Just finished reading Primal by Mark Batterson tonight, GREAT book!!! If you plan on reading a book on top of your Bible reading to start the New Year, I highly suggest you read Primal! I have said it so many times, all that really matters is that we love God with our everything and Pastor Mark Batterson brings out this very point so very well. It all comes back to us loving God with ALL of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. When we do that we become a reflection of Him, and that is what he has called us to be, Christians, which by definition means "Christ like."
My favorite line from the book was, Mark's pre-marital advice to all unmarried young men, "taking out the trash is romantic." That is something that is so easy to forget and something that more married men, including myself need to remember. You treated your wife like a queen before you were married, so why have you stopped now? There is my rant for the day!!
God Bless,
Nathan
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
God IS Faithful!!
I LOVE the Word of God, it is full of great truths, it will convict you, it will encourage you, challenge you, inspire you, birth new passions inside of you, it can do almost limitless things inside of you. The reason for that is because it is God-breathed, John 1:1 says it best, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The reason the Word of God is so powerful, is because it is God...that is why you can read the same passage a million times and get something different out of it each time because God can speak to you through it in whatever situation you are in!!!
That said, one thing that I have found to be true is that it is one thing to read and believe the Word of God, but it is an entirely different thing to LIVE IT!! Here for the past few weeks my family has been living this Scripture, Proverbs 3:5 & 6 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. It is so easy to say that you are trusting in the Lord, but quite another to be living that truth, we have been and have found that when you don't try and figure things out on your own, but trust in the wisdom and sovereignty of God, show that in everything that you do you must have God, He WILL make your paths straight!!
Don't just read and believe Scripture, LIVE IT!!
God Bless,
Nathan
That said, one thing that I have found to be true is that it is one thing to read and believe the Word of God, but it is an entirely different thing to LIVE IT!! Here for the past few weeks my family has been living this Scripture, Proverbs 3:5 & 6 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. It is so easy to say that you are trusting in the Lord, but quite another to be living that truth, we have been and have found that when you don't try and figure things out on your own, but trust in the wisdom and sovereignty of God, show that in everything that you do you must have God, He WILL make your paths straight!!
Don't just read and believe Scripture, LIVE IT!!
God Bless,
Nathan
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Primal Blog Tour - Day1
In the middle of reading Mark Batterson's book, Primal - A quest for the lost soul of Christianity, and I have to say that I can understand why they think this ought to be the first book for Christians to read in 2010! Mark does a great job at igniting within you a desire to get back to the basics, which is, Mark 12:30 - And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
One quick thing that has stuck out to me the most so far, in the first part of the book he is speaking of the many needs around us and that God has placed inside of each of us a passion for something, and when we begin to get closer to God these passions get stronger, because God placed them there, he has placed inside of us part of his heart!!! And before that he talked about how when a person has a heart transplant, that with that new heart comes new desires, cravings, and passions. And so it is when we give our heart to Christ, he places His heart inside of us, so naturally we have a new set of desires, a new set of passions and the things that break God's heart, break ours as well.
So, if the things that break God's heart don't break yours, have you given all of your heart to Christ and accepted His, or are there some things you need to get rid of and some others you need to allow into your heart?? Let God give you a new heart!!
God Bless,
Nathan
One quick thing that has stuck out to me the most so far, in the first part of the book he is speaking of the many needs around us and that God has placed inside of each of us a passion for something, and when we begin to get closer to God these passions get stronger, because God placed them there, he has placed inside of us part of his heart!!! And before that he talked about how when a person has a heart transplant, that with that new heart comes new desires, cravings, and passions. And so it is when we give our heart to Christ, he places His heart inside of us, so naturally we have a new set of desires, a new set of passions and the things that break God's heart, break ours as well.
So, if the things that break God's heart don't break yours, have you given all of your heart to Christ and accepted His, or are there some things you need to get rid of and some others you need to allow into your heart?? Let God give you a new heart!!
