Focus!

1 Corinthians 9: 26

²⁶ Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.

Sometimes our walk with Jesus can be compared to a boxing match.

Paul was focused on hitting his target.

Are you focused on hitting the target?

Or do you on the other hand waste a lot of time punching at nothing?

Paul used a number of sports analogies to drive home his point.

Don’t you get sick and tired of the sucker punches the devil lands?

Maybe it’s time we hit him below the belt?

Maybe it’s time we fight this fight of the faith in Christ’s power, and not our own?

The Kingdom of Heaven grew again last night.

The people from our church are serious about this faith business.

We don’t have time to waste, for we need to be calculated in throwing hay makers the devil’s way.

The power of Jesus landed another powerful blow last night.

If you're down on the mat, then maybe it’s time to get up and land some punches in the name of Christ.

Besides, we’re in the 12^th round of an epic battle, and it’s time for God’s people to answer the bell with a steady barrage of our own…

What's your Soul Level?

Luke 15: 10

“Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

I can’t even imagine what kind of rejoicing goes on in Heaven, when one sinner repents.

Well let me tell you something…last night must have been really loud in Heaven, since so MANY souls repented.

Our church has been preparing for Heaven’s Gates/Hells Flames for many weeks now, and it has certainly paid off.

We logged over 600 hours of prayer in 6 weeks, and that’s the sole reason many people came to Christ last night.

I can’t begin to tell you how deeply proud this old Pastor is of his flock.

From the people who made and served food, to the child care workers, and all the behind the scenes people.

So who will you re-invite for Monday’s performance?

You do care for their perishing soul’s, don’t you?

I mean, let’s the give the angels something powerful to shout about.

Let’s believe that the party in Heaven last night, won’t compare to the party tonight.

My soul is full, and way overflowing.

How is the level of your soul this morning?

I realize that many of you in the cast are tired today, but don’t forget to take time to join the Angels, and rejoice with great gladness… 

Sprinkled!

Ezekiel 36: 25 - 27

²⁵ I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.

²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

²⁷ And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Some people have been sprinkled with clean water, and frankly, some have not.

People will come to our church beginning on Sunday night, and they won’t expect a sprinkling.

When my two adults boys were little, and they started to learn to walk, they would hang on to anything to keep themselves upright.

It wasn’t until they learned to let go, did they find good footing.

It’s the same with us. Unless we stop hanging onto the world, and all our impurities and idols, can we depend on our Father in Heaven for traction and direction.

People who refuse to let go of the things that hinder them, will be forever struggling, and falling on their faces.

I know struggling people right now, and they may think they’re clean, but their actions tell a different story.

Those are the same people who have all the Christian lingo down pat, but no kingdom fruit to show for it.

Maybe those are the folks who have a heart of stone, and don’t even know it?

Maybe they are the ones who think they have a new spirit, when in fact they still have the old one?

Unless God put’s His Spirit in you, you will be forever frustrated.

Maybe the reason you’re not moved to follow God, is that you’re still holding onto your old stinky life?

I suggest you run through the sprinkler, and I’d recommend you do it sooner, than later…

Draw near!

Luke 15: 1

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him…

One would expect that these lost people would draw near to Jesus, because He had a heart for the lost.

That’s why Jesus came…to seek and save that which was lost.

It’s as if this group of people were hanging on every word that Jesus spoke.

I think they were anticipating that something powerful was about to happen.

I believe that’s where we are as a church today.

The excitement is brewing, and people are anticipating something powerful.

But why should that surprise us?

Jesus hasn’t changed, and His power has never been diminished, and it’s available all the time.

Maybe it could be this way consistently if we just paid better attention?

What if we purposed ourselves to hang onto every word that Jesus ever spoke?

But I’ll take the excitement now any day, and I love what God is going to do with the everyday common folk of our church.

Jesus is still seeking and saving that which is lost., and that’s what’s going to happen Sunday through Tuesday.

He’s never changed, and He never will.

Maybe as you anticipate the movement of God’s power, you’ll actually be changed?

I’d welcome that for our church people, in a Winneconne minute…

Do your part!

Romans 12: 4 - 5

⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,

⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

I have to confess, that I’ve read this text of scripture many times, but without a whole lot of thought, frankly.

That was until yesterday morning, and then these words just jumped off the page.

I’m thankful for a dear friend, who taught a bunch of church people how to be a real team.

I’m thankful for the wisdom they poured out, so I knew which people God wanted on what team.

I love coaching people in our church to be better followers of Jesus. Today I’m a better coach than I used to be.

Our church is filled with some of the most talented people around, and they bring great glory to God.

That all came to light in the best way yesterday morning, and it all started with a phone call from a Godly woman.

She had someone working for her, that was in a really dark place…so much so, they wanted their life to end.

I got ready to go out yesterday morning, and God’s plans were executed with wonderful accuracy.

The first thing I did, was enlist a team of prayer support from some of my closest confidants, and then God did the rest.

In 60 minutes flat, this person went from petrified (suicide), to eternally satisfied.

All because a woman cared…and some people prayed…and a Pastor moved into action…and then the great Gospel went out.

Because the church worked in perfect harmony, the team can celebrate a great victory, because this person gave their heart over to the Lord.

I’m praising God for an operative church, and for a person who was just sick and tired, of being sick and tired! Amen!!

And the weekend isn’t even here yet… 

You Must!

Colossians 3: 12 - 13   ESV

¹² Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

¹³ bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

My Mom had a lady who really hurt her a number of years ago, and every time that ladies name came up in conversation, my Mom’s stomach did a flip flop.

The same lady just died a few days ago, and my Mom’s been gone for almost 11 years. I don’t think either of them found any peace with each other.

The problem was that I don’t think Elsie ever recognized how much she hurt my Mom.

But the real problem though, was that my Mom never found it in her heart to forgive that woman.

There was a time in their lives, when they were pretty good friends.

No matter what that woman did  or didn’t do wrong, according to God it was my Mom’s role to forgive Elsie.

Forgiveness is not conditional, it’s actually a command.

You’d be surprised the people who needlessly hang onto offenses.

It troubles the offended person greatly, and it affects every person around them.

How do I know that? I lived in that home, and when Elsie’s name came up it was never a pleasant experience.

“…as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also MUST forgive…”

That means that we have to stop the blame game, and stop pouring out all the guilt.

We also need to stop referring to the offense, and never use it as a trump card.

We may not feel very much like forgiving, but we had better learn to operate out of this spiritual mandate…

911!

Jeremiah 33: 3

³ Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’ve ever had to dial the emergency number 911, have you?

Ironic that when something bad happened on U.S. soil, it happened on 9-11.

It is suggested by many, that especially the people of the United States, are some of the most Biblically illiterate people of all time.

I wonder if that’s some sort of Guinness record?

When we call out to God, He knows automatically whose calling out to Him.

When we call out to Him, help is just a moment away.

Who do you call when things get crazy in your life?

Who will you call out to, when things get crazier in our world, than they already are?

Yesterday I had two (2) people contact me, that think something epic is going to happen in the not too distant future.

Maybe it’s something prophetic, or maybe it’s just gas…I don’t know.

When’s the last time you asked God to reveal to you, “hidden” things?

If we’re so Biblically illiterate, it doesn’t really have to be that way.

God said He would reveal things to us, that we have not known.

There isn’t a dispatcher in the world, that can help us when that kind of trouble comes, but our GREAT God, can dispatch us a remedy in no time flat…