Faith Gives Vision

You cannot have faith and not see something bigger or better that now.

In scripture Abraham is recorded in "The Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11 for the very reason that he had faith and he had vision. His faith directed his vision. His faith equiped him to take steps toward a greater future for him or his family than he could achieve on his own. Abraham left his land, his job, and his family behind to journey to a land he would never settle in but knew God would provide it for his kids. Abraham's faith gave him a vision that directed his actions to be about someone other than himself.

What is your vision in life? Are you all about you? Are you so settled on your own opinions that you don't have time to listen to an eternal God who created you with a far bigger purpose than to sit around and be a junk food disposal?

If we are only one planet earth for a brief 80 years and it is all over, what's the point? God had a greater vision for you in mind; have God in mind when you set your vision.

To clarify more on this idea I encourage you to spend the next 30 minutes viewing this session. If you like it pass it on and let us know about it.

Leading Like Jesus

Today God revealed to me a great nugget of information that is nestled into a Psalm of David. Psalm 28.1 says "Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my Rock; be not silent to me, lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit." Did you catch it? Let me show it to you.

David begins by saying this: "I am crying out to God, now it is your turn to talk to me. God, if I don't hear from you then I am as good as being in hell". That is a loose paraphrase with emphasis added, but look back to the actual verse and you will see it there along with the state that David might as well be in if he doesn't hear from God. Here is a bit of what brought to my heart as I saw the verse in this light.

First, David is listening to hear from God. You say, "Yeah, so?" This is possibly the most important part of the verse because God could be speaking loudly, opposed to the "still small voice" and if David wasn't listening to God it wouldn't make any difference. David, being a believer if the triune God, is taking the time to recognize that God is wanting to say something and he wants to listen because to him God is his "Rock". If God was not the "Rock" of David's life then he likely wouldn't have cared if he heard God or not. We must make God the Rock of our life and listen for God; He is talking to you and wanting to be heard.

Secondly, David realizes that if he does not hear from God his life is useless and he may as well just go to hell now and save the waste of his earthly breaths. Without the voice of God, David could not write the 23rd Psalm which portrays God as being the Shepherd that leads to the lush great pastures and the calm waters nor prepare the feast before him. David knows that it is imperative that he stay in tune with the voice of God for his life to have meaning and purpose. David knows that as soon as he stops hearing the voice of God his life is over, spiritually speaking. What about you, are you too far from God to hear him speaking? Are you the same as the sinner still bound for hell? Your life has a greater purpose than to be a spiritual couch potato. It is time that we all make God our Rock and stay close enough to Him to hear Him and stay fresh, not stagnate.

Lastly, I was struck with a great truth of a parallel truth of this passage and a series we are currently going through with our 11 am worship services called Follow the Leader where we are learning to not only follow Jesus but to lead like Jesus as well. It has been said that the average person will influence over 200,000 people in their lifetime. If that is the case we have the opportunity to influence A LOT of people with the love of Christ, but if they don't hear from us they are as good as being in hell already. David is crying out to his leader and wanting to hear from them. God was also the mentor and advisor to David and greatly relied upon. If you are believer in Jesus Christ then you are leading someone too and are their spiritual mentor and advisor. No, you should not be their god but you should be the voice of God in their life. If you are someones "spiritual mother or father" they need to hear from you God's voice, and see God's character in you. Are we answering the cry of people who are looking up to us?

God has established the church to be His body in this New Testament church age. We are the ones people are looking to and crying out to for help as they cry out to God. It is time for you to stand up and answer that cry. Live the love of Jesus and lead someone like Jesus would.

ForeRunners

Over the last 3 years we have seen a youth explosion of sorts in our church. I have been with the ministry of Millett Bible Baptist Church for over 3 years; when I came there was one to two teenagers or preteens that came. They were were disinterested and came because their parents came. In the following months we had a man step up and begin taking on our youth work and doing a great job at it. We began seeing another teen and another teen come and see the grace of Jesus Christ. Within a year and a half we were running 6-8 teens (Which is great because as anyone who has started a ministry knows, the hardest part is getting a core.) Our church was excited and we saw the excitement in the teens who came to be known as "Checkpoint". For the past year and a half I have been working with Checkpoint and God has continued to bless more than imaginable 3 years ago. Now averaging 13-15 teens each Wednesday night we are running out of room and needing more assistance in operation. So, where did we go for the assistance? To Checkpoint.

Some people may disagree with me on this next portion but they can post their opinions in their own blog. I believe that leadership needs to be taught to all ages. If you are a child, start leading. If you are an elder, keep leading. I follow the example of Jesus. Even as a child in the temple Jesus was stepping up and being an example leader with the theologians. As an adult in His Father's ministry he lead the masses but he focused on 12, particularly 3. What does all of this have to do with Checkpoint? We have begun a Student Leadership group to step up and become leaders within the students and attendees. That group: ForeRunners... Leading the Way to Jesus Christ.

ForeRunners had its first meeting last Sunday PM and is lead under my supervision by one of our recent graduates. It is for everyone in checkpoint but not for anyone. Only teens who are eager to learn more about Jesus Christ in their own personal, daily lives is able to come. They must complete daily bible study material and have a regular prayer time. Church attendance, good attitudes, and maintaining an accountability partner is also required. Soon we will be integrating checkpoint officers which will be pulled from our leadership group to begin teaching responsibility and church operations.

The greatest visions we have for ForeRunners is to have our teens become closer to God in their daily Bible Study time and prayer time, draw closer to each other by being in a group setting with the encouragement of each other, nurturing a healthy accountability relationship that helps each other to stick with there commitment to God, Church, and each other, and to learn the Bible so they can build their life upon it and counsel others with it truths.

I am excited to see the life change of our youth as they discover and unlock what God has for their lives. Please pray for ForeRunners.