change of venu

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Titantically living

I know I am one of the very few people who do not care for the movie Titanic. But I have never minded being in the minorty. For some reason I just don't care to watch an inevitable tragedy happen. One of the saddest things to watch is when people are dumped into the ocean and while trying to tread water to save their own lives, they'll pull at anything to stay above the water line. And often times they shove other people under the water to their deaths, while struggling to stay alive. That image is a vivid portrait of a life that is not lived in truth. It is a person who lives a life that is clouded with words that dance around truth but never embrace it. And the longer it goes the more holes their ship takes on until one day they find themselves treading for their lives in the cold waters of dishonesty. What seemed perfectly harmless at first of not being transparent can lead to a way of life that drowns the best of intentions. The end is almost always the same as they flail about for their lives, they grasp for anything to stay afloat. And too many times they end up drowning those around them for a few more seconds of air. Treat the truth like gold. Embrace it. Make it a way of life. Let your yes be yes and your no, no.

I have a dream

I have a dream that we actually do what we say we're going to do
I have a dream that water tastes like pepsi
I have a dream that we stop looking for hidden motives behind people's answers
I have a dream that the Chicago Bears win every Super Bowl for ten years
I have a dream that we speak truth to one another
I have a dream that slow drivers stay out of the left lane
I have a dream that we demolish pride in our own lives
I have a dream that deer hunting is legal year round
I have a dream that what is said in private is broadcast before every church service
I have a dream that my front tooth grew back in
I have a dream that we take accountability for our decisions, rather than covering our mistakes
I have a dream that extreme makeover is knocking at my door

Wreckless drivers

"First pride, then the crash, the bigger the ego, the harder the fall."
Proverbs 16:18 - The Message Bible

island dwellers

I realize each one of you is entirely too sophisticated to have ever watched more than one episode of Gilligans Island; but I am 40 now and I am willing to admit that I have seen nearly every episode. The thing that really catches your attention if you go back and watch it again, is how well each person adapted to being deserted on an island. And I know entirely too many people that are living their lives on an island and rapaidly adapt to that lifestyle. Unless you have built in accountability, the more responsibility you are given, the more your instinct is to isolate yourself and become an island. Why? Because the more people expect of you the more you are unwilling to admit you are human and submit yourself to accountability. The worst part of becoming an island unto yourself is eventually, the more you stock pile your inadequacies and are unwilling to come clean to anyone, the more painful it will be when someone else makes it ashore and all of your island secrets come out. There is no subsitute for accountability. If some of the great ministers of the past that have fallen to temptation would of had it, there is a good chance they would not have lost their future. We all need someone that we meet with on a regular basis face to face, that we allow to ask any questions and to remind us we are not perfect and not expected to be either. Set yourself up for success. Build accountability into your lives.

Seasons change

Only a very small portion of the worlds population can understand it. There is a season change happening Jan. 15. That's right, deer season will end for another year. (I know it's too sad to even think about) But it is reality; it is truth. The Bible says that there is a season for everything. So there is a beginning and an end to everything on earth. Seems especially obvious. Yet many people fight the end of seasons in their lives. Some even deny it's existance and convince themselves that through their own abilities they can somehow change the seasons. Not the end of their lives, but a change in a season of their lives. Many retired people escape to Florida or Arizona when the winter begins to settle in. But just because they are in a place of warmth where they run to does not deny the reality that the seasons have changed where they were. It's the 40 year old guy with a mullet who still wears his high school letter jacket. When we fight against the seasons that God allows in our lives we may very well be fighting God's will for our lives. We get so used to the warm summer days that we wish it would never end. But if summer never ended we would miss God's awesome creative beauty that comes with fall. Some of the most miserable people in the world are those trying to hold on to a certain time, position, or circumstance in their lives. Unfortuneatly it is usually a result of pride and selfishness. If God has blessed you with a great summer season in your life, trust him enough for what is next.

Hp held hostage

No, the computer saga is not over. I won't use the company name, but let's just say I will never purchase another computer from the "worst buy" store. But I actually have a few minutes in front of another computer, so let me share something with you that we touched on in service last night. In a recent edition of the Metro Voice there is an article concerning a pastor and one of the largest churches in the nation. He and his church literally created a new paradigm of how to grow a church many years ago. It was based on being "seeker friendly". However, a recent research study report from within in his church has discovered that they have failed. Not at church attendance but in producing disciples of Jesus Christ. Here are a few quotes from the pastor "We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and became Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become self feeders." A separate quote from the author of the article says "The mention of sin, salvation, and sanctification were taboo and replaced by starbucks clones, strategy and sensitivity. One of the saddest aspects of this article to me is that too many pastors are wandering "now what do I do?" Who's program do I follow now? With all do respect, how about seeking God, studying His word and following his voice for your church? Just a thought.

