I love kingdom minded people!!!

But, I’ve found that in our community they are few and far between.

Kingdom minded people are more interested in building the kingdom of God on earth than they are in building their own churches.

Jarrod Roberts, the pastor of West Rome Baptist Church, is kingdom-minded!! He is allowing LIFE Church to use their facility the entire month of May @ XL because he has a heart to build God’s kingdom on earth.

Thanks Jarrod for being Kingdom-minded!!!

This past weekend our family took a little mini vacation to the lake for a couple of days. A family in our church has a lake house and offered it to us for the weekend, and we had a blast.

What I enjoyed most was riding the waverunner. Every time I got on it, I hammered it as fast as it would go! I couldn’t quite get to 50mph but I was pretty close. You should have seen me, I felt like a teenager all over again. Cutting across the lake, jumping waves, and doing figure 8’s. I was reminded once again that I’m addicted to Speed!

I love going fast—I guess that’s why I’ve had a few too many speeding tickets. I love going fast whether it’s snow skiing, waverunners, golf-carts, whatever the occasion—I hammer it as fast it will go.

I was talking to a friend this morning, and he told me that he was afraid to go fast—not me—I’m addicted to Speed. The faster it goes, the happier I am!!!

Many years ago a small Jewish boy asked his father, “Why must we surrender our Jewish faith and start to attend Lutheran services here in Germany? The father replied, “Son, we must abandon our faith so that people will accept us and support our business adventures!”

The young lad never got over his disappointment and bitterness. His faith in his father and in his religion were crushed. When the lad left Germany he went to England to study at the British Museum where he formed his philosophies for life. From those intensive investigations he wrote a book that changed the world called, “The Communist Manifesto“.

From that book one-third of the world fell under the spell of Marxist-Lenist ideology. The name of that little boy was Karl Marx. He influenced billions into a stream that for 70 years ruined, imprisoned and confused many lives. Today, that system of thinking is crumbling, but only after people got a good look at its tragic consequences. The influence of this father’s hypocrisy multiplied in infamy.

So parents, remember: What you say will be repeated!!! What you do will be emulated!!! How you live will be illustrated…in your kids.

Give them an example they can follow. As you follow Jesus Christ, they too will want to follow Him. If you deny Him in your actions or words, don’t be angry when they do the same. They’re watching your every move.

I love to eat!!!

I love chocolate, fried chicken, and sweet tea. But I’ve made a change in the way I eat over the last 8 weeks and the result is 35 lbs of weight loss. Now for a big guy like me, I could still lose another 35 lbs and still not be where I want to be.

The reason I started eating better is not for my-self, though!

I want to see my kids grow up.

I want to pitch softball with my girls, throw football with my son, and not be out breath. When my son is 10, I want to beat him in the 40 yard dash!!! I want to still do back-flips at 45 to impress them.

Not only that, but one day I want to be able to throw the football with my grand-kids. I know that’s crazy, but I realize that the decisions I make today will inevitably affect my future.

Kids grow up quick!

I can at least sacrifice a cheeseburger and sweet tea today in order for them to have a healthy daddy tomorrow.

Yesterday was a great mother’s day at LIFE Church. Our creative team did a great job setting up the stage. I’ve posted some pictures so you can see.

We once again met at the XL building and had a great time. I shared a message called “Dangerous Sacrifice”, and the main point was that a “Mother sacrifices everything for her children, and a dangerous church sacrifices everything for its mission”.

Also, yesterday was our first baby dedication. We dedicated our son Jase, and it was really a great day. We had three families dedicate their children.

On a side note, I took a two hour nap yesterday afternoon. This is the first Sunday that I’ve taken a nap in 18 months, because I normally work all-day on Sunday. WOW!! It was refreshing!

For a list of songs, see our Creative Arts Pastor—Josh Perry’s blog @ http://rhinorun.wordpress.com

Ephesians 6:14 – 17 says, “ 14Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

This is probably one of my favorite Bible passages, because it tells us how to win the spiritual battle that Christ-followers face every day. Let me see if I can help you understand why I love this passage:

If I were in the armed services, I would want to know the purpose of the battle that was to be fought. I’d want to know what we’re going to battle for…Are we trying to seize a city??? Is it an intelligence mission??? Is it a rescue mission??? Are we trying to flank the enemy???

We are told that the objective of this spiritual battle is “TO STAND”. In verse 11 we are told to “stand against the wiles of the devil.” In verse 13 “having done all to stand.” In verse 14 –, “Stand therefore…”

Here you are with your armor on. You’re now in attack mode. You’re prayed up, and armored up. You’re pacing back and forth, you can hardly wait to go on the attack. You’re ready to head to the frontlines, all you’re waiting for is the nod, the marching orders. Finally, your marching orders arrive. You open up the envelope eagerly and here’s what they say: “STAND FIRM.” You’re not told to charge, you’re not told to attack, you’re just told to “stand firm”.

