CANVAS

Why Worry: Part 2- UNKNOWNS

2011-03-23T13:24:00.001-06:00

We will all experience it at some point in our life. At some point, we will all venture into unchartered, mysterious, and life changing UNKNOWNS.

Some of us will move to a new place, start a new job, meet new people, have children, experience a death in the family, lose a job, claim bankruptcy, become diagnosed with cancer, or another type of traumatic event. These are all examples of HUGE UNKNOWNS that we could and quite possibly will encounter at some point in our life.

But there are smaller UNKNOWNS that happen every single day to all of us. Is that God talking to me? What should I do? What should I say? I do not know what to pray for. I do not know how to pray about this. I need help!

God uses UNKNOWNS in our life to make us stronger, more faithful beings in His royal family. We are called to a Spirit of Power and Might, not a timid, scared, fearful Spirit. When we face an UNKNOWN, we do not face it alone!

There is 3 things to know about the UNKNOWN:

1. UNKNOWNS are necessary.

2. UNKNOWNS are challenging.

3. UNKNOWNS are changing.

NECESSARY:

James 1 tells us that we WILL face trials, temptations, and hard times in life in order to build perseverance. Perseverance must finish it's work so that you and I can be made complete, NOT LACKING ANYTHING. We see in Philippians 3:13-14 that Paul reminds us to "forget what is behind us" and "press on towards the goal". Our experiences in life, the UNKNOWNS we encounter, make us unique.

Our past changes us, but it does not define us. It builds that perseverance. UNKNOWNS are necessary in building our faith in Him.

CHALLENGING:

UNKNOWNS are going to be challenging times in our life for a reason. They are in our lives to REMIND us to look to Him in everything. They challenge us to our knees. They challenge us to abandon life for the sake of Christ. The challenge us to be free. We are all prisoners or something: lust, money, sex, drugs, alcohol, popularity, disrespect, lying, impurities, idolatry, worldly passions, OR we are prisoners of life, love, mercy, justice, peace, joy, kindness, righteousness.

The UNKNOWNS challenge us to decide: Faith or Fear.

CHANGING:

UNKNOWNS that we will have change us to the core. Every day we will become different beings than we were yesterday. But change is not always neat, nice, and warm. Sometimes change can be painful, messy, and confusing. But change is needed.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God"- Psalm 51: 10

When we are sincere in this request for God to create in us something different, it requires the ripping out of the old; the putting to death the worldly passions and desires must happen.

UNKNOWNS are everywhere.

They make us who we are.

They challenge us to the core.

They allow faith to grow and mature.

They change us, mold us, and make us new.

Do not fear the UNKNOWN. Do not shun the UNKNOWN. Embrace the UNKNOWN. Conquer the UNKNOWN.

Abba, we belong to you.- Brennan Manning- FURIOUS LONGING OF GOD.

That simple, intimate phrase acknowledging God as Abba Father and admitting that WE BELONG TO HIM, gives us the source and spring of courage we need to face the UNKNOWNS.

Our God knows no limits. Our God knows no failures. Trust Him in the UNKNOWN.

Be blessed,

Why Worry?

2011-03-22T13:27:00.003-06:00

I am preaching this coming Sunday on the topic of Worry. As I prepare for this message, I am overwhelmed and even find myself a bit "worried" about the idea.

Worry is such a HUGE aspect of human life. We worry about money, jobs, family, friends, fitting in, church, ministries, sports, March Madness brackets, health, illness, bad things in the world, sex, relationships, and so on and so forth.

As I study the Word and see scripture about worry I have come to this conclusion:

Worry is INADVERTENTLY allowing FEAR to subdue our FAITH. We carelessly, without thinking about it, allow our FEARS to take over our FAITH. God calls us to a higher standard. He tells us to have FAITH in Him that everything will be ok, EVEN when we do not have the answers. That is what FAITH is...believing without yet seeing!

In Genesis 22, we see God step in the unknown in Abraham's life. He is told to go and sacrifice his one and only son, Isaac, and Abraham obeys. He does not know the outcome. He is treading into the UNKNOWN. Then we see God step in. Jehovah Jireh: The LORD will PROVIDE. God will always provide for us...IF we obey Him. He will lead us into the UNKNOWN so that our faith in Him will increase (James 1:2-10)

In Matthew 14, we see an example of the definition of worry, allowing fear to subdue our faith. Peter is walking on water and takes his eyes of Jesus, he DOUBTS and FEARS the winds and waves and therefore begins to sink. He allowed his FEARS to subdue his FAITH and therefore, he falls. But there is hope (we all need hope because we all take our eyes off Him and sink in life). Jesus reaches down and helps him up. "Why did you doubt?" Jesus asks. Why? Christ wants us to not doubt, to not be fearful, but faithful.