My dad taught me a lesson along time ago; don't divert too far one way or another. Plow a straight line. In the church world we continue to swing the pendilum of how to to do church from one extreme to the other. We went through many years of walling ourselves in the church and making living a Christian life unattainable for almost everyone. That is unless you dressed a certain way and addressed everyone as brother or sister. And out of that we produced generations of religious people who lost touch with God's mission.

Then we completely swung the other way. Now we don't want to preach about sin because it might offend someone. We desperately try to make our services resemble Hollywood so people will feel comfortable. We cut out altar calls because of peoples schedules.

So now we have reaped a harvest of people that rarely

read their bible, (unless we put the words on our screens on Sundays), they don't know how to pray, and then we push them into ministry positions and we wander what they are replicating.

We have no one to blame but ourselves. We have failed people. The church that God builds is the one that stays the course. The church that stays relevant without compromising God's Word. If we don't become enabler's we are becoming the very obstacles to people that Christ warned against.

Where's my typewriter?

I apologize for being so long in posting, but if you have not heard my computer is in the shop being repaired. That is my six week old computer is being repaired. Please pray for my patience. I hope to be back up and running in a few days.

I don't have all my thoughts neatly compiled on this subject, but let me give you just the appetizer. This morning I took our boys to school and these negative thoughts began running through my mind. It's Monday (and for pastors Mondays are supposed to be recovery days from all that Sunday entails.) I'm tired and I don't feel good. I've got several big bills to pay this week. I have so much to get done in the next few days, and on and on and on. All of the sudden Godspoke to my heart and said it doesn't have to be that way. We talk about it all the time, but the enemy is so subtle in his approach to creeping into our thought life and attitudes. Our patterns in our thought life are so important. They can literally determine the outcome of an entire day. So I made up my mind at that moment I am not giving up this day to that outlook. And God just helped remind me about all of His blessings in my life and how many times He has brought me through weeks just like this one. So let's maximize what we get out of today by keeping our thoughts based on who Jesus is and what He can do.

Co-habitation

Everybody knows, whether you watch Judge Judy or not, the current trend is instead of getting married, to live together. The politically correct vonacular would be "co-habitation". It's real easy as a Christian to get on a soap box and point out the obvious sin in shacking up together. Scripture clearly explains the devestating effect of immorality on a human life. However, take a look at another level of co-habitation. Many Christians are attempting to cohabitate in their relationship with Christ. We would never verbalize it, but often our lack of committment to the relationship expresss it. Our actions say things like "I want to have all the benefits of a relationship, but I want to leave my options open." "I want to know He's always there for me, but sometimes I want to explore my options." Sorry, to burst the selfish balloon, but it don't work that way. We serve a jealous God, who will have no part of a shared relationship. He wants our full, undivided committment. We cannot play games and indulge our desires, and then come home expecting God to be waiting up for us. Jesus said He will return for a blood washed BRIDE, not a co-habitant.

kids fest

Don't forget, no service tonight. Everyone is invited to Paradise Park at I-470 and Colbern rd. in Lee's Summit for Kids Fest.

God help me

God help me today.
-Help me to not take myself too seriously.
-Help me to admit my mistakes and learn from them.
-Help me to appreciate the life you have given me.
-Help me to live life today with tomorrow in mind.
-Help me to have a willingness to learn.
-Help me to grow in your wisdom.
-Help me to add value to someone else's life.
-Help me to choose what I say carefully.
-Help me to be a better husband and father.
God help me today so at the end of the day, I can say with full confidence I am better off than I was when I opened my eyes this morning.

