There are times in our lives when circumstances bring us to a crisis point. During those times, our emotions rule us, our strength fails us, and our minds deceive us.  All that we normally rely on everyday disappears and we find ourselves in a crisis mode of feelings, thoughts and decisions. And we are never “ready” for it. In a twinkling, the rug is pulled out underneath us. Sometimes the crisis is very large, maybe a death in the family or a unexpected serious illness; a home engulfed in flames or the loss of income. Most often, the crisis is not so large or maybe it is a combination of crisis’ that still consume us…. the disappearance of a pet, the complete engine failure on your only car, or the loss of a friendship. Whether it comes in a large dose or small, it can send you into a downward, negative spiral.

I recently experienced such a crisis (thankfully a small one) and was surprised to take such a spiral in my thoughts and emotions. As I find sometimes occurs to me, I woke up in the middle of the night, unable to fall asleep again and my mind a flurry of disturbing pictures and thoughts, my emotions on the edge of uncontrolled weeping. I was reminded in a single moment of why I am so glad to be a Christian. In the middle of the darkness, I heard two words…..”dig deep”.

Now I am not totally unaccustomed to hearing God’s voice and recognized Him immediately but didn’t really understand what “dig deep” meant. As I pondered and searched over this new thought, God spoke to me about having roots deep enough to hold during whatever storm I was in. His encouragement to me was to hold fast, to rely on the truth that He has put in me through His word and to trust that those roots are deep enough to hold on. Indeed, I was encouraged and took my eyes off the situation at hand and put them on the answer to the situation…God Himself.

Thankfully, the crisis has passed and I am feeling more in balance and thinking more logically. But it would be my mistake to let the lesson I was taught to pass by unnoticed. I need to continue to dig deeper, to nurture what roots God has planted in me that will allow God to keep my foundation strong no matter what the future brings.  My encouragement to you is to do the same because sometimes you have to ”dig deep”.

My first real job was as an assistant box boy at the mom and pop grocery store in the little town where I grew up. During the first month of my career I was competently supervised by Jim the “senior” box boy. (he literally was a senior in high school.) Things went well untill Jim left the store to pursue bigger and better financial pursuits. In those days a boxer wore many hats from butcher, to checker, to order clerk. Very quickly I began to get bogged down in the thousand and one details of my job. Things got so bad at one point that I heard through the grapevine I was in danger of being fired.

One Wednesday evening  Jim came back for a visit. I was so excited I couldn’t stand still. A feeling of peace and security filled me in a way unlike anything I had experienced since he left. When we got a minute alone I poured out my troubles to him. I told him how I had been unable to keep up with the complicated and overwhelming load of responsibility that had been placed on my shoulders. I even went so far as to ask  if he would come back and take his old job supervising me.

He then said nine words that changed my work there forever. He told me that the job was really very simple, “…just keep the shelves full and the cusomers happy.”

Those words were a lifesaver. For the first time I was able to see the many things I did through a simple compelling prism. I went on to become the assistant manager of that store and worked in retail for the next twelve years.

The same thing is true in ministry. We go to work or school and see so many problems that we literally don’t know where to start. We wish that someone more knowledgable and experienced might take us by the hand and lead us to fruitfulness.

In John 5:19 Jesus gave us a simple definition of success in ministry. He lived by it and taught his initial twelve to live by it. Through the centuries the most fruitful people in the church both great and small have followed his nine word explanation on how to minister successfully in any situation. He articulated these words confronted by the Jewish leaders:

 So Jesus explained ” I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing.” (emphasis added)

These nine words will revolutionize your work in ministry. Try it. For the next thirty days, every time you enter your principle place of employment (or study), ask the Father what he is doing and how you can cooperate with him. You will be amazed at the results.

It seems that a young student approached this man and asked to be “discipled” by him him. The answer my friend gave him was insightful and practical. He told the student to get three color hi-lighters: one green, one yellow, and one blue. He then directed the new disciple to go through the gospels and find all the commands of Jesus (there are about 300).

