Think God

Just read Matthew 16 & realize spiritual warfare is simply satan's attempt to sway us to "think man" or humanly instead of "thinking God". It's only in the revelation of Christ that we triumph over the gates of hell! Peter was "thinking man" thoughts when satan co-opted him to try to talk Jesus out of going to the cross. Yet, a few short seconds prior Peter was "thinking God" thoughts as He confessed the revelation of who Jesus is. Wild isn't it. The battle for us is whether we are thinking God or thinking human. Human = satan. No neutral ground in thoughts. So, the highest goal moment by moment is to THINK GOD! It's in this that we triumph over satan and the gates of hell!

Come on church...Think God...

oh...a simple secret...God's thoughts are found in God's Word.

Meditate day and night and you will have success in all you do (Psalm 1).

Now that's an astounding promise!

Hardcore Lent

by Dave Gibbons (see http://www.outofur.com/archives/2011/03/dave_gibbons_ha.html)

Do you dare?

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 9th. The purpose of lent is for prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial. It could be a grueling 46 days. People ask me about the options for observing this season of the church calendar. Well, here’s a list that is a bit different. It’s a top ten hardcore ideas for Lent 2011.

1. Don't Lock Your Doors. Do we hide behind gated walls and doors too much? Do we need that much security? Maybe keeping open doors reminds us it’s not healthy to live alone. Be radically welcoming! Throw more parties with people you don’t know. (Btw, that’s what hospitality really means in the Holy Book- welcoming strangers.)

2. Don't Wear Makeup. This was inspired by someone close to me who loves her glow. This individual mentioned to me that not wearing makeup it helped her to focus on other aspects of beauty. Btw, if you’re wondering I do like make up. . . on other people.

3. Fast from Chocolate. Did this last year. It’s harder than you think!

4. Fast from Sex. No explanation needed. How about developing a primal relationship with God. There’s another type of intimacy that is heavenly.

5. Fast from Futbol or Basketball. Life outside the square is possible.

6. Fast from Exercise. This is about normal exercise routines or going to the health club every day. Take walks instead. Okay, before you exercise enthusiasts throw rocks at this one. I work out about 90 minutes a day at the number one voted gym in America. I love it there. So I know this is hard but as with anything we can be a bit too intense in a lot of areas of our lives. Let let go of any unhealthy obsessions. Couldn’t sin be defined as something that is good but twisted in some way?

7. Fast from Your Typical Cultural Food. How about eating ethnic foods you normally never eat instead of your normal fare. There is flavor outside your common behavior.

8. Fast from Driving Alone. Besides carpooling is hip. Turn the rat race into a communal space.

9. Fast from TV. You may find life outside the box. . . err the screen.

10. Fast from Text Messaging and Social Media. This may be harder than you think. We’ve almost become neurotic with our iphones, ipads, and laptops. They have become another limb on our already pimped bodies. The slower pace of conversation and face 2 face interactions may actually be healing for you. Come on stop stalking people and start talking to them!

Do you have other lent self-denial suggestions for those who want to experience something MORE? Come on creatives!


Dave Gibbons is the author of an award-winning book on culture and the church called The Monkey and the Fish. He has served on the Board of World Vision US, and helps to guide a group of third-culture, faith communities called NEWSONG. Read more at Dave's blog.

http://davegibbons.tv/

All the women in your life have to be 80 years old or more to have gone through their child-bearing years during a time when abortion was not legal and accessible. Among the rest, 42% of American women have had one abortion by the age of 45 (abandoned or pressured, by and large, by men). There are 50 million abortions every year worldwide. The USA represents less than 3% of this. Where we gather college students and young professionals together to challenge them with the gospel, close to half of them are struggling secretly with this one particular form of guilt.

Addressing the Blood-Guilt of Abortion
Our generation needs a gospel presentation that address the blood-guilt of abortion specifically and openly as a gospel issue. To view abortion as a secondary, or worse, a political issue is to fundamentally misunderstand the defining experience of our times. Imagine preaching the gospel in the town of Dacau in the 40’s and intentionally avoiding, rather than pressing head-on, as to how the gospel addresses the sin of shedding innocent blood. Our silence would be interpreted to mean that it is outside the reach of what the gospel offers. Imagine sharing Christ in a hospital full of soldiers, some missing eyes, others arms, and never mentioning the part of the gospel that promises new bodies. Imagine preaching Christ at a funeral and never mentioning the hope of resurrection.

Called Out, Confessed, and Brought Under the Gospel
If you care about the primacy of the gospel and have a passion for missions, I beg you to stop seeing abortion as a secondary issue. Understand that it is the primary mark of this generation. And understand the anguish it causes. It is a megaphone of endless Satanic accusation. It snaps the tendons of spiritual effort and risk. The blood-guilt of abortion festers under the surface of all Christian endeavor. It needs lancing. It needs to be outed. It needs to be called out by name, confessed by name, and brought under a gospel that declares that there is no forgiveness for the shedding of innocent blood except by the shedding of innocent blood. Our generation needs to hear explicitly that the blood of Christ cleanses us from acts that lead to death, even and explicitly, abortion, “that we might serve the living God” (Heb 9:11).

