Now What?

There are moments in life that are big. There are times in history that are significant. There are breaths we take that seem like an hour between inhale and exhale. At times it seems like the smile will never leave our face, and then hours that tears seem like they will never quit falling. The sun shines so bright and somehow clouds are able to vail the warmth. Rain can be so drowning but yet it is what brings forth the flowers. Today is huge with many cheers and many disappointments. Many are rejoicing and many are frustrated. Historical ramifications are revealed. Today is not about a win or a loss. Today is about Him! Above all things, our hearts' response to today is the passion to exalt Him.

We all have the ups and downs of life. The in's and out's that take us here and there, but the single solid place we have is Jesus. No matter how the day starts or how it ends, we have a place reserved in our soul that can either wishper or shout exaltation to the Almighty. Either in strength or in fainting, something inside still opens to say He is worth all I have.

Today is for the worship of The Worthy One! Our rejoicing is for Him. Our excitement is about Him. Our silent longing is for Him. He is BIGGER than today! He is not more or less worthy than yesterday. He is fully worthy every day. We are those that ascribe in any situation, any win, or any loss, that each new day draws from us a new appreciation of His greatness.

The call of today – Bless the Lord, O my soul.... Psalms 104

Take a listen and let your soul rise to its reason....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtwIT8JjddM (Song, “10,000 Reasons”)

Satan's Day, My Birthday, and Reformation

Can any serious Christian living in God's covenant with a Biblical worldview and sealed by the Holy Spirit really embrace the belief that there is a day on the calendar that belongs to satan?  If satan can own a day, why not 2?  If there is a day that he claims, why doesn't he claim them all?  Is there something or Someone that keeps him from owning the year?  If there is (and there is!), then why would one day be permitted?  There is no allowance or concession from Jesus to satan.  Only One holds time in His hand.  The earth is the Lord's. Time is the Lord's. Eternity is the Lord's.  In that scope, where does one day sneak by and openly become satan's day?  The answer is, it doesn't!  No days, months, years belong to anyone but God.  

My birthday is October 31.  Growing up as a passionate Follower of Jesus this often seemed to create conflict or at least cause an interesting grin when people that knew my heart for Jesus heard of this concerning situation.  It always made for a laugh that I was born on "satan's day", and many made comments trying to spin it to the positive by letting me know it was a good thing to have someone that contends with satan be born on "his day".  I guess I somewhat bought into that most of my life.  It seemed odd to have my life so strongly set on Jesus be overshadowed by this weird birth date.  I think I somewhat enjoyed the shock that happened when people realized I shared a birthday with satan's "prime day".  Yet, inside I struggled with the idea that somehow a day was set aside for satan.  It bothered me that I couldn't really put my finger on it, but I knew something didn't set square.  

I was so happy to find out in my late 20's that October 31st was also Reformation Day.  The day which Martin Luther pinned his 95 Thesis on the church door stating the indictments leveled on the religious order of the day.  Finally!  I could claim something to make the day of my birth have value for the things of God.  It was amazing to discover that God had something significant on that day.  It was like I could at least prop up that event though it seem to pale in the glory satan obtains on that day.  But still, I was rejoicing that October 31 had significance because Luther did something on that day.  Then, I awakened to the fact that I had "reclaimed" that day because of the efforts of a mortal when all the while all days had be CLAIMED by the Creator.  Luther wasn't the significance of that day; Jesus is the significance of ALL DAYS!  Luther was pointing to Jesus on Reformation Day because Jesus is the Point.  So my heart found a relief in the tension I lived most of my life having my birthday on what is projected by multitudes of the Church as the day for satan.  

Amazing that the Church surrenders a day to satan.  Then a lot of Christians/Churches try to put on an "alternative".  What?!  An alternative speaks to the idea that there is something set in place, but something is offered out on the side.  Christians and the Church are not to be taking the position off to the side.  Especially when Jesus is the "Set One" and all other things are in response to Him.  There is no place to leave a day vacant.  It can't be that Jesus owns October 30 and November 1, but gives satan a token day to do all he can with it.  Satan can't own a day!  

