21 DAY DANIEL FAST
April 24, 2011, 11:04 pm
As I'm finishing up my last can of pringles...well ok I'm not...but I'm really tempted to already! Just being honest...:)
As we are drawing near to the official start of our 21 day Daniel fast - there are a few things I need. I forgot to mention in the first service today (or if you were gone or whatever the case), but if you are doing the fast I'd like to know for sure. We are going to be sending out encouraging emails and texts. If you could send me your email and your cell number (if you do texts) that would be great! I want to communicate with you guys during this time once in a while to encourage you and build you up! No worries - I won't be sending too many texts! :)
Also - Just a few encouraging words about what fasting looks like and what God desires of us from a fast. I'm so excited about this for our church and for each of you individually. I appreciate your willingness to do it and to allow yourself to be dependent upon God during this time. It's gonna be tough...but it's gonna even be better in how you grow spiritually, how much more time you'll find yourself praying and spending time with our risen Savior, and how much more you'll desire to be with Jesus. I'm praying for each of you by name as well...I'm so proud of you - but even more so - I'm so excited to see what God is going to do in our church through this fast together. Be watching for upcoming emails and text messages. Don't forget to use the 21 DAY DANIEL FAST PRAYER GUIDE we had in the bulletins today. If you didn't get one - stop by the church this week to pick one up.
Ok...a few thoughts from Isaiah 56:6-9 (MSG VERSION) Maybe start with your prayer time (even tonight!) with this passage...it's a good one!!!
"This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.'
-Pastor Micah
"COFFEE SHOP GET AWAY"
February 3, 2011, 1:23 pm
"COFFEE SHOP GET AWAY"
Every Thursday that my schedule allows, I go to our local Semolino's Coffee Shop downtown (almost as good as Starbucks...but almost twice the price...doesn't make sense to me!) to just make myself available, and provide an opportunity for our faith community to come chat if they want and even buy them a cup of coffee - hard to come buy a free cup of $5 coffee these days! (hint hint) It's a great time when I have the opportunity to visit with people and hear what God has been doing in their life, and what He has been teaching them. I as well love being able to provide answers for questions they may have about church, christianity, life, relationships, etc. More often than enough - I leave that place encouraged...not just only by the coffee of course but by the interaction with people that I have! :)
But it has one...lets say...interesting aspect to it.
People know I'm there - I announce it almost every week at church. Sometimes people will contact me ahead of time and let me know they are planning on meeting me there. However - most of the time people just show up. Only once has more than one person showed up at the same time, so that hasn't been an issue yet (I'm just waiting for that to happen!). But here is what regularly happens. Someone walks in...and I am never sure...and neither are they...if they are there to meet with me or if they were actually hoping to come there and get away from people (or Pastors!) like me! So there is that akward moment..."Hey...uhhh...how are you? Are you here to see me or just have some coffee...or just get away...or" well you get the point. And what I don't want to happen is that now that they are there - they feel like they have to visit with me! Thankfully, I don't think that has really happened either. And to be honest - there are some times I am hoping to be there just to get away myself actually...just being honest. Ok - here is the spiritual tie to this...you should have known it was coming...
Matthew 28:20b "...and surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age."
Yes - a very familiar passage - but often with more emphasis on the previous verses. What I love about this is that there are times in my life that I hope to go somewhere to "get away" from God. Maybe it's cause of some sin in my life...or I'm just being lazy in my walk with Christ...or I'm tired of "doing" ministry...or sometimes I do it and maybe not even realize it...or maybe I'm mad at God for something in my life. However - in God's world - that is never the case. He loves me/us so much, that He NEVER leaves us - no matter what. Sure - we really wish He would sometimes...but His love surpasses any human strength and comprehension and pushes through our stubborness...thank you Jesus. So next time I think I can "get away" from God and go somewhere where He isn't (ya right) - I'm reminded that actually, He is already there...waiting on me to get there. Because he knows my every move and every thought - and He won't let me go anywhere without Him!!! I love that. It shows how weak I am. There's nothing within my powers to ever leave Him...no matter how good I think I am at running from Him.
