"DREAM Checkup"
Ezekiel 16:43-17:24
Hebrews 8:1-13
Psalm 106:13-31
Proverbs 27.7-9
"But this is the new agreement I will make with the people of Israel, says the Lord: I will write my laws in their minds so that they will know what I want them to do without my even telling them, and these laws will be in their hearts so that they will want to obey them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people." (Heb. 8:10)
Reading this verse is a great reminder of how important it is for us to know who God is. As we spend time with him, we know his character. Through the study of his word, we begin to find principles that guide us in any circumstance. We don't have to stumble around in the lost wondering what God would have us do.
God created each of us uniquely and has a special plan for each one of us. But as different as we are, He never changes. There are principles that he has laid out that are true for everyone of us. Knowing these principles helps us to grow in maturity and live a life of balance.
I think there are times that God's people ask "What should I do??" when the answer is really a "no-brainer". The answer is found in aligning to the principles God has laid out.
The DREAM is an outline of 5 biblical principles that are vital to the life of the mature believer. The acrostic of D.R.E.A.M. is merely a quick checklist for us to see how we're lining up to these principles. I've been sending out "DEVO DREAM"s for 30 months, but many have joined the list recently. It's good for all of us to just take the time today to take a DREAM Checkup. Am I living the DREAM?
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship - How is my relationship with the Lord? Am I in a good place right now? Worship is my fellowship and communion with him. Is there anything that is "clogging" the communication lines? The "D" represents the principle of obedience. Obedience is the highest form of worship. Has God directed me to do something that I've not followed through on? Is there any thing in my life where I know I'm being disobedient? Is there sin in my life that I need to repent of?
Relationships Devoted to Unity - How are my relationships with others? Am I building others up instead of tearing them down? Am I living as a part of the Body of Christ, or am I off doing things on my own? The "R" represents the principle of Submission. Submission is defined as "setting aside pride, will and opinion to meet the need of another." Do I model biblical submission to those around me? Do I take the time to meet the needs of others? Are my relationships healthy?
Empowered Through Biblical Training - Is biblical training a regular part of my life? Do I consistently get into the word and let it strengthen me, or do I just "dabble" in it? Am I consistent to the corporate teaching of the word in church services, sunday school, bible studies, or do I just go through the motions of convenient church attendance? The "E" represents the principle of Discipline. Discipline means "to bring to alignment." Am I placing myself in alignment with God's word. Am I disciplined to study it?
Active Ministry Involvement - Am I being a good steward of the resources God has given me? This is not just a question of being involved in a ministry, it's putting what God has given me into his hands to serve others. The "A" represents the principle of Responsibility. Am I being responsible with my time, talent, finances and resources in a way that brings honor to God?
Mission to Reach our World for Christ - Do I understand that every part of my life is for this purpose? Am I living a life that points to Christ, or do I turn the "switch off" when I don't feel like acting Christ-like? The "M" represents the principle of Purpose. Am I living with this purpose in mind? Am I using every opportunity to draw others to Christ?
How did you do in this checklist? If we're honest, I think we all can find areas where we need work. Now obviously, knowing the DREAM does not mean you know God. But using this tool to bring everyday application to Godly principles can really equip us to live a godly life. Situations will come up today, and you will automatically know the right thing to do, because you know whether or not it lines up with Godly principles. If a situation causes you to walk in disobedience, you know the answer is no. If it's not devoted to unity... etc.
It ain't "rocket surgery"! ;)
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
11.6.7 "Complete Devotion"
"Complete Devotion"
Ezekiel 14:12-16:42
Hebrews 7:18-28
Psalm 106:1-12
Proverbs 27:4-6
"Who can ever list the glorious miracles of God? Who can ever praise him half enough?" Ps. 106:2
Our relationship with the Lord is an incredible thing. I don't think we can understand the full magnitude of this, and how important this relationship is in God's eyes. In Eph. 5:31 Paul quotes a verse that we've heard many times at a wedding. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." He explains something very important in the next verse. "This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church."
Our relationship with Christ is one of profound intimacy. In Ezekiel 15, the Lord is describing his relationship with his people. He talks about how he created them, and brought them to him, and then set them apart as his bride. The description of his love for them is quite vivid. It talks of gifts of clothing, jewelry, and how "you looked like a queen, and so you were!"
That's how God views each one of us. The bride of Christ. He loves us more intensely than we can realize. He can't wait to commune with us. To spend time with us. He is passionate about us.
Tragically, his people are not faithful. Ez. 15:15 says, "But you thought you could get along without me..." It goes on to describe how his bride becomes a prostitute to everyone that comes along.
We can be kind of flippant about "priorities" that are out of whack in our lives. Basically, we're talking about idolatry. About how we've found other things than the Lord to please us. To be our "lovers". We prostitute ourselves to flesh pleasing things. This separates us from God.
He created us for Him. We will never be satisfied until there is nothing that stains our intimacy with Him.
Proverbs 27:4 says, "Jealousy is more dangerous and cruel than anger." Do you know why that is? Because when we are jealous, we feel like we are not getting something that we deserve. The dangerous part of it is that it is God who gives all things, so in essence we are mad that God hasn't given us what we feel we deserve. Praise him for the fact that he didn't give us what we REALLY deserve!!!
As I sit and do my "devotions" this morning, I think of what "devotion" means. While often our time in the word can become a ritualistic task, we need to understand the purpose of what we do is to "devote" our heart to the Lord. "Lord, I give you me." That's all it takes.
I love knowing that my wife is devoted to me. She is amazing. She accomplishes so much! She makes sure me and my daughter have our needs taken care of. She'll sit next to me and read during a football game, just because she wants to be with me. She's devoted.
We need to live lives of complete devotion. We must guard against jealousy and all other cancers of the soul.
