MR

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It was an amazing night. The worship team was made up of singers/musicians from both churches. The ushers, greeters and nursery workers where all from both churches. We even had both of us speak. And can you believe we ended up finishing 2 minutes early! Two pastors speaking could have easily went 2 hours!

I’m so proud of our churches. We packed New Song’s building out. There were people standing all around. I guess next year’s service will have to be in a bigger venue.

The presence of God was so sweet that night. To see people from two different churches, worshiping and praying together, was what I believe God desires to see. I know this is the start of more times like this in Spring Hill (with other churches involved). There is something very special when a pastor gives up his pulpit to another local pastor. I’m so glad to see that the pastors in this city are doing this freely.

I couldn’t have thought of a better way to celebrate the birth of Christ, than with other Christians, in unity together to glorify Him.

It truly was a Merry Christmas!

MR

Last night I was a part of a landmark day in Spring Hill and the history of the local church here in this city. 10 churches got together to worship and pray TOGETHER at one location for an hour and 1/2. We even saw someone get saved! It was powerful.

I’m so blessed to live in this city. God is doing something amazing here. The relationships with local pastors has transformed my life. It’s a dream come true to see different churches come together to lift God high! As I put together the worship band for last night, we had 5 churches included just in the band alone. The anointing on the band was truly felt. From the first note played, I could tell this night was something special. To see people lifting up their hands and singing so loud, it blew me away. I loved hearing all the pastors, sitting to the left of me, singing so loud together. Man, if that didn’t shake up some religious junk in the city, I don’t know what will. That version of GOD OF THIS CITY almost knocked me off the piano. Man, I can still feel the anointing from that song.

In attendance, was the city judge (who is a spirit-filled, Christ loving woman of God) and a few head pastors from the surrounding cities (fathers of the faith). We had the head pastors of People’s Church, New Song and Thompsons Station Church praying together in a small group. These pastors are heads of some of the biggest churches in Williamson County. To see this happen was awe-inspiring. To walk with pastors that have years of experience, bigger churches, more education and more influence than me, is an honor. I feel blessed to be partnering with these godly men.

I’m still riding the high of last night’s service. To see nearly 200 people praying, hanging and spending time with each other to see Spring Hill blessed, was exactly what the “church” is called to do. That’s KINGDOM LIVING right there…building HIS Kingdom, not ours.

My prayer is that we set in motion something powerful in this city and region. I believe this will continue throughout Middle TN. Seeing huge churches partnering with smaller ones, different denominations locking hands together with each other, old with new, different races loving one another….this is my dream to see happen here. I know it will happen…I saw a glimpse of it last night.

MR

1- Issues/Problems with our Family/Kids
2- Failure
3- Loneliness
4- Finances
5(tie)- Rejection/Judgement
5 (tie)- Being Lukewarm/missing God’s will for my life
5(tie)- Disease
5(tie)- Public speaking
6- Snakes/Rodents
7(tie)- Dying/Loss
7(tie)- Unknown/Future
7(tie)- Heights
8(tie)- Depression
8(tie)- Being Vulnerable
8(tie)- Terrorist Attack/Nation’s future
8(tie)- Fear
8(tie)- Responsibility

8(tie)- Lightning

Now, we will address the major issues over the next couple of weeks at SouthView.

MR

We started a new sermon series on Sunday called “FEAR”. We want to address one of the main tactics that the devil uses to destroy lives and ruin destinies. Here’s the scripture behind the series:

Psalm 56:3-4

Whenever I am afraid,
 I will trust in You.
 In God (I will praise His word),
 In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. 
What can flesh do to me?

So how does Fear stop us? It causes us to stop pursuing things of importance in our lives. It causes us to run away from the people we should be running to. It causes us to spend more time worrying about the very thing we should be doing. It takes our eyes off the creator and onto the circumstance. It’s based in unbelief that our God can’t or won’t protect/provide/love us. It’s completely created by the enemy to destroy us.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

If God hasn’t given us this, then clearly it’s from the devil. We have to walk in the power, the love and sound mind part in order to operate in God’s complete plan for our lives. But many people, even those spoken about in the Word of God, fell into the trap of Fear.

Fear caused Adam and Eve to hide from God whom they freely walked with on a day to day basis.
Fear caused Moses to wander the desert until he died and never entered the promised land.
Fear caused Abraham to sleep with Hagar (his servant) even though God promised him a son through Sarah.
Fear caused David to have Uriah (Bathsheba’s husband) killed to cover up his sin.
Fear stopped Peter from walking on the water even though he was already doing it.
Fear cause Peter to denounce Jesus 3 times, even though he swore he would never do it.
Fear caused the disciples to hide after Jesus was killed even though He told them he would rise again.

Fear effects the best of them, although it doesn’t give us the right to operate in it. What’s in you, is what you will give out to others. My hope is that we will break the ties of fear in our lives and walk in 100% complete freedom so we can give it to others. It starts with recongizing the devil’s attacks and walking in God’s strength to defeat them.

