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Turning Over A New Leaf ~

Have you ever wondered where that phrase came from? 

In the 16th century, people referred to pages in a book as leaves. "Turning over a new leaf" meant turning to a blank page in a book to begin a new chapter.

Around this time of year, many of us make fresh attempts to change for the better.  Here are a few thoughts about "turning over a new leaf" this year...

• Your life is a story that has a beginning, middle, and an end.
• The story of your life only makes sense in light of God's story (see the Bible).
• Your past is only part the story, there is a future to pursue.
• Expect drama, comedy, tragedy and suspense in your story.
• The cast of characters may change, but the plot stays the same.
• There will be villains, twists, and tears…like every great story.
• No matter what, the page can be turned, and a new chapter begun.
• Every new chapter deepens the plot of your life with God.
• God is the both Author and the Hero of your story.

In the story of your life, 2008 offers a blank page to allow God to start a new chapter.  What is your response to these “leaf turning” questions…?

1. How can I grant God a greater role in my life story right now? 

2. Am I trying to be the star and relegating God to a bit part?

3. Who are the characters that God provided to help me pursue His plot? 

4.  In what areas do I need to “turn the page” and trust God for new challenges?

 

Wake UP ~ It's 10:02...

 

Guess what time it is?  It's 10:02.  The moment you entered the community of Jesus, He puts you to work.  Here's a simple way you can do your part in helping others find and follow Jesus. 

1.  Set a reminder on your watch or cell phone for 10:02am. 
2.  Everyday when your reminder goes off take a moment.
3.  And pray Luke 10:02.

This simple idea comes from the book The Organic Church. I've set the alarm on my phone to go off each day at 10.02 am.  At that point I stop what I'm doing and take some time to ask God to raise up more workers and leaders for His mission fulfilment at The Crossing Church. 

It takes lots of workers and leaders to help people discover and develop a relationship with Jesus.  Jesus risked His whole mission on a handful of disciples who would reproduce His life in others.   

All in favor of joining me in praying the 10:02 ~ please comment below or email me to let me know you're in.

After 40 Hours Of Prayer...

After praying for 40 hours over 30 days, I wanted to pass along what I'm learning and what I'm unlearning...

I'm learning ~ that more than anything, God wants my honesty, and He can take it.
I'm unlearning ~ my requirement of saying the right words in order for God to hear me.

I'm learning ~ that prayer is about listening to God's voice and allowing Him to speak.
I'm unlearning ~ my need to use words to present my lists, or make my case to God.

I'm learning ~ to focus on the presence of God and to be still in silence before Him.
I'm unlearning ~ my assumption that praying requires me to say anything to God.

I'm learning ~ that God places images, scenes, and pictures in my mind to speak with me.
I'm unlearning ~ my concept that the voice of God can only be given through the Bible.

I'm learning ~ that God's voice is a whispering voice that speaks quietly, tenderly, and intimately.
I'm unlearning ~ my distrust of the nudges, impressions, and promptings of God's Spirit.

I'm learning ~ that the presence of God...is a healing presence that restores all that soaks Him in.
I'm unlearning ~ my limited thinking that God's presence cannot be enjoyed more and more deeply.

I'm learning ~ that prayer is hospitality with God ~ "Another" lives within me that I can know.
I'm unlearning ~ my view that prayer is talking to God, instead of enjoying time with God.

I'm learning ~ that prayer is my relationship with God.
I'm unlearning ~ my attitude that prayer ends when I say "amen."

I'm learning ~ that there is no wrong way pour out your heart to God in prayer.
I'm unlearning ~ my hangup that God is strict toward my stumblings in prayer.

How do I follow up on 40 hours of prayer?  By going deeper!

Currently I'm reading, praying and journaling my way through a great book written by my friend and advisor.

To learn more about prayer, click here to listen to the "Pray it Forward" series I did in February.

The BIG IDEA from the series ~ "God doesn't require you to be perfect for Him to respond to your prayers.  But He does require you to be perfectly honest!"

Prayer Conditioning ~

Yep, that's how I'm feeling these days.  I can always tell when it's time to kick into intense prayer mode...when everything seems upside down and I start feeling stuck.

Lately, I've been feeling stuck...

1.  Creatively ~ I've got the creative cramps.  Lot's of good ideas, but few God ideas.

2. Relationally ~ Must...get...unstuck, having...trouble...loving...people!

3. Spiritually ~ I'm a vision guy.  When things seem upside down, I get disoriented.

Just in time for our prayer emphasis during the month of February at The Crossing Church.

God is challenging me to pray for 40 hours during our February prayer emphasis.

I'll be praying for God to breakthrough my life in a powerful way.

Someone once said...

"When we rely on organization, then we get what only organization can do.

When we rely on own self effort, we get what only self effort can do.

But when we rely on prayer, we get what only God can do."

So...feel free to ask me how my prayer time is going in February...I welcome the support.

Awakened By A Dream...

I'm not one of those types of people who remember their dreams.  But two nights ago I had a dream that woke me up.  Not physically ~ but spiritually.

In my dream there was a young boy who had a grossly disfigured face.  The type of disfiguration that causes you to turn your head in horror. 

It turns out that the disfigured boy was my own son.  Not one of my three sons, but my son nonetheless.

As I looked at this child's horribly disfigured face, my heart was moved with compassion.   Why?  I was deeply affected by the pain my son was experiencing as a result of seeing himself as damaged and unlovable.  Though I was still dreaming, I actually began to cry.

So I asked my son, "Do you want me to make it better?"  He slowly lifted his eyes to meet mine, then tears began to stream down both sides of his face as he silently nodded up and down.  His tears were accompanied by cries that came from deep within...I heard his wounded soul crying.   

Then, through his cries he said, "But you're so busy." In that moment I thought to myself, "I would do anything, go to any length, and pay any price to take my son's pain onto myself and cause him to feel my love and see himself the way I do."

Then it hit me.  If I, being a sinful and self-centered person, can be moved with compassion by the pain of my own son ~ how much more, God.  I was awakened to the tenderness, compassion and love that God has for me...by a dream. 

Though sin has disfigured my soul and caused me to see God and myself in a distorted way, Jesus came to  pay sin's price and to wake me up to experience the compassion and tenderness of God.  God is waking me up to see Him ~ and myself ~ the same way that He does.

God is the God of compassion - Psalm 86:15 > Isaiah 30:18 > Matthew 9:35-37

God is the God of tenderness -  Psalm 103:13 > Lam 3:22-23 > Zeph 3:17

God is the God of love - Psalm 86:5 > Romans 5:8 >  John 3:16

It turns out that my dream woke me up to God's dream.   God dreams of me seeing Him as compassionate, tender, and loving ~ so much so that it causes me to see myself through His eyes. 

As I lay there in bed with tears streaming down my face, I couldn't help but pray, "God, please don't let me fall asleep to You again!"