God-Confidence

Here's a great post from Mark Batterson that I wanted to share with you.


"Self-confidence is two inches deep. I don't care about it. I don't want it. It typically undermines my raw dependence upon God anyway. It's unhealthy. It's unholy. There is a higher, deeper and truer confidence that comes from God. Think of it as God-confidence. And it's the byproduct of two things.

First, God-confidence is a byproduct of humility. The more your humble yourself before God the more favor you expect. It sanctifies your expectations and it builds a holy confidence that God is in control. Humility is the way we stay out of the way of what God is doing. Holy Confidence is confidence that finds it's locus in Christ alone. The confidence for salvation. The confidence of favor. The confidence for miracles. The confidence for grace.

Second, God confidence is the byproduct of authority. We grossly underestimate the authority that is ours by virtue of the fact that we are "in Christ." He has given us "all authority." As long as we are functioning in the will of God, all things are possible. If that doesn't give you confidence nothing will.
Humility + Authority = Holy Confidence."


What about you?  Are you self-confident or God-confident?  Do you regularly humble yourself before God?  Are you seeing His power at work in your life?  Do you rely on your own strength or is His power perfected in your weakness?  (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)  Are you living in God's will and moving in His authority?  Good thoughts to ponder!

Worldview and Healthcare

Here's a link to a great post from Scott Allen and Darrow Miller of Disciple Nations Alliance regarding the recently passed health care bill.  Read the full post here.  A key quote, actually from Pastor Gary Skinner is this:


"The [social] problems are not the communities’ problems—they’re our problems! They’re not the government’s problems. The government can’t fix the problems because—although it may have a little bit of money—it has no love. Money does not solve problems. Love does! And if the government does it, God does not get the glory. But when the church does it with love, God gets the glory."


This describes our vision here at FCC: To bring real life change to Central Phoenix.  The government can't fix the problems in our community.  They don't have love.  We do.  The community problems are our problems and its our job to respond with love.  I believe we're up for that.  How about you?

Tuesday, 16 March

Thanks for the positive comments from last Sunday's message (listen here) on handling criticism and avoiding the comparison trap.  I love it when people come up after a message and say it was just for them, because each time I write and deliver a message, I write and speak to myself first!  I need to hear what God is saying to me and apply it to my life before I can give it to someone else.

I enjoyed a couple of spring training baseball games last week.  I'd never been to the Peoria Sports Complex before, and I went to one of the games there with some friends.  It was good to get out and enjoy our friends and some sunshine.  Off to the O.C. later this week with the family as my boys are on Spring Break.

Encouragement Matters

Great post from Craig Groeschel that I'll re-post here.

People in my church often ask me, “What can we do to help you?”

This week I’d like to dialog about how people can truly help and support their pastor. I’ll write from my perspective and would love to hear yours.

Your Words of Encouragement Matter

Dear Church,

Thank you so much for taking time to share how God is working in your life. Knowing that our ministry is making a difference is often all I need to keep going when I’d rather give up.

As your pastor, I’m way more “human” than I’d like to be. In my best moments, I’m fully convinced of God’s calling and presence. In my worst moments, I feel weak, insecure and totally ineffective as a Christian, much less the shepherd of a flock.

Just last week, one of you took the time to tell me how God has used our church to change your life for the better. I didn’t tell you, but on the inside I was wondering if my efforts mattered. God used your words to minister to me in a deep way.

Thanks so much for telling me how God is working in your life!

Couldn't have said it better myself!  How has God used FCC to minister to you?