WOW!!!! I give God ALL the credit for opening His Word and for allowing me to partake in Him!!!! On the phone today with a really good friend there was something God spoke to me during the conversation that I immediately had to some home and blog about. So here goes…

As a church planter I sometimes deflated by those who dont show up or keep their commitments to helping out as they said they would. I take it to heart when I look at those faithful in this journey wonder where “the help” is and where will it come from. I, and I am sure I am not the only who has felt this way, continue to motivate, cast vision, pray and even reach out to other church planters and pastors for encouragement during this journey. But today I heard something different from God. Now, granted I will always seek out “help” and encouragement from other church planters and pastors. God did command us to seek out wise counsel. But again today my focus has shifted.

During my conversation with my friend and brother Cedric God shared an amazing oversight with me. Many of us know about the Acts Church, how it was formed, when it was formed, and how after a brief sermon from Peter the church grew by the thousands. IN ONE DAY? NO, IN A MATTER OF HOURS!!!!! After the sermon there were some three thousand added to the church, followers of Christ who dedicated their lives and possessions (a whole ‘nother topic) to The Bride, the church. But what about the original 120 or so…?

How come they dont get the attention they deserve? How come we skip pass them an overlook them? Without them would there have been a 3000? Without them who would have been the example, who would have been the light, or salt to bring flavor to this already incredible recipe for church growth, life change, and success?

I seek repentance now, for overlooking those who have been here from the beginning. I beg their forgiveness for not seeing them and looking past them to more, more and morE. A good friend reminded me recently that WE MUST BE good stewards of the little in order to attain much. But this blog is not solely about that.

Here are the questions I want to raise… What was it about that original 120 or so that were able to reproduce in such an awesome way? What was it about them that God was able to manifest in self in such a way? Why on earth has this type of life change not happen more regularly in and through the church?

There were no fliers, no you tube, no internet, fancy websites, or social networking sites. There was no mailer or teaser or even communication cards. (Please do not take this statement the wrong way, I believe these things are vital today because of how we communicate!) There were merely 120 or so people in a room, The Upper Room, PRAYING. But they were not just praying, the Amplified version here states that they were in FULL AGREEMENT, devoting themselves to prayer.

WOW!!! That’s it? That is the difference between us and them? When was the last time we were consistently in”full agreement” devoted to steadfast prayer? I mean other than praying for the money for the new building or for the mission trip or after 9/11. Can we still do something like this?

So you want change in your life? You a church planter wanting to grow? You want your daughter to come home and leave that loser? You want the drugs out of your hood/community? You want something different to take place in your life? You want a husband, a wife, children? You want to be able to afford life in these crazy economically challenging days?

COME IN FULL AGREEMENT WITH SOMEONE ANYONE AND DEVOTE YOURSELVES TO STEADFAST PRAYER!!!

I look at these 120 or so and think about my people. I am fully persuaded that whether it is 2, 2o or a 120 that if WE ARE IN FULL AGREEMENT, ON ONE ACCORD, ON THE VERY SAME PAGE SAME PARAGRAPH AND SAME SENTENCE THAT WE TOO CAN ACHIEVE THE LIKES OF THIS THE CHURCH OF ACTS.

How else can we truly advance the Kingdom? It is God who gives increase, but WE MUST DO OUR PART!!!

SHALL WE PRAY?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I was privileged to meet with David Putman last week and I must admit the last few weeks I have truly been humbled by the willingness of outstanding men of God to hear my heart concerning the vision God has given me. David was even gracious enough to share his latest book with me, Breaking the Discipleship Code. I am enjoying it immensely NOW!

I have been tossing around the notion in my head about what the difference is, the distinct difference is in a life of someone on fire for God versus the church attendee when I stumbled on this paragraph in the book that explains it clear and succinctly.

“Living as Jesus lived is about coming to know Jesus personally through experience. It’s about coming to know Him through the lenses of the gospel and the presence of His very Spirit; it’s about a journey of friendship. It’s about living life to the maximum by living minimally. It’s about giving up to ultimately go up. It’s about laying down in order to be lifted up. It’s about becoming last only to find yourself first. It’s about decreasing in order to see Him increase. Living as Jesus lived is a new way of life that requires rethinking all of your assumptions, opinions, expectations, and experiences about the kingdom. Jesus descended in order to ultimately ascend, and so must we.”

An incredible passage that sums up so many thing for me. I could go on forever, but I wont this time. But seriously, WE MUST EXPERIENCE JESUS. Please notice that “experience” is a verb, meaning there is action required. There is so much more to a relationship with Jesus than church membership, tshirts, cute bumper stickers (yes i said cute) and whether or not you wear a suit or have doctoral/ theological differences!!!

WE MUST LIVE LIKE JESUS IN ORDER THAT OTHERS MIGHT SEE HIM IN US.

