Emerging Church part 2

Emerging Church?

You may or may not be aware of the term or "movement" called "The Emerging Church". Many refer to not as a movement but as a conversation that is happening within the "evangelical" church. This video is a start.

(This is a Desiring God (the ministry headed up by John Piper) interview with Mark Driscoll before he spoke at their 2006 pastors’ conference)

Real hope is necessary.

Hope is like nothing else. If you don't have hope you have despair. Real hope is tied to a vision of something bigger and grander than what you have in the present.

No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God will do for those who love Him.

Think about it. No eye...not even one, nor any ear. It hasn't even entered into the heart, the conscience thought of man what God will do... God will do it. He will accomplish His plans for those who love Him.

Oh God may I fix my eyes upon you, the author and finisher of my faith. I find hope, rest, peace, and strength in you.

Anger

Confession. If you were to ask me if I had a problem with anger I would probable say no. BUT I do. I have a problem with anger. I cover it well most of the time. To look at me you might not realize it but it's there.

God, just one more thing to add to the list. Please fill me with your Spirit. May I surrender to you and not to my flesh. I need you, please help me.

That's My King!

Prayer is the foundation of all exploits in God's Kingdom!

Where is the power, the victory, the great exploits? Is it because we are not doing the necessary battle in the heavenly realms?

Here are two fantastic articles by Leonard Ravenhill that every christian should read and heed.

We Wrestle Not! - Leonard Ravenhill

Where are the Elijahs of God? - Leonard Ravenhill

I am praying, crying out to God that He would raise up in this hour men and women that will be on "Hell's 10 Most Wanted List" because of the damage they will inflect on the enemy!

Hope, Change, Hope, Change….

There’s been a lot of talk about HOPE and CHANGE this presidential election. My hope doesn’t lie with this candidate or that one. The change the either political party can bring is not the change that America really needs. Now I have my views and I’ll vote based upon my conviction but when it comes to hope, and change…

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.”

“Change my heart of God. Make it ever true. Change me heart of God. May I be like you.”

God, your kingdom come and your will be done right here on earth as it is in heaven!!!

God, please change my heart. Give me tears!!!

My eyes are dry
My faith is old
My heart is hard
My prayers are cold

But I know how I ought to be,
Alive to you and dead to me

What can be done
For an old heart like mine
Soften it up with oil and wine
The oil is you, your spirit of love
Please wash me anew in the wine of your blood

- Song lyrics by Keith Green.

What am I clinging to?

What is my life? Most importantly it’s not my own. I’ve been bought with a great price. I am, as Winkie Pratney once wrote, “Free As A Slave”. I slave only does what his master tell him to do.

So what am I clinging to? The things “I possess” don’t belong to me. My time, talents, and treasures are on loan from my father.

It’s time to let go.

I’m a survivor?

Am I looking to simply survive life or will I be an overcomer?

Being an overcomer doesn’t mean I won’t have times of testing, trial, or pain but to “him that overcometh…”

Jesus will not say to everyone, “Well done good and faithful servant.” No, He will only say that to those who have been faithful; to those who have overcome the world.

I want to be an OVERCOMER!!!

Beautiful New Beginnings

I've been away from Blogging for a long time but wanting to get back to it. I feel like God has been doing some new things in my heart that I want to journal, as well as share. I hope it will be an encouragement.

It’s a new day, a new beautiful beginning. Are you ready?

Private pray for Public Power

"Jesus, while being a very public figure, was actually a very private person. He is not seen praying in public nearly as much as He is seen praying in private. In fact, our Savior was so committed to prayer that He would often pray for hours on end, even through the night. He seemed to crave intimate moments alone with His father in heaven." - Jentezen Franklin

Dry Bones Dance

Rise up O men of God,
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and soul and mind and strength,
To serve the King of Kings,
To serve the King of Kings.

Rise up O men of God,
His Kingdom tarries long,
Bring in the day of brotherhood,
And end the night of wrong,
And end the night of wrong.

Rise up O men of God,
The Church for you doth wait.
Send forth to serve the needs of men
In Christ our strength is great,
In Christ our strength is great.

Lift high the Cross of Christ,
Tread where His feet have trod,
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up O men of God,
Rise up O men of God.

Rise up O men of God,
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and soul and mind and strength,
To serve the King of Kings,
To serve the King of Kings.

One day at a time.

Still Fasting. That's right. The Daniel fast is still on.

God is so good to me. There is so much more that He has for me if I will just surrender.

Where are the tears?

Stop! When I stop long enough to expose myself to the light of God's love (which can in no way be absent of truth) I begin to see myself for who I am. I am a beggar and a thief who has been brought into the King's palace. The sheer brilliance of the King is in stark contrast to my dark and dingy self. God's intent is not to expose me as a fraud, for that is evident. No the Kings intention is to help me be honest about who/what I am. Put off the dingy cloths and to put on royalty.

Pure Awe! Pure Joy! Here come the tears.


