Recently I've been consumed with weighty conversations and news that's left me extremely burdened.
1. A girl crushed after her boyfriend broke up with her, inspite of the promise ring he gave her.
2. A 14 yr old and his family who continue to grieve losing their teenage brother/son/friend 10 months ago.
3. A precious saint who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and given 2 weeks to 3 months to live.
4. A couple who found out their unborn baby has a 50/50 chance of being born with a disease.
5. A couple who lost their co-joined, unborn twins.
6. My mother (who is in remission from cancer) has been undergoing tests for pain and hearing loss.
7. A friend who just went through a divorce.
8. I just had my car broken into and MacBook Pro stolen
All of these situations mentioned are being experienced by brothers and sisters in Christ. With the weightiness of them all, I'm remined of the following scripture:
1 Corinthians 15:19 (ESV)
19If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Where is your hope? If you are banking on this life...it's guaranteed to go bad (read the above situations again)! Don't pursue a pitiful hope...look to our eternal God who had given us an eternal inheritance that will not fade away!
Thursday, February 17
Friday, December 31
Be intentional in 2011
On December 30, 1842, a 29-year-old Scottish pastor named Robert Murray M’Cheyne wrote a letter to his congregation. He said:
D.A. Carson provides a great resource to help us understand the Bible as we read it. This is the resource I will be using - Vol.1 of "For the Love of God" and doing the reading plan over 2 years.
Why I chose this option:
- It's available for free online
- It gives a small portion of commentary on a large portion of scripture rather than the opposite, like many devotionals.
- Carson is a brilliant expositor of Scripture, and many times I walking away from reading wondering what exactly I just read...Carson's commentary will help with that.
- During year 2 I will use Vol. 2 of his book
- This plan follows M’Cheyne's reading plan that has you read in 4 different places of the Bible each day, however I will be only reading 2 and then picking up the other 2 in the second year to help keep up.
The resource is further explained and available free in PDF format HERE.
May you press into the Lord in 2011 in ways you never have before...and May you never be the same!
Pursuing Him with You,
Dave
"MY DEAR FLOCK,—The approach of another year stirs up within me new desires for your salvation, and for the growth of those of you who are saved. “God is my record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.” What the coming year is to bring forth, who can tell? . . . Those believers will stand firmest who have no dependence upon self or upon creatures, but upon Jehovah our Righteousness. We must be driven more to our Bibles, and to the mercy-seat, if we are to stand in the evil day. Then we shall be able to say like David—, “The proud have had me greatly in derision, yet have I not declined from thy law.” “Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word.” It has long been in my mind to prepare a scheme of Scripture reading, in which as many as were made willing by God might agree, so that the whole Bible might be read once by you in the year, and all might be feeding in the same portion of the green pasture at the same time."

Why I chose this option:
- It's available for free online
- It gives a small portion of commentary on a large portion of scripture rather than the opposite, like many devotionals.
- Carson is a brilliant expositor of Scripture, and many times I walking away from reading wondering what exactly I just read...Carson's commentary will help with that.
- During year 2 I will use Vol. 2 of his book
- This plan follows M’Cheyne's reading plan that has you read in 4 different places of the Bible each day, however I will be only reading 2 and then picking up the other 2 in the second year to help keep up.
The resource is further explained and available free in PDF format HERE.
May you press into the Lord in 2011 in ways you never have before...and May you never be the same!
Pursuing Him with You,
Dave
Thursday, December 9
A friendly rebuke
Yesterday we had an unplanned visit from some good friends of ours who needed to borrow our car. During their time at our house we had some very God-ordained conversation which basically consisted of them calling us out on some things. Their biggest concern was that we had been neglecting to walk out some very specific things the Lord spoke into our life about a year ago. Their challenge was filled with love and encouragement, yet stern and truth-filled.
