Well, in principle anyways.
Spider-man has definitely impacted my life, even helping shape it at a younger age. Not only him but other childhood heroes I had, such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Tai Kamiya from Digimon. Before you laugh (which honestly, is OK if you do!), let me explain what I mean.
God speaks to people indifferent ways. When someone asks me how to better listen for his voice, I first try to destroy the concept many people have that His voice is either heard audibly or in your head. He also speaks in dreams, pictures, creation, knowledge, and an endless list of other things. It's important to recognize How God speaks to you as an individual, the love language in which God specifically uses with you in mind.
He even uses the secular to speak. Jesus often did that with His parables, which I find fascinating. My good friend Chris had an experience with the Lord as DMX was crying out to God on one of his albums while Chris was high. The fear of God came over Him and he'll never forget that. DMX, of all people!
For me, one of the more dramatic worldview changes came when Spider-man came out. I was 15 years old and my Grandpa took me to see it the first time. I remembered the impact that it had on me in regards to responsibility. Forever engraved in me was Peter Parker walking away from Mary Jane at the end because He chose his destiny instead. That lesson that God used set me up to be responsible, and that year I started my own D.J. business and also ran with Firestorm, an evangelism ministry that I pioneered.
Even more dramatically was Spider-man 2 that came out the summer before my senior year. The whole movie was the struggle over whether or not he would choose Mary Jane over his calling. He knew that both could not co-exist, and he experienced the pain, love, and sacrifice that comes along with being who you are meant to be. It sobered me unlike anything I had experienced up to that point because God spoke very clearly to me through it. I made up my mind -- I wouldn't choose anything over my calling.
That was challenged to the point of agony several times from that point all the way until now, and will continue. I didn't know that I would almost choose a job over ministry schooling. I didn't know that I would meet an amazing girl that wouldn't be God's plan. I didn't know that time and time again, I would be confronted with the deep personal agony of wanting something so badly but not being able to have it if I wanted my destiny. Had I not had what God taught me in 2002 and 2004, I would not be here at Victory as a pastor, because each of those deep battles birthed the path that led me to this point.
I could have been married, but not at VCC.
I could have been successful at Starbucks, but not at VCC.
Last year a battle emerged that challenged my calling...
And even a new battle now that has caused me to think about all of this again.
And wow...all of those battles went down to the wire. The closest thing I can describe it as would be 2 basketball games in a row, games 6 and 7, facing elimination each time, shooting the ball from half-court at the buzzer to tie the game and go to overtime. I sunk the desperation shot each time and won in overtime -- but only because God gave me some crazy dose of grace at the last second.And the thing is, that was just in the first round. So-to-speak, I'm young and still have 2 rounds to go until I reach the Finals.
I wish I could tell you that you wont go through deep personal battles like this, but you will. They will never end. At different periods of your life you will have the option to choose something (even a GOOD thing) over God's plan. You have to remember your calling and cry out to God, because even then there is no promise that you will make the right choice. Pray scary prayers, because apart from His help, you will be so emotionally clouded that you wont make the right choice if you don't seek counsel from both God and wise men and women. Even after that, making the right decision will require all of your effort and all of His grace.
I am encouraged by the way Spider-man 2 ends. Peter makes the choice of his call over Mary Jane, and he still gets her at the end of the movie. Wow! As a result of my obedience God will eventually give me what I most desire (if I still have that desire once He is through), but He will likely make sure I'm good and dead before He does. Only then can I live with that blessing.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Fixed or New?
I’ve been returning to a well lately that I come to every so often for refreshment. Like Bill Johnson says, highlight the areas in your Bible where you return to time and time again for water. For me, I’m always refreshed by meditating on the truth that we are not fixed people, but new people. As I like to say, God’s not a mechanic, He’s a Creator. Jim White talked about it a little tonight, and boy was it good!
Jesus didn’t come to fix me, He came to make me new. I run into problems when I try to fix my old man which is meant to die.
Are we treating people like they are new, with no past and only a bright future? Or are we treating people like they are fixed, with the potential that they will break again?
