Clearly seeing and knowing God

What I Imagine and Work Toward

2012-01-12T14:37:00.002-05:00

Imagine a community loving so deeply that there is none needy among them. Imagine a community whose love overflows to the under served and forgotten in their neighborhoods. Imagine a community where people clearly see and know God, being restored daily by grace. Imagine a community that influences the future of our culture and the next generation of artists that shape the imagination of the world.

Things are not as they should be. The world is full of pain, poverty, injustice, selfishness, coercion, and oppression. Imagine a community that is a part of bringing healing, justice, selfless love, peace, and freedom... joining with God in the restoration of everything.

God imagined a community like this. There has been much misrepresentation and distortion of what it was meant to be, but let us be the kind of church that God had in mind. Let us be a clear reflection of Christ in the city of Los Angeles. Let us see God’s Kingdom come and God’s will be done, bringing restoration to all things.

How to Effectively Set Goals for 2012

2011-12-28T18:58:00.004-05:00

Vision is critical to move forward. With vision, we are blessed and happy. Without it, we perish and stumble all over ourselves. (Proverbs 28:19)

What is God saying to you and how does that inform your vision and goals for 2012?

Setting goals helps create space in your mind for recalling what is most important. It’s like when you decide to buy a white car, you start noticing all the other white cars on the road. Developing and writing down your goals will help you immensely on the journey towards accomplishing them.

Here are 5 simple steps to help you set goals for 2012.

1. Pray

Set your goals within the context of connecting with God so that your goals will reflect His heart and vision for you. This will also help you leave your selfish motives at the door. If your motives are only selfish, it would be better not to accomplish your goals.

2. Set Specific Goals

Think through different categories to help determine specific goals. Possible categories include family, spiritual disciplines, physical, education, career, creative, financial, etc. Have some smaller goals and some HUGE audacious goals.

3. Develop Action Steps

Once you set the goals, break them down into two or three action steps each. Write down each action step and if applicable, a deadline for that step.

4. Share Your Goals

Share your goals with someone else in your life for accountability and encouragement. Depending on your personality, this could be with all your friends or just a few.

5. Celebrate

Regularly look over and pray through your goals and action steps. As you do, celebrate your progress. You could celebrate by going out to dinner, taking a trip to Disney, or just taking a special day off. Regularly share your progress with your friends and family.

Here is an example of some goals and action steps for 2012.

1. Be the husband and the dad that my family dreams of.
a. Devote my best energy and vision to my family.
b. At least once a month, ask my wife how to better serve her and then follow through with it.
c. Make it a priority to work at work and be home at home.
d. As a family, develop core values and goals for our family by January 31.

2. Experience the fruitfulness, the joy, and the “power of asking” that comes from staying connected to Christ, the vine (John 15).
a. Read through the Bible in 2012.
b. Devote my best energy and focus to abiding with God through prayer, worship, and study.

3. Lose 10 pounds and be more in shape.
a. Don’t eat past 8 PM.
b. Cut down all my portions.
c. Have some form of exercise 3 times a week.

4. Make progress on my book.
a. Finish the proposal by January 31.
b. Send it to several connections in February.
c. Further develop these ideas through songwriting and a serious visual art piece.

5. Specifically grow in my roles as a leader and disciple maker.
a. Study the history of the church and its leaders.
b. Read avidly and strategically.
c. Pour my relational energy into those that lead me, those I lead, and those that I am sharing Christ with.

Daily Scripture Readings for Advent

2011-12-20T14:36:00.001-05:00

The weeks of Advent remind us to set aside some of the hectic business of the holiday season, and to quietly reflect on the promise of the baby born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. The Bible readings listed below relate to the Advent themes of waiting, preparation, light in the darkness, and the coming of the promised Messiah.

First Week of Advent

Sunday, Nov 27- Romans 13:11-14

Monday- 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Tuesday- Mark 13:33-37

Wednesday- John 1:1-5

Thursday- John 1:6-9

Friday- Jeremiah 33:14-16

Saturday- Isaiah 6

Second Week of Advent

Sunday, Dec 4- Romans 15:4-13

Monday- Psalms 43:3-6

Tuesday- Psalms 27:1-4

Wednesday- Psalms 119:105-106

Thursday- John 12:35-36

Friday- Ephesians 5:6-14

Saturday- 1 Peter 2:5-9

Third Week of Advent

Sunday, Dec 11- Isaiah 60:1-3

Monday- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Tuesday- 1 John 1:4-7

Wednesday- John 3:16-21

Thursday- Isaiah 40:1-11

Friday- John 9:1-7

Saturday- Luke 3:1-6

Fourth Week of Advent

Sunday, Dec 18- Isaiah 11:1-10

Monday- Zephaniah 3:14-17

Tuesday- Matthew 1:18-25

Wednesday- Luke 2:8-20

Thursday- Matthew 4:14-16

Friday- Isaiah 2:1-5

Saturday- Luke 2:25-33

First Week of Advent – Sunday Romans 13:11-14Scriptures

11 Besides this you know what hour it is, how it is full time now for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed;

12 the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;

13 let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.

14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Monday Corinthians 1:3-9

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,

5 that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge–

6 even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you–

7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ;

8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Tuesday Mark 13:33-37

33 Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come.

34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.

35 Watch therefore–for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning–

36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.

37 And what I say to you I say to all: Watch.”

Wednesday John 1:1-5

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God;

3 all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Thursday John 1:6-9

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him.

8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.

9 The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.

Friday Jeremiah 33:14-16

14 “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring forth for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’

Saturday Isaiah 60:19-22

19 The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you by night; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.

20 Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.

21 Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land for ever, the shoot of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.

22 The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it.

Second Week of Advent – Sunday Romans 15:4-13

4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.

5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise thee among the Gentiles, and sing to thy name”;

10 and again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”;

11 and again, “Praise the Lord, all Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him”;

12 and further Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse shall come, he who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles hope.”

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Monday Psalms 43:3-6

3 Oh send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let them bring me to thy holy hill and to thy dwelling!

4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and I will praise thee with the lyre, O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

Tuesday Psalms 27:1-4

1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me, uttering slanders against me, my adversaries and foes, they shall stumble and fall.

3 Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

Wednesday Psalms 119:105-106

105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe thy righteous ordinances.

Thursday John 12:35-36

35 Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.

36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said this, he departed and hid himself from them.

Friday Ephesians 5:6-14

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

7 Therefore do not associate with them,

8 for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),

10 and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

12 For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret;

13 but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light.

14 Therefore it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”

Saturday 1 Peter 2:5-9

5 and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 For it stands in scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7 To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not believe, “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner,”

8 and “A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall”; for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Third Week of Advent – Sunday Isaiah 60:1-3

1 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.

3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Monday 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God.

5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

6 For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Tuesday 1 John 1:4-7

4 And we are writing this that our joy may be complete.

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all.

6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth;

7 but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Wednesday John 3:16-21

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

18 He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

21 But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.

Thursday Isaiah 40:1-11

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.

3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people is grass.

8 The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever.

9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”

10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Friday John 9:1-7

1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.

4 We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man’s eyes with the clay,

7 saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Silo’am” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

Saturday Luke 3:1-6

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiber’i-us Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturae’a and Trachoni’tis, and Lysa’ni-as tetrarch of Abile’ne,

2 in the high-priesthood of Annas and Ca’iaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechari’ah in the wilderness;

3 and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Fourth Week of Advent – Sunday Isaiah 11:1-10

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear;

4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.

5 Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins.

6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.

7 The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8 The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.

9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

10 In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek, and his dwellings shall be glorious.

Monday Zephaniah 3:14-17

14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more.

16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.

17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing

Tuesday Matthew 1:18-25

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit;

19 and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

20 But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit;

21 she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us).

24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife,

25 but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.

Wednesday Luke 2:8-20

8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.

10 And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;

11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child;

18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Thursday Matthew 4:14-16

14 that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

15 “The land of Zeb’ulun and the land of Naph’tali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles–

16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”

Friday Isaiah 2:1- 5

1 The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it,

3 and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Saturday Luke 2:25-33

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

27 And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,

28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word;

30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation

31 which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,

32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel.”

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him;

The Centrality of Prayer in Your Art

2011-11-21T18:06:00.000-05:00

In your endeavors to see the creative power of God unleashed through your life, remember two things about the centrality of prayer.

1. There is an inherent beauty when we bring our best effort backed by godly character to the table. Regardless of who sees your art or responds to your communication, God is pleased when you do everything as worship unto Him. This perspective comes only through prayer. Do not give prayer lip service, but pray. Watch what happens when you trust the leadership of the Holy Spirit in prayer and obedience.

2. The mission of God is to be OUR primary mission as well. Have a wonderful career, work hard, see results, build your network, but through it all, pray and ask God to teach you what it means to seek His kingdom and righteousness FIRST. For then, all these things will be added unto you as well (Matthew 6:33). You have a heavenly assignment that transcends time. Do not focus on your earthly portfolio to the neglect of your eternal portfolio.

The "Thankful List" Challenge

2011-11-21T17:28:00.001-05:00

Sometime this week...

1. Sit down with some paper, a pen, and about twenty minutes of free time.
2. Get in a place where you can focus, without distraction, and put on some quiet music.
3. Write down ALL the things you are thankful for. Don't rush. Don't be afraid to stop and just think.
4. As you do, ask God for His perspective and allow your spirit to rise up in worship and thankfulness.
5. Don't take even one thing for granted!

