Driscoll's awesome post SILENCE!

Silence
Mark Driscoll
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven... a time to be silent and a time to speak...Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7b
It was a very normal day until I realized that I was actively destroying my own soul.
The day began with my alarm jolting me awake. I immediately turned on my BlackBerry to hear it chime for each voicemail and email that had been left while I slept. I stepped into the shower where I listened to my waterproof radio. I then turned on the television to catch some news while I dressed. Driving to work I tuned in to some talk-radio banter.
Throughout the day the chime on my laptop kept ringing as email arrived, and my cell phone continued to vibrate and ring on my hip. Before long, I needed a break, and I put on my iPod to go for a walk.
On the drive home, I again listened to the radio in an effort to drown out the blaring horns of frustrated fellow commuters. After eating dinner and tucking my five children into bed, I turned on the television to watch shows I had recorded on my Tivo.
As I drifted off to sleep, it dawned on me that I had not had one minute of silence during my entire day. It was possible, I realized, that I could live the rest of my life without ever again experiencing silence.
In that moment, God deeply convicted me that I was addicted to the false trinity of our day, the gods known as Noise, Hurry, and Crowds. I remembered the words of missionary martyr Jim Elliot, who said, “I think the devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements: noise, hurry, crowds . . . Satan is quite aware of the power of silence.”
I began to ponder what Jesus’ life might be like if He lived today. Would He be available to all of His followers twenty-four hours a day on His BlackBerry? Would He have left His phone on at the Last Supper and been continually interrupted by needless calls? Would He have failed to stop and speak to needy people because their weeping was not loud enough for Him to hear over His iPod as He hurried past them on His way to a meeting He was already late for?
In that moment I prayed, asking God for His wisdom and help to save me from myself. God answered my prayer and reminded me that Jesus often took periods of prayerful silence to hear from the Father and to ensure not that He was doing everything He could, but that He was doing only what was most important. For example, before beginning His public ministry, Jesus spent forty days fasting from food, people, and noise in an effort to prepare Himself to fully accomplish what God the Father had given Him to do on the earth.
Moreover, the Bible says in Luke 5:16 that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places.” Jesus spent considerable time alone in silence to pray, rest, and focus on what priorities He should be devoting His time and energy to. This helps to explain why, in just three short years of ministry, Jesus had a greater impact on history than anyone else who has ever lived.
The Bible also describes multiple benefits of purposeful silence, including:
hearing from God (1 Kings 19:11–13)
waiting patiently for the Lord to act (Lamentations 3:25–28)
worshiping God (Habakkuk 2:20)
knowing God better (Psalm 46:10)
praying effectively (Luke 5:16)
Since God convicted me of my addiction to noise, I have sought to conform my life more to the pattern of Jesus’, which has proven quite helpful. I try to spend at least five minutes an hour in silence, at least thirty minutes in uninterrupted silence each day, and a full day in silence once a month. During those times I find myself going for silent prayer walks to listen to God, writing in my journal, and sometimes doing nothing at all, which for me has become an act of faith that God is at work even when I am not.
My prayer is that those reading this who, like me, are guilty of noise addiction can also experience the regular gift of silence because that is often where God is waiting for us. There was silence before God spoke the world into existence, and silence for forty days before Jesus began His public ministry, which may indicate that silence is what allows us to speak as God intends.
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Solitude Part 2
Mark Driscoll

Andy's 5 things!

Check this out Andy is on it DANG!
Five Things Andy Stanley is Thinking About
Andy Stanley closed the last session of Catalyst talking about stuff that is on his mind...
1) To reach people no one else is reaching, we have to do things no one else is doing (Craig Groeschel) - we have 175,000 people within 10 miles of Northpoint, and we aren't reaching them. We aren't going to reach them by building another church building. We have to do something no one else is doing.
Become preoccupied with those you want to reach rather than those you are trying to keep.
2) The best idea for reaching the next generation isn't going to come from the existing generation, it's going to come from the next generation.
If you are over 45 years old, you aren't going to have any good ideas. It's your job to recognize the good ideas.
Don't do to the next generation what the previous generation did to you.
Be a student, not a critic.
3) I'm looking for what can't be done in church, but if it could be done would fundamentally change the church.
It always used to drive me nuts that the communicator and the leader had to be the same thing.
Multi-site solved this. Now the great leader doesn't have to be the teacher.
Like that, you may be the one to crack the code on something no one else has figured out that will fundamentally change our "business."
Pay attention to people who are breaking the rules. It's the rule-breakers who are oftentimes the problem solvers.
4) If we got kicked out by our board, and they hired a new guy, what would the new guy change or do different? Let's walk out the door and walk back in, and make those changes.
The problem with ministry is that we've fallen in love with the way we've done ministry.
It's not "no pain, no gain" -- it's "no pain, no change." Without pain, there typically isn't any change.
Ask: "Where are we manufacturing energy?" The things we aren't very excited about, it takes energy to get it done, but the results aren't stellar.
Acknowledge what's not working. Own up to it. And own up to why you aren't willing to do anything about it. What is it you fear? You need to deal with that. It is a leadership lid for you.
5) When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near. You look back with smiles and lots to celebrate, but you don't have a lot to work forward to.
Are you willing to be involved in the future more than the present?
Don't let success overshadow your vision.
Success breeds complacency and complacency breeds failure.

