John Bishop

THE VIEW COSTS YOU

Quick update for the day (It is Friday afternoon here)

Michelle and I have been walking almost every day for a couple of months.  We are staying in Mount Maunganui for 3 more nights and off to Queensland, New Zealand (South Island) for a conference.   Mount Maunganui is so pretty.  Check it out.

           This pic is from our last visit when Michelle, Erin, Robert and the kids climbed to the top. I "had" to stay with my grandpa down at the cafe. I mean I couldn't just leave him there alone...
                        

One of the coolest things here is the Mount.  It is almost 800 feet straight up.  Michelle decided we should walk up to the summit. 
Ya. 
I felt like I was climbing Mt Everest.  I was breathing a bit harder than normal for fairly obvious reasons.  Walking up a mountain is not
the easiest thing in the world.  You know you are out of shape when older people are walking by you saying G' Day mate,
and then asking you if you are OK.


There were two trails, one moderate one difficult. Just my luck, the moderate trail was closed due to   construction.  I tried to bribe the worker, but they don't take US dollars.  So, I thought this must be God telling us to go home, but to no avail.  Michelle was focused.  She told me if I didn't think I could make it, I could go back.  Right... 
When we reached the summit, I was amazed at the view.  The view was amazing, the walk was  interesting. I realized that 'seeing' the view was worth the walk.  Might of missed it.  I Loved seeing God's incredible creation from a bit higher than normal.   

Michelle wants to walk it the next three days.  I will see  how  my legs feel in the morning.  I probably will have to study for the weekend message (who could argue that?)

Loved spending a few minutes (63.5 of them to be exact) with Michelle.  She is doing so good.  As I write this blog, she is listening to worship music, drinking tea and reading her Bible. 

I wonder how much we miss in life because we aren't willing to take the walk?   Seems to me the best things in life always cost us something, but are always worth it.  Walking someplace with someone you love is cool.

Glad I walked.  Might not be so glad Saturday, but guess that's another blog.

PS
Today I  met with our programming and ministry teams at Living Hope New Zealand.  So passionate about reaching the lost.   Love them and appreciate them so much.  I am excited for this weekend, I will be sharing from John chapter 8.   It is Father's Day weekend in New Zealand. 

A GOOD TIRED

Hours in Airports:

2 hrs in Portland

1 hr in Honolulu

2 hrs in Sydney

3 hrs in Auckland

1 hr in Tauranga

         +

Hours in the Air:

51/2 hrs to Honolulu

11 hrs to Sydney

4 hrs to Auckland

1/2 hr to Tauranga

       +

Miscellaneous:

Over 9,000 Miles

4 time zones

5 cities

3 countries

3 currencies

no Internet connection

meeting with staff today

shooting a video today

speaking tomorrow; giving the message "Daddy Deception"

= A Good Tired!

Let the adventure begin...

We are excited to finally be in Tauranga. David and Linda picked us up. It was awesome to see them again. We're are 19 hours ahead, so calculate that five hours behind Vancouver time but tomorrow. So if its Wednesday, 7pm in Vancouver it is Thursday, 2pm in Tauranga. Is that crazy or what?

As I was reading in my Bible (had lots of reading time on the plane)  I saw how Jesus was rarely about the destination, but always about the journey.

What's interesting to me is...I become so focused on the destination that I have a tendency to forget about the journey.

When you forget the journey you forget the reason you're here. My prayer for this journey is that I make the most of every opportunity for God's kingdom. But in order to see these opportunities I have to live in the moment of where I'm at; whether in an airplane, airport, church or wherever.

Can I remind you (ask you?) are you about the journey or the destination?   I think for me if we stay faithful to God's purposes and flexible in the moments we find ourselves in, we stay centered in what God may have for us.

God has placed opportunities all around us, and we need to be more like Jesus, focused on our journey, in order to see them.

Thank you again for your prayers. You are always in our thoughts.

P.S. Just wanted to update you where I will be speaking on this adventure!  I am so humbled to be able to share with so many churches and leaders a bit of our story. 

This weekend I will be speaking at Living Hope New Zealand

http://www.livinghopechurch.co.nz

And next week Sept. 8th & 9th I will be speaking at Riverview Church in Perth, Australia

http://www.riverviewchurch.com.au

6:00pm, September 16th I will be speaking at Christian City Church, Oxford Falls, Australia

http://www.ccc.org.au

That's the update SO FAR.  I am staying faithful and flexible.  Keep praying for God's will to be done.