This is life changing. Learn to see all your life through the grid of gratitude. As you do, you will also begin to commit all your days into God's hands, trusting that every good and perfect gift is from Him. And... what once were your greatest problems, may become your greatest opportunities. Opportunities to rethink, to grow, to seek God, to gain new perspective, to reframe, to refocus, and to understand what really matters.

True Heart of Generosity

2011-11-17T19:34:00.001-05:00

I have been SO amazed by our church's heart of generosity! It reminds me a lot of the kind of church culture seen in the book of Acts.

The Report

1. Since the beginning, there have been various people giving anonymously to help others out just when they needed it. Awesome.
2. Now, in the past month, we have had our first two special offerings for missions projects on Sunday mornings. Both Sundays had about 50 people in attendance, and both offerings were well over $2,000.
3. Then, I just found out that last week at one of our small groups, four people stepped up to give $600 to pay for four low-income kids from another church to go to an awesome youth convention here in SoCal.
4. Lastly... this month, after all the extra giving, has still been the best financial month for Clarity since we started.

The Point

Now, this is not all about money... BUT, where your treasure is, there your heart is. An evidence that you are following Christ and truly care is always clearly seen in your spending choices.

And, all this has been done before we have even had enough money to pay for all our own operational expenses. But, the growth and culture of generosity has been undeniable. We are seeing the truth of the simple principle... you REAP what you SOW.

So, keep supporting this church as we grow into self sufficiency (meaning all expenses paid from in-house giving), and we will keep setting our culture up as one of generosity as we give whenever and however we can. I believe that in the future, this church community will give many millions of dollars to the work of God all over the world (from justice issues to evangelism to the ends of the earth).

The Thanks

Also, we will ALWAYS need a support network as we plant more churches in west LA and wherever God leads us. Thanks to all those in the Clarity community in LA that give the best of their time, talent, and treasure to see God’s Kingdom come here. AND, thanks to all those around the country that faithfully support us prayerfully and financially.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

S.O.A.P. Encouragement / Worship Music Links

2011-11-07T12:08:00.003-05:00

Yesterday at the Clarity gathering we began our series on prayer. What would happen if we truly UNDERSTOOD, BELIEVED, and ENGAGED in what Jesus teaches us about prayer! It would be the beginning of a revolution of the world.

THE CHALLENGE

I challenged each person to spend time TODAY in prayer and listening to God through His Word by using the S.O.A.P. exercise. You can use your new Life Journal or just any piece of paper. Remember, you'll also need a STOP list to go along with this START list. You can never start something new without stopping something else. Maybe for today, no online browsing, no social media, skip a meal, no TV, no gaming, etc. Here is a recap on what to do...

S.O.A.P.

The S.O.A.P. Model is simply a tool we use for reading the bible, discovering what it is saying, and applying its teachings to our lives. Below is a breakdown of how it works:

S :: read the Scriptures given for the day (use your daily reading plan in your Life Journal, or, try Philippians 4:6-7 today).

O :: use a journal to write down any Observations that come to mind. Ask yourself questions like “Who is doing what and why?” “Where is this happening?” “What does this passage tell me about God?” “What does this passage tell me about me?” “How is the gospel on display in this passage?”

A :: list the Application to the verses—the ‘what you will do’ in response to this. Ask yourself questions like “How does this passage change how I see God, myself, and the world?” “What will I do in response to this?”

P :: spend time in Prayer with God in relation to what He has shown you. Try writing your prayers down on your Prayer List.

THE ENVIRONMENT

I also talked about creating an environment for your usual PLACE of PRAYER. It was said of Jesus that he had usual places of prayer, so we should too. It is good to have a place where you can focus without distractions. You may even want to have a piece of paper by you so you can write down anything that comes to mind that you need to do later, then you won't have to think about it at that moment and you can keep focusing on prayer.

WORSHIP

A HUGE part of prayer is worship; honoring God for who he is and thanking Him for all He has done. Music is a powerful tool to help us engage in worship. I said yesterday that I would post some links to great worship music to check out. Here are some links to Youtube videos so you can check them out for free, then decide if you want to buy...

Gungor
The Glorious Unseen
John Mark McMillan
Aaron Keyes
Trinity Grace Church
Vineyard
Jason Upton
Hillsong United
Israel Houghton (gospel flavor)
Matt Redman
Chris Tomlin
Keith Green (oldie but one of my favorites)

Enjoy!

A Revolution of the World - Prayer

2011-11-03T13:23:00.003-04:00

John Foster writes, “If more or all of the disciples of Christianity were to pray, with an earnest and unalterable resolution, in order that heaven should not withhold anything that the most persistent prayer could obtain, it would be a sign that a revolution of the world was at hand.”

This month at Clarity is the Prayer Experiment. What would happen if we truly UNDERSTOOD and BELIEVED what the Scriptures taught us about prayer AND were fully engaged in participating in the highest calling of prayer? Let’s find out! We will seek the face of God, make our petitions known before Him with shameless audacity, ask with persistence, and believe that mountains will move. We will be a house of prayer when we gather as one and when we scatter into our personal lives throughout the week.

This focus in prayer will be coupled with a focus on studying the Word of God. Each person will receive a Life Journal and be taught the SOAP exercise of Bible study. There is NOTHING more important than learning to connect with God daily on your own!

Jesus is clear in John Chapter 15 that we can do nothing apart from God. He says that we can only be productive as we abide with Him and stay connected to the vine… for we are the branches, and we NEED the vine for sustenance and effectiveness. The way we stay connected is to spend time in His presence, talking with Him, and listening to Him through His Word and His voice.

My desire is to see our church explode with spiritual growth and health as we each learn to connect with God! This, and this alone, is the beginning of a revolution of the world.

Clarity One Year Celebrations and Prayers

2011-10-13T15:06:00.005-04:00

A Few Highlights from the Clarity One Year Anniversary Party...

1. I honored the team that moved from PA almost two years ago. I gave them each a hammer with their name and this scripture on it...

Luke 14:28-33 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish....’ In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."

They have each counted the cost and have been faithful through great risk and sacrifice to do what God has called us to do.

2. I gave smooth stones to everyone there as a reminder of three things... as a memorial for how they have served to launch this church, to teach us about this truth... 1 Peter 2:5 - "You, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ," and as a reminder that God is developing them personally, their character, smoothing the rough edges into the image of Christ.

3. We CELEBRATED a bunch of things... survival (amazing that we are alive and still love each other), growth spiritually and numerically, depth (taking root below), healthy foundations (to build upon), forming as a family, miraculous financial provision, and most of all, God!

4. We PRAYED the Lord’s Prayer, for miraculous growth over this next year both spiritually and numerically, for healthy and thriving disciples that multiply, and for fullest joy in Jesus.

THAT PEOPLE WILL CLEARY SEE AND KNOW GOD... AND THAT WE WOULD GLORIFY GOD!

Complete - Part 5 - Brought into Fullness (notes)

2011-08-11T13:35:00.003-04:00

For those who are following our current series, here are the notes (including the fill ins) for Part 5, “Brought into Fullness.” You can listen to the message here.

Complete
Part 5 – Brought into Fullness

Colossians 2:9-10
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.

What is God’s fullness? According to Colossians, here are seven aspects of God’s fullness which you are brought into.

1. Full Power (2:10b) – When you are brought into Christ, you are connected with the highest power in the universe. It is creative, problem solving, world creating, imaginative, legal, and authoritative power. You need not seek more power.

2. Full Qualification (2:11) – When you are brought into Christ, you are qualified by the one who holds all the power. It is far higher than any degree or diploma, it is the seal of competence from God himself.

*(2:16-23) The rules are but a shadow, the reality is Christ.

3. Full Life (2:12-13a) – When you are brought into Christ, you are given life to the fullest as a gift. The deepest joy, love, and passion are alive in you.

4. Full Forgiveness (2:13b) – Your “list of sins” is erased and you are left only with a clean slate, a pure heart, and clear conscience.

5. Full Freedom (2:14) – When you are brought into Christ, all your indebtedness for sin is cancelled. You are made completely free.

6. Full Relief (2:16) – When you are brought into Christ, the burdens you carry, the weight you uphold, the problems that bind you, are all released and you can breathe.

7. Full Affirmation (2:16) – When you are brought into Christ, you need not justify, defend, or affirm yourself… rather, God himself is your public affirmation and justification. Amazing.

Complete - Part 4 - Two Words for Life (notes)

2011-07-28T14:21:00.002-04:00

For those who are following our current series, here are the notes (including the fill ins) for Part 4, “Two Words for Life.” You can listen to the message here.

Complete - Part 4
Two Words for Life

Colossians 2:6-7
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

This is the simplest and possibly most profound message you have ever heard. In every situation you encounter, just remember two words. These words have great theological and practical implications.

Based on Colossians 2:6-7...

1. Receive &
2. Continue

Always remember... receive the fullness of God through Christ. You can't earn it or lose it, you can only receive it. Then, continue. Don't stop, keep walking, deeply rooted in Him, bearing fruit, strengthened in faith, and filled with thanksgiving. It's important to start strong but imperative to finish strong.

Complete - Part 3 - The Riches of Understanding (Notes)

2011-07-20T12:24:00.001-04:00

For those who are following our current series, here are the notes (including the fill ins) for Part 3, “The Riches of Understanding.” You can listen to this message here.

