Hey everybody! Can you believe that we are almost at the end of the 21 Days of Engagement? I am looking forward to meeting with everyone at Confluence this Wednesday night…
Last night we had an incredible time with the youth group. I remember at one particular time in the night, the Lord gave me a prophetic word about our youth. The word was that they would have an understanding of the scriptures that is way beyond their years and that there was a spiritual maturity that is developing in the young people. I have been amazed at how hungry of youth are for the Lord!
As I have been thinking about that throughout today, I believe the same is true for the rest of the church as well. Think about how much we have grown together over the past few weeks! I am so encouraged to see the Lord move every age group together at once. I believe that the Lord is going to keep taking us deeper and deeper throughout the year. What we have been experiencing together lately is just the beginning.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
January 18
The Lord is our portion. He satisfies our deepest desires. His love restores us. We are changed in His freedom. We are loved.
Lord, thank you for stretching our hearts to hold more of your love. We want to love you back more than we ever have before.
Lord, thank you for stretching our hearts to hold more of your love. We want to love you back more than we ever have before.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Day 16
Hey Everyone,
I hope that for you, this 21 day adventure has awakened some new habits or ways of seeing and engaging God the way it has in me. It really has helped to have a daily focus. As we continue toward the finish line, my prayer is that it won't be an end but a whole new beginning for us.
I've read that it takes repeating something for 21 days consecutively in order to create a habit. I'm not sure if this would ever function completely on "auto-pilot",(or that it should) but it can become a more integral part of our outlook.
I was driving down the highway praying yesterday and asking the Lord to show me what He was praying. As I did, I passed by an eighteen wheeler that read "delivering new solutions". My spirit immediately jumped and knew this was the word of the Lord. It gave me a clear direction for prayer and insight into His heart. I want habitually anticipate hearing God in small events like this. Whenever I go to a grocery store or a coffee shop or whenever I am, I want to begin to expect again to see the wonder of God show up in everything. Here's an old poem of mine for you:
"There is cinema hiding in the cornfields
There is mystery beneath the crow's wing
There are stories the size of eternity sleeping inside of a moment.
Liberate the Divine Spark.
Wonder is all around us.
It quietly hums even beneath the mundane
Crouching in wait for those who will discover
Symphony is peering behind every tree."
I hope that for you, this 21 day adventure has awakened some new habits or ways of seeing and engaging God the way it has in me. It really has helped to have a daily focus. As we continue toward the finish line, my prayer is that it won't be an end but a whole new beginning for us.
I've read that it takes repeating something for 21 days consecutively in order to create a habit. I'm not sure if this would ever function completely on "auto-pilot",(or that it should) but it can become a more integral part of our outlook.
I was driving down the highway praying yesterday and asking the Lord to show me what He was praying. As I did, I passed by an eighteen wheeler that read "delivering new solutions". My spirit immediately jumped and knew this was the word of the Lord. It gave me a clear direction for prayer and insight into His heart. I want habitually anticipate hearing God in small events like this. Whenever I go to a grocery store or a coffee shop or whenever I am, I want to begin to expect again to see the wonder of God show up in everything. Here's an old poem of mine for you:
"There is cinema hiding in the cornfields
There is mystery beneath the crow's wing
There are stories the size of eternity sleeping inside of a moment.
Liberate the Divine Spark.
Wonder is all around us.
It quietly hums even beneath the mundane
Crouching in wait for those who will discover
Symphony is peering behind every tree."
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Day 15 - Clara
It’s moving day at my house. As I write this note, everything I own is packed in boxes…. This morning the 21 days of engagement feels a lot like moving to me.
Over the last couple of weeks I have made several trips to the Salvation Army and the dumpster to get rid of things. I’ve also made a few trips to the store to get some new things. And, I have encountered a lot of dust!
How in the world has all this “junk” found it’s way into my house and how was I making it without some of the essentials? One example…. an alarm clock! Instead of a clock have been using my phone. Not a bad plan until it rings in the middle of the night or I forget to plug it in and it goes dead before morning.
The 21 days has felt the same to me. Moving out things I don’t need (like some of my time sucking habits), dusting off some things I had forgotten about and adding in some much needed items (like giving thanks). As we hit day 15 it feels like a FRESH START. I didn’t even realize I needed one. Isn’t it great that the Lord always knows just what we need.
