As a church planter things are most often busy, sometimes stressful, and many times difficult. I also understand that everyone in life seems to struggle in the same way. Everyone only has 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, and 52 weeks in a year. That's one thing that we cannot get away from, no matter what! And you know what...we'd better just accept it!
As we become more and more stretched and busy in life, I believe we must become more strategic about what we do, where our energy goes, and who we listen to. That's where I lack sometimes, and that's where I'm sure many of you lack many times...strategy and energy management. The more I live my life as to what God wants from me, I realize that I must be strategic about my life.
In Exodus 18 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, gives him some great advice. Moses was pastoring a great and large church, Israel! He had a ton of people that listened to him, honored his authority, and respected his voice. People, day in and day out, came to Moses for forgiveness, understanding, and help. So, Moses is answering hundreds of people each day, and was getting tired, frustrated, and probably even burnt out. Then Jethro comes along for a visit one day and offers some wisdom. He asks Moses why he was leading that way. He informed Moses that he would quickly get burnt out, frustrated and feel like he was constantly behind in life. He then laid out a format for Moses to lead better and more efficiently...streamline his voice, his ear, and his action.
Here's the point: Jethro helped Moses become a tremendous leader by teaching him to be strategic with what he does, who he listens to, and how he does it!
Where you spend your energy determines the destination of what you're doing. Simply put, what you give your energy/ear to, and where/how you spend your time determines how effective you will be in what you're doing. Don't give in to negativity anymore. Don't give into people who don't believe in the dream God has placed in your heart. Don't allow others to organize your calendars anymore. We may all have the same amount of hours in a day, days in a week, and weeks in a year, but we can all do better at managing what we have!
Stewardship is a Godly/biblical principle. Steward well, get more, steward poorly get less. STOP GIVING YOUR ENERGY TO OTHER THINGS! Become strategic, purposeful, and energetic! You will see yourself become more effective, happier, and more loving...because your life is pointing to something now, instead of wasting energy on people and things that don't deserve it!
Do these things to create your strategy:
1) Determine not to pay attention to negativity/naysayers.
2) What do you want to accomplish in every area of your life?
3) What do you need to plan in order to accomplish God's dream for your life?
The purpose is up to God... the accomplishing of that is up to you. Let's move!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
Sunday's Tweetables
Hey guys. We started putting these up during the service, but I'll post them here as well so you can explode Twitter/Facebook with God's truth throughout the week.
- Whatever you release is seed, whatever you hold onto is your harvest. God only increases seed!
- Sowing a seed can release the freedom from a curse (sin) in your life.
- The size of your seed determines the miracle you'll experience
- Jesus was the ultimate seed. God sowed the seed of Jesus to give us access to the Kingdom.
- Your life can be increased by showing God what DOESN'T own you, and who DOES own you!
- Whatever you release is seed, whatever you hold onto is your harvest. God only increases seed!
- Sowing a seed can release the freedom from a curse (sin) in your life.
- The size of your seed determines the miracle you'll experience
- Jesus was the ultimate seed. God sowed the seed of Jesus to give us access to the Kingdom.
- Your life can be increased by showing God what DOESN'T own you, and who DOES own you!
Friday, January 25, 2013
Humbled
It has been a week ago since I announced the opportunity facing me and Radiate Church to print/publish my first book. It has been met with UNREAL support and kindness. I never imagined the response would be so quick and so great. Within 3 days we had about 10-15 people commit support! What an honor!
I am still about 7 people away from my goal. The project is well on it's way. It is getting some final proofreading and editing done, and the graphics department is already working on the book cover as well. It's all still fairly surreal to be honest. I just hit me the other day that God has blessed me tremendously before I even reach 30. I'll be 30 in July and I will have, in hand, a successful/growing church plant, great friends, a child, 10 years of youth ministry and my first book.
