Today was my first intentional ROMP.
Reading On My Porch.
So I was going to read from 3-4 and see what happened. Nobody was anywhere, which is weird because there are always people on the streets in my hood. I was on the phone till 3:30 and finally just decided, what the heck, I guess I'll read by myself.
Within 5 minutes I'm sitting on my porch with 5 kids who are reading the word with me. We started with Ephesians 1:1. A book I have been reading on my own. I got through 1/2 a verse, " Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God," and the next 45 minutes we talked about who Paul was, about what it looks like when we meet Jesus and when he changes our identity. What a beautiful time it was. And the kids all walked away asking when we could do it again. They are Hungry and thirsty for the word of God.
Pray for more times like this!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
R.O.M.P. Tuesday
So, the other day, as we were praying for opportunities for the Word of God to go forth, I felt God reminding me of the work he has done as we have made ourselves available by sitting on our porch. He further reminded me of the times we have been able to minister to people as we have just read the bible on our porch.
Today I plan to start to ROMP. Read On My Porch. It's simple, but I believe God is going to use it to take His word out. Pray for successful ROMPing today!
Yes, I know it's foolish and corny. But God even uses the foolish things...
Today I plan to start to ROMP. Read On My Porch. It's simple, but I believe God is going to use it to take His word out. Pray for successful ROMPing today!
Yes, I know it's foolish and corny. But God even uses the foolish things...
Monday, September 3, 2012
Smile and Remember You Are Loved
Yesterday was one of those special days that doesn't necessarily go how you expect it to go. The RESTORE family brought a bunch of kids with us to church today. Well, some of them aren't used to being at church and abiding by the rules (rules don't go over so well for people in our neighborhood. They seem to be in place to be broken.) needless to say I see Nich get up and walk out of church during the second song. I was really into worship and didn't want anything to bother me, so I pretended not to see him. Then I get a nudge in the side.
My wonderful wife was sitting next to me, and she knew exactly what was going on. She nudged me to get my attention and then says "Dave, they are having problems with our kids in children ministry. Go and see if you can help." I might have let out a moan under my breath, just saying. And yes, my heart was not in the right spot! But I came to church for me!!! I came to worship and hear Gods word! Oops!!! Another fatal mistake, but we all make it at times, right? - The truth is, that is about the farthest from Gods heart... We gather together as the body of Christ so that he can be glorified through worship, the word, and our love for one another. I'm still learning the love part. And I have a long way to go. But even Paul in the new testament struggled with the Flesh, so I'm not alone.
This all happens in a moment. And in that same moment I find myself repenting for my selfish heart and remembering why God has brought me there. Before church I found Jacob Leonard and told him how great his blog post was on hipocracy, but had I even remembered it?? During preservice prayer I prayed that we would be free to hear the spirit and obey his direction of he wanted something different this morning. But did I really believe it?
Actions speak louder then words. I tell people that every day, and here I am. Dang! We really are a messed up people with messed up hearts.
Ok, so that is just the start of this story. I leave and go back to children's ministry where Nich is talking to one of our Kids. The kid is Crying and yelling and super angry. I just listened as Nich is talking to this kid and being so gentle with him. I think that really in my heart I just wanted to grab the kid and go back to the sanctuary so I could worship, so I jump in. I'm pretty sure I was thinking I could change his attitude and waltz back into the sanctuary a hero. ARGH, My heart is so ugly at times! My coaxing didn't work, it just worked up the kid even more.
In that moment I heard God speak. He said "Pray." I, like so many of us at so many times, knew that is was just that easy, but why is it so hard? So, mid sentence, I stop talking and start praying. I told the kid that I was just going to pray because I believed in a God who could change hearts. Nich started talking to him and I saw his heart soften, then I started talking to him and I look up and see Nich Praying. It was a beautiful testimony of prayer to see the kids heart changing before our eyes. God was answering our prayers.
