2010: The Year We Make Contact
When I was twelve years old a movie came out called 2010: The Year We Make Contact, and although I’ve never seen the film, I keep finding myself thinking about its title as we approach the literal 2010. The year we make contact—I like that. And I want that to be the theme of my life in this New Year. I want to come into contact with some of God’s purposes that I’ve heretofore missed out on. I want to experience greater boldness in witness and ministry. I want to contact the Lord’s presence in ways that I’ve never experienced before. Do you remember in John 1:47 when Jesus first met Nathaniel and instantly shared with him some God-given insights about the state of Nathaniel’s heart? Nathaniel was so undone that he exclaimed, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." And Jesus replied by saying, "You will see greater things than these. Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." I want that to be our collective testimony this year. I want us to see "greater things" than what we’ve ever seen before! Don’t you? Would you join me in making that our focused, unified prayer for 2010 and beyond?
Monday, December 28, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Elisha Moments
"Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (2 Kings 6:17). When was the last time you had an Elisha moment, when the veil in the spiritual realm was pulled back and you saw things in your life more clearly than you’ve ever seen them before? When was the last time you saw the reality of the spiritual battle that was raging all around you, and you saw the incomparable strength of the Lord and His angelic armies? I’ve been praying that you and I would have one of these moments as we go into 2010; I’ve been praying, as the Apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17 that "the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe." As we move into 2010 let’s ask and seek for these encounters, so that we can say with Elisha, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (2 Kings 6:16).
"Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (2 Kings 6:17). When was the last time you had an Elisha moment, when the veil in the spiritual realm was pulled back and you saw things in your life more clearly than you’ve ever seen them before? When was the last time you saw the reality of the spiritual battle that was raging all around you, and you saw the incomparable strength of the Lord and His angelic armies? I’ve been praying that you and I would have one of these moments as we go into 2010; I’ve been praying, as the Apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17 that "the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe." As we move into 2010 let’s ask and seek for these encounters, so that we can say with Elisha, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (2 Kings 6:16).
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Love
On our third Sunday of Advent, we paused to consider the most amazing of all topics, the topic of love. Before his death, Jessica’s grandfather was known to say, "Whatever is not conceived and carried out in love will surely fail." Aren’t those profound words? It reminds me of a verse from the book of Proverbs where the writer says to his son, "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man" (Proverbs 3:3). Both this proverb writer and Jess’ grandfather were saying essentially the same thing: "Keep loving, remain faithful, and success will take care of itself." The Apostle Paul said it this way, "Love never fails." If love never fails, then victory must be guaranteed whenever we conceive and carry out our tasks from a place of authentic love. To live up to these words would probably be a good New Year’s resolution for most of us (it certainly would be for me). And doing so should be within our reach, since love is the natural byproduct of a genuine, Christian life. Even as we reflect on Christ’s amazing love for us, let’s commit to funneling that same love into the world around us in 2010 and beyond.
On our third Sunday of Advent, we paused to consider the most amazing of all topics, the topic of love. Before his death, Jessica’s grandfather was known to say, "Whatever is not conceived and carried out in love will surely fail." Aren’t those profound words? It reminds me of a verse from the book of Proverbs where the writer says to his son, "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man" (Proverbs 3:3). Both this proverb writer and Jess’ grandfather were saying essentially the same thing: "Keep loving, remain faithful, and success will take care of itself." The Apostle Paul said it this way, "Love never fails." If love never fails, then victory must be guaranteed whenever we conceive and carry out our tasks from a place of authentic love. To live up to these words would probably be a good New Year’s resolution for most of us (it certainly would be for me). And doing so should be within our reach, since love is the natural byproduct of a genuine, Christian life. Even as we reflect on Christ’s amazing love for us, let’s commit to funneling that same love into the world around us in 2010 and beyond.
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Best You’ll Always See
Recently, upon watching Kobe Bryant artfully complete an improbable jump shot, a commentator exclaimed, "Folks, that's the best you'll ever see." And then his partner jumped in to add, "And folks, that's the best you'll ALWAYS see with him." When I heard those words they ignited something deep inside me, and I thought, "I want that to be MY living epitaph." I want my best life to be the life that those around me consistently see. I don't want to occasionally touch my true potential, I want to offer God, my loved ones, and the world around me the best service that I possibly can. Don’t you want to do that, too? Anyone can periodically come through in the clutch, but to be a person of excellence that consistently pays the price to function at their optimum level in the key areas of their life, is a rare thing. The Apostle Paul calls us to this rarity when he says in Colossians 3:23, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" (Colossians 3:17, NIV). Jim Eliot, martyred missionary to Ecuador, echoed this sentiment when he said, "Wherever you are, be all there. Live every experience to the hilt for the glory of God."
Recently, upon watching Kobe Bryant artfully complete an improbable jump shot, a commentator exclaimed, "Folks, that's the best you'll ever see." And then his partner jumped in to add, "And folks, that's the best you'll ALWAYS see with him." When I heard those words they ignited something deep inside me, and I thought, "I want that to be MY living epitaph." I want my best life to be the life that those around me consistently see. I don't want to occasionally touch my true potential, I want to offer God, my loved ones, and the world around me the best service that I possibly can. Don’t you want to do that, too? Anyone can periodically come through in the clutch, but to be a person of excellence that consistently pays the price to function at their optimum level in the key areas of their life, is a rare thing. The Apostle Paul calls us to this rarity when he says in Colossians 3:23, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" (Colossians 3:17, NIV). Jim Eliot, martyred missionary to Ecuador, echoed this sentiment when he said, "Wherever you are, be all there. Live every experience to the hilt for the glory of God."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
