Friday, December 21, 2012

A Broken Record-Murmuring: 30 Day Negativity Fast

When I was younger my parents bought my brother and I a record player to play our children's stories and songs. We had one record which was a dramatization of the Popeye cartoon. The only thing I can remember from the story are these words, "Oil and Blubber..Oil and Blubber..Oil and Blubber.." There was a scratch on the record and whenever the needle would get to that point it would always get stuck until we bumped the record player or picked up the needle. This nagging repetition that happens with a scratched record reminds me of the term called murmuring.
As you continue our 30 day Negativity Fast and Gratitude Feast I hope you are becoming aware of times you find your self murmuring and learn how to give yourself a bump.
According to Strong's Concordance the word murmur is translated in the bible to mean:  to stop (usually over night); by implication to stay permanently; hence (in a bad sense) to be obstinate (especially in words, to complain): - abide (all night), continue, dwell, endure, grudge, be left, lie all night, (cause to) lodge (all night, in, -ing, this night), (make to) murmur, remain, tarry (all night, that night).

Murmuring is a spot that you get stuck on and dwell for a long period of time with no resolution. Here are five ways to give your self a "bump" when you are stuck in a rut of murmuring.
  1. Begin to count your blessing naming them one by one. I Thes. 5:18
  2. Remember God's faithfulness to you in the past. Psalms 78:35, Jonah 2:7
  3. Release yourself from unhealthy comparison with others. II Cor. 10:12
  4. Instead of rehearsing the problem come up with three potential solutions. Prov. 25:2
  5. If you are a believer realize you have a responsibility to shine as a lights in a fallen world and you can't do that well stuck in a rut of murmuring. Please read the following passage in it's entirety:
"Do all things without murmurings and disputings, so that you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. Among these you shine as lights in the world," Phil. 2:14-15

I have had to catch my self several times on this Negativity fast and intentionally choose gratitude. I don't want to be known for what I complained about but for what I did to fix the situation. Choosing to fast from murmuring will change your life! Keep going on this journey and invite your friends.

Listen to a message I shared on the subject called "The right way to Complain"
Download to your favorite player here
Listen to all of the Church Ablaze podcast here


-Get your free Fast & Feast Poster
-Read about Overcoming the Flesh
-Read about How to Wash Your Mouth
-Read about 5 Observations on Choosing a Joyful Perspective.
-Join in as we fast from negative words for 30 days. I wrote 15 viable reasons to join this campaign in a previous post.
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Monday, December 17, 2012

Free Poster-30 Day Negativity Fast & Gratitude Feast


We are half way there on Day 15 of our 30 day Negativity Fast and Gratitude Feast. What better way to stay motivated, than with a visual reminder. I have attached a link below so you can download a high resolution pdf to print and put up as a reminder.

Click here: 11x17 High resolution poster.

Try and go as many days as you can negative free. If you blow it just get up and try again.

-Read about Overcoming the Flesh
-Read about How to Wash Your Mouth
-Read about 5 Observations on Choosing a Joyful Perspective.
-Join in as we fast from negative words for 30 days. I wrote 15 viable reasons to join this campaign in a previous post.
If you would like to receive email updates of my new post click below: Subscribe to Jonathan's Blog by Email
Don't forget to check your email to verify subscription.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Overcoming the Flesh by Lisa Hill

Matthew 26: 41 "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Okay, I am not sure about all of you that have taken up the 30 Day Negativity Fast and Gratitude Feast, but I have never found the above mentioned scripture to be so true. I am so much more aware of what is coming out of my mouth. I have mentioned in my blog before, that by nature, I tend to be pessimistic. The first thing I notice in a situation is the wrong and not the right. But even knowing that about myself, I have been a bit surprised at how quickly negative or death filled words slip out of my mouth.
With that being said, I thank God that there is always an answer in His word. He says to, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation." Every morning I know that if I am going to succeed at speaking words of life (Prov 18:21), planting trees of life in my children's hearts (Prov 15:4), speaking pleasant words that bring healing (Prov 16:24), speaking soft answers that turn away wrath (Prov 15:1), and if I will open my mouth with wisdom and have the law of kindness on my tongue (Prov 31: 26), I need the Lord's strength and encouragement. I need to watch for those same ol' situations that bring out the worst in me and stop and pray and ask the Lord to help me to respond differently. I need to stop frustration in it's tracks by asking the Lord for the wisdom I need to be a life-giver in the midst of my testing. Is it really that simple......yes! Over and over again accessing the Lord - that's what being an overcomer is.
The second part of the verse says, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." I am so glad that the Lord knows me. He did say in His word, that in the flesh dwells no good thing. So really, I should not be surprised when those negative and death filled words come to my mind and desire to roll right off my tongue. But the good news is that I do not live after the flesh any longer. As I was reminded this weekend by Kay Arthur: we live and walk by faith in the power of God working in us. We don't owe the flesh anything (Romans 8:12)!
So if any of y'all out there are like me and finding that you needed this fast a little more than you had thought, take heart. Know that your Father in heaven, knows what you have need of. He knows your frame. He made you. Be mindful of the times, situations, and people that tend to steal all your kind words away (smile) and pray. Ask God for wisdom. Ask Him for His strength to overcome the flesh and access the power of His spirit to become a life-giver! It is He that works in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure!!!