The old man is fueled by the expectations of others. We keep it alive and instead of killing it so it doesn’t smell bad anymore, we try and make it beautiful. Spray extra cologne to help over the stench, when in reality the beauty we bestow upon it will eventually leave but the stench will remain long after it is gone.
One of the main areas I’ve been feeling strongly about this is in the area of purity. I’ve heard some people say that because they have not had sex before they are married, they feel like they deserve someone who also remained a virgin until marriage and thus, will not entertain being with people who’ve lost their virginity. I don’t share that opinion. Wow, I could miss an amazing woman if I think that way! Besides that, there isn’t such thing as a virgin apart from the new man. My Bible says that if any man looks at a woman (or vice versa) with lust, he’s already had sex. We are actually body, soul, and spirit and if one part sins, it infects every other part. The sin that condemns because you lusted is equal in damnable power as committing fornication.
So the truth is there are no true virgins in the old man, but there is with the new!
If you are redeemed, washed in the blood, saved from your sins, born again (I feel a preach coming on lol) then God has restored you and there is no past! In other words, you are a virgin not because in your past life you had sex, but in this present life of being redeemed God has restored your virginity in every way.
This is not to undervalue those who have not had physical sex. It’s absolutely amazing to meet someone who gets married that has kept themselves pure in that way. Thus far I’m one of those virgins in that definition and will be that on my wedding day as well. However, I could care less if my future wife has slept with guys before – she’s been restored. Even if she stumbled after she became a Christian. God restores even after salvation! She is a virgin, through and through! Let her walk down that aisle with the whitest of dresses, because that virgin is getting married! It’s like turning back the clock without traveling in time, the mystery of restoration!
In reality, this is what Jesus has done for us. He took the adulterous bride that we were and restored us. He treats us without memory of our former adulteries, even though we cheated on Him. So let’s treat people like they are brand new – because really, they are!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Tradition
Merry Christmas everyone!
NOW it really feels like Christmas. I had a really hard time this season feeling that it was actually the time of year, but today was certainly a great day!
Traditions can be pretty great. True, tradition tends to many times become sacred cows in our lives that limit us rather than uplift us, but when they are kept in a way that doesn't keep one in bondage but rather creates memories and deepens our recollection of what really matters, they are quite useful.
My family would have no traditions if it was not for Christmas. I really enjoy them, and I thought I'd share a few with you today! Leave me a Christmas tradition of yours on my facebook as I'd love to hear yours.
So here are a few:
*Christmas Eve is always spent with my mom's side of the family, even before my dad passed. Up untuil this year it was always at Grandpa and Grandma's, but this year we moved to a bigger house because there are too many great grandkids that have tipped the scale!
*Christmas Presents. Around my family, getting a gift for eachother is more important than getting a gift for eachother on our birthdays! Christmas actually supercedes birthdays! lol. I get at least one gift for each of my family members and everyone else does the same. Not just cheap gifts -- we really bring out the big bucks. Could be why we rarely get eachother anything for birthdays. lol.
*Christmas Breakfast. My dad used to make this massive buffet of ham, eggs, hasbrowns, toast, bacon, and more. We've done this as long as I can remember. Now my brother Justin cooks it, and Tyler and I assist. Great and yummy tradition!
*Christmas Cookie Buildup. Mom cooks all kinds of cookies (that we are not allowed to have before Christmas...but I sneak them anyways) and unleashes them for feasting on Christmas day.
*Do NOTHING! On Christmas Day we dont go anywhere. Every other holiday we keep that option open, but Christmas Day is reserved for just our family. This is priceless to me!
*Grandpa and Grandma. They come over and see what we got for Christmas, and Grandpa plays with something that we bought. Today he tried to put together Tyler's puzzle that has 300,000 possible ways to put together wrong. He didnt get very far, lol.
So in times like these I wonder how many of these traditions I will keep when I have a family of my own, and also how many we will make. None of these are sacred cows to me, but they are special at this point in my life. I'm looking forward to when I have a family of my own and we can have special Christmas' together!
It's been a wonderful Christmas and I hope yours was too. May you have wonderful memories with your family -- they are precious gifts from God!
...And to all a goodnight!
Love,
Chris
NOW it really feels like Christmas. I had a really hard time this season feeling that it was actually the time of year, but today was certainly a great day!
