3. The Holy Spirit is there to give us peace

Inside the heart of every man is a desire for peace. Some search for it in relationships, friends, sex, drugs, addictive habits such as shopping, obtaining material possessions, cars…the list goes on and on. Many times we are lacking peace simply because we are stressed to the max and need help to relax and trust God.

The truth is this, there is no lasting peace to be found in things that are CREATED. The lasting peace we are looking for can only be found in the one who DOES the CREATING.

The Holy Spirit give us peace. I can’t count the number of times I have been going through situations in ministry, with family, etc. where I just NEEDED some peace. Come on now! You know what I am talking about. Some of you are reading this right now, saying, “AMEN TO THAT!” Here is a tip. Ask God to fill your heart with peace and He will do it.

2. Those who are saved will go to Heaven to be with Christ

Wow! This is so exciting. John 14:2 says that there are mansions in heaven that have been created for all who follow Christ. What does it look like? How big is it? Etc. I really don’t know if anyone knows the answers to these questions. The fact is, God cares enough for us to provide us a place in heaven!

This is encouraging, but probably much more for those who live in third world countries. If we are honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that most of us already have a house or at least access to a roof over our heads. Literally, Billions of people around the globe don’t have some of the things we think of as standard.

Many don’t have running water, carpet, (or any floor other than dirt) a refrigerator or even air conditioning. We was the last time we complained about the a/c not being just right? HAHA! I am going to be honest, it was just 2 minutes ago for me. I was working on this blog, started sweating, got disgruntled, jumped up to think the air was over 80 degrees to find that it was only 75. I am so spoiled! How about you!

We have a mansion in heaven waiting on us.

1.  Jesus is in Heaven

This is the first of the Ten things every Christian needs to know. These crossed my mind as I was thinking about our church today. And yes, there are thousands of things we need to know. There is no way I could every hit on all of them.

John 14:1-6, ““Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And where I go you know, and the way you know.” ⁵ Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Why is this such a big deal? What does it matter where Jesus is? There are several theological assumptions that have to be made here.

1. There is a heaven

2. There is a Jesus

3. Jesus is not dead

4. What is the opposite of heaven? What would be the alternative?

5. Where am I going when I die? Or, do humans just die like dogs?

Luv Ya!

¹⁴ Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.” ¹⁵ When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless.

1.     Daniel was broken because God’s Judgment was coming…When was the last time you were so close to God, you became broken and speechless?

¹⁶ And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, “My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. ¹⁷ For how can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me.”

2.     If we get BROKEN over our sin, God will give us compassion for other messed up people.
¹⁸ Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. ¹⁹ And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!”
So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
²⁰ Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come.”

3.     There are those who are praying for the destruction of Christians.

Here is a story told by Dr. David Earley of Liberty Theological Seminary…“During a flight from Detroit, I had a man sitting next to me who seemed to have little interest in conversation. As we crossed the halfway point in the trip, he bowed his head as though he was praying. After his lips stopped moving and he raised his head I inquired, “Are you a Christian?” I had given him no indication that I was a pastor and a university professor.

He looked shocked at my questions and commented, “Oh no. You have me all wrong, I’m not a Christian…I’m  actually a Satanist.” I asked him what he was praying for as a satanist. He answered, Do you really want to know?” Assuring him that I did, he said, “My primary attention is directed toward the fall of Christian pastor and their families in the New England States” He was serious about his mission and didn’t care to discuss it further.”  

I can’t wait to worship the Lord and see people saved at Illuminate this week!

The View from Earth

1.     Daniel had a NEED and was desperate to hear from God.

Daniel 10:1-11, “ ¹ In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long;  and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision. ² In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. ³ I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

2.     Because of the need, Daniel fasted for 21 days!

Fasting is the opposite of self-sufficiency. When was the last time you were so desperate to hear from God, you were willing to give up something you love to HEAR Him Speak to you?
⁴ Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris,   ⁵ I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! ⁶ His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.
⁷ And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. ⁸ Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. ⁹ Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
¹⁰ Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. ¹¹ And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.

3.     Have you ever felt God directing you or revealing truth in your life situations in such a way that you stood trembling?

4.     Because of Daniel’s fast, God revealed to Him what he needed to know.

The View from Heaven
¹² Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, (II Chron. 7:14-Isaiah 57:15—James 4:10) your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. ¹³ But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.

5.     Daniel had no idea that his prayers were being answered THE MOMENT he set his heart toward God.

I talked to another father today who is struggling to raise his teenage daughter. From the outside, we would all agree this father is doing a great job. He wouldn’t agree that this is the case sometimes, but we would give him the stamp of approval. It is good for us father’s to give ourselves a hard time and spend hours scrutinizing our fathering practices. Every human that has ever mastered an art in life does the same.

Girl’s hearts are easy to win before adolescence. After this point, us dads must work heart and winning their hearts. They are distracted…and its easy to trip up as we aim to guard their hearts from the world. What happened to Whitney Houston, can happen to any young lady. Check this out!

