seen, heard, conceived

This is the thirteenth of 21 posts serving as a devotional and prayer guide building up to the launch of creativecommunity.tv on Saturday November 6th.

I remember the first time that I heard of twitter. It sounded like the stupidest idea that I had ever heard of. Facebook; that seemed like a complete waste of time. Youtube; who would want to watch silly home videos that weren’t narrated by Bob Saget?

These mediums today are as much or more valid as your television and radio. Millions of people subscribe to these media outlets and spend hours every week updating their status and following other people.

And who knows what’s next? How long ago did you buy your cell phone? If you bought it more than six months ago it’s probably already outdated and will soon become a “dinosaur”. That new television that you’re still making payments on, is it internet ready, 3D capable, and weigh less than one of the Olsen twins. (That’s two Full House references on the same day!) If not. it’s already old technology.

How about the church? How often do we look at our systems, ways we communicate, and mediums that we use to deliver our message and ask if they are still effective. The lazy answer is to say, “We have the Holy Spirit, we don’t need that stuff.” Yet you have a new laptop, latest cell phone, and are saving for your next GPS... sounds hypocritical.

1 Corinthians 2:9 says that, “No eye has seen, no ear had heard, and no mind has conceived what God has in store...” God and the people of God don’t have to be a decade behind culture, instead we should set the pace. Pray specifically today asking Him how you can creatively proclaim the goodness of God.

Read Isaiah 9:2-7

devoted to something significant

This is the twelfth of 21 posts serving as a devotional and prayer guide building up to the launch of creativecommunity.tv on Saturday November 6th.

We all want our lives to matter, and we want to live lives of significance. The best way to achieve this is to devote yourself to something significant.

It’s surprising to find out how many people devote their lives to trivial things. There are stores that sell stuff animals and also offer expensive clothes, shoes, jewelry, cell phones, and sports equipment, for the stuff animal! It’s possible to spend hundreds of dollars on one stuff animal and a few outfits and accessories.

Ever see an old, rusted out, and barely running car with a a $2000 stereo system and $3000 rims and tires? How about third graders who already own ipads, iphones, and have LED televisions in their rooms?

We may not go to those extremes, but we have a bigger problem: we devote ourselves to insignificant causes. We’re busy arguing scripture, debating the book of Revelations, and dissecting the great commandment to notice that we’re becoming insignificant to those in need.

The church in Acts 2 was a significant church made up of significant people. In verse 42 we’re told that, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

God’s will is that you too would live a life of significance. Significance is achieved when we devote ourselves to His word and take time to fellowship and break bread with others.

Read Acts 2: 42-47

walking in the dark

This is the eleventh of 21 posts serving as a devotional and prayer guide building up to the launch of creativecommunity.tv on Saturday November 6th.

How well do you know your own house? Do you think you could navigate around your living room with the lights off? Maybe you’re like me and you have trouble bumping into things even when the lights are on.

On Hwy 70 west of Kansas City, is an area called the Flint Hills. It’s a rural area that’s very secluded. One evening, I was driving through this area and I seemed to be the only car on the road. I looked out and noticed that there weren’t any billboards, houses, businesses, or road lights. Curious as to what total darkness looked like, I turned off my headlights for a brief moment and drove in complete darkness.

It’s safe to say that you wouldn’t ever offer me car insurance now, but the experience was worth it. It was an incredibly odd feeling to be surrounded in total darkness. I could not see light shining in any direction. Of course, I quickly turned my headlights back on and left them on for the rest of my trip.

Imagine living in complete darkness. That’s the description given to people who don’t have a relationship with Jesus in Isaiah 9:2. But it says that with Jesus, “the people walking in darkness see a great light.”

That’s God’s desire for our lives: That we would declare and demonstrate the message of the cross to people walking in darkness and shine a great light.

Our heart for Westport is not to shine a light of judgement or condemnation but instead shine a great light that brings, “life to those in the land of the shadow of death.”

Read Isaiah 9:2-7

i messed up 613 times today

This is the eleventh of 21 posts serving as a devotional and prayer guide building up to the launch of creativecommunity.tv on Saturday November 6th.

Do you know how many commandments are in the Bible? Most of us would say 10. Did you know that in the first 5 books of the Bible alone there are 613 commandments? There are 365 negative commandments (thou shall not) and 248 positive commandments (thou shall).

We’re told not to eat shellfish, pork, and rabbits, but we’re told in Leviticus 11:22 that it’s ok to eat locust. And the Bible commands you to say grace after the meal and not before. You’re also commanded not to take a pledge in utensils that are used in preparing food.

Obviously many of these commandments were specific to the customs and behaviors of the Israelites and God’s preference for the ladle. When asked in the New Testament which commandments were the most important to follow, Jesus reduced the list by 611. His response in Matthew 22: 37-40 was, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all mind,,, and to love your neighbor as yourself.”

That’s a much more realistic list and it makes me more comfortable to continue praying before my meal. Jesus said that these 2 commandments actually represent the heart of all the other commandments.

So although the list is large, it all points back to a relationship with God and demonstrating His love towards others. The 365 “thou shalt nots” actually point us to His blood (365 blood vessels in the human body) and the 248 “thou shalls” point to His body (248 major organs in the human body). Pray today that you would have a renewed focus on the power of His love, and not the list of ways we fall short of His commandments.

Read Matthew 22: 34-40