God Bless,
Nathan
Passing The Mantle
With the passing of B.H. Clendennen and Oral Roberts in the past few days, the thought has been on my mind, Who is going to pick up the mantle in these last days?
Are there any young preachers, pastors, etc. that are willing to do what it takes to possess the anointing of the Holy Spirit? Who is going to pick up the mantle? Let's do as the Word tells us to do in Luke 10:2 - Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
God Bless,
Nathan
Are there any young preachers, pastors, etc. that are willing to do what it takes to possess the anointing of the Holy Spirit? Who is going to pick up the mantle? Let's do as the Word tells us to do in Luke 10:2 - Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
God Bless,
Nathan
Monday, December 14, 2009
Primal Blog Tour
I have been reading the book, Primal, by Mark Batterson and while the official blog tour does not start until tomorrow, I just wanted to say how excited I am about the book and what I have gotten out of it so far. I definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys reading, and even to those that do not, it will grab your attention from the very beginning.
I was reading in the introduction in tears, as I could quite literally hear the Holy Spirit speaking into my life through the avenue of this book!! I love the way the Holy Spirit can speak to us through so many different ways. He can speak to us through a song, through a book, another person, through a phrase that you hear throughout your day, someones post on facebook, but my favorite is through God's Word!!
If you don't spend time in the Word of God daily I strongly advise you to do so, it will strengthen your faith in Christ!!
God Bless,
Nathan
I was reading in the introduction in tears, as I could quite literally hear the Holy Spirit speaking into my life through the avenue of this book!! I love the way the Holy Spirit can speak to us through so many different ways. He can speak to us through a song, through a book, another person, through a phrase that you hear throughout your day, someones post on facebook, but my favorite is through God's Word!!
If you don't spend time in the Word of God daily I strongly advise you to do so, it will strengthen your faith in Christ!!
God Bless,
Nathan
Thursday, December 10, 2009
What is MOST important to you?
This question keeps rolling around in my mind over the past few days, as I have spent time in the Word of God and in prayer...I hunger for a revival in my life!! Not something that is done for show, not something that will receive praise from others, but a revival that causes me to live a life of honor. When you live an honorable life it doesn't matter the circumstance or who is around, you are always trying to do the right thing! That is what I mean by I want a revival inside of me, a purifying of my heart, a resetting of my priorities, a complete shift in my lifestyle, one that reflects Christ in every way...
As I have been seeking for this, the question keeps coming back to me, What is MOST important to you? I believe that the Holy Spirit has been asking me this question to make me realize what I need to lay down, what I need to set aside in my pursuit of God. Think about it like this, when Christ was born Angels came to the Shepherds and told them of Christ being born in Bethlehem and that they should stop what they were doing and go and see the Christ-child.
The same thing with the Wise Men they started following the star that eventually led them to Christ, and didn't even get there until the child was 2 years old!! As I read this story I began to realize that just as the Shepherds and the Wise Men that came and found Jesus the Son of God, that the Holy Spirit was wanting me to put down that which was most important to me and just seek after God!!
So, I ask you, what is MOST important to you? Do like the Shepherds when they left their livelihood on the side of the hill and sought after Christ, do like the Wise Men and leave all of the wealth and comfort of your home and risk your life to find a child that you are being led to by a star...what do you need to leave to find Christ? What is keeping you from seeking Christ in the fullness and faithfulness that He longs for from you??
God Bless,
Nathan
As I have been seeking for this, the question keeps coming back to me, What is MOST important to you? I believe that the Holy Spirit has been asking me this question to make me realize what I need to lay down, what I need to set aside in my pursuit of God. Think about it like this, when Christ was born Angels came to the Shepherds and told them of Christ being born in Bethlehem and that they should stop what they were doing and go and see the Christ-child.
