A season of Preparation: 4 F's of Ministry.

I sat down with my Mentor, Dr. Rev William Green, associate pastor of First United Methodist Church of Cary, N.C. Brother Green has been doing all kinds of ministry for many years and he has blessed so many people. He has a large repertoire of expertise that ranges from being a pastor at a mega church to spending time with the inmates in the correctional facilities during the week pouring God's love out on them. He has helped to influence life change for hundreds if not thousands over the course of his ministry. William is my Paul if you please, and I am his timothy. He has always been there for me, thick and thin.
Yesterday, we had a chance to sit down over coffee at Starbucks of course, and I just had a chance to sit in the presence of a great man of God as he poured life and truth into me. He really spoke to my potential challenging me to seek out God in the areas of my life where I need Him more. He encouraged me, as always to test the spirits, and to strive daily to be more like Christ. Brother Green as he is often affectionately refereed to, is one of the key influences in my life, and one of the reasons why I am going into the ministry.

We talked about seminary, and I feel as if I am being drawn there more and more each day. I will be obedient and apply, and God and I will go from there. A seminary education would be a great key as Brother Green says, to unlock doors that may help me in my ministry 10years from now.
It was just soo good to finally catch up with him.

Here are the 4 F's to answering the Call to ministry.

1. FAITH FULLNESS- Am I being faithful to God by pursing the Call which He has placed in my heart, or am I running away from it?
2. FRUIT FULLNESS- Is the area of ministry that I believe to be my specific calling bearing fruit, or is it withering?
3. FULFILMENT- Am I being fulfilled in this ministry that I am doing? Does my soul feel alive and intimately connected with Christ? If not, then maybe it is the wrong area.
4. FAMOUS- Is it making God famous and not me? If God is getting the glory, then often times in the case of ministry, we are overworked, underpaid, and overlooked. Even for those who are famous, ie lead/head pastors, they have their own issues of insecurity which is a way that God humbles them.
   

So... right now... I am passionately pursing and pouring into college students, homeless persons, and learning the ropes of effective, life changing, hope giving, evangelism that will glorify God.
I love being a volunteer leader at Elevation Church, and growing in the areas of administration that will help me be a better servant. It would be cool to be an intern there someday soon if it is God's will.

I am building my ministry, brick by brick. I know that I will look back on this season some day and fully appreciate the lessons that God is teaching me right now.

Christmas Eve Blessings!!!

Yesterday was one of the best Christmas eve's that I can ever remember because I could actually spend some drama-free quality time with my family, and be old enough to remember it.

My parents and I went to my mom's parents house way out in the country in a lil place called Snow Camp, nc, out on the farm!! oh yeah!!

It was just good to have real fellowship with loved ones and to remember the One who made all things possible!! Even though my heart is a lil saddened that I did not go to the Elevation Christmas, I am so thankful and so happy to be able to record my maw-maw's Christmas memories and to be able to record her salvation story. It was cool to hear how they did Christmas a long time ago, and how life was so different back then. It was good to help her make her bed and lift up the mattress for her so that she could straighten things. It was heart warming to see my paw-paw tear up as maw-maw told those awesome stories of life and being in love as a young woman. Praise God! There is such wisdom, and compassion in that household.

It was good to be able to go back to my home church and to experience my frist Christmas contemporary service. It was held in our fellowship hall, and it was awesome. My mentor. Dr. Rev William Green gave an awesome sermon on the three purposes of Christmas. It was a home run for Jesus. It was good to be able to serve others communion last night and to pour into some young people.

Today, we are going to my dad's parents who live in Stokesdale, 30 minutes from Greensboro. It should be fun, and I bet I am getting my first ever digital camera. Sweet haha.

I am so thankful that my Jesus was born on this day. This day is a day of new beginnings and a new hope for mankind. Thank you God and Praise You for sending us your very best when we deserve your very worst. You are an Awesome Lord, Gracious, slow to anger, rich in love. You are a Great God, a God who hears his people's cries, and who answers them from His Holy Throne.

Sunday Night Reflections

So today was an awesome day!!! Church was crazy today. Pastor brought a challenging word today and it rocked my spirit. Pastor Steven has been challenging us these past couple of weeks in the area of owning our potential in Christ, listening to Christ, and acting upon what He has placed in our hearts. It has been crazy.

www.elevationchurch.org

I am been more emotional this past month in service. I have been brought to tears it seems every Sunday, and throughout the week. God, despite my crazy self, is speaking life and truth into my soul.
As I look back on today's events with the homeless gang at Elevation Uptown, and how freaking awesome our volunteers are, I have a peace in my spirit knowing that I am where I am suppossed to be. God is getting ready to do some crazy things, and He has been preparing me. Today I talked with Josh Blackson (our awesome Uptown Campus Pastor) about a crazy awesome idea that will revolutionize how college kids from my campus will get to Church.
It is part of the very reason why I came to the Uptown campus from the Butler Campus at the start of Uptown. A 2 year prayer has been answered. I am so stoked!!

