How many of God's people struggle with a consistent vibrant devotional life? The most given reason that I have heard is the lack of TIME. Here is the deal friends. We all get the same 24 hours in a day. How are you spending your 24? I was reading a blog recently and picked up some math that will help you take the plunge into an early vibrant devotion time with the Lord.
GO TO BED!!!
Do the math. Every one's numbers and times will differ, but here's an example of the thought process:
Time needed to eat breakfast and get ready: 1 hour
Time needed to be with Jesus: 1 hour
Time needed to workout or other responsibility: 30 mins
Time needed for commute: 30 mins
Total time needed in the morning= 3 hours
Time expected at work= 8:30am
8:30am-3hours= 5:30am
Amount of sleep needed= 7.5 hours
Time I need to be asleep= 10:00pm
Time I need to go to bed= 9:45pm
If you are like me and think you are a "night person" and cannot fathom being in bed at 9:45pm try getting up at 5:30am for a week and you will find it much easier to crawl into bed at 9:45pm. Give it a try and see what the Lord does in you. Blessings!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
What do we walk by on a regular basis?
DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle-aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes later: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes later: A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.
45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.
The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.... How many other things are we missing?
I saw this friend's blog.
DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle-aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes later: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes later: A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.
45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.
The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.... How many other things are we missing?
I saw this friend's blog.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Prayer is Powerful
Prayer Fails! I heard this atheist on the radio say that statement at least 3 times today. A local talk radio DJ was debating a recent decision of the PA Speaker of the House rejecting a prayer that would be offered in Jesus' name. If this Christian pastor would take out Jesus' name the prayer would be generic and non-offensive and therefore acceptable. This atheist made many other arguments however he believed that prayer fails so why waste time opening in prayer. He made it very clear that the agenda of the atheist movement is to bring their way of life to every aspect of American life. I saw a survey on a buddies blog about prayer that might prove that many Christians believe that prayer fails. I have to admit that I was getting mad at the devil every time I heard that statement today. It is a statement that directly contradicts the Word of God.
James 5:16 "The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness."
I was challenged again today to amp up my prayer life. Nobody will convince me that prayer doesn't work. I have seen way too many answers to prayer. God still moves on behalf of those that love Him and that are faithful to Him. God tells me to pray. Jesus the Son of God prayed and I need to pray.
Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen?"
Who are you going to believe? I choose to believe God! Keep praying friends. I love you! Blessings!
Pastor Chris
Local Survey Results on Prayer
Top 10 Reasons Christ Followers Gave For Not Praying
10. I don't need to pray, things are going well.
9. I still find "speaking into the air" a little strange.
8. There is still no proof that He actually listens
7. I get bored and distracted too easily.
6. God doesn't want to hear my small requests ... He's too busy.
5. I have guilt over past sin.
4. Afraid that if I give the situation to God, I will not like the outcome.
3. I'm too busy to pray.
2. Not sure I know how to pray.
1. Reason Christ Followers Don't Pray More is they are not sure that their prayers are actually going to make a difference.
http://curtseaburg.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/01/prayer-survey-results.html
James 5:16 "The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness."
I was challenged again today to amp up my prayer life. Nobody will convince me that prayer doesn't work. I have seen way too many answers to prayer. God still moves on behalf of those that love Him and that are faithful to Him. God tells me to pray. Jesus the Son of God prayed and I need to pray.
Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen?"
Who are you going to believe? I choose to believe God! Keep praying friends. I love you! Blessings!
Pastor Chris
Local Survey Results on Prayer
Top 10 Reasons Christ Followers Gave For Not Praying
10. I don't need to pray, things are going well.
9. I still find "speaking into the air" a little strange.
8. There is still no proof that He actually listens
7. I get bored and distracted too easily.
6. God doesn't want to hear my small requests ... He's too busy.
5. I have guilt over past sin.
4. Afraid that if I give the situation to God, I will not like the outcome.
3. I'm too busy to pray.
2. Not sure I know how to pray.
1. Reason Christ Followers Don't Pray More is they are not sure that their prayers are actually going to make a difference.
http://curtseaburg.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/01/prayer-survey-results.html
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
...WITH ONE ACCORD
Acts 2:1 "Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place." The phrase "all together" in the King James Version is "with one accord". We have begun a renewed prayer emphasis at New Life called "Prayer 24/7". We have nearly every hour of the day covered in prayer. There are still a few slots to be filled but we will have 24 hours a day seven days a week covered in prayer. Leviticus 6:12 says:
"The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out."
