Finally!

So here I am. 2 unfinished blogs, one week no food, and 1 amazing night at church, and here I am. Honestly I have been struggling trying to find what topic to write about. It didn't really hit me until tonight.

So 2 unfinished blogs. Yeah I am pretty good about the consistency of writing in my blogs. But lately I haven't had the words to finish them. I started with Authenticity because that's what I was learning from my pastor. Then, I started writing about building community, because that is what's been on my heart. Although both are great topics and both are meaningful, I just couldn't find the means to finish them. Maybe that's a blog for a later time. Many of you know that I have been on a fast for a week (thank goodness it's finished). I know that the left hand isn't supposed to know what the right is doing, but I must bear witness to what I've been through. So my "fast" consisted of no solid food, just water, a coffee here and there as well as a protein shake (limited to about 3 a day). I realized that when a person fasts, it more of a mental struggle more than a physical one. Granted, the growling stomach and frequent dizzy spells might contradict my case, but as soon as I figured that I wasn't in "need" of what I'm so used to taking advantage of, I was ok. Let me tell you, I saw the world in a whole new light. The whole reason for my fast was multi-level. First and most important reason was to build a better relationship with GOD. The other reason was because there were so many things on my mind at the time and I wanted to lift them up to GOD. Day 1 wasn't so bad, kinda hungry but it was tolerable. Day 2-3 was a little more difficult. By the last day, I was fine again. I trusted that GOD would take care of me, and he did. I never though I could've lasted 1 week with no real food in my stomach and not be cranky. But GOD was walking there beside me helping me with every step and everyday. I thank HIM, I also thank Chris for his words of encouragement. There was a day that I doubted why I was doing the fast, but Chris brought me back to realize why.

So you're probably asking what happened at church monday that could've sparked a blog that I could actually finish. Well…. The message tonight was about "American Consumer Christians". To dwell in this a little deeper, an American Consumer Christian is a term that was used to describe the believers that are more into what the church looks like, than why we even go to church in the first place. It makes me wonder, do we have it too good? I've been thinking, how would it be without the perfect worship band, comfy chairs, announcement videos and flavored coffee? Would I still go to hear the word of GOD? Would I still look forward to church? I was reading "Jim and Casper Go to Church" (an amazing book by the way) and in one chapter;Casper (the atheist) made a comment about one of the megachurches. He said that the worship was a little too manicured and staged rather than a true worship, and that people were missing out on the reason for worship. You know what? I'm guilty of that too. How do I describe my church? "Wow! You need to come to my church! It was some amazing worship, silly announcement videos, quirky people and hey you also have some great coffee!" I don't have anything wrong with all this, but what happened to the GOD Spirit in the building? What happened to the church changing my life and the lives of others? Am I missing the point? I know I know I really don't have a problem with having all those things, and I understand that it lends for more people to "check it out". But what if we were to spread the Good News with such excitement and vibrancy where it becomes contagious? What if we would spread the love by doing, not by singing? Wouldn't you think people would want to "check it out then"? Don't you think people would be drawn to that excitement?

Dear children let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. John3:18

"He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" Mark 16:15

So as you have all been reading in some of my past entries, GOD has wanted me to get into leadership within the church, and you all know that I have been wrestling him on that topic. I have decided to trust him and start a "home-church", which is similar to a small group. Here is how HE's telling me to make it different. There will be no chairs, probably no flavored coffee, and no amazing worship band (although we will have some sort of worship). What we will have is community, accountability, fellowship, a sense of ownership and belonging as well as some serious GOD presence! I want to take the "American Consumer Christian" mindset out of the picture. I want to make it about GOD, and about people. Will people show up? I don't know. Will those who do show up experience GOD and walk away with something? I trust GOD will make his presence known. I don't know if this came to mind when I was fasting or when I was listening to Scott preach at Revo last Monday, but I always wanted a small group that also was a simplified to the core, but made a huge impact within the community. I don't know, maybe that's what I'm supposed to bring to this "Table"…..Well for now, I'll wrestle and wait.

