The Happiest People on Earth (Evangelism Part 2)

As I work as A substance abuse couselor I often come across men who are estranged from their wives or girlfriends. Once they become sober they want their significant others back quickly. It doesn't usually happen. One piece of advice I always give is for the person to make his life as attractive as possible. I will ask 'Why would your significant other want you back if you are sober but miserable?' I've been thinking about these conversations in terms of evangelism and the church. What happens when the people of God are 'witnessing' but are personally miserable? I think too often we may worry too much about what to say to non-believers while neglecting to make our lives and lifestyle as attractive as possible. One day I went into work and one of my co-workers said, 'I've been watching you. You're not as happy as you used to be.' It struck me at that moment that most of my preaching was being done at work without any words being spoken. The next morning I was just as grumpy as I ever, but in my morning prayer time with my daughter I prayed that the 'joy of the Lord would be our strength' and that our joy would affect the people around us. At least 3 people made comments about my joy that day.

Demos Shakarian, the founder of Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship wrote a book called the 'Happiest People on Earth.' I don't remember much from it except for the idea that because of what Christ has done for us we should be the happiest people on earth. What if for an entire day I did not think about myself, my failings, my bills, my fears, my worries, my past mistakes, my future hopes, but simply focused on the love? What would happen if I spent the day medatiting on the passionate, pursuing, reckless love of God? What if I allowed myself to really accept how much my Father in heaven loves and delights in me? I would be one the happiest people on earth and the people around me would want what I have.

Believing God

Matthew 7.7. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." (NASV, 1995 Update)

John 14.13. "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.'(NASV, 1995 Update)

Mark 11.24. "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be {granted} you.'(NASV, 1995 Update)

I was reading these scriptures this morning as part of a Beth Moore Bible Study. (Yes, I'm a guy doing a women's Bible Study. I am not ashamed because its POWERFUL!) As I was reading the scriptures as well as how God worked powerfully in the life of George Muller who chose to believe them, it dawned on me how much I pray and how little I may reflect back on what I have prayed. I look through my journal and I see prayers that I prayed a while ago which have been answered. It wasn't until I looked back and saw the prayers that I could see how God had answered them. Most of my prayers I don't write down but come through the hurry of the day. Mnay of them I even forget. What if I were to dramatically decrease how many things I pray for and focus on the things I really want to believe for? Life is filled with so much hurry. Prayer should never be hurried (except when that car is going the wrong way on the highway and headed straight for you.) Dear Lord Jesus, please help me to ask less but believe more. Please help me be attentive to what I have prayed and show me scriptures to guide my prayers. Thank you Jesus for the love you show in answering our prayers and the joy that comes when it happens.

Is the devil winning the media war?

I recently saw a blog hat stated: Why are Christians so afraid to share their faith? (or something to that effect) It made me question why I am hesitant to share my faith. I often wait a long time before sharing with new people that I am a christian. One reason is that I worry that I will immediately be considered judgmental and critical. My opinion of most christians is that they are judgmental and critical. However, the reality of my experience is that since I met the Lord in England I have met many incredible christians who are extremely loving and kind. So why do I think most christians aren't like that. TV and Media. Drama and news stories. How many tv shows are there where Christians are portrayed in a positive sense? How many news reports are there that tell of the many incredible acts of love and kindness that christians are constantly performing outside the spotlight? Its time I stop agreeing with media portrayals of christians. Its time I stop so quickly verbally consenting to such opinions and tell the world of the joy that Jesus has brought to my heart and the incredibly family I have found in the body of Christ all over the world.

The death of Mr. Me

Man of God once told me that God won't entrust something to me until He can trust it through me.

I so desperately want more of God. I hunger to move in power, to see the sick healed and the lost saved and those held in bondage delivered. Yet, I'm often despicably lazy and self-centered.
At times he's called me to step out and pray for people but I've been too afraid of men. At times He's called me to pray but I was too caught up in myself to see the need in another or to hear His sweet voice calling me. It really comes down to the question of whether or not I'm willing to die to self that He might have my all. John the Baptizer cried out, 'Lord, you must increase and I must decrease.' and what happened next? He gets imprisoned and then has his head cut off? Am I willing to do the same? Do I really want to love and serve people or do I want the glorified life of a minister in the public eye?

So many questions... the bottom line is that God neeeds to do a major work on my character. I have so far to go. I want to cry as Paul cried out, 'I am crucified to the world and the world crucified to me.' Please Lord Jesus do such a work in me!

Enjoying Him in the Here and Now

'Delight yourself in the Lord.' (Psalm 37.4)

About a week ago I went to a training for work which was down by the shore. I skipped lunch and spent the break with Lord. I was hit the revelation of just how much I was not enjoying my life. Instead I've spent much of the past year angry and frustrated with myself for being where I think I should be spiritually and worrying about how I'm going to get there. I've also been rehearsing the mistakes of the past, mourning what I believe they have cost. Instead of enjoyinh my quiet times with Him, I've stretched and strained to hear from him or rushed through to learn new things. One tragedy of living this way is that the critic inside me didn't just point its crooked finger at myself but also those closest to me.

It really hit me that this was not how He wants me to live. It hit me how all my thoughts have been about me striving to do and be, rather than abiding in His love and allowing Him to do in me and through me.

Jesus saved me to live life to the full. Life to the full is not about fretting and worrying, but about believing Him.... That He is who He says He is and that He will do what He has promised and it is not about me.

I've been a fool to be honest. I've missed a year of intimacy with my King and the lover of my soul. I've missed out on a lot of fun with daughter and my wife because I've just been too intense. I've missed out on a lot.

To delight in the Lord means to enjoy Him and enjoy him radically and passionately. When one delights in Him it doesn't matter what the future holds because the present beauty of beholding Him is more than enough. Delighting in Him means to appreciate and enjoy the life He has crafted for you. By treasuing and enjoying my time with Morgan and Michele I'm delighting in Him.

I'm on a new mission to enjoy Jesus in the here and now and let him plan and craft the future. He's forgotten the past and its about time I do as well. There is so much joy in abiding in His love and living and walking with Him. I don't ever want to lose this joy. It's also the best witnessing tool I've come across yet because its so real.

A few years ago I read a book by John Piper. His main statement in the book was that the 'chief end of man was to love God by enjoying Him forever.' I think I finally understand what he was talking about!

Coming soon.... So it begins.

Dear Lord Jesus, I'm so hungry for more of you. I'm desperate to be who you created me to be. I want to know you so much deeper... the depth of your love and the depth of your suffering for me. Please take me there and speak truth and life in my innermost being. In Jesus name. Amen.

Hello, to everyone who is joining me on this journey. I invite you to share your thoughts and your hearts. I don't claim to be much of anything spiritually other than someone who is hungry for more of Jesus and tired of easy Christianity. I can't promise that everything I write will be true or scripturally accurate but it will be real and honest. I also can't promise I'll have much time to proofread!

Please pray for me that I can be all He has made me to be and to know Him and be known by Him in the most intimate way. I shall pray the same for you.

In His love,
Paul