THANK YOU FROM JOHN AND MICHELLE

Thank you for praying for Michelle.  Michelle said after the prayers, she went from crying (because of pain) during our first flight, to feeling awesome the second flight.  I called a couple people, shared in the blog and the rest is history.  ONLY GOD.  Promise.  Michelle said to tell everyone THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRAYING and PLEASE DON'T STOP.  Her words.

Normally, flying long distances would wreak havoc on her for several days.  There have been times after flying she has been in bed with excruciating pain for two or three days.   So, I kept wondering how are we going to get through this?  We are only in Sydney a few hours more and then off to New Zealand. 

Michelle is doing amazing.  I mean she is amazing, but is doing better than I have ever seen her during traveling.  And, I might add this is the longest we have traveled together.   THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS and your e-mails telling me you were praying. 

I sat, prayed and read this verse today.  Paul writes to a city called Colosse, a city in Asia Minor, and we are still today learning from and relating to his words to a church that was being infiltrated and assaulted by religion, by religious people, and religious philosophies.  Paul wrote these words from prison in Rome.   He wrote to a church he never visited, yet loved.   Look at a few of the words he said toward the end of his letter to them.

"Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Don't forget to pray for us, too that God will give us many opportunities to preach about his secret plan.. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should."  Colossians 4:2-4

I love the first part. DEVOTE YOURSELVES TO PRAYER.  Thank you for praying for Michelle and for us.  We can never underestimate the power and potential of prayer.  It seems the more I pray, the more thankful I am almost naturally.   I will ask you to keep praying for us.  Pray for the message(s) to be clear and to be exactly what God wants.  Pray for every opportunity to be ONLY GOD moments.  Pray for Michelle and for us.

I also love Paul's encouragement.  Pray...with a thankful heart.  It seems this is something we forget (at least I do)  I am Thankful for all that God is doing.  Thankful for my family. Thankful for friends.   I am so thankful to be part of Living Hope.  Thankful to be able to see parts of the world with Michelle.  Thankful to serve and learn from other pastors.  Thankful to Jesus for rescuing me and allowing me to be part of His redemptive plan in the world.  Thankful for the local church, whether it is Vancouver, New York or Australia.  The church is an amazing thing, and when it works the way God designed it, there is simply NOTHING like it. 

I am thankful for your prayers.  Prayer matters.  THANK YOU SO MUCH.   Have I said Thank you?

OUR PLAN FOR THE DAY:

Off we go to New Zealand.  We will be in the airport for 2 hours, fly for almost 4 hours, arrive in Auckland (lay over for 2 hours) and then fly to Tauranga (less than an hour flight).   We arrive late today to our hotel and then have a full 3 days of speaking and meetings and a video shoot for the weekend I return home. 

Another big day of travel, but I am not so worried.  Not as much as I was yesterday.  Michelle's headaches are big, but I learned today God is way bigger.   

Let me close this blog with another verse that has been on my heart since I have been writing.

"This same God who takes care of  me will supply all your needs  from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:19

JOHN AND MICHELLE

PS
Thank you for your encouraging words in your comments.  I appreciate them more than you can know.  We are in this together.

A LITTLE MAP OF WHERE WE ARE AND GOING:  (Thanks Erin Clinton)

SYDNEY

We made it. 

We got to Sydney, got a taxi (like New Zealand, they drive on the wrong side of the road).   We checked in to a hotel close to the airport (Holiday Inn).   We grabbed a quick dinner and Michelle is finally in bed. 

I am writing this at 5:00 AM Pacific Standard Time.  The clocks here say it is 10:00 PM, but our bodies know different.

Thanks for your prayers.  Michelle is doing better, but we have to be up at 7:00 AM, to the airport by 9:00 AM, back on a plane to Tauranga, where Living Hope New Zealand is located.  You can access their website through our main website and go to the New Zealand campus or directly go to their website at  www.livinghopechurch.co.nz

I will be in Tauranga for 3 full days.  Friday we have a video shoot planned, and meetings and dinner with David and Linda Dishroon.  Weekend services, then off to Queenstown on Monday to participate in a conference with some other leaders.    Then from there.... We will get there, I am thinking one day at a time.