Moment of truth

I have been somewhat hesitant about this subject, but I feel like it needs to be opened. For the last nearly 20 years of my life I have watched friends and those I knew only by names, walk away from church and eventually God. These are people that were raised in our Assembly of God churches, most of them by Christian parents. But somewhere along the line, something was missing, because they continue to step away from a relationship with Christ. It's like a continual epidemic. What happened? I think I have some insight because I have first hand knowledge. I grew up in church with the best parents. I was surrounded by Christianity. But when high school hit and then college came, I began to walk away from what seemed like too much of what was talked about but never lived out. Then there came a day in my adult life that I had drifted so far away from God that I believe he sent out possibly one of his last life preservers. And it was at that moment I believe for the first time that I put God on the throne of my life. You see I said the prayer and ask Jesus into my heart at the age of eight. And the stats keep telling us we have to reach them at a younger and younger age. But I believe in every persons life there comes a moment when the gaunlet is thrown down and you will either embrace a growing life with Christ or pull the plug. There is a reason why the Bible tells us when someone comes to Christ and knows the truth, then walks away, it would be better if they had never known. It is because of the suttle hardening of your heart towards the things of God. God will not allow his grace to be made a mockery of. My heart splits wide open whenever I think of those that I knew so well that have turned their lives over to the world. I know that some of them read this blog. So let me be as plain and to the point as I can. There is no amount of talking, preaching, or sobbing that can convince you to run to God. You can either choose to have your moment of truth now and stop the games or you can have your moment of truth when you kneel at the feet of Jesus to receive judgement. It's your call.

The student from Englewood is safe and back home now. Thank you for your prayers.

prayer request

I received an urgent prayer request this morning from Pastor Brad at Englewood. A high school girl that attends Englewoood school and is also a member of the youth group and their worship team, disappered last night. Shen went to Independence Center and has never come home. Please pray for her right now.

If you missed the Extreme Makeover video or would like to view it again, here is the link...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj9oWXx7j6o

No loners

On Saturday I had the privelage to speak to some of our guys at the prayer breakfast. I want to give you the condensed version so you can give it some thought this week at work. Here's the question...Do people come to you? At work, in your family, among your friends; do people come to you to ask your opinion, to ask for prayer, for insight, etc. If they do, why do they? If they don't, why not? When Jesus walked the earth, people always came to him. And don't play the "well he's God card". Everything he has, he offers to you. So people should be coming to you, because of what is inside you. And it's not a pride thing, just the opposite. Who should the world be going to looking for life help and direction? But it is also possible that people may be coming to you for the wrong thing. People do it all the time. Are they coming to you to be fed a healthy diet or do you feed the disease they already have? Gossip, poor atttitudes, bitterness, rebellion...
So this week, just think about it...can a healthy Christian really be a loner?

What a Day!

Sunday was just too awesome! First, we were able to hear some great insight from the ladies conference that took place last week. The ladies who shared really gave us some insight into what a powerful conference it really was. (I am trying to get my wife to sit down and share some more on this blog about the conference) Then we watched the video that Jordan Mills and Pastor Chris prepared from Extreme Makeover. It was incredible to see the transformation in a 3 minute time period. My only complaint was somehow the shot of Ron falling through the floor with a sledgehammer, ended up on the cutting room floor. We also honored some of the people that went above and beyond to make makeover a success. And the icing on the cake was an incredible Bears victory over the Green Bay Packers! Sorry Chiefs fans.

Fire at will

Do we blame the devil or not? Often times as Christians we have a tendancy to give the enemy way too much credit. Many times what is going wrong in our lives has to do with unwise choices we have made. However, there is no doubt in my mind when you are in the center of God's will, satan will intentionally and relentlessly throw his arsonal in your path to divert you away from God's plan and purpose. This week, in the ministry of TPC is a great example. We just came off an incredible week of the makeover project where people inside the church and outside were impacted. Then this week is the women's conference. In other words we stirred up a hornet's nest. Myself and several other people just that I know of personally, have been bombarded with missles from the enemy. It's been rough. But I want you to know, I couldn't be happier or more excited! No, seriously! As the body of Christ we are advancing forcefully and the devil can't stand it. I never will be able to be in a church that is not smack dab on the front lines. This is where the action is. Don't ever retreat, keep firing!

makeover '07

WOW! UNBELIEVABLE! INCREDIBLE! I could go on and on with words trying to describe the last 7 days. There is nothing that compares to the week of extreme makeover. The challenge seemed too big. But we prayed and you did it. With God's favor, strength and wisdom, you did it. There is freedom when you exchange your religious garments for serving clothes. The true test of having a servants heart is when you don't mind it when people treat you like a servant. As a church we preached 7 messages in 7 days on servanthood through this makeover to a community. A neighborhood was inspired, we were blessed, and Wanda is exstatic. We capped it off with a service yesterday where God was present to honor your faithfulness. I'm proud of you. I can't wait for the next challenge.