“Success is obedience to God, not results we can measure.”

“When we obey God, we find great comfort in leaving the consequences up to Him.”

I’ve been studying Beth Moore’s Paul: 90 Days on His Journey of Faith.  I am so fascinated by the life of Paul.  There is just so much of his ministry lifestyle that parallels my role at Cross Point – he travels from city to city, church to church, encouraging and admonishing believers.  On a much smaller scale that is what I do in helping to lead our Cross Point campuses.

But then there is so much about my story that doesn’t even come close to Paul’s. 

False accusations.

Misunderstandings.

Beatings.

Imprisonment.

Loneliness.

Paul faced it all.

I might think I have it tough some days, but ministry for me – for most of us- is a breeze compared to what Paul endured.  And yet the confident assurance he displayed messes with me.

Why?

Why did he keep doing it?  Why didn’t he give in to tiredness and despair?  Why didn’t he walk away and go back to an easier lifestyle?

The best answer that I can find is OBEDIENCE.

I go back to those quotes from Beth’s book…

“Success is obedience to God, not results we can measure.”

“When we obey God, we find great comfort in leaving the consequences up to Him.”

Paul’s purpose and calling wasn’t for his own good.  He did what he did out of obedience.  What other reason did he have, really?

What’s my reason for doing what I do?

What’s yours?

I long for the day that it’s simply all about obedience!

Fear and Death in the same phrase is like a double-whammy isn’t it?!

That’s what I thought when Jess and Angie invited me to be a part of the Bloom Book Club discussions.  Me, contribute to a discussion on the fear of death?  Yikes!

But we did indeed have some great discussion, mostly because Angie has written such a powerful book on the subject of fear,What Women Fear: Walking in Faith that Transforms

Hop on over and join us for the discussion.  If you haven’t been following along, you can go back and catch up on the previous chapters.

Fear is really one of those things that completely holds us back from being all that God has created us to be.  If you wrestle with fear in any way, this book is a great place to begin replacing that fear with faith!

So here we are just a few days before Easter…

If you work in ministry you’ll understand when I say that sometimes Holy Week feels anything but Holy!

It’s more like a big hot mess!

As we prepare for 15 services at 5 campuses this weekend, our office is a mad house.

• Last minute items going to print
• Videos still being shot and edited
• Construction/clean up projections that we’ve put off, we’re now scrambling to finish
• Late night calls, emails and texts with great ideas or grand epiphanies
• Many calls with volunteers to fill volunteer roles and make sure everyone is ready
• Extra volunteers in the office helping us prepare
• Additional rehearsals for the bands

The place is buzzing and I absolutely love it!

In some ways I wish our hot mess of a Holy Week happened every week.  During Holy Week we live with such urgent intensity for what is at stake this weekend as we share the Gospel – the reality of death and life, the cross and the resurrection, sin and redemption.

Last Sunday we asked all of our attendees to write the names of three people that they wanted to invite back with them to an Easter service, three people who need to hear about the hope found in Jesus Christ.  We received hundreds and hundreds of cards with thousands of names on them.

These names are why we do this.  This is why we live in our hot mess of a holy week.

When those individuals walk through the doors this Sunday because of the prayer-filled invitation from a friend, we’re going to be ready.  We will have given our best to create an experience where they can encounter Christ.   And then we will watch in anticipation as the Holy Spirit does His work in hearts and lives, as the story of The Cross is retold somehow never getting old.

Happy Easter!

Today we finish our GIVE! guest posts with this beautiful and redemptive story from Stephanie Shott.  Sometimes the best thing you can give others is the story of your ashes, the story of God’s redemption in your life… your story of hope.

Stephanie is a Bible teacher, speaker, missionary and author of the soon to be released ladies Bible study on Ecclesiastes entitled Understanding What Matters Most.

STEPH’S STORY:

My backstory isn’t a pretty one. In fact, I didn’t even begin life as an sweet little planned bundle of joy. My mom was raped and I was the result.

I was adopted by two wonderful parents who loved me and raised me as their own. But from the age of 3 until about the age of 12 my concept of love became skewed and shattered as I was repeatedly molested and raped by two different people in my family.

I was pregnant at 17. Then married. Divorced and a single mom at 19. I spent the next five years looking for love in all the wrong places – which is exactly where I met my husband – in a bar. He was the drummer in the band and our lifestyle was a reflection of the whole rock and roll band scene. Not a pretty picture. But then again, no picture is pretty without God in the middle of it.

Sitting in my apartment one afternoon, I watched a tele -evangelist share a message I had never really heard before. Or maybe I had, but this time it began to make sense. I wanted what he talked about. Salvation. Eternal life. A real relationship with Jesus. But I also wanted my life to remain mine. And so it did. Even though I cried, prayed and thought I was saved, my life remained my own and I remained unchanged.

