Maybe not a question you are asking your small group or your pastor but definitely one  you are asking in your heart.  Let me explain.  When we sin and our lives are filled with guilt and shame we naturally detach from community and fellowship with God.  We don’t want to face accountability and fear our sin might be exposed by the light. Mostly I feel people detach from community and hide from God because they don’t have a correct view of the Gospel.  Most Christians understand the Gospel to be for the lost and fail to realize it is just as much for the redeemed.  We believe in the saving power of the cross to redeem sinful souls but we fail to see the sanctifying power of the Gospel for the believer.

The Gospel is what removed all the guilt and shame that kept us from the father yet we find ourselves living a condemned life through a redeemed soul.  STOP, this is sin and we must begin to embrace the Gospel and allow the work of the cross to sanctify and form us into the image of Jesus Christ.  It’s not easy but understanding the depth of the Gospel and power to set us free from our bondage and allow us to live in the freedom of the cross.  Next time you find yourself checking out draw near to the Gospel for its ability to save and remove your shame is incomprehensible and will move us closer to God.

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So for a few weeks I’ve been struggling with lots of different things and one of them was our finances at church.  For what ever reason we think money gives us security.  Last week, while spending time with the Lord I told God that he had to provide. Basically this is my way of saying, “God, I can’t do it on my own…I give you control.”  Guess what happened when I let go….?

• Our building flooded (causing us to spend $1800)
• But then an anonymous $1500 donation came in the SAME DAY!!
• Then another $1000 donation that was expected
• And then today at the post office box a $2000 check…once again unexpected
• Also, $2100 has been raised for the Haiti Orphanage and we haven’t even begun to raise money…I guess we have!!

Its amazing what happens we when relinquish control and let God do His thing.  Here is what I learned from this expereince:

• God is good
• We need to step up our giving at Journey Church
• God is about to do something big in our church
• He is not done working in America
• We need to let go and hold loosely what God has given us

I’m wondering…what do you need to let go of?

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I will have been married for 7 years this January so for some people I may not have enough “real life” experience to blog about marriage.  They are probably right…if I were just giving you my opinion.  The Bible gives us some core essentials that every marriage should have.  Here is part 1:

1. Unconditional Love – Ephesians 5:25 tells husbands to love their wife as Christ loves the church.  I know lots of men who will take a bullet for their wife but complain about spending time together watching a chick flick…does this make since?  Jesus Christ DIED for the Church.  He gave ALL so that we may have LIFE.  He DIED knowing people would REJECT Him.  He PROVIDED when we didn’t even know we had a NEED.  Are you seeing the sacrificial side of Jesus and how unconditional love should be in our marriages?  Unconditional loves says, “I will love you not matter what you do!”  Men, it starts with you and your wife will follow.
2. Respect – I have seen lots of husbands and wives that don’t even respect each other.  You can tell by the way they talk to one another and treat each other in public.  Philippians 2:3 says it all…view others more significant than yourself.  If we could do this then we would respect our spouses and we would see affinity in our marriages.  I believe that if we understood what respect is and how we use respect in marriage we would dramatically change the amount of divorce in America.

Work on these cornerstones in your marriage and we will discuss part 2 soon.

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This is a mandate to all Journey Church members…let’s do something big for God’s Kingdom this week.  What can we do?  This is only Tuesday and we have the rest of the week to do something big for God’s Kingdom.  I am thinking of something radical, something different, something that will point people to Jesus.  I have been recently reading the book Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick and the book’s premise is challenging the readers to make audacious moves for the Kingdom.  He uses the story in the Bible about Joshua and how God made the sun stand still because Joshua prayed and believed that God would deliver.  I want the Faith that prayed that prayer.  The Faith the heals the blind, restores marriages and raised Jesus from the dead.

The same God of the Bible and the God that made the sun stand still is the same God that will do anything we ask him to do if its according to His will.  So what do you want God to do?  Lets take our place in the middle of God’s movement.  Will you join me?

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Most of the time we go through life not expecting anything to happen. The sad culmination is that when God does show up unexpectedly we are so caught off guard we miss the blessing.  What if everyday you started with the thought, “Today God is going to reveal Himself to me.” Would your prayer life change?  Would your weeks become shorter because you wouldn’t be drawn down but the mundane things in life?  I believe that we would be set free to serve our Lord to our greatest capacity if we prayed and lived with expectant hearts.  Every ordinary day has a miracle waiting to happen and I want to experience everything that God has to offer.

As we move closer to our Grand Opening at Journey Church we need to expect God to show up and take care of business.  Lives are at stake here.  Decide to change, to be different and experience God in the fullness of His Glory.

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Well…no surprise but this Sunday way huge. It never gets old to hear people talking about ways to reach people for the Gospel. Here are some of my thoughts on Sunday

• 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 is probably the most convicting scripture that I have ever read, let alone preached
• We need to serve the nonbelievers in out community by proclaiming the Gospel
• Jesus, not having sin became sin for us.  THAT BLOWS MY MIND!
• The old is gone and we are new creations IN CHRIST
• We prayed for a Journey group that will be elevated Jesus on Wednesday…AWESOME!
• We we place our Faith in Christ we are brought into harmony with THE CREATOR
• Jesus Messiah…great worship song for today
• Our children’s team rocks.  I walked into a room full of leaders planing our first VBS
• If we aren’t about 1 Corinthians 5:17-21 we need to go flip burgers
• If you weren’t excited about the Gospel after church today then you need to check your pulse

The best is yet to come.