"My eyes are dry
My faith is old
My heart is hard
My prayers are cold

But I know how I ought to be,
Alive to you and dead to me

What can be done
For an old heart like mine
Soften it up with oil and wine
The oil is you, your spirit of love
Please wash me anew in the wine of your blood"

- Song lyrics by Keith Green.

Hitting the mark, getting specific!

The following is from My Utmost For His Highest, July 3rd.

The Concentration of Personal Sin.
"Woe is me, I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips..." (Isaiah 6:5)

When I come into the presence of God, I do not realize that I am a sinner in an indefinite sense, but I suddenly realize and the focus of my attention is directed toward the concentration of sin in a particular area of my life. A person will easily say, "Oh yes, I know I am a sinner," but when he comes into the presence of God he cannot get away with such a broad and indefinite statement.

There is never any vague sense of sin, but a focusing on the concentration of sin in some specific, personal area of life.

The effect of Isaiah's vision of the holiness of the Lord was the directing of his attention to the fact that he was "a man of unclean lips." "He touched my mouth with it, and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and you sin purged' " (6:7) The cleansing fire had to be applied where the sin had been concentrated.

What are the odds?

What are the odes that I would get a stomach bug the day I am to start my fast but that’s exactly what happened. Oh, it seems that it was only a 24-hour thing. Thank God for that!

I worked hard at staying hydrated. I needed to take some medicine for the diarrhea and I also ended up drinking some Gatorade for electrolytes.

What doesn’t kill you…
I am committed to continuing with my fast.

Some may ask why I have chosen to talk and blog about my fast. After all is fasting to be a private matter. Fasting is both a personal and private matter. Our primary reason for fasting must be to seek God face, drawing near to Him. It should not be done to draw attention to one’s self (Matt. 6:16-18, Matt. 23:28).

However, I believe the discipline of fasting is such a under appreciated, and for many misunderstood that I wanted my experience to act as an encouragement for others. If one person can be encouraged in this disciple I give God all the glory.

May you be blessed as you seek our Father,
Joel

So What's The Plan?

*One should into a fast taking into consideration that it will be taxing on the body. It is recommended that you consult with your physician before you start a fast if you have any medical conditions.

You can fast a meal or longer. There are full food fasts when you just drink water or there’s something called a Daniel fast when you only eat fruits and vegetables.

I’ll be sharing more about the details about fasting in the coming days but for now what I’m I doing.

For the first 7 days of July I will be fasting all food and only drinking water.

Then for the next 21 days I will be doing a Daniel fast.


I’m fasting first and foremost to seek God’s face. Beyond that I’m looking for clarity in regards to God’s calling on my life. I’m also seeking to see some breakthroughs in my life.

We’ll talk about seeking God for breakthroughs on tomorrow’s blog.

Biblical Fasting: God's Buffet

"...biblical fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose. From the beginning, fasting has been a normal part of a relationship with God." Jentezen Franklin Fasting.

Let's not make fasting more "mystical" than it needs to be. It's a spiritual discipline that places the flesh into submission and helps you focus on God's kingdom. You are seeking God's face, wanting to know the Father Heart of God.

"When you eliminate food from your diet for a number of days, your spirit becomes uncluttered by the things of this world and amazingly sensitive to the things of God." JF - Fasting

Imagine - sensitive to the things of God! Are you hungry; ready to feast on the things of God? I am!!!

Invitation: Come and be filled.

ARE YOU HUNGRY? Do you have a hunger that even the biggest meal can't fill.

Give, Pray, and Fast.
Jesus, in Matthew 6 referenced three duties that a Christian should participate in; giving, praying, and fasting. Jesus said, “When you give”…”when you pray”…”when you fast”.

I don't know about you but I'm wanting my God given desires and dreams to be realized. I want to be part of God's Kingdom come and His well being done. I've been saying to myself, "How sad would it be if at the end of my life as I stand before God He would say to me, 'I had so much more to give to you but you would not have it.'"

“…there are some things that I desire more than food.” – Jentezen Franklin from his book entitled Fasting.

During the month of July I will be fasting; seaching God's face with a desire to see His Kingdom come and will to be done. I'm also seaching God for some breakthroughs in my life. Do you have any need for breakthrougs in your life, work, relationships, church...

I'll be updating my blog each day with helpful tips on fasting, scripture, thoughts from different authors as well as some of my own. I want to invite you to consider taking a journey with me based upon what God might be calling you to do.

In tomorrow's blog we will look at what a biblical fast looks like. I will share my own plan and also some helpful tips for you if you are considering a fast of any length.

For such a time as this: HUNGER PAINS

ARE YOU HUNGRY? ARE YOU??? ARE YOU???

ARE YOU!?!?!?!?!?

For Such A Time As This!

There's more to come soon so...

Sponge

I've been learning so much lately and growing I don't even know where to begin. It's been a long time since my last post. I'm processing through some things right now that I'm about ready to write about.

It's as if I'm a sponge. I've been sucking up a lot of information. I've been reading a lot lately, have attended two powerful conferences, etc.