I can't wait to hear the amazing things from this weekend.  We have 15 different speakers delivering the same message.   You can't (technically you could) miss the weekend.  The pastors are SO excited.   Let's support them and invite people. 

Until next time...

G-day mates. (I had to do it)

John

PRAYER

Hey everyone.

It looks like God is opening some cool 'doors' to speak and minister in both countries of New Zealand and Australia.

I am sitting in the terminal in Honolulu getting ready to board.  They are asking me to board.  Gotta hurry....

OK, now I am on the plane headed to Sydney.

Excited, nervous, worried, motivated and tired all at the same time.  ALOT of emotions.

The door is closing.  PLEASE pray for Michelle.  She gets crazy bad migraines when she flys.  To the point of almost throwing up... SUCKS.   I would just ask for you to pray for her, us, our family (gone 5 hours and I miss my kids SO much)  and the churches and pastors God has asked me to serve.   

It is so all about God.

I will be speaking this weekend at our church in New Zealand.   It is Father's Day, I am talking about that.  Kind of a passion area for me. 

Miss you guys SOOOOO much.   I  so wouldn't  be able to  speak to churches, serve churches or do much of anything without the amazing team God has placed around me.

Living Hope.   You are a blessed church.  Not so much about me (promise), but the pastors and leaders who serve you.  I pray we stay humble, grateful and joyful.  I pray we ALWAYS are FULLY devoted to what God has for us.

Still thinking about last weekend.  Great weekend.  Thank you Dave, Teresa, campus pastors and the Owen family.  You are all the best.  OK, I am officially getting misty eyes.

They are staring me down.  Gotta go.

Pray.  For God's will and for HIM (and him alone) to be glorified.  Pray for Michelle's headaches and pray for this weekend.  I have heard so many AMAZING things.  Bring someone, visit a campus.

Gotta go.  (I already said that.  I am now developing a tear in my eyes.  I promise. 

11 hours (after 6)  ya.  ONLY GOD.
john

AUSTRALIA BOUND

I can't believe I am sitting on the floor of the Portland Airport, waiting to board a plane that will (through Oahu) take us to Australia.  Sad day for our whole family.  Letters written, cards exchanged, longer hugs than normal and ALOT of tears.   

I love my family SO much.  Love Michelle.   Plane is boarding, gotta go.

John

PS...Please pray for us (Michelle gets migraines when she flys), pray for our kids (they miss us already) and please pray for God's will to be done.

It looks like I'll be speaking at a large church in Sydney. Pray that people will see Jesus.

I miss everyone so much.

Family Instinct

  I love penguins.
I never knew such an awkward animal could be so amazing. As I studied up on these tuxedoed water torpedoes I learned what an amazing family instinct God has placed in them.

                         

Did you  know that that Emperor Penguins, in order to have babies, march into the harshest climate on earth in Antarctica, up to 70 or so miles inland, to lay their eggs.  The coldest, windiest, driest continent on planet earth.  Once the female lays her solitary egg, the male takes over the incubation process while the female travels back to the water to feed. These males, in order to keep their eggs warm and safe forgo food until their mate returns in two months time. The coolest part of these penguin colonies is this: Because they breed in the coldest climate on earth, they must keep warm by huddling together.

They literally need each other to stay alive! Only by huddling can they create the warmth needed to incubate their eggs to term.

I think that we can learn a lot from these creatures.   Can I share a few?

It all is about one thing.  One key.  One question.   One decisive issue.  In relationship to my life, am I more about me or others?  Self-centeredness in families is the biggest killer of unity and relational connectedness.

1.  MARCH PASSIONATELY
They leave comfort and with purpose and focus journey toward a destiny beyond them.  They are (if you will) fully devoted to the cause.  When families get 'fully devoted' to what God has for them it changes everything.   Marching, by definition is about movement.  Moving from somewhere to somewhere.  I choose to move closer to what God has for me.  I hope that we can all move passionately to a place where God is glorified.  Marching to where God is, means I leave the rest of 'stuff' behind.  It is about a new start.  It is about movement.  Where are your going?

