Jesus Began a Revolution with ONE Word

"Jesus began a revolution with one word: when he said the word 'Father', he changed everything. And now he's invited us into this reality, into this place of belonging, of calling God our Papa, our Daddy, our Abba."

Hit "play"  on the video below, and find a corner where you can cry your eyes out...

Abba

You're more real than the ground I'm standing on

You're more real than the wind in my lungs

Your thoughts define me, you're inside me
You're my reality

Abba, I belong to you

You're closer than the skin on my bones
You're closer than the song on my tongue

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Last night I read the book "Heaven is Real", by Todd Burpo, the pastor of a church in a small town called Imperial, in Nebraska. He is also the father of a boy named Colton, who at 3 years and 10 months old, was in surgery after his appendix burst, near death, when he was taken up into Heaven and was able to see some pretty incredible things. Much of the story surrounds how they realized Colton had had a real supernatural experience.

It's a really precious book. I recommend it. There was one spot that hit me really hard.

In a good way, of course.

The family was on their way to their Good Friday communion service, and Todd asked Colton if he knew why Jesus died on the cross:

I said, "Colton, do you know why Jesus died on the cross?"

He nodded, surprising me a bit.

"Okay, why?"

"Well, Jesus told me he died on the cross so we could go see his Dad."

In my mind's eye, I saw Jesus, with Colton on his lap, brushing past all the seminary degrees, knocking down theological treatises stacked high as skyscrapers, and boiling down fancy words like propitiation and soteriology to something a child could understand: "I had to died on the cross so that people on earth could come see my Dad."

Colton's answer to my question was the simplest and sweetest declaration of the gospel I have ever heard. 

I thought again about the difference between grown-up and childlike faith.

Driving down Broadway, I decided I liked Colton's way better. For a couple of minutes, I cruised along in silence. Then I turned to him and smiled. "Hey, do you wanna preach on Sunday?"

(From pp. 111-112 of Heaven is for Real, by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent)

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The most important message that we can take to the world, the most transforming news of all: Jesus came so that we might know his Abba Father as our very own.

Holycowabunga

This past weekend was NUTS. Much to share. Check back in a day or two.

Being Vulnerable - Oh Boy!

Three things I did today that were hard but that I'm proud of (in a good way):

*Made a conscious choice to not be someone else's Holy Spirit, even though I would so badly like to SPEAK MY MIND on a few things.

*Confessed to the entire youth group that I have been selfish the past six months, and that God has been stripping things off of me and reawakening my heart with his fire. I repented for not praying for them more and told them that my heart is FOR them and that I believe in our generation and in what God is doing among us!

*Admitted to a close friend that her awesomeness in a certain area of life made me feel insecure and has for five years, that I needed more words of affirmation around that subject, and that I need to know she is my cheerleader/believes in me. It was an awkward subject to bring up because: 1) I feel insecure in that area...gasp!, 2) I have felt insecure for 5 years and said nothing, 3) I don't normally feel insecure, 4) I don't normally feel awkward, and 5) I certainly don't ever admit to feeling insecure or awkward, on the rare occasion that I do feel that way. 

Whew...big day in the heart of this revivalist. I'm learning how important vulnerability/transparency is to walking fully in the freedom of God. It is for FREEDOM he has set me free! There are at least 2 or 3 other areas in my life that I'm still wrestling with but I want to be totally honest about so that I can walk in the fullness of all God has for me.

Other things I've done recently is:
1) Go find myself a couple older women mentors. I've been hurt in this area before, and recoiled from ever doing it again, but I realize now that I need these close friendships with older women so that I can learn from them. I can't let what someone else did to me in the past cripple me in this area for the rest of my life!
2) Got inner healing/theophostic prayer for the first time EVER. Never thought I'd see the day...but I'm so determined to be completely whole (from what, you might ask....Answer: Hello...LIFE! Haha....doesn't matter how awesome your family or life has been...things happen that break your trust and hurt you).

So there you have it. On this blog...I have vomited up all sorts of things surrounding arrogance, insecurity, inadequacy, a messy heart (not to mention a messy room), a hurting heart over recent things I've walked through, and who knows what else.

I'm finally admitting to my weaknesses and am on like...the WARPATH to get this taken care of!  I'm determined to be the wholestestest I've EVER been so that the enemy cannot even bring ONE LIE against me. I WILL not remain in a place of non-movement due to a fear of being honest with myself and others about my areas of struggle. I'm determined to be ones of the most honest people that has ever walked this planet.

Full disclosure is part of the healing/awakening process.

May revival begin first in my heart, so that it can spill out onto others.

Amen!

Revival: Birthed From a Place of Prayer

Church today blew my mind. Justin preached on Identity, and how to often we taken the worst part of Calvinism (God is sovereign and has a perfect plan for my life) and the worst of Armenianism (I have free will and can make choices), constructing something like this...

Worst case scenario that we tend to come up with in our minds:

God has a specific plan for your life (Reformed/Calvinism); you have to make choices (Armenian); but God hides his plan from you and if you choose wrong you miss his "best" - then you are condemned to live out a second-rate life (consequences of sin); with God and you playing out a continual adjustment of your life plan (more movie than Bible). The result is a life of regret, longing for the life that was "meant to be".

Justin encouraged us to know that we are sons and daughters of God, and that even if we sin and he has to take us to the woodshed (i.e. discipline us), he does so because he loves us very, very much, and it doesn't change the fact that he has a wonderful plan for our lives. We are not destined to lead second-rate lives.

------------Understanding our identity, and also....deeply knowing and believing in who God says he is------is KEY to living a revivalist lifestyle. If we don't know the authority and power that God has granted us, if we don't know and believe that he is a raging romantic, head-over-heels in love with us, then we're not going to be able to operate in the fullness of a revivalist lifestyle. 

------------------Phoenix-area revival update-------------------------
Emily and I got together with three other ladies....Bev, Gloria, and Kim, to share ideas/strategies for this region, and to pray together. I was really encouraged...my faith was stirred. God wants to do something in this region. He is moving key players into place. It's coming! :)

I think we are going to continue to get together to pray, although I don't know how often.

I really think that revival is birthed from a place of prayer. More thoughts on this later....but or now, that's quite a bit to chew on.

And so, I've got my pray-for-revival cap on - and I'm going to contend for his power and his manifest presence. WOOT!