shawnlovejoy.com

The shack...

I've been reading the book The Shack, and when I drove up to this cabin, where a few of our Pastors recently visited for an overnight retreat, I couldn't help but think of the book! Have you read it? If not, get it!

Deuteronomy 13...

"You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the
first in putting him to death..." (13:9).

Observation: God was so serious about heretical doctrine, and His people's temptation to be led away from Him, that He literally commanded them to put their own family members to death who tried to do so! God even went as far as to say that the family member doing the accusing of heresy should throw the first stone in their stoning! However, this would further test the fact as to whether that family member accusing the other was telling the truth. As they lifted and threw the stone, it would also impress on to his mind FOREVER, the consequences for chasing after other gods.
Application: All of this points to the truth once again of the extent to which God HATES sin and HATES playing second fiddle! It also demonstrates once again that God is not cool with me prioritizing ANY other relationship or counsel over my relationship with HIM, and HIS counsel! God is jealous and I love it! I'm glad He loves me that much! He gets ticked off when I listen to ANYONE's counsel over His! Thanks, God for being THAT serious about your relationship with me! Help me NEVER to value the counsel of people over YOUR counsel!

Deuteronomy 12...

"...bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts,
what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn
of your flocks and herds" (12:6).

Observation: The Bible teaches so much about giving! We just miss it!

Application: God  teaches us a lot about giving in this passage:

Burnt offerings: animals that were to have their blood shed, and burned in such a way that the smoke was a symbol of pleasing sacrifice rising up to Heaven.

Sacrifices: The animals were to be the BEST animals in the herd. Their offerings were to require sacrifice to please God.

Tithe: the word "tithe" means "tenth".

Freewill Offerings: giving that was over and above the tithe, given out of a heart of gratitude for God;s blessings.

"Firstborn..": God wanted the FIRST part of what they owned, not the LAST part.

"Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please" (12:13).

Observation: The Temple and the altars that were designated places of worship by God held an important place in His mind, not just the minds of the Israelites!

Application: The church holds a central importance in Gods' mind! The church is the place God has set apart in our world for His people to come together and worship Him! God loves the church! It is important to Him that we worship regularly together in His church! Even though Mountain Lake is a building constructed by humans, God has set apart this place as a place He loves to be worshiped! I love that!

"See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it" (12:32).

Observation: God was clear to the Israelites about the fact that they couldn't just pick and choose what commands they wanted to follow.

Application: Are there commands God has given me that I'm uncomfortable with? Want to compromise on? Diminish in my mind? Think of as less important? Bottom line: God doesn't waste His breath. If He's commanded it, it's important to Him! It had better be important to me!

Programming? or People?

       Everyone is talking these days about the need for CHANGE in the church. I think everyone agrees that across the board, the church must CHANGE in order to influence and impact this world we live in. The GREAT news is, I believe the church in general, across our country, is undergoing VAST change. I really believe we'll all look back 20 years from now and see the first decade of the new millennium as some of the most rapid change in the history of the church!
        But what has really changed?  I'll tell you: PROGRAMMING. We've updated our music; done away with the "pulpit" and the thrones on stage. Many of us have done away with "the choir". We've taken the steeples off our buildings. We've "pimped" out the children's ministry environments. We've moved from Sunday School to Small Groups. We've become "simple churches" and KILLED a lot of the programs we were doing or other churches have done. We've changed the way we dress; and placed coffee bars in the lobby. By the way, I love all of this. But do you recognize anything that's missing? People!
       Many churches, in their desire to be culturally relevant have focused TOO MUCH on programming, at the neglect of focusing on PEOPLE! At the end of the day, I don't believe changes in programming ALONE will change the world! I believe changes in people will change the world! So any idea what we should be focusing on?
       At Mountain Lake these days, we are worrying less and less about shaking up and changing up the PROGRAMMING all the time, and MORE and MORE about how we can better invest in PEOPLE: INSIDE the church and OUTSIDE the church! Jesus said that the world would know we are His disciples, NOT by our programming; but by our love for people!
        Churches, your programming will work most of the time if the people behind the programs are messed up in love with God and each other! God will use your church to reach disconnected people if they know you LOVE them! So stop tinkering with programming and start loving people...and watch God do the rest!

For the Love of God III...

  

     This Sunday will be  the most encouraging message of this series. Period.  The bottom line is this: In order to love God, we must come to understand the extent of God's love for us! This Sunday, God will open your eyes and understanding as to the love He has for you! It's going to be an awesome weekend! Don't miss this message! See you then! Remember, MLC's service times are as follows:

NORTH Forsyth Campus: 9:30, 11:00, 4:00, and 5:30
WEST  Forsyth Campus: 10:30 service (summer schedule)

Deuteronmoy 11...

"Be careful or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods
and bow down to them" (11:16).

Observation: This phrase "be careful" actually means "to put a hedge around" or "protect." the word "entice" here actually means "to open something up". God was warning the Israelites to take steps to put a hedge AROUND themselves to keep them out of situations where they would open themselves up to the temptation to sin by adopting the religious practices of the surrounding nations. This is precisely why God told them not to intermarry with the other tribes of people. It wasn't because God was a racist! It was because He wanted to help the Israelites keep that "hedge" around them!
Application: What hedges do I have in my life that keep me from "opening myself up" to sin? What hedges are NOT in place that should be?

"See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse..." (11:26).