2.  HUDDLE DESPERATELY
Penguins spend 50% of their time  in "huddles"  With temperatures of 60 degrees below zero, huddling is an issue of survival.   How often do we spend time together?  How often to couples go on 'date' nights?  How often do we really spend time with our kids.  Remember the golf story?  For me, it wasn't about golf, it was a by-product of the real thing, to spend time with David.  He wanted to spend time with me.   I really got my money's worth, promise (in terms of golf) and I totally enjoyed and wouldn't trade it all for the time David and I spent together.

Storms happen.  Penguins get it, why don't we?  They have 'instinct' to huddle.  My thought is storms are big, God is bigger, always.

3.  SERVE SELFLESSLY
Read Philippians 2:3-4.  Consider others better, serve others more, learn from Jesus.  To the extent you serve is to the extent you will begin to see, experience and get what God has for you.

I love Living Hope.  I love the attitude of serving and loving and sacrificing.  I love that I can be part of something bigger than any one person.  I love to risk with people that are about God being glorified.  I never get tired of hearing story after story of one family  at a time surrendering to Christ,  serving each other, sacrificing for God and experiencing the best God has.  I love so much when the church works the way God intended. 

It all boils down to a choice.  If I am all about my self, eventually I will be all by my self....

john

PS
I redeemed the cake droppage tonight.  We are celebrating Katie's 18th birthday party.  I didn't drop the cake, she did get a dog, we had a great time (still are...)  Loving every single moment of it all.

MEMORIES

Happy birthday Katie!

August is birthday month for all three of our kids.   This year, Katie turns 18 this week, and this picture is of her from yesterday at church.  She was part of the worship team for the first time.  She has such a great voice, but more than that she loves, loves to worship God.     She leads worship for our KidsWorld ministry. 

Katie is BEGGING us to let her have a dog.  I need some prayers.  Michelle is talking about it. 

Katie, your daddy is SO proud of you.  Always follow Jesus, put Him first in everything and serve Him with your whole heart.  Risk it all for God!

This next picture is one of my most embarrassing moments in my life.  Saturday night after 3 services, I rushed home to be there for Hannah's surprise birthday party.  She turned 13 that day. 

We sang happy birthday, I was given one simple task.  Light the ever so decorated Penguin cake (a 1 and a 3, not that tough), and carry the cake in for the more than 40 people who so kindly joined us for this special 13TH birthday party.  Simple tasks can sometimes be the biggest "sucks to be me moments"

As I picked the cake up, I dropped it (boldly I might add) face down on the table. It couldn't have been worse if I planned it.  As they finished singing Happy Birthday to my beautiful 13 year old daughter, my son looks back for me.  You know the moment where the singing is done, and the cake shows up?  No one else could see me, as I stood over the cake, begging for Jesus to come back at that very moment, David says.... dad...you retard...   He was right, everyone laughed, we had mashed potato cake and a memory we will never forget.  Hannah forgave me.  Happy birthday sweetheart, from your Forest Gump dad.

We are at the beach with Hannah with a few of her friends.  Maybe I will surprise her and get another cake?  Maybe I won't?  If I do, I will probably not touch it.

Memory is one of the best gifts of God.  For real.  We will laugh about that, Hannah may be in counseling because of it, but one thing is for sure...we won't forget.  Memories are so important.

I love good memories, and I love laughing.  Hard thing is when you are the one everyone is laughing at.  Seems to be my life...

See you soon.

John

PS
The services went so well.  I was so proud of all the students, who came to serve, worship and love God.  Don't miss UNLEASHED this next Wednesday night.

The Stand

274 students, 54 Leaders                  84 Baptized                

Average Hours of Sleep per student:  6.5

Average Hours of Sleep per Leader:  4.0

4620 cups Hot Chocolate Served            

984 Slices of French Toast served at 1 Breakfast

Staff consumed 420 Rock Stars      4592 Meals Served

200 Ft. of Black Tarp, and 74 Bottles of Baby Oil = Longest, Funnest Slip n Slide that you can imagine

Over 100 Band-aids, 6 Ace Bandages, and 2 pairs of crutches

I am excited for the students who made decisions to stand for Christ, for purity, for forgiveness, for truth.  Ultimately, standing is believing, risking and trusting God for the things that Jesus died for.  Your life will forever be marked by these moments of making up your mind.The best days are so totally in front of you.  I am proud of each of you.   See you this weekend.