If I could sum up their words, it would come from Acts 4:29, "We must obey God rather than men." Lately in many ways, I have been obeying man. I have been more concerned with how people view me and my ministry, instead of knowing my acceptance in Christ and being freed up to not be concerned with man's thoughts toward me. The Apostles in this passage were able to walk in massive amounts of obedience because their focus was on the greatness of their God and his mission for their life, and not on those around them, namely the religious authorities who were telling them not to preach the gospel.
I believe part of the answer to this problem of living to please man is found in Acts 4:32 - "And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
What is it that enabled the Apostles to endure the abuse and opposition of man? They were fully engaged in the Spirit, to the point where even to consider obeying man and not living out Christ's mission was not even on their minds. Why? Because their minds were full of the Lord and their spirit (The Holy Spirit) was filled with His power to walk out God's calling on them.
Questions to consider:
1. Who is speaking Truth into your life?
2. Are you allowing them to walk with you in what obedience looks like?
3. Is your focus on YOUR abilities/inabilities or HIS ever-enabling Spirit?
4. What's keeping you from walking in obedience?
Surrendering with you!
Dave
If I could sum up their words, it would come from Acts 4:29, "We must obey God rather than men." Lately in many ways, I have been obeying man. I have been more concerned with how people view me and my ministry, instead of knowing my acceptance in Christ and being freed up to not be concerned with man's thoughts toward me. The Apostles in this passage were able to walk in massive amounts of obedience because their focus was on the greatness of their God and his mission for their life, and not on those around them, namely the religious authorities who were telling them not to preach the gospel.
I believe part of the answer to this problem of living to please man is found in Acts 4:32 - "And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
What is it that enabled the Apostles to endure the abuse and opposition of man? They were fully engaged in the Spirit, to the point where even to consider obeying man and not living out Christ's mission was not even on their minds. Why? Because their minds were full of the Lord and their spirit (The Holy Spirit) was filled with His power to walk out God's calling on them.
Questions to consider:
1. Who is speaking Truth into your life?
2. Are you allowing them to walk with you in what obedience looks like?
3. Is your focus on YOUR abilities/inabilities or HIS ever-enabling Spirit?
4. What's keeping you from walking in obedience?
Surrendering with you!
Dave
Thursday, November 11
Build an orphanage in Sudan for only $1 on Nov 16!
All it takes is one. All it took was one strand of E.coli to be processed into one hamburger patty, to make it to one burger king, to one mom, whose one son, took one bite and the one life he had would then be over. All it took was a series of one events to lead to one of the biggest recalls on beef. Because of one situation America has never been the same.
In 2001, one man, Vernon burger, who had, one passion, that being Jesus, took one trip, to Southern Sudan and connected with one bishop, who was trying to love and spread the gospel to many who were orphaned by the civil war. Since that one trip in 2001, HIS VOICE GLOBAL has been in an ongoing relationship with the EPC (Evangelical Presbyterian Church), 10 years and three orphanages later they seek to continue the movement to open a fourth.
You might ask the question what makes this place so special? Sudan was in war for over 20 years before signing a peace agreement in 2006. Until the peace agreement this was the longest civil war to date in human history, leaving over 2 million dead and many children without parents. So what makes this place unique!?!? Many things but one is there are many who have teamed up, like HIS VOICE GLOBAL and The Village Church, to be a gospel centered presence through proclamation and practice. While The Village Church has sent many teams to train pastors, equip leaders and love the children in these orphanages in Yei, HIS VOICE GLOBAL was the door that God used to bring a gospel centered presence from the west into this area of the world. Now there is an opportunity for you to be a part of this continued movement of Christ in this region for as little as a dollar.
This past September a group of 13 from all walks of life from Reach Records, The village Church, Red Revolution, Collision Records and HIS VOICE GLOBAL partnered under The Village banner to go and minister to those in Southern Sudan. They ministered through teaching, medical, music, and loving children who were victims of the Civil War that now live in one of the three Orphanages sponsored by HIS VOICE GLOBAL. Moved by the fruit there and continued need, Tedashii, Lecrae (Reach Records artist), Swoope (Collision Records artist) and Jai teamed up to do a single to raise awareness and funds for a fourth orphanage in Southern Sudan. The single, which is slated to be released November 16th under new label Collision Records is called Actions Speak Louder. This single and symbol seen above calls believers to move beyond awareness and put their prayers in motion, to quote the song. The symbol inspired by the scriptures that say a strand of three cords are not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12), the exclamation points showing the immediate nature of the call to apply the gospel (Luke 4:18-19), the highlight of one exclamation point showing the power of one to change and lead others and the patch like design showing the reality that there is strength in numbers, calling believers to action, an action beyond themselves.
