Monday, June 30
New Album...
Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, LA has released a new worship album called "Epic Worship" and let me tell you - it is a must have! I downloaded it from iTunes this morning and haven't stopped listening to it...it is really great and anointed too! Click here to listen!
I'm Back and God is so Fresh!
Happy Monday! I am back to blogging after being on vacation for about 10 days! Actually, I was on vacation only about 6 days as I ministered at The Christian Center Church in Cuernavaca, Mexico. This church is off-the-hook amazing as it as 7 worship services each Sunday to house over 8,000 worshipers! I preached at the 8:00 and 10:00 AM services and it was an awesome experience as over 50 people stood to accept Jesus as their Savior!!!
I am so excited about what God is doing through our corporate prayer time on Sunday's! Yesterday, we took time to write our request on the walls of our auditorium to allow the needs of so many to be in front of us on a more regular bases. I know it is a crazy idea to write on the walls of the church but this is a new day in which God is providing so many miracles for us to celebrate!
I am so PUMPED about the ONE VBS that we are hosing here at Crosspointe. We are hooking up with H2O Church and Grace Christian Fellowship to reach the maximum number of children this year through VBS. It is going to be amazing and you don't want to miss one moment of this years VBS.
Friday, June 20
Great Friends.
This weekend I will be sharing on the subject of "How God Prospers us through Relationships" at Centre Christian Church in Cuernavaca, Mexico. As I have been preparing for this sermon I realized that I am blessed beyond measure with some amazing friends. Really I have too many to name but we a have been so blessed the hospitality of John, Stacey, and Sadie Brown while here in Mexico. Thanks guys!
Take a moment to Thank God for the many awesome relationships that He has granted you.
If only I ran my church like the airlines...
We finally made it to Mexico yesterday, after 16 hours of hard traveling, to be with our dear friends John, Stacey, and Sadie Brown!!! You are probably thinking, "why in the world did they drive (with a toddler to Mexico)," well we didn't we actually flew. We flew from DFW and had a direct flight, but our plane was delayed and left us waiting for more than 7 hours at which point we were very tired and knew that we had a three hour flight and a two hour bus ride ahead of us to reach our final destination of Cuernrvaca.
A Crazy Moment...
As we we approached the plane to board we were met by an airline employee who informed us that we didn't have the proper documentation for our daughter and that we wouldn't be allowed to board the plane!!! They wisked us over to the desk as they were figuring out whether or not to allow us to board. In the mean time, two of the airline employees actually got into an argument (screaming match) on whether or not our daughter was allowed onto the plane! Here is the crazy moment...this was all for not! After the argument (by this time we were totally stressed and were wondering what in the world) the gentleman looked at us and said, "are you all ready to board?" WHAT? REALLY? "OF COURSE," was our reply and they finally let us board!
Once things (like our heart rate) settled down and we had a moment to reflect on the day, I leaned over to Jennifer and said, "if we functioned our church like the airlines runs their business we would be left broke and lonely!" None the less, we made it!!!
Tuesday, June 17
My Friend, Pastor Elijah
The Edmond Outlook posted a great story about a good friend of mine. It is a must read...
Enjoy!
Friday, June 13
I am extremely excited...
About our first ever Family Conference with Keith and Gladys Kirkwood that is beginning Sunday morning at 10:00 AM.
About the 16 people who have accepted (or rededicated their lives to) Christ in the last three weeks!
That the new Coldplay album is released next Thursday!
Our trip to Mexico is less than one week away! I will preaching at a church in Cuernavaca that is seriously reaching people. This church oversees 55 churches world-wide and hosts 8 services each Sunday!!!
That today is my day off and I get to hang out with my family!
Tuesday, June 10
Monday Morning Insight!
As a pastor my favorite day of the week is Sunday. Of course, that is the day when people from all walks of life and from all directions of the world come together to worship God in unity. It is the weekly event in which we witness God perform miracles in peoples lives by saving the lost, healing the hurting, or encouraging the depressed. This is a day in which many peoples lives are forever changed by the power of God!
As exciting of a day that Sunday is Monday is the exact opposite! For most pastors Monday is the day when we sit and think of all the things that didn't work or go too well in the Sunday service. It took me a while to recognize this thought pattern was the work of the enemy to discourage or even discredit the work of God in our church. Here are a few of the things that once continuously haunted my mind each Monday.
1. I Preached too long.
2. The worship was too loud.
3. The worship wasn't loud enough.
4. The worship is too modern.
5. The worship isn't modern enough!
6. I missed an opportunity to say 'hello' to someone - are they mad or upset.
7. The person or family who left early - did I upset them or are they mad.
8. Did I miss God when...
9. My sermon didn't connect.
10. I'm not good enough to lead this church.
Don't fall into the enemies trap of insecurities and wonder! It is OK to be who you are in God and be secure with your churches DNA!
Tuesday, June 3
Unity Abounds!
Today I met with Pastor Zac Christian of H2O and Kenny Morrison of Grace Christian Fellowship to pray and plan several events that we are doing together as the body of Christ in ADA! One of those events is the "One Prayer" movement thats purpose is to unify the body of Christ around the world through prayer! Crosspointe will host "One Prayer" each Wednesday night at 7:00 PM from June 25 through July 16!!!
For more information please visit...
Monday, June 2
Teach us to Pray!
Praise
Nehemiah 1:5
Luke 11:1 and 2
"our Father" - Prayer always begins with RELATIONSHIP. If there is no relationship then there is no basis for prayer.
Hallowed be thy Name – means "set apart." It is a to say that there is no one like God! It is to reverence or honor the name of God. And, there is great significance in the name of God…there is great power in the Name of God!
God’s name is Jehovah!
Why is Giving Praise to God important?
Praising God is important b/c in that praise God wants to become whatever it is that you are in need of . God desires to be the miracle to your prayer!!!
If you need healing in your body you might say "Jehovah Rafa" – The God that heals.
If you need God to be your provision you might say "Jehovah Jira," which means "the Lord our provide!"
For me, it may sound like this…”God you are so awesome and great. I know that you have faithfully provided financial favor for me and I am seeking that your will be done in my finances.
The difference between favor and a blessing!
Finding a sale…
Donut Shop walk in and Get it for free!!!
"God you are such a masterful healer and I need you to work in my body…you are a God who Heals."
Prayer must begin with Praise! Psa 34:1 Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psa 34:2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Psa 34:3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!
That is a commitment to PRAISE!
Confession
Verse 6 & 7
Old Adage – “Confession is good for the soul.”
Psalm 32:5 "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah"
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
SIN IS THE GREATEST ROADBLOCK TO PRAYER
Confession leads to purity
Psalm 139:23 "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! Psa 139:24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
Teach Us to Pray!
I am currently teaching a new series on prayer entitled "Teach us to Pray!" I am teaching from Nehemiah 1:4 to use for a prototype of how we are to pray. I explored the five cycles of praying revealed through Nehemiah prayer. They are...
1. Praising God
2. Confess our failures (sins) to God
3. Intercede (praying for others)
4. Petition (making our request known to God)
5. Waiting (waiting on answers).
The sermon will be available on podcasting tomorrow afternoon and I will post my sermon notes.
Great Job TEAM ADA
Team Ada raised $209,000.00 dollars this weekend at Relay for Life!!! Last year we raised the most of any other small town in America and it appears that we are well on our way to repeat!
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