God With Us!

I love the account in Matthew's gospel in which Joseph is reassured that Mary's pregnancy is a God thing. And I love that the angel tells Joseph that the name of the Child that would be born is to be "Immanuel - which being translated means God with Us". Wow - that is so powerful. We need to be reminded of that this Christmas and remind others of it for a couple of reasons -

1. His name was God with US not God with the church or God with Religion. God with us was a promise to ALL men. God is at work in the lives of hurting broken people this Christmas that the church has given up on because THEY won't come to our Sunday morning social hour! God is with people who aren't even sure He exists and who have never set foot in a church WHY? Cause He is God with US. Let's share with those around us this Christmas how the God who is with them can be the God who is in them.
2. You Can't Go Anywhere without God! If we really believe He is God with us it should radically transform the decisions we make, the things we do, and the way we speak because he is always right there! Check these verses out in Psalm 139. You can run from your church, your pastor, whoever... But not Him, He's God with us.
3. You don't HAVE to go anywhere without God. To the woman whose husband just walked out on you and now your left to pick up the pieces – God is with you. To the man faced with loosing his job unsure of how to provide for tomorrow – God is with you. To the Young woman who feels completely alone as all your friends marry and start new lives – God is with you. To the Student who feels like your parents can’t understand and friends don’t care... God is with you!

Merry Christmas, Later ~PN

Christmas Gala 09!

Last night was an amazing and beautiful night for the Ladies of Breakthrough Church and I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to be a part of it. My wife unloaded an AWESOME word about the greatest gift that the world has ever known and how Jesus came not only as a gift FOR us but to deposit gifts IN us. Really good stuff - then she laid out Proverbs 18:16 A gift opens doors for a man, and brings him before the great. "Too many Christians keep looking for opportunities to use their gifts when it is their GIFT that will make way for the opportunities!" In other words use what you got where you are and watch where God will take you! OH - I wanna preach that so bad... Anyway, it was a great night and I am so proud to serve along side a beautiful woman who MULTIPLIES the minstry of Breakthrough rather than dividing it in half!

Later ~PN
www.breakthroughwoc.org

This just makes me smile!

You need to be familiar with Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" to truly appreciate this but even if you're not it'll make you smile...


Later ~PN

Gingerbread Houses!

I've said it many times before but I absolutely love this time of year! I am still a kid when it comes to Christmas I love looking at lights, I love baking sugar cookies and covering them in red and green icing just so I can lick the icing off and I just enjoy the celebratory atmosphere. I got the privilage yesterday of going to see the award winning ginger bread houses at the Grove Park Inn with my little boy - needless to say he and all the other little boys in his group were more intereseted in the waterfall and the pool outside than they were the "do nothin' cookie houses". But I could not help but be amazed by some of those creations and to think that people made these pieces of art (some of which you would have NEVER guessed were made of sugar, candy and cookies) out of stuff that most of us have in our cabinet or pantry at home. All it takes is someone with the creative ability to take something seemingly insignificant and turn it into a grand prize winner. Sounds alot like what God desires to do with me (and you too) take what alot of people see as insignificant and shape it into something amazing!

Grand Prize Winner of last year's (2008)

National Gingerbread Competition at Grove Park Inn

Early Morning Random Thoughts...

• I'm really looking forward to this Sunday still "Unwrapping" Christmas and what it means to us beyond a baby in a manger.
• Also looking forward to tomorrow night - teaching on a topic that the church has made WAY to weird... fasting. I really do believe it is one of the most neglected spiritual weapons in the Church's arsenal.
• I am really tired of churches who call themselves "Kingdom" minded when what they mean is "kingdom", meaning "We want to advance the kingdom... as long as it's our kingdom." Pastors, DO NOT call your church a "kingdom" church if you refuse to partner with someone else to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and bless the community!!
• I'm also tired of Christians (or so called Christians) attacking other Christians in our schools, workplaces and homes... especially when there is a war raging for lost and hurting souls. We need to quit blaming the Devil for ground lost when we've become our own worst enemy.
• God is setting Breakthrough up for something incredible and I can't wait to see what it is!
• I love praying with a group of men at 5:45 in the morning that actually believe prayer works!
• And for one more really random thought - I am so looking forward to being a new daddy again... Get here soon my sweet little Charis!

Later ~PN

You are the Reason for the Season!

God dropped a beast of a word on me to share with the folks of Breakthrough yesterday. And while I think alot of folks "Got It" still others were shall I say a little offended! Isaiah chapter 9 says that "Unto US a child is born, Unto US a son is given" the words of the prophet himself. Jesus stated in John 10:10 "I have come that THEY might have life and that THEY may have it more abundantly". This is where some folks came unglued and shouted AMEN and others just plain came unglued - Jesus isn't the reason... YOU are! "WHAT? THAT'S BLASPHEMY." Ha! Ha! Hear me out and I think you'll agree. As Christians, while we often take time to remind people at this time of year THAT Jesus was born we fail to follow through and tell them WHY he was born. The why, or the reason for the season is us. Without our shortcomings, failures and dysfunction there would have been no need for a star, no need for a virgin mother, no need for a manger in a cave. And the great news is if I were the ONLY one that needed a Savior - God in the flesh - He would have done it just for me... Wow!

Take time to unwrap every good and perfect gift that God has for you this season don't stop at a manger scene on a mantel or a greeting card - dig deeper.

Later ~PN
http://www.breakthroughwoc.org/

Why wait til New Year's Day?

Here's an idea... don't! Everybody this time of year is jacked up about Christmas and all the wrappings (no not trappings come to Breakthrough if you need an explanation) and they are at least mulling over the changes they are going to make for 2010. You know - "Well it's Christmas so I'll eat til I'm sick... But I'm gonna lose 20 lbs. next year." My resolution was already going to be to blog REGULARLY in 2010, establish a rhythm and get my thoughts out there at least 4 times a week. Then I heard God say in my gut - "Why do my people make grand promises to change the way the live and yet think they can wait til tomorrow." YEAH! So needless to say I plan on blogging more in December than I have all year - Why cause 2010 will only present me with other opportunities to "do it later". Listen if you have something in your life that needs changing, quit waiting around for a calendar moment or the perfect time instead act on it NOW why because to wait is stupid - Oops did I just post that?! Well at least Paul said it first - Ephesians 5:15,16 15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.