As you spend time with the Lord today, open your heart to him and ask him to purify you of anything that clouds your intimacy with him. We can't get along without Him. Even if we think we can, we need to be desperately in love with him and devoted to keep our relationship pure.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Ezekiel 14:12-16:42
Hebrews 7:18-28
Psalm 106:1-12
Proverbs 27:4-6
"Who can ever list the glorious miracles of God? Who can ever praise him half enough?" Ps. 106:2
Our relationship with the Lord is an incredible thing. I don't think we can understand the full magnitude of this, and how important this relationship is in God's eyes. In Eph. 5:31 Paul quotes a verse that we've heard many times at a wedding. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." He explains something very important in the next verse. "This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church."
Our relationship with Christ is one of profound intimacy. In Ezekiel 15, the Lord is describing his relationship with his people. He talks about how he created them, and brought them to him, and then set them apart as his bride. The description of his love for them is quite vivid. It talks of gifts of clothing, jewelry, and how "you looked like a queen, and so you were!"
That's how God views each one of us. The bride of Christ. He loves us more intensely than we can realize. He can't wait to commune with us. To spend time with us. He is passionate about us.
Tragically, his people are not faithful. Ez. 15:15 says, "But you thought you could get along without me..." It goes on to describe how his bride becomes a prostitute to everyone that comes along.
We can be kind of flippant about "priorities" that are out of whack in our lives. Basically, we're talking about idolatry. About how we've found other things than the Lord to please us. To be our "lovers". We prostitute ourselves to flesh pleasing things. This separates us from God.
He created us for Him. We will never be satisfied until there is nothing that stains our intimacy with Him.
Proverbs 27:4 says, "Jealousy is more dangerous and cruel than anger." Do you know why that is? Because when we are jealous, we feel like we are not getting something that we deserve. The dangerous part of it is that it is God who gives all things, so in essence we are mad that God hasn't given us what we feel we deserve. Praise him for the fact that he didn't give us what we REALLY deserve!!!
As I sit and do my "devotions" this morning, I think of what "devotion" means. While often our time in the word can become a ritualistic task, we need to understand the purpose of what we do is to "devote" our heart to the Lord. "Lord, I give you me." That's all it takes.
I love knowing that my wife is devoted to me. She is amazing. She accomplishes so much! She makes sure me and my daughter have our needs taken care of. She'll sit next to me and read during a football game, just because she wants to be with me. She's devoted.
We need to live lives of complete devotion. We must guard against jealousy and all other cancers of the soul.
As you spend time with the Lord today, open your heart to him and ask him to purify you of anything that clouds your intimacy with him. We can't get along without Him. Even if we think we can, we need to be desperately in love with him and devoted to keep our relationship pure.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Monday, November 5, 2007
11.5.7 "When it all Falls Down"
"When it all Falls Down"
Ezekiel 12:1-14:11
Hebrews 7:1-17
Psalm 105:39-45
Proverbs 27:3
Have you ever asked a friend or someone you knew how things are going and their response was "fine" and later discovered their world was falling apart? There's been times when an individual has been hurting so bad, and yet there's no outward sign. Later when everything falls apart, everyone stands around saying "I had no idea". It's easy to say, "If only they had said something, I could have helped them..." That statement may be true, but there's hypocrisy in there as well.
In Ezekiel 13, God is reprimanding Israel for listening to false prophets as they are building the wall. "Tell these evil builders that their wall will fall. A heavy rainstorm will undermine it; great hailstones and mighty winds will knock it down. And when the wall falls, the people will cry out, 'Why didn't you tell us that it wasn't good enough? Why did you whitewash it and cover up its faults?' Yes, it will surely fall. The Lord God says: I will sweep it away with a storm of indignation and with a great flood of anger and with hailstones of wrath. I will break down your whitewashed wall, and it will fall on you and crush you, and you shall know I am the Lord." Ez. 13:11-14
Think of the tragedy: "Why didn't you tell us that it wasn't good enough? Why did you whitewash it and cover up its faults?"
Each one of us struggle in this area. We live with a certain amount of pride and pretension. We want things to look good. When there are vulnerabilities in our life, we don't want anyone to know. We don't want people to see that we have weakness. That we hurt. That we're addicted. That we're empty. So, we paint the wall.
Our mind justifies this: I'll deal with my problems later... no one will ever know... It's just between me & God anyway.... I can fix this...
Then the rains come. The pressure of the flood reveals the weakness in the wall and there is destruction. We find that it's not only one life that's destroyed. It all those around as well. Then come the questions: "Why didn't you tell us that it wasn't good enough? Why did you whitewash it and cover up it's faults?"
Well, we know why. "I don't want to appear weak." "What will people think of me."
We all know that we are created for "Relationships Devoted to Unity". We can recite that, but we forget that the reason we need to be in unity is so that we can bear one another's burdens. So we can help each other align to the Word and strengthen one another. To be vulnerable with one another. The longer we wait, the worse it gets.
I've mentioned before the huge retaining wall we had to build. As it was being built, I was looking at it kind of funny. The guy who was doing the majority of the labor was about 4 courses high. (a course is a row of block. there were about 25 block in each course, and each block weighed 75 pounds) He noticed the look on my face and said, "what are you seeing?" I said, "that block on the 2nd course looks a bit crooked." He said, yeah, I saw that too, but it will correct itself by the time we get to the top. I had to go to work, and came home expecting to find all 8 courses in place. Instead, I found only a couple courses at the bottom and stacks of block everywhere. He had left already & I called to ask him what happened. He said, "you remember that one block? well by the time we got to the top, the whole thing was unstable, so I had to tear it all down."
When the Spirit reveals to us that there is something in our life that is a little bit "crooked", we must allow him to fix it. We must go for help. We must confide in a friend. Too often that isn't what happens. we hope with everything within us that by the time we "get to the top" things will have "worked themselves out."
We may get by with that for a while. I'm glad my friend tore the wall down and started over. Otherwise, when the rains came, it wouldn't have been just stacks of block around, it would have been soil, trees, and destruction all over.