For some very insightful input on this, you need to check this out: www.biblicalhorizons.com/open-book/no-28-concerning-halloween

There is to be NO shrinking back or taking a step off to the side as some "sideshow for Jesus".  November 1 is the celebration of the victory of the saints, All Saints Day.  Halloween is the eve of that celebration, and somehow its been said that is satan's day of victory.  Really?  Always see Christ's victory and live each day from that.  We don't even need to "reclaim" Halloween.  It never went anywhere.  We just live the victory of Jesus and use Halloween to celebrate the defeat of satan.  Celebrate His victory and laugh at the attempts of satan, God does (Ps 2)

The Rise of Champions

In Revelation 5, we see a picture noted with weeping, concern, and perhaps heartache over the absence of a solution. All those partaking in this moment were looking, searching, and even crying out for someone that could do what was needed. The fear was that no one could be found that could get the job done. I think there may have been a feeling of loss, abandonment, and helplessness, but then it happened. One was able to step into the need and rise as a champion to do what was required. It was Jesus! He stepped forward in ways no one else could and did what couldn't be done other wise. He rose to the occasion and filled the vacancy. He silenced the weeping, removed the tears, settled the fears, and enabled hearts to rejoice. The Champion emerged to win the day.

We find the moment we live in going through a very similar situation. Looking around at the modern landscape of families, homes, economics, government, Church, etc., its as if we stand weeping and searching for someone to rise as a champion in these areas to do what is required and open a way to solutions. We have fathers absent (see this great blog from my friend http://www.micisliving.com/2012/10/abortion-peter-pan-fatherless.html), we have spiritual leaders absent, we have coaches absent, we have community leaders absent, and we are left with tears and fears wondering where we will end up. Our homes are missing clear direction. The people of God are missing clear direction. Our nation is missing clear direction. I am coaching my sons' soccer team, and I look around and don't see clear direction on teams or even the league. We have a vacancy of quality leadership! We are absent of champions that will step up and rise to fill in the blanks. This can no longer be the condition we settle for and permit.

We need champions to rise! A Christ Centered, Kingdom Generation of those younger and older that will emerge in the love, power, and authority of Jesus is needed to assert ourselves in the places of need. As those in Christ, we must find ourselves gravitating to areas of vacancy to fill and lead. We need fathers rising in their homes to champion their family and solve issues and crises among them. Lead their wives into security and greatness. Lead their children in strength and validation to see them live in fulfillment. Daddy's that are “knights” for their little girls and a hero to their sons. Our homes must have champions rise as Jesus did and open the way to soundness.

We can not go any further without champions rising in the Church that step up in ways that lead the people of God to be the champions of our communities, culture, and nation. Where is the leadership that sets the expectation of discipled nations? Where are pulpits blazing with revelation that fuels the hearts of the hearers to rise in this hour to be the needed champions so that which is crumbling around us becomes an expression of His glory? We can no longer be satisfied with cute little meetings making us feel good about ourselves as we sit on the sidelines. This void of champions must be resolved by a Kingdom Generation that stands up with courage and takes hold of the challenges of the day.

In Revelation 5, Jesus showed us what ends the weeping. He stepped up to handle what needed done. He achieved the eternal solution to the crisis. As those of Him, we have the expectation to step into places that are absent of Biblical leadership and provide the solutions that will express His glory and set the course of a better day. We are not to be those looking from the outside in wondering who will get it done. We are to be the ones that get it done! Its time for champions to rise! Lead your home better, lead God's people better, lead our sons and daughters better, lead our communities better! Be someone's champion, someone's hero! Jesus set the pattern, and now empowers us to do as He did. Its time to have champions again.

SPECIAL UPDATE - a new season for us

I’ve been behind getting blogs out and doing a training video, but it’s for a good reason.  God has opened a new assignment for us that took the month of September to get into place. 

Angela and I are excited to share that we are now leading a congregation in Ravenswood, WV. 

We are thrilled to serve Jesus and His Kingdom in this venture.  Praise Cathedral is over 25 years old as a congregation and has very quality people connected there.  It is positioned to take great steps forward for His namesake and the impact of our sphere of influence.  God has a fresh grace on Angela and I, and we believe God has placed us in a strategic place.  

Ravenswood is a close drive for us so this doesn't involve a relocation, and we are loving the people we are connecting with there.  New relationships and partnerships happening.  It's awesome to walk out Kingdom life in meaningful relationships.  We see this developing already.  

In 2008, Angela and I felt God aligning our hearts to take another step in our role of leadership.  We’ve had a long season to develop us for that.  We have held onto a focus from Acts 1:8 to be His ambassadors in a local, regional, and national context.  We see our lives being more positioned for that, and the privilege to serve a congregation is a great honor.