But about two years later, at the age of 24 I was ready. Ready to surrender all I was for all Jesus is. I knew He was the only one who could save my wretched self, and this time, I was not only ready – but I was willing.

It was a sweet October day in 1987 when Jesus reached down, captured my heart and life and radically changed this broken girl with a bad past and a bleak future. Jesus loved me just as I was. With all my failures. With all my sins – He still loved me so much that He died for me. I didn’t have to ‘prove’ my love for Him, I just had to accept His love for me.

For the first time in my life, I understood what the term, “born again” meant. That’s exactly what I was…brand new…born again by the Great I Am. Sin became something I not only noticed in my life, but for the first time it grieved my heart to grieve His. God’s Word nourished me more than food. It consumed me and I found that it was unlike any other book on planet earth. It changed me. I became incessantly passionate about living for the Living God.

Twenty three years later, I still am.

Through the years, He has continually called me to serve His daughters – passionately teaching His Word, speaking His truth and His principles into lives of women who are hurting and in need of hope, redemption, restoration and forgiveness. I love when God’s girls fulfill their God-given destinies and become who they were created to be.

Today, I shared parts of my painful past that I normally like to keep neatly wrapped in the Christian package stamped “Clean” and hidden from view. Although the Lord has allowed me the privilege of using my past to speak redemption and hope into other women’s futures, it’s not something I freely share.

But I had to. Someone reading this post today needs to know that your value is not based on what you have to offer someone. It doesn’t lie in the web of lies someone has told you. You are loved because you are His creation. Because He chose to place you on planet earth for such a time as this and He longs for you to run to Him – to accept His love for you. It doesn’t matter what your past has whispered to your heart; God delights in using broken vessels. I know because I am one.

Sweet friend, you are never too battered, too broken, too dirty, too unlovable, too unworthy or too unforgivable. He is a Loving God who can make beauty out of ashes. So, for whoever it is that I’m writing this to today, I’m asking you to give Jesus the ashes of your life and let Him make it something beautiful. That’s exactly what He did for me and I know He’ll do the same for you.

Grateful.

That’s the word that has been haunting me lately.

Pete talked about it at our staff trip.

Randy wrote a beautiful post about seeing the best in everything.

And I’ve been reading the essays from my friend Kat‘s book, The Daily Verse.  One of the essays is about her grueling eye surgeries where she had to keep her head down, chin to chest, for 31 days and all you hear in her story is an attitude of gratefulness for what that season taught her.

These encounters have served to remind me that my heart has drifted towards ungratefulness.

It wasn’t always this way.

I grew up in pretty modest circumstances.  We had our food stamp days.  The government cheese handouts.  The hand-me-down clothes.  The car that the drivers’ side door wouldn’t open.

But in spite of all those seemingly sparse circumstances, I don’t remember being ungrateful as a kid.  I remember so much more being grateful for the things we did have.  I cherished the simple things like store-bought cheese, name brand cookies and the brand new red parachute pants I got for Christmas.

Not having much, made me so much more grateful for what I did receive.

Today, I find myself complacent.  I’m comfortable.

Comfort breeds complacency.

I fear that my comfort, my complacency and my ungratefulness are robbing me from experiencing the thrill of God’s adventure.  They distract me from appreciating the small things… the little miracles… the reminders of God’s provision.

In my ungratefulness, am I missing what God is up to all around me?

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.  Proverbs 17:22

No more dried bones for me!

Do you ever wrestle with this?  How do you protect and nurture a grateful heart?

This week I’m celebrating with my friends Tami Heim and Toni Birdsong as they release their book @stickyJesus!  It’s been so inspiring to watch them prepare for the launch of something they are so excited and passionate about.

@stickyJesus uniquely blends biblical truth and social media know-how and inspires with true stories of people engaging, connecting, and changing the world for Christ through social networks. Conversational and practical, @stickyJesus demystifies the technology of social media and awakens believers everywhere to the astonishing mission field now at their fingertips.

I’m especially excited about the release of this book because I had the special privilege of sharing one of the stories in it.  I tell Cross Point‘s story of how social media enabled us to respond so quickly to the Nashville Flood.  Even reading back through it now that it’s in print, I’m amazed at how God used such a simple tool for such profound redemptive work.

If you’ve ever been concerned about or doubted the power of social media for good, I encourage you to check out @stickyJesus.

@stickyJesus equips you to:

• Build and honor relationships the way Jesus did.
• Bring His heart into your online conversations.
• Understand the marketing-driven culture of social networks and how to navigate them.
• Influence, engage, serve, and lead online—like Jesus.
• Use dozens of tools, tricks, tips, and resources to grow your reach.
• Identify and avoid the danger zones.
• Learn basic Facebook, Twitter, blogging
• Discover how to find great content to share.