Can you imagine the destruction of lives if help is not sought out? "Daddy, why didn't you tell someone you had a problem with the internet?" "Honey, why didn't you tell us we were out of money... you didn't have to steal."
We've seen time and again ministries that have failed because of the hidden sin of a leader. What a tragedy. Regardless of the specifics of the circumstance, one thing we know is that there was a problem down deep that was not taken care of. God loves his people enough to bring that which is in the darkness into the light. He wants us to be pure before him.
Make no mistake about it. It's not easy to tear the wall down one block at a time to take care of it, but it sure beats the alternative.
I'm not saying we need to broadcast all of our secret sins and struggles and put them on a sign in our yard, but we need to be in REAL relationships with people who have our best interest in mind and care enough to tell us the truth and help us to be aligned with scripture. We need to love one another that much.
We need to build the wall God wants. This is the key to living a Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship with a heart that is open and pure before him. This wall will not fall no matter what storm may come.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Ezekiel 12:1-14:11
Hebrews 7:1-17
Psalm 105:39-45
Proverbs 27:3
Have you ever asked a friend or someone you knew how things are going and their response was "fine" and later discovered their world was falling apart? There's been times when an individual has been hurting so bad, and yet there's no outward sign. Later when everything falls apart, everyone stands around saying "I had no idea". It's easy to say, "If only they had said something, I could have helped them..." That statement may be true, but there's hypocrisy in there as well.
In Ezekiel 13, God is reprimanding Israel for listening to false prophets as they are building the wall. "Tell these evil builders that their wall will fall. A heavy rainstorm will undermine it; great hailstones and mighty winds will knock it down. And when the wall falls, the people will cry out, 'Why didn't you tell us that it wasn't good enough? Why did you whitewash it and cover up its faults?' Yes, it will surely fall. The Lord God says: I will sweep it away with a storm of indignation and with a great flood of anger and with hailstones of wrath. I will break down your whitewashed wall, and it will fall on you and crush you, and you shall know I am the Lord." Ez. 13:11-14
Think of the tragedy: "Why didn't you tell us that it wasn't good enough? Why did you whitewash it and cover up its faults?"
Each one of us struggle in this area. We live with a certain amount of pride and pretension. We want things to look good. When there are vulnerabilities in our life, we don't want anyone to know. We don't want people to see that we have weakness. That we hurt. That we're addicted. That we're empty. So, we paint the wall.
Our mind justifies this: I'll deal with my problems later... no one will ever know... It's just between me & God anyway.... I can fix this...
Then the rains come. The pressure of the flood reveals the weakness in the wall and there is destruction. We find that it's not only one life that's destroyed. It all those around as well. Then come the questions: "Why didn't you tell us that it wasn't good enough? Why did you whitewash it and cover up it's faults?"
Well, we know why. "I don't want to appear weak." "What will people think of me."
We all know that we are created for "Relationships Devoted to Unity". We can recite that, but we forget that the reason we need to be in unity is so that we can bear one another's burdens. So we can help each other align to the Word and strengthen one another. To be vulnerable with one another. The longer we wait, the worse it gets.
I've mentioned before the huge retaining wall we had to build. As it was being built, I was looking at it kind of funny. The guy who was doing the majority of the labor was about 4 courses high. (a course is a row of block. there were about 25 block in each course, and each block weighed 75 pounds) He noticed the look on my face and said, "what are you seeing?" I said, "that block on the 2nd course looks a bit crooked." He said, yeah, I saw that too, but it will correct itself by the time we get to the top. I had to go to work, and came home expecting to find all 8 courses in place. Instead, I found only a couple courses at the bottom and stacks of block everywhere. He had left already & I called to ask him what happened. He said, "you remember that one block? well by the time we got to the top, the whole thing was unstable, so I had to tear it all down."
When the Spirit reveals to us that there is something in our life that is a little bit "crooked", we must allow him to fix it. We must go for help. We must confide in a friend. Too often that isn't what happens. we hope with everything within us that by the time we "get to the top" things will have "worked themselves out."
We may get by with that for a while. I'm glad my friend tore the wall down and started over. Otherwise, when the rains came, it wouldn't have been just stacks of block around, it would have been soil, trees, and destruction all over.
Can you imagine the destruction of lives if help is not sought out? "Daddy, why didn't you tell someone you had a problem with the internet?" "Honey, why didn't you tell us we were out of money... you didn't have to steal."
We've seen time and again ministries that have failed because of the hidden sin of a leader. What a tragedy. Regardless of the specifics of the circumstance, one thing we know is that there was a problem down deep that was not taken care of. God loves his people enough to bring that which is in the darkness into the light. He wants us to be pure before him.
Make no mistake about it. It's not easy to tear the wall down one block at a time to take care of it, but it sure beats the alternative.
I'm not saying we need to broadcast all of our secret sins and struggles and put them on a sign in our yard, but we need to be in REAL relationships with people who have our best interest in mind and care enough to tell us the truth and help us to be aligned with scripture. We need to love one another that much.
We need to build the wall God wants. This is the key to living a Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship with a heart that is open and pure before him. This wall will not fall no matter what storm may come.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Sunday, November 4, 2007
11.4.7 "The Boring Christian Life"
"The Boring Christian Life"
Ezekiel 10:1-11:25
Hebrews 6:1-20
Psalm 105:16-38
Proverbs 27:1-2
When I was a kid I had heard why it was good to become a Christian: You go to heaven and get a white robe and spend all your time worshiping God... Ok... You can imagine that for a active young guy that wasn't a great thing to put in the brochure. At my level of understanding all I could picture was wooden church benches, and being sleepy. It sounded boring.
There is an interesting verse in Hebrews 6:12: "Then, knowing what lies ahead for you, you won't become bored with being a Christian..."
The writer of Hebrews is dealing with people who are "bored with being a Christian". Who wants to live the Boring Christian Life? What causes that? We'll have to look at the preceding verses. Verse 1 says, "Let us stop going over the same old ground again and again, always teaching those first lessons about Christ. Let us go on instead to other things and become mature in our understanding, as strong Christians ought to be."
