Ever broken something in your life, like a glass or a plate? During college I had my far share “golf clap” breakages as a buffet waiter. One particular moment still sticks in my memory like epoxy. I don’t remember what we were doing or why we were going into the local supermarket, but for some reason my dad and I walked in a Safeway that fateful day. He sent me, a 6 year old boy, down the pop isle (Soda isle for your eastern’s). 30 years ago plastic was not as widely used in society as it is today and so 2 liters came in glass bottles. (Aging myself—I know)
So, I am searching for the bargain Coke and once I find it I reach out and grab 2 liters of something that was too heavy for me to carry. Trying my hardest to carry a slippery and heavy bottle of pop (errr…soda) I got about 10 feet down the isle before it slipped through my hands and shattered on the floor. I was frightened, terrorized and frozen because my parents always told me “you break it you buy it!” I looked and no one saw, yes FREE! All I have to do is walk away from the mess. As I made my way to the end of the isle there was my dad coming back from the other side of the store. BUSTED or so I thought; in the end the famous “Clean up on isle 10” was heard over the loud speaker and somebody else cleaned up my mess. Somebody else paid for the pop and I was saved from punishment.
Our relationships in life are much like that bottle, often too heavy to carry, yet we still try to do it alone. And when they shatter and break all over the floor our first reaction is to hide. The mess is so big often we don’t know what to do in order to clean up our own relationship isles. So the Holy Spirit calls over the loud speaker, “Clean up in Pastor Paul’s life” and Jesus rolls around the corner with his mop bucket and cleans up the shattered mess.
By the way, my dad asked me “Son why did you try to carry that bottle?” And that is what your heavenly Father asks you today, “Why are you trying to carry something you can’t carry, let me handle it.”
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30)
What are you carrying today that is too heavy, release them to the Father before you drop them and cause a big mess!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Renewal
Over the past few weeks my prayer times have been filled with an urging from God to be stirred. Stirred in the gifts, stirred in passion and stirred in fire for Jesus. Since I moved here from Colorado in 1995 I have wanted to see an outpouring that changed communities and neighborhoods. So God led me to do something about it and start a church. For the last 3 years I have specifically sought an outpouring of the power and the life of the Holy Spirit in our homes, our communities and our church. Often my dreams of this fell short and were met with a test from God to continue to follow Him by faith and wait patiently. As I type this I am still waiting feeling more and more like the prophet Micah.
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7)
Yet, could it be? Could it be that God is ready? That His Holy Spirit is set, poised to pour out on us right now? Could it be that our response to this will determine the course of many lives in our region and even possibly the eastern seaboard? Could it be that God will pour out on us, a small church in the middle of Maryland, such a blessing of His Spirit that is drives the darkness from lives here and beyond. Could it be that we are sitting right on the edge of a revival, an outpouring that will rival the previous revivals, could it be it is more than a revival? Could it be an awakening?
This week is the first time God has opened the door for renewal in our church. Many of you experienced this on Sunday morning and it continued for those that attended the Sunday night service. In that service God spoke loud and clear. He said this:
“I will move among you, restore your lives and unburden your hearts. I will remove the ties that have bound you to sin and bring healing to you, your family, your church and your communities. Yet, you must want it and be present for the miracle. If you long and need Me to come in your life, I will, but you must turn aside from all your planning on doing this week to seek Me.”
In response we are we will pray like never before. We will worship like never before. We will proclaim like never before. We will declare like never before. We will see Jesus glorified like never before. We will simply come together and ask, the rest is up to Him to pour out on us.
Will you seek Jesus like you have never before? The results start with us seeking Him and letting God chang our plans.
“I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD."” (Ezekiel 39:29)
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7)
Yet, could it be? Could it be that God is ready? That His Holy Spirit is set, poised to pour out on us right now? Could it be that our response to this will determine the course of many lives in our region and even possibly the eastern seaboard? Could it be that God will pour out on us, a small church in the middle of Maryland, such a blessing of His Spirit that is drives the darkness from lives here and beyond. Could it be that we are sitting right on the edge of a revival, an outpouring that will rival the previous revivals, could it be it is more than a revival? Could it be an awakening?
This week is the first time God has opened the door for renewal in our church. Many of you experienced this on Sunday morning and it continued for those that attended the Sunday night service. In that service God spoke loud and clear. He said this:
“I will move among you, restore your lives and unburden your hearts. I will remove the ties that have bound you to sin and bring healing to you, your family, your church and your communities. Yet, you must want it and be present for the miracle. If you long and need Me to come in your life, I will, but you must turn aside from all your planning on doing this week to seek Me.”
In response we are we will pray like never before. We will worship like never before. We will proclaim like never before. We will declare like never before. We will see Jesus glorified like never before. We will simply come together and ask, the rest is up to Him to pour out on us.
Will you seek Jesus like you have never before? The results start with us seeking Him and letting God chang our plans.
“I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD."” (Ezekiel 39:29)
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Change We Can Believe In
How many times in life do we really get lost? I still remember that horrible feeling when I realized I had wandered away from my parents in the store, running from isle to isle hoping to just catch a glance of them so I was not alone. I guess that’s it, often when we lose our way we end up alone, isolated and almost feeling abandoned. We sense that we are trapped in a world that pressures us to be ungodly and drives us away from knowing we can change.
Do you know that change is possible? Many live lost in the lie that a person can’t change, it’s just not true. Each human has the ability to ignite change in their lives and make themselves better. I am not talking up a new self-help book. I am promoting the One that changes from the inside out. Each of us can take the areas we are lost in personally and offer them to Jesus. In exchange He gives us a new life and fresh start clean from all guilt and shame.
Walk in that today and don’t let your past do anything but remind you how great a God you serve.
“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24-25)
Do you know that change is possible? Many live lost in the lie that a person can’t change, it’s just not true. Each human has the ability to ignite change in their lives and make themselves better. I am not talking up a new self-help book. I am promoting the One that changes from the inside out. Each of us can take the areas we are lost in personally and offer them to Jesus. In exchange He gives us a new life and fresh start clean from all guilt and shame.
Walk in that today and don’t let your past do anything but remind you how great a God you serve.
“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24-25)
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