Over the last couple of weeks I have made several trips to the Salvation Army and the dumpster to get rid of things. I’ve also made a few trips to the store to get some new things. And, I have encountered a lot of dust!
How in the world has all this “junk” found it’s way into my house and how was I making it without some of the essentials? One example…. an alarm clock! Instead of a clock have been using my phone. Not a bad plan until it rings in the middle of the night or I forget to plug it in and it goes dead before morning.
The 21 days has felt the same to me. Moving out things I don’t need (like some of my time sucking habits), dusting off some things I had forgotten about and adding in some much needed items (like giving thanks). As we hit day 15 it feels like a FRESH START. I didn’t even realize I needed one. Isn’t it great that the Lord always knows just what we need.
Jan 14th - David Olinger
I was reading this week in John 6 about Jesus feeding a crowd of five-thousand men, not including women and children. The bible says that Jesus multiplied enough food for the entire multitude of people by using only two pieces of fish and five loaves of bread that he was given by a “young lad.” I imagine that the young lad who decided to give up his food that day never dreamed that his little sack lunch would feed so many people!
It doesn’t take a lot of talent, skill, anointing, or much of anything to be used by the Lord in huge ways. Our willingness to give out the little bit that we have it what the Lord will use. What is in your sack lunch today?
1Cor. 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
It doesn’t take a lot of talent, skill, anointing, or much of anything to be used by the Lord in huge ways. Our willingness to give out the little bit that we have it what the Lord will use. What is in your sack lunch today?
1Cor. 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Jan 13th - Wendy H
Random
Isn’t it amazing that there’s nothing we can do to earn God’s love? There’s nothing we can do to make him love us more or less. To me – that’s quite a relief, like somehow it’s easier to breathe and just be myself. He pursues us, chases us, and comes after us in the most random of ways. And today he’s going to use us to pursue and encourage someone who seems pretty random to us (faith action – dialing up a random phone number), but in reality the person we call has been on His heart for quite a while. Love makes you do crazy things – right? The Lord must be nuts about these people.
Random
Isn’t it amazing that there’s nothing we can do to earn God’s love? There’s nothing we can do to make him love us more or less. To me – that’s quite a relief, like somehow it’s easier to breathe and just be myself. He pursues us, chases us, and comes after us in the most random of ways. And today he’s going to use us to pursue and encourage someone who seems pretty random to us (faith action – dialing up a random phone number), but in reality the person we call has been on His heart for quite a while. Love makes you do crazy things – right? The Lord must be nuts about these people.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Jan 9th - Matt
Good morning. My guess is that we all have a greater appreciation for food than we have had in awhile. We are all looking forward to this evening when we get to once again put the taste buds God gave us to good use. I'm looking forward to it. But until then, we get to awaken our spiritual mouth by tasting of the Lord's goodness, of His faithfulness and love instead of food.
I have to laugh at the dining opportunities that seem to suddenly arise whenever I fast. Maybe you have had some too. Yesterday, I was invited to an emergency lunch meeting with a group of people - at one of the best restaurants in Winston. The next thing I knew, my ice water and I were surrounded by free filet's of salmon, steak and chicken. It looked good too. It's in these moments that we choose to complain or smile and see it as an opportunity to worship instead, giving a greater gift to God and choosing to eat of His love and presence, which is better than prime rib and fine wine. A presentation was then given during the lunch, describing how nearly 30,000 people who were literally starving to death and thirsty - I was then thankful to not be eating and realizing how amazing blessed and lavished on we all are here.
In our weakness He will be strong today and as we die to our flesh, His love and power will flow through us. It's a great day to be alive.
I have to laugh at the dining opportunities that seem to suddenly arise whenever I fast. Maybe you have had some too. Yesterday, I was invited to an emergency lunch meeting with a group of people - at one of the best restaurants in Winston. The next thing I knew, my ice water and I were surrounded by free filet's of salmon, steak and chicken. It looked good too. It's in these moments that we choose to complain or smile and see it as an opportunity to worship instead, giving a greater gift to God and choosing to eat of His love and presence, which is better than prime rib and fine wine. A presentation was then given during the lunch, describing how nearly 30,000 people who were literally starving to death and thirsty - I was then thankful to not be eating and realizing how amazing blessed and lavished on we all are here.
In our weakness He will be strong today and as we die to our flesh, His love and power will flow through us. It's a great day to be alive.
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