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Possible With God Jun 13, 2022

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Have you ever read the Francis Chan book, Crazy Love? It will challenge you. He really makes us look at our life here in America and if we let our prosperity harden our hearts and keep us in a lukewarm state. Actually, it is a super challenging read and exposes a lot of work needed in most of us. But it also asks you to renovate your heart. If we can develop a heart for crazy love for God, and crazy love for people - loving them like God loves them - we can reach incredible charitable heights.
Today I ask you to go on a journey with me - a journey to more giving, more kindness, more charity, freeing up our time, energy and money to do great work in the kingdom and for the name of Jesus.
- Have you ever wondered if "lukewarm" is a description of parts of your own life?
- How can God love and save us when we are so underdeveloped in comparison to His glory?
- What happens when the love of God fills your heart and changes your life?
- How would your conduct to others change if you loved them like God loves them?
- What if we had the immediate heart of Zaccheus when we thought of Jesus and His grace?

Community is Crucial Jun 06, 2022

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Today is a hard one. I need to talk to you about the school shooting in Uvalde, TX on Tuesday May 24th. An 18 year old young man shot and killed 19 kids and two adults. 17 others are currently in the hospital with injuries. Sadly, this is not an altogether isolated event. Increased violence by damaged, angry youth is more apparent every year in our country. What is happening and how can we fix it?
Politics is something to discuss, but not today. Prayer is important to emphasize, but is that the limit of our ability to help this world? Most of us would say that this world needs Jesus. That is certainly true. Do you pray about that? I do. But have you considered that God is ready to that if you are? Community among believers gets us through the darkest of things. Do the people in this world also need that community in love and in Christ to cope with their damaged hearts and minds? Yes. You and I are the tools God wants to employ to reach them. Let's look into how that might happen in your life today.
- How have you handled the terrible news of the school massacre in Uvalde, TX?
- Do you wish more people in this country had a relationship with God?
- Could even the most troubled of youth be brought to the light by love and community?
- Okay, so what role will you play in that?
- Is it the world's job to come find us, or are we ready to be like Jesus and go to them?

Three Phone Calls May 30, 2022

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Today we turn our gaze toward the future. One day you and I will leave this earth. When we do, most likely, the letter of our lives will be fully written and handed to our family and friends to live with for the rest of their lives. We aren't sending a letter back to ourselves but forward to our family. The question is, what will be written there? Will we seed hope in them? Will they draw joy from the choices in our lives, eternal and heavenly joy? Or will we leave them with doubt and fear?
We can't go back into our past to change what has happened, we can only do what is right now. The same is true for what will come in our future and how our legacy will live on after us. We will have zero control then. But we can do the right thing today, and tomorrow, and increasingly to the end.
I want to share three phone calls I have received in my life. Three times I had to store away my thoughts of someone who had passed. I still hold within me those same feelings. But what did they leave me with? What was sealed forever in the hearts of the people they knew and loved? The results represent options for you. I hope you will listen carefully and decide what kind of phone call you want your loved ones to receive when you are one.
- May 19th 1992 - The passing of my grandmother
- November 15th 1996 - The passing my best friend's mom
- July 14th 2008 - The passing of a sweet sister in Christ
- What will your passing represent in terms of: outside of Christ, once in Christ, or NOW in Christ?

Dear Younger Me May 23, 2022

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What would you write if you had the chance to pen a letter to your younger self? What changes would you make? Would you try to avoid bad decisions? Would you direct yourself to lucrative investments? Okay, cool. But what if it risked what you have now? Would it be worth it?
We are going to dig in on all of those questions today. To help guide us through, we will be reading and considering the lyrics from the Mercy Me song, "Dear Younger Me." I have added the lyrics to the song below. It takes a surprising, and somewhat humbling honestly, turn at the end that has me thinking through a lot of things. I hope it has that affect on you as well.
A pursuit into changing the past can make us feel worse about our life today. You know, wishing we could change things but having to live with the fact that we cannot. But there is a much, much better outcome available that will - spoiler alert - seed everything great thing in knowing Christ!
Dear younger me
Where do I start
If I could tell you everything that I have learned so far
Then you could be
One step ahead
Of all the painful memories still running thru my head
I wonder how much different things would be
Dear younger me,