Observation: The amount of strength, joy, and peace, and health in their relationship with God the the Israelites would enjoy, would all come because of a choice...NOT circumstances. They would CHOOSE God, an intimate relationship with Him, and doing life His way; OR they would choose to do their own thing and they would face the music...
Application: In today's world, everybody blames everybody else for everything. No one takes responsibility! God, however, says here that whether I'm blessed or cursed all comes out of a choice: a choice to pursue HIM with all my heart, soul, and strength, or a choice to pursue Him "a little" mixed in with my pursuit of everything else.

Observation: God wanted to bless the Israelites. He just couldn't do it if they wouldn't listen to Him!
Application: God wants to bless me. He just can't do it if I won't listen to Him!

Deuteronomy 10...

“At that time the Lord told me to cut two more stone tablets like the first ones..." (10:1)

Observation: God gave the Israelites a second chance!
Application: What does God want to refashion in my life that I've broken? In what area do I feel like God is trying to call me up to the mountain for a second chance?

"And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’S commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?" (10:12-13).

Observation: the first thing the LORD required of the Israelites was for them fro "fear" him? what?!
Application: Do I really FEAR (awe; respect; reverence) GOD? I need to keep in mind that God is not just my friend and counselor. He is GOD! He deserves my respect and reverence! When I enter into prayer with Him, I must not do so flippantly. I am speaking to the God of the universe!

Observation: Th reason God gave the commands to the Isarelites was "for your own good".
Application: I really believe my life will have more peace; joy; contentment; and fulfillment if I keep my eyes on the Lord and live His way. That's not health, wealth, and prosperity teaching, That's God's promise!

"To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens,
the earth and everything in it" (10:14).

 

Observation: EVERYTHING belongs to God.
Application: Giving becomes easier when I keep in mind that God owns it anyway. He owns my house; my cars; my bank account; my 401K; and my ENTIRE paycheck (even though He only asks me to give back atleast 10%). I can hold more loosely the thing si have when I keep in mind they belong to God!

Passion and Authority...

"When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed
at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority
and not as their teachers of the law" Matthew 7:28-29 (NIV)

 When Jesus spoke, evidently, even a casual observer could tell that he was different than the religious leaders of the day. He spoke eternal truth simply, directly, with love (in contrast to the bitter hatred of the Pharisees), with urgency, and without hesitation or consultation. That astounded the crowd.

In other words, I believe there were two things that set Jesus' teachings apart from everyone else's:

Passion and Authority

    The religious leaders were USED to giving the company line. they were saying the a lot of right things most days:  “You know: love the Lord your God..." The Ten Commandments...They were saying the right WORDS. There was just no passion in them!!!!

        Oh, but when Jesus spoke...He spoke with a fondness, an enthusiasm, with desire, with urgency. He was not this meek, mild voiced intellectual, has many have pictured Him. When He spoke He spoke with passion! When He spoke, people sat up on the edge of their seats. They way He was speaking got people's attention! 

        What's funny, is the fact that NO ONE has ever told me that to be more like Jesus, I need to have more PASSION in my life; that to teach like Jesus I need to teach with more passion! I see it, now. If there's anything Jesus' teaching demonstrates it's the fact that great teaching is not just about the right content and doctrine. It's about passion. Passion moves people! You know what I’m finding? You know what really encourages me? That in leadership, Passion will actually help us compensate for lack of skill!

    Here's the other cool part: What was it that gave Jesus His authority? Was it His title? No. He didn't have one, humanly speaking. He was a carpenter's son? What made Jesus the REAL leader in Jerusalem in His day, was His passion! In other words, passion actually helps give us a sense of authority! So I I am asking God to help make me more of a man of passion. I want my passion for God to come through in my conversations, in my meetings with people, and most of all, for me, MY TEACHING! ore than anything else, I want to people to see and feel that when I speak, I am PASSIONATE about God and His Word! What about you? Is the passion coming though?

Deuteronomy 9...

After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself:
"The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this
land because of my own righteousness" (9:4).

Observation: God knew that even after He did a miracle in the Israelites lives, they would be tempted to take credit for it!
Application: Things I am tempted to tale credit for that God has uniquely done: Having a great marriage; well disciplined children; a nice home in a great neighborhood; a growing church; our new worship facility on the way; our second campus of Mountain Lake; and the awesome Ministry Team we have!

"I too that sinful thing of yours, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire... " (9:21)

Observation" Moses too the calf that had come between them, and GOT RID OF IT!
Application: What do I need to GET RID OF that's causing me to be halfhearted in my devotion to God? What do I need to get RID OF, that tends to entice me to sin?

We're over 1/4 through the book of Deuteronomy!

Sunday Recap...

       Yesterday was awesome! I had the opportunity to go and teach over at the West Forsyth Campus of MLC, and it rocked! I can't believe how far ahead THAT campus is, from what MLC was in our first few months in a school, back in 2000! Volunteers were everywhere; Russ Sorrells, one of our Children's' Directors is doing an outstanding job over there with the children's ministry,  and  the worship environment rocks! Austin Sick, our worship leader also did an incredible job!  And John Shepherd is already making a BIG difference on BOTH of our campuses! Thanks, John! All of this made me even MORE fired up about the message and I really BROUGHT IT, if you know what I mean. God was in the service! It was an awesome day at West! If you haven't checked out the West Forsyth Campus, come one over!
       I am also told that Rodney Anderson knocked it out of the park with his teaching at our North Forsyth Campus. Todd and the band opened up with a GREAT song and then led people to God. David Putman said Rodney taught with more passion than he's ever seen him teach. Way to go, Rodney! I'm also told we probably had the largest attendance of the summer at our North Forsyth Campus!