One of the first ingredients of the Boring Christian Life is to get stuck in a rut. A rut comes from driving in the same path over and over and over again. Too many believers stand on the shoreline of Christian maturity. There is an acceptance of Christ, but as far as relationship goes, it's more a matter of ritual. Go to church because you should. Do enough to look like a Christian, but there's no diving in to the deeper things of Christ: The discipline of daily time in the Word, the devotion to discipling relationships.
Another ingredient to the Boring Christian Life is the calloused heart. verse 4-6 "There is no use trying to bring you back to the Lord again if you have once understood the Good News and tasted for yourself the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, and know how good the Word of God is, and felt the mighty powers of the world to come, and then have turned against God. You cannot bring yourself to repent again..." We've talked before about being "moved and not changed". The hardening of the Boring Christian's heart comes from knowing the right thing to do, but in spite of the Spirit's prompting, ignoring it and going through life without being obedient to the Lord's direction. We've all heard someone say, "I'll follow God later". That presumes so much. That presumes that there's something WE do to save ourselves. We cannot come to Christ unless his Spirit draws us. That's why it is SO important to respond to Him IMMEDIATELY when he's calling us. Otherwise we lose our sense of direction and purpose. We walk alone... in the Boring Christian Life.
The fruit of the Boring Christian Life is thistles and thorns. It's dry. It's desolate. Who wants that?
There's good news! It doesn't have to be that way. Let's get away from the Boring Christian Life.
"Dear friends, even though I am talking like this I really don't believe that what I am saying applies to you. I am confident you are producing the good fruit that comes along with your salvation. For God is not unfair. how can he forget your hard work for him, or forget the way you used to show your love for him - and still do - by helping his children? And we are anxious that you keep right on loving others as long as life lasts, so that you will get your full reward. THEN, knowing what lies ahead for you, you won't become bored with being a Christian, nor become spiritually dull and indifferent, but you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive all that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience." Heb 6:9-12
Living the Christian life according to God's plan is anything but boring. Being in right relationship (obedience) produces good fruit. Loving one another brings rewards. Fulfillment comes through following Godly examples. It takes strong faith and patience.
The next verses use the example of Abraham and how God was faithful to His promise to him. God will be faithful to his promise to you. Your faith becomes strong through storms and trials that seem too great to handle. It's in those circumstances God comes through "... so that those he promised to help would be perfectly sure and never need to wonder whether he might change his plans." Heb. 6:17
Growing in faith isn't easy. It comes through some turbulent times. When floods of adversity come those caught in the rut too often get swept away. But applying scriptural principles in every area of our life keeps us secure in him regardless of the circumstances. verse 19 says, "This certain hope of being saved is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, connecting us with God himself behind the sacred curtains of heaven..."
God has a plan for you, and if we surrender to His direction, He will come through. He is faithful!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Ezekiel 10:1-11:25
Hebrews 6:1-20
Psalm 105:16-38
Proverbs 27:1-2
When I was a kid I had heard why it was good to become a Christian: You go to heaven and get a white robe and spend all your time worshiping God... Ok... You can imagine that for a active young guy that wasn't a great thing to put in the brochure. At my level of understanding all I could picture was wooden church benches, and being sleepy. It sounded boring.
There is an interesting verse in Hebrews 6:12: "Then, knowing what lies ahead for you, you won't become bored with being a Christian..."
The writer of Hebrews is dealing with people who are "bored with being a Christian". Who wants to live the Boring Christian Life? What causes that? We'll have to look at the preceding verses. Verse 1 says, "Let us stop going over the same old ground again and again, always teaching those first lessons about Christ. Let us go on instead to other things and become mature in our understanding, as strong Christians ought to be."
One of the first ingredients of the Boring Christian Life is to get stuck in a rut. A rut comes from driving in the same path over and over and over again. Too many believers stand on the shoreline of Christian maturity. There is an acceptance of Christ, but as far as relationship goes, it's more a matter of ritual. Go to church because you should. Do enough to look like a Christian, but there's no diving in to the deeper things of Christ: The discipline of daily time in the Word, the devotion to discipling relationships.
Another ingredient to the Boring Christian Life is the calloused heart. verse 4-6 "There is no use trying to bring you back to the Lord again if you have once understood the Good News and tasted for yourself the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, and know how good the Word of God is, and felt the mighty powers of the world to come, and then have turned against God. You cannot bring yourself to repent again..." We've talked before about being "moved and not changed". The hardening of the Boring Christian's heart comes from knowing the right thing to do, but in spite of the Spirit's prompting, ignoring it and going through life without being obedient to the Lord's direction. We've all heard someone say, "I'll follow God later". That presumes so much. That presumes that there's something WE do to save ourselves. We cannot come to Christ unless his Spirit draws us. That's why it is SO important to respond to Him IMMEDIATELY when he's calling us. Otherwise we lose our sense of direction and purpose. We walk alone... in the Boring Christian Life.
The fruit of the Boring Christian Life is thistles and thorns. It's dry. It's desolate. Who wants that?
There's good news! It doesn't have to be that way. Let's get away from the Boring Christian Life.
"Dear friends, even though I am talking like this I really don't believe that what I am saying applies to you. I am confident you are producing the good fruit that comes along with your salvation. For God is not unfair. how can he forget your hard work for him, or forget the way you used to show your love for him - and still do - by helping his children? And we are anxious that you keep right on loving others as long as life lasts, so that you will get your full reward. THEN, knowing what lies ahead for you, you won't become bored with being a Christian, nor become spiritually dull and indifferent, but you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive all that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience." Heb 6:9-12
Living the Christian life according to God's plan is anything but boring. Being in right relationship (obedience) produces good fruit. Loving one another brings rewards. Fulfillment comes through following Godly examples. It takes strong faith and patience.
