Big Is The New Small

I have been amazed at how God continues to bless little ol’ me.  I mean seriously, every time I turn around there is a blessing in front of me, as well as an opportunity to be a blessing. I’m listening to God’s Whispers, being sensitive to The Spirit and walking through doors that He cracks open.

Good or Bad… It’s All Good!

It has been heavy on my heart the amount of appreciation that I have for all of the blessings that God continues to place in my life. It’s also been heavy on my heart that I don’t say Thank You Jesus enough.  Good or Bad, it doesn’t matter what we go through; what matters is how we go through it. I will choose to go through the various doors of life with a heart of thanksgiving.

It’s not merely about the outward expression, it’s more about the inner appreciation that rests deep inside my heart. God, I will praise You more and more and more, “That my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.” Psalm 30:12

Good Or Bad… It’s All Good! Thank You Jesus!

I Need To Say Thank You Jesus More Often…  Do You?

I Will Say Thank You Jesus More Often… Will You?

I Will Always Remember This – Good Or Bad… It’s All Good! Will You?

As I was reading some C.S. Lewis I found this little piece of material that is so rich as it relates to temptation and Bad People.  Here is what C.S. Lewis had to say:

“A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is… A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later.  That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in.” ~C.S. Lewis

The reality is that you are going to be tempted, the even harsher reality is that it’s difficult to not give in and the harshest reality is that the only way you win is to not give in.  Put your trust in The One who gave you the ability to trust.

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Genesis 3:6-7

What if they would have never eaten the fruit?  What if you would have never…

Temptation…

What do you think about C.S. Lewis had to say?  Share your thoughts and experiences about Temptation.

GUEST BLOGGER: Today’s guest blogpost comes from @wolmike.  Check out his website here.  If you would like to submit a Guest Blog Post for BigIsTheNewSmall.com, click here.

Why” Questions with “Who” Answers

God often answers our “Why” questions with “Who” answers. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? The millennial generation is asking this and other difficult questions – and expecting answers.

Tragedy and crisis are not foreign concepts to this generation. From disappointment to terrorism, they are confronted with the “new norm” in the world in which they live. They are genuinely concerned about the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. They care about third-world countries whose people are starving. This global sensitivity has left many of them with empty answers or complicated questions.

They are not content to leave their questions about life, death, pain, and injustice unanswered. When Millennials are not taught how faith intersects with real life they often abandon faith in search of satisfactory answers.

This generation wants more than clique Christianity.  The need is clear for a more comprehensive, no-expense answers to difficult complexities of life.  Boldness is required to answer the “Why” questions in the same way God does in scripture — by turning attention to the character and nature of Himself.

After being a believer for many years, I came to a startling realization: I knew very little about the nature of God. This led me to a study of God’s attributes and an aggressive search through the scriptures and other classics like The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer and The God You Can Know by Dan DeHaan.

I determined to record my observations and thoughts on the Attributes of God for six months – which led to another six months which led to… Well after twenty years, I still begin my mornings meditating on one of His attributes and feel I continue to occupy a seat in the remedial class.

I am not an authority on this topic but I can tell you that it gives stability in crisis. My moment of truth came after my twenty-four year old daughter was killed in a tragic car accident. As I walked in utter desperation, crying out to God, I came to embrace a pivotal concept for my life, “My world had fallen apart but everything I knew about God was still true.”

Why do we fear answering the “Why” questions with “Who?” Perhaps it is because we are uncomfortable with the answer ourselves. Our finite minds find it hard to comprehend a God who is Sovereign when we hear about the realities of earthquakes, tsunami’s or a life cut short by a drunk driver. God does not fit neatly into our cliché Christianity or utopian worldview.

It is natural to struggle with answering questions about tragedy and God. We must unapologetically offer authentic Biblical answers gleaned from the anvil of our own lives. Millennials can handle and will embrace authentic truth.

What Do You Think?

It’s unfortunate that all of us from time time simply let days slip away without making the impact that we should.  I am amazed on a daily basis by the things that God has placed inside of me and the opportunities that He has placed before me.  It’s my responsibility and your responsibility to make those things happen and not let the days simply roll on by.  The Time Is Now.

