How do you come out of your cave?
How do you live out the CAUSE for which you were born?
Peel back your pain.
God goes to Gideon’s Pain.
God calls Gideon a Mighty Warrior.
You would think this would be an encouragement, right?
Not really. In reality, it exposed Gideon’s entire life of hiding in fear.
It exposed Gideon’s insecurities.
What was Gideon’s pain?
Gideon believed that God had abandoned him. Gideon believed that God was someone who could do miracles back in the day, but not today. Gideon was angry at God for experiencing the pain of being the most overlooked person in his family and community. Gideon was angry at God because everyone else had more talent. Gideon was carrying years of layered pain.
I don’t think Gideon ever communicated any of his pain until God called him out of his cave to live out his Cause as a MIGHTY WARRIOR.
What’s your pain?
Do you feel like God has abandoned you? Are you angry at God, but never express it? God gives you permission to go there. In fact, that’s exactly where God wants you to go.
Why?
Where your PAIN is… is where your FEAR is.
God is calling you out of your cave of pain.
Peel back your pain.
The Cave or The Cause…. It’s Your Call.
This sounds like an awesome series!! Wish I could be there - so glad for video!!!
Buddy,
Thanks for being specific with how Gideon felt and the reasons behind it. As I read it I began to feel a connection with a couple of things. I had been trying to dig into the layers to find my own pain/fear. I’ve had a lot of pain in my past that I have already dealt with. I honestly thought there wasn’t anything (significant) going on that would keep me in a cave. I’m beginning to see that these “things” can give the appearance of being very minor when in fact they are part of the life blood that flows through my veins. Let’s face it, if I get poison in my bloodstream it could be curtains for me. Seems I am now finding a list of things I just uncovered. Ouch! I’d say that I’ve been hanging at the opening of the cave. Not really inside but not out either, playing it safe perhaps. Pray for me as I try to communicate these things to God and “peel back the pain”.
Sue
I have to say that your message is making me look at things I don’t like looking at, but your message is right on. My two biggest fears - possibility of failure and looking foolish - keep me in the cave. Or as Sue said, hanging out at the opening … so that I/we can pop back in when it gets uncomfortable. You are right, we have to deal with the underlying pain. God is calling me out to be engaged in the Cause. I need your prayers too!
Hey Buddy, thanks for this post. For the last 8 months I have been wanting stay in the cave. I have lived in fear and anger about all that has occured. I want to come out of the cave! Not sure how.
The presence of this Church makes my heat BEAT again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love you for all that you are doing…
Sandra
Hey Pastor Buddy,I go to northway-colonie and I wasn’t able to make it to church on sunday bc I had to work,So i watched the service online and alls I can say is wow what a powerful message.You are and amazing pastor.Thank you for bringing your messages every week.
Tina, Wish you were here too. Glad you stay connected online. We are rolling out a online campus in 2010.
Sue, You have my prayers…but you know what you need to do. Go for it! Liv for the Cause for which you were born!
Peter, You got it…Name your pain…and believe God….and take ACTION!
Jeff, You already are….by what you are sharing. Keep peeling it back….and let God be your source. I encourage you to watch this past weeks talk….I belive it will encourage you. God’s Best!
Sadra, Love what you said!!!!
Tim, Sorry we missed you at Colonie! Glad you caught this week online….you dont want to miss this weekend…trust me.
Thanks for your encouragement Tim!
Dear Pastor “let the enemy defend himself” Buddy,
Last night your words from God spoke to the very depth of my soul. For 46 years of my life I believe I was a messenger for the enemy and the things you spoke of were all in my arsenal to tear down and destroy the believer who tried to witness to me. The questions like, Well if there is a God, and he is so great and good why does he allow war, and disease? Why does He allow children to starve? and on and on. I was truly convinced there was no God, or if there was one, He really didn’t care too much about what was happening on this earth. I believed the person who ran to God, usually did so because he had either failed in life and was too weak to make it on his own, or he was out of his mind.
the tears flowed and I knew I was where God wanted me to be.
God first spoke to me through something I’d always loved, music. KLOVE was only an online station at the time, but a friend suggested it as an alternative to what was on commercial radio. I found my self not only liking the rhythms and melody, but feeling this deep down good feeling inside. I can remember going to the Price Chopper in Malta at the time and sitting in the parking lot looking at Northway’s doors, and thinking, “what kind of church islocated in a strip mall?” “They must be some kind of cult or something.” But I also remember that little voice inside me saying,, “Go in” “check it out”. but I didn’t, I was afraid, afraid of what might happen. It was such a strange feeling I can’t describe. Anyway, The friend who recommended KLOVE sent me a book called Classic Christianity. No pressure just give it a read and I did. At the end of the book was the prayer of salvation, and by the time I got to the end I was ready to pray that prayer. On Febraury 22, 2005 in a hotel in North Carolina Jesus came into my life. On that Palm Sunday, when my wife asked to go to a church, I told her about the church in the strip mall, that I’d sat in front of time after time, afraid to in, and that if were to go to a church I’d like it to be that one. That was the first time I went into Northway, and as you spoke that day about “Mo”
So here I am today, a Christian, and for me to be a Christian, I had to come out of the cave. There was no turning back for me, it wasn’t an option. Too many people knew the old me, and I wanted to make sure they knew that the old me was dead and gone. I was not failing in life, or down and out, in fact, I was quite successful. I now realize and continue to realize what a mess I was before Jesus came into my life. You once spoke, in terms of relationships, about dreams and desires becoming expectations. I have no expectations from my God just dreams and desires, and I thank him for every blessing He gives me.
P.S. One of the most meanful things I did at the beginning of my relationship with God and Northway Church was my video testimony. It challenged me and really helped me understand the depth of my belief.
Wow today was such an awesome service. Something that you said made me think of a poem that someone recently sent to me. I thought I would share it…I hope you all enjoy it and get as much inspiration as I did…
If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win, but think you can’t,
it’s almost certain you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost.
For out of this world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in a state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can win the prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
to the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
is the man who thinks he CAN.
-Author Unknown
Our 9-year-old daughter came home this week and told about her conversation with a friend on the bus:
~This girl asked, “why did God create death?” so I told her it started because Adam and Eve had sinned. She didn’t know the story of Adam and Eve, so I told her. Then I said, “It’s in the Bible. The Bible is full of stories about great things that God has done for his people, and even about his son Jesus. You should read it some time!”
Fourth grade, and she doesn’t realize a cave exists. I’m with you, Pastor Buddy, about the faith of our next generation — it’s a challenge to her father and me to join her outside as we all seek our God-given potential!