Radical

No i haven't been watching ninja turtles (isn't that what they said?). I highly recommend a book called "Radical" by David Platt. Just thought i'd comment on it. Haven't gotten through the whole thing yet so hopefully there's nothing in there that is completely way off later on--haha! It just makes me think of how followers of Christ should really be. We don't just take on the name of being a Christian and add it to our name like we add some kind of meaningless talent to our resume. There should be a huge radical shift in our thinking and actions. Jesus hasn't called us to live the same way. He didn't say, "just be a little nicer and make the world a little better." He called us to die to ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him. That's pretty deep. But what is more imporatant than living for Him and doing His work? What ways can you start to step out there a little further into being radically devoted to Jesus at whatever the cost?

The Future

The Future... That sounds so mysterious and Jetsony (from the Jetsons). I just want you New Beginnings people and all who will to start praying for the next steps for us to take. Pray for us to reach out more and connect with more people. We have the most important message ever. It's the message of Jesus and his saving power. Let's get that out to as many as we can. So that's why we need to always push ourselves for growth. The more we grow, the more we get the message out. By the way, how many of you have taken on the challenge to give out invite cards? Let's push each other!

Start where you are

Wow i've been off of blog too long. i always think of things to say and put a new post on, but i never get around to doing it. it's probably just me procrastin.... well you know. it got me thinking about how so many people approch their life with Christ. they get into a rut and they aren't as close to Him as they know they should be. they want to make a change, but they feel like they are too far to start changing now. that's the thing. we don't have to it all figured out before we come to Him. if you continue to think that way, then you'll never get your life straight. my advice to you is just start right now where you are by taking a simple step. start praying to God if you haven't been. just talk to Him. start reading your Bible. pick it up start reading a little bit each day and make a commitment to always do that. take something out of your life right now that doesn't need to be there. go to church sunday and just worship God. that's a small list of things that maybe you're dealing with. take a small step, but keep taking them. be consistent and intentional about it and see how God will work in your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

Eternity in your hearts

I was thinking about a passage in Ecclesiastes. In 3:11 it says, "He has also set eternity in the hearts of men." C.S. Lewis made a similar statement that goes with this verse. He said, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." I like that! I love to think about what God's word says about me now that I am saved. It speaks of me being saved, forgiven, and a new creation. If you are a Christian, do you let those words sink in? God made you to where you will only be satisfied when you come to Him. Don't think that God was trying to be arrogant and needy. He knows who He is and that total perfection and greatness and all joy and love originate with Him. He just wants to share it all with you. When we realize this emptiness inside of us can't be filled with all the stuff in the world. Then we find true peace. Then we find what Paul talked about in contentment. So live this life totally sold out to God. He'll show you what He has planned for you. And don't hold anything back. No regrets. Do that so that when you come to the end of your life you can say with truth and total joy and peace like Paul did, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day." And then you go to eternity with God!

No greater job

I find myself trying to always speak to people about how the greatest job or mission that a Christian can have is to tell others about Jesus. It really is. It's the coolest thing that you can be a part of. Now the problem I see in churches is not that we don't talk about reaching others (well some churches don't), but that we don't know how to do it. I believe that we think about it too much. This has been a crazy time at our church. There are many people who are dealing with cancer and other sicknesses and diseases and death. And so I think everyone knows that life is unpredictable and we're not guaranteed of a certain amount of time, but it becomes more real when things happen to us or around us. So at times like these we need to trust in God and pray all the time. But we also need to think about our mission. Tell the world about Jesus. Do you believe in what the Bible says?

Vision

We're doing a series right now on Nehemiah. I love that book for a lot of reasons. You see God working behind the scenes whenever He plants a vision. You see people trying to stamp out someone's calling and plan, but God winning in the end. And you see people learning to trust God at all costs for when they know He has spoken. Our church is in the process of following God's vision for us. And I have repeatedly said that it is going to be amazing and we are going to see many get saved and the church is going to grow and we'll expand to have many more opportunities to follow God. That's what God is showing me and it's starting to happen. But with any great work that God will call you to be a part of there will be opposition. Nehemiah saw that firsthand. It came in lots of ways, but he never gave in and zeroed in on what he knew he was supposed to do. That's what we're called to do. Just follow what you know God is calling you to do and know from Nehemiah that He is working behind the scenes to prepare you to keep going so that His plan will succeed. Keep going guys! Don't give up!