The next verses use the example of Abraham and how God was faithful to His promise to him. God will be faithful to his promise to you. Your faith becomes strong through storms and trials that seem too great to handle. It's in those circumstances God comes through "... so that those he promised to help would be perfectly sure and never need to wonder whether he might change his plans." Heb. 6:17
Growing in faith isn't easy. It comes through some turbulent times. When floods of adversity come those caught in the rut too often get swept away. But applying scriptural principles in every area of our life keeps us secure in him regardless of the circumstances. verse 19 says, "This certain hope of being saved is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, connecting us with God himself behind the sacred curtains of heaven..."
God has a plan for you, and if we surrender to His direction, He will come through. He is faithful!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Saturday, November 3, 2007
11.3.7 "The Hidden Room"
"The Hidden Room"
Ezekiel 7:1-9:11
Hebrews 5:1-14
Psalm 105:1-15
Proverbs 26:28
"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple." I Cor. 3:16-17
This scripture is not a part of the scheduled One Year Bible reading for today, but it sets up a very important lesson that we can learn from the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel has a vision where the Lord has brought him to the Temple.
"And he said: 'Son of dust, do you see what they are doing? Do you see what great sins the people of Israel are doing here, to push me from my Temple? But come, and I will show you greater sins than these!' Then he brought me to the door of the Temple court, where I could see an opening in the wall.
"'Now dig into the wall,' he said. I did, and uncovered a door to a hidden room. 'Go in,' he said, 'and see the wickedness going on in there!' So I went in.
"The walls were covered with pictures of all kinds of snakes, lizards and hideous creatures, besides all the various idols worshiped by the people of Israel. Seventy elders of Israel were standing there along with Ja-azaniah (son of Shaphan) worshiping the pictures. Each of them held a censer of burning incense, so there was a thick cloud of smoke above their heads.
"Then the Lord said to me: 'Son of dust, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in their minds? For they say, "The Lord doesn't see us; he has gone away!"'" Ez. 8:6-12
When I was in college I did a large research project on the difference between Japanese and American educational systems. A Christian friend from Japan was a great resource for this. She said one of the biggest differences in our cultures is the Americans' ability to "compartmentalize" their lives. In other words, we have many worlds we live in: our home world, our work world, our school world, our church world... and we like to keep them separate. She said that even in the highest level executive meetings in Japan, it is common courtesy to spend a great deal talking about family more than getting "down to business".
Our culture has created this "separation of church and state". Compartmentalization has become part of who we are. It's come into the life of many Christians as well. I'm not just talking about living separate lives of work, church, home. I'm talking about a deeper compartmentalization of the mind. This deep hidden room in the Temple.
We see it over and over again. Christian believers who know truth and godliness and yet there's an area of sin that is in this "secret room" of the mind. It is a room where idols are worshiped. It's a room where pet sins are fed. Past hurts are stored away and incubate into vile bitterness and "justifiable" hatred. Where lusts are kept alive by continual visits to the room "because I deserve it." Ezekiel's description almost makes it seem like the hidden room was a wall of TV's.
There's a foolishness to the statement of the priests in Ezekiel's day as they worship these vile things, "The Lord doesn't see us: he has gone away!". It doesn't make any sense. Yet for some reason Christians have fooled themselves into thinking the same thing. "The Lord can't see my sin." "Because my wife can't see my computer screen, God can't either." "Because my husband doesn't know what's really in this book, the Lord can't see it either."
Sounds ridiculous right? If it's so ridiculous why do so many live that way? Lurking beneath the surface is such vile hatred and bitterness that has come from abuse. "Sure hatred is bad, but in me it's justified because of what someone did to me!" Surely God can't see into that room.
Do we really believe what we believe? Truly? If we do, how can we so willingly live in this life of dichotomy (existence of 2 opposing forces)?
It often seems that Christians are content to mature in Christ up to certain point, and then for some reason they stop. They don't want to go any further. The bad part is that an individual is tricked into thinking that they can continue growth in the rest of life, but the sad truth is that growth is stunted until this area is taken care of. Sure they may have others fooled, but God sees into the room and it catches up with them. It's as if there's a thought that being a Christian "a long time" is what it takes to be mature.
Look at what it says about that in Heb. 5:12-14 "You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others, but instead you have dropped back to the place where you need someone to teach you all over again the very first principles in God's Word. You are like babies who can drink only milk, not old enough for solid food. And when a person is still living on milk it shows he isn't very far along in the Christian life, and doesn't know much about the difference between right and wrong. He is still a baby-Christian! You will never be able to eat solid spiritual food and understand the deeper things of God's Word until you become better Christians and learn right from wrong by practicing doing right."
It's time for a moment of introspection. Where am I in my Christian maturity? What rooms are hidden in this temple that I've fooled myself into thinking that God can't see it? Allowing him in to clean out these rooms is the next step to maturity.
There is such joy and freedom in knowing there is nothing hidden from God. So much energy has been wasted in trying to keep the door to the room locked and guarded so that no one will see. What foolishness that is anyway, because God has seen it all along.
If you've found a hidden room, invite Jesus in to clean it out. Giving up these "idols" is not as hard as you think. You can live without them. In fact, you can't truly find abundant life if you try to live with them!
Ps. 105:4 says, "Search for him and for his strength, and keep on searching!" As you search for God, his light reveals areas of clean-up. Let him do it. Through this process you can truly live the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Ezekiel 7:1-9:11
Hebrews 5:1-14
Psalm 105:1-15
Proverbs 26:28
"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple." I Cor. 3:16-17
This scripture is not a part of the scheduled One Year Bible reading for today, but it sets up a very important lesson that we can learn from the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel has a vision where the Lord has brought him to the Temple.
"And he said: 'Son of dust, do you see what they are doing? Do you see what great sins the people of Israel are doing here, to push me from my Temple? But come, and I will show you greater sins than these!' Then he brought me to the door of the Temple court, where I could see an opening in the wall.
