Just got home from Kids Camp.
What an amazing 4 days hanging out with 8-12 year olds and watching God do amazing things in their lives.
One of the boys in my cabin taught me a huge lesson about expectations.
The other night during the altar time after service, he walked up to me crying and said, "Pastor Joe can you pray for me?"
I said sure, what for? He replied through his tears, "I don't know?"
Moments later as I simply prayed with this little guy, he began to be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
For those of you doubting, yes God still baptizes people in the Holy Spirit and yes tongues in a real experience. (See Acts 2:4, 1 Corinthians 12:4-10, 28)
Anyway, as I was texting this little guys mom to let her know what her son had just experienced, she replied to my text by stating, "He went to camp on a mission. Before he left he said, Mom, camp is not just about the lake, water slides and fun, Camp is about getting closer to God."
Here's my thought, how often do we expect God to do something in us?
Tomorrow is Sunday, are you going to church out of habit or because you are expecting God to do something great in you?
What are your expectations?
Let's go to church tomorrow, expecting God to move and meet us there!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
10 Hard Questions
Getting ready to take some kids to Kids Camp. Thought I would clear out some of the e-mails still riding along in my Blackberry. As I was clearing them out I ran across this blog post from Perry Noble earlier this month. It was too good to read and delete, so I decided to share it with my blog readers.
One thing before you read Perry's post. Don't just read it, but find a way today to apply it to your life!
Perry Noble: 10 Hard Questions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Hard Questions
Posted: 03 Jun 2010 04:54 AM PDT
Too many times we believe that being busy is equal to being godly…when the Bible says quite the opposite.
Psalm 46:10 SLAYS me every time I read it…CONVICTED!
David said in Psalm 23 that the Lord makes him lie down in green pastures and leads him beside still waters.
The LONGEST, most detailed command in the 10 commandments is the one on rest.
Yet, all of us…especially those in the ministry…wrestle with this. One of our MAIN temptations is being busy…here are a few questions we can wrestle through to see how busy those of us in ministry are…
#1 – How many times a day do you check your email? Is there really any reason to check it as often as we do?
#2 – How many times a day do you check twitter?
#3 – How many times a day do you check your facebook page?
#4 – When you go home to do spend time with your family…or merely “tweet” about how you are spending time with your family?
#5 – Do you tell your kids you are too busy to go to their game…but then go to the game of the church members kid so you don’t get into hot water with them? (BTW…good luck explaining that one to your kids in 20 years!)
#6 – Do you have a time during the day when you turn off your cell phone so that you can uninterrupted study time, prayer time and time with your spouse?
#7 – Do you always have to have noise around you…such as do you always have to have the radio on in the car OR the TV on at home, even if you are not listening to/watching it?
#8 – How much time do you spend commenting on blogs and social media sites? (honestly, don’t know too many certified blog commenters that are actually changing the world!)
#9 – Are you accessible at any time of the day by anyone who needs you? (LOTS of pastors LOVE to make this claim…usually at the expense of their family and their own walk with God. If you want to walk with Jesus you can’t do it by always having a crowd around…you’ve got to have some time set aside.)
#10 – Are you willing to make the adjustments that you need to make based on the nine questions above? If not then you are most likely addicted to noise and being busy…which looks good to others but absolutely destroys our walk with God.
PSALM 46:10!
ONE MORE THING…this is absolutely the most convicting blog post I’ve ever written…He’s PRESSING into me to make some major adjustments in regards to the noise in my life, would appreciate your prayers as I try my best to fully obey Him.
Good stuff courtesy of Perry Noble. Leave a comment and let me know what you thought.
Well I'm off to Kids Camp!
One thing before you read Perry's post. Don't just read it, but find a way today to apply it to your life!
Perry Noble: 10 Hard Questions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Hard Questions
Posted: 03 Jun 2010 04:54 AM PDT
Too many times we believe that being busy is equal to being godly…when the Bible says quite the opposite.
Psalm 46:10 SLAYS me every time I read it…CONVICTED!
David said in Psalm 23 that the Lord makes him lie down in green pastures and leads him beside still waters.
The LONGEST, most detailed command in the 10 commandments is the one on rest.
Yet, all of us…especially those in the ministry…wrestle with this. One of our MAIN temptations is being busy…here are a few questions we can wrestle through to see how busy those of us in ministry are…
#1 – How many times a day do you check your email? Is there really any reason to check it as often as we do?
#2 – How many times a day do you check twitter?
#3 – How many times a day do you check your facebook page?
#4 – When you go home to do spend time with your family…or merely “tweet” about how you are spending time with your family?
#5 – Do you tell your kids you are too busy to go to their game…but then go to the game of the church members kid so you don’t get into hot water with them? (BTW…good luck explaining that one to your kids in 20 years!)
#6 – Do you have a time during the day when you turn off your cell phone so that you can uninterrupted study time, prayer time and time with your spouse?
#7 – Do you always have to have noise around you…such as do you always have to have the radio on in the car OR the TV on at home, even if you are not listening to/watching it?
#8 – How much time do you spend commenting on blogs and social media sites? (honestly, don’t know too many certified blog commenters that are actually changing the world!)
#9 – Are you accessible at any time of the day by anyone who needs you? (LOTS of pastors LOVE to make this claim…usually at the expense of their family and their own walk with God. If you want to walk with Jesus you can’t do it by always having a crowd around…you’ve got to have some time set aside.)
#10 – Are you willing to make the adjustments that you need to make based on the nine questions above? If not then you are most likely addicted to noise and being busy…which looks good to others but absolutely destroys our walk with God.
PSALM 46:10!
ONE MORE THING…this is absolutely the most convicting blog post I’ve ever written…He’s PRESSING into me to make some major adjustments in regards to the noise in my life, would appreciate your prayers as I try my best to fully obey Him.
Good stuff courtesy of Perry Noble. Leave a comment and let me know what you thought.
Well I'm off to Kids Camp!
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