Today is Heavens birthday… I pray for her while she sleeps, knowing how excited she gets about birthdays… that she will wake up and have the day of her life. Father God, I pray a blessing over my children right now… asking you to place your hands on their heads while they sleep… speak to them in dreams… and when they wake speak to them with your Spirit. I pray for them to KNOW your voice and KNOW your direction for their lives… that they would not live in confusion. May they both continue to serve you with all their hearts as they step over the threshold into adulthood. I entrust them into your hands and I have great confidence in your ability to KEEP them on the path of righteousness!

As I pray this morning, I pray for tomorrow nights Bethel Harvest Youth Camp… I want the night session to be unprecedented… that worship would produce a glimpse of eternity and my message would birth a MOVEMENT in the hearts of those young adults! I still remember the prophecy spoken over my life by Prophet Ed Traut of South Africa… and I pray that maybe tomorrow night would be the beginning of that greater effectiveness among our young! I pray that my heart will be more attuned to Gods voice than usual… and that I would be able to SEE what EYES cannot see… that I would be able to CALL THEM OUT just like Jesus called his 12… that they too would CARRY SOMETHING away from tomorrow nights meeting… something that would STILL BE BURNING 2000 years from tomorrow, should the earth remain!

Todays Inspirational message: Our Founding Manifesto!

Mark 16:15-18 He said to them, “Go into all the world and PREACH THE GOOD NEWS to all creation. 16WHOEVER BELIEVES and is baptized WILL BE SAVED, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And THESE SIGNS will accompany those who believe: In my name THEY will drive out demons; THEY will speak in new tongues; THEY will pick up snakes with their hands; and when THEY drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; THEY will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

A few weeks ago, Emily and I were talking about life and ministry and she said something that triggered a new wave of thoughts… a wave I’m still riding today. Here’s what Emily Said, “Most people are bored with Christianity because we are not DOING the right things with our faith.” She commented about the JOY of leading unbelievers to Christ… and how Jesus had left his church with the task of EVANGELIZING the lost world. Emily said she believes there is something inside of EVERY believer that LONGS for SPIRITUAL REPRODUCTION!

We talked about how so many Christians want EXPERIENCES without RESPONSIBILITY. Todays RADICAL church seems to desire more and more SPIRITUAL ENCOUNTERS… while most of us have done very little over the past decade or more to convert the lost. I guess this brings up the question… what is the mission of the church?

Jesus started a MOVEMENT… and over the course of 2000 years, humanity has taken HIS MOVEMENT and turned it into a RELIGION. I believe God longs for this modern church to REDISCOVER OUR FOUNDING MANIFESTO… and REIGNITE OUR DORMANT MOVEMENT!

Our mission SHOULD be the very same mission of Jesus… the very same mission Jesus passed on to his disciples. Jesus told the whole world EXACTLY WHY HE WAS HERE:

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to SEEK and SAVE those who are LOST.

1 John 3:8 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For THIS PURPOSE the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Herein is contained the church’s FOUNDING MANIFESTO: That we too would CONTINUE what Jesus began! That we would be BAPTIZED WITH THE GREAT COMMISSION… and BOLDNESS TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS TO ALL CREATION! That we too would DESTROY the activities of the devil in our 21st century world!

The people of todays world need to be RESCUED from godlessness. They long for us to REACH them! So many of them WANT TO BELIEVE. They wait for us to shed off our selfish version of Christianity where the entire focus is on the SPIRITUAL ENCOUNTER we’re having instead of the ETERNAL LIFE we’re giving away.

I realize that this blog is incomplete in so many ways and it’s very preachy… I just felt inspired to lay some of my raw and unedited thoughts out there for you guys to consider. Please take a few minutes to think about the meaning of life today… think about how short life is… think about eternity… think about the great big world and all the people who don’t yet have the pleasure of knowing Christ like you do… think about your own boredom with todays Christianity… and how much more LIVELY this whole thing can become IF we were to reenlist in the GREATEST COMMISSION EVER!

I pray that todays blog triggers thoughts that add tremendous value to your amazing lives! We are the salt of the earth… a city set on a hill! Let’s shine out… all day long! God bless you guys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDsQkRM8RsE

Today is the 18th birthday of my BABY BOY! Coree is such a delight… well, most of the time that is! At 18, he still has a young heart and he’s one of the funniest people I know!