I'll be transparent with you...I don't deserve all of that. In fact, I don't deserve any of that. But for some reason, God has continuously smiled down and blessed me with opportunity after opportunity to make a difference for the Kingdom. I've come across some of the greatest people on the planet during my current 11 year ministry journey, and I would not change it for the world! I may not deserve it, but I sure am glad and blessed that God has chosen, for some reason, to give me chances in this life.
This year as Radiate Church focus' on rescuing unchurched people, and building the Kingdom, I want my life to represent that with great enthusiasm. That's my goal - my main goal - the point of my life!
If you would like to be one of the 8 people that is still needed to help make "Shift" (my book) a reality, I would greatly appreciate your participation in this project. In return you will receive a prayer from me and anyone that reads the book for your seed. You will also receive a signed copy of Shift!
God is unbelievably powerful, just, and great! I hope you've had the honor of experiencing that for yourself.
I am still about 7 people away from my goal. The project is well on it's way. It is getting some final proofreading and editing done, and the graphics department is already working on the book cover as well. It's all still fairly surreal to be honest. I just hit me the other day that God has blessed me tremendously before I even reach 30. I'll be 30 in July and I will have, in hand, a successful/growing church plant, great friends, a child, 10 years of youth ministry and my first book.
I'll be transparent with you...I don't deserve all of that. In fact, I don't deserve any of that. But for some reason, God has continuously smiled down and blessed me with opportunity after opportunity to make a difference for the Kingdom. I've come across some of the greatest people on the planet during my current 11 year ministry journey, and I would not change it for the world! I may not deserve it, but I sure am glad and blessed that God has chosen, for some reason, to give me chances in this life.
This year as Radiate Church focus' on rescuing unchurched people, and building the Kingdom, I want my life to represent that with great enthusiasm. That's my goal - my main goal - the point of my life!
If you would like to be one of the 8 people that is still needed to help make "Shift" (my book) a reality, I would greatly appreciate your participation in this project. In return you will receive a prayer from me and anyone that reads the book for your seed. You will also receive a signed copy of Shift!
God is unbelievably powerful, just, and great! I hope you've had the honor of experiencing that for yourself.
Friday, January 18, 2013
BIG Announcement
So for the past 12+ months my wife, myself, and a committed core of servant workers have dedicated everything we have into planting Radiate Church! God has blessed and is blessing greatly, and is opening the floodgates of blessing unlike any other...and yet again, God has opened a great door of opportunity!
About 2-3 years ago there was a word placed in my heart and I began to study the impact of it: "Perspective". The POWER of perspective to be more specific. My life has been dramatically changed and my faith has been incredibly heightened due to this message. I have preached it at Radiate, in fact it is at the core of many of my messages, many revival services, and youth camps. I have seen NUMEROUS lives changed. Romans 12:2 is the key to this message: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
Several of my friends encouraged me to sit down and write out my thoughts and findings on this topic, so I did. After about a year of writing it, studying it, living it, and preaching it, I sat down one day and sent it to several guys that I'm connected with and asked for some honest feedback and thoughts. At the encouragement of them, this idea and thought turned into a book. They encouraged me to send it to some people, get it looked over and work on it. I did, never thought anything at all about it, and just moved on.
Over the recent couple of months, I've had a renewed passion and movement on this and I got a word back from someone the other day. God has opened a door for me to print/publish my very first BOOK!!! Shift; Shift your thinking.Shift your faith.Shift your life.
It has been a lifelong dream and vision of mine to write a book that would inspire and encourage people to live their lives with Christ to the fullest, this is the BEGINNING of a lifelong dream/vision! Radiate - this is not an opportunity for ME, this is an opportunity for US!
In order to fulfill this I need some folks that believe in this and will help me. I need to raise about $2,500 in order to get everything going. I'm looking for 25 people to sow a $100 seed into this project in order to help us accomplish this part of our ministry. If you sow a $100 seed (already have 2 that are sowing), your name will be on our "Champions Page" in the book, where I will encourage readers to pray increase over your seed. You will also receive a free signed copy of the book as soon as it arrives. My goal is to have them delivered before June 2013!
