Five Insights from Yesterday:

- Was it just me, or did we invite the 'soggy bottom boys' to worship yesterday.... I loved the 'soggy' version of I'll Fly Away.... it was fun, different, and had a nice bit of 'twang'.

- I wonder how many times, in life, I can run head first into a tree and awaken asking "who am I? where am I? and how did I get here?" I really don't want to keep running down wrong paths and directly into trees and totally acting NOT like who I am.

- It was a challenge to sing, 'give me ONE pure and holy passion' knowing that I am so easily drawn to other small and insignificant obsessions. I want to live the lyrics of that song and not simply sing them.
- Speaking of living, I found it quite compelling to consider that both the simple and the wise see danger..... both. What distinguishes the wise from the simple is his reaction (the wise take refuge and the simple keep going) and the outcome that follow. Suffering is promised for the simple. Yikes.

- Isn't it funny that we fume about suffering and actually blame God, rather than evaluating our decision making over a period of time and realizing that we are actually culpable for our decisions and the suffering was most likely brought on by poor paths taken? How is God to blame for our poor decisions? We might actually want to assess the trajectory of our life and how and why we keep landing in a challenging place and suffering because of decisions that we have made. These 'paths' have led to the clearly delineated outcome that God, in His love, has warned us about. Yikes, again.

- Okay, I have a 6th deal from yesterday....It was amazing to walk into our new preschool building and to see our students building and arranging SO much furniture! My kid was covered in paint and loved every minute of 'restoring' the cafe as well. Awesome.

'Nothing rather than on Christ!'

By Grace.... For Glory,
Mark

Wow. Yesterday was a catalytic weekend Encounter. Conversations are flowing and we are being invited to run in the 'paths' of the Christ-life, for that path is the place of ultimate delight and impassioned living. It is interesting to read Paul's letter to Colosse and to recognize that He is challenging them to focus solely on Christ as their all-consuming sufficiency. As we make our way through chapter 2 of that letter, it is so clear that this church is focusing on a myriad of things, 'rather than on Christ.'

Rather than identify all of the issues (2.16 - 23)that dissuaded the church at Colosse from being set on Christ, I read this section and wondered if there was a more over-arching principle involved in their lack of focus. I love God, because I happened to snag a new book by Andy Stanley entitled "The Principle of the Path" and his book perfectly captures the place that the church at Colosse finds themselves. Really, I don't think that they intended to worship traditions or themselves or angels and any other crazy stuff. I just don't think that they intended not to. Paul is asking this church to focus solely on Christ.... to recognize the supremacy of Christ... to hold their hope only in Christ.... meanwhile, they feel free to throw in a bit of angel worship; self-worship; traditions-worship; basic philosophy worship. Yeah, they are wrecking the flavor of "Christ Supreme and Christ alone!"

So, we wrestled with the principle of the path yesterday. This principle is, 'direction - not intention - will determine your destination. Every time.' If we want to be a church that lifts high the amazing name of Christ, then that cannot be our intent... it must be the direction of our lives, ministries, focus, and passion. Andy wrote, 'the direction that you (and we, as a church) are traveling currently - relationally, financially, spiritually.... - will determine where you end up in each of these areas. This is true regardless of your goals, your dreams, your wishes, or your wants.' Dreams and wishes are fine and dandy and we can 'hope' that we land among our dreams. But, here's a second principle that is deeply imbedded in our fellowship...'Hope is not a strategy.' Hope has never been a strategy.

Physically, spiritually, emotionally, professionally, financially... in every way, you and I are on a path. Our actions will lead us directly toward the destination that we are traveling. What an incredible incredible incredible opportunity to change paths (repent) and to walk in the path of God's greatest plan. What an incredible opportunity to strategically choose Christ. Constantly. Relentlessly. Christ. After all, I really believe that the One who made us is the One who is quite capable of leadings us in the paths of His commands and His love and His life and on this path, there is sheer delight and consummate satisfaction.

May I have the wisdom to walk in the path of His command and the courage to follow His path all of my days. May we share in that journey as a church.

By Grace... For Glory,

Mark

Crazy weekend at Emmanuel! The worship was fresh.... the presence of God was palpable. I love the freedom that Christ brings. I love that truth that He really does move mountains... mountains of my sin... mountains of shame... mountains of guilt.... I love that, as an act of faith, I cast my life into Christ and He totally frees me.

Not only does Christ immerse me in Him and not only does He wipe away all my sin, but he does something even more beautiful. I am stoked when I discover that Christ makes a public spectacle of my freedom in the face of the powers and authorities who have held rule over me. I love that He transfers me from the domain of darkness and into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. I love that His transfer is made loudly public at the gates of hell. I love that He loves to claim me as His own and that I am eternally His. I love so many things about Christ. I am brought alive with Him. That is wildly good!

Christ is completely supreme and I am begging God that my life may be a confession of His supremacy and His wonder and His awe. Because I have been freed by Him and immersed in Him, the sole response from me has to be, "I am IN"... I am in on advancing Your name.. the One supreme name that will be worshipped for eternity - Jesus. I am in on living for your fame. I am IN. I am so available to be used in any way that You see fit.

May our fellowship know... really know the gravity of our freedom in Christ and may we be a church full of people who are full of Jesus and who are all in as we proclaim great freedom in and through Christ alone.

Christ amazing!

By Grace... For Glory,

Mark

So, I'm reading Colossians 2.9 and I am undone. Get this, the fullness of the Deity is made manifest in bodily form through Jesus Christ. That truth is crazy! I want to be amazed by Christ. I want to remember that the mention of His name evokes abounding worship among thousands upon thousand in the heavenly realm.... peals of thunder and lightning surround Him.... created beings of astounding beauty cascade around Him in His glory.....colors beyond our imagination surround and reflect the glory and the goodness of Christ. There is one famous, glorious Name that will be worshipped throughout eternity. Given that eternity past and eternity future will frenzy at His presence and His Name, I am praying that we will never grow weary of pursuing His good greatness and that our worship will dimly reflect the worship of heaven.

I love the lyric that David Crowder added to the song "O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing". He writes, 'So come on and sing out, let our anthem resound.... there is One great love!..... There are so few words that never grow old. There are so few words that never grow old... Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!'

Oh wow, may our worship align with a fraction of the outpouring that surrounds Christ at this moment. Yeah!

By Grace... For Glory,
Mark

Image management. As a Christ-follower, what an incredibly freeing thing to care not at all about image management. What freedom to simply live our lives as an expression of God's grace and His goodness in and through us. I know that I have a propensity toward 'image management' rather than authentic/ inside out change. I hate that and I want to live before an audience of one and to all His image to be all that I seek.

I know that I can fake it. I know that faking it is empty and futile. I also know that I will be drawn toward faking this whole Christianity thing again. All that does for me is to make me proud or to leave me lifeless. I want to be full. I want for more of Christ.

I was sitting in the room yesterday and wondering what might happen if an entire church loses any idea of image management and we become an authentic, Christ-loving, 'each-other' loving community of faith. That could be crazy! I think that we should go for it.....

Mark