Worry is Fear subduing Faith.

We are called to be Faithful, not Fearful.

We are pressed on every side, BUT NOT crushed; perplexed, BUT NOT in despair; persecuted, BUT NOT abandoned; struck down, BUT NOT destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

I am worried about ______________________! You are ultimately saying: "God, I know you can raise Christ from the dead. I know you can perform miracles supernaturally. I know you are the Creator...BUT I do not think you could help me with ______________________.

Worry is God in a box. Worry is fear. Worry is limiting.

Faith is limitless.

Be blessed

The Furious Longing of God

2011-03-08T14:09:00.001-07:00

Just finished a book THE FURIOUS LONGING OF GOD. Here are some highlights. ENjoy and be blessed.

The Furious Longing of God

Brennan Manning

I believe Christianity happens when men and women experience the reckless, raging confidence that comes from knowing the God of Jesus Christ.

Page 23

The furious longing of God is beyond our wildest desires, our hope or hopelessness, our rectitude or wickedness, neither cornered by sweet talk nor gentle persuasion. The furious longing of God, as Dan Berrigan writes, is “not to be reduced to a thing, a grand ideal; it is not to be reduced to a plaything, a caged songbird, for the amusement of children.” It cannot be tamed, boxed, captivated, housebroken, or temple broken. It is simply and startlingly Jesus, the effulgence of the Father’s love.

Page 24

The furious love of God knows no shadow of alteration of change. It is reliable. And always tender.

Page 35

The love of Christ is beyond knowledge. We’ve got to let go of our impoverished, circumcised, traditionalist, legalistic, human perceptions of God and open ourselves to the God in Jesus Christ. If we will, the promise is that we will be filled up with the fullness of God.

Page 37

Is your own personal prayer life characterized by the simplicity, childlike candor, boundless trust, and easy familiarity of a little one crawling up in Daddy’s lap?...Is that the spirit of your interior prayer life?

Page 44

The death of Jesus Christ on the cross is His greatest single act of unwavering trust in His Abba’s love.

Page 49

God wants more than a close relationship with you and me; He seeks nothing less than UNION.

Page 68

Until we let the Christ who consorted with hookers and crooks to be our truth, the false, fraudulent self motivated by cowardice and fear will continue to distance us from abiding restful union.

Page 72

Until the love of God that knows no boundary, limit, or breaking point is internalized through personal decision; until the furious longing of God seizes the imagination; until the heart is conjoined to the mind through sheer grace, nothing happens.

The revolutionary thinking that God loves me as I am and not as I should be requires radical rethinking and profound emotional adjustment.

Page 75

In human beings, love is a quality, a high-prized virtue; in God, love is His identity.

Page 77

STORY OF ZACCHAEUS- Pages 82-86

He said you’re going to be identified as His disciples, not because of church going, bible toting, or song singing. No, you’ll be identified as His by one sign only: the deep and delicate respect for one another, the cordial love impregnated with reverence for the sacred dimension of the human personality because of the mysterious substitution of Christ for the Christian.

Page 86

We are denying the world the one witness Jesus asked for: Love one another as I’ve loved you. (John 15:12)

Page 89

A shriveled humanity has a shrunken capacity for receiving the ray’s of God’s love.

Page 97

The gospel is not a children;’s fairy tale, but a cutting edge, rolling thunder, convulsive earthquake in the world of the human spirit.

Page 115

Living the pascal mystery, dying daily to self, and rising to newness of life in Christ is a fearful thing to contemplate, much less live.

Page 119

The gospel is absurd and the life of Jesus is meaningless unless we believe that He lived, died, and rose again with but one purpose in mind: to make brand new creations. Not to make people with better morals, but to create a community of prophets and professional lovers, men and women who would surrender to the mystery of the fire of the Spirit that burns within, who would live in ever greater fidelity to the omnipresent Word of God, who would enter into the center of it all, the very heart and mystery of Christ, into the center of the flame that consumes, purifies, and sets everything aglow with peace, joy, boldness, and extravagant, furious love.

Page 125

Our religion never begins with what we do for God. It always starts with what God has done for us, the great and wondrous things that God dreamed of and achieved for us in Christ Jesus.

Page 126

Too many of us have received knowledge without appreciation, facts without enthusiasm.