Pastor Jeff

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We have so many talented people at Journey Church.  This week I had the distinct privilege to read  a very creative rendition of the Great Commission found in Matthew 28 by one our many talented people, Cole Harper.   I was talking to Cole prior to Sunday and we started talking about how the church in America has lost its first love and how we have distorted what the Great Commission embodies and have deduced the commission from our Savior Jesus Christ to something that is more focused on buildings, lights and HD videos cameras and a passionless life not focused on people who need Jesus.  Before all the emails and comments start coming in, I am not suggesting we can’t use buildings, lights and HD video cameras to promote the Great Commission but what is our motive, OUR kingdom or HIS Kingdom?  Without further ado, the American Spoiled Version of the Great Commission by Cole Harper.

Go therefore and make disciples of already lukewarm Christians, baptizing them in the name of cool buildings, consumerism and the fear of lost people, teaching them to ignore both the Gospel and that lost people go to hell. And behold, I am with you always [assuming your sound system is sweet] even as you pogo-stick aimlessly from church to church for the duration of your anemic, passionless lives.

Lets keep Jesus the main thing, shall we?  I can speak for myself and for Journey Church, we will not subscribe to this idea.  In fact, we will die flying the banner of Jesus Christ.  Who is with us?  The time is now.

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Its amazing what you can learn from your kids. Most of you know that I started a journey through the New Testament in 30 days. This has really opened my heart and mind to learning Gods word.

Just when I thought my weekly daddy daughter date night would turn out the same as most, I pulled out a Fun Dip and my daughter went crazy. You should have seen her face…it was priceless. As we started our sugar filled adventure I was attempting to teach my daughter the correct way to eat her newly acquired snack art and you could see the look of anticipation like never before. Not surprised my daughter was soon a pro eating her fun filled treat. Just like most of us, my daughter started eating the candy stick between licks and had soon resulted to her finger. I took a quick break to answer an email and when I looked up from my BlackBerry there was my daughter with her fun dip packaged ripped open with her head tilted back savoring every ounce of fun.

At that moment I thought we need to take the Fun Dip approach to learning about God.  When was the last time you were so overly excited with Joy to learn about God that you forgot what you were doing in the moment?  Why don’t we read scripture after scripture?  Why can’t there be a desire to not stop until we consume all the Scriptures much like my daughter would not stop until all off the sugar was gone?  We don’t rip God’s word open and tip back our head because we are so desperate to know Him.  Why?  Why?

Start today, never look back and change your world one lick at a time!  Challenge yourself now.

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Matthew 13:1 – 23:39
It didn’t take long for God to drive home a point from the scriptures so let do the same and get right to it.  In the first part of Matthew 14 we ready about John the Baptist beginning beheaded due to a dancer none the less.  In 14:12 the disciples took John’s body and buried him and then went to tell Jesus.  This is the point God revealed something awesome about our Savior.  When Jesus heard about John’s death he withdrew to a private place most likely to mourn but when he landed on the shore He had compassion on the people and began to heal them (vs. 13-14).  Wow, I would have thought Jesus would not have engaged in ministry so soon.  Why?  John the Baptist was a pillar for the faith.  John had faith before Jesus came.  He prophesied about Jesus’ coming, faithfully.  HE BAPTIZED JESUS!  Jesus could have stopped the work of the ministry because he felt sad for himself but He didn’t…and neither should we.  Press on through trials, live the Christ, much to gain and nothing to lose.

Romans 5:3-5
3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

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Let me just vent for just a minute…if you would be so kind and let me!  I am sick and tired of pathetic, week and disgusting so called Christians who have no passion for the Gospel.  I’m not perfect but when did become OK not to stand up for our our savior  who took the cross so that we could have eternal life and purpose?  I meet Christians all the time that would rather skirt the issues of the Gospel rather than telling people that their beliefs are wrong in fear of not being tolerant.  We need a new brand of Christians not fearing man but fearing God!  Gone are the days of lackluster faith and wimpy Christians.  Now is the time to rise up and live according to the Word not man.  Life with purpose and understanding that when we go with the Gospel, we go with the power of God.  Who will stand with me?  Who will go for broke?

Here are some practical ways to share your faith:

1. Pray for daily opportunities and that God uses you to reach the lost. -  Treat every day as though it were your last opportunity to share Christ.
2. Be ready to answer questions about Jesus show them the hope that is within you. – “The mind of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning and persuasiveness to his lips.” -Proverbs 16:23 (AMP)
3. Find the “hot spots” and go there regularly. Don’t wait for sinners to approach you; go to them. – “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” -Mark 16:15 (NASB)
4. Use any anxiety as a catalyst to drive you to prayer and trust in God. One of the biggest fears of man is the unknown.  Don’t let Satan trick you into a lifestyle of fear rather harness the fear into motivation for the Gospel. – “in no way alarmed by your opponents–which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.” -Philippians 1:28 (NASB)
5. Encourage others into the task of evangelism. – don’t wait for the hired guns at your church to lead the charge.  Make difference now.

Do you know Jesus?  Learn More

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