"'Now dig into the wall,' he said. I did, and uncovered a door to a hidden room. 'Go in,' he said, 'and see the wickedness going on in there!' So I went in.
"The walls were covered with pictures of all kinds of snakes, lizards and hideous creatures, besides all the various idols worshiped by the people of Israel. Seventy elders of Israel were standing there along with Ja-azaniah (son of Shaphan) worshiping the pictures. Each of them held a censer of burning incense, so there was a thick cloud of smoke above their heads.
"Then the Lord said to me: 'Son of dust, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in their minds? For they say, "The Lord doesn't see us; he has gone away!"'" Ez. 8:6-12
When I was in college I did a large research project on the difference between Japanese and American educational systems. A Christian friend from Japan was a great resource for this. She said one of the biggest differences in our cultures is the Americans' ability to "compartmentalize" their lives. In other words, we have many worlds we live in: our home world, our work world, our school world, our church world... and we like to keep them separate. She said that even in the highest level executive meetings in Japan, it is common courtesy to spend a great deal talking about family more than getting "down to business".
Our culture has created this "separation of church and state". Compartmentalization has become part of who we are. It's come into the life of many Christians as well. I'm not just talking about living separate lives of work, church, home. I'm talking about a deeper compartmentalization of the mind. This deep hidden room in the Temple.
We see it over and over again. Christian believers who know truth and godliness and yet there's an area of sin that is in this "secret room" of the mind. It is a room where idols are worshiped. It's a room where pet sins are fed. Past hurts are stored away and incubate into vile bitterness and "justifiable" hatred. Where lusts are kept alive by continual visits to the room "because I deserve it." Ezekiel's description almost makes it seem like the hidden room was a wall of TV's.
There's a foolishness to the statement of the priests in Ezekiel's day as they worship these vile things, "The Lord doesn't see us: he has gone away!". It doesn't make any sense. Yet for some reason Christians have fooled themselves into thinking the same thing. "The Lord can't see my sin." "Because my wife can't see my computer screen, God can't either." "Because my husband doesn't know what's really in this book, the Lord can't see it either."
Sounds ridiculous right? If it's so ridiculous why do so many live that way? Lurking beneath the surface is such vile hatred and bitterness that has come from abuse. "Sure hatred is bad, but in me it's justified because of what someone did to me!" Surely God can't see into that room.
Do we really believe what we believe? Truly? If we do, how can we so willingly live in this life of dichotomy (existence of 2 opposing forces)?
It often seems that Christians are content to mature in Christ up to certain point, and then for some reason they stop. They don't want to go any further. The bad part is that an individual is tricked into thinking that they can continue growth in the rest of life, but the sad truth is that growth is stunted until this area is taken care of. Sure they may have others fooled, but God sees into the room and it catches up with them. It's as if there's a thought that being a Christian "a long time" is what it takes to be mature.
Look at what it says about that in Heb. 5:12-14 "You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others, but instead you have dropped back to the place where you need someone to teach you all over again the very first principles in God's Word. You are like babies who can drink only milk, not old enough for solid food. And when a person is still living on milk it shows he isn't very far along in the Christian life, and doesn't know much about the difference between right and wrong. He is still a baby-Christian! You will never be able to eat solid spiritual food and understand the deeper things of God's Word until you become better Christians and learn right from wrong by practicing doing right."
It's time for a moment of introspection. Where am I in my Christian maturity? What rooms are hidden in this temple that I've fooled myself into thinking that God can't see it? Allowing him in to clean out these rooms is the next step to maturity.
There is such joy and freedom in knowing there is nothing hidden from God. So much energy has been wasted in trying to keep the door to the room locked and guarded so that no one will see. What foolishness that is anyway, because God has seen it all along.
If you've found a hidden room, invite Jesus in to clean it out. Giving up these "idols" is not as hard as you think. You can live without them. In fact, you can't truly find abundant life if you try to live with them!
Ps. 105:4 says, "Search for him and for his strength, and keep on searching!" As you search for God, his light reveals areas of clean-up. Let him do it. Through this process you can truly live the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Friday, November 2, 2007
11.2.7 "The Intensity of the Mission"
"The Intensity of the Mission"
Ezekiel 3:16-6:14
Hebrews 4:1-16
Psalm 104:25-35
Proverbs 26:27
Your world is desperate for you to be who God created you to be. My family is desperate for me to be the husband and dad God created me to be. My neighbors are desperate for me to be the light God created me to be. Society is desperate for me to be the salt God created me to be.
We have a Mission to reach our world for Christ. There is an intensity to this mission.
People don't like to be held responsible for things. When pro athletes get themselves into trouble, many times a comment is made, "hey, I never asked to be a role model. I'm no role model, I'm just doing my job." Well, it doesn't work that way. We each carry a significant amount of responsibility. As profile and exposure increase, the responsibility increases all the more.
I was meeting a friend for an early morning meeting at McDonald's. We were sitting in the booth talking, and just over his shoulder, across the room, in my line of sight was a girl in her early 20's who was crying. Her glasses were broken in half, and she was trying to call someone on her cell phone. It looked to me like she had been slapped around. As I was meeting with this friend I was thinking the Lord was telling me to go talk to her. I started to try to figure out if it was "really God, or just me". Have you ever done that? It was one of those, "ok, if she hangs up the phone in the next 5 seconds, i know it's God..." type of things. Of course, all of those things happened but I was still waiting.
I finally went over to her and asked if everything was ok. She said everything was fine, and she had a ride coming. As I was walking away, I thought to myself, "whew. I guess it wasn't a big deal. She didn't need to talk to me." Remember how a second ago I was struggling with knowing whether it was "God or me"? Well, it became very clear that my next thoughts were God and not me. The Lord spoke to my heart, "It wasn't about her needing to talk to you, it was about you obeying me. Delayed obedience is disobedience." Ouch.
