Refueled!!

I am learning more and more about myself everyday. I have always had a high amount of daily energy. There is just an inner passion to do something great that lives inside of me. God made us all that way...I've just found out how to discover what mine was and now dedicate my life to doing it. Recently though, I have realized that there is a secret to keeping that passion going...it needs FUEL!

Here are a few ways I am learning to FUEL myself for Gods passions inside of me:

#1 I have to fuel my passion with some Jesus time. It doesn't get any simpler or harder than that. The End.

#2 I am the ONLY person responsible for developing myself as a person. ITS NO ONE ELSE'S job but mine. I have to put myself around like-minded leaders, books, podcasts, friends, and other people much smarter & passionate than me who can pour into me. If I keep expecting someone else to do it for me, I'll be a bitter & undeveloped leader who always makes excuses.

#3 I can't expect myself to be able to ALWAYS give to ANYONE who asks of me. The reality is, sometimes, I'm running on empty, Just because someone has our cell phone number, FB, Twitter or email address or knows where we sleep...doesn't mean they get to have access to us. I am learning I don't have to respond to every email, text, FB, etc to be a good person...in fact, many times, quite the opposite is true.

#4 I have to have some "me" time. There is something about just doing something alone that brings me great perspective on all God has given me. The last thing I should do is FORCE myself into an obligation that I have a choice over. I need to make sure I'm not lazy with this idea, and take advantage of it. But when I'm allowed some time to think, gain perspective, and relax, I'm much better to everyone I need to be around, meet with, plan for, give to, & pour into.

This isn't an exhaustive list. Only what I'm learning now. I hope you all learn to develop yourself...because no one else is going to do it for you. Lets Go!!

Remnant Discipleship

I'm so excited to start a new season of discipleship with Remnant. Our great team of leaders which includes Jolene Campbell, Dan & Stacey Martin, and my own beautiful wife Brenda, have really come together to form an amazing series of true discipleship.

Our goal will be to turn believers in Christ into genuine followers of Christ. Even in Jesus' day, many believed, but few learned the way of Christ. We want to raise a generation of informed, authentic, educated, grounded, humble, broken, caring, and passionate followers of the way of Jesus Christ. We want to teach them how to consider their actions, their beliefs, and their thoughts as they pursue the deeper components of their faith. We want to show them how they can grow THEIR OWN passion and deepen their own wells. I can't wait for Sundays @ 10:15a. It will be at Lee Pollard, where our South Hills Extended Church meets.

Get ready Remnant, this is going to get GOOD!!

Communication 101

The goal of any communications is to get a point across. If you have enough humility, then you can get your point across everytime. If you just want to win points, then you’ll lose the goal of communicating EVERY TIME. Take for instance this scenario: if a Pit Bull was trained to attack every time it hears certain words, you’d probably be certain to avoid those words.

But when it comes to communicating, it seems we forget this rule of thumb. It’s like we want to see the dog go crazy, so we taunt it. We are shocked when it turns on us, & it hurts us.  It also hurts the dog & trains them not to trust dealing with you. Then every time the dog sees you, it starts barking & getting internly agitated. Many people understand this about dogs, but forget it when it comes to their family members, co-workers, bosses, teachers, and anyone else you have to communicate with in life.

Now, are you going to go in the backyard & start using the words that causes the dog to go crazy, or are you going to learn a better way to communicate your point until they can understand what you're saying. Humility will lead you to this, but many of us have the habit of getting ourselves BIT. Try some humility, and change the words, tone, and facial responses that you use and see how calm the people in your life remain.

Who do you resemble?

Its funny how different people can totally look alike, isn't it? I've been told that I look like Owen Wilson and that I also resemble Keith Urban. I'm not sure thats true when I shave, but when I rock the 5 o'clock shadow, even I can see the resemblance.

It makes me wonder how much the inside of me is really reflecting the resemblance of Christ? I know we are the workmanship or masterpiece of Christ, so we tell of his amazing glory. But do I dull that pristine shine? Do I hinder the glow of the Spirit that should radiate from my words, my thoughts, my actions, my desires?

All too often the answer is a resounding yes. I would much rather reflect the beautiful & mysterious purity that comes from living an obedient life than to continually have my own freedom but diminish the power of being a clear reflection of His resemblance.

We are His body. May we continue to strive towards Him through devotion to personal holiness, obedience & always being held by His grace to even begin trying...with our without make-up or a 5 o'clock shadow.

Remnants May Series

Remnant is starting our new series "The Body of Christ." Tonight @ Remnant we are going to begin to give the overview of what we believe God is saying to us. Many times people become followers of Christ (formerly referred to as "getting saved") and never even learn about what they have decided to do. Our new series will help anyone who has ever wanted to know why do Christians call what they go to "church", what does being a part of the body of Christ even mean, and why was I put on this earth to do?

As we often say at Remnant, we don't 'go' to church...we are the church. You can attend something that you are. I don't attend a baseball player, I attend a baseball game, where the baseball players all show up to do what they are specifically gifted to do. Can't wait for this series to get GOING tonight.

Don't miss out these next few weeks on finding out what you were made to do and what the whole phrase 'Christs Body' even means.

We are all Hostage to something...

I was given the blessing of speaking again at all of the services this past weekend. South Hills Church is in our HOSTAGE series and I had the chance to teach on addictions. God really helped me share some things that I trust really brought some freedom and understanding to a lot of our people.

Usually when the word addictions comes up, the things that come to our mind are druggies, dark alleys, dingy shantys in the dirty places of the city, the so-called degenerates of our society, gamblers, alcoholics etc. The reality is that we are all addicted to something, and we are in desperate need of rescuing. We all have a secret sin, or a characteristic about ourselves that seems to just 'own' us. Be it co-dependency, gossip, lust, control, success, attention, power, or whatever, it is the the area that proves how much we are in need of Christ.

This week, I'm going to dedicate each day to blogging more in depth about the issues we discussed this past weekend. I always like to say that there is no such thing as someone needing Jesus more than someone else, only needing Jesus different. No one needs him more, nor less, we just have different reasons for needing His healing, forgiveness, & love.