Dear younger me
I cannot decide
Do I give some speech about how to get the most out of your life
Or do I go deep
And try to change
The choices that you'll make cuz they're choices that made me
Even though I love this crazy life
Sometimes I wish it was a smoother ride
Dear younger me, dear younger me

If I knew then what I know now
Condemnation would've had no power
My joy my pain would've never been my worth
If I knew then what I know now
Would've not been hard to figure out
What I would've changed if I had heard

Dear younger me
It's not your fault
You were never meant to carry this beyond the cross
Dear younger me

You are holy
You are righteous
You are one of the redeemed
Set apart a brand new heart
You are free indeed

Every mountain every valley
Thru each heartache you will see
Every moment brings you closer
To who you were meant to be
Dear younger me, dear younger me

You are holy
You are righteous
You are one of the redeemed
Set apart a brand new heart
You are free indeed

The Beginner's Gift May 16, 2022

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Do you remember what it felt like to start something amazing? Do you remember the first day of marriage? Or what it felt like to be washed in the blood of the Lamb? Wow, that was truly the best. For those who are exploring new things and feeling the joys of discovery, drink in every ounce of that! As for the rest of us, let's not give up the dream of daily joy and the emotions of gratitude.
To enjoy the gift of fresh and excited eyes, we need to identify the qualities we once had and reach for them again. To help with this, let's look at a beginner embracing new hope in contrast with a long timer who had lost that spark. You can choose to be that first person again, no matter how long it's been. In fact, because of how long God has blessed you!
- What is the beginner's gift and how does it feel to possess it?
- What happens over time that keeps us from the feelings we once had?
- How does remembering desperation bring us to place of rejoicing?
- Why is honesty and openness a wonderful quality that we all need?
- What part does gratitude play in keeping you as joyful as the first day of blessing?

Be Secretly Incredible May 09, 2022

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First, special thanks to Kinsey Fountain for a terrific idea!
Second, thank to Bob Goff for his quote and life and work.
There is a deep and different richness when our value is connected with our acts of kindness, not what people say about our acts of kindness. We all crave validation, and we live in a social media age, where likes amount to value for a great many things in our lives.
But what if we figure out how to Be Secretly Incredible? Maybe you can be more loving and generous, for the sake of the act and the people you help, with zero need for or desire for accolades or affirmation. Bob Goff will show us how. His sentiments perfectly echo the teachings of Jesus in the sermon on the mount. Let me tell his story and see if he can inspire you.
I also want to share four little ideas that are transforming my thinking. I hope to be more personal, emotional, and connected in my acts of good will in the name of Jesus. A short progression of thoughts can make that real for you. Then, if people find out about it, that's perfectly okay. They will want to be like you, and that's a great reason to have your good deeds known!
- Why do we care so much what other people think about the good things we do?
- How can we find value in our personal work, not just in collective or institutional actions?
- How can you sit down with your family and find the way God wants to use you?
- What would a life without generosity limits, led by relationships, be like for your family?
- Is it okay for people to see what we do if our sequencing is correct? YES!

Making Better Decisions May 02, 2022

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Big Promise Today - A little bit of questioning can go a really long way. Just a few simple questions, asked at the right moment, can lead you to better decisions and fewer regrets. First, let's overcome some simple decision making mistakes we all make. Then we will look at the power of "want." After all, most people do exactly what they want to do! But there is more analysis needed. We need to ask three simple questions to put ourselves, and others, in a better place - day after day!
Much of today's content was drawn from a great new book by Andy Stanley: "Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets." You can click the link to purchase from Amazon. I highly recommend the read.
- What is the difference between "big" decisions and "little" ones?
- How important is what you want when it comes to your choices?
- How does stretching what you want out over time affect your decisions?
- Should things go differently if what you want is JUST about you?
- Who stands to be affected by what you do and why does that matter?