Complete – Part 3
The Riches of Understanding

Colossians 1:24-29 and 2:1-5

1. There is a mission so important that it is worth suffering for, becoming a servant to, and strenuously contending for with all the energy of Christ (1:24, 25, and 29).

a. to present the Word of God in fullness (1:25)

b. that you may be fully mature in Christ (1:28)

c. understanding that God has chosen to make known the glorious riches of this mystery to you (1:26-27)

2. The message that drives the mission is Christ in you, the hope of glory (1:27).

a. glory is greatness, splendor, and magnificence

b. part of this glory is the goal for us to be encouraged in heart and united in love so that we may (2:2)…

c. have the full riches of complete understanding (2:2)

d. know the mystery of God, which is Christ (2:2)

e. have all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (2:3)

3. Hope means two things…

a. a hope that rescues you from your failure and grants you glory

b. a hope that is a sure expectation and certainty

4. There will be those who convincingly try to deceive you (2:4)

a. be disciplined (2:5)

b. decide how and when

c. have a firm faith in Christ (2:5)

Complete - Part 2 - It's All About Jesus (Notes)

2011-07-06T15:56:00.002-04:00

For those who are following our current series, here are the notes (including the fill ins) for Part 2, “It’s All About Jesus.” You can listen to this message here.

Complete – Part 2 - It’s All About Jesus
7/3/11
Colossians 1:15-23

I. Jesus is the perfectly clear image of God. (1:15)

-the power behind the creation of all things (1:16)
-the reason for the creation of all things (1:16)
-the glue that holds all things together (1:17)
-the operating system of the universe (1:17)
-the leader of the church (1:18)
-the first born in the family of God (1:18)
-the fullness of God (1:19)
-the re-connector of all things to God (1:20)
-the peace-maker through His blood shed on the cross (1:20)

II. You were completely disconnected from God, but now, because of Jesus, you can be fully reconnected.

-You were alienated from God (1:21)
-You were an enemy of God in your mind…
because of your evil behavior (1:21)
-But now, you are re-connected to God…
presented holy in his sight…
without blemish and free from accusation (1:22)
-If you continue in your faith…
being established and firm…
not moving from the hope held out in the gospel (1:23)

Complete - Part 1 - I.D. from God (Notes)

2011-07-06T15:53:00.003-04:00

For those who are following our current series, here are the notes (including the fill ins) from Part 1, “I.D. from God.” You can listen to this message here.

Complete - Part 1 – I.D. From God
Colossians 1:1-14
6/26/11

1. When you know who God is, then you will know who you are.

-God the Father has a perfect and loving will to be revealed to you, His child (1:1, 1:9).
-God the Son is Jesus, your Savior, rescuing you from sin and death (1:13-14).
-God the Spirit gives you wisdom and understanding (1:9).
-God’s good news to you is the gospel (1:5-6); declaring you qualified (1:12), rescued (1:13), and forgiven (1:14).

2. When you know who you are, you will know what to do.

God’s will is… that you may live a life worthy of the Lord… which is to please Him in every way… by…
a. bearing fruit in every good work,
b. growing in the knowledge of God, and
c. being strengthened with ALL power according to HIS glorious might… so that
1. you will have GREAT endurance and patience
2. and give joyful thanks to God

3. When you know who God is, then you will know who we are.

The church is God’s holy PEOPLE, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ (1:1-2).
The difference between attendees and members can be summed up in one word: commitment.

Gain, Save, Give

2011-06-25T04:30:00.001-04:00

Some of the important points and quotes from last weeks message about money God’s way.

“Having, first, gained all you can, and, secondly saved all you can, then give all you can.” -John Wesley

GAIN ALL YOU CAN
God wants us to be productive and wise with all that we have been entrusted with (Luke 16:1-13).

SAVE ALL YOU CAN
“Whenever you expend anything to only please your taste or other senses, you pay so much for sensuality. When you lay out money to please your eye, you give so much for a stronger attachment to these pleasures which perish in the using. While you are purchasing anything for the admiration of men, you are purchasing more vanity. Had you not then enough of vanity, sensuality, and perishing. Was there need of any addition? And would you pay for it, too? What manner of wisdom is this? Would not literally throwing your money into the sea be a less mischievous folly?”
-John Wesley

GIVE ALL YOU CAN
It’s true. You can never out-give God. AND, you growing in generosity is a necessary sign of you growing into Christ-likeness.

Honor the LORD with your possessions, with the firstfruits of all your increase; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
Proverbs 3:1-10

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Luke 6:38

5 Ways to Grow Spiritually this Summer

2011-06-07T10:48:00.002-04:00

Guest Blogger - Pastor Jeff Leake from PA posted this yesterday. Great stuff.

I absolutely love the summer months. Maybe its because I live in Pittsburgh, where good weather is a rarity and something to be treasured? But summer can also be a time where we drift away from God. Why? Schedules shift and change. Small Groups take a break (some keep meeting). Habits are sometimes put on hold.

A spiritual malaise can settle in on our soul.

Here's some suggestions for how to stay strong spiritually this summer:

#1 - TAKE A WALK TO THINK AND PRAY

There is nothing quite like a nice day, early in the morning, or late at night - to get alone with God. A few days ago, I got outside early in the morning, walked several miles, and just talked to God about what was on my heart.

Some of the time, I tuned my own spirit to listen to what God had to say to me. And some of the time, I just enjoyed the beauty of God's handiwork and thanked him for the opportunity to enjoy this moment in His presence. It was truly refreshing.

#2 - JOURNAL

One of the most important disciplines for my soul is the practice of 'journaling' where I record the personal revelation that God is speaking to me at the moment. Most often it is a reflection on a specific verse of Scripture and an application to my own life at the moment.

I love the format that Wayne Cordiero provides (S.O.A.P. - Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer). Sit down in a park or on the beach with a pen, a Bible, and a journal and record what God is saying to you specifically right now.

#3 - AGREE WITH SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING AGGRESSIVE SPIRITUALLY

Find someone who will fast with you for a few days. Join a freind in serving someone in need. Host a picnic for your neighborhood and ask your small group to help you host it. Read through the book of Acts (one chapter a day for a month) and get together to talk about what you are learning as you read.

#4 - STAY COMMITTED TO CORPORATE WORSHIP

There is something very powerful about the HABIT of church attendance. More important that any one message that you hear preached or any one experience you have in worship - is the collective impact on your soul that occurs when you develop the consistent habit of just showing up.

I think the modeling of that conviction is one of the most important things I can do for my own kids spiritually. My parents built that habit in me. It stuck with me throughout life. It revealed what was truly a priority. Worship wasn't based on schedule or convenience. It was a value that was expressed by a habit. Powerful stuff.

#5 - STRETCH YOURSELF TO STUDY

There are so many creative resources available to you to feed yourself spiritually. Read a devotional book. Download a free podcast and listen to a message. Identify a passage of Scripture that you want to understand better. Get out a notebook and research a passage for yourself. There are some great online tools at sites like Biblegateway.com or Youversion.com.

I guess that bottom line is this: If you don't take initiative and ownership over your own spiritual life this summer, you may very well drift away from God. It doesn't have to be that way. You can thrive if you do more than just survive. So I say - go for it. Make this summer one of your best summers ever.

3 Weeks of Principles to Help You Defeat Your Giant

2011-05-23T12:19:00.000-04:00

WEEK 1 - 1 Samuel 17:1-16
1. Giants are a matter of perspective.
2. Giants seem bigger when you are not following God.
3. Fear in contagious, so spend time with overcomers.
4. Giants don’t leave on their own; they must be defeated.

WEEK 2 - 1 Samuel 17:17-26
1. You are old enough to defeat a giant whenever you have learned to depend on God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. God uses unlikely heroes.
3. Deal with your giant immediately.
4. You will face your giant when you finally realize the cost of allowing it to remain.

WEEK 3 - 1 Samuel 17:27-37

1. Don’t let critics distract you from the cause.
2. Fight the right fight (fight the giant, not your critics).
3. Small battles are practice for big victories.
4. All giants, regardless of how they look to you, are the same size to God.
5. The ability to defeat giants comes from God.

Top 10 Things I Want to Say to Clarity

2011-05-09T17:20:00.000-04:00

1. I am HONORED to be the pastor of this awesome church! I count it a privilege and a sobering responsibility to lead as I follow Christ.

2. I am thrilled that YOU are a part of this. Every single one of you represents a series of miracles that have led you here for this time.

3. As we unite around Jesus Christ, His Kingdom WILL come and shake our community with God’s love in ways that we can’t even imagine right now.

4. Pray for the people God has put in your life. Family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Get to know them. LOVE them. INVITE them to Clarity to hear the good news of Jesus... that they are LOVED beyond measure and are invited into the greatest journey of all time, following Him.

5. If you have recently become a follower of Jesus, I am SO pumped about your new journey. Talk to God, read your Bible (start with John), and stay committed to attending Clarity. I encourage you to get connected with a small group and get baptized on May 22nd. Email Info@clarity.la for more info.

6. You did an absolutely amazing job with the Eggstravaganza and our first four Sunday morning gatherings at McKinley! We have connected with over 1,100 new people, tripled the average size of our gatherings, and seen at least six people decide to become followers of Jesus! THAT is worth it all.

7. As we transition into this new season of our church’s life; even though there is a lot to do, it’s not that hard if we all just do our part. We are in this for the long haul, so set your pace for a marathon, not a sprint. Learn to LOVE the work, ENJOY the journey, and have JOY in the process. Good attitudes are contagious.

