Step Up

“Courage and Enthusiasm”

February 9, 1876, crowds of people gathered in cold, rainy weather outside of New York’s Hippodrome (site of current Madison Square Garden) to hear a man named Dwight L. Moody speak. Every detail about the meeting was printed the next day in the New York Times.

It’s recorded that Moody then stepped up in front of the huge crowd of people and announced the title of his sermon would be, “Courage and Enthusiasm,” because he said, “these are the two most essential qualifications for success in the Lord’s service.” Toward the end of his message, D. L. Moody said…

“I believe we would accomplish more in one week than we could in years if we had only fresh baptism. Many think because they have been filled once, they are going to be full for all time after, but we are leaky vessels. We have to be kept right under the fountain all the time in order to keep full.”

The New York Times article records that many of the thousands of people who came received Christ into their lives.

Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do

There can be no courage unless you’re scared. Courage is necessary for sharing the message of Jesus because it can be scary. But the fact is the Holy Spirit can do more in and through you in one moment that you could ever do on you own. This is why we need to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit.

John Wesley once said, “If you light yourself on fire, people will come watch you burn.” We burn with the power of God on the inside of us. God’s power doesn’t work through random objects, it works through people.

When you come in to contact with someone, you have the opportunity to step up with God’s power and hope to whatever is presented. There’s nothing God can’t handle, and there’s no life he can’t reach. This should fill you courage and enthusiasm!

There’s A Catch

Fishing season

It won’t be too much longer before those of us who fish will be donning our gear with hopes of hookin’ the big one.

When my oldest son Cole was about 6, his grandpa and I took him fishing at a trout farm (if you haven’t done this with your kids or grandkids, you got to do it!). Literally within minutes of having put his little hook in the water, Cole was landing some of the biggest trout I’ve ever seen!

“Daddy! Daddy! Look what I caught!”

I have a video tape somewhere recording the event. Cole was as hooked as the fish. He loved it! In fact, when he was 7 I began buying him better equipment (the Peanuts edition of the Popeil Pocket Fisherman wouldn’t do). Almost thirty years later, Cole is still an avid fisherman.

In the Summer of 1991, Cole and I were sitting in small boat on a beautiful lake high in the Colorado Rockies. We had snuck out before dawn with the promise from the locals that this particular lake was loaded with trout. Sunrise came. No fish. Noon came. No fish. Sunset was soon coming, and still no fish. Not even a nibble. As we were loading our gear in the car, somewhat dejected, Cole asked me “Dad, is there a trout farm around here?”

The next day we came back and gave it another go. We caught some of the most beautiful, hard-fighting trout you’ve ever seen!

More fishing

This story of Cole and me fishing reminds me of how it can be in our efforts to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. Jesus said,

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mk 1:17)

Fishing for men sometimes can be as easy as fishing at the trout farm. It seems like the Lord literally drops someone into you lap. Then at other times it requires patience and perseverance. But no matter how or where we catch men for Jesus, there’s something in all of us that says,

“Daddy! Daddy! Look what I caught!”

God loves it! And I got a hunch he’s got bunch of videos somewhere of us doing it!.

What’s Your Motivation?

Ever been in love?

Remember how crazy things were when you first fell in love? The minutes hung like hours when you were apart, and the time flew by so fast when you were together. No distance was too far to travel just to be together.

I fell in love with my wife Kathie at Point Loma University. For a whole year we were inseparable. Then she moved 350 miles away back to her home in San Luis Obispo. I know every inch of those miles because I traveled them often. Sometimes just for the day. Five hours of driving just to see her face and to hear her voice. It was extreme. It might’ve seemed wasteful, but I didn’t care. I was in love!

Love that remembers

One day Jesus was having lunch at a Pharisee’s house. A woman who was from a local brothel snuck in and sat at Jesus’ feet. She began weeping, in fact so much so that she was able to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears, and then began to wipe them with her hair. If that weren’t enough, she also poured costly oil all over his feet.

Everybody was watching.

Jesus asked the his host, “Do you see this woman?” “Uhh, yeah, kinda hard to miss her,” answered the Pharisee. Then Jesus told him,

Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, therefore she loves much.” (Luke 7:47)

She was in love with Jesus. She was grateful for the grace he had shown her and did not care about how over the top or extreme her expression of love may of seemed.

Don’t be that guy

What was happening with the Pharisee is what can happen to us. Over time we can forget where God has brought us from. We lose that un-abandoned expression of our love for Jesus and our thankfulness for His grace. We see ourselves as having arrived, and can began look at people who are expressing their love for him as extreme, maybe even weird.

Don’t forget what God has done in your life, and more importantly don’t forget to express your love for him. Others may think you’re being extreme, but don’t worry about them. Be like the woman, not the Pharisee. God’s forgiven you extravagantly why not love him extravagantly!

Remember Jonah?

You probably know the story of Jonah pretty well. Jonah’s the guy who tried to run from God and found himself in the belly of a really big fish. It seems so silly. What was so difficult about what God said to Jonah that would cause him to run in the opposite direction?

