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Some Things Can Be Resurrected!
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It’s true that many battles may seem to be lost here on earth but are won in heaven. Those are the battles that require faith in order to experience the victory. But that same faith is also required to experience victory here on earth. We must discipline ourselves to refuse the verdict of our enemy and grasp the powerful and creative words of Christ and hold on for dear life. Many times, I have had people who were smarter, wiser and much more experienced tell me that something was impossible. But in those times, I have learned to walk away and talk to someone else.
When Lynnae was pregnant with our oldest son Hampton, her due date was close to my birthday and we had the bright idea that we should ask the doctor to induce her on my birthday. We were so excited. We went to see the doctor. After his examination, he said, "I’m sorry, I know how much you want this to happen tomorrow but it’s too soon.” Lynnae’s due date was a week later. That night, after Lynnae had gone to bed, I talked to someone else. I said, “Lord I know the doctor said this can’t happen tomorrow and I know it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t but would you bless us by allowing this baby to be born on my birthday?” Then I went to bed.
Five hours later, I awoke to the sound of Lynnae calling my name from the other room. “Rob! I think my water just broke!” As I leapt out of bed, I said, “Thank you Lord!” That afternoon, Hampton was born! What a gift and Hampton is the gift that keeps on giving!
Always remember that no matter who says that something is impossible, there is always someone else you can talk to. Jesus said, “With God all things are possible!” He is for you and if He is for you, who can be against you? Join us Sunday for another Resurrection Story! 10:30am, 2620 Clinton Ave., The Stone Center, Campus 805.
Modern Day Resurrections
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God has a specific path to resurrection for you! He is calling your name right now. He is saying to you as He said to Lazarus, "Come Forth." Whether you are already a believer and have heard His call before, or you have never even considered it, He is calling your name and encouraging you to "Come Forth." Come forth and move into the life-giving way He has prepared for you today. Most of us miss it because of all the noise around us. You have to focus, sometimes you have to earnestly ask as I have this week, "Lord show me the way forward." I desperately prayed that prayer Monday and by Tuesday, God had answered my prayer by putting a specific person in my path who had answers for me. I love it when that happens.
I am grateful for the times when I become aware of my desperation for God. I'm so blessed to have even a partial understanding of that. I'm sorry for those who are so self-sufficient that they are oblivious to their need for Jesus. They don't feel lost (even though they are) so they don't feel the need for a Savior. They have a false sense of security and that sense is leading them further and further away from their salvation. How sad. But the opposite is also true. For those of us who know that we need Jesus every day, every hour and for every breath, He is our salvation! He makes a way where there is no way, He leads us in the path of righteousness, He cleanses us, comforts us, heals us, and He cares for us. How encouraging!
There is only one kind of life that awaits us. It's Resurrection Life! We are dead in our trespasses and sins until we hear our Lord call our name. He calls us out of the places of sin and death and sets us on a resurrected coarse. I absolutely love that direction and you will too!
Join us for our "Resurrection Stories" series beginning this week! 10:30 am 2620 Clinton Ave., The Stone Center, Campus 805.
Would You Recognize Jesus?
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As he walked toward me down a long, wide hall, I began to recognize him. He was still thirty feet away when I said, "Bruce, I'm Rob Hall from Huntsville". He held his arms open and said, "Rob! I'm so glad to see you!" I was not prepared for his greeting! It was a barrage of hugs, hand shakes, joyful greetings and genuine excitement to meet me. He turned the tables on me. He made me feel like the important person. Over the next hour, as we talked and did a video interview which is attached to this email, I was truly impressed by the way he treated every person around him. Then, during the interview, he spilled his secret. He had learned to play Jesus as the God who formed each person in their mother's womb. Each person is so special. Each of us carries the spark of the Almighty. John 1 says He lights every man that comes into the world.
Wow! Bruce was looking for that spark in everyone that day and treating all of us with the love and respect he has for Jesus. What if we could see Jesus in everyone? A very special older lady who is now in heaven, once told me, "I look for Jesus behind every person's eyes." We say we want to see Him. I wonder if we really do or do we just want to see Him the way we think He ought to look. He doesn't look like we think He should. John said that now we see as through a dark or dirty glass but then face to face. I believe like my friend that God Himself is standing just on the other side of the glass, the windows of our souls. Behind every eye, He waits for us. It's hard to see Him. We must look carefully. We must trust that He is there. We must love Him, honor Him and treat Him with respect. And in the process, the person in front of us gets to see themselves through the eyes of God. Now that's a Resurrection Story!!
This Easter Sunday, Bruce Marchiano who has played Jesus in more films than any other actor in history will be with us sharing the Jesus that he has come to know through his amazing experience.
Don't miss Easter at The Net! 10:30, 2620 Clinton Ave., The Stone Center, Campus 805. See you there!!
What Will You Do With Your Crown?
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The ironic thing about God's crown is that it is only reserved for those who set their own crown aside in this life. I am learning through my own suffering that my crown is absolutely worthless. I am choosing to set it aside. Little by little it's being dismantled. Everything it represents in my life is becoming reprehensible to me. I find myself not caring about my reputation. Wanting my own way has proven to be exhausting. This crown is too heavy. I'm tired of holding on to it. The crown of my pride is a dirty, rotten, loathsome thing that is better off discarded and forgotten.
What I want instead is to feel what Jesus feels about people. Beyond the dirt, beyond the smell and disgust of our sinfulness, God sees something beautiful. He remembers that divine something which was placed there when He formed us in our mother's womb. It's His DNA. It's the potential to become the incredible Sons and Daughters of God that He envisioned us to be long before we ever knew Him. It's real, it's authentic, it's unmasked godliness. God is calling us to lay down our tarnished crowns and embrace humanity – ours and everyone else’s.
Isn't that what Jesus did? Isn't that what Paul did? Didn't they embrace humanity with all its unsightly flaws and imperfections? And with every word, every touch and every opportunity did they not share the life that God so powerfully placed in them? I want the rest of my years to be devoted to bringing the spark of the almighty to broken and empty people. I want to show them what God is showing me, that He fashioned us with great care, infusing our souls with amazing power and purpose! I want everyone to know that there is something hidden in the heart of every man, women and child that when breathed on by the Spirit of God, one day will receive a crown.
Join us this Sunday as we continue to change our City one heart at a time.
Your Curse Is Gone!
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Jesus broke the curse. If we have Him, the curse is broken in us. This is called grace. Grace is refusing to give the punishment that is deserved. When our oldest son Hampton was a child, we would often respond to some act of disobedience that he was guilty of but was sorry for by “giving him grace.” He learned to ask for it occasionally. When he was truly sorry, he asked, “Would you give me grace." He didn’t ask for it very often but when he did, I found it almost impossible to say no. I wanted him to know what grace feels like. I think he does.
It wasn’t that easy for God. A price had to be paid and He was willing to pay it. He wants you to know what grace feels like. Jesus took our sins upon Himself and with them removed the curse that those sins brought to us. What a Savior! The Apostle Paul was humbled by this kind of love! He took our sin, shame and guilt and destroyed them by destroying himself on the cross. That’s our God! That’s why I love Him.
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