Why should followers of Jesus be healthy?
We are created for more then we are doing now.
Over the last couple of weekends we have been going through a series called “Built 4 Life”. We are going through the different areas of the bible that talk about living a healthy lifestyle. So as we talked about health we came upon the idea that as followers of Jesus our health is an act of respect to God himself. So the statement that we are thinking ont this week is:
“Respect the building, respect the builder.”
So what does that look like for us and everyday living:
- Excercise: Take some small steps this week to get in the discipline of exercise. Start small and work up to something that will continue to encourage health.
- Experience God With a Healthy Life: For people who are called followers of Jesus this means that you are to worship God with a healthy lifestyle. Take a look at 1 Corinthians 6:19. Remember you are not your own.
- Extend Life’s Opportunities: This is where our health and the way we live can put us in a position to do great things with opportunities that God places in our life. We are built for so much more than we are doing now.
So what are some things that you can do this week to start living a healthier lifestyle? List something here in the comments section.
If you would like to see the message from this last weekend then just click here. (Built 4 Life)
What would you do with your last days?
Over the last couple of days I have to say that I was not all that excited about what I was doing and who I was at the time. So just like many people I started having a pity party, until I saw this video:
(Make sure that you take the time to watch the whole thing.)
So if you are like me and you are having a tough day and you feel that your life is just to hard. Then I challenge you to watch this video and remember the song “Clouds”. Thanks to the family & friends of Zach Sobiech.
What are the ways that you see God reminding you of how blessed your life really is . . .
Quit waiting to move! (part 3)
I don’t know how many times that as a pastor or a pastor to students that I have heard people make this statement:
“God is calling me too, (fill in the blank) and I was hoping that you would pray with me about it.”
Most of the time my answer to them is “NO, I won’t pray with you about it.” Which really usually brings faces of shock and the question of “WHY?” Here is my response to that. “Because if God has called you to do it, then DO IT! Don’t pray about if you should do it. DO IT!” Again when it comes to the area of “Church Planters being Quitters” I believe that is where church planters have seen that God has called them to do something so they have quit waiting to move. I love the verse where Jonathan and his armor bearer have taken a step of faith and are now about to step into the battle. As I read 1 Samuel 14:6 I was able to see the area of church planting and the need to move:
6 “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!” (Emphasis mine)
The more and more that I read through the bible and the more and more I talk with church planters and church leaders I believe that God has called us to live in the “Perhaps“. We are as followers of Jesus first and foremost to rely on God and see the obstacles more as opportunities to see Him show up and do something amazing.
When we were preparing to launch Elevation Christian Church in Aurora, CO. I kept putting off the date that we were going to launch. I was worried about money, I was worried about people, I was worried about the place, and I was worried if I was ready. It wasn’t until I had the opportunity to have dinner with Pastor Perry Noble. (Twitter is awesome when you are able to find out people are in your area and you beg for dinner.) We were sitting there eating and he began to ask questions about what we were doing then he asked when we were going to launch. The question that I had been dealing with. When I gave him my answer of not being sure he made a statement that rocked me. “If God has called you to do this then do it, if it is God’s will then he will flip the bill.” It was exactly what I needed to hear at that time. To me it was the Jonathan moment where I need to hear that we need to live in the “Perhaps” of following God.
Where are you hearing God call you to move? Is it a life style move, is it a vocational move, or is it a spiritual move?
Sunday Thoughts shared on Monday
The moments that you get to experience in the life of a church start are amazing. Especially as a church start that is reaching people that don’t go to church. I had a conversation with a lady today that is thinking about when to get baptized and if she will have recovered from her surgery in time for one this month. I then had a conversation with a guy that came for the first time and was amazed that the pastor the church was wearing jeans and a Tap Out t-shirt. He let me know that he was worried that his shirt would keep him from being allowed at church. It was a rock band t-shirt, I just laughed and said I like that band too. So here are some of things that I thought about:
- We had two people say “Yes” to Jesus.
- We were blessed to have 17 people “Join The Team” at Elevation. First time having dinner while we had the huddle it was awesome.
