What's the Worst That Could Happen?

CHURCH INVITE from beamerfilms on GodTube.

Invite

Hey Beulah...Easter's coming and I was serious about that standing room only comment...it was from God! Let's start training for the invite...no matter who we meet...

Invite by The Sound Tank from andrewmanzano on GodTube.

Pray for Storm Victims in Southern Illinois

By now all have heard of the tornados that struck in deep Southern Illinois early this morning. The good great news I just heard was that the number who have died has been revised to a lower number…praise God! Now, I know several are wanting to help and there are many different ways we can help, but one of the most effective ways to help is to fall to our face in prayer, with intercession on their behalf. Now, don’t just say you’ll pray, or offer up a small prayer while you’re reminded of it…I am speaking of fervent, heartfelt prayer asking God first to meet physical, emotional, and financial needs. Secondly ask God to use these people, this tragedy to glorify Himself. Pray that the testimonies about how God protected people, comforted and provided for people and how He used people to help those in need will flow from the lips of those affected like the waters of a river flow in the springtime. Remember, our God is worthy of our praise in both good times and in time of distress and despair. Then pray for God to direct you as to how you can help. One way to pray is to ask God to enable you to help them in proportion to the help you will need in the future…that seems like the best way to “pay it forward!”

Love Packages, Butler, IL

If you are looking for someplace to do some mission work for youth or adults that is close, inexpensive, and life-changing, I would like to suggest Love Packages at Butler, IL. You can work for hours or days and know that your time will be used by God to change the lives of hundreds around the world! Here’s Steve’s story…I cannot recommend it enough. Watch this (and other Love Packages videos on YouTube) and then call Steve!

Making the Shift!

George Barna concludes his book, “Think Like Jesus” with these words:

          “To be a genuine Christian is more than simply believing in God or Jesus Christ; even the devil meets that criterion. Being a true Christian requires more than simply believing that the Bible is a reliable ancient document; many archaeologist and historians who are atheists believe that. To be an authentic Christian is to accept that God is the Creator of all things, the indisputable Ruler of the universe, and the One who gave us life and purpose—the purpose of loving and obeying Him, and of loving and serving other people, and of living in accordance to the guidelines He provided in the Bible and in concert with the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit that He instills within us once we surrender fully to Him. It is at that point that we see the world for what it is and invest our time and energy in trying to think like Jesus so we can behave like Jesus—all so that we might please and honor God.

          If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, what better way is there to express your reverence for God than to commit yourself to thinking like Jesus?” (p. 198).

All I would add is Amen!

Send Satan Packing!

As we begin this Lenten season, some of us will inevitably fail in our endeavor to draw near to God. The distractions of daily life, our human weaknesses, unfamiliar disciplines, each can contribute to our failure, as can satan. Of all the things I know, I know satan does not want us to draw closer to God. However, and I’ve said this before, he has no power over us. We must remember that satan is not co-equal with God as it sometimes might feel, satan is a created being, a fallen angel. C. S. Lewis said it well: “Satan, the leader of or dictator of devils, is the opposite, not of God, but of Michael.” Yes, Paul does describe him as a roaring lion, but the Lion of the tribe of Judah is far greater than satan will ever be. John gives us the only word we really need, “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 Jn 4:4). Now, if those words were not enough, James gives us the formula for defeating him soundly: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (4:7). This Lent don’t believe the lies of satan…keep your eyes on the prize and He will reward you with the intimacy you seek.

Ash Wednesday

Yesterday I buried a woman who, for the past 15 years or so, had been praying for me and my ministry. She was a prayer warrior. I say this, not to solicit sympathy, but to sound an alarm. Could one of the reasons the Church is in such a feeble state in America be that we are not replacing those elderly prayer warriors with younger ones? My observation from the past five charges I have served is that we have lost more warriors than we have raised up. Perhaps it is my fault as well. Today is Ash Wednesday. For many, a time to give up something they enjoy so they might focus more intently on the Lord. The fault in this practice is that many will wait either patiently or painfully for the end of Lent so they might again enjoy that which they have denied themselves of. Is that the point? I would suggest to you that instead of “giving up” something for Lent, why don’t we “take up” something new for Lent. Why not add prayer time to our day…why not add time to seek God’s face…why not add time, intentional time, to explore God’s will for you? It seems if the Church today is weak and powerless it is only because we have not yet discovered the power of the Holy Spirit. Why not add time asking the Spirit to come upon us…that we might truly be the Church God intended for us to be? I pray you have a productive Lenten season, whatever your practice.