Please join me in praying for this, sowing into this, and letting as many people as possible know! I truly hope you are as excited about this ministry endeavor as I am! I can't wait to see the impact from this!
Here is a link where you can donate to this project:
I can't wait to journey this with you!
About 2-3 years ago there was a word placed in my heart and I began to study the impact of it: "Perspective". The POWER of perspective to be more specific. My life has been dramatically changed and my faith has been incredibly heightened due to this message. I have preached it at Radiate, in fact it is at the core of many of my messages, many revival services, and youth camps. I have seen NUMEROUS lives changed. Romans 12:2 is the key to this message: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
Several of my friends encouraged me to sit down and write out my thoughts and findings on this topic, so I did. After about a year of writing it, studying it, living it, and preaching it, I sat down one day and sent it to several guys that I'm connected with and asked for some honest feedback and thoughts. At the encouragement of them, this idea and thought turned into a book. They encouraged me to send it to some people, get it looked over and work on it. I did, never thought anything at all about it, and just moved on.
Over the recent couple of months, I've had a renewed passion and movement on this and I got a word back from someone the other day. God has opened a door for me to print/publish my very first BOOK!!! Shift; Shift your thinking.Shift your faith.Shift your life.
It has been a lifelong dream and vision of mine to write a book that would inspire and encourage people to live their lives with Christ to the fullest, this is the BEGINNING of a lifelong dream/vision! Radiate - this is not an opportunity for ME, this is an opportunity for US!
In order to fulfill this I need some folks that believe in this and will help me. I need to raise about $2,500 in order to get everything going. I'm looking for 25 people to sow a $100 seed into this project in order to help us accomplish this part of our ministry. If you sow a $100 seed (already have 2 that are sowing), your name will be on our "Champions Page" in the book, where I will encourage readers to pray increase over your seed. You will also receive a free signed copy of the book as soon as it arrives. My goal is to have them delivered before June 2013!
Please join me in praying for this, sowing into this, and letting as many people as possible know! I truly hope you are as excited about this ministry endeavor as I am! I can't wait to see the impact from this!
Here is a link where you can donate to this project:
I can't wait to journey this with you!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
A long delay
First of all let me say that my absence from blogging has been fixed and I deeply apologize! I told myself I would do better at this last year, and I didn't, clearly. So, this year one of my goals in 2013 is to be a diligent blogger than offers thoughts, principles, ideas, and ways to grow as a Christian, a leader, a husband/wife, a follower of Jesus, a pastor, or church planter.
I have a HUGE announcement coming up on Friday that I will be announcing live on my blog that I am incredibly excited about! That will not be the END of my blogging, rather that will jump start everything all over again! So, I hope your new year has started off with a great bang, and God is moving greatly in your life! I pray blessing and prosperity in your finances, family, and your spirit! God bless you, and I WILL be talking to you again on Friday!
I have a HUGE announcement coming up on Friday that I will be announcing live on my blog that I am incredibly excited about! That will not be the END of my blogging, rather that will jump start everything all over again! So, I hope your new year has started off with a great bang, and God is moving greatly in your life! I pray blessing and prosperity in your finances, family, and your spirit! God bless you, and I WILL be talking to you again on Friday!
Friday, November 9, 2012
Connect: Family
WOW! I have taken a hiatus recently from posting...SORRY! It's been crazy around here, so it's been difficult. But, I'm going to try to get back on track now! Here is the 2nd post for the study on Connect... FAMILY!
When Jesus says in the Bible that we are to be connected to vine... we are the branches, and it's to bear MUCH fruit! I believe there are 4 areas in our lives that must be connected to the vine of the Kingdom in order to see life-changing fruit. Family, Finances, Faithfulness, and Friendships - the 4 Keys to Kingdom Fruit!
