This morning I began reading Wesley Duewel’s, Ablaze For God, again, for the third time.  If there is a book that stirs my heart it is this one.  It rekindles the fire within my soul like few books can do. 

In the first chapter, Duewel quotes Spurgeon, “Spurgeon spoke of the need of leaders “who live only for Christ, and desire nothing but opportunities for promoting His glory, for spreading His truth, for winning by power those whom Jesus has redeemed by His precious blood…We need red-hot, white-hot men, who glow with intense heat; growing warmer; who burn their way in all positions straight on to the desired work; men like thunderbolts flung from Jehovah’s hand, crashing through every opposing thing, till they have reached the target aimed at; men impelled by Omnipotence.”

Then the author writes a convicting thought, “Every Christian leader should be an exemplar, should be a demonstration of Christ’s visible standard of Spirit-filled living.  You as a leader should maintain your spiritual stature, fervency and consistency, and be so marked by the seal of God’s Spirit that those you lead thank God for your leadership.  They should be motivated to accept and follow your leadership wholeheartedly, and both consciously and unconsciously, be drawn nearer to God under your leadership.”

I am challenged to pursue God so that I may be totally consumed by Him and my heart will be so ablaze for Him that the fire spreads.

Today in honor of St. Patrick’s Day I decided not to wear green.  I wanted to be different and not live up to the status quo.  I did think it good to share what St. Pat’s Day means.  I found the history of it on Mark Batterson’s blog:

“In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, here is a little backstory on Saint Patrick himself.

At the age of 16, Saint Patrick was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland where he became a slave to the chieftain of Ulster. One night, after six years of slavery, Saint Patrick heard a voice, "Behold, thy ship is ready." He traveled two hundred miles on foot to a place where he knew no one and had never been. He wrote in his autobiographical account, "After this I took flight, and left the man with whom I had been six years; and I came in the strength of the Lord, who directed my way for good; and I feared nothing till I arrived at the ship. And on that same day on which I arrived, the ship moved out of its place."

Patrick made his way back to Britain, found his family, and could have lived out the rest of his life in relative comfort in the land of freedom. But in 432 AD, he had another vision. He saw a man coming to him from Ireland carrying innumerable letters. "And I read the beginning of the letter containing ‘The voice of the Irish.’ And while I was reading aloud the beginning of the letters, I myself thought indeed in my mind that I heard the voice of those who were near the wood of Foclut, which is close by the Western Sea. And they cried out thus as if with one voice, "We entreat thee, holy youth, that thou come, and henceforth walk among us." And I was deeply moved in my heart, and could read no further; and so I woke."

Saint Patrick went back to Ireland as a missionary. No outside religion had penetrated Ireland in a thousand years. Saint Patrick founded more than 300 churches and baptized more than 120,000 people. His ministry was so influential that he came to be known as the one who "found Ireland all heathen and left it all Christian."

Many Christians are waiting for the right circumstances and perfect conditions before they will serve God.  By serving God, I mean doing something for God.  Many Christians, fulfill their Christian obligations of church attendance, prayer, reading the Bible and even giving.  But not everyone serves in some type of ministry for the Lord.

I have talked with many believers and have heard a range of excuses why they are not fulfilling this important aspect of their Christian life.  Some feel inadequate.  Others feel as if it is not the right timing.  Many feel that the circumstances aren’t right.  I believe, however, that we do not have to have the perfect set of circumstances before we embark on a ministry for Christ.

In Mark 6, Jesus sent out His disciples and said for them "to take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts – but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics…"

What an interesting instruction?  You mean God doesn’t want the best for me?  In our day of prosperity in America, we live with our heads in some type of box and we think that everyone should be living like us.  We think that God would never send us out to do a work for Him unless we prospered in some way.  Jesus on the other hand called His disciples to live by faith.  I am not saying that God doesn’t want us to prosper.  I am saying, however, that He requires faith from us and that we should not look at what we can gain from the work but what His kingdom can gain.