The Time Is Now for you to make that little dream that you have a reality.  See it, Want it, Believe it and Do it!   Your dreams are your paint, the world is your canvas, your thinking is the brush to get it done and God makes it all good. dream BIG. think BIGGER.

Stop worrying about what people think and being plagued with the fear of failure.  Failure is only a mile marker on the road to success, it’s not your final destination.  You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength, seriously The Time Is Now! Don’t just count the days, make every day count.  The Time Is Now!

Write down what is stirring deep down inside of you.  Recognize that what’s stirring on the inside, needs to become a reality on the outside.  Get some accountability and go make it happen.  You have what it takes, God believes in you, it’s time to start believing in yourself.  The Time Is Now!

The Time Is Now!

Nearly two years ago a did a post entitled Stop Hatin’ On Joel Osteen which received a lot of comments and still receives hits daily.  If I’m being totally honest, there is one thing that irritates me as a Christian and a Pastor and that’s to see Pastors, Christians and Ministries hatin’ on other Pastors, Christians and Ministries.  This is not of God and it needs to stop.

According to the urban dictionary hatin’ is defined as: Sayin’ bad things about or puttin’ someone down. This can be for various reasons: because they have something that you want, you think you have all of the answers or you think you know what they are all about — a player hater.

I don’t want to hear how Pastor Joel does this or that, I don’t want to hear how this church grew to 10,000 but only baptized this many people, I don’t want to hear how that’s the TV church and the pastor is just on the screen, I don’t want to hear that on-line ministry is not real ministry, I don’t want to hear that they are crazy and weird because the speak in tongues, I don’t want to hear that so and so let this secular group perform at their church so they must not be about Jesus, I don’t want to hear that so and so is fake and has big hair and funny looking because he’s a TV Preacher…  The list goes on and on just fill-in a hatin’ comment of choice.  I don’t want to hear it and neither should you!

We are all part of the body of Christ and all necessary to reach all people for Jesus.  Pastors and Christians hatin’ on one another is a playground for the enemy who is crouching at the door trying to kill, steal and destroy anything that matters to the heart of God.  The local Church and Local Church leaders matter to the heart of God.

There is power in both the the written and spoken tongue.  The tongue has the power of life and death… Proverbs 18:21 Use your power wisely.  If someone is hatin’ on other Pastors, call them on it.  If you are hatin’ on other pastors, STOP!

Stop Hatin’ On Other Pastors & Ministries!

What do you think?

Have Mercy On Me is not a phrase that you hear very often.  When many of us hear “Have Mercy On Me,” we immediately think of the Parable of The Pharisee and the Tax Collector.  You know where the Pharisee prayed to God, “Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like those other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or heaven forbid, like this IRS Guy, I mean Tax Collector. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.” Meanwhile the Tax Collector slumped in the shadows with his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, “God, Have Mercy On Me…  I’m A Sinner.“

This story reminds me of the story of a young lady who attends my church.  About six weeks ago we had offered for people to come down for prayer at the end of service.  This young lady came down and began to share the story of “Livin’ la Vida Loca” (livin’ the crazy life).   She was excited about the fact that she was once that crazy troubled teenager and now she gets to work with troubled youth as a Detention Officer.

As we talked about Juvenile Corrections, I shared the fact that I used to be the Warden of a local Juvenile Correctional Facility.  One thing led to anther and I realized that her younger brother used to be one of my kids in the facility.  I quickly remembered that I had seen on the news several years back that her younger brother was murdered.  She shared the story of her 19-year-old brother being murdered execution style in 2005.  Recalling a knock on the door around midnight one summer evening in 2006, that knock led to her 16-year-old brother going to answer the door.   The next thing she remembers is hearing gunshots.  One Year after her 19-year-old brother was killed; her 16-year-old brother was gunned down by a group of guys that were coming to kill her.

For years and years she walked around with the guilt that she was responsible for her brothers death.  “I felt like I was brainwashed, I was brainwashed into thinking that I was supposed to live that crazy life forever.”  It wasn’t until she quit saying “poor me” and truly humbled herself before the Lord, that things began to change.  “I remember getting on my knees, with my face in my hands and tears running down my face.”  Understanding that she wasn’t worthy, she prayed this prayer “God, I know I’m jacked up and should have probably died instead of my brother.   God Make Me Different; Change Me for Real, Lord Have Mercy On Me… I’m A Sinner!”

