Today, we launch a new podcast. Thoughts for the Journey: Things to ponder along the way.
These episodes will be 3-5 minutes long. I hope they will inspire, encourage, and challenge you. I pray it blesses you.
Pick up a copy of my new book, The Cloud of Witnesses. It is available on Amazon.
John 2:17 NLT, “Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”
In our society today we have a passion for a lot of different things. Sports, education, media and movies, food, and many other things that bring us pleasure. Jesus was known, from the beginning of His ministry, for His passion for God’s House.
Here is a fulfillment of a prophecy,” Passion for God’s House will consume me.” This begs the question, “Does a passion for Gods House consume us?”. If we are passionate about things of this world, how much more should we be passionate about the things of God.
We should be passionate for God’s house in the following areas:
1. Passionate to GO to God’s House.
Are we faithful to His House or do we let other things keep us away? We must be careful that we don’t let things keep us from corporate worship.
2. Passionate to PRAY for God’s House.
How often do you pray for your church? If we belong to a church then we should pray for the church, its pastors and leaders. There is no greater way to impact the church than to pray for it. Prayer equals power.
3. Passionate to GROW in God’s House.
There is an old saying that says we should bloom where we are planted. Are you planted and blooming in church? It is difficult to mature spiritually apart from the church. Now, this doesn’t mean that it is the church’s job to make you grow. You have to feed yourself. But growth happens at a greater pace when you are linked with other believers. Being taught and ministered to. You grow when you are feeding yourself at home and then blooming in a Bible teaching congregation.
4. Passionate to SERVE in God’s House.
If you belong to a church, are you serving in that church? Everyone is called to ministry. We must use our giftings to serve others. People who are passionate for Gods house serve in God’s House.
5. Passionate to BUILD God’s House.
When is the last time you invited someone to church? It is not solely the pastor’s responsibility to build God’s House, it is everyone’s. The pastor equips the saints for the work of the ministry and the saints minister. It means that every church member is a builder. Building by inviting and building by serving.
We all need to grow in these areas. Find where you are lacking and work diligently to grow in passion for God’s House. In a couple of weeks this will be a part of our Commit to Jesus. Series. “I am Committed to God’s House.”
Pick up a copy of my new book, The Cloud of Witnesses. It is available on Amazon.
I am running the Kindle Version of my book, Sometimes, Church Hurts, for free through this weekend. It is available on Amazon.
Here is the description of the book:
Have you had a Christian friend turn on you? Has your church experience been tainted by painful relationships with other believers?
When Jesus instituted His church nearly 2,000 years ago, He declared that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. While the enemy has never been able to overcome the church of Jesus Christ, he has still presented many challenges to it. Though the church was birthed in unity, division has marred many houses of worship. The reason? The church is centered on relationships and relationships can have problems. The church has been aptly described as a family, yet every family has its struggles and so it is with the family of God. Anytime there are problems in church, people get hurt.
Out of a burden for today’s church, Danny Cheney seeks to make you aware of the need for forgiveness and reconciliation. Drawing on nearly two decades of pastoral experience, he gives insight into how to find healing from church hurts. Having pastored three churches that had been through major division, Danny has seen first-hand the wounds that believers endure in the House of God. Through these experiences, he has found that the Scriptures give us all the answers to the problems churches and believers face. In Sometimes, Church Hurts, you will discover truths that will help you heal fractured relationships while also finding healing for your deepest wounds. This honest and challenging book addresses the issues that many churches and believers face today and helps us realize, Sometimes, Church Hurts.
If this interests you, get it for free on Kindle, or it is also available in paperback here.
Pick up a copy of my new book, The Cloud of Witnesses. It is available on Amazon.
For today only, I am offering my new book (in Kindle Version), The Cloud of Witnesses, for free on Amazon. Grab a copy today. I would love to have you read it and if you enjoy it, please write a review on Amazon. I believe this book will be a great blessing to you.
When I have a little free time in the office, I generally take a look back at some things that have impacted my life. Years ago, my grandfather was in ministry and carried a loose-leaf Bible with sermon notes inside of it. I enjoy reading through these notes to see if I can glean anything from his words of wisdom.
In his sermon on a passage in Ezekiel, he made an insightful statement that cut me to the heart. “Remember, if you are hungry, you are healthy. Hunger is a sign of health and if you have no hunger for God, you are sick. May God create in us an appetite which only Jesus can satisfy. Down, Christian, down on your knees, if you want the blessing that God will give to you.”