I've also been strugling with some things as well. Heart things. You know? Examining my heart and trying to check my motives for what I do.

I want to have an additude of wanting to please an audiance of one. God!

I know so little. I have so much grow to do. Life is so short and I want to be spent reaching toward my full potential; giving God the maximum glory.

God has also been putting the squeeze on me as well and I pray that more and more what comes out of me reflex Him and not me.

The Three T's

It’s been said that life is God’s gift to us. What we do with our lives is our gift back to God.

As we consider the three T’s; Our Time, Talents, and Treasures those who call themselves Christ followers want to see God get the maximum glory in these three areas. It ties into what Pastor Clay has mentioned concerning us reaching our fully potential, as individuals and as a church.

We are to be constantly moving from the worldly good life to the Christ centered Great Life!Part of the steps in reaching our full potential is assessing what we are doing with our three T’s.
In the area of our personal finances, one way to do this is by keeping track of our spending habits.

Try this out and see what you find. Keep all of the receipts from anything you purchase this week. At the end of the week lay them out on your kitchen table. Now look at the different things you purchased. Some of them might be necessities but how much money was spent on things you don’t need, or can’t afford including the multiple lunches out or picking up dinner on the way home.

I know for myself I’ll say, “If only I had taken a little more time planning out my week I could have had a packed lunch a couple more time instead of getting my lunch on the run.”

Packing a lunch cost less and it’s usually healthier for you.

Pray with me: God please help me use the time, talents, and treasures you’ve given me to honor you this week. In Jesus name. Amen.

Grow Up and Serve.

How do you know if someone is maturing in his or her faith? Some Christians have a set of matrix to measure spiritual growth and in turn others by. Is someone mature in their faith if they’ve defeated the “giants” in their life like additions, or maybe have 100 Bible verses memorized? That’s not to say that victory over sin issues in your life or that studying or memorizing the Bible isn’t important because they are.

But one thing sets leaders, those who understand that they are called to be disciples of Jesus apart from those who just follow. Service!

You are growing/maturing in your walk with Christ when you know that you are here to serve others not be served by them. This doesn’t meet we don’t need others. Christ describes the church as His body. His body is like the human body with all different parts like arms and legs, each with different functions. We need each other.

True leaders serve. Jesus washed his disciples feet not because they were dirty. Fact is they were probably really dirty! No, he washed their feet to demonstrate a servant’s heart.

After all, washing someone’s feet (or the equivalent) is not a job for a king but for a servant/slave, right? That’s what we find in most cultures. That’s what we find in most organizations, companies, and for that matter relationships and marriages. When Jesus washed their feet he once again demonstrated a life that was filled with humility, grace, compassion. It’s just another glimpse of God’s heart and how far He is willing to go for us. Even to the cross.
Grow in your faith by serving someone, somehow, somewhere today. Someone right where you live and/or work.

Our Update Jan. 21

Time for a little update. This will be a bigger than normal update because It's been a while since I've posted anything or since we've been in contact. Things are going great but I’ve/we’ve been very busy. For those who don’t yet know, we have bought a house. Our closing date is this Thursday Jan. 24th. We are very excited about getting into our own place! It’s not far from Paula’s sisters, about 15-20 min. and it’s about 15 min. from the church where I’m working.

I‘m spending a lot of time at our church helping out in several capacities. I just finished organizing and teaching a three hour workshop on personal finances. Over the past month and a half the preparation for the workshop has taken up a lot of my time and energy. I’m very glad that it is over so I can focus on some other projects.

The gentleman that had been in charge of cleaning the church just moved away from the area so Pastor Clay asked if I would be willing to help out in that capacity for a short time. Clay thought of me because they were paying the gentleman to keep the facility clean, so until the church can bring me on as a paid staff member this would help us out financially. It will be vital for me to build a team of volunteers to assist in the weekly cleaning of the facility. To clean the facility thoroughly it takes about 20 hours a week.

My main function within the church is Director of Community Groups, which is like a pastor in training because we plan on planting additional campuses/worship locations around the area. One of the main goals in 2008 for our church, especially the Community Group ministry is to help our members enlarge their visions for ministry. Each of us are called to get off the sidelines and into the game. I'm working closely with my community group leaders, helping them see themselves as ministers, and equipping them to do the work of the ministry. We believe that community/small groups are important because as Christ followers we grow as we do life together with other Christians. We will never be all that we can be if we try to do life by ourselves.

In 2007 the church launched a second Sunday service and now our weekend attendance is nearing 750. We are scheduled to have three services on Easter this year with that third service being a permanent addition going forward.

Personal note: Paula is doing well. She is working three days a week as a nurse. Chloe is doing well. I am loving and learning much in my three days a week Mr. Mom role.

*Many of you knew that I was planning on beginning Graduate studies. For various reasons that plan is on hold. My main purpose for Graduate studies was to be better equipped as a leader/minister. I'm still open to the idea of doing graduate work in the future but the things that I am doing and learning "on the job" are keeping me busy and training me to be a better minister.

Please feel free to respond to any postings or email me directly. We love you all.