The same thing with the Wise Men they started following the star that eventually led them to Christ, and didn't even get there until the child was 2 years old!! As I read this story I began to realize that just as the Shepherds and the Wise Men that came and found Jesus the Son of God, that the Holy Spirit was wanting me to put down that which was most important to me and just seek after God!!
So, I ask you, what is MOST important to you? Do like the Shepherds when they left their livelihood on the side of the hill and sought after Christ, do like the Wise Men and leave all of the wealth and comfort of your home and risk your life to find a child that you are being led to by a star...what do you need to leave to find Christ? What is keeping you from seeking Christ in the fullness and faithfulness that He longs for from you??
God Bless,
Nathan
Monday, December 7, 2009
Finding God in a Pagan World
It seems to me God would be more evident when darkness creeps in yet for some finding God in a pagan world is depressing and somewhat impossible.
Many expected Jesus to be born in a palace, to royalty or to riches but Jesus was born in a stable, to a carpenter, and among the poor. With great excitement angels declared His birth, shepherds followed Him and wise men worshipped Him. Amazing that wise, wealthy men would travel 400 miles on the back of a camel to give expensive gifts to a two year old.
Search but you will not find our God in a pagan world for He doesn't acclaim to stardom, He is not a Hollywood figure, He is not driving a Studebaker. No, you will find Him in your mother's heart, in a small wooden church, in a child's prayer, in a manger.
Maybe the reason we can't find Him is we are looking in the wrong places, we keep looking at steeples when He is at the altar. We try to find Him in our prosperity but we find Him in our need. I was in a dry place and I bumped into Emmanuel, "God is with us."
Many expected Jesus to be born in a palace, to royalty or to riches but Jesus was born in a stable, to a carpenter, and among the poor. With great excitement angels declared His birth, shepherds followed Him and wise men worshipped Him. Amazing that wise, wealthy men would travel 400 miles on the back of a camel to give expensive gifts to a two year old.
Search but you will not find our God in a pagan world for He doesn't acclaim to stardom, He is not a Hollywood figure, He is not driving a Studebaker. No, you will find Him in your mother's heart, in a small wooden church, in a child's prayer, in a manger.
Maybe the reason we can't find Him is we are looking in the wrong places, we keep looking at steeples when He is at the altar. We try to find Him in our prosperity but we find Him in our need. I was in a dry place and I bumped into Emmanuel, "God is with us."
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Primal
I felt like a kid at Christmas today, I got Mark Battersons book "Primal" in the mail today, I am very excited to start reading it and will be a part of the "blog tour" that will be Dec. 15th - 22nd.
I haven't even started reading it yet and already I love the thrust of the book, which is, from what I understand getting back to the basics of Christianity, which is the Great Commandment.
Matthew 22:37 - Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
That is what it is all about, Loving God with our all!!
God Bless,
Nathan
I haven't even started reading it yet and already I love the thrust of the book, which is, from what I understand getting back to the basics of Christianity, which is the Great Commandment.
Matthew 22:37 - Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
That is what it is all about, Loving God with our all!!
God Bless,
Nathan
Thursday, December 3, 2009
GIGO
This is one of my favorite acronyms, GIGO - Garbage in, Garbage out. It amazes me, the junk and filth that "christian" people will watch, listen to, and read. Pastors and Worship Leaders many times become frustrated that people don't "get in" at church, it's nor wonder that less churches are experiencing a true move of God, everyone in the congregation goes the whole week filling the minds, hearts, and lives with junk and wonder why they can't seem to shake the sin that keeps coming back into their lives.
Simply put GIGO - Garbage in, Garbage out. So, I challenge you to do as the scripture says, Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Make yourself answer the questions in the above scripture about anything you allow into your mind, heart, and life and just see how much closer to God you will get!!!
God Bless,
Nathan
Simply put GIGO - Garbage in, Garbage out. So, I challenge you to do as the scripture says, Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Make yourself answer the questions in the above scripture about anything you allow into your mind, heart, and life and just see how much closer to God you will get!!!
God Bless,
Nathan
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