R U Green?

New Research from Barna on Green Evangelicals:

Barna surveys evangelicals about their enviornmental views. Here are some excerpts:
One of the intriguing findings of the research is that millions of evangelicals - often perceived to be on the sidelines of the green movement - have become more environmentally conscious in the last year. Yet, evangelicals do so with some skepticism about the environmental movement, specifically the implications of climate change. Evangelicals are concerned about what they perceive to be media hype surrounding global warming, as well as skepticism about the role humans play in causing it. Moreover, evangelicals express strong concern that proposed environmental solutions would hurt the poor, particularly in developing nations...

What makes Americans skeptical about global warming? The survey explored five common objections and discovered that roughly half of Americans maintain some reluctance about climate change for each of the following reasons:
49% of Americans contend that some solutions proposed to help global warming would have a negative influence on the poor, especially in other countries
48% believe the earth has undergone climate change before and the current warming is not primarily caused by human activity
47% indicate the news media have made global warming a bigger story than it deserves
47% agree that the U.S. economy is not strong enough right now to take on the problem
46% say that if America leads the way tackling the problem other countries will not follow suit and it would hurt American businesses and workers A majority of the Christian community, regardless of how it is defined, believes that global warming is happening. Still, only a minority of churchgoing Catholics (36%), non-mainline Protestants (36%), and mainline Protestants (45%) are very certain climate change is occurring...

Evangelicals are among the most skeptical population segments when it comes to global warming... What do you think?

GOD - 2/3 of His name is GO!

Then I heard the voice of the LORD saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah 6:8

Most people would say that they want to experience God on a "deeper" level. They want to know him in a more intimate way. They want to feel his presence in their lives. And so often, they think they'll obtain that goal by studying more, listening to more preachers or reading more devotionals.

But you can know everything about God and never be close to God.

The best way to experience God isn't through gaining knowledge or inspiration; it's through action.

When the prophet Isaiah answered God's call on his life with a simple, yet profound "Here am I. Send me," he was showing us the way to truly experience God's power in our lives.

If you are longing for a more intimate relationship with God, one where you feel his presence in your life each day, don't just look for another study. Don't merely listen to more sermons.

Instead, look humbly to God and say, "Use me." Because as you begin to put action to what you've already learned about God, you will begin to feel him move in your life in ways you never dreamed possible!

How can knowing this truth change your life?

The Ultimate Thrill

God's will for our lives is the simplest and yet the hardest thing in the world: he wants us to look like Jesus. This is God's ultimate will for us. It doesn't happen in an instant; it takes a lifetime of seeking his guidance and doing what he asks us to do. God wants to work his will in us as he guides us through life. Even the smallest decisions can have far-reaching consequences. If your heart is open to God's leading, your life will reach new heights of excitement and satisfaction.

Following Christ daily is the ultimate thrill ride.

Make it a habit, as you plan your day-to-day activities, to ask God what he wants you to do. Ask him for specific guidance, and tell Him you are willing to change your plans to fit his.

Being guided by God means being in line for great blessing. Have you consciously prayed for his leading, and then taken the time to really listen? When you do, your life will go places you never dreamed possible.

The Fire

In its impure form, gold doesn't have much value. Before it can be made into coins, jewelry or other valuables, it must be refined. The impurities must be burned out or skimmed off, and the real gold melted and collected together. In ancient times, the purest gold was refined seven times in a hot fire. Some say that the ultimate test of purity was for the gold to be so clear and smooth that the refiner could see his own reflection in the molten metal.

We are like the unrefined gold—mixed with dirt and impurities. Only God can see the real gold mixed in. In order to make us beautiful and useful, God has to refine us. The trials and temptations that we face in life are like the fire that the refiner uses to remove the impurities. It is painful to be refined. No one enjoys being in the fire, but we can rejoice knowing that God is using the fire for our ultimate good.

Read 1 Peter 1:6-7. Have you turned yourself over to God to be refined? What trials do you have in your life right now? How do you think God might be using them for your benefit?

Are You Broke...n?

"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:16-17

We've all messed up. When we allow God to examine our hearts, we are all going to discover problems in our lives. Some are painful. Some will be embarrassing. Some may be surprising; and some could be very difficult to overcome. The question we need to ask, though, is this: What should we do about these things when God brings them to our attention?

To help find an answer, there's no better place to look than at the life of David, the shepherd boy who God hand-picked to be King of Israel. He committed some really serious sins. First, he stole another man's wife. Then in order to cover it up, he murdered her husband, his loyal friend. When God confronted David about his sin, David responded the right way. He was heart-broken to realize how far he had strayed from God's ways. He wept with remorse and pleaded with God for forgiveness. He turned from his sin; he did not try to excuse himself, or minimize what he had done.

