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In today's culture, it is easy to lose focus on the things worth fighting for in our lives. The Bible teaches us to honor God. The reason our culture is dishonoring is because people aren't honoring God. The Bible teaches us to "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10 (ESV) It is pretty easy to lose the virtue of honor. The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me…” Isaiah 29:13

 Join us this Sunday, July 11th, as we start a new teaching series on the Forgotten Virtues of honor, integrity, loyalty, purity and gratitude. 

On Easter Sunday we started a new teaching series entitled- Supernatural. We are learning about the authority that God has given us over the powers of darkness. We are learning that their is more to this life the what we see.  I am looking forward to this series for many reasons. But the #1 reason -- FLASH MOBS. We are designed by God to be a part of the supernatural through serving. During the next six weeks we will be flash mobbing people with a purpose! A flash mob is when a group of people (usually organized through the internet) show up in a public place, do something random or crazy, and then disappear. We are doing flash mobs with purpose.

Our first mob descended upon the Central Oregon Teen Challenge ministry. They focus on leading people out of addictions through the power of Jesus Christ. At 4:59pm last Friday, there were 150+ people parked all over the neighborhood near the COTC house. When the horn blew, we all mobbed their front yard. They thought they were being rioted! When in fact, they were being blessed. Each mobber placed a $5 bill in a container and then we all disappeared. Awesome fun! Check out our video from Friday night.{vimeo}10854110{/vimeo}

 Watch for details.....we will be doing one flash mob a week during the Supernatural Series. 

On Easter Sunday we started a new teaching series entitled- Supernatural. We are learning about the authority that God has given us over the powers of darkness. We are learning that their is more to this life the what we see.  I am looking forward to this series for many reasons. But the #1 reason -- FLASH MOBS. We are designed by God to be a part of the supernatural through serving. During the next six weeks we will be flash mobbing people with a purpose! A flash mob is when a group of people (usually organized through the internet) show up in a public place, do something random or crazy, and then disappear. We are doing flash mobs with purpose.

Our first mob descended upon the Central Oregon Teen Challenge ministry. They focus on leading people out of addictions through the power of Jesus Christ. At 4:59pm last Friday, there were 150+ people parked all over the neighborhood near the COTC house. When the horn blew, we all mobbed their front yard. They thought they were being rioted! When in fact, they were being blessed. Each mobber placed a $5 bill in a container and then we all disappeared. Awesome fun! Check out our video from Friday night.{vimeo}

 

Watch for details.....we will be doing one flash mob a week during the Supernatural Series. 

We had an awesome weekend at Mission Church! We started a new series called - Supernatural.

 We are believing God for the Supernatural to take place. I also love that this series runs simultaneously with the 50 day journey to Pentecost..the descent of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts.  Here are some thoughts from the weekend message:

WE DO NOT FIGHT FOR VICTORY. WE FIGHT FROM VICTORY.

 "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you

is greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John 4:4

 YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN YOUR BATTLES.

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.  "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."  And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17

 

YOUR PRAYERS ARE FAR MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU KNOW.

"Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come."

Daniel 10:12-14 NLT

 

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world." 2 Corinthians 10:3-4

 

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:10-12

 

Your battle is NOT against people, politicians, your neighbor or co-worker that is driving you crazy. It is against the spiritual forces of evil. Do not be afraid!

You are not alone in your battles because God commands His angels concerning you.

"Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne...In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" Revelation 5:11-12

 
So, who are angels? Angels are warriors.

 "That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp." 2 Kings 19:35

 

"And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back." Revelation 12:7

Angels are messengers.
Angels give you direction.

Angels protect you from danger.

"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."

Psalms 91:11-12

 

Angels minister to you.

"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"

Hebrews 1:14

 

You are God's passion! He commands His angels concerning YOU. This is going to be an awesome teaching series. I am looking forward to the SUPERNATURAL!!