"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace." Matt 6:6

Obedience

Salutations all!! I hope everyone is doing well. I just wanted to inform everyone how GOD has been shaking up my world. For the past couple of weeks, I have been wondering, “What’s God’s purpose for me?” I have been wrestling with a lot of ideas. One main suggestion that keeps coming up is “why don’t you become a pastor??” Well there are plenty of reasons why. The main reason would be that I am not well versed to be able to teach effectively. Maybe that’s just me rejecting the idea that I can actually bring insight to people. That just creeps me out. I thought that I would be done with culinary school, working for a 5 star restaurant and possibly thinking of opening my own. Come to think of it, nothing I have planned has come into fruition. Maybe that’s GOD saying, “Look Jeff, you think that you have everything together, but you can’t do anything without ME.” I think that I have “lived” life so long trying to be in control of everything, when in reality, I have control of nothing.

So recently, I have come to the fact that everything is planned. Everything happens for a reason. My brother and I were talking a couple of nights ago, and he was saying that if he could change something about his life, he would change not finishing school. Of course our conversation came after my revelation. So my response to him was in the likes of: “Because you didn’t finish college, you work harder; you have a stronger sense of work ethics, maybe it was supposed to happen that way.” I still would never imagine someone coming up to me saying that I needed to get into the ministry. I still can’t fathom it. All I can do is accept whatever calling GOD is giving me.

Last night at Revolution (www.revolution813.com) Chris Elrod a pastor from Lakeland (www.chriselrod.com) came in to speak. His message really hit home for me. He spoke about a man named Phillip and his obedience to GOD. The Scripture states: “God's angel spoke to Philip: "At noon today I want you to walk over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza." He got up and went.”- Acts 8:26. Why do we have such a hard time being this obedient? Hey I am the last person to say that I have been nothing but….it’s quite the reverse as you can already tell. God told Moses to go, and he went. God told Noah to build and he built. I think God is telling us to move. God is telling us to not be stale and lukewarm, but to make a difference.

“I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, 'I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone,' oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.” Revelation 3:15-17

So here is what I am deciding. First let me tell you how excited I am to be a part of this! Well, I should probably say this is a two part involvement in ministry. First, God gave me the idea of starting an “in-group”. In-group?? What is that??? Well I’m glad you asked! An in-group, for those who don’t know, is an interest group designed for fellowship and possibly for other splendid things…..no, not dating… but more so that these groups might open a different perspective about who Christians are. So my in-group’s central theme is food…Duh right?? Instead of a gym in-group, I chose an eating in-group! Funny huh? I get off track… So, I met with my pastor to discuss some ideas for the group, and he mentioned that he wanted me to be a part of the leadership group for his new church. I was floored!! It felt that God smacked me in the face and told me to get with it. I kept thinking that I wasn’t groomed to be a leader or even be part of the leadership at a church. For a while now, I have been praying for vision; for purpose; but in the same sense, denying the vision that kept coming up. Hearing what I heard couldn’t be any clearer.

“Do what your king commands; you gave a sacred oath of obedience. Don't worryingly second-guess your orders or try to back out when the task is unpleasant. You're serving his pleasure, not yours. The king has the last word. Who dares say to him, "What are you doing?" Carrying out orders won't hurt you a bit; the wise person obeys promptly and accurately. Yes, there's a right time and way for everything, even though, unfortunately, we miss it for the most part. It's true that no one knows what's going to happen, or when.”

- Ecclesiastes 8:2

So here I am, in control of a restaurant in-group and in consideration of helping lead and organize small groups/ in-groups for a church! Yeah it’s a far cry from being a chef huh? You know what though; I have come to the realization that even this plan may not go how I might expect it. But I guess that’s the exciting part of God’s plan for us. We know that we are in good hands. We know that HE wants nothing but the best for us. Maybe we should take a step back from trying to control our lives all the time and just trust that it will work out.

“It’s not arriving at point B that makes you happy, but it’s the journey that we should all take time to enjoy.” –Mike Deserio