I John 2:15-17, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

The lust of the flesh is not always bad. It is o.k. to lust after your spouse. In fact, if you don’t struggle with that at least a little before marriage…I strongly encourage you not to marry that person. Physical attraction is good in the context of marriage! However, it is bad when Satan takes what God has made holy…twists it and puts it outside the parameters it was designed for. Anything we do that causes lust in the eyes of another human goes against God’s design. Modesty is the answer for those who could lure. Running is the answer for those being lured!

The lust of the eyes pertains to possessions. It is easy to get caught up in possessions. God doesn’t mind us owning things, but we cannot allow things to own us.

The pride of life pertains to our position in life, our status in life.

Whitney Houston started out singing in Church and was stable for all we knew. After marrying Bobby Brown in the 90′s she became a drug addict and ultimately threw away God’s gift to her…and eventually lost her life.

One of the things we have to constantly remember is that we are father’s first and friends second. God has placed you in her life to guard her heart from circumstances and situations that would compromise her heart.

I am praying for all of you men out there who are giving Jesus all you’ve got! I am very proud of the man you are, friend.

I was getting ready and studying for Sunday’s message and here are some things that came to my mind…

Psalm 90:1-12, “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. ² Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. ³ You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.” ⁴ For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night. ⁵ You carry them away like a flood; They are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: ⁶ In the morning it flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers.

How is it that our lives are like grass?  How does this affect the way we hear God?

⁷ For we have been consumed by Your anger, And by Your wrath we are terrified. ⁸ You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. ⁹ For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh. ¹⁰ The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. ¹¹ Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.

¹² So teach us to number our days,  That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

How do our lives change when we number our days?

I am so pumped about being your Pastor, Illuminate! You all make it easy to serve the Lord. I am excited to see so many of you getting involved with the Experiencing God study through our community groups. It is important to be involved with a small group of people to study God’s word, but also to build lifelong friendships. This is where and how the church ministers to each other as we have needs.

This Sunday, we are going to look at the first of two weeks titled, “God Speaks”. We are going in depth with some of the questions we have about this subject such as: Does God still speak to us? What does He say? How do I know it is His voice? How can I know if  it isn’t God speaking to me? etc.

One of the key things we as believers must understand about God before trying to understand what He is saying is found in Job 11:7, which says, “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?” God is incomprehensible to say the least. The human mind cannot understand it’s creator in full. We only see small pieces of the puzzle. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Keep this in mind as you learn to be submissive and follow Him in your life.

See ya Sunday!

We have all heard the term, “movement”. Sadly, we don’t believe we can be a part of one, much less be the creator of one. Something we must all grasp is the fact that a movement always starts with “ONE”. That “ONE” can be you. You can do it!

If we could just realize that the Great Commission, given straight from Christ to us, was first on an individual level… everything would change for us. We, the church reach lost people and bring them to the cross through love and evangelism. We, the church body… together reach lost people and bring them to the cross through love and evangelism. Then, we the global church body…reach lost people and bring them to the cross through love and evangelism. IT ALL STARTS WITH “ONE”.

In order to be a part of a movement or for that matter, to start one, you have to have a dream. You have to have a vision of something that doesn’t exist. What does this look like on a personal level? Well, what are you doing with your time? How are you reaching people? If you aren’t reaching people and are a Christian, you need to get busy!!! Everyone on planet earth has the same amount of time, despite geographical lines.

Imagine if you erased the economic status of everyone on the planet and saw everyone with the same amount of money. Now, with that out of the way…imagine what a difference we could make in reaching people for Christ if we saw every0ne the same! You have to have a dream! Do you dream of reaching people for Christ? Do you dream of how you will witness to those who don’t believe? Do you take the Great Commission seriously?

The making of a movement always starts with “ONE”

Many people would say, “Well you only work on Sundays!” This is what the phrase, “Ignorance is Bliss” was coined for. Pastors work all the time. And when we are not working,…more on that in the next blog.

I never thought I would be a Pastor. In fact, I remember very vividly, a conversation I had with Pastor Don Young of Heartland Worship Center in 1997. I asked him, “How in the world do you manage all these people and not get stressed out?” He just smiled. I am not sure what his real inward response was, but I am sure it was his love for people. I never dreamed I would be a Pastor. In 1997, I had never preached before.

There are several things that are a joy as a Pastor. One of the greatest things about being a Pastor is the fact that we get to love on people for a living. This is what we do. This is our calling. You can’t conjure up a Pastor act. If you do, it won’t last. You have to be called.

It makes my day to see people grow! I cotton-pickin’ love it! To watch a churchy person who has been bogged down with religion their whole lives finally get it! WOW! To see them realize that church is not about their preferences. For them to see that the way they have always done it is only gathering church people is awesome. Watching them realize that the methods to reach the lost must change is awesome.

I have to say, this doesn’t happen very often, cause the hardest people in the WORLD to get on mission with God are those who have enough church experience to be absolutely useless to God and evangelism. I thank God every day for the people of Illuminate. They are hungry to reach lost people more than being the same and doing church as usual. This is why being a Pastor is awesome. I love you Illuminate!

I am pumped that our people are working through the Experiencing God Bible study. I pray it blesses a lot of people.