IF… I LISTEN LONG ENOUGH (I think that’s a song)

I have been asking God the question, and praying & researching the answer to the missing piece… How can you keep people in the church, and grow them, get them involved, and disciple them so they reach others who are far away from God? WOW!  The church question of the decade. Every group, planting group, leadership group, pastors group, denominational group & consulting group has its own answer and solution. But, none work for all places and peoples. I have been begging after God to answer that question for our church…

This morning in my time with God, after many months of asking this question in many places from beaches to monasteries God reminded me of a verse He gave me last year, and basically said, "I have already answered the question." the verse is…

Psalms 44:3 (NIV)
It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.

Let me paraphrase this for how I think God was communicating this for us as a church…

It will not be your sword (your skills, programs or buildings) that will win this land, and it will not be your arm (your own strength or innovation), that brings the victory. Your community will be won for the Kingdom by my right hand (My way…My direction), my right arm (My strength, My anointing)…. I want to grow My kingdom in your midst, I want you to join Me, because I love you!

God, give us ears that hear! Give us feet that follow! Give us hearts of courage! And may we never grow weary, or become satisfied in our hunger for You!

IF… EVERYONE STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE

I wasn't in church yesterday, but I heard nothing but GREAT things!

• Ja did a fantastic job bringing the heat from the Word
• The worship team was awesome

• A lot of new faces (that always happens, but always encouraging to see)

• The Spirit really moved, and many confessed Jesus as Lord

I can't tell you how blessed we are as a church to have such an incredible team of staff and volunteers that make our Sunday morning experiences so God centered and loving.

I consider myself so blessed to be on the same team with such godly, humble & excellent people!

IF… I COULD JUST START IT RIGHT

This whole summer God has kept me in the gospels, studying the life of Jesus, and his expectations of us. As I shared earlier about the story in Matthew and Jesus walking on the water, I had to camp on that story for quite awhile, and the Spirit just kept pouring truth into me from that passage. Well, I finally got over to the book of Mark, and in the 6th chapter it talks about the same story, but just adds a little "something something" to it…

Mark 6:51-52 (NKJV)
⁵¹ Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.
⁵² For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

What really struck me about this passage is that Jesus was not at all impressed that they were amazed at his calming the storm. Quite the contrary, He was disappointed! It showed their lack of faith. Because He wanted them to have the faith to calm the storm! Earlier it said, He was going to pass them by, and not even get in the boat.

I think Jesus is not impressed with our amazement, but desires for us to be a people that START EVERYDAY IN FAITH. In other words…we should begin everything expecting God to do the miraculous! Then when He does, we aren't caught off guard in amazement, but rather we are thankful for what we expected and walk in thanksgiving.

The miraculous should be expected, and looked for. So…

How are you going to start your day?

IF… Everyday could be like a road trip

We are a full week into our "Davis go West road trip", and I must say it has been quite adventurous. New people, new places, new relatives & new cultures to explore and engage. Great family togetherness in close quarters (like a submarine under the Arctic, no place to come up for air).

But I see so many "different" people, some attractive (most not), some of different languages (why can't they understand, "extra Snickers on the bottom), different standards of time management and distance ("Nearby" means 20-30 minutes, shoot me now!). However, I hear God saying these are the ones I love, and I want you to reach them. How can that be? I think Jesus had to meet some people that just got under his skin, and really aggravated Him. I hope so! If not, I have a long way to go to be like Jesus. This one thing I know, I want to love as God loves, and when you see the "Buffet of human choice" I want to discard some, and that is not pleasing to God. So my prayer has to be, "Make me hungry for Love" then, hopefully everything on the buffet will look appetizing!

IF…WE COULD ONLY FLY!!!

We embark today, and we go West young man go West! Yes the Davis family leaves on the 1st and what may well be the last family "road trip." We are driving to Denver for a family wedding and stopping along the way to catch the sites, a rolllercoaster, waterpark, Country music , & white water rafting. I know we are going to have a great time together as a family, but you who know me, you know how I love driving long endless, tiring, draining, life sucking hours on the highway, however, I am NOT complaining.

Please pray for us, and this may sound strange, but someone gave me a word last night that God was going to reveal to me something He wants me to do, so I should keep my eyes and ears open. Will do! Pray for us and our safety, will fill you in along the way!

IF…I could hear His voice everyday

I know it has been awhile since I have blogged, but I had to take a break and get some new direction.

