Friend of Sinners

     I was reading Luke 15:1 "Then all the tax collectors and sinners drew near to Him to hear Him." How is listening to you? What are you talking about? Do you have the ear of those who need to hear a word from God?
     We are called to be like Christ and to do that we must seek to speak a word of life to those in desperate need of that word. We need to let our conversation be such as to draw the attention of sinners. Light draws, and the world needs light.
      Today, let the Holy Spirit help you to speak words that will attract those in need of life and support.

Everyone is an Addict

     Ministry to Addicts

       In October of 2009 God opened a door for me to begin a ministry at the local

AA site called Jacoa. It is state run and can house up to 28 men at a time. During the first year God so richly blessed that we saw over 100 souls make a decision to follow Christ. This has been one of the most exciting times in my life and ministry. We initially began with 30 min. and within 4 months were given the freedom to go 45 min. to 1 hour. Although I do not take the full hour every week, desiring not to take advantage of there kindness, I have been able to touch lives with the real reason we all must pursue, and that is to show Christ in His glory. 

     This showing forth of Christ is not to be done with some great show of our ability or showmanship, but in the humility and boldness produce in someone who themselves are daily understanding what it means to be a slave to Christ, yet released to act as a joint-heir. Yes, I love to minister to addicts, I have been one myself, and still carry additions today. Many addictions are not realized as such or called addictions in the church yet they are just as dangerous and debilitating as alcohol and drugs. (more on those later) This is about the revelation of God through Christ to a world addicted on “lostness” and all it brings to the table in a persons life.

     Mankind does not have life figured out, and neither does the church as a whole. Many do and they will tell you so. Yet, I layout to you in this writing, what Paul wrote to the Corinthian church: “ I do not desire to know anything among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified.” The desire of my heart is to minister to addicts. We all are addicts to something. Then we overcome addictions not by just sweeping the house clean, but by filling it with the precious knowledge of Christ, a personal relationship with Christ, and then a powerful sonship with Christ.

     This is the journey of the addict; daily torn between two addictions, one that destroys and the other that delivers. The way we are to reach and be powerful in that reaching is to keep the message centered on the eternal purpose of God, which is, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” 

     This is an excerpt of  the introduction of my book, that is still in progress. The title is: VERSE ONE: The Addicts Jesus, 12 revelations of Christ for the Addict.

DAILY DOSE: 1-24-11

THOUGHTS FOR ADDICTS:
* In every moment, no matter how big or small, someone went first. Step out of your now and into your future.
* Go unless you get a NO. Faith is moving forward.
*Become passionate about Jesus Christ: you will then become....
               1. Become proactive
               2. Take Initiative
Are you Addicted to Jesus? If not you should be.

Step off your Map

     When Abraham left his home in search of a city, he stepped off the map of familiarity and onto the map of Faith. This map of Faith was different than his previous map. Here the roads were not marked by the same signs as before, like old experiences, which could not always be used, now he had to listen more than look. He used to not even think before going certain places, but now he found himself looking to the heavens from where his source and strength came from.
     We need to step off our map and onto the map of Faith, and travel into the land of God's unknown, which becomes our place of abode. When we step into this land we will find ourselves experiencing the wonders of God and be able to see as Abraham; a city whose builder a maker is God. This city, the church, set on a hill, will become beautifully situated on Zions Mount. We will become a working participant of the greatest thing ever planned by God: the "fullness of Himself in us", eternities  purpose.
      Step off your Map and don't look back!!






     
 

DAILY SHOT: 1-23-11

Mark 4:24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.” (NKJV)

There are only two prices to pay or choose from:

1. The price for Listening

2. The price for not Listening

     Today, listen to the Voice and Word of God. Do not sway in your hearing, and do not delay in your obedience. More power and knowledge awaits those who hear and act upon his word.

What is the Addict"s Church?

What exactly is the Addict’s Church?

Our desire is to provide Bible teaching that will lift up and reveal Christ...to create a hunger for the word of God. We will do this with four main Kingdom Expressions.

Daily Shots: Challenged filled shots of revelation to awaken the spirit from sleep to action.

Weekly Challenge: The word in action, touching the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Monthly Inner Life: Reflections on the “Christ in you” which is God’s eternal purpose.

Verse One: Revealing Christ with one verse...a guide to the “fullness of the life of Christ”

When Fire's Clash

The Hall of Tyrannus

     The mention of the Hall of Tyrannus in Acts 19 has been deciphered by many more learned than I. The simple yet sometimes overlooked point about the time Paul spent there is to me the real insight that we need to gaze upon. It is simply: He taught Christ. This is the main purpose that we have moved away from in the American Church. We can hypothesize about church growth and evangelism, and even church order. The real need that remains after all our programs and even media expertise, is that we should pursue today as Paul did over 2000 years ago, Christ. We need to preach Christ and the Church (members) need to fall in love with the word of God all over again.

     What caused people to be in the Tyrannus Hall for 5 hours a day and listen to the word of God expounded on? What was the reason Paul paid his own way to free up his time to expound the scriptures for 5 hours a day? With most American Christians concerned about lunch and special programs, the desire to be taught the word of God seems to be the choice not on the to do list. We have even made our learning a way to be noticed by society with degrees and all they involve. I do not say this is wrong, I myself have a degree..

Yet the fact remains that something is missing in our hunger for the word of God. If one must be degreed to learn the word and then teach the word, the future of the church in in danger.

     In Luke 24:32 the disciples after spending time with Jesus on the road to Emmaus made a profound statement, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us.”  There is something powerful that happens when the scriptures are expounded upon. The eternity of God is released into our “timeness” and explodes inside of us with a desire that can conquer any foe or force. Then in Jeremiah 20:9, the prophet realizes that he cannot keep the word of God silent as he says, “..but His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.”

     When the FIRE of the RECEIVING the word, and the FIRE of RELEASING the word clashes there will be a Divine transfer happen. The hunger of the body of Christ for the word of God must come in line with the release of the word of God and a supernatural “bump” ( to use the action of an iphone app ) a divine transfer of power, knowledge, wisdom, boldness, and the ability to take territory for the kingdom of God will happen. Let us all return to the Hall of Tyrannus and learn of Christ so our hearts my burn within us thus creating a consuming fire that may reach to the uttermost parts of the earth.