Foodless.

Each year I join my church and countless others on the Daniel Fast at the beginning of each year. If you’re not familiar with the Daniel Fast, here is quick overview: 21 Days (three weeks) without meat, bread, and sweets. Sound difficult? Well that’s because it is. Not impossible, but difficult. Here are my thoughts as I prepare for my fourth year of participating in this time of consecration:

1. The Bible teaches us that the flesh and Spirit will always war against one another. This to me is why the renewing of our minds is so vital. If we have a constant battle within us, then our mind will be the deciding vote in this sort of internal democracy. So going into this fast, I know my flesh will whine, hurt, scream, and cry. All of that is irrelevant if I understand the importance of fasting and set my mind ahead of time to finish this race and put my flesh under as (in the words of the Apostle Paul) I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

2. Fasting arrests God’s attention. If I really want God to move as I say I do, and if I really desire a breakthrough in my life, my family, my city, and my nation, I’ve got to be willing to put my money where my mouth is and go the distance. Sacrifice is a part of anything worth having. And going without some of my favorite foods is certainly worth seeking the fullness of my God for a new year.

3. When we deny our flesh something it craves, it does indeed make our spirit more attuned to the things of God. It’s good for your body not to get everything it wants every now and again. Imagine your flesh is a little kid throwing a fit in the store for some candy. You don’t just give in because the kid is crying and screaming do you? Nope. It’s all about discipline. And I want my spirit to be strong, healthy, and sensitive to what God is saying and doing.

4. It’s healthy. Of course, consult a doctor if you’ve never fasted or if you’re pregnant or have health issues. But really, who of us couldn’t stand to cut out sweets after the holidays?

5. Jesus commands us to fast. I never knew this until the first year I fasted. Look at Matthew chapter 6. Jesus teaches the disciples three things: fasting, prayer, and giving. And, in each instance, he specifically says “when you fast/pray/give”, not ”if you fast/pray/give”. Wow. Jesus fasted and He expects us to fast.

6. Is there a better way to start off the new year than with a time of commitment and consecration?

So, there are my first thoughts on the Daniel Fast for the upcoming year. If you are interested in joining us on this fast please visit Journey Church’s Daniel Fast blog. There we have posted a free downloadable cookbook, recommended foods, encouragement, and things to expect during the fast. Or you can email me at dre@jcacworth.org for information. I highly recommend this fast to any believer. Join with me as we seek God’s best for 2010!

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What I Love About Christmas

- Movies -
Who doesn’t have a favorite Christmas movie? Even if we can’t agree on the perfect Christmas film more than likely we all have a favorite. My top three are: Home Alone 1 & 2 and Elf. And a family tradition is the original Grinch. I never go a Christmas without these comedic staples. I am a sucker for the classics too – Miracle on the 34th Street, White Christmas, and It’s a Wonderful Life.

- The Decor -
My dream is to one day behold the beauty of New York City at Christmas. Pictures and film just don’t do the city justice. I cannot imagine the splendor of such an amazing place at Christmas. But despite the glory of the tree at 30Rock, my favorite tree will always be the one of my childhood. Ornaments of no particular beauty except in the hearts of the Fillmores. Mom and Dad always put tons of time and effort into the nicest and most gorgeous tree ever. I have yet to see it’s equal!

- Music -
Christmas music is audible magic. The Carpenters are angelic, and Frank Sinatra is even more heartwarming during the holidays. Add a dash of Andy Williams, a pinch of some Brenda Lee, an shake with some Ella and Dean, and you have an instant holiday hit list!

- Tradition -
I cherish all the childhood traditions of our family Christmases, and
I don’t have the time or the space to share the intricasies of our holidays past. One thing I do enjoy is to hear and learn about the traditions of other families and gain even more fun an great ideas for my own family someday.

- Gifts -
And no, not my own gifts. One of the greatest joys o my holiday is shopping and making or buying for others. Something about it is tremendously fulfilling to me. I can’t always spend much, but I enjoy getting or making gifts for others.

So what is it you love about the holiday season? What is your favorite holiday tradition?

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This One’s For All My Church Planting Homies

Found this today and it brought a smile to my face, so I thought I’d share!

Top Ten Rules of Church Planting

10. Take your vitamins & eat your wheaties.

9. Know that your job description will always include “…and all other assigned duties.”

8. Have a sense of humor.

7. Buy a Mac computer. Seriously. Jesus doesn’t use a PC.

6. Get used to spending a lot of time in your car (eating, sleeping, working, brainstorming, praying, and driving of course).

5. Gaffer’s tape. Lots and lots of gaffer’s tape…lots.

4. Know your wi-fi hotspots.

3. Accept the fact that you’ll  probably gain a few L-B-S.

2. Add more minutes to your cell phone plan.

1. Get ready to work harder and have more fun than you ever imagined!!!

We gave this list to Pastor Doug to use at a minister’s conference. Of course, this is just a fun and partial list (come on, we know you have to pray and prepare too). What would you add to the list?

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Future Thoughts

Wednesday nights our Journey Church core leadership team meets to pray, to worship, to plan, and to prepare for things to come. It’s the most important thing we do together as a team. This past week as we were reviewing our vision and purpose Pastor Doug said something that really stuck with me. He mentioned that we have all become so close that it would be impossible to “do life” without each other. I believe I can speak for our entire team when I say that it’s true. I certainly don’t want to even imagine how empty my life would be without the friends and family that I serve the Lord with. This is the atmosphere that we strive to build within our church body.