Written by: Lisa Hill (my lovely wife and mother of our 6 children)

-Read about How to Wash Your Mouth
-Read about 5 Observations on Choosing a Joyful Perspective.
-Join in as we fast from negative words for 30 days. I wrote 15 viable reasons to join this campaign in a previous post.
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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Is the Glass Half Empty or Half Full?-Day 10

We are on Day 10 of our 30 Day-Negativity Fast and Gratitude Feast. Is the glass half empty or half full? This age old rhetorical phrase has been used as a tool to express how different people have different perspectives on the same circumstance. Traditionally, the optimist sees the glass as half full while the pessimist sees it as half empty.
As we continue on this journey recognize that there are at least two ways to view every circumstance. Give yourself permission to choose joy. The reason I said, "give yourself permission" is because we all grow up with a natural default. Some were raised around complaining, worrying and negative people so your natural inclination is to find something to complain about. Others were raised around optimistic, thankful, and encouraging people that look for the good in most situations. If your natural default is negative from this day forward give yourself permission to choose to think, talk, and act differently.
There is a story in the Bible found in Ezra 3:10-13, where the foundation of the temple of the Lord was rebuilt after many years of having no place to worship. There were a host of singers, trumpets, and cymbals that made for a huge celebration. Amongst all of the celebratory noise, that could be heard for miles, were also a mixture of cries and laments.
Ezr 3:12,13 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away.
One situation, with two polar opposite perspectives. Those that knew the empty void of not having a temple at all praised with shouts of joy. Those that were only in comparison mode which prompted criticism were weeping with a loud voice.

5 observations on choosing a joyful perspective:
  1. What God does for a former generation he may do differently in another. Both should rejoice.
  2. Having high expectations creates low appreciation. Resetting your expectations to a new reality means letting go of what was and embracing what is.
  3. Having high entitlement creates low gratitude. Whenever you feel you deserve something more than what God has provided, you will not be thankful. Gratitude begins where entitlement ends.
  4. Comparing yesterday's success can leave you with zero appreciation for current mercies in your life.
  5. Being critical can make just as much noise as rejoicing. One leaves you unfulfilled the other brings satisfaction.
Sometimes it doesn't matter if the glass is half empty or half full, but being grateful that you have a cup of water.
Join in as we fast from negative words for 30 days. I wrote 15 viable reasons to join this campaign in a previous post. Entire churches are joining, small groups, corporate offices, classrooms, families, teams, etc. are all joining in. This campaign will change your life!
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Thursday, December 6, 2012

How to Wash Your Mouth-Soap or Hot Coals?-Day 4

Day 4 of our 30 day Negativity Fast and Gratitude Feast. Yesterday, I blogged about the Anatomy of the Mouth. In that post we revealed that there is a hidden component of your mouth which controls it's functions. "Taking a fast from negative words is not merely a physical exercise of controlling the motion of our mouth, but rather tending to the condition of our hearts." I asked a question, 'how do we tend to our hearts?'


Through the years there have been several tactics used to attempt to clean up our speech. One of prominence is washing the mouth out with soap. I have also heard of people putting hot sauce on the tongue or making the transgressor drink Castor Oil. All of these means can instigate change, embed anger, or completely clean out your digestive system but can it get at that hidden component of the heart?

In Isaiah 6:5-8 (NIV) I found another method instituted by God and delivered by an angel: "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Then one of the seraphs (an angel) flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

During this three days of this negativity fast I hope you have come to the realization that it is impossible to rid your speech, thoughts, actions, and attitudes of negativity in your own strength. Some of us have probably felt like Isaiah in the above passage, a person of unclean lips and living among people with unclean lips. We can also glean from this passage a key prerequisite to having a successful negativity fast. We must have our hearts purged of sin in order to have our mouth cleansed of negative words.

