Accelerator- A substance that increases the speed of a reaction.

There is a growing hint of excitement in the air at the church I attend. Its not just the new building program that’s about to begin or the feeling that you get when you know a good speaker is going to speak (because if the speaker is good then God will do something) it is an excitement that is not tide to an individual or a pastor or a group of people for that matter. It is an electric atmosphere. The question that arises out of this atmosphere is “What is God up to?” there is a change taking place in the church. It’s a movement of Gods presence and will, which is changing people. Not only that, but there is a hunger in the air A genuine longing to be in His presence.
I was speaking to the youth group this past Sunday morning and I was telling them this and I said to them “don’t be afraid to go after him”. “Don’t worry about what anyone else has to say about it or what they may think of you. Go after Him.” I say this to them, but I remember no to long ago feeling the same way they do. We tell them to no worry about others, but they do and so did I. I remember a couple times when I was attending my parent’s church that I felt the powerful tug of God on my heart and it made me uncomfortable so I ran from it. Now I say it made me uncomfortable but what I mean is that I felt found out, found out by his glory and I did not like that so I ran and ran hard. I ran to get away from him and of course couldn’t and would not want to now for anything. My point in bringing that out was to say that there is a unique environment in place for young people. And maybe it has always been there and I am just now seeing it, but the hunger is there. I know the hunger is there because it’s so heavy that you can sense it. They long for a relationship with him but the longing is confused for other things like a relationship with a boy or girl or a substance like alcohol.
Someone posed the question “how, now, do we help them get caught up in the river? of God. Anyone who has tried to start a fire knows that it can be extremely difficult to get going, and usually we cheat and pour a little lighter fluid on it and light the match and stand back all proud of our accomplishment. How much harder is it for a person to be “set on fire” for him. So with that said the question no longer remains “how, now, do we help them get caught up” because the accelerator has already been poured on the wood, it becomes who strikes the match to set it ablaze? To often I think people think that it is their job to try to pump God up and to help light a fire in people for him and then when all our best efforts fail we can’t understand why. I think that we don’t understand that the excitement is not about us and it never was and never will be. Only God can strike the match that starts the fire. For those of us who do understand that fact it is merely our job to pour on the accelerator and wait for him to strike the match. I count myself lucky that he trusts me with the accelerator, his word.

I had the opportunity to speak the other night I my churches youth service and It was a very strange experience. I got alot of resistance to the message I brought or I guess I would say there was quite a bit of tension in the room. Some people recieved it while others didn't, but after the service was over I was Physically tired . At any rate I appreciated the opportunity to speak (thanks to the arival of our churches newest member ; ) Go Derek and & Catherine) and I jump at every opportunity I get to do so because I feel a passion to. This is what I spoke about and granted it is not exactly word for word but it's really close.

The Deep End...

Ezekiel 47The River From the Temple 1 The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was flowing from the south side.3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits (1500ft) [a] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits (1500 ft) and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand (1500 ft) and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 He measured off another thousand(1500 ft){6000ftbut now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. 6 He asked me, "Son of man, do you see this?" Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 8 He said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, [b] where it enters the Sea. [c] When it empties into the Sea, [d] the water there becomes fresh. 9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. 10 Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Great Sea. [e] 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.

"I just can't get away from this deep end idea though... I know that I am not alone when it comes to this concept or I guess I should say this pull, but its like a river current and I have said this before, it is Unimaginably strong but it will not consume or take you unless you allow it to.I am about to get real with you here.When I was younger I had this out look on life that Ya something out there is bigger than me and I just sensed that, but I didn't want to get caught up in it. Because to me it seemed kinda stupid and (I am being honest when I say that) and lord what would my friends say if I became some Bible thumper. They would disown me. But then the day came for me that I needed there to be something bigger than me to be there. I had made a decision and the consequences were bearing down on me. I will not go in to the details but it was one of those things that after you have done it you knew it was wrong. All this fear welled up inside of me and I couldn't do any thing about it I was scared, disappointed in myself and lower in spirit than I had ever been (with good reason) And I remember I was in my car at my job just praying to God to make everything alright and weeping hard. And I felt a hand own my shoulder but no one was there. From that moment with me a peace came that I had never known. (I found out later that the girl had lied) So that’s when my journey into the river started.I think there are so many people out there that have this sense of "ya there is something bigger than myself out there but do I really want to get involved". Because getting involved means that thing will start to change and that maybe the things that "I" care about will take the back seat to the things that He cares about. "Getting involved" is I think the hardest thing for people to do because it leads them to being Venerable and no one really likes that uncomfortable feeling (i know). It’s a feeling that you’re not in control of the things that are going on. (It’s really very hard for us control freaks). So this kind of brings me to my point in a way. This lack of control that freaks people out is exactly the thing that sets us free. (In a way). When we finally relinquish control to God he gives us a spectacular sense of peace and ease. And not just that, there is no where else you would rather be.
In the scripture,
Here you have a picture of the movement of Gods Glory. Although it just trickles out from underneath the temple the river it creates if immense. Here you have Ezekiel at first wading in it, which is if I may say is what most of us are completely comfortable doing. Wading in the movement of his glory looking for a little bit of feel good God but once things start to get a little strange (which is what God is known best for) its out own the banks we Go. Then we have Ezekiel going a little further in and this time he is knee deep. Now anybody who has waded through a river knows that at around knee deep things start to get a little tense especially if there is movement in the river. And most people would venture to go this far but there true desire is to be on the bank watching the flow. Now we are in dangerous territory. Ezekiel is waist deep in the river and at this point the river is pushing against him one wrong step and he will lose it he will lose all the things he carried into the river with him. Most of us don't like that idea. We have our little bag of things we want to hold on to. Even though some of the things in our little bag are killing us we hold tight to them with all we have, but the thing about being waist deep is that the bank is just a few careful steps away. But what if.... The next part of the scripture paints a powerful picture. Here is Ezekiel no longer standing but trying to swim.