Its already yours! (By Steven Furtick)

CHECK OUT THIS AWESOME POST BY PASTOR STEVEN FURTICK OF ELEVATION CHURCH IN CHARLOTTE, N.C.
It’s already yoursDecember 22nd, 2008
I get so frustrated with the older brother in the story of the prodigal son.Here he is, pitching a temper tantrum because of something his father never gave him (a goat, for crying out loud).
We can learn a valuable lesson at the expense his ignorance:Your Father can’t give you what’s already yours!
This brother had access to as many fat cows as his little heart desired.They were his for the taking. So what was he waiting for?
Many times we pray for God to give us things that we already possess.We ask God to give us joy. Joy doesn’t come from out-there-somewhere.It’s a fruit of the Spirit…and it’s already ours….waiting to be activated.
I’ve begged God before to give me peace about certain situations. When He doesn’t rain down peace, I become irritated and impatient.But He’s already given me peace through Jesus…a peace that passes understanding.He’s waiting for me to walk in what He’s already provided.
Don’t wait for God to give you victory when He’s already won the battle.Don’t wait for God to give you hope when He’s already poured out His hope in abundance into your heart through the Holy Spirit.
Stop waiting for God to give you what’s already yours.

Merry Christmas!

What’s up to all my peeps! I’m sitting here about to have my first family Christmas party of the year! Excited because of the homemade cheesecake I will be consuming here in just a few! You know I want to wish all of you who read this blog daily a Merry CHRIST-mas! I hope the Lord blesses you very much! Me and Tommy did ministry today and reached over 80 people for Christ it was a huge day! Thanks to Jane and Tommy for putting the cards together and to all of you who prayed for us today we love you! The number one asked question around this time of year is “Are you getting something for Christmas?” Most people answer with the sentence I HOPE so! You know I get the same response when I ask people if they are going to Heaven! Did you know you don’t have to HOPE so you can know so! Jesus went to the cross to set you free from sin so you would no longer have to live in bondage but in FREEDOM! If you would like to know that if you were to die tomorrow you would go to Heaven Just say this prayer to God and mean it! Dear Lord Jesus I know I’m a sinner and I need your forgiveness. I believe you died on the cross for my sin and rose again. Come into my life take complete control. I give it all to you thank you Jesus for saving me AMEN! If you prayed this prayer you made the best decision you have ever made and we at Mission Ministries would like to help you take your next step and give you a free bible just email me at Jason.ashley@charter.net and let me know your address and I will personally mail you a bible and information on your next steps!

Salvation Rings!!!

First I would like to let you know you are loved very much! By Jesus Christ and us the body of believers (THE CHURCH). Jesus said in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” It’s not hard Jesus done all of the suffering on the cross so that we could be set free! The Bible also says in John 3:17 “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” If you would like to accept Jesus’ gift and surrender your LIFE to him just say this prayer. “Dear Lord Jesus I know I’m a sinner and I need your forgiveness, I believe you died on the cross and rose from the grave, Come into my life Jesus and take complete control I give it all to you AMEN! If you just said this prayer you have asked the creator of everything to save you and he just did so smile and believe, you just made the best decision of your life! WE LOVE YOU! Tommy and Jason!

Getting Fed!!!!

Good morning I hope everyone’s having a great day. Mine has been awesome I just got through feeding my 10 month old. She is growing so fast! You see she depends on me to feed her so she can grow, she can’t feed herself yet. As I think about this it means more to me than just a feeding for my child. You see I know you have heard this over and over again especially if you attend a "Traditional" Church. You hear someone say I left "so and so church" because I wasn’t getting fed there. You see there is a difference when I feed my child. She is not old enough to eat on her own; however we as believers are old enough to know we have to eat. I’m not talking about the physical eating I'm talking about the spiritual feeding that has to take place everyday. We should have quiet time with Jesus everyday and trust him. We as believers can’t take this lightly. A lot of people will not read their bibles all week long and when Sunday morning arrives they have to wipe the dust off of there bible. Then they go to church and expect to hear from God. God may or may not speak to them and they think it’s the Pastor. They think he is not giving them what they need to here. When all week long they have put God’s word on the shelf! They have starved themselves! This will cause you to be blind to the truth! My Pastor said one time that a 99% commitment to Christ is 1% to short. I believe that with all my heart! He wants all of us not our leftovers! A song that sticks out in my mind is "Surrender All". Can you sing that song and mean it? Or is it just words? You see Jesus said he would rather you be either Hot or Cold not Luke warm. He said he would spew you out of his mouth! That’s not a good thing when the creator of everything says he would spit you out of his mouth! We need him in our life. Life without Jesus is impossible we must give him everything. We were not created for our purpose he made us for his purpose! Read Proverbs 19:21 it’s his plan not ours that will succeed. All we have to do is be a willing vessel. Are you willing to give everything to him? You can do it with his help not on your own! Is today the day you give it all away? Have a great day! Love You Jason)

Forgive Part 1?

“When they came to the place called Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals-one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”(Luke 23:33-34, NIV) The last thing Jesus taught was to forgive. He had been abused and rejected when He came to die in our place, yet He still chose to forgive. He could have forgiven us without a word, but Jesus chose to say it out loud. Is there someone you need to forgive today? Remember in order for us to receive mercy we have to show mercy! Jesus Christ Rocks I Love Him!