Area 51 - (continued) -

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

I went into ministry a long time ago out of my desire to deeply connect with God and make a difference in this world.  Sometimes I get sidetracked from that original calling.  Sometimes I do ministry because it feeds my ego.  Sometimes I do ministry because it is all I know how to do anymore.  Sometimes I do ministry with my own strength and don’t depend on God.  Sometimes I am a total screw up and lose my way.

Wouldn’t it be cool if we could just say to God: “Create in me a clean heart.  Give me your presence.  Let me enjoy the salvation and life change that you want me to experience.” 

What if we got rid of all the sideways energy that comes with Christianity?  What if the rules, the expectations, the conformity, the boards, the bells and whistles, the hymn books, steeples, judgmental attitudes were just all tossed out and we started all over?  What if we started all over, and the only thing that mattered was God and knowing him?  What if this thing was not complicated anymore?  What if we could be real with God and each other?

I believe the conversation in Christianity needs to change!  It needs a paradigm shift.  The language needs to be about us having a pure heart instead of a haughty attitude.  Our conversation needs to be about what the Holy Spirit is doing inside of us instead of what we are against.  The talk needs to be about God’s presence instead of our politics. 

My life needs to be about the presence of this God that can “create in me a clean heart.”  My ministry needs to be about God’s Holy Spirit and His gracious work.  North Point needs to be about the joy of all of our salvation.

4 Comments »

1. Kendra says:

   January 8th, 2010

   Yes.

2. TruthDisciple says:

   January 8th, 2010

   You are right Tommy!
   A lot of culture defines the label “Christian” by what we are against instead of what we are for!
   Maybe the reason for this is because Christians even forgot what we are for…

   Thank you for sharing your heart in it’s pure-ness!

3. Shelby says:

   January 10th, 2010

   I sincerely appreciate having a pastor who is so authentic and real. What a blessing. And yes, I am in complete agreement.

4. Heidi says:

   January 10th, 2010

   I agree Tommy. Every morning when I wake up I pray for God’s will in all my affairs and for guidance to carry out his will in my dealings with others. If I don’t do this, my own will takes over very quickly and soon I’m spending a whole lot of time trying to repair what I should’ve trusted God to take care of in the first place. One of the verses in the bible that’s always struck a chord with me is “pray without ceasing”. I couldn’t get my mind around what it means to pray nonstop but as I practice keeping an ongoing dialog with God I realize it’s all about putting my faith in him to show me his way in ALL things at ALL times. That was a revolutionary thought. I realized that he wants that conversation to continue beyond a Sunday sermon and a prayer over dinner. That makes things easy for me because it’s a promise that he will listen and also that he wants me to open myself to what he has to say, John 14: 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. That’s personal and he gives that promise to us regardless of church affiliation, family upbringing and yes, church steeples.There’s no better promise than that, in my opinion. Thanks for all you do Pastor T. God bless…

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