We fail to remember that although the disciples were sent out with little to nothing in material goods they were given something far more valuable.  And He called  the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them POWER over unclean spirits.  Power is what you need for the work not a list of material goods.

In ministry today we look for greener pastures.  We search for the perfect job in the church that will be the BEST for US.  When will we begin to think of what is best for Him?  I believe that God will bless us in our ministry, in our service.  I also believe that somewhere we have to step out on faith even if we do not know all the details just yet.  God is an amazing God!  The disciples didn’t know what they would encounter.  They didn’t even know how their ends would meet.  But they knew that Jesus sent them out with power and they fulfilled the ministry.  They didn’t starve.  They didn’t fail.  They saw the hand of God move on them because of THEIR faith and HIS power.

I challenge you, do not worry about all the small details.  Do something for God, even if it doesn’t bring you great gain.  We are looking to build His Kingdom not ours.

Yesterday we had a men’s workday and had a good crew there to help.  We tore down the overgrown Cypress trees by the street.  They have been blocking our view from oncoming traffic, so we knew it was necessary to remove them.  We were also able to dig a trench to run power to our sign.  As I drove by last night after dark, it looked beautiful.  Now people can tell we are a church, even in the dark.

Thanks to all of the guys who came out to help.  We couldn’t have done it without you.

Last night before my board meeting, Hannah had some important news to tell me.  She was sitting in “MY” chair while I sat on the couch and she informed me of an important decision she had made.  Hannah looked at me and said, “I’m getting a new pastor.  You’re not the pastor anymore.”  My own three year old daughter got rid of me.

I don’t know what it is about my children when they are three years old.  12 years ago, Josh was three years old, when he walked into his Sunday School class exasperated.  He looked at his Sunday School teacher while shaking his head and said, “We need to get us a new pastor around here.”  Ms. Harlene asked him what he said and he repeated it verbatim.  “We need to get us another pastor around here.”

Either my children don’t like their pastor or they just do this to give me a complex.  For a pastor, it is a bad sign when your own family want to go to another church.  I just hope the word doesn’t get out and I find out everyone else feels the same way:)

Ernest Shackleton the famed adventurer and explorer wanted to be the first person to cross Antarctica.  It had already been discovered but no one had crossed from shore to shore.  Within him was this passion, this calling to take the risk and explore the whole continent. 

In the days before GPS and cell phones, Shackleton set out to find a band of men who would go on this journey with him.  He placed an ad in the newspaper looking for a “few good men.”  The ad read, “Men wanted for hazardous journey.  Small wages, bitter cold, long months in complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful.  honor and recognition in case of success.” 5,000 men applied.

Within the heart of mankind is a sense of adventure.  Most people play life safe.  Never taking any risks.  They read the ad that says hazardous journey and constant danger and decide that it is not for them.  There are, however, those who read the ad, recognition and honor in case of success.

There are risk takers and those who like the safety.  Which one are you?

All of us are called to take bold risks for the Kingdom of God.  I am not talking, just about risking our lives , but rather being willing do something for God.  Most people will hide behind fear of failure and never attempt anything.  They will always play it safe, because they do not want to disturb the status quo.  Then there are many who will hold back because change is too hard.

God is not looking for a people who want to stay comfortable but for a people who are willing to stretch themselves.  Who will be willing to risk reputation, comfort, security and mediocrity, and attempt something great for God.  It was William Carey who said, “Expect Great Things From God, Attempt Great Things For God.”

We often expect God to do great things for us, but we attempt very little for Him.  We wait for Him to do something and then we will act.  But God waits for us to make the move.  He is waiting for us to launch out.  Peter did not know if he could walk on water until he got out of the boat.

We could advance the cause of Christ more if we would get out of the security of the boat.  Money follows ministry, salvations follow evangelism, transformation follows action.  Let’s take bold risks for God!  Let’s do something great for Him!