Pride often keeps us from responding to God with humility. We want to justify what we have done or rationalize it away: "it really wasn't that bad," or "it was someone else's fault." Those kind of responses are not what God is looking for. Only a "broken and contrite" heart can accept the enormity of the sin committed and realize its need for God.

Coming to a place of humility and brokenness is not easy; it is a very vulnerable position. But God is merciful and ready to restore you. To help you through those times, check out these verses below:

Psalm 147:3 – He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Psalm 34:18 – The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Omniscient

God is omniscient.

In other words, he knows everything. There is nothing you or I can do, think or say that he is not aware of.

But do you ever wonder why God wants us to bring everything before him in prayer? Why he wants us to ask for those things we need? After all, if God already knows what we need, why doesn't he just provide those things for us?

The answer, when we really think about it, is simple.

Yes, God knows all of our needs—emotional, relational, physical and spiritual. But he also knows that if we don't bring those needs before him, we may begin to believe that we are self-sufficient. If we don't bring our requests before God on a regular basis, we may forget the source of all we have been given.

When you have a need, don't forget to bring it before God "with thanksgiving." Be thankful that God has provided a way for you to communicate with him. Use prayer the way it was meant to be used—as a lifeline between you and your Provider. Because when you "present your requests to God," you will begin to realize the power that he truly has to give you what you need.

When a natural disaster strikes, people respond eagerly and urgently. We join together for the "greater good" and rush in to help the cause. Mission trips are organized to help communities rebuild. And news crews rush to the scene for minute-by-minute updates on the situation.

But when the national spotlight turns elsewhere; when other topics catch our eye and demand our attention, it is easy to forget those left in the wake of that disaster. And the victims are often stranded—helpless and on their own.

That should never be the case.

Yes, the press has packed up and the headline stories no longer point us to those affected by hurricane Ike. But that doesn't mean our prayers and participation aren't needed and valued just as much as they were when the waves came to shore.

Thousands of people throughout the Gulf Coast were pummeled by wind and water just a few days ago, but the effects will last for years to come. Many lives have been forever changed.

Don't forget those people who are in need. Today, rather than looking for specific ways that God's Word can impact your life, take time to pray for those who need to feel God's embrace in their lives. And ask God to heal their hearts, renew their spirits and help them to see his love through this time of rebuilding and recovery.

Experiencing God!

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all other christians, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses all knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17b-19

Think about standing on the shores of a large body of water like a lake. You can see to the other side and get an idea of its size. You can take its temperature, and study the plants along its edges. You can talk about it and think about it and dream about it—all without ever getting wet.
But as long as you are standing on the shore, you have missed the essence of this lake, the water. You are not going to fully grasp its significance or strength until you get into the water, over your head.

The same can be said of the love of Christ. You can study it for years. You can take theology classes and skirt the surface of a Bible study. You can talk about it, look at it, and even dream about it—all without actually experiencing it. But to grasp the significance and strength of Jesus' love; to fully understand how his love can change your life, you've got to step off the shore and dive into the water of his love.

Only by diving headlong into a relationship with him will you truly begin to grasp how "wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." It surpasses knowledge; and requires an experience.

Just think of what our lives would look like if we 'experienced God' and not just 'talked about Him'. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Tell Us Your Story!

We understand, experience and intersect with God's Story and other's.
God has been unfolding his Story since before time began.

We believe we are participants in the Story and need to understand it and see how our lives intersect with it.

Therefore, we regularly reacquaint ourselves with the Story by interacting with God's Word. We look for ways and times to tell the Story often.

We also take time to listen to others stories and help them find their lives within God's Story.

Tell Us Your Story!

How Does God Spend His Days?

The world is pretty big. There are a lot of countries, with millions and millions of square miles of people and land and ocean. The universe is even bigger than that. I’ve never been but from the photos I’ve seen it’s massive. Pathways of stars, belts of black holes and galaxies and planets. It’s just endless, and somewhere up there, God knows your boyfriend broke up with you, your child is in pain, your marriage is on the rocks, you feel disconnected from those you are the closest to.

Every now and then I come across a verse that shakes my deep belief that I am beneath God’s radar. One that I love is Psalm 56:8, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”

I think that’s beautiful. Can you imagine that? Can you picture God doing that? Taking His giant hands and tenderly picking up every single one of your tears? Knowing why they came, understanding what they mean, placing them in His bottle, so that He can comfort you.