Try mediating on these verses:

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anoints my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psalm 23:1-6

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Psalm 27:1-6

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Psalm 46:1-3

I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? Psalm 118:5-6

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:15
…Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

You are not alone. God has made us more than conquers through Him and with His Holy Spirit. It’s time to take back what the enemy has stolen and walk in complete Freedom….R U READY?

Listen to my whole message HERE.

MR

Jesus is a great deep sleeper…

Mark 4:35-41 (NKJV)

35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Can you imagine how crazy the disciples were acting. Probably screaming and crying and acting like they had no hope. Meanwhile the “hope” they needed was sleeping on a pillow on the stern of the ship. No stress, no worry, just got up and told the storm to calm down. That’s what I’m calling POWER. Speaking to nature and telling it to listen.

So why do we stress?

I believe it’s because we truly aren’t surrendered over to Him. We are still trying to navigate the storm ourselves. We look at the surrounding “storms of life” and concern ourselves more with them than what God has called us to do.

Even in the midst of “STORMS” we still have a purpose to do that overrides the issues around us. In most life circumstances (family, job, relationships) we battle through issues, neglect pending punishment, ignore risks….when we truly want something. If you want something bad enough, you will FIGHT DESPERATELY for it! Are we doing that even in the ministry of life?

How about this great CHRIS TOMLIN song – “I WILL FOLLOW”

“Where you go, I’ll go, Where you stay, I’ll stay
When you move, I’ll move, I will follow you
Who you love, I’ll love, How you serve I’ll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you, I will follow you”

In Luke 9 – Jesus is saying that if you truly want to FOLLOW ME you will have to risk something. If you truly want to walk in POWER and in LOVE you will have to battle through STORMS….but you can navigate through them and literally tell them to BE STILL as you discover who you are in CHRIST.

Matthew 16:24-27 (NKJV)
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Most of us think first of only ourselves when we go through STORMS….self preservation. Jesus looked right at the STORM and told it to CHILL OUT because He knew His plan and purpose was much more important than worrying about what was going on around Him (that’s TRUE freedom).

An interesting fact is what was waiting for Jesus on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. On the “other side” of this boat ride was the Man filled with a LEGION of devils – (which ultimately got cast into pigs). The “storm” came to distract and sidetrack Him from the plan and purpose at hand. Most of us get “sidetracked” from walking in power and love because we focus on the circumstances instead of focusing on the ONE that controls the circumstances.

We can do the very same things that Jesus did when he walked this earth. We can speak to the storms and they will obey.

Are we walking in His power or trying to do it on our own?

Are we more worried about the circumstances around us than the purpose and plan God has destined us to complete?

Walking in obedience doesn’t mean we won’t encounter storms. It does mean that we will have the power to get through them.

Maybe that will help you to be a deeper sleeper as well?

MR

MR

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Give this talk a listen. Some interesting stuff on our state of listening…

Julian Treasure : 5 Ways to Listen Better

MR

Matthew 25:29-30 “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Whoa…are we really being good stewards of our blessings? Are we really bearing fruit that people desire to want in their own life? As Christians I believe most of us suck at making fruit. Most of our fruit is rotten and unappealing to others. God desires for our lives to be so filled with His blessings that people want to be part of it. Check out what the Word says about “fruit”.

John 7:16-20 “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

So what is “fruit”? I believe from the standpoint of God’s Word that “fruit” is the evidence of Blessing, Growth and Abundance in our life. Just as natural growth should be part of getting older, we need to continue to grow in our spiritual life as well. Unfortunately many of us are like the 3rd servant. We hide our talent (blessings) in the ground and figure this is the safest and best way to live life. How can we get hurt or burned out if we just play it safe? I believe we should live a life of adventure. The blessings that we all possess (and yes we are all VERY blessed) should be on display in our everyday lives. Here’s some ways people will know us by our “fruit”:

You will know them by…
-how they act when they have money and when they don’t.
-how they act when the pressure of life gets turned up or when things are going great.
-how they respond when the Holy Spirit shows up.
-what they value and devalue.
-their Facebook status. (oops….check your status right now)
-their spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend.
-where their money goes to.
-their reputation at work/school.

What kind of fruit are you bearing? Will people desire to know more of God after knowing you? Do you shine forth His goodness, grace, mercy and love? Do people radiate with His glory after spending time communicating with you?

We’ve each been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to allow us to be more blessed than we could ever be alone. It’s not you that does these great things, but it’s Him, THROUGH YOU, that gives you the power to do great things (John 15:4). Let’s bear the fruit that shines His glory and illuminates His majesty. Come on Church….BE the Church. The beautiful bride that God has called us to be.

We are a Blessed people and through our blessings we can help usher in the Kingdom of God!

MR

M

Here is a link to view and download more info about this event.

CRY OUT AMERICA in SPRING HILL, TN