8. Support your team leaders like CRAZY! Nothing strengthens a church more than when the people encourage, believe in, pray for, and have the backs of their leaders.

9. Leaders, support your teams like CRAZY! Nothing strengthens a church more than when the leaders encourage, believe in, pray for, and have the backs of their team members.

10. Think right now about the “GIANT” you want to confront and overcome during this series. Now read 2 Samuel 17:1-51 and build up your faith! I can’t wait for Sunday as we take the next step in learning to defeat Goliath! See you then.

What to Do Every Day

2011-05-06T01:03:00.000-04:00

Here’s a great principle I recently heard from John Maxwell. Every day you should wake and ask, “How can I add value to someone’s life today?” Here’s how I understand that...

To add value means to find something that you can improve or strengthen that will bless someone else. The most successful and happy people are those who make others successful and happy.

Many times, this principle is the only thing that can break you out of a rut because it will cause you to take your attention off yourself (and your problems) and seek the best for someone else.

The ultimate fulfillment of this is Jesus. Greater love has no one than he who lays down his life for a friend. Jesus did it for us. Try it now.

Eight Gifts of Hope in the Midst of a Mess

2011-04-25T00:11:00.000-04:00

Eight Gifts of Hope in the Midst of a Mess

1. Read John 20:1-2 - If you’re a great failure like Peter, or a great sinner like Mary Magdalene (the prostitute), than you’re a perfect candidate for God to use powerfully and to be in the inner circle of his followers.

2. Read John 20:3-9 - If you don’t fully understand God’s plan or what He has repeatedly told you, you are in good company, and his plan is unfolding perfectly.

3. Read John 20:10-15 - You may not recognize Jesus in the midst of your trials, but He is right in front of you, speaking to you.

4. John 20:16-18 - In the midst of your blindness, Jesus calls your name, reassures you that you are His family, and gives you a purpose.

5. Read John 20:19-20 - Jesus stands among you in the midst of your fear, shows Himself to you (and your loved ones), and gives you peace that leads to joy.

6. Read John 20:21-23 - Jesus gives you peace, gives you the Holy Spirit, and sends you on His mission with authority.

7. Read John 20:24-30 - God is not threatened by your honest feelings in the midst of trials. Even then, He will prove Himself to you.

8. Read John 20:31 - Jesus is the Christ and is the living hope. He gives you life in the midst of your mess.

Easter Sunday ReCap!

2011-04-24T19:12:00.000-04:00

We had an awesome Easter gathering this morning at Clarity! Despite an angry dude showing up and threatening to shut us down (which he can't... but we were graceful about it), we had 45 first timers (over 15 of which were kids!), and 2 first time decisions to follow Jesus. The Clarity team killed it (again) and everyone had an awesome time.

This was a huge weekend for us between the Eggstravaganza and Easter morning! We invested a lot of time, energy, and resource into it all... many months of prep. Because of this, many people took significant steps forward in the journey with God... and that makes it all worth it!

See you all this Sunday as we host Austin Andrews from this season of the Biggest Loser! Bring some friends... anyone who loves the show!

Clarity Eggstravaganza ReCap!

2011-04-23T18:21:00.002-04:00

We had a GREAT Clarity Eggstravaganza today! With 500 kids, 1,100 people, and lots of new community connections, it was a huge success! The Clarity Team (and our extra help from Bakersfield) were amazing! They successfully set up and pulled off this whole event while making everyone feel welcomed and loved! We met so many wonderful families that we look forward to getting to know!

This was a lot of time, energy, and resource well used! The school district and city staff said they have never worked with a better and more organized team... a testament to the teams quality. BE SURE to come to our Easter gathering and see the team in action again. More importantly, see the God that inspires and is the motivation for this team. Every Sunday morning at McKinley Elementary at 11 AM!

The sky diving easter bunny landing was... and I hate to use this word... EPIC! Video coming. All 25,000 eggs gone :) Thanks to everyone who came and helped out. Wow!

How wise do you work?

2011-04-18T12:49:00.000-04:00

I can work with the best of them. When I am passionate about something, there is little that can stop me from doing it. BUT, the truth is, working HARD doesn’t always mean working WISE. For instance, it’s not wise to but all your time and energy into moving in the wrong direction.

The bible puts a VERY high premium on wisdom!

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Proverbs 3:21-22

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Proverbs 4:7

...for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Proverbs 8:11

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James 1:5

Take a step back. Ask God for wisdom. Evaluate your priorities. Determine your main focus. What is your mission? What has God called you to do? What are you most passionate about? Where should you be putting your greatest time and energy?

I encourage you to ask these questions prayerfully and in light of God’s word. There is no way to truly find clarity without the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. God will renew your mind, change your motives, and set you on a course that is divine. It will not be easy. In fact, Jesus promises you will have trouble in this world, but that we can take heart, because He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Join us at Clarity Easter Sunday, April 24 to learn how to walk in peace in the midst of chaos.

A Letter from Pastor Nathan to the Clarity Community

2011-04-14T21:05:00.003-04:00

I am so pumped for this weekend’s launch into our new venue, new time, new “Clarity Kidz” programs, and new series “The Perfect Storm!” God has prepared the way for us every step so far, and He will continue to do so. This is His will, so it is His bill; meaning, He will accomplish all that He wants to! We just get to be the ones He is using!

Right now, we are preparing for the move of God. Don’t get me wrong, He is moving already, but I am talking about a GREAT harvest. We are like a farmer. He plans, plants, and waters, but cannot make a tomato grow. He is just preparing for the miracle of God to happen. But a farmer never sits on His butt and says, ok God, give me a harvest. He gets up early, busts his butt, is faithful to the process, and then waits!

Here’s an important illustration from Steven Furtick (Pastor of Elevation Church) to help us with perspective as we prepare for the move of God.

“Have you ever been dressed to the nines for a wedding and had to stop along the way at a gas station? Feels pretty silly to be dressed so nicely pumping gas. And it almost feels like you need to explain to everyone: 'I’m going to a wedding…' whether they ask or not.

But when you get to where you’re going, you’ll look great. You’ll fit right in.

Church growth is like this. It feels silly sometimes to build structures and systems that accommodate more people than you’re currently serving. But you must. In fact, my mentors have told me to structure Elevation like we have twice as many people as we currently do.”

So, we are dressing for what is to come. We are preparing for the move of God! I am so blessed to be in this with all of you and am honored to be the pastor of this awesome church!

Check out the additions and new navigation on our site. Use it as leverage to invite and create awareness online. The website is the front door of the church for people in our culture. Most importantly, PRAY and OBEY. Pursue God every day! The rest is in His hands.

See you bright and early on Sunday!

Nathan

Keys to Being a Great Fisherman

2011-03-31T20:02:00.003-04:00

Jesus did not call us to be better people, better parents, better business leaders, etc... he called us to be fishers of men. This simply means we catch people with the gospel... the love of Jesus. This is our mission. Here are a few keys learned from being a great fishermen.

1. Fishermen have to go where the fish are. This is obvious, but if someone is going to reach a certain people, they need to go where those people are.

2. Fisherman have no control over what the fish do. All Jesus tells us to do is to cast, not to catch. Only He can do the catching. Great fisherman cast and cast and cast. When great fisherman fail (which they do all the time), they don't give up and only watch fishing on TV, they keep casting!

3. Fisherman have STORIES of great loses and great catches. If you don't have any recent stories, you're not fishing. If you only have stories from five years ago, you used to be a fisherman, but you're not now. Get in the boat and fish.
4. Great fisherman have great guides. I just learned this. Fishermen rely on the guide to take them to the right place at the right time. We have the ultimate guide in Jesus. It goes best when we listen to everything He says.

Side Deals with God

2011-03-23T13:13:00.000-04:00

When it comes to being a fisher of men, many people in the church today try to cut side deals with God. They internally say things like... I will be bible boy, or missions girl, or volunteer man, or worship woman, or kids worker, but not fisher of men!

The truth is that it is impossible to reconcile being a follower of Jesus and not being a fisher of men. It's a certainty, followers fish. If you're fishing, then you're following. If you're not fishing, then you're not truly following. Yes, it may be uncomfortable being a fisher of men, but we are called to be comfortably uncomfortable. God got uncomfortable for us so that we could have eternal comfort. We must do the same for others.

Read Matthew 4:18-19 and Matthew 28:18-19.

The State of the Church

2011-03-15T01:40:00.000-04:00

The State of the Church
Acts 2:42-47

Twelve Signs of a Healthy Church.
*Borrowed from Rod Loy.

A Healthy church is…

1. Learning (vs 42)
2. Loving (vs 42)
3. Praying (vs 42)
4. Humble (vs 43)
5. Supernatural (vs 43)
6. Unified (vs 44)
7. Generous (vs 45)
8. Committed (vs 46)
9. Fun (vs 46)
10. Worshipping (vs 47)
11. Influential (vs 47)
12. The Lord added to their number daily. (vs 47)

Journaling and CAUTIONS

2011-02-28T13:30:00.002-05:00

The spontaneity and excitement of my relationship with my wife, Jessica, are wonderful and needed. BUT, we also NEED intentional time together, planned date nights, periodic tough conversations, and consistent listening to one another to stay strong. So it is with our walk with God. I know many that only have the accidental and spontaneous time with the Lord. I challenge you to keep that, but also become intentional. So with that, here is a suggested basic structure for daily journaling as a spiritual growth discipline.