We talked about the word of God, The Cross, Worship, Repentance, the body of Christ… We talked about Ephesians 1:4-5 (which I had on a card in my pocket), about Adoption as sons and how God chose us. We dialoged with the kid for a while, and he was engaged in what we were saying, asking questions, telling us things he didn't understand and asking about them…. It was sweet. Before I knew it we were back in the sanctuary and the sermon was ending. We tried to get seats, but couldn't. So we walked down front to the only space we could find, right down near the speakers on the main floor.
As we are standing there we watched dozens of people come up and get on their knees at the carpets, then they would get up and take communion. The kid looks at me and asks what they are doing.
I realized in that moment what God was doing. He had orchestrated all of this just for this one Kid, one whom he loved and wanted to save. (He was also doing a crazy work on my heart, and on Nich's heart too.)
God had perfectly ordained our previous conversation. I reminded the kid of all we talked about. We talked about the cross, being a part of the family of God, repentance and God choosing us and stirring our hearts for His. He said he wanted communion. I shared the meaning again and then told him after worship he could have all the juice and crackers he wanted if that was all he wanted. He said, No, I want to take communion for real.
We got on our knees, we prayed for a while. He repented, we worshiped, I cried. We went and took communion together. It was beautiful to see God stirring in his heart. It was amazing to see salvation take place.
It was one of those moments we have to "Smile and Remember You Are Loved". God has a purpose that is much greater then we could ever imagine. He wants to use each of us. And he orchestrates things together beyond our human comprehension. Surrender and allow the Spirit of God to move.
My wonderful wife was sitting next to me, and she knew exactly what was going on. She nudged me to get my attention and then says "Dave, they are having problems with our kids in children ministry. Go and see if you can help." I might have let out a moan under my breath, just saying. And yes, my heart was not in the right spot! But I came to church for me!!! I came to worship and hear Gods word! Oops!!! Another fatal mistake, but we all make it at times, right? - The truth is, that is about the farthest from Gods heart... We gather together as the body of Christ so that he can be glorified through worship, the word, and our love for one another. I'm still learning the love part. And I have a long way to go. But even Paul in the new testament struggled with the Flesh, so I'm not alone.
This all happens in a moment. And in that same moment I find myself repenting for my selfish heart and remembering why God has brought me there. Before church I found Jacob Leonard and told him how great his blog post was on hipocracy, but had I even remembered it?? During preservice prayer I prayed that we would be free to hear the spirit and obey his direction of he wanted something different this morning. But did I really believe it?
Actions speak louder then words. I tell people that every day, and here I am. Dang! We really are a messed up people with messed up hearts.
Ok, so that is just the start of this story. I leave and go back to children's ministry where Nich is talking to one of our Kids. The kid is Crying and yelling and super angry. I just listened as Nich is talking to this kid and being so gentle with him. I think that really in my heart I just wanted to grab the kid and go back to the sanctuary so I could worship, so I jump in. I'm pretty sure I was thinking I could change his attitude and waltz back into the sanctuary a hero. ARGH, My heart is so ugly at times! My coaxing didn't work, it just worked up the kid even more.
In that moment I heard God speak. He said "Pray." I, like so many of us at so many times, knew that is was just that easy, but why is it so hard? So, mid sentence, I stop talking and start praying. I told the kid that I was just going to pray because I believed in a God who could change hearts. Nich started talking to him and I saw his heart soften, then I started talking to him and I look up and see Nich Praying. It was a beautiful testimony of prayer to see the kids heart changing before our eyes. God was answering our prayers.
We talked about the word of God, The Cross, Worship, Repentance, the body of Christ… We talked about Ephesians 1:4-5 (which I had on a card in my pocket), about Adoption as sons and how God chose us. We dialoged with the kid for a while, and he was engaged in what we were saying, asking questions, telling us things he didn't understand and asking about them…. It was sweet. Before I knew it we were back in the sanctuary and the sermon was ending. We tried to get seats, but couldn't. So we walked down front to the only space we could find, right down near the speakers on the main floor.
As we are standing there we watched dozens of people come up and get on their knees at the carpets, then they would get up and take communion. The kid looks at me and asks what they are doing.
I realized in that moment what God was doing. He had orchestrated all of this just for this one Kid, one whom he loved and wanted to save. (He was also doing a crazy work on my heart, and on Nich's heart too.)
