A Love Letter From God

My friend Hank Murphy sang this song at our CSRA See You At the Pole Event last night.

I like what he told the students…”Just listen to this love letter from God to You…”

I love this song, its called “How He Loves Us.” – I found this video on You Tube with it being performed.
(In my opinion Hank and his band did a better job…just my opinion 🙂 )

Here are some of the words that are my favorite parts of the song:

“He is jealous for me
Love’s like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me.”

“So we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking
So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss
and my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way”

That he loves us,”

So sit back and listen to this love letter from God to you…

Join the Conversation: What is God’s Love Letter Telling You?

I Need Your Input – Father’s Day 10 Days & Counting

This is my dad, Tim Carnes.

He has everything a man could want.
*Tools
*Bibles & Books
*Computer & Techy Stuff
*All of the Gather CDs and DVDs (Yes, he is a Gather fan 🙁 )

Join the conversation and let me know…
What do you get a man for Father’s Day who really doesn’t need anything, but deserves something great?

2008 Orange Conference Session 4

The 2008 Orange Conference

Session 4

Reggie Joiner and Andy Stanley

  • Tensions – There is a lot of similarities in the life of believers and non-believers. Christians are of the mindset that we have a lot of differences in our lives, but on everyday levels we all face the same stuff.
  • If you create irresistible environments, people will come.
  • When you capture “the tension” you have everyone’s attention.
  • Churches have to define what spiritual growth is. – Ask yourself, how did you grow spiritually?
  • 5 Elements of Spiritual Growth Identified by North Point:
    1. Practical Teaching
    2. Providential Relationships
    3. Private Disciplines
    4. Pivotal Circumstances
    5. Personal Ministry
  • Small Groups are Pivotal to living out these 5 Elements.
  • Do what God calls us to do without criticizing other models and other churches. That is not the way to get traction for your ministry.
  • Jesus, “Who do people say that I am?” – “Who do you think that I am?” – Peter responded that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God” – Jesus said that he was going to build his church on that…
  • Compassion, Missions, Social Justice, Etc…are all great, but at the core of all these movements, and what we do to answer those issues have to come back to Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Evangelism cannot be removed! – The hope of the world is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
  • Choosing to Cheat: Your only Unique role is a Father/Mother and Spouse. Your church work was probably being done before you got there and will be done by someone else at some point. Don’t trade what is unique to you for something that is common and average.
  • If our marriages are in trouble then we become a part of the problem in our culture and society.