Love one another in Gods power

Scripture for the week:
³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
³¹ But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:30,31

Thursday reading:
John 13

key verse (s): John 13:34,35

observations & questions:
Jesus love for them is the basis of them being able to love one another.

Why is it a new commandment ? Because we are about to enter into a new time. A time where the Holy Spirit will dwell in us. This is the new rule of life for a new age, the age of the kingdom of God. It is the law for a new life.

The only way this new commandment is possible is because of the fact that Jesus will live in us by the Holy Spirit.

Because of our new empowerment by the Holy Spirit we can be a witness to the presence and power of God in the midst of the world.

application or concept:
My love for my brothers and sisters is possible because Christ went to the Father and left the Holy Spirit to gives us power to love.

This love for one another is a powerful witness to the world.

Look to show love for brothers and sisters today in tangible ways.

prayer:
Lord I recognize that in myself I can not love well. I am selfish. I also ask you to help me tap in on the power of the Holy spirit in me to love. With your strength and help I can love others and be a witness.

Learning Agenda:
Live: Lesson 4 Life with Other Jesus Followers

Billy Graham once said "If you find a perfect church, don't join it, you'd spoil it." the perfect church doesn't exist. That's because the perfect person doesn't exist and churches are made up of imperfect people. Yet, god has chosen to work through imperfect people.

Today, believers seem to grow best when they meet publicly for the preaching of the word and weekly in a house group.

Cell or small group definition: A group of 3-15 people who meet weekly outside the church building for the purpose of evangelism, community, and discipleship with the goal of multiplication.

Prayer:
God I thank you for giving me an opportunity to play basketball, something I really love to do. Lord thanks for letting me be involved in prayer also. Father help me to serve this week and do those things that are not as easy or pleasant for me to do and help me to do them joyfully. I pray for singles lifehouse tonight. Let there be godly discussions. Would you let your Holy Spirit lead the time of worship, discussion, prayer and fellowship ?

Lord for experience life, would you continue to teach us to love you. Lead us in long range planning that your kingdom would be go forth, that people would continue to come to know you for the first time, that those that know you would get on fire for you, and that the on fire would find their ministry niches and fulfill your plans for thier lives here in Lubbock and in places you will send them to.

God without you I am nothing, I am average at best. Yet I know in your power God I can serve well. Let your kingdom come and your will be done in my life and the lives of my family today.

A Mindset Other Than Our Own

Scripture for the week:
³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
³¹ But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:30,31

Tuesday reading:
John 2

key verse (s): John 2:4

observations & questions:
Jesus and his mother were on different wave lengths. One commentator says the best translation of verse 4 would be "Woman you and I are thinking in different realms, we have at the moment nothing in common."

Many times we are thinking in earthy terms and God is thinking in kingdom terms about a situation. It's almost like God allows us to come up with our best thinking and we have to realize what we are thinking is not what He is thinking in this situation.

Marys response though should be our "Whatever He says do it." That is a bottom line sort of statement. Whatever Jesus says do that because that is the wisest and smartest thing we could do.

application or concept:
Today I will understand my best is not good enough that I need to ask Him for His best today.

prayer:
Lord help me hear what you are saying to do in my life on a daily basis.

Learning Agenda:
Leadership from bloggers reading

I THOUGHT I knew everything: I thought I understood God, understood what it meant to follow Jesus; understood clearly how to lead a great church; understood spiritual leadership; understood how to be a great husband and dad.

Recently, however, I have realized this startling truth: I don't know ANYTHING I thought I knew. I don't understand God; I DON'T know how to be a great Pastor, spiritual leader, husband, or dad. I DON'T know how to lead this church in to the future he has for us. I don't know what the future holds; and I don't know what God has in store for my life or my church!

Mountain Lakers, Does that scare you? It shouldn't. It SHOULD scare you instead that at one time I THOUGHT I knew all this stuff, because I didn't know it in the first place! I just didn't KNOW that I didn't know. To me, that's when we should be scared. To me, THAT'S when we're really stupid: When we are to dumb or too prideful to ADMIT that we don't know all the stuff we think we know; to think that we can put God in a box; to think that just because God speaks to us that we can go do it in our own power.

