This past week I had the opportunity and honor to
attend a pastor summit in Richmond sponsored by The Family Foundation of
Virginia as well to meet Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia at a reception he
held. It was a blessed day. It began with truth that resonated in my
heart and concluding with a group of church leaders gathering around the
governor to pray for him.
I want to share with you thoughts from the day that
were shared by Del Tackett. Click HERE is learn more about Del and his
teaching. He has worked with Focus on
the Family and the Truth Project
for many years. Here are some of the
things he shared:
The lie
is --- it's all about me. That is when I
become the source of truth which is a prescription for disaster.
There
are 7 major weaknesses that we need to be ready for today as it comes to
knowing truth and the sources of truth: Deep relativism, Shallow faith, Hunger
for significance, Hormones without walls, Arrogance and pride, Isolation and
loneliness, Skepticism and apathy.
What
is the heart? What is the mind? Does our heart actually think? Take a look at some of these verses about the
Heart... Prov 23:7, Zech 7:10, Mark 2:8, Gen 6:5, Eccles 2:1, Matt 15:19, Luke
2:34-35, Acts 8:22, Heb 4:12, Ps 14:1. The
heart thinks.
When
you believe something is real, it moves from your mind to your heart. We act upon what we believe is real. You can
believe a lie is real.
When
Jesus questioned our belief or anyone’s faith, he pointed to hearts. Matt 15:19 and Is 29:13 say these things. But
what they believe is different.
When
you tell a child something, they will believe it is real. A child doesn't have
a difference between what they believe and what is real.
The
skeptic's heart has shrunk because of being bombarded with lies. It is vital that we learn how to go from
knowledge to belief. No longer do people
just believe what others say. God uses
reality over and over to teach us truth. Jesus taught the disciples truth through what
happened in real time. A great example
is Jesus calming the storm.
Don't
miss the powerful role of the Holy Spirit. The spirit is involved when hearts are hard. Therefore we must be a people of prayer. Pray. Learn
to share truth in reality.
This
is a battle for the souls of men and women.
It's
one thing to be awakened. It's another thing to be engaged. In Isaiah 6 the prophet Isaiah was exposed to
God, and Isaiah was broken by the reality of his wrong and the wrong of people
around him. God exposed him. God exposed the culture. God still does that today if we are listening.
Why
does God send us? He has a purpose and a
plan. Who is this God? And if he has a plan,
is it a good one or a bad one? It's
scary when someone says they have a plan for you.
For I know
the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for
disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
God
has a plan. He wants to prosper us and not
harm us. His plan is for hope and our future.
God
wants us to flourish and not just exist.
The thief’s
purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and
satisfying life.
Why
does God send? So we will create, equip,
and reproduce. Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. Bear fruit.
“Yes, I am
the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will
produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
God
wants to bear fruit through you. It's
not about you. It's about what he wants
to do through you.
Who
is this God? He has the zeal that seeks
the true good of others. The shalom,
complete peace, of others. This is agape
love at work.
It
is time to warn people and have hope in the potential of what God has done for
us.
No comments:
Post a Comment