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Where Is Your Focus

I've been reading this proverb over and over again the last few days. 

Proverbs 30:8-9 says:

"Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who Is the Lord." or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God."

I love the focus of this prayer, because the writer understands how easily His attention can be turned from God and onto the current status-quo. 

The truth is, we all feel this tension as finite, sinful human beings. With every hard circumstance that may arise, or with every promotion in the worlds eyes, there is a temptation to fix our eyes on the circumstance, rather than on the God of the circumstance. We have a worship problem.

In the proverb above, more than a desire to not be poor, or even well off, there is a desire for the proper focus. The things of this world bring heartache; they lie, deceive, and steal our joy. But, whether in great despair, or in great abundance, the Lord never changes. His holiness, worth, and glory never sway. 

Who is like the Lord? Certainly not a stomach full of food, nor a step up the corporate ladder, nor how your family looks on Facebook. What circumstance can shake the Lord? Certainly not small bank accounts, lack of food, or job loss. 

God is our rock, He cannot be moved. He provides for His children, and promises we won't need to worry about tomorrow. May we seek to know Him more, trust Him more, and fix our eyes on His glory, not our own. 

I'm thankfully convicted by this truth. Lord, let my desires, my striving, and my focus be for you and you alone. Glory to God Alone.

Receive Grace, Extend Grace

I found myself getting frustrated the other day as I heard two middle aged men having an incredibly immature, vulgar conversation. As I stewed over what was being spoken, The Lord graciously reminded me of my sin, and the grace that he extended to me even while I was far from God

Then, as The Lord does, the next morning He put this verse in my path as I spent some time reading: 

Colossians 4:5-6

"Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

All of us, will, and should run into people everyday that are far from God. Their conversations and actions that reflect the world shouldn't really suprise us. Sure, sin should frustrate us, but we always have an opportunity to reflect Christ.

There is great wisdom found in a gracious response. Imagine if Christians all over, always extended the grace of Jesus in their speech to unbelievers.  

I have such a desire to always extend grace. If the God of the universe would do so for me, how could I not to others? 

One God.

I've been blessed with opportunities to lead worship at different events and churches from time to time. 

This weekend, I'm leading at a men's retreat. I've met some bikers, some older guys, some rednecks, some tatooed macho guys, some college grads...the whole spectrum of men.  

Everyone brings something different to the table. Each group and person has a different personality. 

But how sweet it is, when those who have been redeemed gather to worship the God who shows us our commonality in Christ.  

Jesus made a way. Salvation has bridged the gap between you and me; between us and them. In Christ, from one spectrum of people to another, we are new creations. 

Many members. One body. One God.  

Don't take for granted the wide, deep, and high love of Jesus, that takes away the sins of the world. Worship. 

Weekend Set Lists

How's Your Joy?

Photo Cred: Sties Design Agency

It's Wednesday. 

3 days after we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. 

If you're like me, you were part of a massive celebration on Sunday. You danced, shouted, sang, worshiped...etc. 

But what about today?

Are you breathing in the truth that Christ is alive, and breathing out the praise that He richly deserves? 

In Christ Jesus, we can celebrate Easter each and every day. Because He is alive. Because He has won. Because we are loved! 

Colossians 1:11-14_ "May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks, to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Good Friday/Easter Recap

This past weekend was an incredible time in worship with the community of Harvest. 

Good Friday, was such an awesome time focusing on the truth that all of us are enemies of God. Good, bad, church-goer, or murderer, the cross demands all of our brokenness, surrender, and lives. 

Photo Cred: Sties Design Agency

All of the elements of the service were created and put together by the team that I get the privilege of working with. Art, videos, lighting, musicians, singers....everyone crushed it and did their part phenomenally. Most importantly, there are stories of those who surrendered their lives to the work that Christ did on the cross! One woman in particular, our staff has been praying for, and the Lord used this evening to open her heart to the Gospel and her need for Jesus! Praise the Lord.    

(VIDEO OF THE GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE TO COME)

Photo Cred: Sties Design Agency

Then, yesterday, Easter Sunday, was such a joyful celebration to the Lord! Record attendance at church, but more importantly, our people came ready to rejoice, shout, and worship the JESUS IS ALIVE!  It was a great celebration!

Photo Cred: Sties Design Agency

The band absolutely crushed it, as did our people, singing to the Lord! Part of my job is getting to Pastor and lead teams of people who volunteer their time, in between having a family and working jobs all week long. It's because of those people's hearts for the church and for Jesus that such a great weekend could've been pulled off. And it's a joy of mine, to see worship ignited in these servants hearts as their gifting is used to further the kingdom! 

Photo Cred: Sties Design Agency

The Gospel message went out. The presence of the Lord joined the praises of His people. It was an incredible weekend of worship. I pray that my excitement, anticipation, and exuberance in my worship, only grows as I remember the truth each day...He Is Risen! 

And finally, after all of that, today feels like a bit of a Holy Week Hangover...I'm extremely thankful for my family, who's worship to the Lord is shown in their faithful surrender of my time during these busy weeks. Spent a great Easter afternoon hunting eggs, laughing, and eating with some of my favorite people. God is good! 

Obedient Unto Death

Hebrews 5:7-8 

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death…Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 

Do you remember what it was like to be a child, and having to learn obedience? There was sort of a tension wasn’t there? A tension between what you needed to do, and what you wanted to do.  And we all probably remember the times we didn’t obey. That usually resulted in consequence, maybe hurt, and probably the most significant observation, that we didn’t know what was best. 

If you’re like me, you probably still feel the tension at times. Maybe in your integrity at work, or in your decisions as a family; Obedience in all things can be hard!

Did you know that even Jesus felt that tension? 

On the evening of His arrest, Jesus was not casually waiting for His crucifixion. He wasn’t patiently awaiting his arrest, mockery, and beating. As any human being, Jesus experienced the nauseating tension of obeying His Father when His flesh desired a different outcome.  Jesus prayed, pleaded, and cried to the Lord that He would be delivered from the humiliation, beating, and death that He knew would come. But it was the will of the Lord that Jesus be crucified for the sins of the world, and Jesus was obedient to the point of death. 

See, in His human form, Jesus was tempted to disobey. He could have wiped out all the soldiers who came to arrest Him, and avoided the horrific road to death He was about to experience. But greater than Jesus’ desire to escape the pain of death, was His desire to bring glory to His Father. Greater than His desire to avoid the suffering, was His desire to obey God in the suffering. 

God knows best. Without Jesus’ road to death, there would be no forgiveness of sins. In the midst of the suffering, or in the midst of the pain, hope can seem non-existent. But obedience unto God in “death,” leads to new life! I praise Jesus for crawling onto the cross even when His flesh didn’t desire to. What a picture of love for the world, and example of obedience to God! 

Wherever you find yourself, or whatever decision you are struggling with, understand that to obey God in all things, is to shine the glory of God in a world that desperately needs Him. What has God called you to today that demands obedience for tomorrow?