About a year ago, youth Pastor Nathan Bain told Coree and Heaven this redneck game he used to play when he was a kid. It’s called possum stompin… ever heard of it? So, ever since then… Coree and Heaven and some of their friends drive down a bunch of our gravel country roads at nights from time to time looking for possums.

The goal is to find one trying to cross the road… stop the vehicle, get out, kick the possum, get back in the vehicle and drive away… with the bragging rights! (Please don’t turn us in to the animal rights people… we’re talking about an innocent little kick here you guys!)

Until a few days ago… they have not found a possum in more than a year of diligent searching! Coree and Lucas Wade were driving home from the gym on Sunday evening and there it was!!! A four legged furry creature was in the middle of the road! So Coree nailed the brakes, put the truck in park, and he and Lucas jumped out to go stomp their first possum! Coree didnt have his contact lenses in that night… bad boy!

As they ran around front to the headlights… Coree and Lucas had their feet back ready to kick, until Lucas YELLED to Coree, “NO, NO, Coree DON’T, It’s a SKUNK!” The only thing that would have made this story more funny would have been if the skunk had sprayed them! Unfortunately, it did not… and poor Luke and Coree and a few of their friends are still waiting for that glorious day they successfully administer their first stompin! And Emily and I are left with another laugh and the pleasure of having a son that loves the simple things in life! Happy Birthday Coree… we are so blessed to call you our son!

Ok, on the preachy side of things… from the stats, it looks like you guys loved yesterdays video! So, I’m going to include another one in todays blog. I hope it also adds tremendous value to your amazing lives! 

In todays video, I’m expounding on one of my 30+ Thoughts on Effective Evangelism, taught on this past Sunday night: “The FAITH that a person needs to be saved is contained within the message about salvation.” Great thought… I think you’re gonna LOVE it!

Enjoy the video and leave your beautiful comments! Oh… and have a super day!

Tootaloooo everyone!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7C5EkGrGQI

I’m at the hospital again this morning, this time at UVA sitting with Kevin Myers while his AMAZING wife Pam undergoes a very successful triple bypass surgery! Pam is a regular commenter on this blogsite and a BEAUTIFUL Lady! Maybe you can say a prayer for Pam this morning.

As promised… drum role please… rumble, rumble, rumble… here’s the first of a few video clips from “30+ Thoughts on Effective Evangelism” we will be posting over the next few days. The teaching happened on Sunday night at White Hill Church of the Brethren… I hope you enjoy! Please post your comments… and have a most triumphant day! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiJvcSG6vts

Guess what?? We’re going to be adding a few video clips from my recent teaching “30+ Thoughts on Effective Evangelism.” Look for these clips on this blog site over the next few days!

Today’s thought deals with the subject of self control and learning to ENTRUST our lives into the loving hands of God in all life’s circumstances. Too often, we take matters into our own hands and really make a mess of things! Maybe this blog will help… 

James 1:19-20 “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

Quick to listen… Slow to speak

• Because things are not usually as they first appear… don’t speak from misinformation.
• Listening is an act of respecting others… and a sure sign of wisdom.
• Wise people use less words and last words.
• Being the last person to speak positions you to be the most informed speaker.
• When possible, always talk to God before responding to people.
• When speaking in your own defense, don’t speak unless prompted by the Holy Spirit.
• Even perfect words can be misinterpreted… many times; silence is more powerful than a mighty argument.
• Silence gives God a chance to do the impossible.

Slow to become angry

• Anger is a manifestation of fear.
• Fear is an antonym for faith.
• Anger is mans way of responding to adverse circumstances in his humanity.
• Anger is not a God approved method for handling adverse circumstances.
• Victory obtained through anger is not really a victory.
• Anger manipulates people and circumstances… and never brings the kind of lasting victory God has for his children.

A person who is quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry… is a person who has learned to trust that God is bigger than people… and that life works out best when left in God’s hands. God loves, God is merciful, God is just… and God is ABLE to work ALL THINGS OUT FOR OUR GOOD AND HIS GLORY! 

Today’s blog is written from a lifetime of painful experience… it’s comes from the chronicles of this bloggers decades at the school of hard knocks! I pray it adds tremendous value to your amazing lives! We love you and we thank God for you… tootaloo!