God had perfectly ordained our previous conversation. I reminded the kid of all we talked about. We talked about the cross, being a part of the family of God, repentance and God choosing us and stirring our hearts for His. He said he wanted communion. I shared the meaning again and then told him after worship he could have all the juice and crackers he wanted if that was all he wanted. He said, No, I want to take communion for real.
We got on our knees, we prayed for a while. He repented, we worshiped, I cried. We went and took communion together. It was beautiful to see God stirring in his heart. It was amazing to see salvation take place.
It was one of those moments we have to "Smile and Remember You Are Loved". God has a purpose that is much greater then we could ever imagine. He wants to use each of us. And he orchestrates things together beyond our human comprehension. Surrender and allow the Spirit of God to move.
Friday, June 29, 2012
An excerpt from my journal today...
Ok so today was another awesome day. And it would be selfish for me not to share the praise reports of what God did. These are only the highlights, I am leaving out the majority of the awe inspiring details, seriously!
First, we had a really sweet time in prayer this morning.
Then we had a great "Fun Day" at the community center. Amazing time with the kids.
Then we went to a ports Game as a family and with our Restore family and all this happens:
* Elijah wins the iPad at the game,
* BBC news station interviews both our community Center director and myself(now they might be interested in a tour of our neighborhood),
* we get connected with an organization that raises funds for urban ministries and also runs baseball camps for urban youth(they want to get all our kids to their 4th o July camp and game at the ports all for free),
* then I get connected to a guy who is the new resident overseer that oversees half the local college campus and he is looking for organizations he can partner with to get UOP students involved in social work organizations off campus he heard our interview and is super interested in working with us (Restore community Center!, Cable car???),
* then the MC for the ports named Rod hears Elijah's story... that he was saving for an iPad but now that he won one he wants to use that money to buy an xBox connects and donate it to the Restore Stockton Community Center. Well, Rod is super connected to the local radio and news stations and he was really excited about our vision and wants to help Restore Stockton get connected.
* Did I mention what a proud father I am!!! WOW!
All this to say, today was another regular day in our lives. A day where the Lord answers our prayers before our eyes. A day of many blessings. A day filled with things that cause us to worship God. A day of learning to follow His lead and surrender to his plans. There was much more to this day. There were radical relationships and conversations that permeate our lives... prayer is constant... the spiritual battle and the real struggle to just continue on in faith burdens us. But somehow, by Gods grace, we have made it another day in Stockton.
This Is Stockton! TIS
This is Restore Stockton!
Praise God.
First, we had a really sweet time in prayer this morning.
Then we had a great "Fun Day" at the community center. Amazing time with the kids.
Then we went to a ports Game as a family and with our Restore family and all this happens:
* Elijah wins the iPad at the game,
* BBC news station interviews both our community Center director and myself(now they might be interested in a tour of our neighborhood),
* we get connected with an organization that raises funds for urban ministries and also runs baseball camps for urban youth(they want to get all our kids to their 4th o July camp and game at the ports all for free),
* then I get connected to a guy who is the new resident overseer that oversees half the local college campus and he is looking for organizations he can partner with to get UOP students involved in social work organizations off campus he heard our interview and is super interested in working with us (Restore community Center!, Cable car???),
* then the MC for the ports named Rod hears Elijah's story... that he was saving for an iPad but now that he won one he wants to use that money to buy an xBox connects and donate it to the Restore Stockton Community Center. Well, Rod is super connected to the local radio and news stations and he was really excited about our vision and wants to help Restore Stockton get connected.
* Did I mention what a proud father I am!!! WOW!
All this to say, today was another regular day in our lives. A day where the Lord answers our prayers before our eyes. A day of many blessings. A day filled with things that cause us to worship God. A day of learning to follow His lead and surrender to his plans. There was much more to this day. There were radical relationships and conversations that permeate our lives... prayer is constant... the spiritual battle and the real struggle to just continue on in faith burdens us. But somehow, by Gods grace, we have made it another day in Stockton.
This Is Stockton! TIS
This is Restore Stockton!
Praise God.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
