It is clear from the Bible that if you are a follower of Christ you are called to go and take the message of Christ to those who do not know Him. It means going across the street, to the other side of town, to the other side of the country, or to the other side of the world. As a lover of Christ I must be concerned about all of those areas. As a church we must be focused on the mission to passionately get the message out to all who have not heard. If we fail to do this, we fail to be a church.
This week at our church is all about challenging us in greater ways to look beyond the very small circle of our life into the lives of people all around us, people different from us, and people far away from us. If we are truly walking with Christ the eternal destinies of people in each of these areas will come to the forefront of our thoughts and actions. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:14 that it was the love of Christ that compelled Him. When compelled by Christ's love, we see Paul desperate to see people reconciled to the Savior later in that passage. If you love Jesus like you say, you cannot live half-hearted lives for Him focusing only on your bible studies and your well-being. When you are walking with Christ there is an outward focus that drives you to reach your friend, your enemy, and that person on the other side of the world who does not know about Christ.
This week, ask the Lord to radically change your perspective and let your heart beat for the things He is most passionate about.
Until the whole world hears,
Brad

Well, the actual fast is over, but I believe the effects are just beginning to happen. The services yesterday morning were powerful and I really felt the Lord was working. I believe God is ready to move in power at Lawrence Drive. We talked about the freedom we have in Christ. The enemy's power over us has been broken when we trust in Jesus, but many times we go right back to our chains. We do not have to live that way. If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed. We are called to walk in that freedom.
As I looked at all of the chains that were broken yesterday at our church, I was amazed at the work of God. He is the bondage breaker and I want to exhort all of you who moved yesterday to see those chains broken in your life to remain steadfast trusting more in the Word, than in your circumstances.
Lord you are amazing. Please work mightily in and through me. Work mightily in our church and our community. We are hungry for You.

The Lord is showing me so much in my own life through this time of fasting. I see myself yielding more to His ways and purposes in my life and less of a draw to what the world offers. There is a starving to the world taking place and I desire for Him to be most glorified in me at all times.
As I think about our church, the word that keeps coming to mind is freedom. God desires freedom to flow through our body. What type of freedom? I believe freedom from sins that so easily entangle, freedom from religious ritual that has no real power, freedom from the world's thinking, freedom from arguments and bitterness, and freedom from worldly pursuits. So that we can have freedom to relentlessly and passionately follow Christ. Freedom to love Him with every part of my being. Freedom to shine His light into a lost and dying world. Freedom to experience Him in true intimacy and power.
I want to encourage all of you to come Sunday - Freedom Sunday - in our church and allow the presence and power of God to bring Freedom to your life.
Love
Brad

Good morning to all. I hope your week is off to a tremendous start. I am praying for our church today for God to move mightily through our midst. We are totally reliant on His work. I am so hungry to go beyond the surface into the depths of God's love and presence. That when the body of Christ would gather, we would experience God in powerful ways.
I was reading in Mt. 15 where Jesus is talking about the Pharisees and He uses a passage out of Isaiah when He says: "these people honor me witht their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men."
The Pharisees were getting on to Jesus' disciples for not ceremonially washing their hands before they ate. Jesus said, it's not what goes in the mouth that defiles the man, but what comes out, because what comes out comes from the heart. What comes out of your mouth most often? Not just when you have on your Sunday best and you are singing songs in church, but in your day to day. This is where your heart is. Jesus said you can honor me with lips and your heart is far from me. I believe many in church today are here. Not just the extremely negative and vocal and bitter people in church, and not just those mired in public sin, but the majority of church goers. Not because they are not sincere or desiring a walk with God, but because their hearts are still tied to worldly pursuits or religious ritual. Jesus said, "teaching as doctrines the commands of men." We have made our forms of worship the most important thing and many times miss the Savior.
In "My Utmost For His Highest" today, Oswald Chambers made this statement. "Consecration means the continual separating of myself to one particular thing," which for us is Jesus Christ. Allowing the Lord to strip away the world, our man made forms of religion, and anything else that would keep us from Him. Where is your heart today?

For those of you joining the fast, the good news is that we are past halfway. I hope you are finding strength and rest through the Lord and are being nourished in your Spirit. As we seek Him through the Word and prayer I hope your greatest desire is Him. So often we get caught up in asking Him for blessings but we miss the one who is doing the blessing. He will work in those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. Make Him your chief desire today.
As I was reading in Psalm 16 I was touched by the Father's great provision and love for me. In verse 5. it says, "Lord, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future." Then verse 7 and 8 say, "I will praise the Lord who counsels me - even at night my conscience instructs me. I keep the Lord in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." What a great Psalm of assurance from our Lord. I hope today you will rest in His promises and be blessed by His word.
In Christ,
Brad