living for what?

I was watching American Idol last night and was saddened to see so many individuals at the prime of their life with nothing else to live for but a contents. What happens when the contest is over, when the song is over, when the records stop selling and your still alive.

What are you living for today? Are you living for something that is eternal or something that is temporal and will eventually fade away. Am I living today for something that will matter in 5,10, 20 years from now? I want to live now what will outlive me later, God has given us all this opportunity, sadly some never realize it or never walk it, don't let that be you. What are you living for? Make it count...you have but only one chance to live it.

Unrehearsed

I'm a big fan of cooking, an even bigger fan of experimenting with recipes. There have been moments when I've had the inspiration to try something new that I did not have a recipe at all for, all I had was an idea. As the ingredients are put together and past experience meets uncharted territory something inside me tells me this is where you want to go, but then again I have really no clue, all I know is I want what I have never had before, a unique taste to something similar and familiar but definitely not the same.

Something took place in our service last week that was exactly like above. Week in and week out we can come in with a recipe of what we would like to see God do in Church. We've tried to get ministry and methods down to a science, operating with time slots, and formats but all of that was thrown out of the window last week and we entered into the arena of the unrehearsed. Unrehearsed is uncharted territory, it's a familiar place with a different hunger. Unrehearsed is not duplicated, it's new every single time. Unrehearsed say's I don't know where we are going, but I definitely don't want where I've been. Unrehearsed worship is always better then something that was planned and practiced because the heart is exactly where God wants it and it happens instantly. We saw God and experienced God different because our hunger was different, it was a hunger for something new. I love what Tommy Tenney say's in the book The God Chasers, "God's idea of church and our idea is totally different. " When you and I have entered into the unrehearsed thats when our idea of church has met God's idea of church.

I'm challenged this week to live unrehearsed. I don't want the same recipe in my prayer time, my journaling or in worship. I have plenty of expectation but don't know what to expect, what I do know is don't want where I've been.

Not just another...

I was watching the Pro-Bowl yesterday and they were showing pre-game highlights of the AFC locker room. Ray Lewis is easily one of the most intense defensive players of the game. The highlight showed Ray in a huddle surrounded by his team and with great passion he was challenging the AFC team to leave everything on the field. I was amazed because the Pro Bowl is an exhibition game, everyone is out having fun, nobody goes all out. But for Ray Lewis it was not just another game.

What if I approached the next church service I attend with the same attitude, "it's not just another church service" What If I approached my journaling, prayer, the next time I go out to dinner with my wife, the next time I played with my children, this very morning..."it's not just another day" Today I have the opportunity to live and not just that, but live for Christ.

Live with expectation, otherwise it will be just another day.

The Power of the Personal Touch

I was watching ESPN this morning and watched a brief story about Peyton Manning the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts. The story went through a list of players that had retired throughout the years and what they all had in common was upon each of their retirements from the game of football they had all received a hand written letter from Peyton Manning. Peyton congratulated them and honored each of these players for their influence on the game and influence on his own personal life. Each of the players had the same response " it was handwritten." In a day of text messaging, instant messaging and e-mails we have become so high tech but low touch when it comes to personal touch. I was amazed how these super high profile athletes would be moved to sensitivity with a simple personal touch. What can you put your personal touch on today? A letter, thank you call, an encouragement dinner, whatever it is just make sure it's from the heart, it will make all the difference.

Better then Last Year

At this time last year I was so messed up. I was having the most difficult time handling a 40+ hour job, a family of 4, leading a ministry team, a church campus, and bible school once a week not including homework, oh yeah and I led a bible study too. I don't get sick too often but in early Feb of 08 I got the sickest that I've ever gotten in my whole life. My body literally shutdown from everything. This morning I thought about that day that I went into the doctor and they ended up putting me on two IV drips. Even up until the point when the doctor threatened hospitalization I still was in denial of how bad I really was.

I haven't really slowed down much, in a way I've added more to my plate. So what's changed, how come I'm doing better? 1) I know my limitations now 2) I know what recharges me 3) I keep what recharges me consistent.

Journaling and prayer charge me up. Thinking charges me up. Blogging charges me up. Worship charges me up. Reading charges me up. Family time absolutely charges me up. Counsel charges me up. Fellowship charges me up.

I treat my life like my cell phone, it needs to be charged daily.

Is the clock ticking faster?

The first month of 2009 is history. Time to do a progress report on myself of what I set out to do before this year started. Some things I did not get to but that's not to say that there was not any progress. Progress is better than standing still. Check out this C.S. Lewis quote:

"We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back the soonest is the most progressive."