Got to tell you, I’m a little nervous about the Giants challenge thing I made about the Super Bowl. I don’t think the Giants have a chance to win…but if they do…I’ll have to wear a Giants jersey and there is just something fundamentally wrong about that.
I’m hoping the Brady boot thing is just a bunch of hype.
I’m extremely excited about celebrating communion this weekend as we wrap up our Power of Words series. I can’t think of a better way to conclude this series than by looking at the last words of Jesus…
Remember Me
I’ve been enjoying reading John 13-17 all week. I’m continually astonished at the leadership of Jesus…unmatched and unparalleled! One of his goals was to paint a picture of what we should look like as a community. Another goal was to tell us what to expect so that we would be unshakable…regardless of how difficult life or our circumstances would be.
This weekend…Jesus said…Remember me.
Dad continues to get good news! Sunday Dad called and told me it was his best day yet! His latest biopsy shows the cancer has not spread and is limited to one area. That is FANTASTIC NEWS…THANK YOU GOD…I believe God is healing Dad.
More good news. My sister, Kristin, is flying in from East Asia to be with dad and mom for several weeks, and John’s wife, Michelle, is just finishing up being out there for the past week and half with their 5 amazing kids!
Dad and mom had a blast with their grandkids.
The Doctors are scheduling him for surgery soon…probably next week. Thank you for your prayers…I’ll keep you posted. By the way, I am really enjoying talking to dad and mom pretty much every day…it’s just really cool. Keeping it real…I haven’t been as good as I should at this in the past.
Dad shared with me when I was in Missouri that it means a lot when I call. You don’t have to say much son, it’s just good to hear your voice.
Who do you need to call?
If I looked at the score board of my life in reference to my words…I would be embarrassed by the score. Jesus said that for every careless word spoken we will have to give an account. Yikes…but that’s still defense. Jesus also said if you stay close to me you can ask anything of me in MY NAME and I will do it.
That’s offense.
I wonder how many times I’ve asked but haven’t been close. I wonder how many times I have been close but I just haven’t asked. One of my goals this year is to take Jesus up on his words and go on the offensive with my words.
Faith-filled words. The best at this is Joel Osteen. What’s interesting is how many of my colleagues dog this dude…ironic, huh? Maybe we all should quit complaining and start declaring like Joel. I have a core conviction that until you have accomplished what others have done for God, you would be wise to keep your careless words to yourself.
When you are at Judgment Day…what will the score be with your words?
Think about it…if God says OUR words have power and the words we choose to use will provide productive or destructive fruit in our lives…kick it up a cosmic notch. Imagine the productive fruit of the words of the Almighty God. Imagine if you take his words and promises and make them your own. Here are some of my favorites that I’m declaring. More tomorrow…
Isaiah 54:17
“No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.
1 Peter 2:9
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Jeremiah 29 :11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 1:19
“They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.
Haggai 2:4
“Be strong, all you people of the land,” declares the LORD, “and work. For I am with you,” declares the LORD Almighty.
Philippians 1:6
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Are you complaining or declaring?
Had fun with the whole football thing this past weekend and the video we shot! Too many times in my life I have just played defense spiritually when God wants me to go on the offense…I’ll blog in more detail about that this week.
Get this, if the Giants win, and make history…I will make history as an Eagles fan and wear a Giants jersey the following week when I kick off our new series Confessions of a Pastor.
Dave Bookhout, our Media Pastor, and our media team did a great job on this one and we froze our butts off! We should win an award for the coldest video shoots in church history!
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Being out of town last week and catching up this week our family life has been disjointed and disconnected. You know what I mean? You can feel intuitively that you are out of rhythm. Deb and I have sort of caught up and Devin and I have connected thru boxing however Natalie has been left hanging.
It’s funny how you can tell when your kids just need TIME with you. Well, I surprised Natalie and took her to Adirondack indoor water park! I just discovered you can do day passes and she flipped! We had a blast, laughed hard and hit all the slides and the boogie board thing is incredible! We made a memory and I’m exhausted!
Parents if you want a break from the winter…I highly recommend this!
Get this, if you stay there over night a looney tune character will bring you milk and cookies.
Last weekend was one of the most powerful weekends in Northway’s history! All I can say is if you missed it, it’s worth watching. Check it out!
In our series, The Power of Words, we have had a record number of first time guests. I want to welcome all of you, and I pray you feel right at home and experience God. God is changing and healing all of us from the emotional wounds of the past. And this weekend we will shift gears and talk about how the words we choose to use can change our future!
By the way, I just finished shooting a great video in the freezing cold for this weekend. It’s called, “Are you playing defense or offense?� You Giants fans will love it! See ya this weekend!
Five years ago when we started Northway Church, one of the things I wasn’t prepared for was criticism. I had a vision of what Northway could be, but I never envisioned that Northway would become a lightening rod for criticism. What shocked me the most was not that we received criticism, but from WHOM the criticism came.
Tragically, it came from other Christians and other churches. It would be easy for me to go to the destructive words they have said thru the years and try to prove or explain why we do what we do…why they were wrong. But I’ve discovered…
1. It’s pointless.
2. It’s draining.
3. It’s a distraction.
That’s probably why it’s the enemy’s #1 goal…DI-VISION. Di-vision keeps us off mission. Di-vision keeps us from keeping the main thing the main thing. Di-vision…Jesus said keeps the world from believing our message about HIM.
So let me encourage you, if you hear anyone trashing any other Christian or any other church, please know that no matter how spiritual they try to appear, that it is not from God. Have the courage to tell them to stop.
I’ve also learned thru God’s grace how to forgive and let it go. I can’t quite explain it all now, but God is stirring my heart for unity for churches in the Northeast. Not quite sure how, but this blog is a start. One of the things I’m praying about in 2008 is starting a Northeast Network.
Who else wants to answer Jesus’ prayer and see Christ followers be ONE? Who else wants to stand up and tell Christ followers to stop trashing each other? What could happen if we kept the main thing the main thing?
John 17:20-23 I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be ONE, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be ONE as we are ONE: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
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