John Ensor is VP of Heartbeat International and author of several books, including, The Great Work of the Gospel (Crossway).

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/the-mission-field-created-by-abortion

What Is God Doing...Making Sense of Life

Have you ever stopped for a few hours to ponder one simple question...what is God doing in my life? I did...here are my reflections. Enjoy...but take time to answer this question for yourself! Write down your answers. I'd love to see them. Simply e-mail them to: trey@northwestfellowship.com - Can't wait to see them!


1. God is challenging me to the utmost so that I am only capable of persevering through His power! That's the way He likes it.

2. God is forcing to do that which is most important...pray!

3. God is encouraging me with just enough answers to prayer to refresh my faith!

4. God is calling me to look giants in the face with the same courage that a young shepherd named David did!

5. God is reminding me constantly that He is Almighty God and I'm His boy. That's a great thing!

6. God is leading me beyond my comfort zone with opportunities galore!

7. God is humbling me daily by showing me my weak pursuit of Him!

What an amazing life...what an indescribable God!!!

Quotes

"The key to prayer is simply praying." AW Tozer

"When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do; when we rely upon education, we get what education can do; when we rely upon eloquence, we get what eloquence can do. But when we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do." - A. C. Dixon


"What if we are getting the very things we asked for...or not getting the very things we haven't asked for?"


"Why do we love rememdies for America's ills that avoid God's clear remedy: "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways--I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land."


In all things God is working a divine conspiracy for my good!


The most important thing I do is pray!


"Better a hundred times to have less and have God than to have more and cloud the face of God." AW Tozer


"I am more and more convined that God is desiring to answer the fervent prayers of righteous people like you to bring healing and revival."


"Is it any wonder that when the flames of missionary zeal and success sank away, it was because the fires of prayer had died low on the altars of devotion?"
- Robert E. Speer


"If added power attends the united prayer of two or three, what mighty triumphs there will be when hundreds of thousands of consistent members of the Church are with one accord day by day making intercession for the extension of Christ's Kingdom."
- John R. Mott


"Will you unite with fellow Christians around you in prayer? The greatest gift that we can give to others is our prayers..."

- David Bryant



"There has never been a spiritual awakening... that did not begin in united prayer."
- A.T. Pierson



"Revivals begin with God's own people; the Holy Spirit touches their heart anew, and gives them new fervor and compassion, and zeal, new light and life, and when He has thus come to you, He next goes forth to the valley of dry bones...Oh, what responsibility this lays on the Church of God! If you grieve Him away from yourselves, or hinder His visit, then the poor perishing world suffers sorely!"
- Andrew A. Bonar

Tozer...On THE HABIT OF HOLY THOUGHT

Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. --2 Corinthians 10:5

What we think about when we are free to think about what we will-- that is what we are or will soon become....

Anyone who wishes to check on his true spiritual condition may do so by noting what his voluntary thoughts have been over the last hours or days. What has he thought about when free to think of what he pleased? Toward what has his inner heart turned when it was free to turn where it would? When the bird of thought was let go did it fly out like the raven to settle upon floating carcasses or did it like the dove circle and return again to the ark of God? Such a test is easy to run, and if we are honest with ourselves we can discover not only what we are but what we are going to become. We'll soon be the sum of our voluntary thoughts....

The best way to control our thoughts is to offer the mind to God in complete surrender. The Holy Spirit will accept it and take control of it immediately. Then it will be relatively easy to think on spiritual things, especially if we train our thought by long periods of daily prayer. Long practice in the art of mental prayer (that is, talking to God inwardly as we work or travel) will help to form the habit of holy thought. Born After Midnight, 44,46-47.

"Oh, Lord, You know the constant struggle so many of us have with our thought life. You know how often our thoughts do indeed settle on rotten carcasses. Take control of my thoughts today, and move me along in the development of the habit of holy thought. Amen."

What would Billy Graham Do Differently?

Billy Graham was just interviewed. Here is what he said to the question,
If you could, would you go back and do anything differently?

Yes, of course. I'd spend more time at home with my family, and I'd study more and preach less. I wouldn't have taken so many speaking engagements, including some of the things I did over the years that I probably didn't really need to do—weddings and funerals and building dedications, things like that. Whenever I counsel someone who feels called to be an evangelist, I always urge them to guard their time and not feel like they have to do everything.

I also would have steered clear of politics. I'm grateful for the opportunities God gave me to minister to people in high places; people in power have spiritual and personal needs like everyone else, and often they have no one to talk to. But looking back I know I sometimes crossed the line, and I wouldn't do that now.

It seems to me these are wise words for pastors. “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” (2 Timothy 2:4). And there are even “military” acts one can do too many of. Focus on the main things and work with all your might.

Taken from www.desiringGod.org