Say I Won't Apr 28, 2022

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Two Big Things Today:
First, I'll be at the Twin Creeks church of Christ on May 1-4, 2022. This church is in Allen, TX, just North East of Dallas. Everyone is welcome as we study Missions of Mercy and making sure we have emptied our vessels so He can fill us with the Spirit. Here is a link to the church website.
Second, the Mercy Me song "Say I Won't" gets our attention today. I will provide the lyrics below as well as a link to the incredible music video. Check it out!
"Say I Won't"
Today it all begins
I'm seeing my life for the very first time
Through a different lens
Yesterday
I didn't understand
Driving 35 with the rocket inside
Didn't know what I had
While I've been waiting to live
My life's been waiting on me
I'm gonna run
No I'm gonna fly
I'm gonna know what it means to live
And not just be alive
The world's gonna hear
Cause I'm gonna shout
And I will be dancing when circumstances drown the music out
Say I won't
Not enough
Is what I've been told
But it must be a lie
Cause the Spirit inside says I'm so much more
So let them say what they want
Oh I dare them to try
I'm gonna run
No I'm gonna fly
I'm gonna know what it means to live
And not just be alive
The world's gonna hear
Cause I'm gonna shout
And I will be dancing when circumstances drown the music out
Say I won't
Say I won't
Say I won't
Say I won't
I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength
So keep on saying I won't
And I'll keep proving you wrong
I'm gonna run
No I'm gonna fly
I'm gonna know what it means to live
And not just be alive
This world's gonna hear
Cause I'm gonna shout
And I will be dancing when circumstances drown the music out
Say I won't
Say I won't
Say that I won't
Oh say I won't
Say I won't

The Salvation Issues Apr 25, 2022

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Most Christians are familiar with sentences like this: "This is a salvation issue." Of course, only Jesus decides such things. And while it may be alright to say such at times, it is often more about my personal convictions and, by the way, my side of the issue is always the saved side! lol.
There is room to show people in Scripture that some issues make the difference between heaven and hell. Though we must be very careful to make sure it is what the Scripture actually and clearly teaches. But here is something that is absolute: if Jesus says it is a matter of heaven and hell, then that's exactly what it is. Can we agree on that?
Today I want to show you a chapter where Jesus lays out 3 Salvation Issues. No amount of label making, partying up, or loud sermons can supplant these issues or substitute for them. If we want to be saved when the Savior comes, we must have full lamps, growing talents, and active hands.
- Who determines if an issue is a matter of personal conviction or a salvation issue?
- Why is it so important to us to draw deep lines in the sand with our personal convictions?
- What did Jesus say will matter in the judgment when it comes to being prepared for Him?
- What did Jesu say will matter when it comes to "ing" living and using what we have?
- How important is service to others when it comes to the final judgment and eternal destiny?

The Flow State Apr 18, 2022

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Everyone wants to do their best, no matter what they are trying to accomplish. In order to do that, we have to prepare. There is physical and intellectual work. But all of that can go to waste if we aren't in the right mental state at the moment of the performance. It can be sports, presentations, or conversations - there often comes that nervous moment when it is time to put all of our preparation into practice.
If we can perfectly connect ourselves with the task at hand, this is called "The Flow State." There is absolutely nothing in your mind except the thing you are doing. This give you the highest probability of executing at a high level. Unfortunately, many people allow several destructive things to also be in their mind at the moment of truth.
Raymon Prior is a performance councilor and author, and I had the privilege of meeting him recently. I want to share the four things that often get in the way of the flow state, and help you find confidence in a simple, focused approach to every important thing that you do.
- What is "The Flow State" and why is it important to us?
- Where are at least five areas where we need to be able to execute at a high level?
- What affect does both the past and the present have on us if it interrupts a present action?
- How does ego take us out of the flow state and distract from what we want to do well?
- Is every important thing "life and death?" Why does assigning too much weight cause problems?

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