So if you ever come to Semolino's on Thursday from 11Am-1PM...be ready for that awkward moment and just plan on telling me if you are there to see me or not...truth is...you'll still see me, you can't get away! Just kidding! Actually - you can very easily - you could just turn and walk away and in a matter of seconds, you are out of my reach. SOOOO thankful this is not the story of God in my life. I can't get away. He won't let me...and He won't let you either. So why don't we just choose to be honest with Him no matter the problem cause that's what he is already there for...waiting for us...
Blessings to you all - I love this faith community!
-Pastor Micah
Proverbs 16:3
February 3, 2011, 12:45 pm
"HOME AWAY FROM HOME"
January 4, 2011, 10:04 am
"HOME AWAY FROM HOME"
I put off writing my first blog for the new CrossPoint website in hopes that I could be back home - writing from my office desk or from the comfort of my home - in my ordinary, routine, day to day life. But as it often goes - my plan is not the same as God's as I often get in a hurry and think that I know what's best. Obviously not...you'd think I'd learn by now!
My family and I have spent the last week in Wichita at our "Home Away From Home." My wife gave birth to our 2nd child, Coulter Matthew, on Sunday, December 26, 2010 - at 10:24PM in Hays. Hours later I found myself at the NICU in Wichita with my father. My wife and daughter staying back in Hays with the in-laws until Noél could be released that Tuesday to be here with me and Coulter. Trying to find out what was wrong with my newborn son...numerous consultations...tons of questions...few answers...no sleep and lots of prayers. A huge thank you to my incredible dad for being there with me to support and help - love you dad. I'll spare all the details (if you'd like to know more check out my facebook status' at http://www.facebook.com/micahls for a pretty good idea.) but long story short, we are currently in a family care unit and anticipating our release after a long 9 days...which we thought was today. Again...my plan. But I'm still hopeful!
Back "home" - I have a pretty good set and organized schedule for my home and for my ministry at the CrossPoint Hays Campus. I have the tendency to be very task oriented and often seem very in "control" of my life and days. As you can tell - I often find myself in the same scenario learning about God's great love for me in that He knows what's best for me and my family. Being away from home this last week has been tough. Out of the norm. Akward sleeping arrangements with nurses coming in at all hours. Hospital food. No desk. No going to the gym to work out. A 3 1/2 year old bound to hospital walls and asked to be quiet and no yelling or running. No fresh air..you get the point, I could go on and on. To go along with all of this - obviously my normal routine has been demolished! But I'm ok...seriously...I'm ok - I've had to do some deep breathing but really...I'm ok. :)
Here's the deal. I read this - and I want to share with you:
The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous. Proverbs 3:33
Wow. Ok - let me explain. Over the course of this last week, my family has been incredibly BLESSED in so many ways! Let me give you a short list: financial gifts, gift cards to eat, free food, home made bread, many many visits from friends (who have travelled many miles to Wichita even more than once) and family and faith community, parents helping out, free coffee (always down with that), literally hundreds of emails, texts, facebook messages, and phone calls - even from people we barely know, invitations to stay in numerous homes...on and on. Ok - don't get me wrong, I'm very blessed in my life back home in Hays - but this last week has set a new level. Simply said - through all of this...God has been teaching me that my "home" is not dependent upon WHAT my circumstance may be, or what my environment (of temporary office) looks like, or my location, or any of the like - but it all depends upon WHO makes up my home. And WHO is the head of the home - my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. As well as an incredible wife and mother, a beautiful daughter, and now a son. God has blessed my family in so many ways by who He has surrounded us with as well. Yes, even the nurses at 3AM in the morning!
In closing...here's my challenge to us all. When we think of our homes - are we thinking more of WHATmakes our home - or WHO makes our home? I don't know about you, but after this week, I am going to view my "home" a little different that I ever have before - in a much better way of course.
I don't really know if this is a blog...I'm new to all of this. My hope for this and as well as for any ministry that I do - is that my life can be used to help others and help someone maybe go through a similar trial that I've been through. Thanks to many of you for your support and prayers this last week...it has been incredible! Until next time...remember WHO makes up your home!
-Pastor Micah
Proverbs 16:3