There is an intensity to our Mission. The Lord spelled it out to Ezekiel:
Ezekiel 3:17-21 says, "Son of dust, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel; whenever I send my people a warning, pass it on to them at once. If you refuse to warn the wicked when I want you to tell them, you are under the penalty of death, therefore repent and save your life - they will die in their sins, but I will punish you. I will demand your blood for theirs. But if you warn them and they keep on sinning, and refuse to repent, they will die in their sins, but you are blameless - you have done all you could. And if a good man becomes bad, and you refuse to warn him of the consequences, and the Lord destroys him, his previous good deeds won't help him - he shall die in his sin. But I will hold you responsible for his death, and punish you. But if you warn him and he repents, he shall live and you have saved your own life too."
It is SO important that we learn to move when God says to move. It is a process. It starts with listening in small things. It becomes a habit of listening to his voice. This is why we're here. This is our purpose.
This is not only in relation to the unbeliever. as it said in verse 20, "if a good man becomes bad..." we need to be watching out for one another. We need to be intense in our discipleship. Too often we see someone making a bad decision, and we kind of shrug our shoulders and walk away "oh well, that's their own problem!" We don't realize that the Lord is directing us to watch out for one another, to warn each other about the dangers around the corner.
We lose the intensity of our mission when we become self centered and caught up in our own problems. We're concerned about our schedule. Our rest. Our time off. Our relationships. We forget that God has placed us where he has us for a VERY specific purpose: To Reach our World for Christ.
Listen today. Then do what God is directing you to do. If no one falls to their knees crying, "I wanna get saved!" don't feel like you failed, because that's not the point. The point is that you do EVERYTHING he commands you to do!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Ezekiel 3:16-6:14
Hebrews 4:1-16
Psalm 104:25-35
Proverbs 26:27
Your world is desperate for you to be who God created you to be. My family is desperate for me to be the husband and dad God created me to be. My neighbors are desperate for me to be the light God created me to be. Society is desperate for me to be the salt God created me to be.
We have a Mission to reach our world for Christ. There is an intensity to this mission.
People don't like to be held responsible for things. When pro athletes get themselves into trouble, many times a comment is made, "hey, I never asked to be a role model. I'm no role model, I'm just doing my job." Well, it doesn't work that way. We each carry a significant amount of responsibility. As profile and exposure increase, the responsibility increases all the more.
I was meeting a friend for an early morning meeting at McDonald's. We were sitting in the booth talking, and just over his shoulder, across the room, in my line of sight was a girl in her early 20's who was crying. Her glasses were broken in half, and she was trying to call someone on her cell phone. It looked to me like she had been slapped around. As I was meeting with this friend I was thinking the Lord was telling me to go talk to her. I started to try to figure out if it was "really God, or just me". Have you ever done that? It was one of those, "ok, if she hangs up the phone in the next 5 seconds, i know it's God..." type of things. Of course, all of those things happened but I was still waiting.
I finally went over to her and asked if everything was ok. She said everything was fine, and she had a ride coming. As I was walking away, I thought to myself, "whew. I guess it wasn't a big deal. She didn't need to talk to me." Remember how a second ago I was struggling with knowing whether it was "God or me"? Well, it became very clear that my next thoughts were God and not me. The Lord spoke to my heart, "It wasn't about her needing to talk to you, it was about you obeying me. Delayed obedience is disobedience." Ouch.
There is an intensity to our Mission. The Lord spelled it out to Ezekiel:
Ezekiel 3:17-21 says, "Son of dust, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel; whenever I send my people a warning, pass it on to them at once. If you refuse to warn the wicked when I want you to tell them, you are under the penalty of death, therefore repent and save your life - they will die in their sins, but I will punish you. I will demand your blood for theirs. But if you warn them and they keep on sinning, and refuse to repent, they will die in their sins, but you are blameless - you have done all you could. And if a good man becomes bad, and you refuse to warn him of the consequences, and the Lord destroys him, his previous good deeds won't help him - he shall die in his sin. But I will hold you responsible for his death, and punish you. But if you warn him and he repents, he shall live and you have saved your own life too."
It is SO important that we learn to move when God says to move. It is a process. It starts with listening in small things. It becomes a habit of listening to his voice. This is why we're here. This is our purpose.
This is not only in relation to the unbeliever. as it said in verse 20, "if a good man becomes bad..." we need to be watching out for one another. We need to be intense in our discipleship. Too often we see someone making a bad decision, and we kind of shrug our shoulders and walk away "oh well, that's their own problem!" We don't realize that the Lord is directing us to watch out for one another, to warn each other about the dangers around the corner.
We lose the intensity of our mission when we become self centered and caught up in our own problems. We're concerned about our schedule. Our rest. Our time off. Our relationships. We forget that God has placed us where he has us for a VERY specific purpose: To Reach our World for Christ.
Listen today. Then do what God is directing you to do. If no one falls to their knees crying, "I wanna get saved!" don't feel like you failed, because that's not the point. The point is that you do EVERYTHING he commands you to do!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Thursday, November 1, 2007
11.1.7 "The Root of Rebellion"
"The Root of Rebellion"
Ezekiel 1:1-3:15
Hebrews 3:1-19
Psalm 104:1-24
Proverbs 26:24-26
Are you a rebel? What is a rebel? We think of rebellious children who thumb their nose at their parent and do their own thing. I think of a time when I thought I'd impress my dad by putting my hair in a ponytail and putting on a gaudy clip-on earring. He looked up from his desk and said. "You look stupid." That was pretty much the end of that. What is rebellion? Well, we know it has something to do with an attitude toward authority.
"But now is the time. Never forget the warning, 'Today if you hear God's voice speaking to you, do not harden your hearts against him, as the people of Israel did when they rebelled against him in the desert.'" Hebrews 3:15
Those rebels in the desert. Remember that? From this verse we see that the people rebelled against God by hardening their hearts when he would speak to them. We live in quite a rebellious age. Hundreds and thousands of people hear the good news each week, and yet live their lives unchanged. Their hearts become hardened.