 

On Monday evening, I had the opportunity to participate in a Seder dinner...Messianic style:) For those of you unfamiliar with a Seder/Passover meal, let me offer a brief description:

The Passover is the Old Testament feast that celebrates and remembers God's liberation of Israel from Egypt. After Joseph saved Egypt from starvation (Genesis 41), the Israelites lived in Egypt as guests. Eventually, the Egyptians forgot about Joseph and enslaved the Israelites for about 400 years. Overburden with work and mistreatment, the Israelites suffered a great deal and called out to the Lord. God responded to their cry and raised a great leader, Moses, who challenged the Pharaoh and Egypt's power. The book of Exodus explains how God freed His people from Egypt. Because of the hardness of Pharaoh's heart, God punished Egypt with ten plagues (Exodus 7-11). During the last plague, God killed all the first-borns-humans and animals-in the land of Egypt. 
God have his people a way to escape the destruction: the blood of a perfect lamb could take the place of the first-born in the family. God gave Moses specific instructions to follow the night that God's punishment passed over the Israelite homes (Exodus 12). The were to sacrifice a perfect lamb and mark their door frames, make unleavened bread, and gather bitter herbs. The Israelites at this meal standing up, ready to leave Egypt at any moment. This celebration is now called the Passover because God "passed over" the homes marked with the lamb's blood. The Passover feast was to be repeated throughout generations as a memorial forever. 

I find this incredibly meaningful as I celebrate the death and resurrection of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  Check out the significance of the Passover meal with the events of Holy Week:

•  Exodus 12:1-2 - The feast marked a new year, a new beginning for the Israelites. In Christ, every believer is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). The old is gone and the new has come!
• Exodus 12:5 - A male lamb in its first year was taken into the home on the tenth of Nisan (the first month of the Jewish calendar). While in the home, it was closely inspected to see if there were any blemishes or disfigurements. If it was without defect, it was then sacrificed on the fourteenth of Nisan. Jesus Christ was closely inspected by: Pilate, Herod, Annas, Caiaphas. They could find no fault in Him. Christ was the "lamb without blemish or defect.
• Exodus 12:6 - The "whole community" of God's people was required to participate in the sacrifice. Accepting Christ's sacrifice is required for all who want to be part of God's community. (Romans 3:21-26)
• Exodus 12:7, 12-22 - The blood of the sacrificed lamb was applied to the doorframe-the lintel and side posts. Because of the covering of blood, the house was spared from God's plague. Christ shed his blood to rescue His people. We need to be covered, justified by the blood of the Lamb to be rescued from condemnation (Romans 3:25; 5:9). Christ is the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).
• Exodus 12:14 - The Passover was to be kept as a remembrance forever. During the Last Supper, Jesus refers to the bread as "my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19
• Exodus 12:46 - God commanded Israel not to break any bones of the sacrificed lamb. To speed up Jesus' death, the Roman soldiers were going to break his legs. However, Jesus was already dead, so his bones remained unbroken (John 19:32-33)

I am always excited to share in the life, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. May this Holy Week lead you deeper in the adventure, joy and abundance that Jesus Christ has for you!!

I am reading Real Christianity by William Wilberforce. It was originally published in 1797. I am challenged by this thoughtful and passionate Christ follower whose Biblical worldview and dependence on the Holy Spirit empowered him to champion the abolition of slavery. 

I will most likely write more as I finish this book. But I keep asking myself as I read about this Christian leader who finished well -- What is possible with God? It brings me back to a quote that I have been wrestling with by Francis Chan..."I don't want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit." My heart cry, my desire, my passion is to experience the adventure that God has for my life. I don't want to settle for mediocrity and I don't want to sink into comfort. The solution for all that is broken in our world is Jesus. From health care reform to human trafficking, the hope is Jesus Christ.
I want to pursue the One Hope, the One Truth, the One Way, the One life. I know that it can only be found in Jesus Christ. As we approach the Easter/Holy Week season, may we all pursue the ONE who can change it all, heal our nation, set the captives free and heal the broken hearted. He is the risen Savior and His Name is Jesus. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to anyone who believes on calls on His Name!