A Great Bible Study Help...

         I'm not into endorsements on my blog, but there is one Bible Study tool I've been using for nearly a decade, that helps me RADICALLY in my understanding of the Bible, AS WELL AS, teaching the Bible. It's a software called Quickverse. I actually prefer the version that came out 2-4 years ago (my version is Quickverse 7.0), over the current versions. They are just more simple.
     First of all, Quickverse helps me because  there is no perfect translation of the Bible. Therefore, when studying the Bible, there are several translations of the Bible I look to. Often times, one translation will reflect the heart of God BETTER than another one; Other times, another translation will be easier to understand. By looking at multiple translations of a Scripture passage,. I am able to better understand the TRUE CONTEXT of what God was really trying to say. With Quickverse, I can glance at MANY multiple translations at the same time! No translation of the Bible is perfect. Check out the multiple translations of Deuteronomy 8:5 about God's discipline (click on it):

 

       If I want to go back to the original languages, Hebrew and Greek, to study a word, I simply CLICK ON IT, and it opens up a window that shows me all the possible word meanings of that word. Today, I did some digging about the word "discipline". IN the King James Version of the Bible, they use the word "chastise" instead of discipline. Hmm...Interesting...Then I looked in the lower left window, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, and clicked on the "Strong's Number" next to the word discipline, and look what pops up (click on it):

  

       This is just an example of the fact that ANY of us can become Bible experts and Bible teachers, if we're willing to invest in the time and the resources to do so. I also have McArthur's Commentaries, Warren Wiersbe's Commentaries, the Life Application Commentaries, multiple Bible Dictionaries, and other resources at my fingertips in this software. Because I use older software, ALL of this probably cost me $200 over time, as I added more books to my library. For the best prices on Quickverse, BTW, check out christianbook.com. Hope this helps someone!

Deuteronomy 8...

       "Know then in your heart, that as a man disciplines his son,
so the LORD your God disciplines you" (8:5).

Observation: The word "discipline" here means to correct or instruct. It CAN also mean "to punish"

Application: Part of me wishes this verse wasn't in the Bible! But when I think about WHY i discipline or punish my children, I do it because I want to teach them that their destructive or disobedient ways always have consequences, whether I impose them, or not! In other words, one of the reasons I discipline my children is to PROTECT them from future harm! WOW! When I think about the fact that one of the reasons God disciplines me, is to PROTECT me from future hurt and harm, I can accept His punishment! To learn the lesson, however, I must grow in my ability to discern more effectively WHEN I'm being disciplined! When something bad happens to me, I'm so bad about blaming the circumstances, thinking that it's coincidence, or even blaming God! Instead, I need to be able to recognize when I'm being disciplined and seek to discern what God is trying to teach me!
       Some examples of God's discipline could be: A bad day; Bad Traffic; Financial hardship; Frustration; Relational Conflict; Lack of peace, or joy; or even Ministry Ineffectiveness!

"Father, THANK YOU for your desire to discipline me to teach me Your ways and protect me from future harm. Help me to recognize your "spankings" and "time-out's" more readily and learn from your discipline the lessons YOU are trying to teach me!"

Deuteronomy 7...

"For you are a people holy to the LORD your God" (7:6).

Observation: Why were the Israelites considered holy? They certainly didn't act like it a lot of times! The word HOLY actually means "to be set apart" or "chosen uniquely". God had chosen the Israelites for a special task. He saw them differently than the rest of the people on the earth. That alone made them holy. However, He expected them to seek to live up to the HOLY calling they had been given by following His commands.

Application: I am holy, too! Not because of who I am or how great I am, but because God has washed away my sin through my relationship with Jesus Christ! He views me differently than people who DON'T have a relationship with Jesus! I am holy! However, God wants me to live differently because of the unique privilege I've been given. He wants my life to look differently than people who don't know Him. He does expect me to pursue HOLINESS. He wants me to live uniquely and differently. How do I live differently than my neighbors? How is my marriage different? How do I parent differently? Is my attitude different? Is my speech different? Are the objects of my affection different? Is the Lord's Day REALLY different, other than people seeing me go to church?

"Father, today, on Sunday, I want to be holy. I want this day to be set apart for Your purposes; and I want my life to reflect the unique relationship we have. Strengthen me as I pursue a radical way of living: Holiness!

Deuteronomy 6...

Love the LORD your God with ALL...(6:5).

Observation: God loved the Israelites to be OK with receiving a little bit of live back. He wanted to be loved COMPLETELY and hold the place of "first love" in their relationship.
Application: God loves ME too much to be OK with a little bit of love. He expects me to give Him first place in my life, not my leftovers. How do I know if I love the LORD with all my heart, soul, mind and strength? Three areas will reveal it more than any other: How I primarily invest my TIME: Where I primarily invest my TALENTS; and where I PRIMARILY invest my TREASURE. Do I give my time to God when I have time left over? Or, is He the first priority of every day? Every Sunday? Do I primarily invest my talents in God's works "when I have time"? Or is serving God the first priority of my life?  Am I actively serving Him through His church? Do i invest my financial resources into God's work AFTER I see what's left over at the end of the month? Or, do I give to God that first 10% that belongs to Him and trust Him to make the rest of the 90% work? God, thank you for the gut check!

"Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you..." (6:14b).

Observation: God knew that His people would be tempted to be influenced by culture, rather than influence it. So he cautioned them about valuing what the rest of the world valued.

