How Wide is a 2x4?

OK, I'm 44 years old and I should have realized this before now. I'm not a carpenter, nor the son of a carpenter, but I've been around enough boards that I shouldn't be so ignorant. . . .

But did you know that a 2x4 isn't really 4 inches wide? It's actually only 3 1/2 inches wide! I was having to measure something to fit it in a space and when I went to Lowes to get a board I had this moment of extreme realization and disappointment. All my life I've said 2x4 and I should have been saying 2x3 1/2! We're getting ripped off people!!!

As I sent out the Creek Text this morning I chose 1 Peter 2:9: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

The 2x4's made me think about: When we live out who we are as a church are we getting ripped off? Or, are we ripping others off when we pretend to be something but we're only 3 1/2 inches of it?

' . . . a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him . . .'

Are we about the Kingdom of God? Are we about declaring His praises so that His Kingdom will come and His will be done?

God help me. Help us to fully become what you have created us and designed us to be. Teach us, set us on fire, to be about your Kingdom!

The Journey Begins . . .

If you're like me you wonder what it might be like to trust God moment by moment with your life. Every day.

You have a desire to know what it might be like to remove the barriers that keep you from God - I mean really knowing Him - and to have His power continually unleashed in your life?

We want more than glimpses!

This Sunday I begin Soul Journey 60/60 . . . and we're going to seek to go on that journey with Jesus together.

I am so pumped about this series and the 'experiment' we're going to do that I'll tell you about this weekend!

'Creek Texts' are also back for this series! You can click here and sign up for a verse/passage that will be texted (or emailed) to you every day of this series to encourage us in the Journey together!

Be a Life Giver!

This week on the creek texts (click here and here if you don't know what I'm talking about) --- we've been focusing on the power of the stuff that comes out of our mouths (and a big thanks to Nathan L. who brought the message last week!) . . . . .

'Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.' Prov 16:24

'The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.' Prov 18:21

'An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.' Prov 12:25


And then yesterday, someone who I respect sat down with me and just for a couple of minutes (just a couple of stinkin' minutes) told me how much he appreciated me and how well he felt like I was leading Oso Creek.

You know what, IT WORKS! I'm still living off the power of those words today!

Now, I'm not talking about insincere chatter, but if we will only choose to see God in the lives of those around us and then pull what we see to the surface -- then we speak LIFE and HEALING into people's lives!

I challenge you to see how many more times you can do it this weekend!

Emailers Unite!!

We heard your requests for the daily Bible reading to come in an email format as well as the texting . . . and we are responding! (Check out older posts where I talked about this here and here.)

Jason E. (you're awesome Jason!) is working on it tonight . . . so beginning in the morning you should be able to go to the website (click here) and sign up for the verses to come to you every day in a text, email or both!

Texting Stats

You're still invited to join us this Summer in our daily dwelling in God's Word . . . you can sign up here on our website to get the daily texts that I am sending out . . . They're focusing on our current series in James.

An interesting stat about those getting the texts --- There are 38 folks signed up right now, and 31 of them are ladies . . . Hmmmmm . . . . . Where art thou Adam?

Is It Changing Our Life?

On Sunday I quoted Rick Warren in saying: "We only believe the parts of the Bible that we do." In other words God's Truth is not meant to just be understood but to be digested in our soul in such a way that it transforms our spiritual/emotional/physical DNA and results in a whole new life.

Mark Batterson said this in his blog a couple of days ago:
"The Bible wasn't meant to be read. The Bible was meant to be meditated. Reading without meditating is like eating without digesting." (see the entire post here)

I've been challenging you to meditate on Scripture with us as we go through the book of James (click here to sign up to get the daily texts). And I'm praying that you will chew on it and swallow it in such a way that it speeds up your heart rate for following Jesus.

Mark went on to say in his post: "If we read the Bible but we don't feel a greater sense of intimacy with the author, The Word Himself, has it really accomplished it's purpose?"

Has it?

What's Gotten Into Your Life?

Garbage in - Garbage out. What goes in comes out. You are what you eat.

It's so true. Whatever we fill our life with, we become. If all we do is eat ice cream and Taco Bell, we grow to ice cream and Taco Bell proportions (and I confess I got some Taco Bell and ice cream in me!)

If all we fill our mind and soul with is worldly stuff, then that's how we begin (or continue) to think and live.
What are you filling your mind with?

This Summer as we go through the book of James I've invited everyone to read along with us each day. We've tried to make that easy by giving you an opportunity to sign up for a text everyday that encourages you to read and soak in a specific passage that day. Click here to check that out.

We also have another blog called Creek Living Water where everyday there is a passage to dwell on.

I just felt like God was telling me to encourage you today that it's God's Living Word that changes us. It changes us because when we allow it, it goes deep into our soul and through the Holy Spirit it speaks to our heart. If you are truly dwelling on it you CANNOT escape it's power!

The Bible is for NOW, today. Do you want your life to reflect a character of kindness and hope and confidence and love and peace? Do you want to be on THE journey, in THE game?
It begins on the inside of your life, not the outside.

What's gettin' in your life?

Back in Shape

The last couple of weeks have been tough running weeks for me. I was carrying this lingering summer cold and the heat index has been skyrocketing.

Yesterday morning I got back out on the road for only the second time in about a week. It killed me. My hip hurt, my right knee hurt, my left ankle hurt, my head hurt, I couldn't breathe. And that was all before I got off my block! The first mile I wanted to quit so bad. . .

I didn't. I survived the first mile. Second mile was a little better. After that just had to fight to finish.

I was just reminded that it's so very hard to start. It's many times brutal to 'get back in shape.'

And the same that is true for our bodies is true with our soul. I encouraged everyone on Sunday from James that we must intently and continuously look into God's Truth if we are going to be 'doers' and not just 'dreamers.'

And I know that there are those of you who have 'started' before trying to get in spiritual shape and then quit. And then again . . . and again . . . and again . . .

It's OK! God's mercies are new every day! As long as you're breathing there's still hope!
Get back on the road! Forget about the past and press forward to what lies ahead!

I invited all of you to go on this journey through James with us this Summer . . . and to sign up for the Summer texting (see this post). Come on with us.

God's desire for all of us is blessing. He wants you to know the abundant life of a soul that chases after Him. . . . He just asks us if we will get on the road and trust Him.

Wanna Text?

This Summer as we adventure into the book of James together, I'm excited about a new, creative way that we can hang out in James together.

You can click here (and then click the 'looking intently' button when it pops up) to sign up for a daily text that reminds you where we are 'looking intently' at what God says.

I'm constantly reminded that God's Word is LIVING and ACTIVE! And there is no greater power on all the planet than the Holy Spirit using God's Truth to shape our soul!

What are you waiting for? Quit talking . . . Start Living!