Traditions can be pretty great. True, tradition tends to many times become sacred cows in our lives that limit us rather than uplift us, but when they are kept in a way that doesn't keep one in bondage but rather creates memories and deepens our recollection of what really matters, they are quite useful.
My family would have no traditions if it was not for Christmas. I really enjoy them, and I thought I'd share a few with you today! Leave me a Christmas tradition of yours on my facebook as I'd love to hear yours.
So here are a few:
*Christmas Eve is always spent with my mom's side of the family, even before my dad passed. Up untuil this year it was always at Grandpa and Grandma's, but this year we moved to a bigger house because there are too many great grandkids that have tipped the scale!
*Christmas Presents. Around my family, getting a gift for eachother is more important than getting a gift for eachother on our birthdays! Christmas actually supercedes birthdays! lol. I get at least one gift for each of my family members and everyone else does the same. Not just cheap gifts -- we really bring out the big bucks. Could be why we rarely get eachother anything for birthdays. lol.
*Christmas Breakfast. My dad used to make this massive buffet of ham, eggs, hasbrowns, toast, bacon, and more. We've done this as long as I can remember. Now my brother Justin cooks it, and Tyler and I assist. Great and yummy tradition!
*Christmas Cookie Buildup. Mom cooks all kinds of cookies (that we are not allowed to have before Christmas...but I sneak them anyways) and unleashes them for feasting on Christmas day.
*Do NOTHING! On Christmas Day we dont go anywhere. Every other holiday we keep that option open, but Christmas Day is reserved for just our family. This is priceless to me!
*Grandpa and Grandma. They come over and see what we got for Christmas, and Grandpa plays with something that we bought. Today he tried to put together Tyler's puzzle that has 300,000 possible ways to put together wrong. He didnt get very far, lol.
So in times like these I wonder how many of these traditions I will keep when I have a family of my own, and also how many we will make. None of these are sacred cows to me, but they are special at this point in my life. I'm looking forward to when I have a family of my own and we can have special Christmas' together!
It's been a wonderful Christmas and I hope yours was too. May you have wonderful memories with your family -- they are precious gifts from God!
...And to all a goodnight!
Love,
Chris
Sunday, November 29, 2009
IHOP Adventure: Parts 3 & 4
Sometimes if you have trouble remembering the great things that have happened to you, the best thing to do is evaluate the change in your life and work backwards. I can tell you that something shifted in my life in a powerful way. I've been greatly impacted by their lifestyle of prayer and fasting, their unrelenting drive to contend for the Kingdom to invade, their passionate "lover and a fighter" bride and forerunner relationship to God, their depth upon depth of prophetic ministry both in music and in preaching. Some might ask why God chose to move at IHOP...I would ask why wouldn't He? They have prayed 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year for 10 years straight, and a move of God broke out. They eat, sleep, and breath prayer in cries for the last great global revival that will usher in the second coming of Christ. Of course, they haven't seen all that they have prayed for in the beginning stages of this awakening, but certainly this could be the beginning.
I went to the prayer room and was simply blown away. There were rooms for deliverance, prophetic, healing, Israel, travail, and more. Someone or band continuously playing live music, declaring the Word of God and interceding through instruments and singing. I have no doubt that from that room major disasters have been cancelled, 5-fold ministers have been called, lives have been saved, nations have been re-directed. How do I know this? John Wesley once said "God does nothing apart from the prayers of His people." God has chosen for us to partner with Him, and contending in prayer releases the finished work that He so desires to release. He just simply won't do it without us releasing His power through prayer. This is so much deeper than I can elaborate right now, so I apoloize for stopping here -- but I won't leave you hanging. Read Dutch Sheet's "Intercessory Prayer" and you'll never look at intercession the same again.
I left IHOP with two major takeaways, everything that I just said as one of them. I am not suddenly an IHOP maniac that is going to say they are the only ones who have it going on and I want to get out there. There are so many great movements across this country, such as what is going on at Bethel in Redding and the RAMP in Hamilton -- and of course, my church Victory Christian Center! My heart burns for this region, for VCC. There have been words spoken over this church of a great move of God coming to us. I just have finally gained the revelation via my trip to IHOP that God's promises are unlocked by intercessory prayer. Sounds silly that I didn't realize this before, but prayer is everything.
