Messiah Culture

Day 1 - Earnestly I Seek You

O God, you are my God!

That's how David writes. Take a minute and meditate on this, even shout it if you prefer!

No matter what is going on in my life, God is always my God or better read he is always my Father.

Earnestly I seek you;

My soul thirsts for you,

My body longs for you,

in a dry and weary land

where there is no water.

This type of pursuit of God goes far beyond our circumstances. It does not hang on the conditions of our current emotional state, on whether or not I feel like exalting God. I have learned alot today from this verse.

Just this one verse can change the dynamic of our families and marketplaces. Even when we gather on Sundays at The Grove, what would our time be like if everyone came because they where earnestly seeking God? Because there soul was thirsty for God's love in a dry and weary land? 

How would this change a marriage? If both husband and wife were earnestly seeking God together. How would it transform our children? How about the lost world all around us? What if they saw a church genuine and authentically seeking God with a deep longing and thirst? 

Day 1 - Hunger for God

I appreciate all of you for committing to this 25 days of focus. Let's pursue God together and create a movement within the men of The Grove!

We will post the podcast to yesterdays message later today for the families that were traveling due to Thanksgiving.

I am reading Psalm 63 today as I seek God's heart for The Grove and my family.

If you have any thoughts you would like to add please do so here!

25 Days of Focus

The Grove is asking you to participate in our 25 days of focus.

Nehemiah wept when he heard that God's people were in reproach. Today the Church or God's people are in reproach. Nehemiah's faith led him to action. He wept and mourned, fasted and prayed. He repented for his sin and the sin of his people. That was not enough. Then he went into the hard task of rebuilding the wall and fighting the enemy every step of the way. His prayer caused him to focus on a cause, the cause of rebuilding.

I am asking you to focus with us for 25 days. May all of our men lead their families in this time. Lead them in seeking God's heart. Prayer, fasting and repentance. If you are apart of The Grove family please focus your energy on our vision to rebuild and reclaim God's heart and kingdom right here in Boone County. The enemy hates the fact that we are trying to redeem and reclaim the intent of God's heart but I need you to help fight.

There are no rules for this time of focus. All I ask is that you take it seriously. Really seek out God's heart. Fast in a manner that challenges you. As we begin to see clearly what HE desires, I hope we weep and are moved to action.

The 25 days starts November 30th and goes through December 24th.

If you desire to focus with us please respond to this post and leave a comment. Then we will know who is participating with us.

Maybe a focus time like this scares you a little, cause you have never done anything like it or never have lead your family like this. Well you can not fail my friend. Keep seeking God's heart and ask questions when you have them.

The Blog will be updated with different things to motivate us and keep us focused. Please respond to the posts and lets share our experience together!

Generation to Generation

Monday I had lunch with a local Pastor. He has been a Chaplain for Boone County for twenty some years. He has taught on a professor level for 42 years. He is connected to Greek Orthodox churches primarily. He impacted me in a great way.

So it all starts at the Chinese Buffet in Belvidere. The food was great but the conversation was better. Pastor Andrew is full of great energy and life. I look forward to continued relationship and Chinese food!

Here are a few simple take aways from my time with him:

- We both shared very similar views of the Kingdom of God. That was a fun discussion point.

- We both see current issues within the church that cause us great concern. One example that we see, Pastors at large are not taking a Sabbath. They are not resting but are actually caught up in the hype of ministry.

- Andrew asked me about The Grove. I shared the great victories we have seen but also some of the tougher stuff as well. Andrew said, "I'm not surprised, it comes with the turf. You are fighting the forces of darkness. The enemy never sleeps and he is relentless. Sometimes people leave but you must remain focused on your mission and calling."

So much was discussed, I wish I could share all of it with you. It was very cool to participate in this generation to generation pastoral discussion. Things he has dealt with over the years are things I'm facing as well. Pastor Andrew is a very interesting man and I respect him. So is Pastor Bob Kopp, I have had many life impacting discussions with him as well. I will have to write on that sometime soon.

One of the last things Andrew said to me was, "You look fit. Don't lose that in life. You will need your strength." 

That was a great thing to hear. Stay fit! Yeah cause we both know that ministry can put the pounds on ya. We eat all the time and if we are not motivated we do not move much. We sit and talk, we call people, we study at a desk. So that meant alot. I have never been motivated by an older pastor to stay fit! 

Warrior Princess Cats? by Kristi Phillips

Nuh Uh! I can to be a warrior princess cat if I want to- MOOOOOM, Kayleigh said I couldn’t be a warrior cat- This is the beginning of a conversation between myself, Grace (5 years) and Kayleigh ( 9 years). My immediate response: Sweetheart just ignore your sisters unbelief you can be anything you want to be if you believe. That my love is ALL that matters. Grace responds after a little thought, Kayleigh, I AM a warrior princess cat- and with a little added courage- MOM SAID! 

Where are all the Warrior Princess Cats? The Ladies or Gentlemen that believe they can be anything just because the voice of the one who loves them- SAID SO! 

Somewhere between the life of make believe and the fantastic dreams of a childlike spirit that believes just because, we grow up, we become adults. Why????? Sometimes it is the harsh realities of this broken world that confronts us with darkness. A world that knocks on our door of belief and attempts to shatter any hopes of life or destiny. Sometimes it is the people in our lives that refuse to believe and want us to join them in “the Real world” experience. Sometimes it is the ghost of past mistakes or our own scarlet letters that place us in a frozen state with hearts that are covered in guilt, shame and unforgiveness. Maybe, we have been disappointed so many times in life that we simply just quit trying and say, “forget it dreaming and believing is just not worth it”.  Have you ever been that person screaming out amidst the tears, “ I CAN TO BE A WARRIOR PRINCESS CAT”.