How does the heart become hard? Is it a conscious thought? "You know what? Today I'm going to harden my heart." Where does it come from?
Let's look at where it came from in the "Desert Rebels":
"And who were those people I speak of, who heard God's voice speaking to them, but then rebelled against him? They were the ones who came out of Egypt with Moses their leader." vs. 16
Can you imagine walking across the Red Sea? That would be pretty unforgettable. Most of us have seen some kind of depiction of it through the special effects of a movie and we have some context to compare it to. But these people couldn't have seen anything close to this. It was absolutely AMAZING! How Awesome!!! But... it was these people who rebelled.
Vs 17-20: "And who was it who made God angry for all those forty years? These same people who sinned and as a result died in the wilderness. And to whom was God speaking when he swore an oath that they could never go into the land he had promised his people? He was speaking to all those who disobeyed him. And why couldn't they go in?..."
You ready? Here's the root of rebellion... it's coming...
Can you imagine making God angry for forty years? Walking through the Red Sea, and then dying in the desert because of your sin? What could cause this? What horrible act???? What could enter the heart of a man that could cause him to be so foolish??
Here it is. Verse 19: "And why couldn't they go in? Because they didn't trust him."
The root of rebellion is a lack of trust. Lack of trust is the door through which the awful stench of rebellion comes in.
Why is it that so many hear the Good News, and walk away unchanged? Because they don't trust God. They perceive that there is some flaw in this great plan of His. Lack of trust is the first step in the hardening of the heart.
What about me? I know God has told me to do something. I'm hesitant though. I don't feel like I can do it. I feel like I don't have the skills. I'm worried about what people will think. Guess what these excuses are: Lack of trust.
Living a life of radical trust would be an awesome thing. To know each day that when God speaks to our heart, we jump headlong into what he commands. But, we tend to be a hard hearted people.
This lack of trust in God is one of the greatest hinderances to the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. Lack of trust causes us to worry. It causes us to try to mathematically figure things out on our own. All of that clogs the communication lines of heaven. It separates us from God. It is sin.
Lord, forgive me for my lack of trust in you. You've done awesome things in my life. In salvation you brought me through the Red Sea and out of the Slavery of my sin. That is an incredible miracle, one far greater than anything I can imagine. Help me to trust you more. Help me to recognize that my excuses open the door to my rebellion. Forgive me Lord. Help me to realize that when I don't trust those you've placed in authority over me, I'm opening the door to rebellion as well. Help me to radically live for you!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Ezekiel 1:1-3:15
Hebrews 3:1-19
Psalm 104:1-24
Proverbs 26:24-26
Are you a rebel? What is a rebel? We think of rebellious children who thumb their nose at their parent and do their own thing. I think of a time when I thought I'd impress my dad by putting my hair in a ponytail and putting on a gaudy clip-on earring. He looked up from his desk and said. "You look stupid." That was pretty much the end of that. What is rebellion? Well, we know it has something to do with an attitude toward authority.
"But now is the time. Never forget the warning, 'Today if you hear God's voice speaking to you, do not harden your hearts against him, as the people of Israel did when they rebelled against him in the desert.'" Hebrews 3:15
Those rebels in the desert. Remember that? From this verse we see that the people rebelled against God by hardening their hearts when he would speak to them. We live in quite a rebellious age. Hundreds and thousands of people hear the good news each week, and yet live their lives unchanged. Their hearts become hardened.
How does the heart become hard? Is it a conscious thought? "You know what? Today I'm going to harden my heart." Where does it come from?
Let's look at where it came from in the "Desert Rebels":
"And who were those people I speak of, who heard God's voice speaking to them, but then rebelled against him? They were the ones who came out of Egypt with Moses their leader." vs. 16
Can you imagine walking across the Red Sea? That would be pretty unforgettable. Most of us have seen some kind of depiction of it through the special effects of a movie and we have some context to compare it to. But these people couldn't have seen anything close to this. It was absolutely AMAZING! How Awesome!!! But... it was these people who rebelled.
Vs 17-20: "And who was it who made God angry for all those forty years? These same people who sinned and as a result died in the wilderness. And to whom was God speaking when he swore an oath that they could never go into the land he had promised his people? He was speaking to all those who disobeyed him. And why couldn't they go in?..."
You ready? Here's the root of rebellion... it's coming...
Can you imagine making God angry for forty years? Walking through the Red Sea, and then dying in the desert because of your sin? What could cause this? What horrible act???? What could enter the heart of a man that could cause him to be so foolish??
Here it is. Verse 19: "And why couldn't they go in? Because they didn't trust him."
The root of rebellion is a lack of trust. Lack of trust is the door through which the awful stench of rebellion comes in.
Why is it that so many hear the Good News, and walk away unchanged? Because they don't trust God. They perceive that there is some flaw in this great plan of His. Lack of trust is the first step in the hardening of the heart.
What about me? I know God has told me to do something. I'm hesitant though. I don't feel like I can do it. I feel like I don't have the skills. I'm worried about what people will think. Guess what these excuses are: Lack of trust.
Living a life of radical trust would be an awesome thing. To know each day that when God speaks to our heart, we jump headlong into what he commands. But, we tend to be a hard hearted people.
This lack of trust in God is one of the greatest hinderances to the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. Lack of trust causes us to worry. It causes us to try to mathematically figure things out on our own. All of that clogs the communication lines of heaven. It separates us from God. It is sin.
Lord, forgive me for my lack of trust in you. You've done awesome things in my life. In salvation you brought me through the Red Sea and out of the Slavery of my sin. That is an incredible miracle, one far greater than anything I can imagine. Help me to trust you more. Help me to recognize that my excuses open the door to my rebellion. Forgive me Lord. Help me to realize that when I don't trust those you've placed in authority over me, I'm opening the door to rebellion as well. Help me to radically live for you!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
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