Life All-In With God

Yesterday was the last message of our Soul Revolution series. I missed the week before due to traveling, but you and I can both listen to it, as well as yesterday's message, here. Below are my notes from yesterday.


Soul Revolution Week 8 (so there were only 8 weeks after all)

December 11th: 60th day of the 60-60 experiment

How does an experiment like this end? God's desire is that it won't.

It's a matter of acquiring a new habit of thought. - Frank Laubach

We need to establish our own God reminders: in the car, bathroom mirror, cell phone, keys, fridge, laptop, etc.

Philippians 1:6 "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it on the day of Christ Jesus.
>He: God is in charge and in control
>who began: we are a work in progress; change to our hearts comes slow
>a good work: all that God does is good; Habakkuk 3:2
>in you: he has plans of good specifically for you
>will be faithful to complete it: God will not give up on us
>on the day of Christ Jesus: God's work in us will be completed only when Christ returns.
~Our gain did not begin the day we were born and will not end the day we die.

Therefore, we should not give up on our attempts to draw closer to God.

God's focus is not on good starts, but on complete games.


I really enjoyed the reminder that just because the experiment is almost over, does not mean we ought to revert to our old way of living where we think about God maybe once per day. I like that Jeff acknowledged that we may need to use something other than beeps and alarms to continue to cultivate this mindset. I have found that as the weeks continue, there are multiple times per day when I don't hear my watch beep. Obviously, I am becoming used to it and it's effectiveness is waning. I thought about other things I might do to remember to focus on God. Perhaps put a banner on my cell phone reminding me that God is with me - something to see whenever I look at my phone. Perhaps put a note in the car prompting me to pray each time I head out to somewhere. There are many things that can be done that will prevent me from a pray once and done mentality. I know that it is hard, but most worthwhile things are challenging. Habits are developed through repetition. If this is something that I really want, I have to be willing to put in the necessary work.

What about you? How do you remember to draw near to God?

The Psalms: Week Three

This past Sunday, Jeff's message was on Psalm 19:1-6. You can listen to it here.

Elohim = God of all creation

We are sitting on a ball suspended in midair rotating at 1,000 miles per hour, rotating around a ball of fire 1.6 million times larger than us at a speed of 67,000 miles per hour and don't really think about it. We don't even feel the affects of the speed of rotation, unlike when we ride the teacups at Disney World (or the Batman roller coaster at Six Flags for the more adventurous type).

God's done all of this and we don't give him the honor and glory he deserves. We take all we see for granted and don't even notice God in his creation. We even fall asleep talking to him sometimes.

"Worship is the intentional turning of the mind to God and ascribing to God all of the greatness and goodness and glory that belongs to him." -Dallas Willard

You can worship anywhere at anytime with anyone. It is all about focusing the mind/noticing.

Mindlessness keeps us from noticing/tuning in to God. "Stop and smell the roses" is a well-known saying. Think about the simplicity of the statement. A rose is something you have to intentionally focus on in order to fully appreciate and enjoy it. You may glance at a rose and notice it's color. But to get the full sense of the rose you have to get close to it, put your nose up to the bloom, and breathe in its fragrance. Without consciously engaging the senses, you cannot truly experience a rose.

When we give of ourselves and our resources we are worshiping God.

When was the last time in following God that you felt a sense of wonder or amazement?

Intentionally turn your mind to God. Tuning in to God and worshiping eliminates despair (worries and stress).

Habakkuk 3:17-18 "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."
(Sounds kind of like our vegetable garden this year...) Remembering who God is minimizes our issues and their hold on us.


This was such a powerful and convicting message. Especially the description of our planet and its movements. I really don't ever think about what is happening to sustain life on earth. I don't think about how, if gravity was just a little more or less we wouldn't exist, or if the earth's axis tilted just a little more one way or the other there'd be no life, or if we were a little closer or farther from the sun it'd be too hot or cold for life, and all of the infinitesimal differences that would have prohibited life on our planet. When I do stop to consider these things, it blows my mind. For more scientific data, please read The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel. It was an amazing read, but my mind cannot hold all of the actual numbers and research. I really appreciated the reminder.

I do love the beauty of creation. I am definitely guilty of not noticing it more often than not. And the fact that God created it in spite of my obliviousness or neglect of noticing is incredible. A side note: yesterday I was looking at the celosia I planted around our tree. They were looking wilted because it hadn't rained and I hadn't watered them (I'm a bad gardener). It was especially noticeable because the flowers are colorful spikes that were sort of hunched over. Last night it rained and this morning they were all pointed straight up again. It was as if they were praising God for his provision. I could stand to be more like my flowers. My application for the week is to notice God's creation and give him the praise he deserves.