MIND OF TRUTH

I finished "The Shack" and it was very different than most books I read. It really messed me up for a while, but sometimes you have to walk through the darkness to get to the light. I loved that this book stretched my thinking and challenged me. How different would the world be if we truly learned how to have an intimate, loving, surrendered relationship with Pappa? What if we really trusted Jesus and followed Him anywhere and set His will above our own? Our life would look very different, God's love would flow in and through our lives, and the world around us would be changed forever.

My wife's birthday is tomorrow and I wanted to tell her how much I love her and how much she means to me. God has blessed me more than I can put into words. My wife is amazing and I could fill page after page writing out all the things I love about her and all she does to serve me and our family unconditionally. Thats just who she is. She posses all the good qualities of Martha, yet like Mary, she knows how to fall down at Jesus feet and worship Him with all her heart. I love that about her. The thing that means the most to me is that she is willing to take this journey with me to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. She is right there beside me, one with me, relentlessly pursuing all God has for our life together. Thank You Jesus for my wonderful wife. I Love You Sweetheart

Just a quick thought here that crossed my mind. Every one of us have been given the power of free will. I don't think we realize the power and freedom that lies behind that gift. Real power is found in surrendering our will to stand in God's will or if you look at it another way, continually exercising our choice to let God choose. We can get just a taste of the range and scope of that power when we make our own choices. Whether good or bad, it feels good to make a choice for our self. It feels fulfilling to chart our own course and control our own destiny. We like that feeling and self wants its way so we give in to that power and let it rule our life. We live in a very small percentage of the whole that is intended for our lives. What if we would let go of that? What if we would open the door to a far more powerful existence which is found in the surrendered life? What if instead of walking, we could fly? I don't know about you, but I want to press on and live i

I am more and more convinced everyday that there is nothng in this world worth holding on to but Jesus Christ. This world and all that it has to offer cannot begin to compare to the deep sense of absolute meaning and fulfillment I feel when Jesus is near. I eagerly abandon my own ways and empty myself so that I can be filled with more of Jesus. I sense His presence and I run after Him. There is no substitute, no other path, no better way than to relentlessly follow Jesus Christ. I want to dream the dreams He has for me in His heart. I want to live the Life He has orchasteated just for me. Some of you need to take a step of faith and let go of the things you are holding on to that bring you security. Let go and trust the Lord. Be willing to be empty so He can fill you with Himself. Be relentless.

This house that Kristen and I are praying for has been a real challenge for us. We have burned the bridges, abandoned all the backup plans and we're running hard after what God has spoken. We had a little setback yesterday, and I realized when you let go of everything else you have nothing to hold on to, but your faith. I heard Derick Price say the only way to advance in the kingdom of God is by faith. As I was whining to God trying to figure it all out. He said "You have not yet even begun to effectively use the most powerful weapon I have given you". "Whats that" I asked. "PRAYER" He said. So I prayed.

I rescently had to step out and take a risk with something God told me to say. It was crazy I'm sure to everyone else, but I knew I would be disobedient if I didn't say it just as God had told me to. I wanted to make it more generic and water it down, but I didn't in the end. I don't know how that step of foolishness will turn out, but I feel good about doing it God's way regardless of the outcome. I started chapter 8 "The Importance of Looking Foolish" from "In a Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day". Mark Batterson says ... "If your going to defy the odds, face your fears, reframe your problems, take a risk, and sieze a God-ordained opportunity, you have to be willing to look foolish in the world's eyes. Because, no matter how it might look, doing God's will is never foolish"

In the book "In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day", Mark Batterson talks about prayers that seem crazy, like praying his son will make a shot in his basketball game. So I started praying my son will make a goal in his soccer game. He would be so happy and excited if he did. Last week I started praying and when he made a shot, the ball rolled to the goal line and stopped. I coudn't believe it. This week I'm praying harder so maybe it will roll right in. Either way, I'll still cheer for him and still be proud.

The first step is always the hardest. Its that point when we first see that lion coming to threaten us. Everything in us wants to run, our whole body is shaking with fear, our mind is clouded with doubt, but ... we still stand. We do not run. Instead we turn and face the crisis (I mean opportunity), and take a deep breath. In that moment, we have taken our first step toward becoming a lion chaser. In that moment we are beginning to unlearn what we have learned in the natural. Imagine what Peter felt when he took his first step out onto the waves, feeling the cold water flow over his sandles, expecting to sink, but at the same time expecting the impossible. What a rush of confidence we get when we brace ourselves and say "I will not be moved". Our enemy prows around like a rouring lion desiring to devour our life with fear and uncertainty. He does not want us to step forward and claim what is rightfully our through Jesus Christ. He would rather we stay hidden, safe, and c

Still reading Mark Batterson's book. Still letting the Lord teach me how to become lion chaser. Someone tell me why I thought this would be easy? I've learned to know when God is serious about what He is speaking to me because He follows it up with a test, and He is good enough to give me an "Opportunity" to overcome. For God to develop this kind of warrior boldness within us we have to learn how to fight, how to get back up, how to keep pressing in until we receive what God has said is ours.