I was reading Matthew 14 yesterday, ( the Lord has had me there for a week), and the story of Peter walking on water. What really spoke to me yesterday was Peter's words, "Lord command me to come to you on the water." I believe Peter asked the Lord to speak the one word, "come." Because Peter wanted to do the extraordinary. And we can only do that when we have a word from God to do so! Just one word from God, opens the window of the extraordinary, the supernatural & the miraculous! If Peter had stepped on the water without the word from the Lord, he would have sunk like a rock! Because he would have been acting on his own strength and will, and not God's. And this was during a time of a storm, high waves, rough surf & strong wind. I'm sure he had to strain to hear the word, "come."

Right now, no matter what the storm, we must strain to hear God's voice, and not act on our emotions or wisdom, but rather ask, and wait for God's voice. Because His voice, His one word, will open up all the power of heaven for us to obey and follow Him on the water to the miraculous!

I'm listening Lord!

IF… I could turn back the hands of time!

My youngest daughter (Leah) had her senior prom last night. She was breathtaking in her dress, Georgie (my wife) got some great shots of her giving dad some kisses. Now I was all smiles on the outside, excited for her, sharing her joy, but on the inside… Boy, what a struggle! My oldest daughter, (Rebecca), has already flown the nest and living in Mt. Pleasant, attending the grad school at the Citadel, and holding down a full time job!

Where has the time gone? I can't help but wonder…did I do it right? Did I equip them for what life will surely throw at them? Will they love God more than anything else? Will they find godly soul mates, and raise godly kids? Well… can I know the answer to any of these questions? I do know I have imparted what I felt led of God to… I have spoken words of blessing and favor over their lives, and have loved them as best I could, as my heavenly father has loved me… so… I am convinced they will be highly blessed, highly favored of God, and follow Him with all of their hearts for all of their days, and leave nothing undone of all He has on His heart for them to accomplish!

Even having that assurance in my heart, there are already empty spaces in my heart, that my precious ones filled while they were with me. I know the next chapter God has for us will be AWESOME! But sometimes it would be nice to… turn back the hands of time…

IF… I could be like Caleb

Joshua 14:10-11 (NIV) 
… So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.

Say what!? What an incredible sight! An 85 year-old strong dude-powerful  & vigorous in battle! In the verses before, he said he also loved and followed God wholeheartedly. What a legacy to leave, let your grandchildren say, my Grandad, can kick your dad's butt! And love God at the same time! I need to see if I can find a copy of Caleb's diet and workout routine, I want to start tomorrow!

I'm not preaching today, I am taking my incredible  loving wife away for her birthday. We are leaving after the 1st service. I know before I get there God is going to show up BIG TIME, as He has been doing. I just love falling deeper in love with God, and watching Him do His thing. I am discovering, the more you love Him, the more you see Him!

IF… I could never experience another valley

Isaiah 55:6 (NIV)
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

Have you ever heard someone say that life is just a journey with mountain tops and valleys? When they say that, they mean we can't always be on a "high" for God, that we have low points, and at times these can become quite low. I guess for the most part I too have held to this same view, but recently I have begun to see things differently. Consider, if our life journey, our walk with God is not one of mountains and valleys, but rather of mountain's and plateaus. A woman recently made this comment to my wife, and I have thought about it often. Just as this verse in Isaiah states: "seek the Lord while he may be found…" I am starting to see in my own life my journey with God has a "cadence." A cycle of  (2) seasons: Seeking & Running. The "seeking season" comes when things are quiet, and God draws you close to Him, there is a yearning to be alone and listen to God's heart. It is during these seeking seasons when God speaks into you, and fills you up and prepares you for the next level He desires for you. However, if God calls you to a seeking season, and you blow it off, don't have time, don't make time or see it as trivial, then when the time comes to run at the next level, you will not be "God fit" enough. You will then crash and fall down the mountain to the valley! But if you listen to God's voice and seek His face during those intense times you will find your next ground level and you will have what you need to run! Not that we don't seek God on the level ground, we do, we must to keep going. But during those times I have found I keep reminding myself of the things God spoke into me, filled me with and the vision He gave during the "seeking season."

So, what season are you in? Or should I say, what season is God calling you to?

IF… ANYTHING COULD BE BETTER

WOW! That's all I can say about church today! Cornerstone was rocking y'all! God was in the house, the worship team was awesome, and Faye's solo…brought the house down. That girl is anointed of God. The Spirit was moving and changing lives. You can tell when God is moving by the number of people you see crying and reaching for the tissue boxes.

This series on spiritual warfare came at just the right time. We are seeing salvations, people being set free, and empowered by God. Lives are being changed…and to answer the question, I don't know of ANYTHING better than seeing God change lives. We serve an awesome God!