Busy Busy Busy

I apologize for anyone who cares about hearing my thoughts. The truth is, if I don't think anyone is reading them, I don't feel like writing them. I'm just too busy.
The other reality, is that I've got way to much on my mind. Sometimes I find it difficult to summurize any specific thought. This week I'm thinking about Women's minsitries, how I'm so tired of plugging someone new into a different life group every week, Ukrainian expectations and desires, new ministry, transitional ministries, transformational ministries, reaching our community, finalizing the next series, and the list goes on and on. Can you feel me why I'm so attracted to simple church. I'm pretty sure the book Simple Church was written by an Associate Pastor who had to do tend to all the details of so many elements of church ministry...got fed up...said this is rediculous...and said let's get simple.
We're getting there...someday.

something

God is doing something.
He's on the move...like in C.S. Lewis's Chronicals of Narnia. He paints a picture of the great lion, Aslan, being on the move. And as Aslan is on the move, things are changing, things are different, there is anticipation. You can just sense a great battle, a great encounter, a great victory.
Like I said, He's on the move. Are you ready?

Out of the box God

Sorry for the next to never blogging, I'm making a new commitment to blog much more often. So anyone out there...now's your chance to hear my thoughts.
I'm amazingly pumped about this series that we just hopped into this past weekend. I love the fact that we're going to be in a pursuit of busting down the walls and destroying the boxes that we put God and his abilities inside of.
Even over these past couple days God has been challenging me in my own thinking in his abilities and I find myself fighting God, or at least fighting busting the box. This has been tough but stretching for me. I would ask you, what's your box that you've put God into? What do you not believe he is capable of doing or influencing? What seems impossible for you? And although you know God is capable, you've truly resigned in your heart that God won't work in a certain way. I would say go back and challenge that thought again. Ephesians 3:20. He is capable of immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine.
And as far as the homework I assigned this weekend. Here' s the link to the hubble web site. This is the eye of whirlpool galaxy...tell me God is not leaving his handiwork all over his creation.
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/galaxy/spiral/1992/17/
Enjoy

Ukraine

As I am in Ukraine for 2 weeks I would encourage you to check out that blog.  It is bethelukraine.blogspot.com  I'm blogging there daily.

Bats, Projectors, and Faith

What do I really trust God for? I find myself getting frustrated with my faith or lack there of in recent days. I find that in a well off nation it is easy to trust yourself and often provide for yourself. We become self sufficient and simply don't ask God, nor believe that God will provide. This morning I stood in front of a row of bats considering which 2 I should purchase to take with me to Ukraine. Now although this would only total $50 I thought, "this is a waste of money that someone out there can provide for." So I put back the bats, prayed for God to provide them and walked away. I'm trusting Him that He will provide these by this weekend. Now here's where faith really gets stretched. I also need to take a video projector with our team. We had resolved that this would just be purchased as a couple leads to video projectors fell through. As I walked out the store trusting God with the bats, it hit me, why don't I trust God with the projector? So I threw up a token prayer trusting God to provide the projector. But here's the catch. In my heart I believe God will provide the bats but not the projector. Why? Because it's too much money, too obscure, too tough for God. And I pondered in that moment, why do I have such weak faith for big things? This is something I'm asking God to grow and stretch in me. I believe he will. But it begins in simple things like bats and projectors.

Our Romancing God

Many have talked to me about our romancing God since I preached on the subject this past week. The principle is that as we are the bride of Christ and he is our bridegroom, he like any groom enjoys romancing his bride. It's the realtiy that God loves us more than just, "he loves everyone", but "he loves me and you individually" and wants to romance each of us in our own special way. It maybe a sunset, a few dollars showing up when we need it most, or some "guys in a little red truck". Those of you who listen online or were present know what I'm talking about.

So the most popular comment I've heard is "I'm looking and I'm still waiting for God to romance me."

Perhaps I made it sound like God always shows his face in massive ways on the days I ask him to. Perhaps I should have also told you about the days and weeks when I saw nothing special, no personal "I love you's", or perhaps I just missed them, but nothing apparent to me either. Well, let me encourage you, He is always present and He always shows Himself in evident ways in His timing, when I need it most. And everytime, it's perfect, it's right on time. He's not late. He's not forgotten about me. His "I love you" can't be missed and is perfect.

So keep looking...He does love you and he'll show you.