What is it that is keeping you from being, becoming, believing? For me it has become all the other voices in my life telling me I cant or that I need to be what they want me to be or its just impossible it will never happen. So here is my response:

I CAN BECAUSE HE SAID I CAN! I have a faith in someone greater than myself that if he says I can, I can. I choose to believe and stand on the voice of the one calling me toward Truth! Truth, that despite my past mistakes or scarlet letters, I am a new creation in Him. Truth, that although this world may be dark and full of unbelief, He brought me into the kingdom of His Son that is the LIGHT of the world. Truth, although others may try to shatter hopes and destiny, He knows the plans He holds for me and He is the hope and destiny of my life. Truth, “real world experiences” do not apply to me because, He is able to do more than we could ever think or imagine. The Bottom Line Truth of the matter is: I am Loved beyond measure by one who could never and would never stop loving me and is always calling me to Higher Places.

So hear me calling to you today: in the midst of your storm of unbelief, in the shadows of your failure, in the endless tirade of the nagging voices in your life telling you that you cant, in the quiet places of your soul that somewhere along the way grew up -

RISE UP WARRIOR - YOU ARE BECAUSE YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN SAID SO!

The Plot to Kill - Revised

One day Jesus looked at the religious leaders with anger and he was deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts. They were plotting to kill him and he knew it. You know what they were looking for? To see if he would heal a person or not. All because they thought it was wrong to do so on a particular day.

Jesus said, "Stretch out your hand." The man stretched out his shriveled arm and it was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out to plot how they might kill Jesus.

Jesus chose to heal the man and rebuke the religious. May we do the same. Let's heal the sick and the broken downs of this world. Let's continue to be ourselves and let the world know they are welcome to experience this love at any given moment. Including the religious who seem out to plot and kill the good.

What breaks my heart in all of this is the fact that the religious can change at any moment. They can humble themselves and agree with Jesus. They can stop at any time, the plot to kill him and his kingdom.

I think they knew that, there had to have been that still small voice in their hearts tugging away from deep within. He really is the Son of God, listen to him. Follow him, for he leads to life. But to stubborn in their pride they resist the inner voice and move on with their plotting.

So what is the response of Jesus? He went right along to the next town and ministered to many people. He continued in his authentic approach of saving, healing and freeing those who desired it. He desired to see even more people completely restored.

The enemy is always plotting to kill Jesus and his kingdom. And sometimes the best weapon of war is to continue right on doing what God desires to be done and that is helping people move from darkness to light! Let's be careful to keep our hearts focused on what matters. Jesus did that very well. He was making all kinds of people upset but he knew his mission and lived in a very fierce kinda uncompromising way. 

His very life was confronting, to those who plot to kill, but what did he say to them on the cross? Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.

I pray that The Grove takes on this same heart of our Messiah. Be fierce in everything. Be focused on our mission together. And let's love everyone, including those who seek to plot and kill. Cause in the end maybe they really don't know what they are doing. Maybe they are so broken and hurt but they can not see it.

These thoughts come from Mark 3.

My Heart

I will revise my last blog post A Plot to Kill.

My heart is not to offend people but to expose the enemy and his force of darkness.

My motives need to be revised! If you know what I mean. If I offended you, I'm sorry. I did not sit down and write to offend anyone. So I will repost it later and with a more clearly focused intent!

Thanks to my two friends who were courageous enough to call me on it! I humbly apologize.

Peace.

If The Salt Loses Its Saltiness

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. Mt 5.13

Basically this is asking the question if you are still effective to advance the Kingdom that Jesus established. The Kingdom that advances by the power of the Holy Spirit in our modern day culture. I define the Kingdom of heaven very simply, its the ruling and reigning of God in the hearts of men. Not a realm but a ruling. Is Christ ruling you? If so, you will be like salt and light to this dark world. You will enhance and illuminate, sometimes you will sting and the light will be to much to bear.

Sometime salt is good to enhance food or to preserve it. But it can also sting. Light is great and it illuminates the way but it can also cause shock to your eyes. Being salt and light can be refreshing to some but a complete irritation to others.

You might even get persecuted for being salt and light.

The verse right before the one we are discussing says...

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Mt. 5.11-12

So the one who initiated the Kingdom is coaching us here on what it will be like for us, those who are following him. We will be persecuted, insulted, falsely spoken of because of Him. 

He tells us to rejoice when this happens. I have learned to take it as confirmation. When I am being persecuted, I'm on the right track!

But heed the warning. If you lose your saltiness, basically your no longer good for anything. Of course there is forgiveness. But you must repent and return to his will and abandon yours.

Think about it.

Have you sold out to the organization and left his will behind? Have you given into the bureaucratic red tape? How about the good old boys club?

Have you been purchased buy the institution and to stand for His kingdom 

is now impossible?

Christ does not care about our denominations. 

Many of our denominations triumph His kingdom.

Have you lost your saltiness? To anything? 

If you have you are currently worth nothing to His kingdom.

If so, it is time to seriously repent and get it right. 

Walk in humility and return to being effective again.

Have you sold out to anything and because of it you have lost your authenticity?

I'm not for sale and never will be. 

I belong to the one who redeemed me, his name is Messiah.