Almost 300 students, leaders and staff are returning from an amazing and life changing camp at Twin Rocks, Oregon.   We have completely changed our weekend experience because of some things I heard about camp.  So Thank You to all the staff and leaders who sacrificed and worked so hard to make this years camp what it has been and what it will be in the lives of many students.  For 10 years, Living Hope has been built on several deep core convictions:

• Lost people matter to God.  We have to be about people who are outside the church. 
• Success in any church is about Succession.   Students are the future of the church.
• In the end it is about ONLY GOD.     

The thing I love the most about teenagers is that they are on or off, in or out, hot or cold. They are as real and authentic as you can get! When a student gets fired up about God, they really do change the world.  I’ll be talking this weekend about a teenager in scripture who stood when no one else would, who prayed when no one else was looking and who lived radically for God. A young man who made up his mind.  He decided to  risked everything for God and got elevated to a position of influence. 

This week, students and leaders have been challenged to pray, to sacrifice, to trust, to risk and to stand. 

I have been thinking about the whole "standing" thing.  It seems the more I prayed, studied and heard about camp, the more God kept changing the talk for this weekend. 

I think we can all learn about standing.  We all are challenged to do it, some of us struggle to do it.  Everyone of us can stand up today. 

Standing begins with  "making up our minds."   It is all about choosing.   Interesting thing about choices... You get to make a choice, and then it over time makes 'you'    

The bottom line is about choosing when ONLY GOD is looking, and standing when everyone is looking, and experiencing God's best for our lives.  God's best?     God's best?  I think it is called God's "FAVOR"

When it works, there is nothing quite like it.   The only way to get it is to decide ahead of time.

Risk it all.  What really do we have to lose? 

Maybe more to lose if we don't risk??

John

MULLIGANS

David (my son, who just turned 22) golfed on his birthday the 8th.   Because I golfed 18 holes, I now have thoughts about golf.  This is going to the be the first of at least several "thoughts" and my observations about golf. 

In no way can I begin to understand what it means to be a real golfer.  I have only played a few times in my life, not counting Steakburgers miniature golf course.  Where(not trying to brag) I hit a hole in one up the ramp when I was in High School.  It is one of the greatest sports memories of my life.  I won an amazing thing...Another game!

I want to give my thoughts about a few golf terms.

"MULLIGANS"
A free shot sometimes given a golfer in informal play when the previous shot was poorly played.

I love that. 

I opt for golf with MORE mulligans.  Most 'good' golfers don't really do the mulligan thing.  It isn't something you really brag about.  I have never heard ESPN say, Tiger Woods just opted for his 2nd mulligan this game."  No, it doesn't really happen with the guys who either know what they are doing, or who think they know what they are doing.  Me, I don't, so it doesn't matter.  Yay for Mulligans.

There are different thoughts to the origin of the mulligan.  One website says it is a "correction shot"  The one I like best is "a mulligan is a do-over"

I think we all want mulligans in life.    We get them...from God.  Sometimes we (like in Golf) don't take them. Look at this verse:

"He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west."   Psalm 103:12

God has given us soooooo many mulligans, without even asking.  Me.  I choose to ask.  Not being real doesn't seem to work.  I opt for Mulligans every hole.  Probably not going to work, but doesn't hurt to ask.

So in our little golf game, I quit keeping score.  It was too painful.  David, my son did so good.  We are going to take lessons together.   He did  good, and more than that really enjoys the game.  I should too.  I always think it isn't what you are doing but so totally about who you are with. Being with David was amazing.  Memories.  Cool stuff.    I wonder how families would be different if we were purveyors of mulligans? Mulligans.  They matter for real.

Back to my little mulligan lesson...

Mulligans wouldn't be necessary if we always shot perfect.  Jesus wouldn't be necessary if we never screwed up.   Mulligans are good, you have to ask for them, claim them and really 'take' them. 

Same with God.  We have to just recognize, confess and release our stuff.  He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.  He removes the score from us.  (1 John 1:9)

Jesus has played the perfect game.  Never needed a mulligan. 

If there is a tournament in Heaven, I choose to golf with Jesus.....

Still not there

John

LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE

I got these two pictures e-mailed to me.  Look at the first one.  Not sure 'how' it happened, but it is pretty crazy.   Then look at the second picture.  Okay, I am officially freaked out.  Not even sure if it is real, to be honest, but it is quite amazing.  Life is so fragile, so short BUT,  so important.