FAMILY:
A lot of times in marriage, the spouse is the most obvious portion, but the most overlooked. It's easy in life to many times, underappreciate, undervalue, and even ignore our spouse during the context of marriage. In order to see marriage restored in America today, we must begin to appreciate, love, and value our spouse again. That's the reason that divorce rates are on the rise, less kids understand the context of marriage, and society downplays the longevity of marriage - because we are not producing the MUCH fruit that God promised. Why? Because we are no longer connected to the vine.
Proverbs 18:22 > our wives and even husbands must are a blessing to us! Marriage isn't supposed to be a burden, but a blessing. The reason it has become a burden is simply because we don't treat the spouse with the appreciation of a precious jewel. Our actions/reactions, our speech, our dress, and even sex all speaks volumes to your spouse about your value of them. When we connect not only our marriage but our spouse to the Kingdom Vine, we can bear GREAT fruit that people would love to taste!
Here are some other verses about marriage: 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, Ephesians 5:25-28, Genesis 2:24
Kids are also brought into the mix when we begin to connect our families to the Kingdom Vine. Your kids were NOT an accident, and you did not just HAPPEN to become their parents. It was all planned from the beginning. Your greatest, most important ministry doesn't happen at church or work, but at home! (1 Timothy 3:4-5) We must be able to lead our first ministry, home, before we can lead another ministry away from home. The discipline we offer our kids, the direction, and the guidance we offer them must first be connected to the Vine!
I cannot expect my son to grow up loving God, if in my home I haven't made it a priority, fun, or even respectable. Bishop Greg Amos once told me "What you allow on your platform will reproduce itself in your people." I would like to tweak that for home, what we allow in our homes, will reproduce itself in your kids. Connect your kids to the Vine... if you don't like the fruit, change the Vine!
Additional verses: Ephesians 6:1-3, Ephesians 6:4
The structure of our families must also be connected to the Kingdom Vine. If I make decisions without asking God first, I'm making a ME decision, not a HE decision. The structure must be a Kingdom structure... now I know this may not be popular but it's biblical, MEN you are the head of your house! Women, you are to submit and support the man. Men: you are held responsible for the structure and guidance of your family. You are responsible to connect your family to the Vine of the Kingdom. Ladies, it's not your biblical responsibility to overrule or override your mans decision. HE is the spiritual authority placed by God in your family. You must both work together in making the decisions, but the man is the authority. (Don't get mad at me, it's biblical... Ephesians 5:23-24 - this is not a plea to downplay women's roles in life.)
Additional verses: Proverbs 11:29, 1 Timothy 3:4-5, Ephesians 5:23-24
If we, as Kingdom Seekers, want to see the fruit of family in our lives, churches, and society we must connect to the proper vine. We have connected our families to the vine of friendship, laziness, and society for too long. We must stand up and begin to connect to the vine of the Kingdom! God promises us if we connect to the Kingdom Vine we will see MUCH fruit - MUCH being abundant! Let's connect today!
What does it look like for you to connect your family to the Vine?
What do you need to change in your life to connect to the Vine?
What are some thing you can begin doing TODAY to connect to the Vine?
When Jesus says in the Bible that we are to be connected to vine... we are the branches, and it's to bear MUCH fruit! I believe there are 4 areas in our lives that must be connected to the vine of the Kingdom in order to see life-changing fruit. Family, Finances, Faithfulness, and Friendships - the 4 Keys to Kingdom Fruit!
FAMILY:
A lot of times in marriage, the spouse is the most obvious portion, but the most overlooked. It's easy in life to many times, underappreciate, undervalue, and even ignore our spouse during the context of marriage. In order to see marriage restored in America today, we must begin to appreciate, love, and value our spouse again. That's the reason that divorce rates are on the rise, less kids understand the context of marriage, and society downplays the longevity of marriage - because we are not producing the MUCH fruit that God promised. Why? Because we are no longer connected to the vine.