- Otis Spunkmeyer chocolate chip cookies make even big guys smile. (Thanks Michelle for making them.)
- In a church start that is portable there are still things that we forget to bring with us to church. (This Sunday’s programs. OOPS!)
- That enabling people to belong before they believe is a huge thing. We have had two guys this month alone that have been serving that said “Yes to Jesus”.
- That no matter what you do there are always going to be things that will need to be tweeked and changed a little.
- The people on the team enable the team to be the best that you can be.
- The series that we are doing “Make War” has caused us to really see that we are in a spiritual war. That we are excited to see that God is using us in this war.
- That I miss seeing my son in the church on Sunday’s. Had through that in since he has been off to school for two Sundays now.
I have to say that even though that it is Sunday night and I am a little tired, I CAN’T WAIT FOR NEXT SUNDAY!
What are you excited about when it comes to being at the church you attend?
Dealing with Insecurity
Over the last couple of years as we have walked through planting a church in Aurora, CO. I have had to deal with many areas of growth. Developing leaders, doing long range planning, and knowing what to do when to do it. (Still working on that one.) But most of all I have had to deal with my insecurity.
I had a person that I have in my life that is able to speak into those areas of my life and a couple of weeks ago he just said, “Scott you are a very insecure person.” At first it really kind of ticked me off. But the more I have thought about it the more it has really been a freeing moment for me. I am insecure.
I am insecure about:
- my marriage
- my parenting
- my ability
- my leadership
- my . . . .
But the one thing that I gain strength from as the insecure person is my true security coming from my identity in Jesus. I am a follower of the risen Savior Jesus. I am a jacked up, insecure person, that only can live life because of the radical grace of Jesus Christ.
John 1:12 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
Sounds simple doesn’t it. Well it is! Every day since that conversation I have woke up with the this statement. “I am a child of the risen and conquering Savior, my life only comes from Him. I am secure because of what he has done, not me!” Take some time to say this statement each day and see what it does for you.
Hi, my name is Scott Bloyer and I am secure with being insecure. Who is with me?
Signing Day with my Son
It has been a a very intense couple of weeks while my son Tyler walked through deciding which college that he wanted to attend. We made a trip to Adams State College in Alamosa, CO and met some amazing coaches. It was a great weekend with my son and one of the other players from Rangeview as they walked through the campus. It was fun to see the different perspectives they each had about the school and being a future student there.
Then the next week we spent a day at the University of Colorado in Greeley. It was a first class day with a first class program. The head coach at the school is an amazing man and I believe a coach that is getting ready to make a difference in this schools football program. Along with the other coaches that are there I think this program is heading in an amzsing direction. But it was not up to me. It was a decision that Tyler had to make on his own. So we left Greeley came home and began the process of preparing for signing day.
On Sunday afternoon I thought that Tyler had fallen asleep so I opened his door to walk in and turn off his radio. But to my surprise he was sitting at his desk with the two hats of the two schools that he had visited with the pens across the bills. There in front of the two hats was his bible opened up to Psalms and Tyler was praying over the two hats. He was really seeking what God wanted in this decision. So I slowly shut the door and returned to the living room to share with Michelle what I had just seen. It was a moment that I will keep in my heart as a dad. In fact to me that was even better then the moment that I watched him sign his letter of intent. Signing day with my son was a day that I saw a young man take to heart the direction that God had laid on his heart and he took an amazing step of faith. I am so proud of the man that my son is and I can’t wait to see what happens in the coming years while he is playing football and attending the University of Colorado.
This is what I found on my son's desk.
When did marriage become a JOKE?
I recently read an article that was posted by a local news channel on twitter. It disturbed me!
Here is the cliff notes of the story (Read it here). There is a woman who has been a part of a movement of people who are trying to keep a local building from being torn down. So in an effort to save the building from being torn down this woman with the support of the people around here decides to marry the building. Now at first I thought this is interesting. But the more I thought about the more bothered I became that marriage today has become more of a punchline to a joke then a commitment that is to be made between a man and a woman to God.