We must serve, serve in our local churches, serve in our schools, in our communities, serve our families (men, I’m begging you to learn to serve your wife instead of expecting her to always serve you)… to minister is to serve! It is an experience that must shared with EVERYONE WE COME IN CONTACT WITH!!!!

So have you EXPERIENCED Jesus lately?

Thanks for the book Dave, you don’t know how much it has meant to me already!!!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

life
love
her
him
grace
mercy
strength
joy
peace
provision
light
hope
courage
faith
possessor of heaven & earth
lord
wonderful
awesome
patience
the blessing
the word
author of my faith
the start and my triumphant finish
victory
high priest
daddy
all my hearts desire
truth
intimacy
strong and mighty
the name above all names
a lion
a lamb
sacrifice
teacher
guide
my deliverer
so amazing
strong tower
pure
holy
righteous
available
in fallen leaves
in the wind
the breath i breathe
the answer
the question
conquerer
creativity
freedom
adventure
miracle

AND I AM YOUR NUMBER ONE FAN!!!!!

can you add anything to this list? who is He to and for you? Come on go ahead I dare you to add something to this list!!!

who do you need Him to be?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Click here to see video!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I remember the first time i got high, I am not glamorizing or approving drugs!, but i thought I was invincible. I thought I could walk on water, then i met God. Mind you when I met Him, I had been “saved” since I was 12, sometime had passed before my first encounter with Him. Let’s just say I was no longer concerned about being high or using drugs ever again!!!

In disscussing the names of God my hope is that we all have such an encounter with God. To know every aspect possible of the One who loves us more than anyone on the face of the earth. It is my hope that with each new name discovered that you discover another side, another part of His personality, another area of interest. I have discovered that you cannot trust anyone that you do not know, so lets get to know Him.

(el el-yone’)
The Most High God

Use in the Bible: In the Old Testament El Elyon occurs 28 times. It occurs 19 times in Psalms. El Elyon is first used in Gen 14:18.

Variant spellings: None

TWOT Reference: 1624g, 1624h

Strong’s Reference: 5945

El Elyon in the Septuagint: ho theos ho hupsistos — the God most high

Meaning and Derivation: El is another name that is translated as “God” and can be used in conjunction with other words to designate various aspects of God’s character. Elyon literally means “Most High” and is used both adjectivally and substantivally throughout the Old Testament. It expresses the extreme sovereignty and majesty of God and His highest preeminence. When the two words are combined — El Elyon — it can be translated as “the most exalted God.”(Psa 57:2)

Further references of the name El Elyon in the Old Testament: Gen 14:18; Gen 14:19; Gen 14:20; Gen 14:22; Psa 57:2; Psa 78:35

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

How many times times have you heard someone say, “I don’t know how this happened (something bad), God must be angry with me!”? This could not be further from the truth. Why do we have this image in our head and hearts that God is some angry man in the sky who is watching and waiting for us to mess up so He can FIX US?

In this series “To Know Him” We are going to discover, discuss and reflect on the true nature of Abba Father.

How does THE God get such a bad reputation? Who is handling His PR?

The saddest thing is that the church or many Christians feel this very same way about God. How is it that the same God who is love, 1 John 4:7-18, could have such an anger management issue amongst the very same body of “believers” who call Him Father?

WE DON’T KNOW HIM!  

We know who our parents knew, who someone else knew and shared with us, we know the God we see on T.V. or in cartoons, We know the stories- mostly fables; however, we have never spent any time getting to know God for ourselves. All throughout the bible references stick out like a sore thumb of how God desires our companionship and longs for time with YOU! And we wonder why our relationships don’t work.

Today we start with one of the many names of God, I figure how can you truly know someone if you don’t know there name, or in this case names? My desire is that this section encourages you to seek a sincere, honest and open relationship with HIM!

El Shaddai

(el shad-di’)
All-Sufficient One, Lord God Almighty

Use in the Bible: In the Old Testament El Shaddai occurs 7 times. El Shaddai is first used in Gen 17:1.

El Shaddai in the Septuagint: theou saddai — God Shaddai; pantokratôr (for Shaddai) — the Almighty

Meaning and Derivation: El is another name that is translated as “God” and can be used in conjunction with other words to designate various aspects of God’s character. Another word much like Shaddai, and from which many believe it derived, is shad meaning “breast” in Hebrew (some other scholars believe that the name is derived from an Akkadian word Šadu, meaning “mountain,” suggesting strength and power). This refers to God completely nourishing, satisfying, and supplying His people with all their needs as a mother would her child. Connected with the word for God, El, this denotes a God who freely gives nourishment and blessing, He is our sustainer.

Further references of the name El Shaddai in the Old Testament: Gen 17:1; Gen 28:3; Gen 35:11; Gen 43:14; Gen 48:3

as taken from blueletterbible.com

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!