Proverbs 18:22 > our wives and even husbands must are a blessing to us! Marriage isn't supposed to be a burden, but a blessing. The reason it has become a burden is simply because we don't treat the spouse with the appreciation of a precious jewel. Our actions/reactions, our speech, our dress, and even sex all speaks volumes to your spouse about your value of them. When we connect not only our marriage but our spouse to the Kingdom Vine, we can bear GREAT fruit that people would love to taste!
Here are some other verses about marriage: 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, Ephesians 5:25-28, Genesis 2:24
Kids are also brought into the mix when we begin to connect our families to the Kingdom Vine. Your kids were NOT an accident, and you did not just HAPPEN to become their parents. It was all planned from the beginning. Your greatest, most important ministry doesn't happen at church or work, but at home! (1 Timothy 3:4-5) We must be able to lead our first ministry, home, before we can lead another ministry away from home. The discipline we offer our kids, the direction, and the guidance we offer them must first be connected to the Vine!
I cannot expect my son to grow up loving God, if in my home I haven't made it a priority, fun, or even respectable. Bishop Greg Amos once told me "What you allow on your platform will reproduce itself in your people." I would like to tweak that for home, what we allow in our homes, will reproduce itself in your kids. Connect your kids to the Vine... if you don't like the fruit, change the Vine!
Additional verses: Ephesians 6:1-3, Ephesians 6:4
The structure of our families must also be connected to the Kingdom Vine. If I make decisions without asking God first, I'm making a ME decision, not a HE decision. The structure must be a Kingdom structure... now I know this may not be popular but it's biblical, MEN you are the head of your house! Women, you are to submit and support the man. Men: you are held responsible for the structure and guidance of your family. You are responsible to connect your family to the Vine of the Kingdom. Ladies, it's not your biblical responsibility to overrule or override your mans decision. HE is the spiritual authority placed by God in your family. You must both work together in making the decisions, but the man is the authority. (Don't get mad at me, it's biblical... Ephesians 5:23-24 - this is not a plea to downplay women's roles in life.)
Additional verses: Proverbs 11:29, 1 Timothy 3:4-5, Ephesians 5:23-24
If we, as Kingdom Seekers, want to see the fruit of family in our lives, churches, and society we must connect to the proper vine. We have connected our families to the vine of friendship, laziness, and society for too long. We must stand up and begin to connect to the vine of the Kingdom! God promises us if we connect to the Kingdom Vine we will see MUCH fruit - MUCH being abundant! Let's connect today!
What does it look like for you to connect your family to the Vine?
What do you need to change in your life to connect to the Vine?
What are some thing you can begin doing TODAY to connect to the Vine?
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Connect
This is post #1 of a 5 post series called "Connect" - Connecting your life to the Vine!
John 15:5 says: "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."
A verse that is taught, heard, and repeated throughout Christian circles every single day. A verse that many people can repeat by the prompting of the first 4 words of the verse. A verse that has lost the power with which it was written. A verse that has no sting, no conviction, and no life-change anymore. A verse that has simply become a statement as stale as bread that was left open for a few days. But, a verse that should become the very basis of all Christian life!
Upon studying/reading this verse recently the conviction and power of it flooded my life all over again. Like a new employee that didn't know anything of his new job is overwhelmed, as was I. Why? I had read that verse hundreds of times before, and even heard countless sermons on it...why was it just now hitting me? Because the power of God was convicting life-change within me in this scripture. The power of connecting my entire BEING to this verse. In fact, I'm currently working on my newest book on this very topic. Since this is a blog, this will not be as extensive as all the studying I have done, so I will list verses at the end and hope you will go study on your own.
I believe there are 4 areas that drive every life, control every action, and fill every thought. As we grow older we have much more to consider. I believe there are 4 areas, that we MUST connect to The Vine if we intend to lock into the promises and blessings that come from The Vine! Family, Finances, Faithfulness (ministry), and Friendships when connected to The Vine will bring a life of Fruifulness in integrity.
