Most of us want to live life at a higher level....we'd like to have the 'perfect life' whatever that is.
There are a few challenges ....
#1 most of us have no idea of what the 'perfect life' would be for us because we've lacked the tools to help us define what that might look like. (the tools and ideas you need will be coming up later in this series)
# 2 We probably haven't committed to seeking God's Kingdom First and then letting the chips fall where they may. More on that in a minute....
I've spent a lot of time and energy in my life trying to determine what my 'dream life' would be like and then I've mapped out a plan and attacked it like 39 dogs only to realize that the pursuit left me empty inside. I couldn't figure out why until I realized that I was violating an important principle....I was determining my own dream with no input from God. It's not that God wants to 'boss' me around, it's that He knows me even better than I know myself and that when I pursue His agenda for the world and my place in it that my best gifts will be activated and I'll find myself in the sweet spot of a life well-lived on purpose.
In short I discover the power & passion of alignment with His agenda, my gifts and dreams and the needs of the world when I give Him access to the command center of my life.
The reality is that my dream is found in His.
It's remarkable that Jesus words ring true that when we lose our lives we actually find them.
Two Action Items for you today:
Action Item 1:
Read and really think about these 3 scriptures:
Proverbs 3:5-6
Matthew 6:33 (the entire Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5 to Matthew 7 is worth reading and thinking seriously about as you seek to connect with God's ways and Jesus' commands for those who would seriously follow Him)
Jeremiah 29:11
Action Item 2: Pray something like this simply:
God, I don't know if I have enough faith to really trust you with my life and to accept Your agenda for me, but I'd like to. So, would you give me the courage to give up control of my life and to let You take the steering wheel of my life and to cooperate with your plan for the world and my place in it? Amen.
Rootin for YOU to find your Passion & Purpose in His Dream for the world.
Jeff Fuson
p.s. In order to condition our heart and mind to be in tune with God I don't know of anything more important than taking Scripture in and letting them tune our heart & mind to be on God's frequency. Read this post to learn a way to do this that won't take an extra moment of your day! This post is Extreme Life Makeover #1 -- Brain Candy for Christ Followers.
Jeff Fuson serves as Point Leader for Phos Hilaron Church near Louisville Kentucky. Jeff's # 1 passion is being a husband and daddy. A close second is seeing people grow spiritually. As a Professional Speaker Jeff also serves as a Keynote Speaker & Trainer crafting & delivering high impact keynote addresses & training events for Entrepreneurs, Banks, Credit Unions, and small to medium sized non-profit & for profit enterprises. He's got one incredible wife and 3 awesome children.
The Life Purpose Guy -- helping Entrepreneurial Christ Followers Bring Good Things to Life
Showing posts with label Matthew 6:33. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matthew 6:33. Show all posts
Monday, January 5, 2009
Monday, October 27, 2008
Always Amazing. The Life & Times of a Church Planter Smack Dab in the Middle of a Hurricane of Grace
When we launched Phos Hilaron Church we knew it would stretch our faith--but, we didn't know that it would stretch it THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSS far! I was asked by a Youth for Christ worker a few months back if I have the 'gift of faith' and my response was 'NO!' But, it's growing. Because we've seen countless miracles in the journey with Phos where we were at the 'end' of life as we know it and every single time -- EVERY SINGLE ONE -- GOD has stormed us with unmerited favor and with grace and peace and resources.
It happened again at Post Office Box 333 in Buckner Kentucky at 5:47 AM today -- two letters with two checks that will keep us in the black for another couple of weeks. And, it's like this all the time -- certain financial chaos met with gifts that only God Himself could have orchestrated.
This used to tie me up in knots and cause me to loose sleep, but not anymore. I've learned that God is faithful and that He wants the Phos Church experience to be resourced. So, I wait and watch and I kind of like the 'edge' more now than I like the predictable.
As the lead pastor of Phos I want to always lead us into Creative Risk Taking to reach people who haven't been touched by the Miracle of Grace through Jesus Christ. I want to always position us as a Body of Believers to play on the creative edge and to play to win. It's so easy to slip into 'playing not to loose' --the domain of most structures and church government is to protect gains from yesteryear and maintain a lot of Status Quo...and the more 'status' a church has had in the past the more vehemently that Quo is protected and championed and governed. This is a very real danger for Phos as we move ahead. The danger of slipping into 'playing not to loose' and of protecting gains from the past. My prayer is to maintain courage and stamina and vision to keep us moving into uncharted territories -- to be on journey with God even when it seems risky and it seems like we've bet the ranch on what God has called us to do. That's where we've been for this entire journey. We've put the 'ranch' on the table over and over again because I know (we know) that Phos is God's and not ours and that if He wants us to have long term impact in this region and around the globe that it will come from His hands and not from our 'marketing campaigns' and 'slogans' and 'mission statements' --rather it will come because we always put on the chips on God and on the fact that He's in the business of working behind enemy lines in dark places to rescue P.O.W.s and those who are M.I.A.