When I became a Christian, one of the first verses I ever memorized. was James 4:14.  It speaks to how temporary and how fragile life is.   

"What is your life, it is a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."  (James 4:14)

I always think about how short life is, not from a negative perspective, but from a "what would I do if it were my last day on this earth" possibility.   Why is it that we live like we have all the days, when in reality we only have THIS day.   

If you only had 3 months to live for real, what would you do?  What would you change?  Who would you call?   Who or what would you invest in?       Why aren't you doing that or those things?

Live like today could be your last day.   Make whatever changes you would.  Life is unpredictable (at best) and God has never been and never will be.   

Hope you are having a great week.  I golfed today with my son for his 22nd birthday.  He had  a blast.  I officially hate golf, but so totally love my son.  I am watching him sleep (18 holes is alot).  I love the moments where I do something or say something that is right.  I plan on blogging about the golf experience.  I so suck at golf.  Pastors are mostly good at golf, but they are mostly good at alot of things, so I guess I am 'par' for the course.  We plan on taking lessons... (I will blog about golf.  I have alot to say.)   

I think I want to write a book.  HATING GOLF and LOVING MY SON.    Should be a best seller....

See you guys soon.

Johnald Palmer...

Look at this picture (FIRST) and you can see where this guy broke through the guard rail (right side where the people are standing on the road)

His truck left the road, flipped end-over-end, across the culvert outlet and landed on the left side of it.

Now scroll down and see the second picture.  Ya.

You have to be kidding me...

TAKING YOUR STAGE

I saw this video on YOUTUBE.  Amazing talent, in spite of the not so nice judges.   You have to take a look at this.  You will be inspired, as I was, and as the audience was, and as eventually the judges were.   Here is a 'normal' guy who because of his passion to do something, steps out boldly and risks to use the gifts and talents in him.   He took his stage, and we are inspired because of it.

You will love this video.  I first saw it on Seth Godin's website. This is Paul Potts auditioning in the European version of Idol.

We can be so like those judges.  We can make a 'judgement' by the way things look.   I love the story in 1 Samuel 16, when David is chosen as the next king of Israel. We judge by the way things appear, God chooses by the way things are.  All we have to do is be faithful to take the next step.  1 Samuel 16:7, "...Don't judge by his appearance..The LORD doesn't make decisions the way you do!   People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a persons thoughts and intentions...(NOT their appearance)."  I love that. 

God looks at our thoughts, our hearts, our motives.  God uses most people that today churches wouldn't hire.  Peter denied Christ, Paul murdered Christians.  Peter is who Jesus chose to build the church on.  Paul is who God chose to write most of the New Testament.  David wouldn't have been chosen by 'people' to lead the nation of Israel, yet it is who God chose, equipped and blessed to be the king of Israel.  He was the 'boy' who believed in God, and moved in spite of fear to kill Goliath.  40 days, morning and evening, this 'giant' taunts and challenges Israel.  40 days, each day they get a bit more fearful.  Then the day comes when David steps up on his stage.  For him it was the first day.  For everyone else, well, we don't know many of their names.  I guess we have to decide will we make a difference or stay unknown?  Will we stay in the 'audience' or will we take our rightful place on the stage God has given us.  Choices are weird because first we get to 'make' a choice then the choice 'makes' us.   David chose life and risk and sacrifice.  40 days is a long time.  Fear sucks.  There is always a time where we have to choose to have faith.  To take a risk.  I think it boils down to the 41st day.  It is the day we choose life.  It is the day we choose to trust and follow what God wants and who God is.  Always a 41st day....

Always a day when someone will take their stage, to give what they have.  For Paul Potts it was his moment, and ask him, I bet he has NO regrets.  For David, all of history was changed as a RESULT of him taking center stage, being used by God, conquering Goliath by faith.  It seems big things always require some risk. What about you?  What passion burns deep in your heart?  What is that 'thing' you can't stop thinking about?  One life.    To risk everything for what matters, to risk failing because there is that 'thing' you just have to do.  For me.  Starting Living Hope was that day.  Doing what you love will ALWAYS carry with it risk.  Let me ask you, isn't it riskier to NOT risk?   I often times think of those moments where God birthed the vision for Living Hope.  I am so glad we didn't listen to the critics, and there were plenty.  I am so glad for the team that God has put within our ministry.  Can I just say, ONLY GOD. 