Here's the deal with John 15:5 - A branch not connected to the vine becomes a stick. A stick is useless. It can be used of nothing, and is often disposed of because of its useless nature. However, if it is connected to The Vine it becomes a source of fruit, blooms, and life. It becomes a source of providing consistency in life. A branch can produce many things, but one thing it cannot produce is uselessness... because it is connected to The Vine!
It is also stated in this verse that we will "Bear Much Fruit..." what a promise! What a guarantee! God promises us MUCH fruit if we connect ourselves to Him! Imagine... if we connect our FAMILY, our FINANCES, our FAITHFULNESS, and our FRIENDSHIPS to Him...what kind of fruit will He produce through the branch? I know there are many times in my life I wonder why these areas of my life are not bearing much fruit...why my integrity, my success, my life is not bearing MUCH fruit... it's bearing fruit, but not MUCH fruit. (think of the word "much" here...it's a word of abundance. God is not the God of lack!) And I've been convicted to understand, I've allowed these areas of my life to become sticks and not branches!
In the next 4 weeks I want to dissect scripture, logic, and life to understand that these areas of life can be branches and not sticks. These areas in your life do not HAVE to lack - they can prosper... and God WANTS them to prosper! YOU are a branch connected to a powerful vine. Let's journey together and watch God make a difference in our lives as we allow our driving factors become branches and we will leave the sticks on the ground!
John 15:5 says: "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."
A verse that is taught, heard, and repeated throughout Christian circles every single day. A verse that many people can repeat by the prompting of the first 4 words of the verse. A verse that has lost the power with which it was written. A verse that has no sting, no conviction, and no life-change anymore. A verse that has simply become a statement as stale as bread that was left open for a few days. But, a verse that should become the very basis of all Christian life!
Upon studying/reading this verse recently the conviction and power of it flooded my life all over again. Like a new employee that didn't know anything of his new job is overwhelmed, as was I. Why? I had read that verse hundreds of times before, and even heard countless sermons on it...why was it just now hitting me? Because the power of God was convicting life-change within me in this scripture. The power of connecting my entire BEING to this verse. In fact, I'm currently working on my newest book on this very topic. Since this is a blog, this will not be as extensive as all the studying I have done, so I will list verses at the end and hope you will go study on your own.
I believe there are 4 areas that drive every life, control every action, and fill every thought. As we grow older we have much more to consider. I believe there are 4 areas, that we MUST connect to The Vine if we intend to lock into the promises and blessings that come from The Vine! Family, Finances, Faithfulness (ministry), and Friendships when connected to The Vine will bring a life of Fruifulness in integrity.
Here's the deal with John 15:5 - A branch not connected to the vine becomes a stick. A stick is useless. It can be used of nothing, and is often disposed of because of its useless nature. However, if it is connected to The Vine it becomes a source of fruit, blooms, and life. It becomes a source of providing consistency in life. A branch can produce many things, but one thing it cannot produce is uselessness... because it is connected to The Vine!
It is also stated in this verse that we will "Bear Much Fruit..." what a promise! What a guarantee! God promises us MUCH fruit if we connect ourselves to Him! Imagine... if we connect our FAMILY, our FINANCES, our FAITHFULNESS, and our FRIENDSHIPS to Him...what kind of fruit will He produce through the branch? I know there are many times in my life I wonder why these areas of my life are not bearing much fruit...why my integrity, my success, my life is not bearing MUCH fruit... it's bearing fruit, but not MUCH fruit. (think of the word "much" here...it's a word of abundance. God is not the God of lack!) And I've been convicted to understand, I've allowed these areas of my life to become sticks and not branches!
In the next 4 weeks I want to dissect scripture, logic, and life to understand that these areas of life can be branches and not sticks. These areas in your life do not HAVE to lack - they can prosper... and God WANTS them to prosper! YOU are a branch connected to a powerful vine. Let's journey together and watch God make a difference in our lives as we allow our driving factors become branches and we will leave the sticks on the ground!
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