passion atlanta

 

Thanks to my friend Bronson Crawford, Student Pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Athens, GA, I attended Passion Atlanta this past Friday and Saturday.  This was my first Passion Conference and it was everything I hoped it would be.  I’ve wanted to go for years and just never have been able to, so it was nice to finally get to go.  

Being able to see some of my most favorite worship leaders/bands live was a real treat and a tremendous blessing.  The two days were packed with Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall and the David Crowder Band – complete with Crowder’s keytar and Guitar Hero controller…crazy!  Louie Giglio and Francis Chan delivered powerful and challenging talks.  It was amazing to be a part of 9,500 people who are passionate about worshipping Jesus and passionate about making Him known to all.  The entire conference was fulfilling in every way.  I’m glad I had the chance to go.  

one of those sundays

It’s Sunday morning. You’re getting ready for church and you cut yourself shaving, or your hair just won’t do right.  When you go to get dressed, you realize the clothes you planned to wear the night before are actually still at the dry cleaners. You get in the car and remember that you left the coffee maker on.  So, you run back inside to check it and now you’re late.  You have a disagreement with your wife or husband that continues all the way to the church, and now you’re at the church and it’s time to get ready to lead worship.

Ever have one of those Sundays?  We all have.  Sometimes we show up to church with a rotten attitude.  We may be mad or hurt about something.  We may have even done, said, or thought something we know we shouldn’t have.  In these times, we feel unworthy to lead people in worship.  Those kinds of days happen.  But, for those of us who serve in ministry, when they come along on a Sunday, they just seem to be a bit worse.  Why is that?

I think the enemy likes to throw us off; get our minds off of what we’re supposed to be focused on.  In the middle of all of this, it’s important for us to remember that we’re human.  Yes, God created us in His image, but He also created us with a human nature.  We’re not in Heaven yet!  That doesn’t give us a “get out of jail free card,” but it does put things in perspective.

The enemy would like for us to go around guilt-ridden when these days happen, especially on Sunday right before we’re supposed to stand on stage and lead God’s people in worship.  It’s important for us to stay in communion with God and to keep a close watch on our minds, emotions, and actions.  We need to constantly search our hearts and submit anything that isn’t right to The Father and ask for His forgiveness. He understands our weaknesses.  He’s not surprised when we make a mistake or when our attitude is not quite what it should be.  The important thing is for us to realize it and correct it.  Even if it’s five minutes before worship begins.  That’s better than not correcting it at all and not being in the place we should be spiritually.

So, the next time you have “one of those Sundays,” don’t get hung up on it. Take a minute and ask God to set things right. Then, move forward in the joy of the Lord.

i’ll pencil you in

If there’s someone you really want to spend time with, you’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen. You’ll move things around in your schedule – even cancel things if necessary. That’s just how much our heavenly Father wants to spend time with us. The good thing is, He doesn’t have to move things around or cancel things in order to meet with us. He’s always available. In fact, He’s waiting for us.

Earlier this week, I heard something about a member of our church that really spoke to me. It’s rather simple, yet profound. In this person’s prayer time one morning, they expressed their joy and amazement in the fact that God had been waiting on them for that time. That really stood out to me. How awesome to think that Almighty God, Creator of all things, was waiting for that person to commune with Him that morning.

Even more amazing is the fact that God The Father is waiting on all of us each and every day to spend time with Him. I often feel like I need to get everything just right in order to commune with The Lord. I try to find the quietest place I can. I try to block everything else out of my mind. I have to make sure my cell phone is off. I try to think of just the right things to pray. Sometimes it seems like I spend more time trying to get everything just right than actually spending time with God.

I do believe we should be in the right frame of mind and have the right setting for our devotion time without distractions. It’s just comforting to know that God is waiting for us to meet with Him. He doesn’t really care where we meet. He just wants to meet.

a prayer for awakening

A Prayer For Awakening

O sweet and loving God, when I stay asleep too long, oblivious to all Your many blessings, then, please, wake me up and sing to me Your joyful song. It is a song without noise or notes; it is a song of love beyond words, of faith beyond the power of human telling. I can hear it in my soul when you awaken me to Your presence.

Mechthild of Magdeburg (c. 1212-1280)

No matter what we do, we are all really busy people. I think our society just gets busier every day. We’re always trying to get better at our jobs, be better husbands, wives, fathers, and mothers. Many of us are involved in the community and most of us wear multiple hats at church. Sometimes it seems like our calendars don’t have enough space to hold all of our appointments and to-do lists. We even have cell phones with which we can access our e-mail; so we’re always “connected.”

In the midst of all this hectic stuff is the presence of God. He’s always there; we just don’t seem to notice sometimes. We’re “oblivious.” It’s so important that we stop long enough every day and “awaken” to His presence. God won’t always force His way into our calendars. We probably won’t get an e-mail alert on our cell phone from Him. But, when we set aside time just for Him, our lives will suddenly become much more peaceful and less hectic. That doesn’t mean all the “stuff” we have to get done won’t still be there waiting, but I believe we’ll be more productive at getting it done having spent valuable time in His presence.

hungering after God

Hungering After God

Grant us, we pray, the lost who hunger and thirst after righteousness – the longing for God. Grant to us that drawing power by which everything in us shall call for you. Become necessary to us. With the morning and evening light, at noon and at midnight, may we feel the need of your companionship…Though you do not speak as man speaks, yet you can call out to us; and the soul shall know your presence and shall understand by its own self what you mean. Grant to us this witness of the Spirit, this communion of the soul with you – and not only once or twice: May we abide in the light. Amen.

Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

I love the line from this prayer that says, “Become necessary to us.” I wonder if God is always necessary to us…to me. We often crowd Him out with our agendas, our goals, our busy-ness. He has blessed us with so many wonderful talents and abilities that we may not always demonstrate that He is necessary to us. “I can handle it,” we say. If God was not in control of my life, I have no idea where I would be. The thing is, God is in control of my life. He’s in control of everything that is going on in the universe. He is orchestrating every movement of every star in galaxies we don’t even know about. Yet, we often run around as if we’re in control – worrying about little things that really don’t even matter.

I want to start each and every day asking God to become necessary to me – really live like my life depends on Him, because it does.