I believe that God is drawn to this kind of people. When you and I make our priorities line up with God's priorities we are preparing for a day of Pentecost type out pouring. I hesitate to bring up that comparison because people get weirded out by some of the supernatural that occurred on that first Pentecost. Probably the most powerful moment of Pentecost was when Peter stood up boldly preached Christ and Him crucified. The Bible records:
"So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added."
This is the most powerful evidence of God moving amongst us. People who were lost now found in the grace of God. To me the other signs and wonders are gravy compared to people coming to Christ. Oh by the way that is what is cool about God you get the "gravy" too. God is generous and pours out abundantly upon his people. The challenge for us is will we pray the price. I believe that we are answering by our actions. Keep praying! You may want to access the prayer module on our sight. Just click the fire button and leave a prayer request or praise report or both. Remember when we work we work but when we pray God works. I love you! Blessings!
Pastor Chris
"The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out."
I believe that God is drawn to this kind of people. When you and I make our priorities line up with God's priorities we are preparing for a day of Pentecost type out pouring. I hesitate to bring up that comparison because people get weirded out by some of the supernatural that occurred on that first Pentecost. Probably the most powerful moment of Pentecost was when Peter stood up boldly preached Christ and Him crucified. The Bible records:
"So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added."
This is the most powerful evidence of God moving amongst us. People who were lost now found in the grace of God. To me the other signs and wonders are gravy compared to people coming to Christ. Oh by the way that is what is cool about God you get the "gravy" too. God is generous and pours out abundantly upon his people. The challenge for us is will we pray the price. I believe that we are answering by our actions. Keep praying! You may want to access the prayer module on our sight. Just click the fire button and leave a prayer request or praise report or both. Remember when we work we work but when we pray God works. I love you! Blessings!
Pastor Chris
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Big Dreams!
Job 8:7
7 Your beginnings will seem humble,
so prosperous will your future be.
NIV
We have a new axiom here at our church, "If you don't do the little things, the big things won't happen." We often look at the big things that others are doing and overlook all that they have done to get where they are. I was thinking about a recent church planting boot camp that I attended. We heard all the great things church planters were doing and we sometimes forget that they worked really hard and did a lot of really small things to get where they are now. Often we never really get to the BIG things God has in store for us because we look past the small beginnings. You have heard it said that a thousand mile journey starts with the first step. Let me ask you something. If God has called you to do something that is God sized, how do you plan on getting the dream done? I am certain that there will be all kinds of small steps you will have to take in your journey. Just a quick word of encouragement. Don't despise the process. You have no idea what you will learn on your way to your God sized dream. I love you guys. Blessings!
Pastor Chris
7 Your beginnings will seem humble,
so prosperous will your future be.
NIV
We have a new axiom here at our church, "If you don't do the little things, the big things won't happen." We often look at the big things that others are doing and overlook all that they have done to get where they are. I was thinking about a recent church planting boot camp that I attended. We heard all the great things church planters were doing and we sometimes forget that they worked really hard and did a lot of really small things to get where they are now. Often we never really get to the BIG things God has in store for us because we look past the small beginnings. You have heard it said that a thousand mile journey starts with the first step. Let me ask you something. If God has called you to do something that is God sized, how do you plan on getting the dream done? I am certain that there will be all kinds of small steps you will have to take in your journey. Just a quick word of encouragement. Don't despise the process. You have no idea what you will learn on your way to your God sized dream. I love you guys. Blessings!
Pastor Chris
Monday, May 25, 2009
Reflecting
Amy and I are sitting at home tonight relaxing after all our family have left and gone home. We had one of our top three life moments last week. We finalized the adoption of our son Dominic and dedicated him to the Lord. (He comes in just after salvation and marriage by the way.) He is the most fantastic boy on planet earth. Amy and I have been praying most of our marriage for a child and just 2 1/2 months after celebrating our 14th year of marriage we have a son. We have been through many ups and downs in this faith journey but we have found this trite expression to be true "It was worth the wait!" I can't help but ponder all the times that God has brought people into our lives with encouraging promises that God was going to bless us with a child. Like Mary did we treasured and hid those promises in our heart. We are so delighted to be able to declare that "He who promised is faithful." The promise is only as good as the promise giver. I would encourage you by the way hold on to the promises of God, he will not let you down. Thanks to our church family for all your support. We love you. Blessings! Pastor Chris
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