Application: Here are the gods I'm tempted to worship (honor, value) over God because of the culture I live in:
    Success
    Fame
    Stuff
    The money that stuff buys
    The opposite sex's body
    My family
    My children

       None of these things ARE evil! It's just that I can't allow myself to value them as much as the rest of the world does! I must keep my love for God and my pursuit of His plan for my life, in first place! Loving Him FIRST will make my life AND my relationships with others HEALTHIER!

If today's post rocked your world, hold on...we'll be talking more about all of this tomorrow in our services! Don't miss it!

For the Love of God II...

      

        For those of you that missed this past Sunday, God did some COOL stuff in our services. I really believe He's at work here at MLC. If you missed it or need a reminder, watch it here. This Sunday will BUILD on everything we talked about last week, and the services are going to rock! We'll also close our services with COMMUNION once again! Don't miss out on what God wants to do in your life! Get to church this Sunday!

Deuteronomy 5...

Observation: The Ten Commandments!
Application: the first four commandments are about what a healthy relationship with God looks like. The last six commands are about what healthy relationships with PEOPLE look like.

Observation: Everything built on the fact that there could be NOTHING in our lives more important than God. How do we KNOW if God is REALLY coming first in our lives?
Application: Whether or not God has the rightful place in my life will be reflected in my time; my talents; and my giving. Do I give FIRST to God in all of these areas? Or do I give out of my leftovers? This will indicate if I have OTHER GODS taking the place of THE LORD my God!

"Observe the Sabbath by keeping it holy..." (5:12).

Observation: Sabbath means rest; and HOLY means UNIQUE.
Application: Am I consistently protecting one day every week to REST, WORSHIP, and SPEND MY DAY DIFFERENTLY than all others?

"Walk in all the ways that the LORD your God has commanded you..." (5:33a).

Observation: This means that one commandment is not more important than the other. He really meant for us to observe ALL Ten Commands!
Application: Which of the Ten Commandments am I most tempted to compromise on? Where am I falling short of "All" the commandments?

"...so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in
the land that you will possess" (5:33b).

Observation: God gave the ten commandments for my protection and prosperity!
Application: What kinds of consequences could I be facing right now because of my compromises of God's commands?

Application: God has set into place EVERY command to make my life and my relationship with Him better!  Thanks, God! You are so incredibly awesome!

Awesome worship at MLC...on a Tuesday?

       I love the fact that MLC is not just a "Sunday Church". We have worship going on personally and collectively through our ministries, seven days a week! Last night was a great example! Last night at our campus, we worshiped through:

Our Student Ministry Worship Service, FUZE,  has been awesome!  It;s grown every week since its launch! You guys are rocking the house! Great job, David Isbell!

Last night we took another SLEW of people through Rethink Money in an effort to help people honor (worship) God with their finances more fully!  Thanks, Casey and the Rethink Money Leadership team!

Our Malawi World Care Team met to gear up for going over and honoring God through installing a well and irrigation system for an entire village in Malawi! Yea, God! Great job, David Putman!

Deuteronomy 4...

       "Hear now, O Israel..." (4:1).

Observation: Why did God keep commanding them to listen? Because they had a hard time doing it!
Application: I MUST build time enough into my life that I can be STILL and LISTEN, not just TALK to God!

"...don't forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from
your heart as long as you live..." (4:9b).

Observation: God wanted them constantly remembering and reciting all the miracles God had done in their midst in the past. It would give them reason to celebrate and encouragement for the future!
Application: Some amazing things I've seen that I believe God doesn't want me to forget:

Personal: IN my life and family, these are some of the things my eyes have seen:

• God led me to "Tricia Greene" 18 yrs ago @ Samford University in an English Literature class!
• God gave me three healthy, beautiful children!
• God surprised us with a third child, which just so happens to be a future QB at the University of Alabama (Yes, I know he's only 3!)
• God has provided for me financially through some extremely tough financial times, since planting this church. In the mean time,  we have always been able to give atleast 15% of our income back to God!
• God led me to Cumming, GA through David Putman!
• God has given me a church that I, my wife, and my kids LOVE!

Ministry: At Mountain Lake, over the last 8 years, these are some of the things my eyes have seen:

• God has moved us from a Primary School; to a High School; into a building on a 32 acres campus; into an expansion of THAT building; and toward another building now! WOW!
• Dozens of marriages healed in places where no one gave them a chance
• Hundreds of people experience financial freedom and begin to honor God in their finances
• Our Ministry Team has grown from 2 to nearly 20.
• We have become a church with multiple campuses.
•  We have more volunteers today than we had people in our church in 2003.
• Over 800 people have gone public with their faith though baptism!

What are the things YOUR eyes have seen, that you need to stop and recite?

An Advisory Team? In church?

