Makeover day 4

Makeover week is in full swing. Some of the guys have been putting in 8-12 hour days already. Everyday God has given us some of those timely miracles we needed. Everytime we have come up against an obstacle (including the snake) He has removed it for us. There is no greater sight than the Word of God in action. Keeep up the prayers!

What's lies beneath?

A big thank you to everyone that came out for demo night yesterday at the makeover house. It was a combination of sweat, dust, a little blood, and alot of laughs. A special thank you to Ron Frasier for providing us with the highlight for the 2007 makeover bloopers tape. There were a couple of places in the floor that we tore into and discovered that water damage had been going on for so long it had actually rotted some of the supporting floor joyces. Many times the superficial problems in our own lives that we pass off and ignore lead to deep rooted problems. The longer we let them go, the higher the costs and the more destructive the damage. It will most likely be painful, a little costly, and time consuming, but don't alow the destrucutive things in your life to rot the last few remaining things that are holding you up. Pay a little now or alot later. Continue to keep the makeover project and workers in your prayers.

Step lightly

I am reading through a couple of new books in my study time. One of them has such a great illustration in it, that we are going through and discussing it on Wed. nights. It uses the correlation between satan's tactics and the effects of landmines. In the enemy's cunning tactics to keep us from becoming the person of Christ we were created to be; he will put landmines of temptation and sin in our path. Landmines such as jealousy, pride, sexual impurity, etc. And if we are not listening closely to the voice of the Spirit of God, we can step on one of those landmines. If we do, the impact not only injures us but it effects our family, our relationships, and can even damage our personal testimony. The good news is we have a guide. Whenever we find ourselves in a minefield, God always has a way mapped out for us: "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. but when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." So today, when you find yourself in a spiritual battle, watch out for those landmines.

Don't stop pointing

Just about everyone, at some point in their childhood, has had their mother or father say that familiar phrase to them. "Don't point, it's not polite." And if your parent was really on top of it they'd follow it up by saying "Besides you've got three fingers pointing back at you." Let's look at at pointing this way...Everytime you attempt to point someone to Christ, rememeber from that moment on they are looking back at you to see what Christ is all about. Are we perfect? No. Is it fair? Probably not. Is it a serious truth? Absolutely. "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matt. 5:16) Two questions for you:
1. Did you purposely help point someone to Christ today?
2. When they look back at you, can they see you living it out?

Sunday recap

We had a really great day yesterday at TPC. Thank you to everyone who stayed for the luncheon to help support the women's conference. It was a huge success! You know it went well when they're scraping the bottom of the pans for more food. In our study yesterday we discovered it really is possible to go beyond happy and actually live with a full tank of joy even during the rough spots of life. Try putting it into action this week. Remember no matter what, no one and no situation can steal your joy unless you hand it over. Anything God given can't be earthly taken away. Finally, please continue to remember the Extreme Makeover project in your daily prayers. Have an awesome week!

The plane! The plane!

I am not exactly sure of all the reasons as to why so much of my thinking recently centers around being "real". One of the reasons, I am fairly sure about, is that I grew up in the midst of many pastors and spiritual giants being exposed for some pretty horrific things going on in their lives. Yet every week up until they had to come clean, they were still out there preaching the word of God like everything was peachy. I saw so much of that early on, that it actually was a one of the obstacles that delayed me for so long from acknowledging and embracing my call into the ministry. And I really believe one of the reasons that it happened to so many was the fact that they refused to live in and deal with reality. Often times we get our head so far in the clouds talking about vision and what we want to happen, that we jump off the reality ship and start living on fantasy island. Proverbs 28:19 says "He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty." If I am jobless, and I just keep telling anyone that will listen that one day I am going to land that dream job that pays 100k, and refuse to go work another job, I am foolish. We just talked about it last night. God may one day help you land that job. But I certainly do not see any way that he is going to bless you with that until reality is embraced and We're willing to work at the low paying job with all of our heart first. Paul never tried to cover up the fact he was in prison. He embraced his circumstances, his reality if you will, and allowed God to receive glory through it. Not every plane that flies by is our ticket to fantasy island. Let's work hard where we are and allow God to land the right plane in our life.

Why not call it like it is?

From day one of becoming the pastor at TPC I have purposely attempted to create an atmosphere of openness and transparency. In other words, no church hide and seek with what is really going on. So with that in mind, let me share with you some things I shared with the staff today...56-7 will always stay with me because it was the score of the worst football game I was ever a part of and it happened my freshman year in high school. I will never forget that horrible feeling of knowing I could have done a much better job helping my team that day. Most coaches will tell you remember the feeling, but you have to just chalk it up as a loss and go on. So let me get to the point quicker; I felt like yesterday as church we had one really great score as a team when 2 people gave their hearts to the Lord for the first time. It is always worth that. But the rest of the game was a struggle and it starts with me. As the quarterback yesterday, I owe you an apology. Some things had happened and I allowed it to affect my attitude and there is no excuse for that. Sitting in a chair yesterday, probably no one would ever have known. But I had to ask God for forgiveness and I ask for yours as well. I want to encourage you as well with this...Prior to yesterday we have had some just phenominal services. The hunger and desire for more of God has been very apparent. So let's be very careful and not just hold on to that but let it grow. Intensify your passion for Christ by increasing your devotion time and purposely impacting someone elses life. Don't slow the train, push harder. You're awesome!