Michelle and I will be celebrating 20 years of marriage in May. I don’t want one the best things in my life, my marriage to my best friend to be a punch line in a joke or a way to save a building from being destroyed. It is my hope that for the many of those of us that have had marriages that are a powerful statement to commitment and to marriage before God will continue to encourage those around us to see marriage as important. It is my hope that as we lead in our homes and in our commuities that people will see the joy that comes from a marriage that is based in God’s love for one another and a commitment to live together through the good and bad is important. Just a little fired up!
What do you think?
Do you need encouragement?
Ever have one of those days where you just wish some one would acknowledge that you are doing a good job at whatever it is your doing that day? I mean maybe if you are a stay at home mom, that your husband or kids would just tell you that you are doing awesome and that they love their home. Wouldn’t that be nice? I mean how about husbands that work away from home and are gone for a couple of days, that when you get home you hear from your wife and kids that they missed you and want to be with you. Instead, you get the list of broken things in the home and dad you promised to take me to the store. Don’t you want to be encouraged? How about for those high school and middle school students that are taking on the world in school. That when you get home you hear that you were missed and that is there anything that your parents could do for you while you do the 12 million hours of home work. But instead you hear about the chores that aren’t done or about how you missed one thing on the project and it wasn’t the grade that your parents had hoped for in that class. Don’t you want more encouragement?
I recently was sitting and working away and was kind of having one of those days, where I just wanted to hear I was doing a good job. That things were going well and that even though my emotions were getting the better of me, that God is the one in charge I am not, and today was better than I thought. When I looked up at the huge wipe board in my office and saw this:
Morgan making her dad's day!
There she left me a little note just telling me she loved me. What a great reminder and an encouragement to me. It made the rest of my day just hinking about how my “favorite youngest daughter” loved me. Maybe that is what you need to hear too? Maybe you need to know that from not just the people around you but from God himself. You see God being the great dad that He is even knew that was important. Look at what he said to His son:
Matthew 3:17 (NLT) “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved son, who brings me great joy.”
Guess what you are His kid and you too bring Him joy. So even if you can’t see it on the wipe board in your office know that God loves you and He wants you to lean into Him and hear I Love you, your doing a good job.
Hope that you are encouraged! Maybe this is something you need to share with someone else? Go encourage someone, maybe on their wipe board.
Sandusky, Sullivan, and Scott
It has been one of those seasons in life where more and more that we are reading or hearing about another individual that has fallen in a position of leadership. In some cases they are things that just down right tick you off or shock you. Whether it is Sandusky and his abuse of his position that lead to the abuse of young boys, Sullivan being a sheriff and a person that is to protect and serve, not enslave through addiction and abuse. The thing that amazes me is that each of these men were at the top of their game, they were seen as men that were top notch in their area of leadership. So it really challenges me to say, “What about me?” What if my life, my career, my family, were all to become majorly successful? How would I handle it?
As I was reading through, “The Five Levels of Leadership” by John Maxwell a quote by Henry Ford really made think.
“More men are failures on account of success than on account of failures. They beat their way over a dozen obstacles; overcome a host of difficulties, sacrifice and sweat. They make the impossible the possible; then along comes a little success, and it tumbles them from their perch. They let up. They slip and over they go. Nobody can count the number of people who have been halted and beaten by recognition and reward!”
So many times we have seen great men and women take a tumble; why is that? Unfortunately, I believe it is because they start believing it is all about them. They believe because of their accomplishments they can begin to relax in the areas of importance when it comes to character and discipline. A couple of verses in the bible that I cling to daily is this;
Proverbs 30: 8&9, “First, help me never to lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.”
The more and I lead and watch other leaders around me I always come back to remember that “God is God and I am not him”. I always want to be a person that is satisfied with who I am in Jesus Christ. Because let’s be honest each one of us could very easily be the next person that tumbles and falls. May we each take the time every day to pray Proverbs 30:8&9 over our lives.
