Live the Adventure

DON'T SHOWCASE THEM -

USE THEM!

America’s Got Talent.

So You Think You Can Dance.

We love to compete. We like showcasing our abilities. We try to position ourselves for our shot at 15 minutes of fame. 

But maybe the gifts you have weren’t really meant for showcasing.

“Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good servants of God’s …

ADVENTURES IN THE WORD

The Bible has one central message: God loves people. The Bible is God’s love letter to humanity.

If we could know God - his love and his plan for our lives apart from Scripture, He wouldn’t have bothered giving it to us.

God isn’t hiding from you – He’s all about revealing himself to you (1 Corinthians 2.10).

If you want to get to know God, you&…

WHAT HE DID

It was our pains he carried - our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.

It was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him - our sins!

He took the punishment, and that made us whole.

Through his bruises we get healed.

We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.

We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.

MISFITS, PEEPS FROM THE

WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS

Who have you invited to church for Easter Sunday?

I’m sure you’ve asked some family members, friends and maybe even a few neighbors to come with you. That’s great, but don’t stop there!

Keep inviting. Cast the net out further.

Here’s how Jesus said it:

“…

THE COMMA

This post is written by Jon Acuff - the author of Stuff Christians Like (the book can be purchased here: http://www.amazon.com/Stuff-Christians-Like-Jonathan-Acuff/dp/0310319943/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270052456&sr=8-1 ). You can read this post and others like it on Jon's website: http://stuffchristianslike.net/

One Easter I got into a bit of a yelling match with a guy in a visor at an Easter egg hunt. …

INVITING OUTSIDERS
OR CODDLING INSIDERS?

What’s more important - inviting outsiders or coddling insiders?

Should we be more concerned with keeping the holy ones happy or reaching riffraff for Jesus?

Should the church be an exclusive club for saints or a hospital for sinners?

Maybe Jesus (the head of the Church) has something to say about it...

…

SOMETHING SMELLS FISHY

My grandpa had a boat. He enjoyed fishing.

I remember playing with all the cool little things in his tackle box. I also have fond memories of playing in his boat that was parked in his driveway.

My grandpa’s tackle box had a unique smell; so did his boat... kind of a fishy smell.

I’ve been fishing a few times in my life and caught some …

UP, DOWN, OUT, IN

Last week, Ed Young Jr.’s Tweet captured my attention. He said, “Jesus went up, the Holy Spirit came down, the disciples went out and the lost came in. Are you going out to bring the lost in?”

What a simple and profound truth... Jesus went up, the Holy Spirit came down, the disciples went out and the lost came in.

We are privileged to be part of God’s huge plan to bring …

THE SMELL BATTLE

Ya ever think about how life is one long battle against bad smells?

Every day we shower off that sweaty bacteria that starts growing on our bodies (some of us have to do this multiple times a day).

We brush our teeth (and tongue) daily. We rinse with mouthwash. Throughout the day we battle halitosis with gum, mints and Listerine strips.

Don’t forget all the applications of …

THE GENEROUS EYE

Before I had LASIK on my eyes I was nearsighted (couldn’t see anything far away). After the surgery, my eyesight was corrected. No more contacts and glasses!

I’ve always loved this verse:

“He who has a generous eye will be blessed.” - Proverbs 22.9 NKJV

It speaks of the person who has a generous nature and is constantly looking for opportunities to give, …

BLESSED... FOR WHAT?

We are blessed. We really do have so much.

Don’t feel like you are blessed?

Consider what happens in just 1 minute around the world:

250 babies are born, 113 are born into poverty.

The average person in the world makes $0.013, while the average American household makes $0.096.

The average person in India with an IT …

WHAT KIDS PRAY...

A parent shared with me on Sunday:

My favorite prayer I’ve heard my daughter pray was “B! I! N! G! O! And Bingo was his name-oh! In Jesus name, Amen.”

How about you? Do you have some memorable kid prayers to share?

SOMETIMES WE'D RATHER COMPLAIN

Sometimes we’d rather just complain.

It feels good. It’s kind of addictive too - once we get going, it’s hard to stop.

One complaint inspires another.

Speaking out the complaint seems to boost our confidence that we’re right.

Complaining is nice because it places the burden of responsibility on someone or something else.

…

ADVENTURES IN PRAYER - TALK LIKE A CHILD

Prayer is simply talking with God.

It’s not reciting a script or repeating a mantra.

It’s honest and real.

It’s spoken in everyday language.

In prayer, there’s no need for Shakespearean language!

There’s no need to speak in Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic or Latin.<…

IN A FUNK? TRY THIS...

First, let me give proper credit. This post is from Steven Furtick and can also be viewed here: http://www.stevenfurtick.com/

If you’re in a spiritual funk today, you might want to...

Pray out loud.

Write your prayer out.

Read your Bible out loud.