       Within our church structure, one of our Leadership Teams at Mountain Lake, is our Advisory Team, made up of 5 guys and 3 ladies, who represent our church well, in terms of life station and spiritual journey. We have some young and some old; some who have been Christians for a long time; and some just over a year.
       Our Advisory Team does not make ministry decisions or set strategic direction for the church. Our Pastors do that under God's leadership. Our Advisory Team is simply a sounding board for wisdom , advise, and feedback. They also help be the eyes and ears as far as the "vibe" of the congregation currently.We meet with this team every eight weeks and talk to them about some of the issues facing our church and get their feedback about different issues and decisions we're considering.
        Last night, we had an incredible discussion about some of the issues we're facing and decisions we're praying about in our Growth Group Ministry. It was electrifying! It was AMAZING to get their perspective. Sometimes in the meeting I knew what they were going to say. Other times, I was shocked by their responses. but every time, it helped our church by giving us, as the Ministry Leaders, perspective from the people's viewpoint. I can not tell you how many times these types of meetings with groups of people in our church, have saved our BUTTS as Pastors! I can't tell you how many times these meetings have protected our church from making a POOR decision!
       As Pastors, it's so easy to "think" I know what's best for the church without getting counsel or feedback from people in the church. It's so easy to THINK I know what everyone else is thinking or feeling. However, as Pastors, i feel we often get so insulated in our Ivory tower that we lose touch with where the people REALLY are. I feel like every Pastor and Pastoral Leadership team needs a place or a group of people they can trust to bounce ideas off of, and get feedback from, about what's really going on in the church. Or we'll lose touch. Pastors, where's your safe place to "test the waters" and get come feedback and counsel before you get up on the platform with your "Idea of the month?" You'd better talk to some people, first.
       FYI: Here are the current members of our Advisory Team:

Jonathan Griffith

Bill Snyder

Bill Kennedy

Dan Wiggins

Beth Nelson

Missy Bushong

Wendy Poole

Ray Calhoun

THANKS GUYS! YOU HELPED US AGAIN LAST NIGHT! I LOVE YOU GUYS!

      

Deuteronomy 3...

       "We struck them down, leaving no survivors..." (3:3b).

Observation: Why did God command the Israelites to kill people and wipe them out COMPLETELY?
Understanding: The pure relationship God enjoyed with the Israelites was so important; and His mission for them (bringing the Messiah into the world one day) was so important, that He could NOT allow the Israelites to be affected and ultimately led astray by the pagan beliefs of the neighboring tribes around the former Promised Land. God knew that if He allowed ANY of the pagan tribes people to stay alive and live in the land, that they would affect the beliefs and morals of the Israelites. Ever heard of Sodom and Gomorrah? This city happened and cot Lot's wife her life, because they were a group of people God had commanded the Israelites to wipe out earlier in history, and they had compromised and allowed them to continue living in the Promised Land! God was SERIOUS about having no other gods before Him! He really is a jealous God! And I'm glad He loves us that much!
Application: What are the things in my life need to be "wiped out" or "destroyed" in my life? I usually know what they are. I usually know what I need to do. I just tend to compromise. I tend to think I can still hold on to them and STILL have a great relationship with God. But God knows as long as I'm hanging on to something that CAN get in the way of my relationship with God, it WILL get in the way with my relationship with God!

"For what god is there in heaven or earth who can do the deeds and
might works you do?" (3:24b).

Observation: The Israelites were tempted, when faced with a dilemma, to seek counsel from to the gods of neighboring countries, instead of the LORD their God, the one true God, Yahweh!
Application: It;s OK for me to get counsel before making a decision, but I have to be careful that I don't value ANYONE'S counsel over God's counsel! Here are some of the people and places I could be tempted to look to for counsel, AT THE EXPENSE of getting counsel from God:  My family; Leadership Books; Mentors;Friends; what other churches are doing, My confession today to you, Lord: "...what god is there in Heaven or earth who can do the deeds and mighty work you do?!"

" ' That is enough,' the LORD said. ' Do not speak to me anymore on this matter' " (3:26).

Observation: God was so emphatic in His answer of "No" to Moses, and Moses had asked enough times, that God said: "Don't bring this up again. I'm not going to change my mind. Don't bring it up again!"
Application: I thought about all the times when I tell my children the same thing. Sometimes the think they can wear me down by begging and whining about something and get the answer they want. Sometimes I give it to them. Sometimes I don't, and I'll tell them: "No...And don't ask again!" But I've got to realize that this can and will happen in my relationship with God. ON some things, no matter how many times I ask and how many people I have praying for me, God;s answer is still going to be "No". He knows what's best for me, and sometimes I am not going to change His mind. I have to accept God's plan, even when I don't understand it or get the answer I want.

DROP ME A COMMENT (SHOW ME SOME LOVE) AND LET ME KNOW HOW GOD IS
SPEAKING TO YOU THROUGH ANY OF THIS!

Deuteronomy 2...

  "Then we turned back and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea..." (2:1).

Observation: God asked them to do something that they didn't like and didn't understand and they STILL OBEYED Him directly!
Application: What could God be asking me to do that I might not like or understand fully? Am I willing to obey Him directly?

"Do not provoke them to ward, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on" (2:5).

Observation: There were some parts of the land God intended the Israelites NOT to have. They were to content to take ONLY what God had given them.
Application: I must be willing to be content with the portion of life blessing and ministry blessing God gives to me.

"..we struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army" (2:32b).

Observation: Even though God had "given" them the land, they still had to fight battles and do some cleaning out, to possess what God had given them.
Application: Am I asking God to fix something in my life, without realizing that I'm going to have to fight for it, too?

"But in accordance with the command of the Lord our God..."

Observation: The Israelites were FULLY obedient to EVERYTHING God told them. At this point in their pilgrimage, they did not compromise.
Application: Where am I COMPROMISING God's commands, by HALFWAY obedience? My life, my character? My service? My relationships? My resources?

When God shows up...

       

You know what I'm talking about...sometimes you have worship services; and then sometimes you have WORSHIP SERVICES! God shows up! He shows up in a powerful way and His Spirit is felt in an elevated way in the services.  For me, yesterday was one of those days! WOW!
        Our Worship Leaders and the bands led us to encounter God; God spoke to all of us through the message. Your feedback has been so encouraging; and communion put the icing on the cake! God was good! He showed up! I can't wait to see what God is going to do in and through us over the next several weeks! For the love of God! I have a lot of posts below, today, so don't miss them. Check out what God is doing at Mountain Lake! Be a part of the journey! For the love of God!