As he identified each command he was to mark the verse in green if he was obeying it and in yellow if he was not obeying it . After making it it all the way through the gospels he was to go through again learning how to obey all the commands marked in yellow. Each time he began to obey a “yellow” command he was to mark it in blue which would, of course, turn the verse green.

“When you have all the commands marked in green,” he concluded, “Come back and see me and I will will tell you what to do next.”

Jesus said, “Why do you keep calling Me Lord, Lord, when you don’t do what I say? (Luke 6:46)

Let’s begin to pray and work for a revival of obedience in our lives and ministries.

Is Joe average? Well… not quite.

Join with us this Easter Sunday, April 12, 10:30am at the CORDOVA Theater in downtown Pullman (135 N. Grand Ave) for a special presentation of JOE AVERAGE: A fresh look at God’s creation.

February 20-22

Men’s Encounter

February 27- March 1

Field’s Spring State Park

http://www.parks.wa.gov/parkpage.asp?selectedpark=Fields%20Spring

Here are a few of the sites I have come to enjoy and even depend on in ministry through the last few years:

1. www.e-sword.net  Do you want to build a world class Christian library in just a few minutes for FREE? This is the site for you.

2. www.harvestime.org This site provides comprehensive Bible College cirriculum in seven languages on pdf files for FREE.

3. www.livingwaters.com Probably the best evangelism training site available today. Many FREE resources as well as low cost outreach training and materials.

4. www.sermonindex.net  Over 16,000 sermon audios from the last one hundred years. Hours and hours of instruction and inspiration.

5. www.newchurchreport.com Compilation site of the latest articles from across Christian cyberspace. Currently under new management.

6. www.biblicalspirituality.org Lots of articles and resources both FREE and low cost about spiritual disciplines.

7. www.biblegateway.com Premier site for dozens of versions of the Bible online.

8. www.oneyearbibleonline.com read the Bible in one year from the version of your choice for FREE. New feature lets you start on any day of the year.

9. www.ccel.org Christian Classic Ethereal Library. Hundreds of Christian books available FREE online.

10. www.cpforum.net and www.mentoringleaders.com  two of the most dynamic Church leaders today.

11. www.davidwa.org  David Watson is arguably the most successful church planter alive today. His site is full of provocative articles and video about soul-winning, disciplemaking, church planting, and missions.

12. www.raycomfortfood.blogspot.com Thius blog entitled “Atheist Central” is a no holds barred discussion of faith with agnostics and atheists.

BONUS SITE: www.pandora.com Register at this site and build your own praise and worship radio station.

2. What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What’s the most important way you will, by God’s grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

More good questions here: http://biblicalspirituality.org/newyear.html

Luke 10:1-21

1. The Call and the Cost: Deciding to become a missional  believer regardless of the personal sacrifice involved. (Lk 10:1)

                 The call from above: Isaiah 6:8

                 The call from below: Luke 16:27-28

                 The call from inside: 1 Corinthians 9:16-17

                 The call from outside: Acts 16:9

                 Three costs: Luke 9:58-62

                 Material, Relational, Spiritual

A key strategy: (Luke 10:4)

Surrender Wealth, Emotional Baggage, Agendas, Relationships

2. The Practice of Prayer: Developing an extraordinary prayer life. (Luke 10:2)

Persistence: Ephesians 6:18

Passion: Hebrews 5:7

Pattern: Matthew 6:9-13

Precision: Philippians 4:6

Patience: Luke 18:1-8

A key strategy: (1 Timothy 4:8) Consistency, Distance, Speed

3. Pockets of People: Gaining access to relational networks. (Luke 10:5) oikos

Noah: Genesis 7:1

Abraham: Genesis 19:12-23

Rahab: Joshua 2:17-20

Demoniac: Mark 5:19

Cornelius: Acts 10:23-25

Lydia: Acts 16:14-15

Philippian Jailer: Acts 16:30-33

A key strategy: L.O.V. E. (John 15:13)