Sunday Game Celebration
I have to say that there is almost nothing better then being able to sit down in a nice comfy chair and be able to watch a great team on Sunday accomplish something amazing. Being a Denver native I have had the awesome chance to watch ‘The Drive” as it unfolded. I was honored to watch John Elway dive towards the end zone in the Super bowl against Green Bay. Now it is watching the kid, Tim Tebow do things that everyone else wants to critique but he wins games.
All I have to say is that they had nothing on the team at Elevation Christian Church on Sunday. We have begun the month, this series, and the next season for Elevation at Aurora Frontier K-8 with a big kick off. Yesterday we had teams of people show up early on Sunday in the snow to set-up kid’s rooms, coffee, drinks, sound systems, and lights. It was only the second time that each one of the different serving teams had even seen the school. But it was amazing. Each one of our teams performed amazing in the heat of the game. I am so blessed to be one of the Pastors at Elevation Christian Church. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year looks like for us at Elevation and all of the celebrations that we will share as God works in and through the teams and players of Elevation. Let’s celebrate this Sunday and the four people that said Yes to Jesus because each team and each player had a part in their day. Let’s celebrate a winning game!
Forgiveness the PAIN we bare . . .
This week we started the series “The F-Bomb” and it is all about dealing with and sharing the gift of forgiveness. In fact we started out by saying what forgiveness is and then understanding that when it comes to forgiveness that we are always called to forgive. We may not like it, we may not even want to do it, but if you are a person that calls yourself a follower of Jesus we just don’t have the option not too. The definition that we pinned to forgiveness is this; FORGIVENESS is not an emotion and does not mean you forget but you choose to end the cycle of revenge, and leave justice to Jesus. In fact we took a look at Romans 12: 17 – 21 where Paul in the chapter about being a living sacrifice to God makes a huge statement by saying, “Instead, if your enemies are hungry, fee them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their head.” v20.
So as followers of Jesus we are to take every opportunity to extend the forgiveness that we so richly received from Christ and share it with the rest of the world in all the situations we encounter. But man is that tough. I mean is forgiveness possible in all situations? Look at what Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in the book “The Cost of Discipleship”:
“The call to follow Christ means a call to share the work of forgiving men their sins. Forgiveness is the Christlike suffering which is the Christians duty to bear.”
Tell me what you think about this quote. Share with me how you are walking through life in the work of forgiving men their sins.
Sunday Night Thoughts . . .
It is always a great feeling to finish off a Sunday and be able to think about all that I was honored to be a part of when it comes to Elevation. I get so excited that I get to be a part of a movement of God here in Aurora. Today we started our series called the “F-Bomb” and it was quite explosive when it came to dealing with the area of forgiveness in people’s lives. Here are a few of the things that just blew us away:
- We had 7 first time decisions for Jesus Christ.
- Then had the honor to be able to pray for up to 40 people as the share the gift of forgiveness with those in their lives.
- Was honored to have a friend from High school show up with her daughter that I have not seen since I graduated. (Yeah I am old)
- Enjoyed the opportunity to have 8 new families check out Elevation and all that is going on.
- Was able to enjoy an awesome lunch with the awesome volunteers at Elevation as we had our Fall Leadership Community.
- Was told today by the custodian at Dalton that she was listening to message from her office and she said, “I was thinking that this is a message that my friend should hear, but then realized that Jesus was talking to me.”
Power of Life Change
We love having Justin as a part of our life.
I am so excited to share a short story of the power of life change through Jesus Christ. Over a year ago now I had the opportunity to take an awesome guy named Justin “The Viking” Wren with me to visit some kids at Children’s Hospital of Aurora. What I did not know was what Jesus had in store for both of us through this one event. After our visit to Children’s Hospital of Aurora Justin went back to his home where he was convienced to go to a men’s event where at this event he gave his life to Jesus and was baptized. The Justin that I had first knew now was definitely a life changed by Jesus.
