Moving In

I love great worship.  As a musician, pastor, worship leader – I enjoy nothing more than spending time in worship.  Some of the best times of worship I have had have been me, my guitar or piano, and God – that’s it.  And I have cried and lifted my hands in His presence all by myself.  I believe to lead people into God’s presence through worship, you have to learn to worship by yourself, when you don’t have the energy of the crowd to drive you, or to feel the need to “perform” in front of them.  I have spent time in my car worshipping the Lord to a great CD.  And the Bible says that God “inhabits” the praises of His people – He moves in.  How awesome is that?

I would love to hear about your worship times with God. 

Check out this great worship video from Gateway. Gateway Worship

Caleb

As I was preparing for a board meeting tonight, I was impressed with the story of Caleb.  The spies had been sent to spy out the land, and the Bible says that Caleb stilled the people and said – we are well able to take the country.  They were the underdogs – the odds were against them.  Yet, this man trusted the God whom he had seen perform miracle after miracle for his people, that He was able to do it again.

This really challenged me – as some obstacles larger than life are confronting me at the moment.  But I believe God is able to do far above all I could ask or think – and I choose to believe the report of the Lord.

What rock and hard place do you find yourself between? 

Heaven Help The Home

I’m preaching a series this month called “Heaven Help The Home.”  Today’s topic was “Spouse:  More Than A Partner.”  As I was studying, I was drawn to the Scripture found in John 13 – where Jesus said “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.“  This text follows the text where Jesus had “communion” with them.  In the days of the Scriptures, pushing a glass of wine the direction of a lady was a proposal for marriage.  If she accepted, she would drink from the glass pushed towards her.  When she accepted, the man would stand up, make a speech about the acceptance.  Sometime shortly after that the man would go away to “prepare a place” and “come back” for his bride-to-be.  They never knew when he would return.  Jesus pushed the glass toward the disciples – a gesture of “will you accept Me” – and they accepted Him.  He then told them to not be troubled – for He was going away to prepare a place for them [and extended - for all who believe].  And every time we take communion, the cup is a reminder that He is coming back – whew, I feel the Holy Spirit as I am typing this!!!  And when He comes, we will enjoy an everlasting honeymoon!!!

And this all relates to marriage in that our marriages, especially as believers, are to illustrate the relationship that God wants to have with us.  How much our homes need to radiate His presence!  O that the world would see Heaven in our homes.

Extraordinary Days

Life can be light a straight line.  Boring, mundane, laissez-faire, unimpressive.  You get up, go to the office, get done what you need to, come home, eat, do that project you’ve been putting off, and go to sleep.  Yeah, life can be a straight line.

That is, unless, you look at each day as holding the possibility of extraordinary.  The opportunities present themselves, and you have a decision to make – stick with the stuff you know, with the things that have to be done, or step into the extraordinary opportunities that come your way.  It doesn’t matter if you have ever “done that before” or “feel qualified enough”, it matters what you do with the opportunity that God presents to you.

Is your day today extraordinary?  Or are you feeling in the mundane mullygrubs?  If so, ask God to help you see every day as an extraordinary opportunity to impact this world for Him!

The Dream

I have been pondering a big dream lately.  I’m not ready to say what it is, but suffice it to say that I have never taken anything on so big before.  I don’t even know if it is possible.  I’ll be spending some time in fasting and prayer to get God’s direction on it. 

Have you ever had an idea – and you struggle to determine if it was just a good idea or a God idea?  Yeah – that’s where I am right now.  If it is a God idea, I have so many great friends and a Great God who will help bring it to pass. 

Pray It Forward

A few years ago a movie came out that interjected a new phrase into our culture – “Pay It Forward” – on the premise that we do good things for others – not as a payback, but because it is a great thing to do.

I have been personally challenged by the notion lately that we need to “Pray It Forward.”  Too many times as believers we pray for the immediate things, the urgent things that surround us – and that is ok.  But I believe that the Word of God challenges us to Pray It Forward – calling those things which are not as though they are – not about a new Escalade for ourselves - but that which will advance God’s work.  It is important to pray the vision God has given you.  There are things that I believe that God has for me to do and for the church I pastor to accomplish, but there is no way it could happen at the moment.  But I Pray It Forward – and when I arrive at the time God has for that vision – I believe that I’ll be ready, the church will be ready, and God will get all the glory.

Joyce Meyer shared just recently on TV that when her ministry was just starting, her and the ladies helping her would stop and pray during the workday that God would bless their ministry, and thank God for the thousands they would reach, and the great impact they would have in the Kingdom of God.  Well, if you know anything about her ministry, you can see that her efforts in “Praying It Forward” have definitely impacted her ministry.

So what do you believe is ahead for you?  What has God laid on your heart that hasn’t come to fruition yet?  Pray It Forward!