Summer Break and Re-launch

I need a few weeks off for rest, renewal and rejuvenation!  So I’m not posting anything until Monday, July 19^th – unless God stirs something in me that I want to share with you before then.

On Monday, August 3rd, I’m planning to re-launch this blog around our process of discipleship at Sugar Hill Church:  Love, Grow and Serve.  More on that later.

How do I express this adequately?  August 16^th is coming!  I’m asking God for a major outpouring of His Spirit like I’ve never seen or known.  I need to intentionally focus on God, hearing from God and obeying God.  Will you pray for me and with me?  I need you to help me.

I’m so fired up about what I see God doing that I want the world to know of Jesus and His miraculous power.  Frankly, some days I think about giving in and becoming a freaking lunatic for the glory of God.  I watch some guys who are so passionate about Jesus that most people think they are crazy…  And deep in my soul – I want to be one of those types of people – who love God and doesn’t care one rip about what other people think about it.

I’m not there…  I like to be liked.  I sometimes care too much about what others think, instead of what Jesus thinks.  God help me!

Here’s a few random thoughts as I go on summer break for sermon sabbatical writing and vacation:

*I’m more in love with Jesus than ever before.

*I’m more in love with my wife and committed to my family than ever before.  It seems like something in the news each week reminds me that we are all ½ of a step away from doing something stupid at any given moment.  Just read the news – from politicians, educators and pastor types – people are making stupid choices that violate the trust of the people they serve.

*I’m so aware of my humanity that it scares me.  Please pray for me that my life would be pleasing to my Lord and Savior, my commander and chief – Jesus Christ.  And join me in praying that God would out of His mercy – strike me dead, before I would defile the holiness of His name.

*I believe we are in the last days…. I don’t know what that means.  I’m not a prophet but I do believe Jesus could and probably will come in my lifetime.  Since that’s what I believe then I have to ask:  what would I change about what I’m doing right now and in how I’m leading our church?

Frankly, read the prophets in the Old Testament – there was very little that was clean and comfortable about their message.  In the New Testament the message of John the Baptist and Peter, who preached the first sermon to launch the church, was REPENT!

*We’ve fashioned a faith that is comfortable.  But not much of the message of Jesus is really comfortable.  To follow Him means to change, to sacrifice, to focus on others and less on self.

*God is not some benevolent God who is absent of judgment.  Sin grieves God.  I sin, you sin, we sin and that distances us from a Holy God.

*We excuse too much based on our culture of tolerance.

The Bible says, Judgment begins in the house of God.  In Malachi, he took the offerings of the priests and people and split it open and smeared the dung of the animal sacrifices in their face to say how deplorable their worship to Him was.  I don’t care who you are – that sounds serious!  God help us.

So God is stirring something within me – I don’t understand it all.  I’m listening, praying and looking forward to a break and then returning to re-set the culture of our church in a series called VIBE – coming July 26^th!

In August, I’ll invite people to follow me on Twitter – its nothing more than a tool to engage people in a conversation about “growing” in Christ.  Our time is short – let’s do everything we can to invite people on the journey with us as we grow to become more like Jesus.

Sugar Hill Church:  I really love you. I have a sense of destiny about Sugar Hill Church.  I’m privileged to serve God and you through our local church.

Thanks for partnering with me.

See you soon!