Innovation not Limitation

April 28, 2010- Last night I was roused from my recreational TV watching by my wife in the other room. She has been reading the book IT by Craig Groeschel. The reason she yelled for me was there is a section in the book that she knew I would find very relevant for my life(what a great wife I have). Anyway, the passage in the book was talking about the old adage, "What God guides, He provides". Now many of us in ministry hold fast to that saying, if for no other reason, it increases faith. But what was so interesting was that Craig said that he and his staff had come up with another angle of approach to that saying. Here it is. "Sometimes God guides by what He doesn't provide". WHAT? Yep. Look at Acts 3:1-6 1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
What if Peter would have had money to give the man? We don't know the outcome, but what if? However, when Peter wasn't able to give the man what he wanted, he was able to give him what he needed. What are you facing? Lack of finance? Closed doors? What wall are you facing that seems is too tough to get around? Maybe God is trying to show you something. Maybe He has not a natural solution, but a SUPERNATURAL one. Here's the quote that rocked my world. "Your greatest innovation might come through your greatest limitation". Wow! Just a thought.

Wheat

April 15, 2010- One of the biggest struggles I've had in Christianity has been the fact that everything isn't cut and dry. What I mean is when we do good, we don't always get good in return. Many times we are taught that(be a good person, and everything will be alright). The problem with that frame of mind is... the Bible!!!! You see we can be having our absolute best day ever, and our worst day ever, all in the same day. In Matthew 13 there is a parable about the wheat and the tares. Matthew 13:24-30
24Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'

28" 'An enemy did this,' he replied.
"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'

29" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' "

Check this out; the man sowed GOOD SEED! Then while his men were sleeping the enemy came in and imitated the harvest by planting weeds among the crop. There is nothing wrong with rest. We all need rest. But the when the bad comes up in the good, it's not because we were resting, it's because the enemy has come to imitate God's plan and to destroy His plans for your life. Second, know that there is going to be bad days in the midst of our good days. Our problem is...we always feel the need to fix it. "What can I do, how can I fix it, Who, what, when, where can I go?" But that's not the answer. God shows us specifically what we need to do in this situation. NOTHING! What? Yes. Nothing. God says let the weeds grow up with the wheat. Then when the harvesters come, they will separate the wheat from the weeds and they will handle disposing of the bad. My prayer is that we all learn to wait on God in the midst of the bad as well as the good.

Easter

April 2, 2010- It's Good Friday! Only 2 days til Easter and it's the greatest opportunity for us to be the church. Invite someone to church this weekend. Most people who attend church now, do it because they were invited by a friend or family. They came to church, found a relationship with Christ, and now they attend regularly. So please don't miss the opportunity. And if you are in the Auburn, Al. area this weekend, come check us out here @ The City Church. We would love to share in this special time with you as we present Christ's life, death, and resurrection. You ought to come check it out. Happy Easter!!!