Before a Holy God, our best attempts are seen as unclean (Isaiah 64:6) and our need for help is exposed like a roach when the lights are turned on.

Hot coals represent purging, cleansing and pardoning. To be considered acceptable to God an unclean thing must go through purification. In this case it was Isaiah's mouth. In our case it is our mouth by way of our hearts!

The hot coals are not meant to burn your lips but rather clean your heart,
-they are not meant to scar your mouth but heal your heart,
-they are not meant to hinder your speech but qualify and bring life to your words,
-they are not meant to brand your guilt but pardon your sin.

God's word is like a fire Jeremiah 23:29. The Holy Spirit works as fire, Matt. 3:11. God's method for cleaning up our speech thoughts and actions are done by a means that effects us at the heart and conscience level. Read below:
Hebrews 9:13-14 (CEV)
According to the Law of Moses, those people who become unclean are not fit to worship God. Yet they will be considered clean, if they are sprinkled with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a sacrificed calf. But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That's why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death.

God wants your speech to produce life but it can only happen if it comes from a good heart that has been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. In the eyes of God there is only one acceptable sacrifice for our back biting, evil, slanderous, pessimistic, doubtful, and sinful words, thoughts, and actions (Heb. 10:14). God provided this sacrifice, His only son who was sinless and pure. Jesus was tempted at all points yet without sin (Heb. 4:15). The clean was given for the unclean. At a conscious level you can receive power to bless others from a pure heart if you put your faith and trust in Jesus and His finished work on the cross.

Don't attempt to do this Negativity Fast in your own strength. Surrender your heart to Christ and allow the Spirit of God to give you a new heart which will give you new speech with no soap required.

Join in as we fast from negative words for 30 days. I wrote 15 viable reasons to join this campaign in a previous post. Entire churches are joining, small groups, corporate offices, classrooms, families, teams, etc. are all joining in. This campaign will change your life! It is the right thing to do.
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Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Anatomy of Your Mouth-Day 3 Negativity Fast

Today is day 3 of our 30 day Negativty fast and Gratitude Feast. I am hearing moaning and groaning from friends and family near and far that it is tough to stay positive. Without a doubt, it is a challenging task. Since we all have three days under our belt it is fitting to understanding that there are some perquisites to successfully fasting from negativity. One of them is understanding the anatomy of the mouth.

Paraphrasing the dictionary Britannica.com, the mouth is the orifice through which food and air enter the body. The mouth opens to the outside at the lips and empties into the throat at the rear; its boundaries are defined by the lips, cheeks, hard and soft palates, and glottis. It is composed of a vestibule, open space, between the cheeks and the teeth, and a lower chamber filled by the tongue. In addition to its primary role in the intake and initial digestion of food, the mouth and its structures are essential in humans to the formation of speech.

The above definition tell us that the mouth is only a tool used for the"formation of speech" so our words originate from somewhere else and the mouth is a tool of vocalization. Read this passage below:

Matthew 12:33-38 (New Living Translation)
33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”


I like verse 34 in the NASB version which says, "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart."

Quick summary:
  1. The origin of our words comes from our hearts.
  2. Words are like fruit and our hearts are like fruit trees.
  3. Our hearts can be evil or good, and in addition they can be filled with evil or good.
  4. Evil words come from an evil heart. Good words come from a good heart.
  5. Our identification to others is often formed by the fruit we bear or the words we say.
  6. Our words shape others judgement of us. They can reveal the judgement of innocence or the judgement of guilt.
So from the anatomy lesson above we understand that the mouth has a hidden component called the heart that really controls all of our words. With that being said, taking a fast from negative words is not merely a physical exercise of controlling the motion of our mouth, but rather tending to the condition of our hearts. So just how do we tend to our hearts? We will tackle that in future post. Give us your comments.

Click here: Growing in Gratitude. for a free download of a great 30 day devotional that is pointing you towards gratitude.

Join in as we fast from negative words for 30 days. I wrote 15 viable reasons to join this campaign in a previous post. Entire churches are joining, small groups, families, teams, etc. are all joining in. This campaign will change your life! It is the right thing to do.