Over the last year I have personally been able to spend time with Justin as he has become a great speaker, leader, and man of God. He came and spoke at Elevation when we launched and now speaks with Champions for Life to thousands of prisoners each month presenting the message of life change so they can know. He has made numerous visits to the Children’s Hospital of Aurora and is even now a volunteer there. All the while of keeping his relationship with Christ first and his goal of someday being the UFC Heavywieght Champion.
So here is what I am asking people to do that read this. I am asking you to continue in investing in this life change. Justin in a couple of weeks is going to be embarking on a 55 day mission trip with Kingdom Builders. I know that God had opened this door in an amazing way and is going to provide for Justin to go and continue to change and to help others, he is going to be helping build houses while in Hati. So I would like to encourage each and everyone who read this to help support Justin first through prayer and secondly through your finances. He is just short of the finances needed to pay for this awesome event and I am asking you to help.
Here is how: If you would like to know more about Kingdom Building Ministries, please visit their website at www.kbm.org. For any donations you can visit www.KBM.org/donate select student and type Justin Wren into the students box.
You can also go and find out more about this awesome man of faith at www.JustinTheVikingWren.com
Let’s continue to encourage the life change that started over a year ago.
Elevation and the Miracle Party
Yesterday we were so excited to be able to share with everyone the commitment that we are making to support as well as partner with the Miracle Party. For those of you that do not know what the Miracle Party is then I would encourage you to click on the word Miracle Party and follow the link to their website. It is an amazing event that is for children with cancer and it is an opportunity to love on the kids and their families. So yesterday we gave to this organization for several reasons. We gave to this organization as a church because we are blessed to have the family that started the Miracle Party as a part of our team. We gave because we wanted to be able to model what it means to be generous givers to those around us. We gave because we believe that this is a great opportunity to not just give of our finances but our time and talent. So we will be committing to serve before, during, and after the party. We decided long ago that as a church we are not going to be a team that just gives a check but we are going to be giving of our time and talent too. So if you are wanting too or are willing to serve as a volunteer at the Miracle Party then click on the word VOLUNTEER and show them your support. We cannot wait to see what God does through this years Miracle Party and the families that we as Elevation come in contact. We are praying for miracles at the Miracle Party.
“Where’s My Bailout” Reading Plan
“Where’s My Bailout” during the month of March we are going to be taking a look at dealing with our finances. So many people think that all the church is out for is your money, but the truth is it is more about your heart. So take the time to read through these verses and really ask God to speak to your heart about how you are handling your finances.
March
1st Genesis 14:20
2nd Genesis 23:16
3rd Numbers 24:11
4th Numbers 31:25-30
5th 2 Kings 5:20-27
6th 2 Kings 16:10
7th 2 Chron. 25:9-10
8th Psalm 37:21
9th Psalm 119:36
10th Proverbs 6:1-5
11th Proverbs 18:11
12th Proverbs 19:1
13th Proverbs 21:20
14th Eccles. 10:19
15th Ezekiel 7:19 – 20
16th Matthew 6:24
17th Matthew 18:30
18th Matthew 19:21
19th Matthew 23:13-14
20th Mark 11:15-17
21st Luke 12:33
22nd Matthew 26:14-15
23rd Mark 10:17-23
24th 1 Tim. 6:6-10
25th Mark 10:21 – 23
26th Mark 12:41-44
27th Luke 12:18-20
28th Luke 16:10-14
29th Acts 8:18-23
30th 2 Cor. 11:7-12
31st 1 Tim. 6:6-10
Bonus: James 5:1-6
Rev. 18:11-19
I pray that you take the next month to just be able to walk through these verses and know that God wants us to love him with all that we are and what we have.
Creative Crisis
Over the last couple of months I had really had trouble being creative. I was spending more and more time going what am I going to do? How am I going to present this? What is something that will enable people to have fun and get caught? I was even just trying to make sure that I was just getting the simple things done. I was in a bad state when it came to being able to think or act creative. But then I was given some great help from the people who work alongside me at Elevation.