Here’s all God said,

Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.” (Jonah 1:2, Message)

That doesn’t seem so difficult, but let’s look at it in a different light. Put yourself in Jonah’s shoes, and then replace Nineveh with the city you live in. God is saying for you to go to a city you really dislike and preach…to the WHOLE city. That kind of changes things a little doesn’t it?

God loves the whole world

God loves people, therefore God loves the cities, communities, states and countries that people live in. No matter how dark things have become, no matter how much men have rejected God and turned away from him, no matter what…God’s great love remains. And we are the ambassadors of that divine love.

When Jonah finally did what God had called him to do, here’s what we are told happened,

The people of Nineveh listened, and trusted God. They proclaimed a citywide fast and dressed in burlap to show their repentance. Everyone did it—rich and poor, famous and obscure, leaders and followers. When the message reached the king of Nineveh, he got up off his throne, threw down his royal robes, dressed in burlap, and sat down in the dirt.”…God saw what they had done, that they had turned away from their evil lives. He did change his mind about them. What he said he would do to them he didn’t do.(Jonah 3:5-6,10, Message)

No more excuses

No wonder the battle is so fierce against us being obedient to God’s calling—whole communities are up for grab. And the Enemy knows this very well, so he bombards us with every excuse in the book to not do what God has called us to do.

No matter what, the calling remains! God is still saying, “Up on your feet and go to the city” (at least the one you live in)…and preach the good news!

 

A Kingdom Culture

A Kingdom Culture

A culture is the system of beliefs, disciplines, practices, and relational boundaries that reveal how life is lived among a particular group of people. We are working on building a culture where God’s kingdom honored. This will position us for future advancements. We will be enabled and empowered to invade the world around us instead of waiting for them to come to us. For this to succeed we must pursue the necessary things to sustain it.

It is abnormal for a Christian not to have an appetite for the impossible. It has been written into our spiritual DNA to hunger for the impossibilities around us to bow at the name of Jesus. The lack of miracles isn’t because it is not in God’s will for us. The problem exists with us. Moves of God’s power fail when we begin to wane in our commitment to it.

Where do you eat?

There are two tables you can eat at. One table is filled with a bunch of horrible news, while the other is filled with the incredibly good news of God’s Kingdom. I’ve been eating at the table of God’s good news for so long, people have to remind me that the other one exists. But one of us, or even a few of us, feeding at this table doesn’t create a Kingdom culture.

What we have really worked hard over the years, especially this past year, is to try to build a culture around God’s kingdom. Trying to arrange our conversation, thinking, planning and praying around that. Being a people with constant good news is actually “living in denial.” It’s when the enemy makes a suggestion, you reply “request denied.” That’s the right kind of living in denial. You don’t dwell on the garbage that the enemy feeds out to people.

No more excuses

“For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” (1 Corinthians 4:20)

Stories of the impossible happening are becoming the norm, and the company of people who have joined this quest for an authentic gospel, the gospel of the Kingdom, is increasing. Loving God and His people is an honor, but we can no longer make up excuses for powerlessness because powerlessness is inexcusable. Our mandate is simple: raise up a generation that can openly display the raw power of God.

Tune In

A man was totally afraid to fly. His friend was trying to console him, “Don’t you know that Jesus said, ‘I will be with you to the end of the world?’” “Yeah, but He also said, ‘LOW, I will be with you,’ not HIGH I will be with you!” 

Tune into the station

While we may laugh at such a story, the promise of God being present with us is no laughing matter. There are many misconceptions of what constitutes God’s presence. Ask yourself, “When am I most aware of the presence of God?” Everyone’s answers will vary, and yet none of them will be wrong.

Some may think they need more “information” about God to be closer to Him. While knowledge of God is a wonderful thing, what will bring us closer to Him is being more aware of His presence.

Have you ever thought about that fact that radio signals project whether or not anyone tunes in? In a much greater sense, God is with you right now. He knows what you’re doing, even when you don’t pay attention. Tune into the very real presence that’s already there. God isn’t present only when you feel him most; he’s present all the time and in every place.

Like wax?

“Mountains melt like wax in the presence of the Lord” (Psalms 97:5)

If the mountains melt like wax in God’s presence, there’s a good chance that we are going to experience some type of affect in God’s presence. Almost a century and a half ago, the great evangelist Charles Finney described it this way…

“The Holy Ghost descended on me in a manner that seemed to go through me, body and soul. I could feel the impression, like a wave of electricity, going through and through me. Indeed it seemed to come in waves and waves of liquid love; for I could not express it in any other way. It seemed like the very breath of God. I can recollect distinctly that it seemed to fan me, like immense wings. No words can express the wonderful love that was shed abroad in my heart. I wept aloud with joy and love; and I do not know but I should say, I literally bellowed out the unutterable gushings of my heart. The waves came over me, and over me, one after the other, until I recollect I cried out, “I shall die if these waves continue to pass over me.” I said, “Lord, I cannot bear any more;” yet I had no fear of death.”

