Truth in Love

Today is Wednesday.  It has great significance to me. Why? Because three weeks ago on a Wednesday night I was as blunt from the pulpit as I have ever been. Since that time I have been tormented in my mind--wondering if what I did was right?

My goal that night was simple:  awaken anyone that might be spiritually asleep.  I had spent the day in prayer. My heart was ablaze with a passion for Christ and HIS bride.  That passion came out during my message.  In retrospect I have re-listened to the message multiple times and re-played my choice of words in my mind over and over again. Prayerfully, I have arrived at a conclusion.

What I said was right.  The way I said it was wrong. I spoke truth.  I'm not so sure that I packaged it in love.  For that I am sorry.  (Not for the truth spoken, but for the way in which I spoke it.)  And not only do I ask the forgiveness of my congregation.  I publicly repent before God in Heaven for my lack of humility during that 30 minute period of time. 

The truth will set you free, but Scripture has obligated us to speak Scriptural truth in love. Additionally, faith comes by hearing truth and we hear through the foolishness of preaching. But, faith only works through love. (Scriptural References: John 8:32, Eph 4:15, Romans 10:17, Galatians 5:6) It becomes an order. Like so...  

• For one to hear truth it must be spoken in love.  Once heard it will produce faith.  That faith will then make us free as we begin to pass on the imparted love to others. 

Our faith in Jesus works through the giving of love to others that was produced by first hearing of God's love for us! 

• For God so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten Son, so that whosoever believeth in HIM will not perish but have everlasting life... (John 3:16)

We are made in the image of God and God is love.  HE is also a consuming fire.  And multiple Biblical authors also make the statement, "God is holy." While others say things like, "God is everlasting." I believe HE exists as a God who is so purely in love with humanity that it is like a fiery, everlasting passion within HIS being. (I even believe the fire described in the eyes of Jesus in the Book of Revelation is the illustration of a love for HIS church.)  I said all of that to say this:  We are never more accurately reflecting the image of God than we express a pure, unconditional love for others!

Lake Cumberland region... 3 Trees Church... JESUS LOVES YOU AND I DO TOO!!!  Never have I more purely meant that statement...

Greater things are yet to come! 

3 Trends Developing in America

On Tuesday of this week I had the opportunity to soak up the wisdom of Pastor Larry Stockstill at the Kentucky Prayer Focus gathering.  (Much thanks to Pastor Mark Harrel & the staff of Victory Christian Fellowship in Somerset, KY for hosting the event and for their hospitality.)

During Larry's message he shared 3 trends that several national leaders believe to be developing in America...

1. America is moving away from CAPITALISM to SOCIALISM. The danger with this trend is that almost all socialistic states/nations are atheistic.  The reason being that in socialism the system itself attempts to do away with the need for God as the ultimate Supplier of ALL our needs.
2. The Millennial Generation (anyone born after 1980) does not relate to a COUNTRY but rather a CAUSE. Patriotism is almost none existent in this generation because their allegiance is not pledged to the sacredness of a country but rather to the cause they most relate to. Meaning they would may times rather see an establishment destroyed than for their cause to not be accomplished.  They tend to always put relationships above principles.  If a principle would isolate them from a valued relationship then the principle must be abandoned. It is an odd state of mind... CAUSE above COUNTRY, but RELATIONSHIP above PRINCIPLE...
3. Judges, not people, are setting our laws.  Case-in-point would be Proposition 8 in California.  Recently, popular vote disallowed gay marriages in California.  However, a few weeks later ONE JUDGE overturned a vote that had been determined by THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, on the grounds that it was unconstitutional.  It is worth noting that the presiding judge is a practicing homosexual.  (For some interesting reading, google search: Proposition 8 Ruling #77)

May we prayerfully discern these trends and in response: 

1. Pray for our government officials to see the dangers of socialism, specifically that it is driven by the spirit of the antichrist. 
2. Pray for the Millennial Generation's ability to align themselves with Christ-centered causes.
3. Pray for the judicial system of America to receive a heavenly impartation of wisdom.

The Auto-Attendant

There are moments in life when you come to an acute awareness that something just isn't right. I had an eye-opening day. Through prayer, (and from being on the awkward-side of phone calls that I didn't have to make in the first-place) I discovered that many of the relationships I have tried to hang onto and nurture, have in fact been completely one-sided.

Presently, my life is exceedingly and abundantly above all I could ask or think--and it is far better for me than I deserve, I might add. As a result of this awareness, I have sincerely tried to reach out to other pastors whom I thought could possibly use encouragement or relationship because their ministries are still in a developmental state. What I've found is that many of them are simply too busy to acknowledge the need for relationship with anyone other than their DayPlanner. This at first seemed odd to me, because of the place in ministry many of them are at. When I was at their station of life and ministry I would have loved to have had someone (especially if they were pastoring a lot more people than me) call and attempt to establish a relationship. However, it never happened and at the time I ached with insecurity as a result of feeling unaccepted by my fellow, more successful, pastors. So, I made a decision early on that if God ever gave me any success, I would make myself available to those who might benefit from anything I learned on the journey. But today, I realize something I've never noticed before...

I believe many yet-to-experience-success guys are deceived in the illusion that they must appear busy in order to be validated by their peers. And if I may be so blunt? They would be much more effective if they would get their noses out of the air and look around. Perhaps then realizing that their busyness is actually not real at all--it is simply manufactured by their own imagination. The result is that they falsely feel as though they're impressing their peers; yet, little fruit hangs from the trees of their ministries. I'm afraid that the truth may be: from hearts of insecurity some have masqueraded inner feelings of inadequacy with wasted, howbeit full-schedules, in hope of giving the appearance of busyness. While being passionately-driven by the illusive goal of potentially garnering the respect only statistical-success seems to bring.