But now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross.

What if the next step wasn't a careful one back to bank, but a jump into the deep end with the flow of God? To be caught up with the flow of this river to see its many pathways. To be covered head to toe with the unmistakable presence of God. What would happen to the little bag of things you carried into the river with you? They would be lost to the current. There is one word that comes to my mind to describe this River it’s an old word, Elohim it translates Powerful God.Enock posed the Question what’s holding you back? And I think that’s appropriate here "what is holding you back" .

When I was finished I asked my friend Collin to say what was on his heart or dismiss them. He walked to the front prayed and said a few words. " What if what Travis said is true?" " Whats holding you back? " before we knew it people where coming forward to wanting to junp into the deep end with God. Collin and I looked at one another and our expressions read "wow" in an aw sense. God had moved in the service and touched hearts and I was just glad he allowed Collin and I and anyone else involved to be a part of it.

The Heart of the Lion

The heart of David is something that I some times think of. The bible says that David was a man after God own heart. What is Gods Heart interested in? What does the Lion of Judah long for? Lets take a look at David and his character. God was after a new king or a leader for his people and he sent Samuel to anoint one.

7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

So God was after the heart from the begining, not the physical size or stature that men might be attracted to but the heart. So what did david have in his heart that captured the attention of God? David was a sheppard boy, and his sole Responsibility was to guide his flock of sheep to lead them and keep them from going astray.He had a heart for his flock. Lests skip ahead to Psalms where David is found in the desert of Judah (desert of Praise)

Psalm 63

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.

Because you are my help,

I sing in the shadow of your wings

My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me

Here you have a future King in the desert of Judah, giving God his entire heart,his very best. He has the promise that was given to him of the kingship by God but he is being persued by his enemies. I want to say that most of us are not as deligent as David. Most of us in this situation would be to the give up point, But not David His heart longs for God. His heart longs to see Gods glory and to be used by Him in what ever way he has ordained. I was watching a Louie Giglio DVD that a friend of mine let me borrow where Louie talked about a prayer remix and it was very good. the part of the message that pierced my heart was the last part. He said that there are some prayers that God can't answer, but the one Prayer that he will always answer is "God use me". I think David is the old testament Embodiment of this. David didnt seek the throne of Israel it sought out him. He kept himself humble before God and said God use me however you want whether it was as king or as simple shepard.David was in the desert of praise and we see him doing just that. He was after God not just half way either but like in poker he was "all in". So thats David A man after Gods Own Heart. Now lets Look at the heart of God through Jesus.

Jesus was all about people. All the gosples show Jesus hanging out with the lowly people the Tax collectors, sinners and the prostitutes. Thats the constant people them. Jesus show the true heart of God in obedience like David but also in his love for people. I talked to some of my friends about this experience I had where I felt like God was saying to me "you say you love me, but do you love my people?" and that is something I think alot of us struggle with, having a heart for people. What I came to realize was that ya obedience is part of it because God wants a willing vessel but its also about people, and not just lost people but saved people as well.

So what does the heart of a Lion look like? its a heart with a deep desire to see Gods will accomplished and to be used in it and its a heart for people. A heart un afraid of being open to people,and a heart that longs to see others for who God created them to be.

Seeing People.