For the Love of God...ACTION!

Here are some of the AWESOME ACTION STEPS we'll be taking together to foster our love relationships with God by tattooing His Word on our hearts and minds over the next several weeks:

1. Reading through the book of Deuteronomy together. (See posts below).
2. Elevating the importance if bringing our BIBLES to CHURCH every Sunday
    (yes, we're sort of going "Joel Osteen".)
3. We're participating in a day of Prayer and Fasting together. You'll hear more about this next Sunday.
4. Signing TONS of you up for the "FEED YOURSELF: A Pathway to Spiritual Growth" class.

Journeying through Deuteronomy...

    This month, as part of our "For the Love of God" series, our entire church is reading through the book of Deuteronomy together. It's going to be awesome! Feel free to join along with us, wherever you are! PLEASE drop some love through commenting OFTEN and let me know you're on the journey! Check in and post about what God says to you along the way! I'll be posting every day based on what God teaches me. Maybe my posts will help you when God's Word doesn't make sense along the way. Happens to the best of us. When you read a chapter, do two things:

1. Make OBSERVATIONS about what you see. What happened here?
2. Make APPLICATION about what you read. What does this mean for me? What could this mean for me?

Allow this to form your prayers and build your love relationship with God stronger than it's ever been!

Deuteronomy 1...

"...Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the LORD had commanded Him..." (v.3b)

Observation: Moses didn't hold back. He shared the full counsel of God with the people.
Application: I must recognize those ares of my my preaching where I'm tempted to "hold back" from teaching ALL that God says!

 "Choose some wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes,
and I will set them over you." (v. 13)

Observation: Even Moses could not lead the people by himself! He needed great leaders surrounding him!
Application: My Pastors are here to serve God, but also to serve the people in such a way that I can focus and hearing from God and receiving His commands for the people!

"See I have given you this land. Go up and take possession of it..." (v.21)

Observation: Even though the Israelites weren't IN the promised land, the victory was theirs for the taking. they just had to move forward in faith!
Application: What has God given me that's simply waiting on me to step out in faith ind claim it? Need to think on that one!

"Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged..."  (v. 21b)

Observation: Why did Go tell them this? Because they were afraid and discouraged!
Application: What am I tempted to be afraid of? What am I tempted to be discouraged about?

"The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you..." (v. 30a)

Observation: God went BEFORE THEM, not BESIDE them. He fought FOR them. not WITH them.
Application: God is going before me! What battle does He want to fight FOR me?

Additional thoughts:

v. 42-44: When we try to fight the battles of life without God's power, we'll be defeated every time!
What consequences am I facing right now because I''ve tried to fight some battles without God?

Obviously, I had a TON to pray about when I got through reading God;s Word today! I trust God will speak to you, too!

Starbucks apologizes?...

       I love Starbucks. But this week I had something amazing happen. I had a bad "Starbucks experience." I was actually traveling and pulled into a Starbucks just off the Interstate that still had the "Now Open" banner hanging across the building. I pulled through the drive through, and pulled up to the speaker. The person on the microphone wasn't overly friendly and seemed unsure of themselves; they cut me off before I could finish my coffee order for my friend. Subsequently, he had to get out of the car and go in after receiving his coffee; When I finally pulled up to the window to get our coffees, they literally told me that they had run out of COFFEE but were brewing some more and asked if I could wait five minutes?! Are you kidding me?
       Believe it or not, Starbucks redeemed themselves from all of this with one simple gesture at the end of our visit. They knew they had screwed up. They knew that this had probably been a bad experience for us. So they handed us a card, and this is what it said:

"We apologize if your Starbucks experience was anything but wonderful..."
"The next time we see you, please enjoy a beverage on us. We hope your next visit is better."

       Are you kidding me? Starbucks apologized for the experience I had while at their establishment! they took responsibility. They literally asked for another shot! Man! Do you think the church could learn something else from Starbucks?
       Is is possible in our churches that there might ever be a need to stand up after the service and just be honest by saying: "We apologize if your ____________ (church) experience was anything but wonderful. We weren't hitting on all cylinders today..." Could we just be honest to people about the fact that on some weekends, that the environment,  the friendliness, the children's' workers, the music, the PREACHING is not perfect every week? Can we acknowledge that? Can we ask people to come back even when we didn't knock out of the park? Can we acknowledge the fact that even though the sign indicates "Now Open" many Sundays, that we're not ready for guests? Can we admit our shortcomings? Do we have the courage to just say sometimes: "We apologize. We know everything wasn't perfect. We value you. We want you here. We're glad you came. We hope your next visit is better." What does your church need to apologize for on some weekends?
       Just so you know, this weekend at MLC, our goal is not a "perfect experience". Our goal is to change the way you think about church and lead you to belong in a healthy relationship with God and others and become more like Jesus and Christ." If we do that, it WILL BE perfect! We love you. We value you. We want to help you. We hope every visit gets better: because God is changing your life !
         

Worship Facility DNA...