You can order your copy of @stickyJesus HERE!

So good to be back at Cross Point this Sunday!  We wrapped up our Empty Promises series… and yes, the rumors are true.  We did use a Katy Perry song in our services yesterday.   “Who Am I Living For” is a killer song that lyrically was a perfect way to end this series.  I loved the live DJ we had on stage for it at the Nashville campus.  Wish we could do that every week!

And of course we finished the series with another idol that I wrestle with…

The Perils of Power by Pete Wilson

Seeking power often leads to:

1) Avoiding failure

Grade yourself from 1 (rarely true) to 10 (always true) on these two statements:

• I feel the need to win every argument.
• I lose my temper when tools, situations, conversations don’t go my way.

You lose your temper because when things don’t go your way it’s a reminder that you don’t have power.

2 Corinthians 12:9

When power is an idol you go to great lengths to cover up your mistakes.

When power is an idol for you, you orchestrate your life so that you never have to deal with failure.

2) Refusing instruction.

Grade yourself from 1 (rarely true) to 10 (always true) on these two statements:

• I get very upset when people don’t specifically do things the way I want them to be done.
• I have a hard time following the rules other people establish.  I always know a better way.
• When things go wrong I tend to shift blame.

Proverbs 15:12

We all have a huge fear of powerlessness.

Power is humanity’s way to justify our existence apart from God.

You can’t expel an idol.  You have to replace an idol.

Genesis 32:24-30

Every human being needs assurance of their unique value from an outside source.

What’s your name?

Who are you?

What are the things that you’ve looked for others to give you that only God can give you?

Whatever you are so desperately striving for can only come from God.

How big of an idol is power for you?

I was really hoping I was gonna catch a break this week on the “Empty Promises” series… you know, take a little breather since last week’s message about the idol of success was such a kick-in-the-pants for me, but N O P E.  No.

“Addicted to Approval” hit me right between the eyes, and so… yes I’m feeling pretty beat up from both directions right now.

But seriously, this series couldn’t be more critical for all of us.  There are so many things that we allow to take the place of God in our lives.  How beautiful would it be if we could replace our idols with a relentless passion for Him?

Addicted to Approval by Pete Wilson

Genesis 29:16-25

There is no human being out there capable of meeting all your emotional needs for love and acceptance.

We struggle with the addiction of needing approval or acceptance from the people around us.

You get absolutely paralyzed by rejection.

On a scale of 1 to 10, gauge yourself on your need for approval:

• I constantly worry about what others might be thinking of me.
• I do not do certain things because other people may not approve.
• I continually play back criticisms in my head.
• I get anxious when I think someone might be upset with me.
• I stop myself from  speaking up when I think someone won’t agree with me.
• I find myself consistently disappointed in other people because they don’t meet my expectations.
• When I’m hurt or upset it’s always someone else’s fault.
• I can’t say no to people even if it costs the people who deeply care about me.

Approval addicts are:

1) Destined for mediocrity

Romans 12:1-2

You always have to follow the herd to maintain approval.

2) Destined for exhaustion

Colossians 3:1-4

Do you want to be loved or do you want to be loving?  Loving doesn’t mean that you seek to meet the approval of all the people around you.

Someone else’s approval does not define your worth or your value.

3) Destined for guilt and rejection

Instead of finding worth and value in your Creator, you’ve lent your heart out to others.  You look for others to adopt your heart.

You live with so much guilt and shame, you constantly try to hide from God.

Psalm 139:23-24

Psalm 139: 1-4

You need to know that God loves you.  You can not lose your value in God’s eyes.

Romans 5:8

I really don’t have a lot of additional commentary to give today because I’m still reeling from the kick in the pants Pete’s message gave me.  Read at your own risk… at least we got my big idol out of the way early in the series.

The Seduction of Achievement by Pete Wilson

Ecclesiastes 2:4-11

Idol: Anything you seek to give you what only God can give you.

There is an inner emptiness that all of us feel.

The question isn’t “Do I have idols?”. We all have idols.

The real question is “Which idol is God’s biggest rival in my life?”

There is something inside all of us that makes us want to achieve.  That is a God-given part of being a human, but mixed with the sin in our lives it can become toxic.

The dark side of achievement is that I want you to know that I’ve achieved and I begin to build my identity around this need for recognition and achievement.

Success-based identity – you think you control the opinion and  approval of others through your performance.  You gather all your self-worth externally.

Success Might Be an Idol If You:

• Have to achieve regardless of what it does to the people around you.
• You confuse who you are with what you accomplish.

An achievement addict is no different than any other addict.

You are not your giftedness.  Your worth and your value are not based on your achievements.

