The Chase Begins :: Friday E-Devotion

The chase begins. Not the chase for the NEXTEL cup. Not the chase to keep up with the Jones'. Not the chase for success or possessions or degrees or the like. It is the chase to do something big for God.

We have to start with asking some questions like: how big is our God? or, what do I expect God to do? or, what is holding me back? those questions and more are just a small part of our new series, Chase the Lion, that begins this Sunday at The Community Fellowship. I am pumped up about this series. You don't want to miss any of it.

Philippians 3:12 (nlt) --- I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

I don't run marathons, but I will chase you to the buffet line. The race that I do choose to following God. Often He calls us to sit and rest, yet at other times God is calling His kids to get into the challenges of life. Yesterday I mentioned the fact that many people, if not most, try to avoid the stuff that they fear. Could avoiding stuff mean we miss what God has for us? Than answer....YES.

I challenge you to join me in the next 7 weeks (at The Community or in these e-devotions). My hope is to challenge each of us to get on God's very best for us. It won't be easy. It may even scare us pretty good. But God is preparing us for an awesome journey together. Are you ready?

(Go grab a copy of the small group study at church this weekend or at your small group. Maybe even better, get a copy of Mark Batterson's incredible book, In the Pit With A Lion on a Snowy Day.)

Here is some stuff from Batterson's book:

God is in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time. A sense of destiny is our birthright as followers of Christ. God is awfully good at getting us where He wants us to go. But here's the catch: The right place often seems like the wrong place, and the right time often seems like the wrong time...We can cower in fear and run from our greatest challenges...But when I look in the rearview mirror, I realize that biggest risks were the greatest opportunities. (pages 12 & 14)

Philippians 2:30 (nlt) --- For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn't do from far away.

What are we willing to risk, what fear are we willing to face so that one more person will us in knowing Jesus? Join the chase....

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

Search This Blog