- Had sushi with friends on Friday night & then played some Bingo. Most of the other participants were over 65!
- Saturday was a lazy day in Vegas.
- Played some games and watched movies.
- UFC 109 on Saturday night. Decent fights.
- We launched a new series at GP on Sunday: Agape
- The band introduced a new song on Sunday - good stuff
- We had an awesome creative element. We had a fake wedding that appeared real until the couple read their vows. The vows were “conditional” vows to illustrate conditional vs unconditional love. Several people were crying before they realized it was fake. So funny.
- I taught from 1 John 4:7-10 on the agape love of God
- Some highlight thoughts from the message:

“Love stands at the heart of Christianity and drenches the pages of the Bible”
I explained the difference in the three types of love in NT Greek: eros, phileo, agape
Eros love is “all-take” … fueled by what I can get from you
Phileo is a “give-take” … fueled by mutual sharing - reciprocal
Agape is “all-give” … fueled only by the heart of the giver
“Agape love only comes from God and is only possible through God”
“Unlovely things must be deeply loved before they become loveable”
Agape love is unconditional, unprovoked, and undeserved.
“Agape flows from who God is - He is love”
“To love with the love of God you must be connected to the source Himself”
“God is love in His very nature so He can only act in love”
“Agape love caused God to send His own Son to die for the unworthy”
“We can only love God when we embrace and respond to His love for us”
“He loved us first”
“Learning to love with agape love is a process and not a state”

- I received positive feedback from several people regarding this truth
- Next week we will talk about the agape love of God demonstrated through the cross
- Super Bowl Party with friends
- Great game. Congratulations Saints.
- Even the best QBs make game-changing mistakes!
- I worked out this morning at the new Gold’s Gym Sport near my house. Great facility.
- It is definitely easier to run when you are watching Iron Man on a movie screen!

Busy, busy week ahead. Big events approaching quickly. Lots to do.

tick tock tick tock

We begin a brand new series this Sunday at Grace Point called Agape. Here is the series blurb: “Unlovely things must be deeply loved before they become lovable. God is love and Jesus insists that the primary identifying trait of his followers is love. Created and demonstrated by God, agape is an in spite of love. It is unconditional, unprovoked, and undeserved. Discover what it means to experience and live agape.”

Love is such a funny word in the English language. Very few languages use the exact same word to communicate their level of affection towards both their family and their favorite food, drink, TV show, pet, sports team, and salad dressing. The simple word “love” does not really communicate affection levels.

New Testament Greek had 3 primary words that express levels of affection:

Eros - a self-centered love whose primary concern is “what’s in it for me?” Eros love is a feelings precede actions love. I feel love therefore I will love. Eros love is conditional. I love as long as … the person remains beautiful to me, we get along, my needs are being met … you get the picture. Eros is an “all-take” love.

Phileo love is reciprocal love. It is a give and take kind of love. It is the affection from which friendship arises and potentially a long-term romantic relationship. It is a 50-50 love. I get and so I give. I overlook some minimal flaws, weaknesses, and differences because of what I get in the long run. Phileo love is innate. While it is still somewhat conditional, it is not as self-focused as eros.

Agape love is a love created, demonstrated, and provided only by God. Agape love is totally unconditional, unprovoked, and unearned. It is an in spite of kind of love. Agape is an all-give, regardless of the worth or response of its object, love. Agape is the very nature of God and it is why God sent His own Son to provide for the sins of unworthy, undeserving people. Agape can’t be earned. It is simply given.

It is difficult for us to wrap our minds around agape love. We are conditions people. We love “as long as…” That is natural. So agape is not something we can conjure up or obtain. It only comes through a source outside of us. It is a love that comes only from God.

There are two sides to understanding agape love. First we have to embrace agape. We have to embrace the reality that we cannot earn God’s all-give love. We simply receive it. Second we learn to live agape love by growing in our faith. Becoming a Jesus follower does not suddenly make you love your enemies. Loving as God loves is a process. As I grow in my faith, agape develops in me. It comes through Christ as I live for Christ.