I am in the process of getting information on how to start a small group at one of the Men's Homeless shelter's in Uptown. Had a chance to talk with my homeless buddies today about how they would feel about an Elevation Small Group at their shelter. It was well recieved with great excitement. I am finding that God is breaking my heart and giving me a pasison for the homeless more and more each week.

My wonderful gf is back from her mission trip. She is a lil under the weather, but that is to be expect when you have been away for two weeks. So glad she is back safe, sound, and radically changed for Christ.

I am learning more and more about the power of Interceding on the behalf of someone. Oh I have been doing this for a good while, but latley God has been speaking to my heart. I am so glad that I have a friendship built on prayer, centered on Christ, and the overflow of that friendship has created a great relationship. I am so glad that I can pray for her, and intercede on her behalf. You never know the affect that prayer has in someone's life, even if it is just a quick one time prayer. Our God is so big, and so awesome.

I would have to say that it was crazy here when my gf was not around. So many doubts, and frustrations that came from being attacked by the enemy. By praying, reading God's word, and seeking sound council, I have grown in my walk with Christ. It has been a time of testing the spirits, seeing which things are from God, and which are from man. It has been a challenge, but an awesome one.

I get to sleep in tomrrow, and I do not really know how to deal with that.

The Great Divide (mini series)

I have been sitting all day at Jackson's Java, here by the university and it was awesome!!! well kinda not really. It was great to see old friends, some of them more than once in a single day lol.

It was good to go to Chen's Bistro- the RELIGIOUS STUDIES DEPARTMENT took us Seniors out, well the ones who did Senior Seminar this Semester.

Psalm 37:23-24 (New International Version)

23 If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;

24 though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

Proverbs 16:9 (New International Version)

9 In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.

Today, is a day to be remembered. It is the last full day that I will have to sit at Jackson's as a Undergrad flipping out over writing two finals.

There is just so much ministry that has to be done, its crazy, but its awesome.

I am proud of my HS Small Group Buddy. yeah!!!

not much to say.... Gotta Man up for Christ.... nough said!!!

It's all part of the process, but God is soo awesome!!!! Brick by Brick. Little bit of yeast, little bit of faith. okay so I am rambling, but that is okay, I just wanted to ramble. This is for me.

Almost Saturday..... Thunder Road Half Marathon with dad. It will be awesome!!!

The Great Divide (mini series)

Today, marks the third day, well four if you count the day spent in another state before going on The Great Divide and the beginning of the first full week of The Great Divide.
I wish it was the Sunday after Next.

Although I am a little depressed, well for good reasons haha, I know in my spirit that someone special, duh my girlfriend, is affecting great change.

I know that she is seeking and saving that which is or those who are lost. She is showing the love of Christ to people who are far from God. She is ministering healing to those affected by a broken world with broken systems.
I can sense in my spirit that today has been a good day for her. I am just so excited for her because I know that God using her to advance His kingdom.

There is more to come, more in store for her and for those around her.

I am praying as always for you. I am praying Psalm 20, and Colossians 1:9-14, Ephesians 1:16-19a, and what ever else I can find.
You got this, go get em! I know you are!!

Confessions of a dating man. Part 1. "Fear of The Lord"

When I look at my girlfriend, (who is amazing by the way, Praise God) I see Christ and His love and power in her. I see and feel the anointing of the Holy Spirit as she speaks life and truth into my life. Oh I will talk more about this heavenly creature, full of mystery, wonder, beauty and grace later on. But there is something about a Godly woman that captivates a man, yet at the same time scares him half to death. And I mean that with the utmost respect and honor. It is a good thing.

The thought of being in a relationship has always scared the daylights out of me, and even though I am in one, it still is scary. But what is the cause of this fear? For me at least, it is the "Fear of The Lord."
It is an awesome fear, one that speaks life in truth into this almost 23year old man of God. It is good to fear God, to acknowledge His holiness, His perfectness. Now without trying to go really deep, which I probably will, I need to draw out this fear, and why it is import in the walk of a Christian.

I am sorry for sounding a bit heady here. I am a Religious Studies Major, and sometimes the academic study of religion is helpful in the explanation of biblical terms......

Father I pray, that the words that I write will give You glory, and that Your words speak through me to reach those who read this expression of my soul. Amen.

What is the "Fear of the Lord?" What does it mean?