Apologize to someone. Even if it’s not primarily your fault.

ADVENTURES IN PRAYER - TAKE A HIKE!

The Gospels often mention Jesus going somewhere to pray - into the hills, out in the wilderness, to an olive grove and on a mountain).

What a great idea: go on a prayer hike, prayer jog, prayer walk, prayer bike ride, etc.

I enjoy jogging a trail that runs from my neighborhood in Maple Valley out to the “wilderness” of Black Diamond. It takes about 2 …

REACHING ACROSS BOUNDARIES

In Jesus’ day, lepers were separated from the rest of society. They were outcasts and labeled “unclean.”

People were more afraid of getting what lepers had and less concerned about the needs of the lepers.

Jesus reached across the boundary.

In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy.

When the man saw Jesus, he …

UNEXPECTED FRIENDSHIPS = ADVENTURE

If you want safe, boring, routine and mundane, don’t ever invest in “unexpected friendships” (people outside your usual circle of interest, comfort and preference).

Want an interesting, adventure filled life? Get outside the circle! Reach for unexpected friendships.

Jesus did this with Zacchaeus. When Jesus went to Zach’s house, it shocked the religious crowd - “…

THE POWER OF GIVING A GIFT

Do you want to be remembered, appreciated, valued, loved?

Of course you do.

So be memorable. Invest in your relationships. Give value. Be generous, kind, uplifting and encouraging.

On a practical level: pay the bill for lunch, give surprise presents, write an encouraging note and send it...

“Giving a gift can open doors...”…

ADVENTURES IN FRIENDSHIP

When it comes to friendships, don’t be the passive observer.

Take initiative. Risk something. Relationships are adventure!

I love the story of Jesus going to Zacchaeus’ home for dinner because Jesus invited himself over. Yup, that’s right... He invited himself over to Zach’s house.

Here’s how it reads in Luke 19:5 & 6...

<…

LESS DRAMA, MORE JESUS!

You ever have tense, argument-filled rides to church with your family? Yeah, me neither...

The truth is, we easily get distracted from the main course. Tension, stress, anger and frustration often cloud our view of Jesus.

The Apostle Paul said, “what I want mostly is for men to pray - not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God.” (1 Timothy 2:8).

<…

THE MAIN COURSE

Worship - giving Jesus the attention, honor and glory he deserves - isn’t a warm-up exercise or a time-filler... it is the main course.

The Gospel of Luke tells the story of Jesus visiting the home of Mary and Martha:

A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said.

<…

GROWTH - IT'S MORE THAN...

Growth is more than just not going the wrong direction.

It’s possible to stop going the wrong direction and yet still be headed nowhere.

You can stop going the wrong direction and still not grow.

Growth requires movement, change, adjustment and going the right direction.

The Apostle Paul said, “But you... are a man of God; so run from all these …

GROWTH & CHANGE - A WAY OF LIFE

Spiritual growth (growing in our relationship with God) isn’t something we do once and complete - it is a daily necessity.

One of my pastors would always say: “you grow daily or die gradually.”

The apostle Paul said:
“I pray that you will keep on growing.” (Philippians 1:9).

What we learned last year, last …

READY FOR NEW ADVENTURES!

You can’t live and be stuck in yesterday.

Jesus said, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62).

Paul the Apostle said, “...Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (…

YOU ARE NOT TOO OLD!

Last week, I attended a conference at Pastor Tommy Barnett’s church in Phoenix Arizona. Pastor Tommy is 72 years old. He is full of energy and passion. He is in great shape. He pastors a church of 14,000 people and helps his son pastor the Los Angeles International Church.

As I watched and listened to Pastor Tommy Barnett, I was reminded of a Scripture: “Those who trust in the Lord will find …

YOU ARE NOT DISQUALIFIED!

No matter who you are or what you’ve done; regardless of your flaws and failures or whatever your reputation is - you are not disqualified from the adventure of following Jesus.

Here’s what the Apostle Paul said:

“He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ.

Oh, how generous and gracious …

LIVE THE ADVENTURE NOW!

I'm waiting in the airport right now - on my way home from Phoenix. I've spent the past few days here with our ministry interns, attending a conference. For our interns, the conference was an adventure: it was at the biggest church they've ever seen and they were inspired by it's ministry. This morning we went for a hike to the top of Camelback Mountain. That was an adventure!

God made us to live full, exciting, adventure-filled …

Brian Dolleman's Adventure Story:

I'm going on adventures in parenting. My little girl is growing. She's not so little anymore. Last night we were at a conference. During worship, Ashah wanted me to hold her so she could see above the crowd. She's almost too big to hold! Between holding her, singing my lungs out and doing a little jumping to the music, I got some serious exercise. I guess what I'm noticing is: it's a new season. My daughter isn't a toddler anymore. I'm praying - God give me wisdom in this new season of …