Agape love is John 3:16 love: “God SO LOVED the world that He gave His one and only Son.” It is Romans 5:8 love: “God DEMONSTRATED His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” It is 1 John 4:9 love: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.”

God created and modeled it. We are to live it. AGAPE - its the way to life and a way of life.

Great AP article on Matt Chandler - the young Texas pastor battling cancer.

- Beautiful weather in the 60s in Vegas right now
- Took advantage of the weather on Friday with some golf
- Most of my Saturdays right now involve watching girls volleyball
- Finally saw Sherlock Holmes Saturday afternoon. Decent movie
- Not sure the Sherlock of the novels in the Sherlock of the silverscreen
- Some good movies coming out in the near future
- Hung out with friends on Saturday night
- Finished our Margin series at GP today
- Lots of positive feedback from this series
- I talked about learning to live in the rhythms of life
- Today’s message was just a glimpse of what God has been teaching me about this principle
- Bruce Miller’s book Your Life in Rhythm really helped me process the idea of rhythm. Solid read.
- I talked specifically about the seasons and cycles of life that God allows and what to do in those rhythms
- I even introduced GPers to the Greek ideas of chronos and kairos time and what they look like in 2010.
- Solomon addresses this issue in Ecclesiastes 3
- 3 strategic steps to take to learn to live life in rhythm:

Release expectations (live in the rhythm where God has you)
Seize opportunities (you are only in this season once)
Anticipate the next rhythm (understand God is in control and has a purpose for your life)

- Learning to live with this mindset provides peace, fulfillment and hope.
- I really enjoyed teaching today primarily because it is a concept that is fresh in my own life.
- We showed a Blue Man Group video today. Those boys have some serious rhythm!
- Grace Point is in a good place (season) right now.
- HUGE things coming up in the next few months.
- Had a great talk about grace with a couple after service.
- Met another couple new to Vegas and GP who found us in the old school yellow pages (and then visited us online to get a glimpse).
- We begin our AGAPE series next week - talking about the love of God.
- Even though I feel unqualified and unworthy to lead GP at times, I am honored to do so.
- Staff play, pray, and plan days this week.

This past Wednesday I tried to watch the President’s State of the Union speech. I did not make it all the way through. Let me tell you why I didn’t not make it through before I tell you the real reason.

1. I did not stop listening because I do not respect the President. While I disagree with the President on several issues, I respect him as our leader. I would not want to be leading this country at this particular time in history. He has a tough job and I pray for him. My loss of interest had zero to do with him as a person.

2. I did not stop listening because of the importance of his content. We are at a critical juncture as a country. What the President had to say is of extreme importance. His speech reflects the magnitude of the issues we are facing as a nation. The economy is bad. People are out of work. We are in a war. Our educational system is flawed. Health care issues are critical. Political divides run deep. These are important issues and his speech addressed each of these issues but I stopped listening.

3. I did not stop listening because I totally disagree with the President. I am sure I agree with President Obama on many issues and I am sure we disagree on many. Disagreement is simply part of the political process. That’s not what caused me to switch to Mario.

4. I did not stop listening because there was something better on another station. When the President speaks, the rest of TV is usually lame (I think there was a Duke game on which reinforces my point).

5. I did not stop listening because I did not intend to listen. I wanted to listen. I wanted to hear what he had to say. I was willing to give him my time and attention. Yet I stopped listening.

So why did I stop listening to the State of the Union address? One simple reason: the importance and weight of the message was lost amidst everything surrounding the speech.

I stopped listening because I got frustrated with the unnecessary rhetoric, the childish behavior, the incessant applause, the political fanfare, and the disconnect between what he had to say and where I live everyday life. While his message was important, it was not PERCEIVED as important because of everything surrounding it. While his speech was relevant in the sense it has to do with our direction as a country, it was not PERCEIVED as relevant because it was disconnected from the average listener (in my opinion).

I was reminded of a valuable lesson for all of us who stand on a stage and communicate the most important message in human history: the message can be true, relevant, and important but it can still be disconnected from the audience. And if they are disconnected, they will change the channel.