-Listen & Learn

-Offer Help

-Verbalize your Faith

-Extend an Invitation

4. Person of Peace: Identifying God’s insider to reach the   network. (Luke 10:6)

Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6

Worthy Person Matthew 10:11

Samaritan Woman John 4

Religious Leader John 7:48-50

Ethiopian Eunuch  Acts 8

A key strategy: 12 Step Discipleship (2 Timothy 2:2)

1) Invite them to study the Bible (John)

2) Go through the 10 Commandments with them (Exodus 20)

3) Challenge them to repent (Matthew 4:17-22)

4) Baptize them in water (Matthew 3:13-17)  

5) Lead them into the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1-2)

6) Break any family curses (Exodus 20:5,Ezekiel 18:20, Galatians 3:13)

7) Expel any demons (Luke 11:14-28)

Get them a Bible (1 Timothy 3:16-17)

9) Do a 14 day basic training (Matthew 5-7)

10) Train them to tell their story (Revelation 12:11)

11) Train them to do devotions (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)

12) Get them into a cell (Acts 2:42-46)

5. The Power of Presence: Establishing an outpost for the Kingdom. (Luke 10:9)

                 My church (Matthew 16:17-19)

Two or three (Matthew 18:19-20)

Four things (Acts 2:42)

All of You (1 Corinthians 14:26)

Motivate (Hebrews 10:24)

A key strategy:  Welcome, Worship, Word, Works, Witness

6. The People of Purpose: Multiplying workers into the

harvest. (Luke 10:17)

Disciples Luke 6:12-16

1×12=12  Luke 9:1

6×12=72  Luke 10:1

36×12+72+12=500+ 1 Corinthians 15:6

250×12=3000 Acts 2:41

A key strategy: James 4:7-10 Surrender, Deliverance, Devotion, Character, Compassion, Call, Expectation

7. The Promise of Problems: Dealing with difficulties.     (Luke 10:10-16)

Persecution Acts 4:1-3

Sin in the Camp Acts 5:1-2

Discontent Acts 6:1

Criticism Acts 15:36-40

Overwhelmed 2 Corinthians 1:8

Troubles and Hardships 2 Corinthians 6:4-10

Misc. 2 Corinthians 11:23-27

A key strategy: The armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18)

1) Living in Truth

2) Walking in Righteousness

3) Prepared to Share the Gospel

4) Covered in Faith

5)  Putting on Salvation

6) Using the Word

7) Pray in the Spirit

Seven steps closer to reaching the world

In doing the work of global outreach, my church matters. Your church matters. The church down the road matters. Every local church can—and must—play a role if we intend to carry out the Great Commission. Consider these simple ways to increase your church’s commitment to global outreach:

1. Ask God to give you a heart for the world. I have seen entire churches burdened about the Great Commission after God moved first in the life of only one church member. Passionate, mission-minded church members are difficult to ignore!
2. Teach about missions. Train children, youth, and adults about the significance of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). Use every opportunity to show why every follower of Christ should be concerned about missions.
3. Promote, promote, and promote again any missions offering that your church supports. Challenge your members to give sacrificially. For example, encourage them to give to missions at least a tithe of what they spend on Christmas gifts this year.
4. Invite stateside missionaries to speak to the church. Nothing speaks to churches quite like a “real live” missionary does, and the time set aside for a missionary speaker is time well spent. Contact any missions agency to find the names of missionaries now on stateside assignment.
5. Challenge church members to pray daily for missionaries. Provide a list of names and needs, being careful to protect missionaries who serve in sensitive areas.
6. Sponsor a short-term mission trip for your church members. Teaching about missions is a starting point, but actually experiencing missions can be life-changing. Set a goal to send at least 10 percent of your church’s active attendees on a mission trip this year. Be sure to commission your members as missionaries as you send them out.
7. Pray corporately that God will call some of your church’s members to be career missionaries. Perhaps he will use some of your members to take the gospel where it has never been.