No, I'm glad God is bringing me BACK to the point of realization that I don't know anything. NOW I need Him. NOW I can't do without Him. NOW I'm desperate to hear from Him.

Shawn Lovejoy blog

Prayer:
Lord I am reminded this morning that I really don't know anything and without you I don't have the power to accomplish anything in this life. I am thankful that with you though, life has meaning. With you Lord there is wisdom and power to be and do. Lord help me draw upon that power to be a better father, husband, son, friend and leader.

Thanks for the opportunity for another day living with you Lord. Let me seek first your kingdom today. What is your will today ? I pray for everyone coming to lifehouse this week. Remind them of how you want to spend time with them this week. Show your love to them in tangible ways God. Bring in new people who need community to grow in their faith. Keep out any influences that might break apart what you are doing in peoples lives. Create in us all a clean heart and renew in us the fullness of your spirit.

thanks today for fog. Fog is cool God.

Scripture for the week:
³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
³¹ But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:30,31

Monday reading:
Isaiah 40:12 -

key verse (s): Isaiah 40: 12 - 24

observations & questions:
Perspective:

Who our God is
God has held the oceans in his hand
He measures the heavens with his fingers.
He knows the weight of the earth.
He picks up the world as though it were a grain of sand.

Knowing Who our God is how can we question
With such a God how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles ?
How can you say God ignores your rights?

The encouragement comes to look to our God
In this context Isaiah tells us this God never grows weary or weak, None of us can measure the depths of his understanding.

We humans even youths will become tired and weak, young men will fall to exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar on high like wings of eagles
They will run and not grow weary
They will walk and not faint

application or concept:
First of all my strength to carry on comes from waiting on God. Spend time today waiting.

prayer:
Lord you are amazing, forgive me for questioning you and your motives for my life. Teach me to wait on your strength in all areas. Be gracious in your teaching me.

Learning Agenda:


Prayer:
Thank you for encouraging me with your presence this past week. Thank you for the absolute faithfulness of your character. Give me strength to finish all the tasks I need to finish today.
Lord encourage each staff person I work with today. Provide for all of our financial needs this week.
Father uncover all the schemes the enemy would use to discourage myself and my family. I pray for your revelation for each of us. Show us how to use our lives to glorify your name.

Scripture for the week:If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. Psalm 66:8

Friday reading:

John 4

key verse (s): John 4:21-24

observations & questions:
21-24 The scene here is Jacobs well. It was a sacred place to the Mediterranean world. In view is Mount Gerizim a holy place for the Samaritans and Jesus speaks of the temple in Jerusalem. The end result is Jesus tells this woman that true worshipers worship in Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the key to worship according to Jesus here not a location.

Worship is found when the giver of living water gives life to the worship.

application or concept:

The key to worship is the presence of the Holy Spirit.

prayer:
Lord show us how to cultivate the presence of the Holy Spirit in our worship. Thank you for your grace, your mercy and your love. Teach me to fail forward. Thanks for your love for me even in my weaknesses.

Lord encourage Miller and company as they are in the U.S. right now.

Learning Agenda:
google for readers blogs

So you are in a slump. You had a bad day, week, maybe even year. You got hurt, betrayed, disappointed by another. You were criticized, talked about, belittled. You disappointed yourself. You messed up, you did something stupid that hurt you or those you love. So how do you move on?

The first step is to welcome yourself to the human race—to recognize that to err is to be human, to sin is to need grace, to suffer is to share in Jesus sufferings. As David recognized in the Psalms, the pain will refine you…let it. Go over your past behavior, look over your regret, examine your betrayal and choose to learn from it. As John Maxwell says, “if you are going to fail, fail forward.” (not an exact quote, but close)

Then get up, and get moving: Literally… go for a walk, a jog, a good, hard workout. Get out your Bible, read of Gideon stepping up, or Moses seeing God use him after his failures, or David taking on Goliath. Then do the same. Make a new plan. Put yesterday behind you. “Take up your cross then follow me” as Jesus said.