Don’t get me wrong, this relational type of ministry is messy, it’s hard, and it’s not in any textbook I’ve ever read…but I believe it to be the most rewarding way to live life and do ministry. And with all that being said, I’m excited about the future. I was telling our ridiculously awesome worship pastor, Mark, this morning how excited I am for the future. I’m excited about my future, the future of my friends and family, the church, and all that. But I’m most excited that in twenty years our children will be reaping the benefits of our sown seeds of time, energy, tears, hugs, giving, and work that are building a firm foundation for all these relationships. I’m excited that my children will be able to grow up in an environment that exemplifies true Biblical community, love, and  an ongoing exchange of the Spiritual giftings God has placed within each and every one of us. Just think about it: if we model this now, if we continue to join together in what is the best type of relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, why would our kids want anything other than that type of influence in their lives as they grow up? If we are examples of unconditional love, of fun, of fellowship, why would our children ever think there is anything they are missing out on? This is what excites me. Can you look into the future and see generations built upon the hard work of our relational lives now? It’s a beautiful thing. It’s risky to love unconditionally, but the risk is worth the effort. So let’s build genuine, authentic relationships. Let’s take the risk, let’s build the foundations of relational revolution now and change the future of our community!

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Call Me Crash Armstrong…(everyone else is).

Today I was reunited with my Mac computer for the first time in a week. Yeah, I’ve got it bad. I love love love my compy. Now for a quick update to soothe your soul…

I was in a car accident last wednesday. I wouldn’t bring it up except that I’m still getting phone calls from people just hearing about “the incident” as I have dubbed it. In a nutshell, my car is beyond demolished – there is practically no front-end left. I’ll post photos when I can get them on my beloved computer. Anyway, I was in a head on collision at 55mph that left me really banged up and bruised. I was picked up by the ambulance, visited the ER, all that jazz. I suffered a broken left collarbone and severe sprain to my right ankle. As far as the doctors can see now there aren’t any torn ligaments or other damages but we’re keeping a close eye on that and the rest of me just in case something pops up that we didn’t initially notice. My ankle, arms, and legs are every shade of red, blue, purple, yellow, and green that you can imagine – I look like a character straight out of Beetlejuice. A lot of paperwork and insurance claims to come. I would REALLY appreciate your prayers as I begin the insurance battle!

It’s often during tragedy or hardship that we see the true character of others and when we easily can see who our closest friends are. This is what I’ve seen during “the incident”: one of the greatest blessings in my life is my church family. You see, the church isn’t a building, it’s you and it’s me and the fellowship and relationship we share and cultivate. My blood relatives live 700 miles from me. What in the world would I have done in “the incident” if not for my church family? Who could I call?

I’ve never been prouder than now to say that my church is the best church. This is how church should be. These are the kind of deep and Christ-centered relationships that the early church was founded on. Church isn’t made to be a country club or a community event center. The church of our precious Lord is a living and breathing organism that grows, feels pain, rejoices, loves, lives together. So if your church isn’t like this – find a new one or pray for your leadership! Let’s all rise up and be the hands, the feet, the church that our Savior has called us to be!

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Microsoft gives us another reason to go with a Mac.

True story: Microsoft is encouraging people to host “Windows 7 Launch Parties” at home. And here is an actual Microsoft-endorsed video (starring probably 4 of the most desperate actors alive) showing you how to host a party…and if you can make it through the entire six minute video, you’re a better man than I.

The 3D’s of Successful Execution: Decision, Discipline, Dedication

This is what I’ve been trying to wrap my brain around the last few days:

The very word “decision” to me carries with it an idea of being steadfast, to say what you mean and mean what you say. Every executable action is first a decision to act…or react. Hopefully, if you are serving in any kind of leadership capacity, you’re a man or woman of action. Real leadership requires us to be innovators & initiators. There is something about leadership that demands of us the courage to act in faith instead of always waiting for direction, permission, or encouragement. Leadership is a lonely road at times but the journey is worth every step.

Secondly is discipline. This part is HUGE. If you look into history at anyone great, any famous achiever, any world-renowned inventor you will undoubtedly note that they are people of passion. That passion is what gives fuel to and drives their discipline. Being passionate and in love with Jesus keeps us going when the world calls us crazy or cannot understand our sacrifice or servanthood. Paul even said that he disciplined his body and made it his slave so he would be able to preach and then practice what he taught. Great achievements are not made through a single act of genius, but through invested time in consistent dedication.

Finally, dedication. This is what stokes the flames of our passions. I’m dedicated to the Lord, to carry out His will and purpose in my life. If a husband is dedicated to his wife, he will remain passionate about his decision to walk in love for the lifetime they’ve decided to invest together. Without dedication, it’s easy to let the emotional aspect of our passion fizzle out. Dedication is the choice that helps us adhere to our decision, and gives strength to our passions, which ignites our discipline.

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How do YOU walk?

Each of us finds our way with God differently. What is important is that we are walking, that we keep moving, that we are pushing onward, upward, and forward. This week a friend led me to an online tool that is a wonderful help in your daily journey with God. I want to urge you to check it out: http://www.examen.me. Sign up (it’s free) and just walk through one day’s devotional…I’ll bet you’ll love it!

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Simply Worship. Tomorrow.

With Everything

Our worship team has been praying and fasting and preparing music like mad to ensure that this weekend it’s easy for families and individuals to connect with God in a real and tangible way. As we have been praying and interceding for our church and our city one thing has become very clear: we are in a time and place ripe for a powerful move of God. Most everyone I know is in desperate need for a touch from God in their lives – whether it be financial need , relational need, spiritual need, clear direction…the list could go on and on. But with great need also comes a great opportunity for a mighty move of the Spirit in ourselves, our families, our church, and our city.

I pray earnestly that you would consider taking part in our worship service this Sunday, August 9. I know that this will prove to be a time of refreshing, of revelation, and of destiny! There is no limit to what God can do with an open heart and a willingness and expectancy for a move of God!

For information about Journey Church, or for service times and directions, please visit http://www.jcacworth.org

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