Fast Day One

Today I started a fast. I had every intent to do an all liquid fast. This lasted till about 3 pm when I had a bowl of veggie soup. I was starved - or at least my stomach said I was hungry so I ate all the broth then had to eat the veggies too. Later tonight I had another bowl of soup and a little salad. Fasting is not as easy as I thought it might be. I really am determined to do a whole week with just liquids but I think it might be something I've got to really prepare for before I just cold turkey jump in. I'm not a good water drinker and I know I need to do better at consuming water. All for now.

mike

Christmas Gift

Someone today posted a tweet on the best part of 2010. Mine was easy. This year has been quite a radical change. Ministry has taken a turn. The kind of turn that is not just positive - it has been electrofying. You see this year is the biggest turning point for a family that Rhonda and I are discipling. I've watched an alcoholic and drug addict come totally clean. No alcohol since December of last year. I watched as first daughter and now son have come to the Lord. I've baptized the parents and can't wait to baptize the kids. There's more to come - that's for sure. There is still drug addictions to overcome in the family and together we are believing for miracles. One is headed to a teen challenge in the next few weeks and the other is so deep in meth that it seems an impossible task. But with the Lord - "Nothing is impossible." I've seen such a hunger for the Word of God in this family that it puts my Bible study to shame. Their life change fuels me to continue on and to reach out and pour myself into others. There is hope in this world. This year Rhonda and I along with our daughter Melissa had a very meager Christmas. We decided we would rather bless others and we did. So what's the payoff? I have the greatest satisfaction that I made someone else's Christmas the best Christmas ever. That's enough. Would you like to make a difference in someone else's life? You have to be willing to pour yourself out, be transparent (real), be willing to put others before yourself. Is it possible to balance all this and maintain healthy family relationships? I do, and I work two jobs. My life is all wrapped up in helping others find their place in the Kingdom of God and their place in ministry. 2010 was a great year and I believe 2011 will be even better. Watch and see.

mike

Ministry Success?

Sometimes ministry is successful and all the kudus go out to those in charge. Not to say that this is a good thing or a bad thing. But I want you to think about something. Numbers are great. Excitement is great. However, is connection working. Throw open your doors and invite people to a party doesn't mean that what needs to be accomplished is accomplished. Ministry opportunity is not all about having a good time, connecting and engaging is of the utmost importance. For a church to be at its best - it has to be game on from before the beginning to after the end. Just like you and I it only takes one misfortune to ruin a perfectly good time - I think we've all experienced those things. Some things cannot be helped but when it's GAME ON - we have to be reaching out and making everyone feel welcome, appreciated, respected and wanted.

A good leader should realize where the week spot or possible problem may arise. That's not saying that a leader has to be everywhere but a leader has to be visible, observant and looking for what needs to be done. Really what a leader needs is a host of Jonathan's who do this. Jonathan's are earned out of trust and relational dues. Ministry can be successful but it's not necessarily our doing. Consider the people come because the Lord sent them. It is at that point we need to be Jesus with skin. Why? Because Jesus was all about people and we should be too.

Change The World?

Is it possible to change the world? Such a daunting task? Seemingly impossible? Tough questions with easy answers. Yes. Yes. Yes. However a challenge is a challenge. That seems to be where I am in life. Think about it - there are many people who have changed the world. In some cases maybe challenged the world. But the world is in constant change and that is the challenge.

Eric Hoffer said, "The learners will inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists." Think about that for awhile. Those that continue to learn can make a difference, can change the world. I am in a constant mode of learning. Others spend so much of their time trying to tell you what they know or trying to just get an opportunity for someone to listen to them. I've found I learn more with the two ears I have than speaking what I think I know with the one mouth God gave me.

I think I've found the answer on how to change the world. BE what God intended for you to BE. SEE what GOD wants you to see. Listen to the world around you. DO what God (alone) asks YOU to DO. And last but not least (taking from the famous speech of Winston Churchill) NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!!! Most people give up just short of their greatness. Most people cave when the hill seems to hard to climb. Most people start fast and quit before the end. With God most things are possible. NO!! With God ALL things are possible. Who will join me? Together - we can and we will make a difference and we will change this world. If WE don't do this, WHO WILL, Someone Else?

