Take Every Thought Captive

Taking every thought captive is a daily battle. This should be one of our goals—taking every thought, every idea, every little thing captive to Christ. Today as you read the verses may they encourage you to become the man, the woman, the person that you are designed to be. Pause right now and pray before you read these verses. Pray that God would speak deep into your heart and help you to transform your mind.

The Art of Change

Isn’t Jesus in the business of changing lives? He made fisherman, fishers of men. He made a crazy, naked, bloody guy an evangelist (Mark 5). He made crooked, dishonest men like Zacchaeus into an honorable man. He transformed the life of an outcast, lonely woman who had been bleeding for 12 years into a woman of faith. Jesus has mastered the art of change.

So how do we make changes? I mean real, life-change. How do we make dramatic, significant changes?

If you really want to make changes turn the pages with caution.

Over the past 15 years of full-time Christian ministry, I’ve often been asked, “what is worship”. I’ve wrestled with the definition a lot. My theological training taught me that worship is ascribing to God the traits, words and actions that are His and express His deity. In other words, it’s recognizing what makes God, God and telling Him.

Living Sacrifice

The cross is at the center of history. Every person will have to deal with this fact—God gave His Son for us.

Fire.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord”

-Romans 12:11  

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.

1 Thessalonians 5:19

Are you on fire? Are you living, breathing, and moving for the God of the universe? If so… someone wants to put out your fire.

Sometimes when we think about the Apostle Paul, we think about the Type-A, driven preacher.  The church planter.  The at times controversial and pushy leader of the New Testament church.  We think of him being strong in his leadership, stern with his directions for the church and very clear about the ways he expected conflict to be handled.  He was an amazing leader and as such seemed to often be in the midst of conflict with the other Apostles (Peter), the other missionaries (John Mark) and people in the churches he worked with.  Clearly God blessed him as the founder of the church to the Gentiles — his leadership is unquestioned.

Yet in all of that, it’s not often we think of Paul as a people person — Someone who really connected with, and loved, people.

But he was.

The domino effect is a chain reaction that occurs when a small change causes a similar change nearby, which then will cause another similar change, and so on, in linear sequence. 

In other words–one small change (the knocking over of one domino) has a huge effect (a chain reaction begins and knocks over all the dominos).

God wants to move in your life in mighty ways. To experience the God-sized life that He has in store for you–you need to trust in His plan-His dream for your life. His dream for you is one where you are not overwhelmed, but have peace–and that you are a part of bringing His peace to your neighborhood, your church and the world He has put you in. His dream for you is that you would become a better lover. A lover of Him and of others. His dream for you is that you would experience unlikely joy, endless blessings, wondrous redemption, unfound grace, and live with a creative passion that reflects the unending life He has given you. What if I told you there are small changes that you can make today, that will have a huge impact on your life? Would you make the necessary changes?

What is Love?

*This is part 2 of a 10 part series on the Fruit of the Spirit that started on November 23, 2009.  You can access past material by using the calendar archive button on the right side of the screen.

Jesus, please speak to us.

Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God; 
       the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech; 
       night after night they display knowledge.

WAKE UP

Romans 13:11-14

The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.