Journaling

1. Date – Write it each day.

2. Read – Several verses at a time. Go through a book (James, John). Write the reference and any thoughts.

3. A.C.T.S. – Spend time on each of the following. Occasionally write it down.

A – Adoration – Adore and praise God for who He is.

C – Confession – Confess all your short-comings to God. List your sins and ask for forgiveness.

T – Thanksgiving – Thank God for all He’s given you.

S – Supplication – Ask God specifically for what you need and desire. List your requests.

4. Listen – Make sure you are listening for what God wants to say to you through this process. Spend some time just meditating on truth and listening. Occasionally write down what you think God is saying to you.

Journaling Cautions

1. Take your time. Write slowly and think.

2. Don’t have false expectations that will disappoint. Do it as a discipline to grow in a relationship with God.

3. Do not make it a religious duty that you use to earn God’s approval. You have God’s approval now, based on Jesus.

4. Use the suggested format as a basic structure to get you started, not a rule.

5. Carry your journal and Bible with you.

ONE Thing

2011-02-21T13:12:00.001-05:00

As promised, here are the powerful questions from Charles Kollar’s message this past Sunday. The context was that of a singular focus in worship. That we would be about one thing. Namely, Christ, and what He has for us. Challenge yourself with these questions and listen for what God may be speaking to you through His Word.

1. What ONE THING do you desire from God? Psalm 27:4
2. What ONE THING do you lack? Mark 10:21-22
3. What ONE THING do you need to let go of? Philippians 3:13-14
4. What ONE THING do you need to know from God? Psalm 56:9-11

Promises you can “know” from God…

Philippians 4:19 – To meet every need you have from His riches.
Ephesians 1:7- To forgive all your sins.
Hebrews 13:5- He will never leave or forsake you.
Psalm 46:1- To be your ever present help in trouble.
Isaiah 40:29- To give strength to the weary and power to the weak.
Psalm 32:8- To guide you and give you direction.
Philippians 4:7- To give you a peace that goes beyond your understanding.
James 4:7- To give you power to defeat Satan.
Romans 8:39- Nothing can separate you from His love.
Romans 8:37- You are more than conquerers.
John 10:27-28- Eternal life through Christ.

How Can I Find My Idols (Part 2 from Sunday)

2011-02-17T13:23:00.000-05:00

In this weeks message, “The Centrality of Worship,” I gave two challenges. Here is the second one…

2. Read through the “How Can I Find My Idols” questions and challenge yourself to live a life of worship unto God only… nothing less than a continuous living sacrifice for the glory of God (thanks to Mark Driscoll for the probing questions)!

Who/what are your external idols?

Who/what is my Lord that rules over my life determining how I live?
Who/what is my Judge I am living to earn the approval of?
Where do you give the firstfruits of your wealth?
Where do you give the firstruits of your time?
What people and things take the majority of your life?
What do you plan and pray for?

Who/what are your internal idols?

What false beliefs do you hold about God?
Which parts of Scripture do you deeply doubt or even disbelieve?
Deep down in your heart who/what do you love, cherish, treasure, long for the most?
Deep down in your heart who/what do you despise and hate the most?
Who/what makes you happiest? Why?
Who/what makes you saddest? Why?

Who/what is your mediator between you and God?

Who or what other than Jesus do you use to get closer to God?
Who or what if taken from your life would cause you to not walk as faithfully with God?
How do you define yourself, especially when introducing yourself to others?

Where is your functional heaven?

When daydreaming about escaping this life, what does your functional heaven look like and how is it different from the real heaven?
On earth, where do you run for your safety or comfort as your hiding place (e.g. the fridge, alcohol, the television, a person, a place, a hobby)?

Who/what is your functional savior?

What is your picture of hell in this life (e.g. being single, not having children, being poor, etc.)?
Who or what do you use to save you from what you fear (e.g. a relationship, children, money, shopping, sex, etc.)?

What good thing has become a god thing?

Which idols are in your life that when appreciated and/or stewarded correctly are means of worship but have become objects of worship (e.g. work, family, health, friendship, pleasure, leisure, hobby, etc.)?
What idols am I selling to others?

Expressions of Worship (Part 1 from Sunday)

2011-02-17T13:22:00.000-05:00

In this weeks message, “The Centrality of Worship,” I gave two challenges. Here is the first one…

1. Spend time doing the Biblical expressions of worship personally and corporately (included below). If you’d like, you can worship along with the “None But Jesus” video included on our homepage.

BIBLICAL EXPRESSIONS OF WORSHIP

Speaking
Psalm 34:1 says, “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”

Shouting
Psalm 27:6 says, “Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.”

Singing
Psalm 47:6 says, “Sing praises to God, sing praises to our King, sing praises.”

Bowing
Psalm 95:6 says, “Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”

Standing
Psalm 119:120 says, “My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.”

Dancing
Psalm 149:3 says, “Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.”

Playing Instruments
Psalm 33:2, 3 says, “Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”

Clapping
Psalm 47:1 says, “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.”

Lifting Hands
Psalm 63:4 says, “I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.”

Sitting in Silence
Lamentations 3:26-29 says, “It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust – there may yet be hope.”

Faithful in the Moment

2011-01-31T16:01:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I talked about how God has a plan for your life. This is so encouraging in theory, but it doesn’t always feel like we are in the middle of God’s plan, does it?

So, we took some cues from the life of Joseph to wrap up our Genesis series. There are not many others who have had as high of highs and as low of lows as Joseph did. And all the while, he was right in the middle of God’s plan. I’m sure Joseph, at times, wanted to curse the air, throw in the towel, and just forget God. After all, how could God allow him to be hated to the fullest by his brothers, thrown in a cistern, and sold into slavery by those who were supposed to protect him? Could this really be God’s plan?

But, we see that through all of it, God was bringing forth His plan for Joseph’s life. That plan was divine relationship and divine purpose. And it is the same for you today! God’s plan for you is to be in a relationship with Him, and to work His purpose through you. You get to walk and talk with the God of all the Universe and play a vital role in the plan of heaven for earth. Wow!

BUT, how do we deal with all the highs and lows that God will use to get us there? Well, Joseph wasfaithful in the moment. He saw each moment, dealt with the reality honestly, chose to work as unto the Lord (even when in slavery), chose to maintain his love for others (even when in prison), and chose to maintain his faith in the Lord (even with a destroyed reputation).

So, how will you handle your moment? Will you see it and be faithful in it? Will you trust him? He has a plan for your life! Below is an acronym I made that goes through the stages of Joseph’s life and also spells out FAITHFUL IN THE MOMENT. Don’t forget it!

F.avor from his dad (his dad loved him the most)

A.nger from his brothers (his brothers hated him for it and were jealous)

I.nspiration from God (God told Joseph he would rule)

T.elling the truth to his family (Joseph innocently told his loved ones)

H.ated to the fullest by his brothers (brothers hated him more, to the point of murder, lies, and selling him into slavery)

F.avor in the workplace (from slave to ruler)

U.prightness in secret (when tempted sexually)

L.ied against in public (falsely accused of an affair)

in the

M.adness – imprisoned for doing right (for the wrongful accusation)

O.pportunity in the midst of the madness (ruler of the prison he was being held in)

M.adness – forgotten for two years (forgotten again)

E.xalted over all of Egypt (made ruler of everything in Egypt)

N.o Promise unfulfilled (everything God said, happened)

T.otal Forgiveness towards his family (Joseph forgave them all and wept over them in love… probably the greatest miracle of all, the power to forgive )

The story begins in Genesis 39. Go read it!

For 2011 and Beyond - No Compromise

2011-01-05T16:05:00.004-05:00

Last year we gradually and steadily introduced our two first core values, Serve First and Missional Living. Now, after thought, prayer, and God's leading, we are focusing on a third core value, No Compromise. It is based out of a deep passion to live holy lives according to the teaching of our only plumb-line for truth, God's Word.

Check out 1 Peter 1:13-17...

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy." Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

This year, choose to have no compromise in your thoughts. Don't let ideas or fantasies that you know are lies to rule your thinking, but rather dwell on what is good, true, and excellent (according to Philippians 4:8). This year, choose to have no compromise in your actions. Don't let fear, anger, or selfishness determine what you do, but rather have a love for God and for people that leads you to actions of mission, love, and compassion.

Don't be stupid... no compromise!!!

Christmas Challenge

2010-12-20T02:40:00.001-05:00

Let the lyrics of this new song challenge you this Christmas season to stop, reflect on what God has done, and listen to him. It reveals what God is challenging us with.

THIS TIME IS YOURS

Here in this place of solitude
My day collides with your word
Here in this quiet place with you
My busy soul surrenders

This time is yours
I lay my plans down
This time is yours my Lord

Here in this place of letting go
My spirit is embracing
True joy by giving you control
Now found alive, my soul sings

Every moment, every season, sunset and sunrise
All of my waking, all of my sleeping, this is all your time
So speak to me that I may hear and know you

Kissing and Truth Telling

2010-11-29T17:12:00.000-05:00

Borrowed post from Jeff Leake. Worth sharing.

I was reading in my devotions this morning and came across this familiar verse in Proverbs 24: An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

I was meditating on several ways this is true.