That’s how God spends his days!

That’s how small this big universe is!

Immoral Popularity

The Barna Group has published some interesting research that investigates the moral downfalls of adults (age 18+). Here is what they discovered:

DURING THE PAST WEEK,

28% of adults cussed
>> 64% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 60% of Atheists
>> 33% of Men
>> 33% of Non-Christian Religions
>> 24% of Women
>> 19% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 16% of Evangelicals

20% of adults gambled (including purchased a lottery ticket)
>> 25% of Catholics
>> 23% of Men
>> 18% of Protestants
>> 15% of Women
>> 2% of Evangelicals

19% of adults intentionally viewed pornography
>> 50% of Atheists
>> 33% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 32% of Non-Christian Religions
>> 30% of Liberals
>> 16% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 12% of Evangelicals
>> 8% of Conservatives

12% of adults gossiped
>> 34% of Atheists
>> 26% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 17% of Liberals
>> 10% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 9% of Conservatives
>> 4% of Evangelicals

12% of adults got drunk
>> 33% of Atheists
>> 25% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 22% of Men
>> 17% of Liberals
>> 16% of Catholics
>> 9% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 7% of Conservatives
>> 7% of Protestants
>> 3% of Women
>> <0.5% of Evangelicals

11% of adults lied
>> 37% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 21% of Liberals
>> 18% of Non-Christian Religions
>> 8% of Conservatives
>> 6% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 1% of Evangelicals

9% of adults had sex with someone to whom they were not married
>> 38% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 21% of Singles
>> 20% of Liberals
>> 13% of Men
>> 6% of Women
>> 4% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)
>> 4% of Conservatives
>> 3% of Evangelicals
>> 1% of Marrieds

8% of adults engaged in acts of retaliation
>> 13% of Liberals
>> 12% of Mosaics (ages 18-25)
>> 11% of Atheists
>> 6% of Conservatives
>> 5% of Baby Boomers (ages 44-62)

Shocking? Expected? Tell me what you think!

What's The Catch?

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:11-13

Few things light up the room like the smile from one of my kids when they open a gift. I love to give my children gifts when they ask.

God is the same way. Only, unlike me or you, God is perfect. And his gifts are perfect. He provides the gifts that perfectly meet the needs of the receivers (you and me) and reflect the personality of the giver (God).

But here's the catch. What we want or ask from God isn't always what we need. That's where faith comes into play. When you ask God for something, know that he has your best interest in mind.

Like an earthly father, he's not going to return your request with a trick or something that will hurt you. And if you ask for something that he knows will harm you, the perfect gift is sometimes the answer, "No."

If you've asked God for something, trust him to provide exactly what you need. Because you are his child, he will always have your best interest in mind, even when we don't.

All You Need And More!

Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face. Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance, for no godless man would dare come before him!Job 13:15-16

Job was rich, powerful and prosperous. He had a large family, plenty of livestock and several servants. He was a man who feared God and served him completely. Everything was going well in Job's life. In the world's eyes, he was very successful.

Then, God gave Satan permission to test Job to see if his faith was real or merely the product of prosperity. And in just a few short days, the bottom dropped out of Job's life. He lost his health, his family, his possessions and many of his friends. Job was suddenly, completely, unexplainably miserable.

But his faith never waned. And he never turned his eyes from God.
Job knew that God must have a reason for what was happening. He trusted God even in the face of ridicule, misery and persecution. And in the end, God provided Job with all he needed and more.

Things may go wrong in your life. But if that happens, don't turn your eyes from God. Trust that he has a plan for your life. Continue to follow God's plan. And in the end, God will provide you with all you need and more.

Do you have a story you would like to share?

It's All In The Timing!

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Galatians 4:4-5

God never does anything randomly. He doesn't decide on a whim to take action. He has a plan, a perfect plan for everyone. And that plan has been laid out for all of eternity.
So often, though, we look at the way we make decisions and we try to put God in the same box. We assume that because we have knee jerk reactions to situations and circumstances, surely God does the same thing. But he doesn't.

Did you notice the first few words of today's passage? "When the time had fully come."

God had a plan to bring Jesus Christ to earth at a certain time. Jesus Christ came into the world at the perfect time, with everything arranged for the swift spread of the good news of God's salvation that is available to everyone—including you.

God's timing can be hard to understand. But it is perfect. If you are waiting on something from God, don't get discouraged. Instead, look at the perfect timing of his son's arrival, and trust that God has a perfect time for working in your life as well. Tell me what you think!