250/150/50

This last week I met a guy at Paradox that reminds me of a lot of the stories I've heard lately.

"I started coming recently because _________ invited me. I've never been a church person but I really like what you guys do here so I keep coming."

Two things stick out here.

1. God seems to keep giving us favor with the people we started this church for.

2. Invites are powerful! When we have the courage to ask a friend to come with us to check out our church statistics say they are more likely to say yes than to say no.

This is why we have committed to fast together every Wednesday. We are acting in faith that God will continue to use our church to reach the people we already know with His love, and to do it through our lives.

Simple prayer today as you fast until dinner is -- God please use me and use Paradox to reach the 250!

Becoming Less - 250/150/50

Ever had that experience of sitting on a plane, sandwiched into the middle seat? You can only sit straight up with your feet in front of you, and your hands in your lap for so long before you’re just ready to open a door, and jump out into the wide, open, expanse of the blue sky you’re flying in.

Or course, that would be a flight that wouldn’t end well, at least not for you!

The last time I was in that situation I can remember pulling in my arms so they didn’t touch the guys next to me. I can remember pulling in my legs so I didn’t accidentally end up playing footsies with my new neighbors. I can remember the strain in my neck from trying to keep it upright while I tried to sleep. Although these were big guys, with big shoulders that were probably pretty comfortable!

I can remember thinking, “the only thing left to do is to literally shrink the size of my body”.

That was not an enjoyable flight.

We sometimes think of what Jesus is trying to do in our lives as a similar experience. We tend to think that what God is up to is squeezing the life out of us. With His expectations, & lists, & stuff He requires. It can all seem like He is just trying to take the enjoyment of life away from us. So, we tend to hold back & hold out for fear that if we give into Him too much we’ll be miserable. So, it’s easier to then hold onto life than to let it fully go into His hands.

The Paradox though, is that life done with God is the one pursuit where the more you lose your life the more you not only find life, but you gain more of God in the process. More encounter, more experience, more understanding, more…

In the Bible, in a book called John there is a verse that talks about us shrinking that He may grow.

John 3:30

“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”

Part of the reason we’re spending every Wednesday fasting together is to embrace the practice of becoming less by denying ourselves SO THAT we may gain more of Him and all that He has in store.

Let’s be in prayer together all day today for all that God has planned in each other’s lives & in our church. Praying for the 250 yet to find their life in God!!

250/150/50

If you weren't at church on September 25th then you HAVE TO catch up with us!

We shared the vision God has given us for this next 2 years and it was one of the most exciting Sundays we've had in a long time! If you missed it you can listen HERE - just click on the week of 9/25/2011, the title is "250/150/50".

After that Sunday we decided that we would pray and fast together each Wednesday as a way of asking God to do the miraculous among us & through us.
Today we kick off that fast & today as I pray with you, my prayer all day will be for God to freak us out as He leads us to greater impact than our church has ever known.

To fast, you simply need to give up food for the entire day or at least for one or more meals. I know many people that will give up eating until dinner for a day long fast. However you do it, remember to pray throughout the day for the vision and dream of 250/150/50.

Here's a verse that challenges me even when I feel hungry enough to eat my computer!

I Corinthians 9:24-27 24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.