1. Having someone tell you the truth is a GIFT! Living in self-delusion is both a trap and a path toward pain.

2. Hearing the truth is easier and best from those who have earned the right. We don't just let anyone kiss us on the lips. :)

3. If you truly care about someone - you can express it by telling them the complete truth. Another Proverb says- 'better is open rebuke than hidden love.'

4. As you tell them the truth make it much like a kiss and less like a punch in the face.

5. When someone cares enough to speak the truth in love - receive it like a kiss not like a punch in the face.

Maybe you need to kiss someone today?

Challenge

2010-11-03T03:02:00.000-04:00

We want to be known for what we are for, not what we are against.

Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Today , how can you practically be known for Jesus-like love?

Paul wrote, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16) Today, how can you be a conduit for the power of God to work in people’s lives unto salvation?

So the two things I want to be known for because they are what Jesus was known for... unconditional love and the power of God that leads to salvation.

Blessed?

2010-10-26T17:03:00.001-04:00

A blessing is a beneficial thing for which one is grateful... something that brings well being.

It is so sad when blessing stops with us. God does want to bless us JUST because we are his children, but how much more pleased will he be if we become like him in his goodness and want to bless others. As a father, I receive GREAT joy in pouring my love on my daughter however I can, but I can't wait until she learns to pass that love onto others around her! My desire to bless THROUGH her doesn't diminish my desire to simply bless her.

So the principle here is simple, God blesses us because he simply loves to AND so that we can bless others around us.

Don't get stuck in the tragedy of holding onto all your blessing for yourself. Learn the greater joy of giving! Give encouragement, kind words, service, energy, effort, money, resource, time, etc!

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." - Luke 6:38

Psalm 1:1-3

2010-10-22T00:53:00.000-04:00

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

Do you want to prosper in everything you work towards and see the result be GOOD things that last forever? I do!

Notice the stark DIFFERENCE in what one does that DETERMINES this outcome. These aren't trite words, but true principles from God. Do NOT mock, do NOT make your decisions according to the wisdom of this world, do NOT sin. DO delight in God's word... ALL DAY.

Top Seven Expectations #7

2010-10-14T17:36:00.000-04:00

A GOOD Report.

Over two years of faith, risk, and miracles culminated this past Sunday evening with a GREAT Clarity launch! We were absolutely honored to have all the supporters, first-timers, and people clearly seeing and knowing God! A highlight for me was to have several guitar/piano students, their families, a neighbor, and a new friend come! Several members from the Clarity team also had new friends come and support the launch! There were over ninety people there total! We carefully navigated having big faith and realistic expectations... and therefore have successfully moved through this “first step” with excitement and momentum.

Jessica and the band totally killed it... especially with their rendition of the classic hymn, “The Love of God.” The Clarity team was AMAZING and pulled off the whole gathering without a glitch. The message came through LOUD and CLEAR... that the solution is here and it’s the Gospel! Many things have been said about Jesus, but the truth about Jesus changes everything.

We were honored to have our SoCal District Church Planting Director there to do a ceremonial check presentation and offer very kind words of support. Steve and the District have been an INCREDIBLE encouragement and help from the very beginning.

As people left the theater, in an effort to demonstrate our value to “Serve First,” we gave away $100‘s in envelopes for people to “surprise bless” someone with this week. It’s not about us getting, but GIVING.

This launch was certainly a “first step” to be REMEMBERED and CELEBRATED in the years to come in the life of Clarity! Thank you for all your support and prayer.

Top Seven Expectations #6

2010-10-10T13:56:00.000-04:00

Not OUR Plans, GOD"S Plans!

We call this Missional Living... In ALL things we have the JOY of partnering with God on HIS mission, exchanging our fleeting plans for His eternal plans. This is a "wake up every morning and decide to live like this" kind of thing. If we are obsessed with our plans, then we will completely miss God's. It is interesting to note that in the Gospels, almost all the ministry Jesus did came out of interruptions to His daily schedule. So if we are followers of Jesus... you get the idea.

I like to say it like this... my plans will NOT stand, but the plans of the Lord WILL stand forever and ever and ever and ever and ever! It is my pure joy and privilege to partner with Him! Wow, how amazing is that!

It is important to note that the essence God's mission is to reveal Himself to mankind and have a loving RELATIONSHIP with them. All of Scripture, all of creation, and even all of our earthly relationships are part of how God is revealing Himself to us! He calls us His children, His friends, and even His bride. All these comparisons reveal another level of how He sees us AND how He desires us to see Him! That's why our vision is that people would clearly SEE and KNOW God!

Our expectation is that we have the joy of daily laying down our fleeting plans in exchange for His eternal plans! Let's do that today! Forget your lists for a minute, forget your entertainment for a minute, and decide to clearly reflect God in the life of someone you rub shoulders with everyday!

Top Seven Expectations #5

2010-10-09T10:33:00.000-04:00

We Will Serve First.

The first core value that we have held to as Clarity is “Serve First.” The idea is so simple, yet sadly it often alludes us.

I have come to learn that the BEST thing I can do to lead this church community and serve our city is to first truly serve my wife, my daughter, and those I rub shoulders with everyday. It ALL begins in the home, with those closest to us. Tragically, they often become the ones that get the brunt of our anger, dissatisfaction, and selfishness. I want to turn that trend UPSIDE-DOWN and see our homes as the birth place for life and transformation. This emphasis has renewed my family, relationships, work and calling.

It is critical for Clarity, at the very CORE of it’s identity, to have the expectation and posture of service. A friend of mine said this... “Our prayer should not be for God to give us the city, but rather for God to give us TO the city.”

One of the ways we corporately remember our posture of service is to dedicate the first Sunday of every month as a day to “Serve First.” THIS Sunday, 10/10/10, is our launch, and though it’s actually the second Sunday, we will be remembering to serve first in a unique way that enables EVERY person present to take part. Come to find out! It’s gonna be awesome.

PS, here’s who we take our cues from...

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” -Matthew 20:26-28

Top Seven Expectations #4

2010-10-08T11:43:00.000-04:00

Not Numbers Centered, but Vision Centered.

Our goal is not to get a certain NUMBER of people into our theater, it is the fulfillment of our VISION! If the goal was a number, I could have a pastor friend of mine fly 150 people in from his church of 3,000 in Arkansas and fill all our seats. Would that make the launch a success, NO! Our vision is that people would clearly see and know God. So, if ten people come and begin the process of clearly seeing and knowing God, SUCCESS! If one person comes and begins that process, SUCCESS! If no one comes, but people are beginning that process through our relationships in the community, SUCCESS!

Our role in the fulfillment of this vision is VERY simple... be WITH God, TRUST Him, and OBEY Him. The results are in HIS hands. We are here to plant and we CANNOT force-produce fruit. As a friend of mine says, the fruit is none of your business!

Focus on our vision today. Take steps forward in its fulfillment through being WITH God, spending time in HIS Word, building true friendships with the people HE loves, and living to clearly reflect HIM in the lives of the people you rub shoulders with everyday!

Top Seven Expectations #3

2010-10-07T10:34:00.001-04:00

The Gospel is Central.

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power."
1 Corinthians 4:20

There is NO doubt whatsoever, the central message we need to hear is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel simply means good news. It proclaims that, yes, you have run from God, yes, you have ignored His presence, yes, you have missed His plan, yes, you have hurt other people, yes, you have hurt yourself, and yes, you have hurt God, BUT, God love's you unconditionally and has decided to take the blame for you and give you a brand new beginning. All of your punishment was taken on the cross, where Jesus died and rose again. You simply must put your faith in Jesus and follow Him! Not just that, but in this new beginning, He will sustain you in all things and continue to offer you grace and mercy as you grow in love. This is the GREAT transaction of the soul between us and God, and it takes POWER. From death to life... this works!

The only marketing strategy Jesus ever used was the power of God. The only demand that Jesus ever met in people was for what they needed, transformation.

As Clarity, lets remember that the Gospel is at the CENTER of all we do. We have no power to do anything, but the Gospel is the power of God and changes EVERYTHING.

Today, lets fast for at least one meal and take that extra time to pray for the Gospel to permeate our lives and to powerfully work through us. We can certainly expect ONE thing and be defined by ONE thing, the Gospel, the power of God for salvation.

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God... Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-24

Top Seven Expectations #2

2010-10-06T13:08:00.000-04:00

It’s a Party!

This Sunday night we will CELEBRATE all that God has done and all that He is going to do! I was recently reflecting on the vision God gave us for Clarity back in the fall of 2008, and it was AMAZING to realize that through all the challenges and difficulties, it was coming to fruition exactly how God said it would!

It has always been about clearly reflecting God so that people would clearly see and know Him. In a city like Santa Monica, we would be influencing the influencers and effecting our culture. The method has always been to simply make new friends. Trusting relationships and friendships are what mattered to us from the beginning.

God UNDOUBTEDLY led us here, MIRACULOUSLY paved the way as we took steps of faith, and GRACIOUSLY put inside of us everything we need to accomplish this. This calls for a party. There are thousands of people across the nation supporting Clarity, incredible new people joining Clarity, and now hundreds of people in Santa Monica and the west side of LA being influenced by Clarity (and that means influenced by the powerful love of God)! This will grow!

This Sunday night is not a push for something new to happen. It is a celebration if what IS happening and a declaration of what WILL be happening. There are NO limitations to what God can do! I believe the impossible will happen as we pray… and Santa Monica and LA will full of life through Jesus and have faith in God, hope in His promises, and love for Him and each other!