How can I speak so matter-of-factly on this subject? Because, I now see clearly that I used to be one of those guys. You know... The one who puts an auto-attendant on his phone--not because he needs one--but because it at least presents the illusion of importance. (Yet we call it professionalism). Now, I wonder if perhaps that auto-attendant shielded me from the voices of more successful men who might have called to check on me, but were ultimately deterred by all the smoke screens of busyness, I had deceptively placed around me.

Today, my phone rings off the hook and I don't have, nor want, an auto-attendant. An office staff I do have, not some computer that I have manipulated to make me sound better than what I am; but rather real-life, breathing human-beings who can honestly answer as to the location of my where-abouts--that is when I remember to tell them...

Maybe this is a blog post or maybe it is a rant, but most-likely just another rambling thought from Jack. Irregardless, I must go now. I've got more IMPORTANT things to do than click away at keys. Such as: call guys who will act as though they don't have time to talk to me, but they need me whether they realize it or not. And in all truth, I need them--not because they make me feel important, but rather because their behavior keeps me humble... SELAH

Awakening America

The First 11 Days of Prayer for a Christ Awakening in America

DAY 1, September 1
“Awaken me from my slumber! Cause me to come to myself!‟
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 64:7, Mark 12:30-31, Ezekiel 36:26-27
Personal Reflection: What is the condition of my heart?
Pray God Almighty will awaken you to your need of cleansing so you can effectively pray for your nation. Pray He will lovingly examine your heart as you put your trust in Him. Pray for forgiveness as you begin this process.

DAY 2, September 2
“Lord, I am sickened by my sin! Change me!”
Scripture Reading: Psalm 4:4, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Psalm 119:32
Personal Reflection: Do I have any unconfessed sin in my heart?
Pray the Lord will make you willing to be completely cleansed and changed. Ask Him for a new heart of commitment to Him.

DAY 3, September 3
“I repent, Lord! Bring my way of life into alignment with this heart-change!”
Scripture Reading: Psalm 63:8, Isaiah 26:7
Personal Reflection: Are there things in my life that are outside of God’s will for me?
Pray that God will quicken your spirit to hear His correction as you navigate the changes in your life. Withhold nothing as you honestly examine your life.

DAY 4, September 4
“Convict my heart to make the difficult choices I must regarding the company I keep.”
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:33, Hebrews 1:9
Personal Reflection: Am I involved in any relationships that are displeasing to God?
Pray your Father will help you see the truth in the hard choices you may need to make. Ask Him to show you how to step away from what corrupts.

DAY 5, September 5
“Call a Sacred Assembly! Declare a fast!”
Scripture Reading: Joel 1:14; 2:12, 15-16, 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
Personal Reflection: Have I been living a lifestyle of regular fasting?
Pray the Church across America is hearing the Holy Spirit and responding to His call to “return to Me”. Pray the Holy Spirit will bring conviction of sin personally and corporately to the Church of America.

Day 6, September 6
“We see the condition of our nation and recognize the compromise and worldliness of the Church and we are desperate for You!”
Scripture Reading: Joel 2:16; Romans 12:1; John 17:17; Ephesians 5:26-27
Personal Reflection: Have I consecrated myself before God?
Pray spiritual leaders across the nation will call The Church to consecration, recognize and become sorrowful for our sins and prepare for a Sacred Assembly.

Day 7, September 7
“Lord, restore the Light of Christ in our churches to dispel the darkness! Convict us to return to our first love.”
Scripture Reading: Revelation 2; John 14:15, 24; Revelation 2:4
Personal Reflection: Am I so busy that I have lost my “first love“?
Pray the Church will move on the conviction to return to her first love. Pray that obedience to the Word and to the leading of the Holy Spirit becomes our first priority.

Day 8, September 8
“Father, there are so many distractions! Help our focus to remain on You and not the empty idols the world offers”
Scripture Reading: Mark 12:30; 1 John 2:15; Matthew 6:24
Personal Reflection: Have I allowed idols to come into my life?
Pray the Church will willingly examine her works and ministries, recognize the idolatry, and remove every idol with deep repentance.

Day 9, September 9
“Humble us, Lord. Remove the pride from our fellowships.”
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 16:5; Proverbs 16:18
Personal Reflection: Has my heart become proud?
Pray asking the Lord to humble us as He convicts us of pride and shows us the evidence of it in our churches and our personal lives. Repent. Repent. Repent. Repent for your church and for The Church!

Day 10, September 10
“Father, conform Your Church, the Body of Christ, to the image of Your Son!”
Scripture Reading: Romans 8:29; 1 Peter 1:15-16; Philippians 1:11
Personal Reflection: Is it time for some cleansing in my personal life and home?
Pray asking God to guide and enable you to forgive and reconcile every broken relationship in a way that brings Him glory and brings you freedom. Pray the Church will come into unity and become a demonstration of the love of Christ.

Day 11, September 11
“Lord, unity is crucial to You! Break down every wall within Your Church, and draw us together in unity.”
Scripture Reading: John 17:23; Matthew 5: 23-24; Mark 11:35
Personal Reflection: Do I have relationships that I need to reconcile?
Pray asking God to guide and enable you to forgive and reconcile every broken relationship in a way that brings Him glory and brings you freedom. Pray the Church will come into unity and become a demonstration of the love of Christ.