So leading up to this date will you be the one to blog, the one to tweet, the one to put a twibbon on your twitter account (see the twibbon below click on the link to support), the one to Facebook, the one to lead and allow you actions to speak as loud as your words. The average number of songs downloaded per day are close to 10,000,000 yes that is correct 10 million. Come November 16th HIS VOICE GLOBAL only needs over 250,000 one’s to download this amazing song (which is not even 10% of the daily average) to complete and have a fourth self sustaining orphanage. We are not asking you to change your lifestyle just point your efforts toward something that will last. The amazing thing about this whole campaign is that 100 percent of the profits from the song will go toward this fourth orphanage. All it takes is one!!!
In 2001, one man, Vernon burger, who had, one passion, that being Jesus, took one trip, to Southern Sudan and connected with one bishop, who was trying to love and spread the gospel to many who were orphaned by the civil war. Since that one trip in 2001, HIS VOICE GLOBAL has been in an ongoing relationship with the EPC (Evangelical Presbyterian Church), 10 years and three orphanages later they seek to continue the movement to open a fourth.
You might ask the question what makes this place so special? Sudan was in war for over 20 years before signing a peace agreement in 2006. Until the peace agreement this was the longest civil war to date in human history, leaving over 2 million dead and many children without parents. So what makes this place unique!?!? Many things but one is there are many who have teamed up, like HIS VOICE GLOBAL and The Village Church, to be a gospel centered presence through proclamation and practice. While The Village Church has sent many teams to train pastors, equip leaders and love the children in these orphanages in Yei, HIS VOICE GLOBAL was the door that God used to bring a gospel centered presence from the west into this area of the world. Now there is an opportunity for you to be a part of this continued movement of Christ in this region for as little as a dollar.
This past September a group of 13 from all walks of life from Reach Records, The village Church, Red Revolution, Collision Records and HIS VOICE GLOBAL partnered under The Village banner to go and minister to those in Southern Sudan. They ministered through teaching, medical, music, and loving children who were victims of the Civil War that now live in one of the three Orphanages sponsored by HIS VOICE GLOBAL. Moved by the fruit there and continued need, Tedashii, Lecrae (Reach Records artist), Swoope (Collision Records artist) and Jai teamed up to do a single to raise awareness and funds for a fourth orphanage in Southern Sudan. The single, which is slated to be released November 16th under new label Collision Records is called Actions Speak Louder. This single and symbol seen above calls believers to move beyond awareness and put their prayers in motion, to quote the song. The symbol inspired by the scriptures that say a strand of three cords are not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12), the exclamation points showing the immediate nature of the call to apply the gospel (Luke 4:18-19), the highlight of one exclamation point showing the power of one to change and lead others and the patch like design showing the reality that there is strength in numbers, calling believers to action, an action beyond themselves.
So leading up to this date will you be the one to blog, the one to tweet, the one to put a twibbon on your twitter account (see the twibbon below click on the link to support), the one to Facebook, the one to lead and allow you actions to speak as loud as your words. The average number of songs downloaded per day are close to 10,000,000 yes that is correct 10 million. Come November 16th HIS VOICE GLOBAL only needs over 250,000 one’s to download this amazing song (which is not even 10% of the daily average) to complete and have a fourth self sustaining orphanage. We are not asking you to change your lifestyle just point your efforts toward something that will last. The amazing thing about this whole campaign is that 100 percent of the profits from the song will go toward this fourth orphanage. All it takes is one!!!
Monday, November 8
Friday, November 5
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