• Robert B. Strimple says, "It is the convergence of awe, reverence, adoration, honor, worship, confidence, thankfulness, love, and fear."
• Rudolf Otto (19:17) states that the fear of the Lord can be explained as numinous, that is wholly other, which is associated with meanings such as command, or divine majesty.
• C.S. Lewis, who wrote the book "The Problem of Pain," builds upon Otto's numinous, stating that the "Fear of The Lord" is to "feel wonder and a certain shrinking" or "a sense of inadequacy to cope with such a visitant of or prostration before it".
• This is a fear of out love, love for our Father who is the great I AM.

Let us now look at some scripture to draw this out, and the benefits of fearing the Lord, who loves us unconditionally. Proverbs, to me, is the best source of explaining this "Fear of the Lord" and it does so in a simple yet so powerful way.

• Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
• Proverbs 14:26 "In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge."
• Proverbs 14:27 "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death."
• Proverbs 15:16 "Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil."
• Proverbs 15:33. "The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor [comes] humility."
• Proverbs 16:6 By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil."

• NOTE ( Hesed- is Hebrew for Lovingkindness which equals Christ. Christ is Hesed and truth.) To me this is the nature of Christ. Hesed and Truth, what does this mean? His death, that is to say His willingness to lay down His life so that we may have life in Him and through Him, is the atonement for our iniquity. When we have a relationship with Him, and when we fear the Lord, we keep away from evil.) There is of course more going on but I wanted to present an illustration using Christ. I hope that helps, I love that word Hesed, it is one of my favoraite words.

• Proverbs 19:23 "The fear of the LORD [leads] to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil."

Okay, so I hope you get the point. Anyways the Holy Spirit speaks to me, and guides me in this whole relationship process.
I am spending a lot more time listening to God, which is exactly what Pastor Steven preached on this morning.
What about you? are you in a relationship with a wonderful woman of God, trying to be the Man of God that God has created and called you to be? If so, take heart, relax, and remember that God wants so badly for us to be in awe of Him, and to listen as He guides us. I mean relax in the sense not to get lazy, but to give all your fears and doubts to Him, not to Satan, the father of lies.

Proverbs 16:9
In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.

The fear of the Lord is so awesome. It builds character, builds boldness and confidence in who you are and Who's you are. I like that. Don't you?

how to turn "Waiting on God" into "Running With Your Heart"

So I can be very impatient at times, like really!! One thing that really bothers me is having to wait in line for things. I am ADD/ADHD, whatever, and I just can't sit or stand still for very long time without getting restless.

Which reminds me of how frustrated I get sometimes when people say "Oh well you need to just wait on God," when I am going through a trial in my spiritual life. "Let go and let God." Oh man that floors me because people usually do not tell me how to wait on God. How do I "let go and let God?"
"What do you mean?" "Do I just sit around, and do nothing?" "Or, should I be doing something?"

I think people just say that a lot ( me included) to other people without thinking. It is like the "Christian thing to say." Its good to tell others to wait on God before making bad decisions, or continuing in negative thought which can leave you feeling alone and unloved. But what does that mean?

I believe that God does want us to wait on Him. In his Word, God says in Psalm 27:14.

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
But the lie that Satan uses to trick us into becoming static is something like this: "Oh well yes, wait on God, sit back, do nothing, and maybe if you wait long enough, God will do something." "Just wait around, and in time, God will do something...probably....well not really.....okay, you gotta act now"

The danger in doing nothing, is that you are doing something: running away from God. Not God running away from you, you are running away from Him. God is not a God of just waiting around. He is not a static God who wants you to pick a number, and get in line ( the whole time you are complaining about just standing around).

Waiting on God means that you keep praying, you keep asking God to give you revelation. You still go to Church, you still read your Bible, and seek counsel from His Word. I know it is easy to get frustrated, but as Pastor Perry Noble of NewSpring says, "how can you expect to get any revelation from God when you are frustrated with God?"

Remember Paul said in Romans 12:12
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
Waiting is an action the requires us to be joyful in the hope we have in Christ. To be patient in affliction by praying, always without ceasing.

I have been more mindful and intentionally in how I use my mouth to give advice from the Lord. I do not want to use some cliche in place of pouring out what God has on my heart. Now I explain what waiting on God really means. There are tons of verses that can help a person who is struggling with waiting, and it would take me all day to say them. But I just wanted to use the ones that spoke to my heart.

Remember that you are more than a person standing in line, you are more than just some guy/girl. You, as Pastor Steven Furtick says, are a "Divine Design with a Divine Destiny." Go claim it, do not loose heart, keep praying, keep looking, watching, praying, asking, seeking, knocking.

I hope these last verses really encourage you as you struggle with waiting.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
Matthew 11:12
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

THAT IS HOW YOU TURN WAITING ON GOD INTO RUNNING WITH YOUR(not just your, but YOUR) HEART!!!