I will continue to work with other congregations, networks, etc in our region and in the nation.  GenerationsRISE will continue to lead the way for a Kingdom Generation of those younger and older to rise as a Christ Centered Movement.  We are pursuing new wineskins for fresh wine in this hour.  God has been showing me further strategy to synergize generations that we will apply at Praise Cathedral and a few other congregations over the next year to create a model the Body can gain from. 

Over the month of September God helped us communicate important understanding for transition and restoration.  I will be blogging some of those understandings in the weeks to come and work to get the audio messages on podcasts.  There are so many, in many places, going through change, transition, and restoration.  I feel what we have been imparting into Praise Cathedral will be strengthening and helpful to those being positioned for this next season.  Stay tuned.

Please pray for us in the assignment to further lead locally, regionally, and nationally.  We desire to see the glory of the Lord rise among us.  We are taking these new steps for His namesake and to see His glory.  Those younger and older are being drawn deeper into what God has intended His people/Church/Ecclesia to be.  A Kingdom Generation is synergistically rising in new wineskins.  We are thrilled for where God has placed us.  

Leaders and Crisis Episode 1

We can not leave it for another to do that which God has enabled us to do.  We need courageous leadership in our homes, our congregations, and in our nation that will rise in the midst of crisis and do what is required for a more glorious day.  The book of Nehemiah shows us such a leader.  Over the next few video trainings we will look at aspects of Nehemiah that reveal what is needed for us to be leaders in a day of crisis.  After this 8 minute video, you will understand what leaders during crisis must do first.

Soccer and the Glory of God

I have to say, I thought I would enjoy coaching soccer , but not as much as I am. This is my first season coaching my sons' soccer team, and it is being a blast. As a family, we have enjoyed 2 previous soccer seasons. Now taking a step into coaching, I have had to take time to evaluate what I see as important for these 5-7 year old kids to gain from our time together this season. I am not the best at soccer. I played football and baseball as a kid, but I do understand life long aspects one gains from playing team sports. I have taken time to think through what I have shared with my boys over the other soccer seasons, and now I will extend that into the team.

Why is this something to blog about? Because what is important in soccer is what is important in life. Each of us no matter what we do are called to continue our development and work hard to be at the top of our game. Life isn't just a short season like soccer, but over the months, years, and decades of life we are to become more and more of what God created us to be. With this in mind as a dad and now as a coach, I hope to help put a desire in these kids to work hard and give strong effort to improve.

Every night at bed time, we pray with our kids and part of those prayers is asking God to help us become everything He has created us to be. We ask Him to help us do our best so we can show everyone how awesome He is. We ask Him to help us show how awesome He is in what we do and with the attitude we have. I believe this is part of setting within them that they honor God and reveal His greatness by becoming the best we can in all that we do.

In soccer, I have set 3 “team rules”:

• Work hard
• Have Good Attitude
• Have Fun

We all would do well to live these simple rules. Too often, we look for something magnificant to do to glorify God, but the simple every day efforts of hard work, improving, and enjoying life is a major part of revealing God's glory. For us to do things well and improve to even greater abilities reveals the greatness and glory of the Creator. It is He that has given us all that we are able to do and be. Our hard work reveals how awesome He made us which refects how great He must be. The work of our hands and the meditations of our hearts expresses His glory and puts on display His amazingness.

We are created and called to be an expression of His glory in all that we do. 1 Corinthians 10:31 presents to us that we are to do whatever we do for the glory of God. We must be a generation that recognizes the totality of our lives is for the glory of God. Who we are and what we do is for His honor and an expression of His greatness. So even an ordinary soccer practice becomes worship and a revelation of God. As these kids push themselves to be better, run faster, kick stronger, play with heart, keep good attitudes, work with each other, and enjoy what they are getting to do, it becomes a glorious moment that allows the greatness of God to be seen.  To Him be the glory for all that our lives have to offer and are able to do!

In an amazing way, soccer and the glory of God go together.

For the Leader Within You

It seemed to me this article/teaching from John Piper would be very helpful for the leader within you.  See if you have these characteristics working in you.  This teaching revealed areas for me to improve on, and it made me chuckle some as I saw areas that explains me more clearly.  Find out about you....

click on this link to see article:  www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/articles/the-marks-of-a-spiritual-leader

A Kingdom Generation must be full of leaders that influence and impact those around them in ways that brings change and more glory to God.