• You struggle when others succeed.
• You are jealous of other people.
• You have to look for other people to blame your perceived failure on.

Criticism is the most cowardly form of self-praise.

Matthew 16:26

Position-based identity – you understand that your sense of self worth comes from who you are in Christ.  You’re identity is not defined by what you do.  It comes from who you are in Christ.

Idols are not expelled, they’re replaced.

The only way to replace success-based identity with position-based identity is to get into God’s word.

John 1:12

My identity is rooted in what has been accomplished for me in the person of Jesus Christ.

************************

Is this an idol that you struggle with?

If so, what are some of the things you do to help keep this in check in your life? (I need all the help I can get!)

Have you ever picked up a book and thought “oh no… I think this one is going to rock my world”?  Those books come along every once in awhile for me.  I’m sure it’s the right message at the right time that rattles my thinking and pushes me through another season of growth.

My most recent encounter with the “oh man, this one’s gonna get me” feeling was Steven Furtick’s new book Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible

I roared through this book in a matter of a couple of sittings.  Sometimes wanting to chuck it across the room because of the fears it was exposing in me and sometimes wanting to stand up and exclaim that I was ready to take on the world.

Here are just a few quotes I couldn’t shake:

• “If the size of your vision for your life isn’t intimidating to you, there’s a good chance it’s insulting to God.”
• “My calling is great, the stakes are high, and stellar character is required.  My vision defines the parameters that I live by.”
• “The impossible becomes possible for you only as you carefully observe and faithfully obey the direction of the Holy Spirit.”
• “A lot of times, our greatest fears are rooted in personal insecurities.  The perspective of faith enables us to see who we truly are in Christ.”
• “Healthy confidence is born out of genuine humility.  Confidence without humility is arrogance.  Humility without confidence is weakness.”
• “The great things God will do through you are going to grow in the soil of persistence, prayer, obedience, and sacrifice.”

I’m really excited that I have the privilege of being a blog stop for this book and as part of the tour stop, Pastor Steven provided some addition insight’s for the readers of my blog as well as a couple of giveaways.  Enjoy!

When I was in college, I came across a paradigm-shattering concept in a book called The Knowledge of the Holy, by a twentieth-century writer named A. W. Tozer.  Tozer emphatically says that your view of God is the most important thing about you.  More than anything else, the scope and impact of your life is going to be determined by who you believe God to be.

I couldn’t agree more.  In Sun Stand Still, I invite my readers to believe that they are made to experience the miraculous on a regular basis.  To believe that audacious faith and impossible prayers are not reserved just for the juggernauts of faith in the Bible.  To believe that they could leave a God-sized impact on the world.

But as I wrote my book, I became convinced that if we are going to take impossible risks for God and make this kind of an impact, we had better know that he has the resources to get his will accomplished on earth. Otherwise our miniscule vision of God will short-circuit our faith.

After all, if God is not able to do the impossible, to accomplish the miraculous, why waste your breath asking him to do so? Faith in a God who is not able to deliver on what he has promised is not audacious. It’s absurd. If I were in financial trouble, I wouldn’t go to a college student to bail me out. I’d approach someone with a balance sheet that was more robust than mine. Anything else would be a waste of time.

The thing is, no prayer of faith to a great God is a waste of time. And that’s because the measure of God’s abilities will always surpass the measure of our audacity. No prayer is too big for our God. No vision too sweeping. No risk too great. God has never been nervous about his ability to live up to our faith in him. And this amazing fact invites us to believe him for the kind of requests and goals that most people would consider outside the realm of possibility.

If there is no limit to what God can do, then there is also no limit to what we can dream or pray or accomplish in his service.

After all, our God is the One who spoke the universe into existence. Then he stooped down and measured it with his hand (Isaiah 40:12). Did you know that scientists have found stars that are as large in circumference as the entire orbit of Jupiter? Yet God did not spend a single ounce of energy in creating them. He simply said, “Let them be.” And they were.

Our God is the One who leveled Jericho’s walls while Joshua and the children of Israel walked laps in childlike obedience.

Our God is the One who made the sun stand still.

The God of the Bible can do whatever he pleases. And what pleases him is to show off his power for his glory and renown.

In Sun Stand Still, I’m going to challenge you to give him the opportunity. Dream God-worthy dreams. Pray faith-fueled prayers. And live a life that can be explained only by the existence of a God who is infinitely great.

So, I’m thinking you’ve probably been challenged enough to check this out…  Sun Stand Still officially releases next week, so go order your copy HERE.

I’m also giving TWO copies away here on the blog.

To be entered to win a copy:

a) leave a comment about what impossible dream you want to believe God for,

and/or

b) twitter this post.

Winners will be announced Sunday, 9/19.

I’m excited to see how God can use a group of people who dare to have audacious faith!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”