       

        Yesterday, I spent SIX HOURS looking over our Construction Documents for our building. It was one of our last shots to catch MAJOR things we might want to address before this building goes vertical in a matter of weeks! I'm so pumped! One of the reasons I as the Lead Pastor have been so involved in our worship facility design on the front end is because I felt it was important that we as a Ministry Team spend a ton of time talking about something we call the "Missional DNA".  Here's what I mean: we LOVE our current worship building! It's not the MOST BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT worship building anywhere, but I'm not the the most BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT, Lead Pastor, so it fits me! But our worship facility and campus so powerfully reflects who we are as a church. When you drive on to our campus and especially enter our lobby, our building SCREAMS who we are. We're here to "change the way people think about church." Our current building DOES THAT!  We're here to give people a place to belong. Our building screams this when you walk in the door.  We're here to provide a place where people can become: at their pace; at God's pace' regardless of who they are, where they're at on the Spiritual journey, and where they are on the socio-economic scale. Believe it or not, our current building communicates that! Time after time after time over the years on our "First Impressions" card from First Time Guests we've gotten feedback from our guests about how they FELT all of this SOON AFTER arriving on our campus! WOW! 
       So as we've designed our new Worship Facility, we want to make sure we don't lose who we are. So we've been careful about that as we've moved forward with our new worship facility. We're purposely NOT going a lot "nicer" and fancier" than our current worship facility. We've never been fancy. We're not going to start now. Examples?

• The elevations of our building (the structure is actually a "Butler" type steel building).
• Limiting carpet and sheet rock throughout that tend to give a more polished, finished, "perfect" look.
• Ceilings: almost all exposed steel ceilings with high bay lighting.
• Lobby (stained concrete floors); We're utilizing the same "guest and check-in areas as we do NOW in our lobby.
• Worship auditorium: stained concreted floor; we're also continuing to utilize our current worship auditorium chairs on the main floor of our auditorium.
• We went with a lot of  stadium seats to get as many of our seats as close to the stage, as possible! We will have the smallest 1200 seat auditorium ANYWHERE! It will feel so intimate!

    At the same time, we're also taking steps to do SOME of the things we do WELL NOW, even better in the new facility:

• We're extending our awesome BELONGING environment from the lobby on to the patios outside. We want to be seen as the friendliest place anywhere as soon as people drive in to our campus! We're providing much more space for belonging before and after services. Did you notice the fireplace? Are you kidding me? AWESOME!
• We're providing MORE Leadership Development space. If everything rises and falls in leadership, then we've got to improve here.
• Worship Environment: We're GOING FOR High DEF here! I'll keep you posted here...
• Children's and Student Ministries: We want to do a more effective job of communicating with our environments, the value we place on children and students in our church. They've always been over-squeezed and in "flexible" space. NOT ANY MORE!
• A new entrance to eliminate some of the hassle of getting off campus.

I can't wait! FALL 2009! Forsyth and Dawson County here we come!

 

Changing our lives...

       We all long for change. Deep down, we all would love to believe that our lives could change; that we could become; that we can transform; that we can overcome. Deep down, we all long for change. However, most of us are FRUSTRATED by our ability to do it. We struggle. We promise. We commit. We re-commit. We re-commit AGAIN. We fail. We don't change. We get discouraged. We give up. Depressed yet?
        What's the deal? Why do so many of us have such a hard time changing? This morning God reminded me of the real key to sustained change in my life. The apostle Paul, writing to the Colossian Christians 2000 yrs ago, said this:

"This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is changing lives everywhere, just as it changed yours that very first day you heard and understood the truth about God’s great kindness to sinners" (Colossians 1:6 NLT).

       Did you catch that? How were people changing so radically in the first century? By embracing and understanding fully the GOOD NEWS about the kindness and grace that God demonstrated to us through sending Jesus Christ! As the early Christians came in contact with, and began to live more fully in light of, God's GRACE in their lives, God changed them!
       Do you see what this means for you and me? If we're having a hard time changing, we don't have a willpower problem. We have a GRACE problem. If we're having a hard time changing our marriage, we don't have a marriage problem. We have a GRACE problem. If we're having a hard time overcoming a habit or addiction, we don't have an addiction problem. We have a grace problem. If we have a sin problem, we don't have a sin problem as much as we have a grace problem!
        However, God says that understanding fully the kindness displayed to us by God through sending Jesus Christ compels us to change! Thrusts us into change! Allows us to change! So let me ask you question: Do you REALLY understand God's grace? Let me put it another way: Are you currently changing? If not, spend time meditating, studying, embracing, seeking to comprehend, and thanking God for His grace!

FYI: During this next message series, we'll be touching a lot on the idea of GRACE. This week, we'll be celebrating communion in all of our services! Don't miss it!

"For the Love of God..."

       I've heard the above phrase used lots of time by people (this IS a way of taking God's name in vain, by the way) as a way of expressing their frustrations about things in their lives. When they stump their toe on the coffee table; when their spouse makes no sense to them; when the kids won't behave; when the boss changes his mind on them; I've heard a lot of people, at some point cry out: "For the love of God!"
       But can we be honest enough to admit that in the midst of our relationships with God; in the midst of our pursuit of knowing Him; in the midst of seeking to know His will for our lives; in the midst of understanding His Word; or getting His His wisdom for a decision; in the midst of TRYING to figure out what it means to REALLY live like Jesus...that we can get so frustrated sometimes that we just want to look up to Heaven and say: "For the love of God! Can't YOU help me with this?! Can't you hear me? Can't you ANSWER me?"
     I know I've felt this way (not SAID it just thought it!). But do you know what God showed me recently, though? That when I hear those words inside my head,  I'm closer to the answer than than I realize! Because at the end of the day, all of this is simpler than I make it. IT really IS just about love. LOVE is the answer to just about every question I have unresolved and the frustrations I hold in my life and my relationship with God! So during this next message series, we're talking about LOVE, and its meaning and place in our relationship with God! If you've ever gotten frustrated with:

• Doubts about God
• Doubts about God's love
• Living the Christian life
• Knowing God's Will
• Overcoming habits or addictions
• Prayer
• having a "quiet time"

THEN THIS SERIES IS FOR YOU...FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!