Today is a new day. Your future is brighter than your past. So focus on your future, put your past behind you and remember… What you focus on, you get more of. Focus on the pain, you get more pain. Focus on the lesson, you get more future.

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 NIV

from Bill Cornelius blog.

Prayer:
Lord I do worship you today. Thank you for your grace, your mercy, and your love.

Scripture for the week:
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. Psalm 66:8

Friday reading:
John 4

key verse (s): John 4:21-24

observations & questions:
21-24  The scene here is Jacobs well.  It was a sacred place to the Mediterranean world.  In view is Mount Gerizim a holy place for the Samaritans and Jesus speaks of the temple in Jerusalem.  The end result is Jesus tells this woman that true worshipers worship in Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the key to worship according to Jesus here not a location.


Worship is found when the giver of living water gives life to the worship.



application or concept:
The key to worship is the presence of the Holy Spirit.

prayer:
Lord show us how to cultivate the presence of the Holy Spirit in our worship.

Learning Agenda:
google for readers blogs

So you are in a slump. You had a bad day, week, maybe even year. You got hurt, betrayed, disappointed by another. You were criticized, talked about, belittled. You disappointed yourself. You messed up, you did something stupid that hurt you or those you love. So how do you move on?

The first step is to welcome yourself to the human race—to recognize that to err is to be human, to sin is to need grace, to suffer is to share in Jesus sufferings. As David recognized in the Psalms, the pain will refine you…let it. Go over your past behavior, look over your regret, examine your betrayal and choose to learn from it. As John Maxwell says, “if you are going to fail, fail forward.” (not an exact quote, but close) 

Then get up, and get moving: Literally… go for a walk, a jog, a good, hard workout. Get out your Bible, read of Gideon stepping up, or Moses seeing God use him after his failures, or David taking on Goliath. Then do the same. Make a new plan. Put yesterday behind you. “Take up your cross then follow me” as Jesus said. 

Today is a new day. Your future is brighter than your past. So focus on your future, put your past behind you and remember… What you focus on, you get more of. Focus on the pain, you get more pain. Focus on the lesson, you get more future. 

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 NIV

from Bill Cornelius blog.

Prayer:
Lord I do worship you today.  Thank you for your grace, your mercy, and your love. 

A Testimony of His Touch

Scripture for the week:
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. Psalm 66:8

Wednesday reading:
John 4

key verse (s): John 4:39-41

observations & questions:
39 A testimony of how Jesus has touched our lives can cause belief in others. It also will point them to go to Him. It seems she was touched with living water and in turn was able to let that water flow from her to others and they were touched and wanted to find the well itself (Jesus).

there are many synonyms or word pictures of the life that is in Jesus and in us as we believe. It is life, it is living water, etc.

application or concept:
It is important to continue walking with Jesus and giving testimony of what He is doing in our lives today so that others may believe.

prayer:
Lord what is the testimony of your grace I can share today that will encourage belief.

Learning Agenda:
Read two chapters in E-Myth

Prayer:
Lord, let your story continue to be told. Open our eyes to the freshness of living water being poured out in my and those around me.
Lord would you encourage all our lifehouse leaders this week. Give them ears to hear what you are doing in the people attending life houses. Give them wisdom and encouragement to pass along.
Lord thank you that you are not a respector of persons but you are willing to be intimate with anyone who will humble themselves and seek you.
Bring your rain Lord on our land in West Texas and bring the rain of living water on our hearts here in West Texas.