We all need to pray less like the Pharisee and more like the humble Tax Collector and this young lady (modern day tax collector).   God I don’t just ask for your forgiveness, God Have Mercy On Me…  I’m A Sinner!

I’ll close with these words from Jesus talking about the Tax Collector in Luke 18:14  “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Sometimes you gotta get down, so that God can lift you up!  Lord Have Mercy!

What do you think?

I recently read this Chinese Proverb “A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer; It sings because it has a song.” Although I have read this Chinese Proverb before it just seemed to make more sense when I read it this time.

Think about The Story Of Your Life.  Your life is a movie, not just a movie to be watched, but a movie to be written.  Your life is a book, not just a book to be read, but a book to be written.

God has given you a pen; be sure to write daily, write boldy, write something worth watching and write something worth reading.  Write The Story Of Your Life.

God Is BIGGER Than your pastor, leadership books, systems, cool lights, expensive jeans, financial struggles, denomination, tailored suits, marital problems, sins, inadequacies, loss, child’s poor decisions, addictions, mistakes, stuff…

If our lives are a reflection of what we believe and we truly believe God is who we say He is; we should act and think totally different.  Talk Is Cheap; BELIEVE!

Father, please build our faith, so that we may act and truly believe that You are BIGGER than we can imagine; You are God Almighty!

The More I Listen To God... the less I listen to people.  The More I Listen To God, the more able I am to discern the intentions of people.  The more I tune into God’s frequency, the easier it is to tune out the ambient noise of the lesser frequencies.  The More I Listen To God, the more able I am to find “God Moments” in all aspects of life.

The More I Listen To God, the closer I draw to God.  The closer I draw to God, the closer He draws to me. James 4:8

God is always talking, I’m just becoming better at listening.

The More I Listen To God…

I am sitting at Starbucks outside of The Crescent Hotel in Downtown Dallas, as I type this post.  My wife and I were down here this weekend, because I had the opportunity to preach at Concord Church.  Let me tell you, my experience at Concord Church was one of The Best Church Experiences Ever… The Spirit of God moved, the environment was ripe and lives were changed.

On the other side of the Red River at the Northwest Oklahoma City Campus of LifeChurch.tv (n-dub); all I have heard is that it was The Best Church Experience Ever. Here are a few of the text messages that I received from different people about what happened at the n-dub this weekend:

• u missed an amazing weekend at the n-dub! 55 salvations at the 11:30 alone!!!
• It was crazy good this weekend. The Spirit was moving
• Best Experience since I’ve started attending lifechurch
• That was the best service ever, worship, rappers, message, God… I couldn’t stop crying
• We missed u in worship 2day! It was such an awesome experience! No 1 wanted 2 leave! The Lord is good!
• Three words: Off The Hook! In the top 5 services from the last 10 years.

The bottom line is that what happened this weekend at Concord, the n-dub and churches around the globe is The Spirit of God moved in environments that were ripe.  I just talked to a good friend of mine who actually sent me the text message stating: “Three words: Off The Hook! In the top 5 services from the last 10 years.”  I think he said it best, when he said “It wasn’t the rappers, it wasn’t worship, it wasn’t the fact that Craig had everyone stand during the invitation…  it wasn’t a system or a thing but rather a combination of things in an environment where people wanted to experience God and The Spirit moved.”

I wasn’t at the n-dub, but I didn’t need to be to understand what happened.  I wasn’t at your church that experienced something very similar this weekend, but I didn’t need to be to understand what happened.  The Spirit Of God Moved!

A weak phrase that Christians will often use is: (Fill in the blank)… “Then God Showed Up!”  Seriously as though God is not Omnipresent.  God didn’t just show up, He was already there.  When you experience The Best Church Experience Ever, don’t think that God just showed up, He was already there.  The Spirit Of God really moves when the environment is ripe, the hearts of the people are ready and God is not put in a box.

Do you want The Best Church Experience Ever?  Create an environment where people are free to worship, God is not put in a box, people are welcome… and let The Spirit Of God Move.