MIND OF TRUTH

"You are my freedom, Jesus Your the reason I'm kneeling again at your throne. Where whould I be without You here in my life" "Here in My Life" Savior King Hillsong

One of the best and most powerful messages I have ever heard on discipleship. The Cost of Discipleship Stephen Olford

Amazing message from Stephen Olford on Prayer .

Just added a great sermon on my Sermon Archive page. Christ Our Life by Stephen Olford.

Good interview of Rick Warren by John Piper. Some good doctrinal issues.

I can defintely relate to this quote by Francis Chan from his book Erasing Hell . This is such a difficult topic and it's easier to just not think about it and move on.  I believe we are entering a season when God's people will feel an urgency to step up and speak the truth in a loving and firm way. Don't speak out of ignorance or your own thoughts. Know the Word . We are all surrounded by opportunities to learn the Word and allow it to transform our lives. There is no excuse for not knowing. Speak out of that transformation. Let the Holy Spirit speak for you. Know Christ deeply and allow Him to take control of your life fully. "What causes my heart to ache right now as I’m writing this is that my life shows little evidence that I actually believe this. Every time my thoughts wander to the future of unbelievers, I quickly brush them aside so they don’t ruin my day. But there is a reality here that I can’t ignore. Even as the conversations of people around me fill my ...

I doanloaded Erasing Hell by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle today. I think its important for us to know what we're talking about with these issues. I'm only through the intro, but Chan definitely attempts to points the reader back to scripture as the final word on the matter. First quote I highlighted: "But this book is actually much more than a book on hell. It’s a book about embracing a God who isn’t always easy to understand, and whose ways are far beyond us; a God whose thoughts are much higher than our thoughts; a God who, as the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, has every right to do, as the psalmist says, “whatever He pleases” (Ps. 115:3 NASB)." Chan, Francis (2011). Erasing Hell (Kindle Locations 177-179). David C Cook. Kindle Edition.

Today I was reading a preview of the book Faith of Leap: Embracing a Theology of Risk, Adventure and Courage by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch . He was discussing the journey of Frodo and Sam portrayed in Tolkien's the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Without a doubt I find myself living in the liminal space he describes. I have found God will hold you in that liminal space as long as you allow Him through your obedience. He will refine you there and release your heart and mind from all but Himself. When you have nothing but Jesus at the center of your soul, He restores you and opens the way to a new season of living in Christ.  Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch. The Faith of Leap: Embracing a Theology of Risk, Adventure, and Courage. (Grand Rapids: BakerBooks, 2011) 19.  

Harvest India Promo 2011 from Jay Jenison on Vimeo .

I found this excerpt from Oswald Chambers today. Hearing the call will mess up your definition of life. You will get to a place of denying self because you can't resist the one who is calling you. The call leads you right in the middle of vagueness and you must step forward anyway, but like OC says, never be afraid because Jesus is with us. "The call to discipleship comes as mysteriously as being born from above (rv mg); once a man hears it, it profoundly alters everything. It is like the call of the sea, the call of the mountains, not everyone hears these calls, only those who have the nature of the sea or the mountains—and then only if they pay attention to the call. To hear the call of God or the call to discipleship necessitates education in understanding and discernment. Never be afraid of the thing that is vague, the biggest things in life are vague as far as expression goes, but they are realities." Chambers, O. (1996, c1946). He shall glorify me : Talks on t...

I love this video. We used it in our discipleship model presentation last week.

Francis is currently in the process of writing his newest book titled Erasing Hell: What God said about eternity, and the things we've made up. This new book tackles the reality of hell, and the way we view the areas of God's Word and actions that we might not agree with. As this book is due out July 5th, 2011, Francis is still in the process of finishing the book. He deeply covets your prayers as he finishes writing, and desires that the words written in this book will be God's words and not his own. As Francis began writing, he created a video to explain his heart in writing Erasing Hell. (Above excerpt from FrancisChan.org )

Take some time to liten to this video from the Veritas Forum. John Lennox makes a case for Christianity. Excellent information. Christianity and the Tooth Fairy: A UCLA law professor questions an Oxford mathematician on the claims of Jesus from The Veritas Forum on Vimeo .

"What is the church, but the gathering of the redeemed ones sent to participate in the work of Jesus in this world. . . . What does it mean to be the Ecclasia, the called out ones? It's actually to go forth as salt and light in this world. Not to huddle, not to gather and not to pour most of our energies and most of our time and indeed most of our money on serving ourselves or our loved ones. Participate in what Jesus is doing in this world and you'll be astonished by what you will discover." - Mike Frost Michael Frost on Being the Missional Church

Here are some great audio messages from Mike Frost. I hope you can take some time to listen with an open mind. Mike Frost speaking about the future of the Church Mike Frost is one of the world's leading thinkers about how the Church needs to change. He's the author of 'Exiles : living missionally in a post-Christian culture, ' and co-author (with Alan Hirsch) of 'The Shaping of Things to Come: innovation and mission for the 21st-century church .' Here are three talks given by Mike at the 'Future Church' event in Central Hall Southampton on 3-4 Oct 2008

Easter is always a good time for reflection and examination. The thought of what Jesus Christ has done for me is overwhelming and brings me ultimately to the foot of the cross. What more can be done in the face of such holiness and great sacrifice? All I can do is lay my life down there as well, surrender myself, my life, all I have, and all I am or ever will be. There can be no fruitfulness or fulfillment of our purpose until we lay our life down unto death. We spend so much time striving, building ministries, making better plans, and working harder. We don’t see that from Jesus. In his essay In Him and Over Him: The Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus John O’Donnell says Jesus had to accept the failure of His human mission. He says “Jesus who came in the power of the Spirit to proclaim the Good News had to accept that because of the hardness of hearts of His people the kingdom could only come through the cross. And so Jesus goes to His death, tested to the utterness of His obedience,...

This weeks message is "Turning Cash Into Kingdom Currency" by Glenn Sheppard. Great message, but it takes a willingness to die to self and allow God to have control of every area of our lives. A great line from the message is "We give to get, to give to get, to give..." I have learned there is no greater investment that the Kingdom of God.

Have you ever had a moment when God gives you a brief glimpse of your future? Its like an image frozen in time full of purpose, full of hope and possibility. Its like a brief flash then its gone, and its a little frightening when you replay it in your mind. For that one brief moment all rational thought is suspended, our natural mind disengages and we are free to believe in the impossible. Too often our own thoughts are restrictive, liner, and full of doubt. We see obstacles and God sees Himself. When God speaks, His voice carries with it the fullness of all His power, desire, and will. Sometimes all that can't be communicated in words, but in images or flashes of decades compressed into seconds. His voice also reaches to every part of our being and we feel whole and complete as we were created to be. We need to hold on to those moments and learn to live in the possibility of the indescribably wonderful plans that God has prepared for us all.

This weeks message is "Don't Be Dismayed" by Carter Conlon who is the pastor of Time Square Church in New York. This is a convicting message. Too many believers are dismayed when God stands ready to to fulfill all His promises. The Battle is His.  He will not forsake us! He will not fail us!

If found a great review by Calvin Miller on the book " Jesus Manifesto " by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola. I love this quote from the book and wholeheartedly agree. Jesus fill my and surround me with Yourself. “Jesus Christ is like a vast ocean. He is too immense to fully explore, and too rich to fathom, and I am like a bottle. The wonder of his gospel is that the bottle is in the ocean and the ocean is in the bottle.” (page 34)