I'm becoming more and more consumed with the passion to pray and fast, to contend for the awakening to come in this region, for revival to break out at Victory that will completely be authenticated by the precious presence of the Holy Spirit showing up in full demonstration of Salvation -- deliverance, healing, and redemption.
So there you have just some of what God did. I know I didn't go into details of actual events, such as Misty Edwards in the prayer room singing about the redemption of a harlot. If you want to know more, just ask! Thank you for praying for me while I was there -- it was a trip I'll never forget!
With admiration,
Chris
I went to the prayer room and was simply blown away. There were rooms for deliverance, prophetic, healing, Israel, travail, and more. Someone or band continuously playing live music, declaring the Word of God and interceding through instruments and singing. I have no doubt that from that room major disasters have been cancelled, 5-fold ministers have been called, lives have been saved, nations have been re-directed. How do I know this? John Wesley once said "God does nothing apart from the prayers of His people." God has chosen for us to partner with Him, and contending in prayer releases the finished work that He so desires to release. He just simply won't do it without us releasing His power through prayer. This is so much deeper than I can elaborate right now, so I apoloize for stopping here -- but I won't leave you hanging. Read Dutch Sheet's "Intercessory Prayer" and you'll never look at intercession the same again.
I left IHOP with two major takeaways, everything that I just said as one of them. I am not suddenly an IHOP maniac that is going to say they are the only ones who have it going on and I want to get out there. There are so many great movements across this country, such as what is going on at Bethel in Redding and the RAMP in Hamilton -- and of course, my church Victory Christian Center! My heart burns for this region, for VCC. There have been words spoken over this church of a great move of God coming to us. I just have finally gained the revelation via my trip to IHOP that God's promises are unlocked by intercessory prayer. Sounds silly that I didn't realize this before, but prayer is everything.
I'm becoming more and more consumed with the passion to pray and fast, to contend for the awakening to come in this region, for revival to break out at Victory that will completely be authenticated by the precious presence of the Holy Spirit showing up in full demonstration of Salvation -- deliverance, healing, and redemption.
So there you have just some of what God did. I know I didn't go into details of actual events, such as Misty Edwards in the prayer room singing about the redemption of a harlot. If you want to know more, just ask! Thank you for praying for me while I was there -- it was a trip I'll never forget!
With admiration,
Chris
Saturday, November 28, 2009
IHOP Adventure: Part 2/4
Hey everyone!
So three guys jump in a car on Thanksgiving weekend, drive over 800 miles for an encounter with God that would change our lives. Sounds crazy, and I'm glad that I live in this world of crazy -- because this trip has been amazing.
Last night we went to the Awakening service, and right away God connected me with a friend from Victory! She came to our church years ago and left and came to IHOP. It was really good seeing her again and hopefully we will all connect later on tonight.
Julie Meyer led worship for the first half and it was incredible. These IHOP artists have an amazing ability to weave together multiple songs and use them to lead us into God's presence. They have more excellence, creativity, and depth in their music department than any ministry I've seen or learned about.
We got to witness Mike Bickle, Lou Engle, and others officially recognize Wes and Allen as the leaders of this Awakening. It was a beautiful thing to see fathers release sons to run with something that could forever change the course of the IHOP community and even the world. Mike has not spoken a single word in the webstreams that I've seen, and to see Mike so proud of them made my heart glad. Something else that was remarkable was this: Allen is the president of IHOP U, and Wes is on staff under him. Allen recognized that God's hand is on Wes to lead the Awakening, and submitted himself to his leadership in regards to it. I thought that was a beautiful display of how the body of Christ can work -- choosing to submit to those who God's hand is upon for a specific task, even if they are under your leadership. Wow.
There is no superstar mentality here. Everyone contributes, from the worship leading to the ministry. There hasn't even been preaching -- just the leadership recognizing what God wants to do and run with it.
A highlight of the night is when Julie Meyer prophesied over Wes...she began to sing over him something that God sang over Him in a dream, and oh my...it was overwhelming!