The Amazing Living Water

Scripture for the week:
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. Psalm 66:8

Thursday reading:
John 4

key verse: 10 & 19

observations & questions:
10 if you only knew - what a phrase, if we only knew what God wants to do in us and with us. He wants us to connect with Him in an eternal relationship and reap living water. He wants us to have a connection with Him that brings a type of nourishment that this world can not bring to us. It is beyond what we naturally know in this world. There is grace, peace, love, joy etc. that has a quality that we could never experience in this life. It is beyond what we could obtain on our own. Without fellowship with Him we can never know the reality of this living water.

the gift - that otherness of Gods living water is such a gift. When you have tasted it you realize just what a gift it is. When we quit seeking God and are left to our own devices and meeting our own needs we realize how utterly helpless we are. We can't generate the qualities of the living water that God gives us. It is an amazing gift.

If we knew who we are speaking to - this speaks so much of the honor we should give this one who has the power to give us a relationship with the living, almighty God of the universe. What an incredible man to meet who can impart to us eternal life. It is the discovery of the fountain of youth. We will be enabled to live forever with the creator and in fellowship with Him as a son and daughter. The man, this day was the God man who could give this incredible gift.

vs 17 - 19 Jesus gives this woman a taste of living water flowing from Him. He speaks to her something that as a natural man he could not know. He had to get this information from His heavenly father. It is information obtained from God and given at a time to reveal to this woman that this man was more than just any ordinary man. He was a man sent from God.

She gets it to. She says sir, I recognize you must be a prophet. There is supernatural in you.

27 Jesus breaks cultural boundaries. He is not concerned with keeping cultural rules. He is concerned with eternal things.

application or concept:
Through intimacy with God we can touch people in ways that are beyond human capacity.

prayer:
Lord, continue to show me how to launch giving and ministry to others from a place of intimacy with you.

Learning Agenda:
Lessons from bloggers

notes:
p 117
Are you just being average ? are you typical, common, ordianry, all right, decent, moderate, all common synonyms of average: Yuck Don't be that person who just does enough to get buy and keep your job for one more day. Do something extradinary. Something outstanding. Make today remarkable. posted by Brad Lomenick

p 122
Significance is about impact we have ON others. Sucess is aobut comparing ourselves TO others. And comparison is the thief of joy.

We tend to think that leadership is mainly about leading those who are subordinates or work FOR us but leadership is first and foremost about leading ourselves.

50% of our leadership should go towards leading ourselves...
posted by Brad Lomenick

Prayer:
Lord, I thank you for blessing us all at prayer last night. Lord continue to show us your purposes and plans through various times of prayer at Elife.
Lord let be be conscious of your purposes today and hear your voice in serving others.

I thank you for Ethan's good report card and ask you to help him in his weak subject of history.
Continue to bring healing to Elizabeth from this virus.
Continue to fuel the fire in Callie's heart for revival.
This morning I pray for each man in our ltg.
Lord would you encourage Clinton and Val as they try and raise support to go to India. provide for their every need.

He must become greater

Scripture for the week:
I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. John 14:12

Friday reading:
John 3

key verse: vs 29b and 30 I am filled with joy at his success, He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less

observations & questions: How do I let Him become greater in my life ?

application: Think about success of Jesus this week and give thanks for those things.

prayer: Lord help me become joyful when you succeed, help me get out of the way and in my life may you become more and more.

Learning Agenda:
Live Lesson 3

notes:

Some religions promote a sovereign deity that is cold, distant, and angry,
Christianity speaks of a loving Father.

The more you talk to God the more he'll reveal who He is to you.

Gods voice comes often as an impression that pops in your mind, an impression that is peaceful and gentle.

Giving thanks to God opens our hearts to deeper relationship with Him.

unconfessed sin will rob us of closeness with God.

4 answers to prayer: red light, green light, yellow light, and u-turn

Prayer:
Lord thank you for putting me around people who want to know you.
Thank you for your patience with me. continue to teach me and work with me.
thank you for supplying all our needs.

God, help Elizabeth's health this week. encourage her.
I pray that you would help me set priorities in what I do at elife.
i pray my kids would continue to encounter you. Please teach them and lead them.

LTG Journey blog

I am experimenting with a blog that will work for chronicling weekly time in bible reading, prayer and other spiritual disciplines for our life transformation groups.