“I AM ALWAYS excited about the church, a group assembling together to focus on Christ, DANG, THAT could change the world!”

Top Seven Expectations #1

2010-10-05T17:33:00.006-04:00

Not One Year, But Ten Years

"We often overestimate what we can do in one year and underestimate what we can do in ten years."

The beautiful thing about a church plant is that it's a light that moves into a city and stays there. It is so important for us to recognize and expect this to be a process that does not happen in a day, but day by day. Development and effectiveness come from making good decisions over and over again... being faithful in the moment with the understanding that they have long lasting, even eternal impact.

True relationships, trust, and influence are what we need to be effective, and they ONLY come in time. Let's make it the habit of our lives to live missionally, daily exchanging our fleeting plans for His eternal plans. OUR DAILY OBEDIENCE WILL LEAD TO TWO AMAZING THINGS... LIFE TO THE FULLEST TODAY AND FRUITFULNESS TO THE FULLEST TOMORROW.

If you have the expectation that Clarity will be fully formed and functioning as of this Sunday night, I have bad news for you... this is just one of our first baby steps, and babies aren't the best walkers. But they do have room to grow strong and healthy over the rest of their lives. Let's focus on growing strong and healthy so we can sustain what God wants to do through the life of Clarity.

Take root below and bear fruit above. Isaiah 37:31

"Programs start big and end small. Movements start small and end big."

Jesus focused on twelve and they forever transformed this world. We feel their impact today. In fact, we are their impact today. Lets throw off the false expectations and comparisons that only end in pride or discouragement, and lets live to clearly reflect God in the lives of those we rub shoulders with every day.

Expectations

2010-09-23T23:19:00.002-04:00

We are now two and a half weeks away from our official launch into public gatherings happening every Sunday evening at Magicopolis! God has done amazing things, the team is pumped, and expectations are high... as they should be.

But the expectation is not that OUR dreams would be fulfilled, rather, that God's dream would be fulfilled. All we can do is abide with Him, listen for Him, obey what He says, and trust Him with the results. Our SOLID expectation is that the plans of the Lord will stand forever. He is in perfect control and, knowing our weaknesses and faults, He still chooses to do amazing things. Why? Because He simply loves us unconditionally. He loves YOU unconditionally. Wherever you find yourself right now, His love beckons you to come and know Him.

Our expectation and assurance is that God is working to reach people far from Him with love. The Gospel is simple... we mess up awfully, but God, through Jesus... wants us, pursues us, saves us, and restores us. That is His dream.

Getting Ideas to Flow

2010-09-09T15:04:00.001-04:00

A good post from Leading Blog.

Charles Landry is the founder of Comedia, and works to help cities to be more "creative for the world" so that the energies of individuals and companies can be brought into alignment with their global responsibilities. He recently told Sally Helgesen that his experience has taught him that “the single biggest problem in the world is not finding great ideas but getting great ideas to move, to flow.”

Getting stuck is an issue we face both individually and organizationally. At its core, it’s a thinking problem and is often self-inflicted. Creating the right kind of movement and in the right direction begins with re-thinking our view of reality. If we keep applying the same patterns of thinking even after they have been shown to be counterproductive we skew our perception of even everyday life situations and block the flow of growth, ideas and influence. Here are some common areas we need to rethink to get ideas to flow:

Re-think complexity. We create complexity by over-analyzing our situation; creating issues where there are none; forgetting our purpose. Complexity obscures the issues. Keep the issues as uncluttered as possible. Often an outsider can see the situation and the real issues more clearly than you can. Try asking, “Am I making this a bigger problem than it is because of fear, insecurity or lack of knowledge?” “Is this really a problem to be solved or a tension to be managed?” Stick to what needs to be addressed. Complexity can lead to procrastination.

Re-think systems. Trying to create a new vision without addressing old systems is at best counterproductive. Tenaciously grasping the old ways of doing things just because that is what you have always done, can stop the flow of ideas and innovative solutions and lead to hopelessness. If you are experiencing a chronic lack of movement, a resistance to change or lack of compliance to your “really good idea,” you probably have a system in place that discourages the very behavior you seek. A system should reward the behavior you want. What systems are getting in your way?

Re-think ego. Our ego frequently keeps us from exploring new ideas. We get so invested in what we have done that we can’t get out of our own way. We keep retrying to work the old and deceive ourselves into thinking we’re making progress when all we are doing is rearranging the deck chairs on a sinking ship. Sometime we need to set aside our ego and simply abandon what isn’t working and start over with a better design.

Re-think boundaries. Think bigger. Think interdisciplinary. Growth often involves blurring boundaries to open your mind to new possibilities. What principles outside of your world of experience could expand the possibilities for your idea?

Re-think reactions. Repetitive reactions are the result of ingrained patterns of thinking that we have hard-wired into our brains long ago. Take the time to reflect on why you think the way you do; why you do what you do. Default patterns of thinking lead to more of the same. Ask yourself, “Is this working for me?” Think about the unspoken.

Re-think failure. If you’re afraid of being wrong, embarrassed by failure or paralyzed by insecurity, you will never find the solutions that lead to meaningful growth. Failure provides the nutrients for growth when we respond to them positively. Keep failure in perspective, it’s a regular part of life. You can’t avoid them so learn to work with them. Failures help you to raise the bar and reorient your thinking to possibilities and new ways of thinking.

Re-think success. Know what success looks like. How will you know when you have arrived? Muddy expectations lead to exhaustion and defeat before you even get started. Praise short-term accomplishments to appeal to your heart and not just your head. It will keep your ideas moving along.

Barney and the Holy Spirit

2010-09-06T04:56:00.000-04:00

My daughter's been watching Barney lately. They begin each show with a wonderful introduction of their imaginary friend, Barney.

Sadly, I think that many Christians today think of the Holy Spirit a lot like Barney. He's nice, but not very real or having much affect in my daily life. How about you? Are you walking in the reality of the Holy Spirit? Can you point to your time in fellowship with Him or to the times He is acting through you? Here's a good litmus test...

The Holy Spirit is here to empower and continue the work of Jesus on the earth. Jesus came to earth as a missionary to preach the Kingdom is near, to seek and save the lost, to die as a ransom for many, and to conquer death. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is a missionary spirit. If you are not walking as a missionary, you are not walking with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said it is best for us that He leave, so the Holy Spirit would come. "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7

The Holy Spirit is our Helper, our Comforter, our Power, our Counselor, and our Advocate! Learn to take great joy in partnering with Him in His mission. Exchange your fleeting plans for His eternal plans.

What Can You Do?

2010-08-26T18:18:00.003-04:00

Just as much as it was God's work to create, it is His work to maintain. As little as man could create himself, is he left to provide for himself. - Andrew Murray

Our heart is the scene of a divine operation more wonderful than creation. We can do as little toward the work as to creating the world. - Andrew Murray

I still remember one of the first sermons I ever preached. I was a freshman in Bible college, had the chance to speak to my class, and the opening line I came up with was...

"What can you do to move forward on this journey with God... nothing."

This statement can seem contrary to much of our preaching which encourages people to take very practical steps forward. But, in actuality, the most practical thing we can do is to simply place ourselves in the place where God can work in us. We have nothing to do with the actual work... it is divine. We simply give him access to our lives, and He works miracles.

This process can be likened to setting a sail to catch the wind. There is nothing we can do to produce the wind, but we must simply be ready for when it comes.

So set the sail and get ready for the wind to take you beyond what you could ask or imagine. Make it a daily habit to sit before the Lord, giving Him access to work in your heart. The wind is His.

The Church Jesus Started

2010-08-08T14:52:00.007-04:00

Guest Blogger- Pete Hise

This is great. Enjoy...

"The Bible tells us that the Church is the Bride of Christ. She was dreamed up by God Himself and she is magnetic, powerful, compelling, loving, contagious, compassionate and embracing…a place where people stand in lines to get in…a community where people sing at the top of their lungs in praise to God…and a place of healing where marriages are thriving and families soaring. The Church Jesus started is a place where God’s presence is so rich and His power so clear that people are begging to be drawn in.

All over the book of Acts, we see common, ordinary people who’d been with Jesus or heard the message of His love and redemption and couldn’t help but spreadthe Good News. Acts 13:49 says the Gospel spread like wildfire.

The Roman Empire tried to shut it down, but it didn’t work. For 2,000 years the sword couldn’t win out over love, weapons and hate couldn’t overcome the cross. Nothing can separate us from His love and nothing will stop His pursuit.

That is the beauty of the church. That’s what Jesus left in our care…the relentless pursuit of a God who will not give up on His kids…the lives of ordinary people so changed by His love that it spills out like grace poured out at the cross…the power of His Spirit that death itself cannot stop…and the compelling truth of His message that brings hope, forgiveness and grace to all who will receive it.

People…that’s the message of hope we’re called to bring, that’s the Church we’re called to lead and that’s the community of faith Jesus is calling us to BE. The momentary troubles we face now are NOTHING in light of His strength and power. Light the beacon of hope for those around you…they’re dying to see Him through you."

The Non Negotiable Goal

2010-08-04T16:28:00.007-04:00

If your non negotiable goal in life is success in the eyes of everyone, you are guaranteed to fail. If your non negotiable goal in life is to to walk with God with integrity and character, you are guaranteed to succeed.

Now when I say "guaranteed to succeed," I don't mean that others will necessarily deem you successful. Remember, to this day, the most successful and significant person to ever walk the earth is/was Jesus... and to this day, many see Him as a failure.