It started with finding out all of the things that I was doing on a regular basis. Then it was seeing the things that I needed to be able to hand off to other people. Then the process began where things were being taken off my plate. This is what I specifically heard about my life, “A Creative Crisis comes from a claustrophobic condition.” I had allowed my laugh to become so claustrophobic with the things in my life that I was then in a creative crisis. No what happens in this crisis? I had so much noise going on that I was unable to hear what God was teaching me and telling me. Maybe you are in the same place. Maybe you are having a creative crisis in your marriage, maybe it is a creative crisis in your school work, your job, your time. It is because maybe you are doing so much that you are unable to get creative. So I encourage you to build more margin in your life. I encourage you to realize that there are things in your life that you can either stop doing or enable others to do with you or EVEN for you.
What is causing the “claustrophobic condition” in your life? I ask you to pray and ask someone who you trust, a lifting partner on what you need to change. I also know that there are some of you going I don’t need to do this, well then ask your wife, your husband, how about your kids. I know that they will tell you.
Dealing with Divorce
Over the last couple of weeks at Elevation Christian Church we have really felt the need to tackle some heavy topics. We talked about PORN and the damage it does to relationships. We didn’t back down from what it means for the families of people dealing with PORN as well as the ones that are addicted to it.
This week we tackled another heavy topic, DIVORCE. It was a message that I truly prayed over and really knew that we needed to deal with as we go through this series called “I Want A New Marriage”. Anytime that you talk about marriage you also have to talk about divorce seeing how in some books they say 35% of marriages end in divorce or some others say that it is as high as 50%. No matter what the statistic may be it is an area of life that has affected us all. I can share about the different relationships in my own family that have been effected, I have uncles and aunts, cousins, a brother, and even my own parents. So as I walked into this weekend were I felt that there needed to be much grace when it came to this topic because I too know the sting of this subject and how it changes each person that is involved. I also knew that we needed to call peoples attention to the severity of the damage that it causes and I chose to even point out that living together because you have been hurt in divorce is not what God wants either. I know that there are situations that I might not now about or that there are things that have happened in the past. All I know is that I am called by God to speak about what He wants for our marriages and if that bothers someone then I have to remember that even Jesus had people get upset with His teaching. (Good company to be in I think.)
What was awesome was the conversations that I did have with several couples that have been attending our church and are seeing the next steps that they need to take in their own relationships. That they heard the grace and mercy of Jesus and they understood that what they were doing was not what God wanted for them in their relationships and that they knew that God as calling them to make some huge commitments and decisions in their lives. I pray that they continue to take those steps to live the way that Jesus has called them to live not because it is easy but because it is the best for them.
Step Out in Faith
It is almost a year now since my family and I left Northern California and moved back to Colorado to start Elevation Christian Church. There are tons of things that I wish I would have known before we started this adventure and there are tons of things that I am still learning every week. But the things that we have learned over the last year we would have never experienced if we would have never stepped out on faith.
We left last year in the middle of my daughters junior year, my sons sophomore year, and our youngest’s seventh grade year. Not the best time to move kids. But I have been able to watch God grow these kids in ways that I would have never imagined. It would have never happened if we had not stepped out in faith.
My wife has had to deal with conversations like, “I am not sure that we are going to be able to pay that this month.” Or, “The money is going to be there I just believe it.” All moms and wives know the pressure you feel to make sure your kids are taken care of and the bills are paid. I know that for her this has been an amazing growing opportunity to see God show up and provide. We would have never experienced this had we not stepped out on faith.
I have taken jobs and tried things that I never would have probably taken in the past. I have had the privilege to have conversations with guys and gals that I knew a long time ago about who Jesus is and what He has done and is doing in my life. I have had to learn how to lead in areas that I thought I was already prepared to lead, which I am not. I have learned that all of the Lead Pastors that I have served under were amazing men and that I was prepared by each one of them to do what I am doing today. But I would have never experienced this if I had not stepped out in faith.
I think this goes very well with this time of the year. There was a young girl that stepped out in faith a couple thousand years ago when an angel appeared to her and let her know that she was going to have a very special baby. This is how she responded, ” Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant , and I am willing to accept whatever He wants.” Luke 1:39a What a way to respond to God when He called her to step out in faith.
