Flow through

Ever tried to catch water in your hands? I used to try to drink like this when I was a kid and it was a hot summer day.

Reminds me of how we're to hold things in our lives....to realize that God blesses us so that we can be a blessing. That things don't always come into our lives to hold onto....but so that the overflow can refresh others.

We've had several opportunities with situations in our community to be able to be a blessing to some folks....and it's amazing how it's blessed us. Meridith turned to me last night as we were talking about that and said...this is fun! Try letting go some this week....ask the Lord what He's placing in your hands just so it can flow through to bless someone else!

Against all Odds

My friend, Rick Thompson has been doing a cool sermon series on Urban myths....things we think the Bible says that just aren't in there. A couple weeks ago he preached a message on the myth that God won't put more on us than we can bear. Someone should have told Gideon that. When the numbers were already stacked against Gideon, God instructed Gideon to shrink his numbers! Why?? So that God would receive the glory for the victory!
At COC, we say we exist for one reason....to make God's name famous on the 380 corridor and beyond. That's a dangerous goal. God's glory and fame increasing usually involves His people finding themselves in a place where the odds are against them. The more the odds are against us, the more opportunity for God to display His glory and increase His fame.
Saturday night we're going to be looking at the life of Elijah...and learning how to handle life when the odds are against us. I can't wait....I know God's word has some encouragement for us. Come expecting!

Authentic Sinners

I heard this quote about Jesus that has kept me thinking for several days now. "He would rather hang around authentic sinners than fake saints." Now, you won't find that quote anywhere in the Bible, but I do think the life of Jesus bears it out. He was called the friend of sinners. His harshest criticisms was always for the "religious" pharisees.

As a youth pastor, I used to always caution my teens about the friends they hung out with. It's funny....this week I've felt like the Father has cautioned me the same thing....but flipped the meaning of it. It's easy in our culture...especially in the Bible belt to insulate ourselves from those who don't know Jesus instead of reaching out to them. It hit me as I was in a group last nigth that was praying for God to send us the masses so we could reach them for Jesus....that God's plan is different. He has already sent us to the masses...and we would rather they "come" than for us to "go" as we've been commanded.

So I'm going to be hanging out with some authentic sinners in the coming weeks. Hopefully...if all goes well.....maybe I'll be called a friend of sinners as well.

Brand New Dawson

I had a cool experience at SWAT last night. I went and just watched the kidos at the Providence SWAT so that their parents could focus in and dig deeper into the life of David. I hope it was good for them. To be honest, I didn't have any life changing experiences or cool stories from watching the kids. Titus and Julia said some pretty funny stuff...but I didn't really get any revelation from them. But....at the end of the evening Robin Booker asked if I had heard about Dawson. I hadn't....and if you haven't heard, it's great! Dawson came in while Robin was watching TV and asked "So if I ask Jesus into my heart, he will forgive everything I've ever done wrong or ever will do wrong....forever?" That's a pretty big concept...one a lot of us adults are still trying to grasp. Once he got his questions answered, he said "I need to ask Jesus into my heart right now"...and his mom had the privelage of leading him to Jesus. So....if you notice something different about Dawson this week....it's that he's a brand new creation in Christ....the old has gone, the new has come. Cool stuff! Another great reason to be involved in a SWAT team...you get to hear and see what God is doing in other folk's lives ....kinda like a front row seat!