The Church of America

The Church of America has lost sight of God, because we have started worshipping preference, music, tradition, architecture, politics, platforms, money, people and programs. The Church model that I've read about is far from this!
Jesus' came (Luke 19;10) "To seek and to save what was lost." If Jesus walked into your church would He be pleased with what He sees or condemn us because we are more focused on what we would prefer to hear or see? All the while the world around us is dying.
There are politicians who want us to believer that the government knows what's best for all. They want us to believer that they will take care of us but all they can really do is just re-arrange things. And if it is an election year-then the truth just somehow gets lost in the....campaign. But (Courageous Leadership, Bill Hybels) "They can't change a human heart. They can't heal a wounded soul. They can't turn hatred to love. They can't bring about repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation or peace. They can't get to the core problem."
Do the actions of the government concern people? You bet. I receive forwarded email after email about what so and so is doing now, or what so and so is going to do. Most of what is forwarded are all out lies, half truths and speculation. But pay attention here - "The sky is falling, the sky is falling!" Does anyone ever do anything about it? No. But forward this to everyone you know. In our day we have people teach riot and rebellion in the name of Christ! They would have us believe that the Christian thing to do is to disobey the law, rebel against authority and permit every man to do what is right in his own eyes. My source is not the government. My source is in the Word of God. Philippians 4:19, Psalms 27:1 and Hebrews 12:2. What would happen if we, the CHURCH, were the CHANGE that we so vigorously fight for our elected officials to be? What would happen if the church (members) quit forwarding half truths and lies (because they don't even take the time to find out what they are forwarding) (inadvertently endorsing as truth) and started to "seek and save what was lost?" Forward this to everyone you know.

mike

Commit

Has America lost her Moral Compass? Definitely. And the only one to blame is the Church. Why, you ask? Because the Church of America has lost sight of God. We've started worshipping music, tradition, architecture, politics, money, people, programs and the list goes on and on.
Luke 19:10 says, "For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost." Jesus was concerned about one thing, THE LOST. Until we decide to Commit to the Cause of Christ the Church will continue to be ineffective. Granted, I'm talking about the church as a whole. There are individual churches who are really doing ministry and outreach to this lost and dying world. In our day we teach riot and rebellion in Jesus name! They would have us believe the Christian thing to do is disobey the law, rebel against authority and permit every man to do that which is right in his own eyes.
Bill Hybels writes in his book "Courageous Leadership," There is nothing like the church when it's working right. Its beauty is indescribable. Its power is breathtaking. Its potential is unlimited. It comforts the grieving and heals the broken in the context of community. It builds bridges to seekers and offers truth to the confused. It provides resources for those in need and opens its arms to the forgotten, the downtrodden, the disillusioned. It breaks the chains of addiction, frees the oppressed, and offers belonging to the marginalized of this world. Whatever the capacity for human suffering the church has a greater capacity for healing and wholeness."
If we were to truly represent the Savior we worship to everyone that we know, the church could not contain the people that would come to be in the presence of the One who sets the captive free. It's time for the Church of America to Commit. My friend Randy Ayres said, "God did not call us to DO church, He called us to BE the church. To get off the ground and launched into the real purpose of the church we must Commit to God. I'm ready for that, are you?

Weary?

Hebrews 12:2-3 (NIV) says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
This is easy to read - hard to do. That is if you are in the fight. I am and the opposition has a tight grip. You've got to realize that working with non-believers can result in a huge tax on your mental capacity. Today, I feel brain dead. You would too after getting a terrible nights sleep because your 'guy' called at 1 in the morning (didn't leave a message) and 4 in the morning and then all the messages I didn't get over the weekend suddenly popped up. Then after spending time all day concentrating and engaging conversation about 2011 - I'm dead to the world tonight. Pray for me please! I am not giving up, I am not giving in - I am seeing this through until someone or something else pulls the plug.
How about you? Is there someone in your world that you're willing to fight the very gates of hell for? There should be. Well, that's not my calling! Really?? Maybe you should rethink it. I am determined to do everything i can in love to fight for the soul of this man and I'm counting on God to help me and whisper into my ear what to do and say. I am walking among the snakes and scorpions of life and it is hard work. Care to join me?

mike