Here’s the reason that Christ-followers are to stand in this spiritual battle with the devil. When we were born, we were born at war with God because we were born in sin. But when we lay down our arms at the cross of Jesus Christ in unconditional surrender, God declares peace with you and with me. When God declares peace with us, the devil declares war on us and we are in a battle from that day on. You see God demands that we stand firm, because when you take a stand for God, you won’t have to go to the battle, Satan will bring the battle to you.

SO STAND FIRM Today!!!

You know what a “one-upper” is: a person that has a better story than you do.

You’ve been around “one-uppers” before. After you share your story, they always tell a bigger, better, badder, story than yours. I really don’t like one-uppers!!! They really tick me off! Maybe it’s a pride thing, or maybe I like to talk too much, but I just don’t like being one-upped! I’m a little too competitive.

Let me tell you something though that cannot be one-upped. It’s the story of a changed life.

If you’re a Christ-follower, then your life has been changed by a loving, redeeming God! Whatever your circumstances, situation, background, or experiences were like before you encountered Christ, it doesn’t matter—because your life has been changed.

You could have smoked dope, been a prostitute, homosexual, alcoholic, or a “good church-person” BEFORE!!! But all that matters now is who you are today!

All Christ-followers have the same story: we were away from God because of sin, then we encountered God through His son Jesus, and our life has been radically changed forever!!!

That’s my story, bet you can’t “one-up” it!!!

In its day, the Titanic was the world’s largest ship, weighing 46,328 tons, 882-1/2 ft long with 3 anchors weighing more than 10 tons each. It employed a crew of 400, and could carry 2,433 passengers.

The 159 furnaces burned 650 tons of coal a day. The ship had a complete gymnasium, heated pool, squash court and the first miniature golf course — all below deck. Its lavish appointments included opulent dining rooms with 24-hour service, orchestra on the promenade deck, palm courts and gilded Turkish baths.

Several millionaires were on the passenger list.

But, on April 14, 1912, the “unthinkable” happened to the “unsinkable”. Near midnight, the great Titanic struck an iceberg, ripping a 300 foot hole through 5 of its 16 watertight compartments. It sank in 2-1/2 hours killing 1,513 people.

There were 3 reasons given for why so many people died…

1. The crew disregarded the danger of the weather. (IGNORANCE)
2. There were not enough lifeboats on board. (POOR PLANNING)
3. The radio operator of the nearby Californian was off duty. (COMMUNICATION)

Many times Christ-followers sink during the storms of life because of ignorance, poor planning, and a lack of communication. So here’s my thoughts on how to stay afloat during the difficulties of life:

1. Don’t ignore the warning signs around you…(in marriage, it may be an absence of sex; in your finances, it may be your expenses are more than your income; with your children—maybe they’re distant). Every problem has a symptom, and every symptom is caused by a deeper problem. Don’t ignore the PROBLEM!!!

2. Plan for today in regards to tomorrow…(Do the small things today that will make you successful tomorrow.) Those who plan will eventually succeed, but those who fail to plan will plan to fail!!!

3. Constantly communicate with God…Prayer saves marriages, finances, churches, businesses, and the future. Do I need to say more???

I have done well over 100 funerals in the last 5 years. That’s a lot, wouldn’t you agree?

One thing I’ve found is that pastors stretch the story at a person’s funeral. They tell all of the great things about a person, knowing half of them are untrue.

YES!!! I’m guilty, been there, done that, got the t-shirt. But, I’m changing my ways!!! I’m not going to lie for people anymore!!!

Afterall, I’m not really the person that preaches a funeral—
YOUR LIFE IS WHAT PREACHES YOUR FUNERAL!!!

So live in way that others remember your life, not the half-truths a pastor says about your life!!!

Whenever I tell a Christ-follower they need to be “DISCIPLED” (a very churchy word), the image that comes to their mind is a Bible Study with a more mature believer showing them the ropes of Christianity.

Although that is important, it is equally important to be discipled by a non-believer. Now, some of you think that’s heretical!!! But let me explain.

You and I need unbelievers in our lives “showing us the ropes” of our culture. After all, how can you and I understand a secular culture unless we have secular friends??? The cool thing about this type of paradigm is when they are “showing you the ropes” of our culture, you can take time to “show them the ropes” of a Christ-follower.

Isn’t that what Jesus did??? Did he not hang out with tax collectors, harlots, and sinners???

He sure didn’t spend all of His time with the religious crowd. He used metaphors that were culturally relevant (wheat/tares, sower/seed, leaven/bread, fishing, etc…) because He was in tune with His culture.

So go find someone to disciple you in culture!!! Maybe you’ll get an opportunity to show them the ropes of a Christ-follower.