A question that has been stirring with me lately has been how
How do I see people? Do I look at individuals through their actions or do I really try and see people for who they are. What brought this up one might ask? A motive search got me to this.
What would it be like to look at a person and see that person for who God created them to be instead of looking at them through their actions? The majority of people I think look at others in this manner. And I know it’s hard not to do this because I feel like a lot of people out their look at themselves in this way as well. Why is it so hard to Love people?
I went as a chaperone with my churches youth group to a rather large event with about 20,000 youth there. On the second night of the conference the speaker said a lot of moving things and he was so very real with his motives for being there and speaking. At one point he said “he was tired and missed his wife and wanted to go home” this was in the middle of a call to those who wanted to know Jesus that didn’t. At that moment I saw the closest thing to reality I had ever seen in an individual. He was speaking to God in such a personal way. I was shaken by how real he was at that moment. The next thing he said was that “he couldn’t go home because if you didn’t know Jesus you had to know him”. It was at that point that I began to search my motives for the things I do.
I say that I love God, but do I love His people do I have that desire to see them as he sees them or am I happy looking through there sin instead of his glory? It’s a painful question to ask. At the moment when I saw this man (the speaker) broken and tiered and crying out to God, in this moment of the most real brokenness I have ever seen, I wanted so much to be in his position. I wanted so much to be as nothing in the sight of my king.
The speaker genuinely cared and loved all 20,000 people he was speaking too. But what I realized was that in myself I have not the ability to love unlovely people. I see people through the eyes of sin because those are the eyes that I have (we have), so how is it possibly for a person to love and care for others as God does? How is it possible for me an unlovely person to in turn see another person for how they really are, a hurting individual that feels alone in a crowded room, and a person that puts on a front to people so that they can function day to day. It simple He enables us to see, Otherwise blindness is our greatest downfall
Looking through the eyes of Jesus can be a painfully beautiful experience. Painful in the since that you can see people. All the hurt they carry all the bitterness that holds them down, all the crutches that they use to stand from day to day. It will break your heart in the moment of just a glimpse; the beauty of looking through his eyes is that you can see the image in which they were created, an image of grace and mercy that is a reflection of the one who has created them. A friend of mine said to love someone is to make much of them. (And I am sure that he heard it somewhere else) but its true and its real. Jesus made much of us by sacrificing himself in our stead; Because He sees our potential as his creation. I want to finish with just a thought.

Imagine If we those who are called by his name made much of others…. If we ask God to let us see our brothers and sisters as he sees them.

How do you want to see people?

Showing God…

How do we show God to others? It’s really a tough question to ask because I think a lot of us are timid in sharing our faith with others. And maybe it’s not so much the sharing of Jesus as it is that we are afraid of what others will say. It’s a fear of rejection from our friends and loved ones. Or maybe even the fact that we are afraid to share him and do it in such a way that we don’t feel comfortable with the way it comes across. Let me explain. My wife and I were walking into a local store the other day and there where a group of people maybe five or so of them standing with signs and one had maid a cross and was holding his bible underneath his arm. All of these people were yelling at the top of there lungs “Jesus Saves” and lots of scripture to the people getting out of there cars in the shopping center parking lot. Now at first I was a little taken back by this. I couldn’t decide if I was upset at them for “giving Christians a Bad name” or if I admired their boldness. And truly it was probably a little of both, But more power too them if it works and people receive it.
What really got me thinking about this was that the other night I was reading my bible and read Ezekiel 47 (ignore the reference letters)

Ezekiel 47 Water from the Temple
1 Then he brought me back to the door R1802 of the house; and behold, water R1803 was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on F930 the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side.
3 When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. 4 Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins. 5 Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river R1804 that could not be forded. 6 He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen R1805 this?" Then he brought me back F931 to the bank of the river. 7 Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees R1806 on the one side and on the other. 8 Then he said to me, "These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah; R1807 then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, R1808 and the waters of the sea become fresh. F932 9 "It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river F933 goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become F934 fresh; so everything R1809 will live where the river goes. 10 "And it will come about that fishermen R1810 will stand beside it; from Engedi R1811 to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading R1812 of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great R1813 Sea, very R1814 many. 11 "But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; F935 they will be left F936 for salt. R1815 12 "By R1816 the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees R1817 for food. Their leaves R1818 will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves R1819 for healing."


When I read this I was thinking what is that this says, I mean what is God trying to say to me and everyone else in this scripture. There are tons of messages in it, but the one that grabbed me is the message of his glory and love.
In different translations it says slightly different things, some say the water was trickling and some say the water was flowing, at any rate the water was moving. And as Ezekiel was taken farther and farther out the water got deeper and deeper until eventually he could not be in it with out loosing control. That was a powerful thought for me.
Everything the water came into contact with it brought to life and life was drawn to it. What came to me in this was that When God gives us life more abundantly he doesn’t intend for is to keep it and horde it to ourselves. He fully expects us to give it back to him and not out of duty but out of love. And to do our very best in all we attempt for him. What is great about this is that he knows what we are made of and he will never put us in a position to fail. A famous runner from the 70’s named Prefontain said “to give anything less than the best is to sacrifice the gift” that’s a powerful statement because what ever God has ask you to do he has supplied you with the Gifts necessary to accomplish the task. The other thing about it is he does the work. "These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah; R1807 then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, R1808 and the waters of the sea become fresh. F932 9 "It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river F933 goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become F934 fresh; so everything R1809 will live where the river goes. The scripture says that life will be attracted to the flow of God and not only regular life but New Life things that were “living” will now be fully alive, so all the work is done by God.
When God pours into your life he doesn’t do any thing small that’s why the phrase “my cup runs over” is fitting. He pours into you at such a rate that you can’ help but pour into other people. So how do you show God to other people? Jump into the flow of the river that’s how let it take you where the need is. And God will allow the need to be met with Him receiving the glory. because where He is lifted up, men will be drawn to him.