Something shifted in me at a certain portion of the night that I know that I'm set free from. I wont share it yet, for now it is "secret history" as Bill Johnson would call it. All I know is that I got the main drive of what I came for last night, and I'm THRILLED!
btw, Misty Edwards led worship for the second half. Amazing. She is definitely my favorite worship leader ever.
Today we are going to the IHOP prayer room and then to one last service before we begin the long journey home. Please pray for me -- I'm excited at what God is doing in me!
With admiration,
Chris
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
IHOP Adventure, Part 1/4
This weekend I'm going to the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO! I'm leaving Thansgiving night. It will be short, but I know that God wants to do some significant things on the inside of me.
To give you some backround, God has awakened their University, and they have been having nightly meetings where healing, deliverance, souls saved have happened in amazing ways. I've been tuning in via webstream and Holy Spirit has been depositing things in me, so now I'm on my way to receive first hand!
To be honest, I've never done anything like this before -- and by that I mean I've never jumped into a car with little planning and drove across the country seeking an encounter with God. But I know that something significant is going to happen as a result if me going.
So I do have a cast of characters joining me in this adventure! Wayne Anderson is coming with me, and I'm really glad that he is. Wayne is my cousin and in YMC as a first year student, and I greatly admire his gift of faith. This is the man who went to Lakeland a year and a half ago with no money or a place to stay -- just completely on the stirring of the Holy Spirit to go for it. God changed him forever down there and now he is with YMC pursuing his destiny. He told me about the IHOP meetings and we soon realized that we needed to get down there. Wayne had no money -- but stepped out in faith as he so often does by committing to come with me. As a result, someone blessed him yesterday with money to go! One thing I want this weekend is the grace of the 1 Corinthians 12 faith that he operates in to rub off on me!
My brother Justin Loncar is also going. I call him my little big brother because he is younger than I, but certainly physically bigger than me! But more than that, I admire him because he has the kindest heart of anyone I know, constantly thinking of others before himself. He may be younger than I but I learn things from him, just like I'm learning great faith from Wayne -- oh, the beauty of the body of Christ to be able to learn from even those you have been given a measure of authority over!
Please pray for us as we travel. We live at 8:00 PM Thursday and will drive all through the night! I'll update you through blogs. If you'd like to watch the live stream of the services, go to ihop.org/watch. They are 7PM - 1 AM nightly.
I love you and can't wait to share all that God does! Happy Thanksgiving!
To give you some backround, God has awakened their University, and they have been having nightly meetings where healing, deliverance, souls saved have happened in amazing ways. I've been tuning in via webstream and Holy Spirit has been depositing things in me, so now I'm on my way to receive first hand!
To be honest, I've never done anything like this before -- and by that I mean I've never jumped into a car with little planning and drove across the country seeking an encounter with God. But I know that something significant is going to happen as a result if me going.
So I do have a cast of characters joining me in this adventure! Wayne Anderson is coming with me, and I'm really glad that he is. Wayne is my cousin and in YMC as a first year student, and I greatly admire his gift of faith. This is the man who went to Lakeland a year and a half ago with no money or a place to stay -- just completely on the stirring of the Holy Spirit to go for it. God changed him forever down there and now he is with YMC pursuing his destiny. He told me about the IHOP meetings and we soon realized that we needed to get down there. Wayne had no money -- but stepped out in faith as he so often does by committing to come with me. As a result, someone blessed him yesterday with money to go! One thing I want this weekend is the grace of the 1 Corinthians 12 faith that he operates in to rub off on me!
My brother Justin Loncar is also going. I call him my little big brother because he is younger than I, but certainly physically bigger than me! But more than that, I admire him because he has the kindest heart of anyone I know, constantly thinking of others before himself. He may be younger than I but I learn things from him, just like I'm learning great faith from Wayne -- oh, the beauty of the body of Christ to be able to learn from even those you have been given a measure of authority over!
Please pray for us as we travel. We live at 8:00 PM Thursday and will drive all through the night! I'll update you through blogs. If you'd like to watch the live stream of the services, go to ihop.org/watch. They are 7PM - 1 AM nightly.