Are you hungry for God? If you are not hungry your spiritual life is sick. The only remedy for hunger is to take the path to blessing. On our knees is the place to find hunger. On our knees is the place to have our hunger satisfied.
In this life we have so many things competing for our affections. It is hard to keep our hearts hungry for more of God. If you find yourself in a place where you are not hungry for Him, you need healing from your spiritual sickness. God will place in you a hunger if you will only ask Him. May we hunger for the Bread of Life!
Grab a copy of my latest book, Worry Less. WORRY FREE.
It’s hard in life when you get in a funk. You know the days, or weeks, or months, when you can’t seem to get a clear direction on anything. This last year and a half has been that kind of journey. The old saying, “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” That pretty well sums up this COVID season of church and leadership. For me, it has been extremely hard watching everything you have been working for and toward, suddenly taking a step or leap backward.
But yet, I find that God is not surprised, rather, He is watching to see what I have been doing and what I will do. I have grumbled and complained for the last year. As if, God has turned a blind eye to the situation the world is in. Then I had an epiphany a couple weeks ago, perhaps, I should look at things from another perspective. With a new set of eyes. Maybe I should think differently. Instead of looking at the problem at hand, what we can do about it. Of course, there are a lot of uncertainties. But in every uncertainty, there will always be an opportunity. Now is the time to really look at what’s important.
There are a lot of things that have changed, some permanently. There are a great deal of things that have been lost, but there are also a lot of things that remain. Instead of focusing on what is lost, we must learn to work with and grow what remains. To say that God is working in my heart is an understatement. He is changing the way I think. Changing the way I view things. God is trying to get me to see things through His eyes and to focus on what is most important not to me, but to Him and His Kingdom. Instead of always worrying about how this affects me, I am beginning to ask, “How is God working this for my good?”
It is a stretch in my thinking, but in the end, I am learning to ask the right questions and allow my heart to be shaped by the plan and purpose of God. For the first time in a year, I am seeing forward. It has been long journey but I am excited for what is ahead.
This Sunday, we begin a new series called REGROUP. You don’t want to miss it.
It’s Thursday morning and normally this is the crunch day. Feeling the pressure of getting everything done for Sunday. Thursday and Friday are usually the High Energy days for me. But I’m feeling good this week. It’s Thursday morning and I am already finished with my two Sunday Sermons. Life is good! I might just take tomorrow off.
We have our monthly board meeting tonight. We will have dinner at Cowboy Red’s then take time for our business. I thank God for a good group of men to work with. We are fortunate and blessed to have Godly men on our board.
On another note: Why can’t the Astro’s hold a lead? Up 4 to 2 and then give up 6 runs in 1 inning. Relief pitching has a tough time in the Astro’s organization. But holding a lead is also tough in a church. We can be up 4 to 2 and in a matter of time we can begin to lose. We have to learn how to hold the lead. We can gain new families and have them attend for several weeks but if they are not assimilated they leave and we lose the lead.
Just like in baseball, relief pitching is the key. It takes all of us, not just the pastor, to maintain the growth of the church. It takes every member embracing and going out of their way to build relationships with new families. It does not matter if we think we are too busy for more friends…we must stretch ourselves and take every opportunity to build the kingdom of God. Go ahead invite someone to church Sunday and while your at it invite someone from the church out to dinner this week. It will do you good!
Last night, we had a couple of missionaries to Mexico. They have been serving there for 12 years and are now intinerating to help raise their funds. There ministry last night can only be described as passionate.
I have had alot of missionaries over the years and you can always sense their burden for their field of ministry, but Roger and Debbi were different. They were consumed! Consumed with a passion to reach Mexico for Christ. Passionate to raise up leaders that can reach the nations. Passionate to make an impact on this world that we live in.
It caused me to reflect on my own passion for the city I live. Am I that consumed with what God has given me to do? As American pastors we often get stuck in the grind and lose our passion for what we are doing and why we are doing it. Ministry is not an easy road. The weekly responsibilities on a pastor are at times tough. But we should never lose sight of why we are doing what we are doing.
We must never lose that passion and fire for touching lives, changing lives and shaping lives. I walked away last night evaluating how I can live a life of passion once again. “Lord, help me to be consumed with a passion for your church and ministry.”
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