Colorado Wildlife - Up Close!!

After the Truth Project, we went to Woodland Park to pick up the kids. This is just a sample of what our Pastor (Brian Troxell) gets to see quite often - in his front yard.




Be Disciples.

The Truth Project

Wow!

Tonya and I attended The Truth Project at the Focus on the Family campus this weekend. All I have to say is - Wow. God has totally given Dr. Del Tackett a vision and is now allowing it to reach our churches and communities. This was the 16th conference and approx. 65,000 people are now involved in The Truth Project in small groups.

Find a computer with an internet connection and go to http://www.thetruthproject.org/ and view as much as you can.

Please pray for Tonya and I as we have been called upon to lead a small group starting in September. Please pray for those who will be attending - we don't even know who yet, but that is why the 2 month preparation gap - to pray for whoever God may call upon to attend. This will be a 13 week small group session.

Tonya, Robin and Pastor Miles Trumble

Dr. Del Tackett with Tonya (formerly Tackett) and me

These conferences are scheduled all across the country, so please attend one in your area.

Be Disciples.

Update to injury

Good news! The orthopedic surgeon said that my quad suffered a partial tear - which means NO SURGERY! He also said that it will take 6 weeks to 3 months for a full recovery. Thank you for all of your prayers!

During my "down time", I have been doing alot of reading. During our VBS in Woodland Park this past week, I started a section called Merciful Sovereignty in the book "Breaking the Bondage of Legalism" - it began with a question - "What areas is the Lord putting His finger on in your life? Usually it is areas of control. God is the Sovereign Lord and He resists all of our efforts to usurp that control from Him." The next paragraph covered areas that we may not be "giving up". Things like power struggles at home, church or work, becoming territorial in a ministry, thinking I am always right, power struggle with God, or is God exposing a critical, judgemental spirit? Am I resisting His grace? Too proud of ministry successes? Convinced that God needs my service for His kingdom?

Wow already. Here's the next line...

"If any of these things are true of your life, don't be surprised if God slips a rope around your leg and hobbles you."

Listen, I didn't trip, didn't fall in a hole, didn't run into anybody, didn't even make it to first base...I am telling you, that was my answer to prayer - God slipped a rope and hobbled me. I am thankful and praising God even though I don't have all of the details. I desire to live in the realm of the impossible where I have to put total trust in Him - for God to be able to do the impossible, we can't have any control, none at all. If we have any "just-in-case's" left over, He still cannot work.

Be Disciples.

Answered prayer??

Question: Do I take the job in Woodland Park starting Monday?


Answer :
Last night, Thursday 6/14, I was playing softball for our church league (Woodland Park Nazarene Church) and got injured. I hit a nice shot into center field and ran like crazy to first base, but didn't make it. I felt a pop and experienced the "roll-up blind" effect to my right quadriceps muscle. I fell instantly and had to be helped off the field. This was approx. 9:30pm. I did not leave the hospital until 3am. The result is still not clear - the assessment from the ER was a torn quad. I have an appointment with a orthopedic surgeon next Thursday which will reveal the extent of the damage.

Answer to prayer? Yep. I believe it with all my heart. I began to doubt God on whether or not I should've quit my last job - He confirmed that it was OK last night.

I took this past week to go deeper in my relationship with Jesus, but I was struggling trying to adapt to the quietness...my desire was there, but I felt I was getting nowhere. A great brother in the Lord prayed with me before I was taken to the hospital - he said "I believe that God is trying to tell you, Be still and know that I AM GOD." I broke down and cried. Whatever it takes Lord! I am willing to follow You! If I am incapable of finding quiet time, please get me to that place and draw me right up next to You!

I don't take this as a physical injury, it was my Spiritual Assurance of God's presence with me. I give Him all my praise for my pain & for showing Himself to me. My stength is insufficient in all areas of my life without You Lord! Help me to shed my pride and lean on You as my Father.

Be Disciples.

Consider this...

As followers of Christ, our hearts are compassionate for the lost. So, how do we put our compassion into action?

First, we need to understand the word compassion: sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.

Next, let's understand the word sin: a willful transgression of a known law of God, a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God, separation from God (distress).

And now the word distress: a state of danger or desperate need.

OK. So if sin (distress) represents a need and compassion represents knowledge of the need and desire to fulfill the need, what is next? How does one cross the bridge (death to life)?

KINDNESS

Kindness. I will say it again. Kindness. How does my kindness, my being nice - alleviate distress and cause someone with a need to pass from death to life? Could Something so SIMPLE do something so SUPERNATURAL? You bet!

Romans 2:1-4

1) Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2) And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.
3) But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same {yourself,} that you will escape the judgment of God?
4) Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Whoa - wait a minute.

Kindness leads to repentance???

God's Word is God's Word.

Let's look at Ephesians 5:8&9
8) for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light
9) (for the fruit of the Light {consists} in all goodness (kindness) and righteousness and truth).

The fruits of following Christ: Kindness, Righteousness and Truth, are the Essence of God.

Whoa again!

What is one attribute of God? Kindness/Goodness.

What is one fruit of the Spirit? Kindness.

The Essence of God - the individual, real, or ultimate nature of our God. It is the basis, the foundation, the beginning and eternal flow of who God is!!

So, if we are True Representatives of Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit is within us, and we no longer live, but Christ lives in us - His Kindness, His Fruit, His Attributes and His Essence - these will flow through us like Living Water - This Kindness will cause those who don't know Him, to EXPERIENCE Christ. It is not our words that will linger or impress or cause one to repent! But if the lost EXPERIENCE God through Kindness, God can draw them and cause them to sense their need for Him and will place in them a desire and can bring them to REPENTANCE.

Our words will be forgotten.

The Experience - they will never forget.

Be Disciples.

Be Disciples.