It all comes down to the fact that God determines the end, not us. We can only determine the effort AND that the effort is directed toward the proper goal.

When the Lakers were playing the Celtics in the Championship game, I'm sure Kobe wanted to win with all his heart. But there was no way he could MAKE that happen. He was dependent on his team and also had the Celtics opposing his every move.

So, realize that you can ONLY control your effort and where it is pointed. You cannot control the end.

So put all effort into the non negotiable goal, knowing and being faithful to God, and God will determine the end to be what He deems successful.

The Pseudo Jesus Caution

2010-07-11T13:03:00.003-04:00

I was recently reading an excerpt from Darrell Johnson’s book, “Handling the Trauma of Holiness,” and was struck by his description of the two “laws of the soul” that fight against knowing God as He really is.

Law #1- We tend to form our OWN conceptions of God, creating a god who is the projection of the God we wish existed.

Law #2- We often suppress God’s revelation of himself because what he reveals is too much for us to handle… so we ignore or repress it.

The combination of these two human tendencies is a potent recipe for belief in a pseudo Jesus. Without an intentional aligning of our thoughts, actions, and decisions to the plumb-line of God according to the Bible, we will always drift into delusions… at least, I know I will. This will happen because, in our natural state, we will always justify what we are doing and where we are.

CAUTION: This should not cause us to freak out over whether or not we have our faith in the “true Jesus…” but, rather, it SHOULD cause us to consistently look honestly at our lives and adjust it.

The practical steps to counter this problem are… 1. Stay connected with other followers of Jesus (the Church) for accountability. 2. Stay connected in your relationship with God through prayer, Bible study, and daily obedience. 3. Become an apprentice under someone you trust to be an honest and mature follower of Christ, and give them permission to speak into your life.

God is so holy (meaning other than), so pure, so powerful,so loving, and so gracious, that it shakes us to the core when faced with a glimpse of him. According to Johnson, if we truly know God as he is, there are three things that will characterize our response to him… awe before the Wholly Other, shame before the Absolutely Pure, and joyful gratitude before the Merciful One.

Serve First

2010-06-24T14:03:00.005-04:00

The Idea

It is critical that our walk matches our talk, or else we disqualify the message. At Clarity, we hope to introduce our core values one at a time, as we learn to live them out. The first value we will introduce is “Serve First.”

Jesus came as a servant to all, and thus demonstrated what it is to know and follow God. Our desire is to clearly reflect Jesus, the ultimate servant.

The Story

I, Nathan, have come to learn that the best thing I can do to lead this church community and serve our city is to first truly serve my wife and daughter. It all begins in the home, with those closest to us. Tragically, they often become the ones that get the brunt of our anger, dissatisfaction, and selfishness. I want to turn that trend upside-down and see our homes as the birth place for life and city transformation. This emphasis has renewed my family, relationships, work and calling. I encourage you to follow in these ways.

Practically

Do not keep score, defend your rights, or become enraged when you feel wronged. Rather, become the servant of your family, your husband, your wife, your friends, your co-workers, and even your enemies. Go out of your way to find an unexpected way to serve everyday, and watch the atmosphere around you be transformed. Ask God to help you with this, He will.

We will be living this, teaching this, and holding each other accountable to this. Our first gathering of every month will have an emphasis on serving first. We will give, volunteer time, and pray.

The first organizations we are partnering with are Charity Water out of NYC and OPCC in Santa Monica. To get involved, join us on a Sunday night and/or contact us.

Backing it Up

Top TWO Fathers Day List

2010-06-20T15:40:00.001-04:00

There are MANY things I have learned through becoming a Father, but for me, there are two that really stand out…

First, it is my absolute joy and pleasure to lay down my life and everything I have for my daughter. The moment I saw her, I realized that I would want to give her any and everything she needs or wants… unconditional love, time, food, clothes, shelter, smiles, toys, laughs, tenderness, adventure, hope, discipline, grace, joy, education, cars, money, my possessions, whatever. When it came to life, I was no longer in it for me, but for her.

Second, based upon the truth that we are made in the image of God and given our earthly relationships to better understand God, I realized that He (God) MUST feel ALL these things towards His children… you and I. This revolutionary love was revealed to me even deeper, and I was changed. I could better walk in relationship with my heavenly Father and I could better offer grace to Hs other children… all those around me.

Happy Fathers Day to all you Dads and to our Father up in heaven…

What do Kobe and the Church Have in Common?

2010-06-19T22:37:00.002-04:00

On a recent NBA Sports Center broadcast, Charles Barkley commented that the Lakers would win the NBA Championship because Kobe Bryant is unstoppable. Then Barkley paused for a moment and said, that is, as long as Kobe doesn’t stop Kobe.

Likewise, the Bible teaches us that the church of Jesus Christ is absolutely unstoppable. It is offensive not defensive, it is progressing not declining, it is defeating not being defeated, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. If this is all true, which it is, then what is the one thing that can stop the church from progressing?… Well, the church can stop the church. If we choose to live in disbelief, condemnation, unholiness, and lukewarmness, then we stop ourselves.

Become unstoppable by believing and choosing to obey all that God has promised in His Word!

What it Takes

2010-06-08T01:53:00.003-04:00

This is the commitment we are calling our team to... based on Bible. It will build a strong foundation.

As a part of the Clarity launch team, I commit...

TO PRAY

Love God, love people, and reflect those priorities in prayer. (Matthew 22:36-40 / Jeremiah 33:3 / 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 / Matthew 7:7-8 / Philippians 4:6)

TO PARTICIPATE

Be active in the Clarity vision and consistently attend, serve at, and invite people to Clarity functions. (Matthew 28:18-19 / Acts 2:42 / Hebrews 10:25 / Matthew 20:26 / Philippians 2:1-3 / Galatians 6:2)

TO GIVE

Love God, love people, and reflect those priorities in your giving. Specifically, tithe, and obey God regarding what you will keep for yourself. (Matthew 22:36-40 / Malachi 3:10-12 / Proverbs 3:9-10 / Matthew 6:21 / Luke 6:38 / 2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

TO STRETCH

Be flexible in strategy, un-offendable in relationships, willing to learn, willing to grow, and a servant of the greater good. (Mark 6:2-4 / Proverbs 18:12 / Philippians 2:1-3 / Matthew 18:1-4 / Matthew 20:26 / James 4:6)

Where Does It Come From?

2010-05-29T03:14:00.003-04:00

This is a post I recently read from Jeff Leake. I thought it was worth sharing...

During my message this weekend, I am going to talk about 'living out of your spirit' and not just out of your mind. For instance, effective prayer is birthed not just out of your mind but out of your spirit. Just for my personal study, I looked up the many New Testament references on living out of our 'spiritual center.'

Why is this important? So often we are living out of our own mind. We are trying to figure out how to make life work through human effort. Our dependence shifts to our own strength. We lean upon our own futile fleshly efforts.

The Christian life was never intended to be a mental exercise, nor was designed to flow out of the strength of our own effort or self-determination. God has created us to be spiritual beings. He is Spirit. He interacts with us on a Spirit to spirit basis. Consider this Biblical perspective:

WORSHIP FLOWS OUT OF YOUR SPIRIT
And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior... Luke 1:45-47
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4:24
GOD'S WORK IS BIRTHED IN YOUR SPIRIT
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit. John 6:63
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.and they are life. John 7:38-39
PRAYER ORIGINATES OUT OF YOUR SPIRIT (the Holy Spirit partners with your spirit)
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. Romans 8:26
I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 1 Corinthians 14:15
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Jude 1:20
AN EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS LIVED OUT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Galatians 3:3
And because you belong to him, the powerof the life-giving Spirit has freed youfrom the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:2

The challenge I am feeling is to live out of the Spirit more and more. This is especially necessary when the we are feeling weak or inadequate. We can either try harder or trust more. Lord, help me live out of my spirit today.

EMBRACE the Squiggle

2010-05-12T12:19:00.002-04:00

A great new phrase I recently heard... "Embrace the Squiggle."

If you are desiring that your life goes from point A (where you are now) to point B (your final destination) in a perfectly straight line, then you are in for a lot of let downs. There is no such thing as a perfectly straight trajectory. The truth is, it will be one massive squiggle. You may go up, then down, then left, then right, then a few loops, then a quick stop, then a fast start, then some shaking, etc. But after all is said and done, you WILL reach the final destination. The key is to "embrace the squiggle" along the way! Trust that God is working in, through, and far above all the messiness of your life. Don't worry about trying to straighten out the squiggle, embrace it. I've heard it said, we need to get comfortable in the midst conflict.

We are commanded in the Scripture not to worry, which is negative meditation. We are also commanded to meditate on GOOD, NOBLE, and ADMIRABLE things ONLY (Philippians 4:6-8)!

Do it today!

Clarity's Only MAMA

2010-05-09T13:05:00.003-04:00

This is a special blog shout out to the best new mother on the entire planet... my babe, my sweetheart, my darling, my bride, Jessica McKenzie Kollar. She moved across the country, left her family, left her home, moved to an office floor, and made it all GREAT... all while having a 5 month old first baby! Now she makes a wonderful nursery and play area in our bedroom all day every day for our beautiful nine month old Novi to thrive. She does this all while also keeping me in line day in and day out (a tough job for sure). She is a pillar. She is full of love and selflessness.

Thank you Jessica!!! You are AMAZING... and we recognize that!