This type of experience from God’s presence is still available. It will change everything! It will cause the weapons of Satan’s attack to lose their power.  It will also cause the hard hearts to soften.It will bring healing to people’s lives. And most importantly it will open the door for God to come and do what only He can do.

Re-present Goodness

Caught in grace

The religious leaders brought a woman to Jesus who had been caught in a scandal of adultery. They also brought stones to kill her. Jesus listened to the accusations, then knelt down between the woman and her accusers.

“Let the one with no sin cast the first stone.” (John 8:7)

He then began to write something in the dirt. Many have speculated what he wrote, but whatever it was, there was released such an atmosphere of grace that those who were ready to judge her according to the law, dropped their rocks and walked away.

Who we re-present

Jesus was and is the exact representation of God the Father. He said, “He who sees me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9). And we now are the exact representation of Jesus, and therefore God (John 20:21). Our assignment is to continue doing what Jesus did, yet most Christians seem more comfortable with the group ready to stone the sinner.

As representatives of God, we are to re-present those things God did through Jesus.

Children flock to a good father

Jesus reveals over and over again that the Father is good. He then passes over to us the assignment of showing the goodness of God to people. However, it’s not to people who deserve it, but to those who long for it—which is every human being. Every person, no matter how dark their lives have become, desires the loving embrace of a good father.

Through the simple acts of goodness, led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, access is gained to people’s hearts. Goodness allows God to move in and write in the sand of their circumstances something that chases away the accusations, and affirms His loves for them.

 

Jesus In Black Robe

 

Would you want to become a Christian if you were told that your role in church would be limited, solely because of your gender?

Jesus in black too?

At this year’s Golden Globe Awards, the stars banded together in all-black dresses and outfits to make a statement against the epidemic of sexual harassment and inequality against women in the entertainment field, as well as all other workplaces.

Too many Christians only took note of the anti-Trump ad hominem, without seizing the opportunity to support something dear to God’s heart: the equality of women.

Women: the modern slaves

Pro-slavery advocates of the 18th and 19th centuries used five basic tenets based on the Bible to express the heart of their argument:

  1. God established slavery in the Old Testament
  2. Righteous people practiced it
  3. The moral law allowed for it
  4. Jesus accepted it
  5. The apostles upheld it

Slavery was a fact of life in Biblical times. It was not because of any virtue in slavery, but because there was no hope of reform at that time in history. But today, the vast majority of Christians view slavery as a horrible evil, incompatible with the teachings of Christ.

Yet, there is more to defend the practice of slavery in the Bible than there is to limit the role of women

Equally Valuable

When we examine the Bible concerning women, the compelling evidence that the traditional approach subjugating women does not line up with the heart of God. Like slavery, God did not decree the secondary status of women for all time.

There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28, NLT)

Man and woman were created by God to be equal in value but different in roles. God didn’t design us to be the same, nor to do all the same things. He created one male and one female with differing roles and jobs. He created two different genders on purpose, for a purpose.

What’s needed is to lovingly reveal how all women are valuable and precious to God; to embrace God’s design for marriage, family, dignity of life, and sexuality.

And maybe on occasion to dress in black.

Promise Keeper


Covenant of promise

God made “covenants” with us that were promises secured in blood. The sending of Jesus Christ to earth is the greatest fulfillment of his promise to give a Savior.

Because of our negative experiences with promises being broken, we may find ourselves responding to God’s promises with uncertainty. But God is not like other promise-makers (or breakers) we have known. God’s promises are unchangeable and guaranteed. His promises give the hope of something good and strength to persevere.

Even though fear and distrust make it difficult for us to allow God’s promises to nurture and sustain you, you can count on God to keep his promises. He has promises to bring change and rest. He has promised to give you his love, protection, presence and support. And he will do these things!

Stand on God’s promises!

You need to hear his promises over and over until they gradually make their way deep within our hearts and minds. The second verse of old hymn says it well…

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

 That’s a perfect picture of what you can do with God’s promises: STAND ON THEM! Why? Because they will not fail, because God never fails!

Don’t Miss It

Movement of the Spirit

There are several metaphors used in the New Testament to describe the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus in the form of a dove. The Holy Spirit came into the upper room in the form of fire. The Holy Spirit is likened unto wind…

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

You can sense and discern the move of God’s Spirit, but you cannot see it nor predict it. Speaker and Author, Sarah Bowling describes it as, “an elusive perception of a infinite reality.” This mysterious quality of the moving of the Holy Spirit also implies that you could miss it.

Able to notice

Have you ever been somewhere and sensed God’s presence only to find out that others around you were totally oblivious? The Holy Spirit was touching your heart, yet others seem unmoved and unaffected.

How can it be that one person can experience a dynamic touch of God’s Spirit while someone right next to them does not? No doubt there have been times when you may have missed what God was doing. He was touching others, they were sensing His presence, and yet you felt dull in your senses.

“… those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern…” (Hebrews 5:14)

In other words, in order to discern spiritual things you must have your spiritual senses developed. Developing your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit comes from desiring to be a part of what he is doing. There will be many things that God will be doing by his Spirit today, so be determined to not miss any of it!