Cry Out

"In true reality, you and I have absolutely no hope...except to cry out for a mediator." -CJ Mahaney

 

No hope.  None, zippo, zilch, notta, nunca, nil.  Our lives are completely dependent on Christ yet we live as though they are dependent on ourselves.  If we live with more dependence on Him, maybe the humility that goes with that would grant us opportunities to share our faith more boldly and lovingly.  For we aren't coming to people as better or more special, but as people that have been graciously given something we don't deserve, and now we want to share it.  So share the hope.  Share the hope. 

 

The real battle

"Satan's aim is that no one be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.  And one of his key strategies is to start battles in the world that draw our attention away from the real battle for the salvation of the lost and the perseverance of the saints." -John Piper

 

True and convicting.  How different would this world be if all Christians kept the real battle at the forefront of their minds?  How different would my life be?  Pray that we would see the war for souls more clearly and that our other battles would be secondary.  Think about the battles you fight more vigorously than the battle for souls.  Repent, and ask God for a heart for His people. 

Go ahead...take it.

The more you risk, the more you can loose...but is it worth it?  If you don't risk at all, the results stay about the same, but if you do you can gain or lose so much more.  As we approach strategic planning this Sunday, we need to remember this.  We must be willing to take chances, to get our of our comfort zone, knowing that it is risky.  The other option would be to not risk anything and for things to never change.

 

I think history clearly shows that those who made the most impact for Christ (people and churches), are the ones who lived in a state of fearlessness.  Those who followed where God called and never worried about the repercussions.  Pray that we would be willing to take a step out on faith in this season of our church.  Pray that the hope of what we gain out weighs the fear of what we can lose. 

T-Shirts

Read and think about these lyrics. It is about how the world will know us, instead of how the world should know us.

Song: T-Shirts

Artist: Derek Webb

"they'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear
they'll know us by the way we point and stare
at anyone whose sin looks worse than ours
who cannot hide the scars of this curse that we all bare

they’ll know us by our picket lines and signs
they’ll know us by the pride we hide behind
like anyone on earth is living right
and isn’t that why Jesus died
not to make us think we’re right

chorus:
when love, love, love
is what we should be known for
love, love, love
it’s the how and it’s the why
we live and breathe and we die

they’ll know us by reasons we divide
and how we can’t seem to unify
because we’ve gotta sing songs a certain style
or we’ll walk right down that aisle
and just leave ‘em all behind

they’ll know us by the billboards that we make
just turning God’s words to cheap clichés
says “what part of murder don’t you understand?”
but we hate our fellow man
and point a finger at his grave

chorus

they'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear
they'll know us by the way we point and stare
telling ‘em their sins are worse than ours
thinking we can hide our scars
beneath these t-shirts that we wear"

Caretakers of the Establishment?

"God, save us from having a 'maintenance ministry' and being a 'caretaker of the Establishment.' I want to see God move!" -Dr. John Hannah

Is our work about caring for the establishment (the church) or about being part of what God is doing in the hearts of people? Pray that we would be a peopel that aren't so inward focused that we miss what God is doing.

Mine!

"There is not one inch in the entire area of our human life about which Christ, who is Sovereign of all, does not cry out, "Mine!" " -Abraham Kuyper

This quote is the reason we must hold loosely the things we have been given: time, talent, and treasures, and hold tightly to God. If we live to protect the things we have been given, than our energy is spent on things that will not last, but if our energy is spent on declaring and representing the name of God than our energy will be spent on bringing Him glory. Where is your time spent, on things that will last or on maintaining life? Where is your energy going? Pray we would be a people that care for God first and that His effect on us would enter every area of life. Whether we admit it or not...all is His...so let us live that way.

Feelings

"We let our feelings tell us what is true, instead of letting truth transform our feelings." -CJ Mahaney

 

What separates us from those who don't believe is the fact that we have a hope that will never change.  Through joy and through pain, we know the truth.  The question is, will people see that feelings guide us (like the rest of the world) or that truth guides us (as we are called to in Scripture).  Our life ought to look different because our hope ought to be different.  The question is...is your hope different?  Is your life different?  Trust in the creator, not the creation.  That is where hope, joy, and truth is found.      

Sobering Thought

"If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" -Revelation 20:15

The work we do as ambassadors for Christ is work that must be taken seriously, and work that must be thought of as urgent. Our days are numbered...but we don't know the number. Let us not wait to live out our faith as we are called. Pray that you would be more in tune to the Holy Spirit, to know His leading and see opportunities He gives. And pray that your life would display God as your ultimate hope. Not family, not friends, not money, not stuff, not comfort...God is our unwavering ever-present hope.

You can comment on this post and others at http://prayforfpc.blogspot.com/

Greater Things

"Greater things have yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city" -Chris Tomlin

 

Believe that today.  That greater things are to be done in this city and surrounding cities because of the power of Christ to bring hope and restoration!  Pray that God would move in mighty ways.   

Walking

"To walk out of his will is to walk into nowhere" -CS Lewis

 

During this time of growth and change, there will be struggle, there will be resistance, and there will be excitement.  The whole time we must continually ask, is this God's will.  We must be willing to walk anywhere God leads and nowhere he doesn't...no matter the cost.  Pray for us, as a church and as individuals, to do this. 

Tax Collectors

"By all means eat with tax collectors and sinners.  Jesus came to call them (Mt 9:13).  So call them.  Call them.  Call them." -John Piper

 

How will people be see the beauty of Christ if they are never around those who love Him?  Jesus has called us to be around those who are lost.  So think of ways you can invite sinners into your life and pray that others in this church would do the same.  This church will not grow by inviting people into the doors of the building, it will grow by inviting people into the lives of the members. 

Bible

One of the youth is already half-way through reading the one minute Bible’s we gave them!  It is 365 pages, and in just weeks he has read half…I was so excited to hear this.  This is a group of kids who have little Biblical knowledge but are desperately craving it!  It has been both fun and challenging to teach them each week.  Pray that all the youth would grasp this excitement for God’s word.  Pray that God’s word would begin to penetrate hearts and change lives!