I am afraid that many of us get so consumed with the fanfare surrounding the message that we forget the importance of the message itself. I believe in creativity. I believe in creating engaging environments. It is one of our core values as a church. But if we get so consumed with the fanfare that we distract from the message, then we miss the entire point. It is only the gospel that transforms hearts.

Most of the people who enter our doors on a Sunday are willing to listen. They come to hear. But how many of them turn the channel of their minds because what is being said is true but it is not perceived as true?

We are proclaiming the most important message in human history. It is a message the surpasses the economic crisis, health care issues, global warming, the war on terror, our education system, and any other human-related issue. It is the only message that has eternal ramifications. It is a message that is true, important, and relevant. Let’s keep it that way.

A few months ago I had the opportunity to spend some time with Bruce Miller, the pastor of McKinney Fellowship in Dallas and the author of Your Life in Rhythm. Bruce introduced us to the idea of understanding life in rhythm instead of balance. I have to admit that at first I thought it was a bit of a semantic stretch until I read the book and was able to think through the concept. Through the book, Bruce really sold me on the idea. This Sunday I will be sharing this biblical concept at Grace Point.

We have been talking for 4 weeks at GP on how to create margin in your life - spiritually, relationally, financially, etc. It has been a great series with some life-altering principles. But I also know the reality of a series of this magnitude and the feelings of “that’s great but I can’t right now” a series like this one generates. So this Sunday we are going to unpack what margin looks like amidst the seasons/rhythms of life. It will help us see how margin fits within everyday life.

Many of us live with the misconception that life should be lived in “balance.” The problem is we don’t really know what balance looks like and it is next to impossible to live a fully balanced life. Often the end result of trying to live in balance is that it leaves us frustrated and feeling guilty.

A better way to understand life is in terms of rhythms or seasons. Rhythm is a central part of life. From our heart beat to the change of seasons to the migration of birds to the rising and setting of the sun, life is filled with rhythm. God created rhythm.

Solomon talks about life’s seasons in his famous “a time to/for” couplets. Esther understood she was placed “at the right time for the right purpose” when she seized her opportunity to be a voice for God’s people. The NT speaks of making the most of the opportunities God has given us. Life is filled with seasons/rhythms which we must recognize and take advantage of. The rhythms of our lives include seasons of grief, celebration, beginnings, endings, crisis, busyness, reward, loss, and on and on. We must learn how to see those seasons as opportunities.

So many people live life desiring to be in a different rhythm - single people want to be married, married people want to be single, teens want to be adults, mothers of newborns want to be mothers of toddlers, parents of older teens long for a few more years, etc. What we must learn to do is release the expectations that we place on ourselves during different seasons, seize the opportunities that come within each rhythm, and anticipate what season is coming next (which is where margin is so important).

Life is rhythmic. You do not have a choice whether these seasons will come or go. It simply happens as time marches forward. But you do have a choice on how you prepare for, live in, and react to life’s rhythms. I believe all of us want to live life with less stress and more peace, less frustration and more fulfillment, less discouragement and more hope. Understanding life in rhythms and learning to trust God within those seasons provides us that opportunity.

The rhythm is going to get you. Are you going to be prepared?

For the first 3 days of this week, I am getting to hang out with some young church planters from different parts of the country who are in Vegas to just spend some time connecting and talking. Most of them are similar in size and age as Grace Point. It is interesting to hear the similarities of each story and what God is teaching us now that the honeymoon stage is over. I love talking church shop with other guys who are trying to figure it out as well. Today we get to spend some time with my friend Jud Wilhite who pastors the most influential church in Vegas - Central Christian. I appreciate Jud and his heart for God and our city. I have never quite figured out why God allows me to be involved in the opportunities that seem to come my way. I guess it always comes back to Grace - which is the Point! Hey that would be a cool church name!