The question that I have for you is, “What is Jesus calling you to do so that you step out in faith?” You will never be able to experience the amazing things that He has for you until you do. STEP OUT IN FAITH!
Monday Mind Dump
It is so exciting to be able to be writing about our preview service this last weekend. We are in the last week of preparation for the launch of Elevation Christian Church. This was the first time that we were in the school and setting things up and it was just incredible to see the team that we have work together and put everything together.
Here are some things that I saw that was incredible:
- We had a student walk up to the school from her house at 7:00AM to help set-up.
- We were able to see people get in and serve all over the place, when one area was complete they moved to help the others.
- Our children’s team had things so ready that families were able to go and hang out before the service started.
- The first impressions team made a place for people to hang out and the people that were there had a place to relax and get to know each other. Relationships happening.
- The music ministry hustled into place and presented worship in an amazing way.
- We had a man say yes to Jesus. It is awesome to the gospel move in a person’s life.
I am so excited to see what happens next week with our launch service and being able to reach a whole new group of people. I am so blessed to see God bring his team together and do the work that he has called us too.
Prayer Traps
One of the things that I have realized over the last couple of months is that our prayer life is a great place to view our spiritual maturity. How we spend our time praying allows us to see where we are in our relationship with Jesus. I have noticed that when it comes to our prayer life for most followers of Jesus prayer is something that we do by reaction. When really it should be something that we do proactively. Instead of waiting for life to change our prayer life why not have our prayer life change our life. I love the Aramaic word for prayer it is slotha it means to set a trap. When a hunter sets a trap it is in the expectancy that something is going to get caught in the trap. When you spend time in prayer, do you expect your prayers to make a difference? Do you expect God to do something with them? This week I challenge you to pray proactively and to pray with the expectancy that God will work with in your prayer life.
Weekend Recap
It was a great Father’s day. I was able to spend this weekend at Mountianview Community Christian Church in Highlands Ranch. It was such an honor and privilege to be there and to be able to speak. Here are just some quick things that I was able to really enjoy this weekend:
- No matter what when you share God’s word there should be an opportunity for people to respond. We saw at least 70 people say YES to Jesus today.
- That there are some amazing church leaders like Jim Phillips in Colorado. Jim allowed me to speak and he also allowed us to ask the people in the church he leads to join us in the beginning of Elevation. What a man with a kingdom perspective.
- That humor can really set up a great point. It is OK to laugh at ourselves, even when it is uncomfortable.
- That having my wife and kids with me this whole weekend was amazing and I am so blessed to have them on loan from Jesus.
- That God brings people in and out of our lives in amazing times and way. Loved be able to spend time with people this weekend that I have not seen in years. (Thanks for the encouragement Chuck.)
- That God is bringing people into Elevation that I would have never imagined and it is so much fun doing life together with them. Even if they do like soccer.
- That the kids in my house can really get me to the heart with the things that they right on cards and facebook. Thanks Danielle, Tyler, and Morgan.
- Finally, that no matter what happens God is in control and I am just along for the ride.
I hope and pray that all of the Fathers out there had an amazing day and that they each remember that God has placed in our families not to just provide for them, but to lead them. May each and everyone one of you, lead like Jesus.
Leading The Hard Way
Morgan running up to me after finishing the race.
One of the things that I have always had to work at overcoming is that “I can’t finish”. I don’t know about you but there are those certain places in my life that have challenged me to the point where I just feel weak and beat up. I have had the privilege in my life to be involved in sports since I was six years old and I have experienced many times where I just wanted to quit. It was almost four years ago that I was able to run in the PF Chang’s Half Marathon. During that race at about mile eleven I just did not want to go on, my legs hurt, my chest hurt, my feet hurt, and all I wanted to do was stop. But I knew that at the finish line was my family and friends, I knew that at the end of the line I was going to be able to rest.
Hebrews 12:12-13 (NLT) So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. [13] Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.