So, I have supreme God-fidence and waning 'Confidence' in my fleshly efforts. I am living a dream because God is allowing me to. It could stop at any moment at His bidding. The 'Conductor' could tell me and the whole crew to get off the train tomorrow and that'd be the end. But, He keeps on granting vision and next steps and new friends to journey with us and we keep on being blown away in the eye of a Hurricane of Grace.
If you want to take a look at an incredible 7 days of blessing in my life and get a glimpse of what Service Worship with PHC looked like yesterday at Phos check out these images.
To live in the Hurricane of Grace you'll have to step out of the cellar of the dank 'known & predictable' into the gale force winds of a ride with God that'll flatten your old life and awaken your senses to the winds of change.
Lovin' the Hurricane of Grace!
Jeff Fuson
Jeff Fuson serves as Point Leader for Phos Hilaron Church near Louisville Kentucky. Jeff's # 1 passion is being a husband and daddy. A close second is seeing people grow spiritually. As a Professional Speaker Jeff also serves as a Keynote Speaker & Trainer crafting & delivering high impact keynote addresses & training events for Entrepreneurs, Banks, Credit Unions, and small to medium sized non-profit & for profit enterprises. He's got one incredible wife and 3 awesome children.
It happened again at Post Office Box 333 in Buckner Kentucky at 5:47 AM today -- two letters with two checks that will keep us in the black for another couple of weeks. And, it's like this all the time -- certain financial chaos met with gifts that only God Himself could have orchestrated.
This used to tie me up in knots and cause me to loose sleep, but not anymore. I've learned that God is faithful and that He wants the Phos Church experience to be resourced. So, I wait and watch and I kind of like the 'edge' more now than I like the predictable.
As the lead pastor of Phos I want to always lead us into Creative Risk Taking to reach people who haven't been touched by the Miracle of Grace through Jesus Christ. I want to always position us as a Body of Believers to play on the creative edge and to play to win. It's so easy to slip into 'playing not to loose' --the domain of most structures and church government is to protect gains from yesteryear and maintain a lot of Status Quo...and the more 'status' a church has had in the past the more vehemently that Quo is protected and championed and governed. This is a very real danger for Phos as we move ahead. The danger of slipping into 'playing not to loose' and of protecting gains from the past. My prayer is to maintain courage and stamina and vision to keep us moving into uncharted territories -- to be on journey with God even when it seems risky and it seems like we've bet the ranch on what God has called us to do. That's where we've been for this entire journey. We've put the 'ranch' on the table over and over again because I know (we know) that Phos is God's and not ours and that if He wants us to have long term impact in this region and around the globe that it will come from His hands and not from our 'marketing campaigns' and 'slogans' and 'mission statements' --rather it will come because we always put on the chips on God and on the fact that He's in the business of working behind enemy lines in dark places to rescue P.O.W.s and those who are M.I.A.
So, I have supreme God-fidence and waning 'Confidence' in my fleshly efforts. I am living a dream because God is allowing me to. It could stop at any moment at His bidding. The 'Conductor' could tell me and the whole crew to get off the train tomorrow and that'd be the end. But, He keeps on granting vision and next steps and new friends to journey with us and we keep on being blown away in the eye of a Hurricane of Grace.
If you want to take a look at an incredible 7 days of blessing in my life and get a glimpse of what Service Worship with PHC looked like yesterday at Phos check out these images.
To live in the Hurricane of Grace you'll have to step out of the cellar of the dank 'known & predictable' into the gale force winds of a ride with God that'll flatten your old life and awaken your senses to the winds of change.
Lovin' the Hurricane of Grace!
Jeff Fuson
Jeff Fuson serves as Point Leader for Phos Hilaron Church near Louisville Kentucky. Jeff's # 1 passion is being a husband and daddy. A close second is seeing people grow spiritually. As a Professional Speaker Jeff also serves as a Keynote Speaker & Trainer crafting & delivering high impact keynote addresses & training events for Entrepreneurs, Banks, Credit Unions, and small to medium sized non-profit & for profit enterprises. He's got one incredible wife and 3 awesome children.
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