- Got to hang out Friday night with some great friends from the ATL - Chad & Chanda Childress.
- Volleyball occupies a lot of our Saturday time now. Kayleigh won all 3 of her games this past weekend.
- Evidently bringing 15 people into Macaroni Grill (half of them kids) without a reservation is a big deal.
- Whatever happened to quality, no-complaining because I am going to get a good tip, service?
- I still don’t know why they can divide 4 families into 4 checks who are sitting at 4 different tables but can’t divide 4 families into 4 checks who happen to be sitting at the same table.
- Can you tell we had some service issues on Saturday?
- Watched a weird movie on Saturday night.
- Sunday was another good day at GP.
- Band had a great set.
- We had about 20 people at Starting Point. God has brought us some good families in recent days.
- I taught the second half of the financial margin message.
- Highlights from the message:

“Most of us live life gambling in the area of finances - we gamble nothing is going to happen that will push us over the edge financially”
“Finances is always a heart issue and never an income issue”
“Managing God’s money is a priority issue”
“If we are not prioritizing God in our finances, we are serving money”
“What you value is where you spend your money”
“Invest in temporary stuff and you will get temporary results”
“Nice mini-van” (you had to be there)
“The only investment that has a guaranteed return is an eternal one”
“Managing God’s money is a trust issue”
“God will provide our necessities if we trust him with our money”
“God is interested in your money because it reveals your heart”

- We have had several dozen people sign up for our first Dave Ramsey seminar.
- Several people at Grace Point are taking steps to trust God with their finances.
- GREAT NFC championship game last night. I felt sorry for Favre. He is a real warrior.
- Hard to believe Favre is one of the few players in the NFL who is older than me.
- Should be a good Super Bowl.

Staff meetings today.
Hanging with a great group of church planters the next couple of days.

Check out this video on our tendency to speak without conviction in this generation:

Typography from Ronnie Bruce on Vimeo.

This week at GP we are talking again about the importance of allowing God to control our finances. It has been around 2000 years since Jesus told a listening audience that our hearts follow our money. Money leads ~ Hearts follow. And yet the simple but profound truth that Jesus spoke on that hillside continues to ring true in 2010. In that same message Jesus also stated that we cannot serve both God and Money. Our hearts and lives cannot be controlled by both God and Stuff. We submit to the control of one or the other.

I don’t think the average Jesus follower would admit that they are living under the control of Money. Most of us pretend that money is under our control (or the more spiritual of us might even suggest it is under God’s control). But it is really difficult to argue with the stats. Across the board, the average Christ follower gives away very little of their income. As a matter of fact, statistics reveal the ugly truth that those who profess to be Christians give as little as the average person who claims no religious affiliation. So what’s the deal?

As I have said before, I don’t really believe Jesus followers are revolting against giving and simply refuse to give. I don’t think the average Christian thinks the church or pastors want to abuse giving and take advantage of a blind flock. I just think the average Christian does not believe they are able to give. They want to give but they feel unable to do so. I would say most sincere followers of Christ want to give to their local church and to other good causes but sincerity does not equal ability. Because so many of us live a life where our lifestyle equals or surpasses our income, we have zero financial margin - translated zero ability to give even if we want. We are living in the control of our finances. If we were not, we would simply do what the Bible says in this area. We would prioritize God in our money.

We talk regularly at Grace Point about giving, not because we are in dire need of money or want to fill the coffers of our church or raise the pastor’s salary. Those who know us deeply know that we use a large part of our budget to serve outside our own walls. Money has never been about “us” at GP. We talk regularly about giving a) because it is such an essential part of biblical teaching and living & b) because we want every Jesus follower to experience God’s blessing and the Bible is clear that God rewards giving.

We often refer to The Treasure Principle of the New Testament which basically implies that if I want to truly overcome greed, materialism, and selfishness in my life, then I need to give away my resources. My heart always follows my money. And if I learn to give, God is able to enable me to overcome those selfish innate tendencies.

Creating financial margin (the ability to give) begins with prioritizing God in my giving. Develop an intentional plan of priority, percentage giving that prioritizes God in your life. That’s how God intends us to live life.

There are very few times in the Bible where God encourages His followers to “test” Him. Giving is one of those areas. God says to His people, “Test me with your money by giving and then stand back.” As the cliche says, “you can never outgive God.”

God does not need your money but God does want your heart. God does want His people to show their faith and love for Him through the act of giving. God does want us to test Him in this area. And God does want to reward faithful giving.

I want to be a giver. I want to trust God in every area of my life - even in the one that resides so close to my heart.

What does your money trail say about your heart?