One last thought:

Your life will either be defined by ONLY GOT...or you will give everything and say in the end ONLY GOD.

Peace

John

SALT HAPPENS

  I want to thank everyone who is at the fair, setting up, preparing to meet, serve and bless  the more than 200,000 people who will be there over the next 10 days.   There are more than 100 people signed up to help. 

If you can, check out the booth, I hear it is pretty cool.  Why the fair?  To simply bless the people who will be at the fair.  To be Jesus to as many people as we can.    Why the fair, I have a feeling if Jesus  were here today, He would be at the fair. 

I love being part of a church that is devoted to living the values that Jesus died for.  A church that is about being where the people are at.   A church that will do whatever it takes, whenever to reach just one more person. 

Jesus always changed things.  If He came today, you would like Him.  You would.  People did.  They came from everywhere to hear him teach a different kind of message.  You would like Him and He would love you.  You would want to be around Him.  Simply,  He came to our world to change people and change all the rules.  The more I study the Bible and more I study the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus the more I love devoting my life to Him. 

Jesus gave us this mission to be world changers. 

He said in Matthew 5:13, "You are the salt of the earth..."

Interestingly we are called "Salt"

A couple quick thoughts about salt.
1.  Salt always makes a difference.  It isn't a neutral thing. 
2.  Salt has to get close to what it affects.  This is a proximity thing.   
3.  Salt has to totally invest itself.  In effect, it dies to itself.  It really isn't about the salt, but rather what it is trying to 'change'  In a very real way, salt finds its ultimate destiny in something more glorious than itself.   

Jesus came to change the world and He did.  We are stewards of these values Jesus died for.  It isn't a choice to be salt, you are and so am I.  Jesus is simply making an observation of the way things are.

You are the salt of 'your' world.  What are you living for?  More importantly what are you willing to die for?  We have just this one life.   

OK, enough for the sermon.  Go to the fair.  Go your workplace.  Go to school.  Go to your neighbors.  Look at your world and be salt.

ONLY GOD.

John

PS
How are the memory verses going?  The schedule is Philippians 1:1-6.

GOD FINISHES WHAT HE STARTS

One of the things I love most about my wife... (wow what a way to start a blog, I almost don't know what to say..) is her constant commitment to reading and studying God's Word.  We got a way for a few days this week, and as usual, she is up early to journal and read her Bible.  It is one of the things I appreciate so much about her.  Character isn't who you say you are, but who you really are when no one else is watching you.  Yeah for Michelle being such a great example to me (and my kids I might add), and our staff.  Michelle has always desired to memorize the whole book of Philippians.  She and almost 30 employees (including me) are going to read, study and memorize the book of Philippians.   I thought I would blog about it and include the passages for those who want to read and maybe memorize. 

This will be difficult, but amazing all at the same time.  Seeing so many of our staff desire to memorize scripture is so encouraging to my heart.    Below are the first six verses of Philippians chapter 1.  Read them and think about verse 6.  GOD ALWAYS FINISHES WHAT HE STARTS.  I hate unfinished projects, in fact right now my garage is half done, cluttered and discouraging.  So many people hate that they are not "THERE" yet in terms of faith or their decisions.  God promises HE will finish what HE began in YOU.  Don't quit too soon.  Don't let discouragement take you out of play for His Kingdom. 

We are no different than other Christians who want to quit.  This letter was written to the first church established on the European Continent (written around AD 61).  This church sent a gift to Paul, and Paul, who was in a Roman Prison writes this letter to encourage them, thank them and help them to continue in their faith and walk with Christ.  The book is mostly a book about having joy no matter what the circumstances.

Maybe read the whole book of Phillippians this week.  More than anything just know God is not through with you and He will finish what He started in you.  Funny, so often I respond to life by what 'happens' TO me.  I think the promise of joy is I trust God and just do the next right thing.

THANK YOU MICHELLE FOR CHALLENGING ME.  Love you.

John

HERE IS 6 VERSES TO GET YOU GOING.  I will get a PDF file added to my blog so you can download what Michelle gave the staff last week.  Also, I will add her letter to them.  She is so cool.

Download Michelle's Letter.pdf

Download Philippians Verses.pdf

Philippians 1:1-6 (NIV)

Philippians 1

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
      To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers[a] and deacons:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.