Page 130

Phrase that comes to mind most as I read and studied this book was one Brennan Manning quoted in the book:

“Abba, I belong to you.”

Make us all ragamuffins.

ragamuffin- a ragged, disreputable person

Make us all raw...leave us searching for the furious longing of God in our lives.

TOP 10 STUDENT MINISTRY QUOTES

2011-01-26T13:09:00.002-07:00

Here is a list of 10 quotes that are so funny when it comes to student ministry:

10. "Dude, you just pegged that chick!" (referring to a friendly game of dodgeball)

9. "I need to go the bathroom." (thank you for sharing...but please feel free from here on out to just get up and GO!!! Love it )

8. "Facebook Me!" (what happened to just call me , or text me or be looking for my letter in the mail...)

7. "Do I have to say hi to him/her?" (WOW...you do not HAVE to but you do HAVE to.)

6. "Is there ever going to be someone else teaching?" (Hummmm still trying to figure that one out.)

5. "Are the old people going to be there?" (old people= any one over the age of 19)

4. "How long has that volunteer been here? I have never seen them before." (Opps on so many levels...)

3. "Can I go play on the little children's inflatable slide until service starts."

2. "What do I get in return?" (as they sign up for service projects, mission trips, and volunteer opportunities)

1. "Why?" (asked about everything in every situation on every occasion)

Staying the Course

2011-01-13T11:35:00.001-07:00

I am so proud to be a student pastor and KNOW that some of the students are "getting it" now. I was able to witness one of the young ladies in my high school group last night stand strong for her faith, not budge, not falter one bit. She posted this comment on facebook:

I love God. I love my church. I love my pastor. I love worshiping. I love my Savior. I love that people can be so passionate. So my goal? Let God out of the neatly wrapped and tightly sealed box, and into my life.

She then went on to receive (within 3 hours time total) 53 comments about her post. The majority of those comments came from 2 high school guys who go to school with her and were trying to change her words and say God is not real, faith is fake and the ultimate trump card, and pot is the real answer.

She posted this after our Wednesday night gathering last night in which I spoke about taking God out of our boxes and letting him unleash His power and passion in our lives. I read from 2 Timothy 2:11-13 that says:

"If I die to Him, I will also live with Him.

If i endure with Him, He will also endure with me.

If I disown Him, He surely will disown me.

If i am faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown himself."

This young lady took that message to heart and wants the passion of God to show up in her life and she posted it on facebook.

These two gentlemen decided to try to insult her, persecute her, make fun of her, and overall hurt her. She was crying and shaking and praying throughout the ordeal...but not out of fear, not out of anger, but tears of genuine hurt for these two guys. Her prayer was that these guys could find Christ and the Unconditional love he offers us in life.

Throughout the 3 hour ordeal, an amazing thing took place. These two guys never stopped doing what they were doing (using very vulgar language and insulting her more and more each comment), but a third party commented on the situation.

This third party person was very clear that she was not a Christian, but admired that someone who claims to be has that passion and love for Jesus Christ and never once got angry with these guys, instead prayers were lifted. She never talked bad about their habits of pot and cussing, instead reminded them of truth and left it for them to make up their own minds.

This student took a huge step in her relationship with God last night. God is not in a box in her life anymore. She has experienced the passion, the insult, the persecutions for following her Christ. She understands to carry her cross daily and deny herself for His sake. She knows the reward is forthcoming in His Kingdom, not here on earth. She sees it is not about US, but life is about Him.

Glory to God and blessings for that young lady of God. God is smiling on you and so are your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Revelation Series

2011-01-04T16:15:00.002-07:00

We started our new series on Revelation January 2nd. We are going to be spending 9 weeks in the most insane book of the Bible as far as science fiction type-meets love story- meets drama- meets action- meets superheroes- meets comedy- meets weird- meets independent films that no one has ever heard of before...book.

Week one was awesome as we looked at Chapter 1 and Chapters 21 and 22. I started at the end with the description of the new Jerusalem and the new heaven and then went back to the beginning with the facts of why, when, how and where the book was written. Over the next 8 weeks we will be looking at some of the major events, weird creatures, descriptions of places and people, and figuring out a timeline for some of the events.

My goal with this series is to not answer all your questions, instead it is to make you think, ponder, research, the book more in depth on your own.

Come check it out on Sundays at 1045 am in the ROOM at CANVAS STUDENT MINISTRIES.

Pastor B

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2011-01-03T18:18:00.001-07:00

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