What is a Practical Atheist // Friday E-Devotion

Today's e-devotion continues with my notes from the CATALYST conference that I attended last week. This is stuff is awesome!

I have to give a shout out and thanks to Lifechurch.tv and their pastor Craig Groeschel. If you don't know, they give away everything they do and are having huge impact for God on many different playing fields. His session was titled "Practical Atheist" and was awesome.

Definition of a "Practical Atheist" is a person that believes that God exists but does life like He doesn't.

That hurts, man does it ever, mostly because we have to get real with ourselves and look to see areas of our life where we kick God to the curb or just leave Him out all together. Think about it!

Isaiah 29:13 (nlt) --- And so the Lord says,"These people say they are mine.They honor me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. "

Craig talked about being a full-time pastor but a part-time follower of God. It is easier than it sounds. He talked about three problems that come into life that make this "practical atheism" a reality:

First, believing that our effort is better than God's power. We have to remember 'it is not about us' but everything is all about God.

Second, believing that our private life doesn't effect our public life. Samson is a great illustration of this.

And third, believing that we must please people more than we please God. Don't ask how can I get more people to church. Ask how can I give more glory to God.

Groeschel encouraged us to pray, "Lord, disturb me," and asked what can we do when we realize this is true of us?

It is time to repent of where we are and/or where we have been and come running back to God and let that hunger grow strong. Practical Atheist are scary people, and they are all around us. A bit too close for comfort.

I pray that God will share with us the truth and that we will be willing to be honest. This next verse comes only a few inches below the one above, and I close...

Isaiah 29:19 (nlt) --- The humble will be filled with fresh joy from the Lord. The poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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