See you this Sunday!

Time "Stewardship"....

   

   In the Christian world, we often talk about "stewardship" in terms of money. However, from God's perspective, stewardship is about so much more than money! Being a good "steward" is about being a good MANAGER of all that God has entrusted to us. That includes how we spend our time! In fact, I would even be so bold to suggest that TIME management is more important than MONEY management, because how we spend our TIME greatly affects how we spend our money! Currently, through a Re-Read of Ordering Your Private World, I was reminded once again that for me to be everything that God wants me to be, I must think of my time just like my money:

• I must track where I'm spending it.
• I must separate, not just in my mind, but on paper, fixed expenditures, from variable expenditures.
• I must plan ahead.
• I must think in terms of budget categories.
• I must reserve some on myself, for my own personal health and vitality.
• If I don't decide where to spend it, other people will decide it for me!
• I must say "No" to the good things to say "Yes" to the best things.
• It all belongs to God, so I must ask myself daily: "Is God happy with the way I managed it today?"

A Father's Best Dad...

Dad,

       On this Father's Day, I just want the world to know that, of all the people I could look to as an example of how to be a great Father, I constantly think of you. More than you will ever know, as I am navigating all of the complexities of decisions I face as a man, father, and husband, I SO OFTEN stop to think: "What would DAD do?" "What would DAD say?" Your wisdom fills my thoughts on a daily basis more than you will ever know.

These are just a few quotes from you that guide my life on a regular basis:

• "You never gain anything by proving a point."
• "Toughen up!"
• "I love my job."
• "I hope I never retire."
• "You'd better stop to smell the roses."
• "Don't get in over your head."
• "Slow down!"
• "Work hard! Move faster!"
• "When you go fishing, catching fish is just a bonus."
• "When you close your tackle box, clasp it, too."
• "When you want to buy a new car, you can find everything wrong with yours."
• "You're GOING to church!"
• "If it was easy, everybody would be doing it!"
• "Why would I want to run for office? I would lose 50% of my friends!"
• "Don't pretend you're better than anybody."
• "When you get through learning, your toes will be pushing up daisies."
• "Don't forget your roots."
• "I'm proud of you."

Dad, this is just proof of the fact that I really was listening. I hope that's a good Father's Day gift for you...because Wal-Mart was all out of socks.

I LOVE YOU!

Your Son,

My Father's Best Day...

Yesterday, I got to take my oldest daughter, Hannah, fishing out on our lake in the neighborhood. It was awesome! Hannah had NEVER been in a "flat bottom" boat; NEVER driven a trolling motor; and had NEVER caught a BASS; and she got to do all three! We had a great couple of hours together and it didn't cost ANYTHING! Talk about a great day!  As my dad always said: "When you go fishing, catching a fish is just a bonus." Dad, as usual, I agree with you!

Last coaching network for this year...

      

Today is our last coaching network meeting for the guys we've spent the last year with. We've had 12 church planters gathered around the table each month, challenging each other, and figuring out TOGETHER how to save the world! Today, many of the planters' wives are coming up and will be spending some time with my wife Tricia. They'll spend some spiritual time (shopping at the Outlets nearby) and then some encouragement time as Tricia shares from her heart that she's learned in our church planting journey. It's going  to be an awesome day! If you;re a church planter and you;re interested in being a part of our next coaching network, go here.

Father's Best Day...

 

Oh my goodness! Father's Day is going to be AWESOME! I can't wait to encourage and bless all of the Dads in our church and community this weekend! I really do believe this is going to be the best Father's Day we've ever had at Mountain Lake! Dads, get ready! I can't wait to surprise you! I can't wait to encourage you from God's Word! Don't miss it! Moms, students, family members: The best gift you could give your dad is get them to church this weekend!

I love my job...

       I love my job...Why? Because it's easy? No. Because it's always fun? No. Because it offers great pay and great befits? No. because it offers a flexible schedule? No. Because it allows me to be at home with my family more? No! Even though my job offers part or all of these things at different times, none of these things are why I love my job. I love my job because I am CALLED to do it! I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am CALLED by GOD to be the Lead Pastor of Mountain Lake Church! There is NOTHING MORE fulfilling in life than knowing you are where God has CALLED you to be. I can't tell you how much joy it brings to my life to get up every morning and know that I'm CALLED to do what I do. Some days my job is easy. MANY days my job is hard. Some days I fee like I'm doing a great job. Other times I feel like I'm not. But I still love my job, Because I'm CALLED. What about you? Are you CALLED to be in your job? If so, thank God today for His calling on your life. If not, what are you doing there? Quit and go do what you feel like God has called you to do! Yes, it really is that simple...

Indianapolis...

      

Tricia and I are headed up to Indianapolis today to be part of a panel for the Missional Network Gathering that's part of the Southern Baptist Convention each year. I look forward to bumping in to some old friends, meeting some new leaders, and hanging out with my wife...WITHOUT KIDS! Yes, God is so good! If you're anywhere near Indianapolis, come hang with us!

Pruning...

      

One of those verses, that at f