adventure awaits

Several times in the past few weeks I have ended up in conversations that included Mark Batterson’s book In A Pit With A Lion On The Snowy Day. Right after the start of The Community Fellowship this book made its way in to our lives and was consumed by our leaders. That’s why I share this post (though it is almost 8 years old). It rings true in my mind… read on!

---

Push me. Drive me. Give me something to live for.

That is what lots of church people expect from their leaders. Yet God has not called your church or mine to meet all the needs and not even to feed you spiritual. God calls us to help people learn to eat spiritually, to love God and to chase after Him.

I continue to be greatly challenged by Mark Batterson and his book In the Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. It is top notch in it’s shouting vision and giving clarity to people looking to God and who desire to be part of a purpose driven adventure that only God could put together.

Here is what Mark wrote on his blog in an article titled Manifesto:

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshipping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.

It is time for vision, confidence and God to be our ultimate goal, desire and reach. Yet we keep slipping or choosing to back up. Is that true of you? It is like Jonah and how his running from God was a choice not to do what God asks and to miss out on some pretty big things. Listen up! We miss loads of good stuff when we don't drop it all to be with God.

Galatians 4:9 nasb

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?

Honestly, it makes me sick to see people willing to give up big things for what seems comfortable and easy. God doesn't call us to comfort and to take it easy. He calls us to win the world to Jesus. Yeah, we have to work and care for our families, but it is all tied together.

Quit living like life has not purpose or that the only purpose to race toward death, just to get to heaven! Find out what your passion is and start living.

Psalm 37:34 The Message

Wait passionately for God, don't leave the path. He'll give you your place in the sun while you watch the wicked lose it.

Blaze the trail. You may be the first one in your family.

Quit holding back. The adventure awaits as we trust God!

NOTE: Please pray for Raceway Ministries taking place at Martinsville Speedway this weekend during the NASCAR events. We have the opportunity to witness to well over thousands of people.

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

why is it Good Friday?

Holy Week is the time we focus on God and His gift of salvation. We come to Friday. The day we remember the cross, Jesus’ death and all God has done for you and me Why do they call this day “Good Friday” because it doesn’t seems good? Jesus was treated as a criminal. He was beaten so much that He could not recognize Him. His pain would have been too much for you or me to endure. That is especially from Scripture I’ve read or as in the movie the Passion of the Christ . Yet it is a good day. It is Good Friday because God had our good in His heart. What Jesus did that day changed our forever direction. Here are some thoughts that come to me: He is Redemption and Redeemer He too our Pain and Punishment He is our Righteousness and Reality He is the Savior and Life All of those happened from the cross. It was meant for the worst lawbreakers. It was not meant for a Savior who never broke a law. It was lifted high so that onlookers could see the price Jesus. Look

Day 8 in Cuba

We have just come off and incredible weekend, and it is day 8 of the mission trip in Cuba. Thank you to all who have been praying for this trip, the mission team and the impact it will have on those we serve. Please don’t stop praying. Last week Alex and I served with a mission team in the mountains of southern Cuba. There were several challenges, but God gave us safety, provision and opportunity to serve some of the sweetest people I have ever met. No running water… sporadic electricity generated by a small, logo dammed up river, no transportation other than animals, limited food sources and more. These people love the Lord and sharing their faith with others. Over the weekend we made our way back to Havana. On Friday our vehicle broke down leaving us on the side of the road for several hours. We then boarded a bus and rode 14 hours. We arrived safely and even got some rest. Sunday was so, so good. We visited two partner churches. In the morning we were with one church that

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

Search This Blog