I love you and can't wait to share all that God does! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
If It Ain't Broken, Break It!
I had the privilege of teaching a class on creativity last year. I said something that, at the time, I didn't know would be so huge in my life over the summer. So, this is what I told the then 1st year students:
"Remember that what worked for you during your 1st year will not work your 2nd year."
I said this to challenge them to grow to a new level, because while you could grow at a slow pace during your first year and most of the time be ok, during your second year you must accelerate because there are hungry first years right behind you. You simply won't last if you do not grow. Little did I know that this concept would be the battle of my summer for a young minister in his first year of vocational ministry.
This summer was rough for me, and I felt like I hit a wall in ministry. I certainly wasn't used to running into walls I couldn't burst through in short periods of time...nothing usually held me back for very long. But this summer and early fall was different as I felt like I was at a complete standstill in my growth in the Lord and ministry. I even crashed into Pastor Sergio's basement, spilling out how I felt.
While there were several reasons, there is one I'd like to share with you. I came to realize that I was doing what had always worked. Praying at the same depth, preaching with the same fervency, reading at the same pace. And while those things worked for last year, I realized that I subconsciously decided not to go after the greater things. Pastor Thomas tell us staff that we shouldn't wait for something to go bad before we change, but always have enough foresight to see what's ahead and creatively move to the next level before it stops working.
During my first year of YMC, I remember Pastor Chris talking with us and bringing a reality check. He said that we needed to grow at a faster pace because the incoming 1st years were hungry, radical, and on fire. We all felt the healthy pressure to grow not only for our own individual destiny's sake, but for those who were to follow. So together we prayed harder, learned intentionally, and stepped up our vigor to grow. By the end of our first year Pastor Chris commended us for growing where we needed to be, and we held the standard high for the radical 1st years to go after.
Someone once said "If it ain't broken, break it!", and I do agree. I'm thankful for all that God has put in me that has worked, but it wont work forever. I'm evaluating everything in my life with this prospective, because I want to continue to grow. I hate walls, but we will run into the from time to time. And as the late Randy Pausch said, the brick walls aren't there to keep people from getting through, it's to keep the people out who don't want it bad enough.
So excuse me while I go break through some walls -- it's reading time!
"Remember that what worked for you during your 1st year will not work your 2nd year."
I said this to challenge them to grow to a new level, because while you could grow at a slow pace during your first year and most of the time be ok, during your second year you must accelerate because there are hungry first years right behind you. You simply won't last if you do not grow. Little did I know that this concept would be the battle of my summer for a young minister in his first year of vocational ministry.
This summer was rough for me, and I felt like I hit a wall in ministry. I certainly wasn't used to running into walls I couldn't burst through in short periods of time...nothing usually held me back for very long. But this summer and early fall was different as I felt like I was at a complete standstill in my growth in the Lord and ministry. I even crashed into Pastor Sergio's basement, spilling out how I felt.
While there were several reasons, there is one I'd like to share with you. I came to realize that I was doing what had always worked. Praying at the same depth, preaching with the same fervency, reading at the same pace. And while those things worked for last year, I realized that I subconsciously decided not to go after the greater things. Pastor Thomas tell us staff that we shouldn't wait for something to go bad before we change, but always have enough foresight to see what's ahead and creatively move to the next level before it stops working.
During my first year of YMC, I remember Pastor Chris talking with us and bringing a reality check. He said that we needed to grow at a faster pace because the incoming 1st years were hungry, radical, and on fire. We all felt the healthy pressure to grow not only for our own individual destiny's sake, but for those who were to follow. So together we prayed harder, learned intentionally, and stepped up our vigor to grow. By the end of our first year Pastor Chris commended us for growing where we needed to be, and we held the standard high for the radical 1st years to go after.
Someone once said "If it ain't broken, break it!", and I do agree. I'm thankful for all that God has put in me that has worked, but it wont work forever. I'm evaluating everything in my life with this prospective, because I want to continue to grow. I hate walls, but we will run into the from time to time. And as the late Randy Pausch said, the brick walls aren't there to keep people from getting through, it's to keep the people out who don't want it bad enough.
So excuse me while I go break through some walls -- it's reading time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