If you would like to receive email updates of my new post click below:Subscribe to Jonathan's Blog by Email
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Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Fast to Feast-30 Day Challenge

We are on Day 2 of our Negativity Fast and Gratitude Feast. Notice it is not just a fast, but also a feast. We want to saturate our lives with gratitude and starve the negativity in our lives. Sometimes you have to fast in order to feast. Abstaining from negative thoughts, words, attitudes or actions in order to initiate a feast of gracious things that will produce fruit in your life. In Colossians 3:1-17 the principle is explained as "putting off" and "putting on". By the power of God we have been given the ability to put off ungodly actions and put on gracious actions. Here are three ways to make this 30 day experience enjoyable:

1) Do it with friends, family, coworkers, or your church. That way you have built in accountability and encouragement.
2) Get an encouragement jar and some poker chips. Red are for negative things you do. White are for things you do to express gratitude. Someone else has to put a chip in the jar for you. Check at the end of a week how colorful your jar is.
3) Establish some consistent way to get in the word of God. Truly the only way you can make a heart change is by allowing the God of your heart access to uproot negativity and to plant gratitude.

My wife and I are going through a resource by Nancy Leigh Demoss called Growing in Gratitude. It's a free download and is pointing us to the word of God as our source for living a negative free life. 

Read previous post: Fifteen Reasons to join us in this challenge.

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Monday, December 3, 2012

30 day Negativity Fast-Gratitude Feast

Starting Monday, December 3rd we are asking everybody to fast from negative words, thoughts, and actions for 30 days. During this fast we will also feast on Gratitude. So it is a Gratitude feast and a Negativity fast. This is a campaign that will change your life. The tongue possesses power according to Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." It is your choice rather you use your tongue to build up or tear down..speak life or speak death..encourage or discourage..utter doubt or utter faith.

Fifteen reasons to join us as we fast from negativity and feast on gratitude:
  1. People are spending too much of their life focusing on self criticism, critisizing others, and being pessemistic.
  2. Too many people are living below the level God has designed for them because they are confessing, meditating, and thinking about negative things.
  3. Your relationships with God, spouse, children, coworkers, family, friends, and generally everyone you come in contact with will get better. Your worklife, home life, and church life will all improve.
  4. People around you will begin to eat the fruit of life from your lips and flourish more because of your positive encouragement.
  5. You will be taking the axe to the root of negative words and uprooting them so that they can be replaced with postive, faith filled words that are based on the true promises of God.
  6. It will force you to think of better ways to communicate your desires.
  7. It will help you to stop believing lies about your self and become the person God made you to be.
  8. It will aid you in changing your perspective on even problematic situations.
  9. It doesn't ignore problems but helps you deal with them in the right way.
  10. You will train your self to be solution focuses rather than problem focused
  11. Guarding your speech means you are gaurding your heart, which means you are changing your beliefs, which means the core of who you are is being afforded the opportunity to be transformed.
  12. Things that used to be fearful obstacles will turn into opportunities as you anchor your heart and confessions in God's word that will give you courage and strength to overcome.
  13. You will become "other-minded" versus "self-centered".
  14. It will ignite your faith in God, service toward man, and love for all.
  15. You will be certain despite circumstances that God is faithful and you won't allow situations to easily alter your moods and attitudes.
Listen hear for a message on the subject: Joy is a Choice 
Will you join us? If so comment on my blog or facebook, or twitter (use the hash tag #negativityfast or #gratitudefeast).

LET's DO THIS!!
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Thursday, July 26, 2012

21 Things-Mission Romania-Part 3

Often you think a missions trip is for the people you are going to help. Actually it is just as much for you as it is for them. From raising support to go on the trip to coming back home and sharing the experience; God continues to teach small little lessons. Today I am continuing the 21 things we learned on the mission field with 15-21. You can read Part 1 and Part 2 on previous post.

15) That hitchhiking is an acceptable form of transportation in Romania that people pay for.


16) That working together as father and sons was dynamic and we make a great team.

17) That the power of prayer is essential on the missions field and can be literally felt.

18) That in Europe they have different electrical outlets. And a 110 volt hair trimmer doesn’t like 220 volts of power.

19) That your spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities come alive in a new and fresh way when you go out into the field.

20) That being tall and black qualifies me for this question in Europe, “Do you play in the NBA?”

21) That people from other cultures will trust you more when they see what you believe before you say what you believe.

Now that we have our first trip under our belt we are eagerly waiting for the next opportunity. We want to make it a goal to do something with missions every year.

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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

21 Things-Mission Romania-Part 2

If you get an opportunity to serve a people group that will take you out of your comfort zone. DO IT! Today I am continuing the 21 things we learned on the mission field with 8-14 below: I wrote 1-7 here in a previous post

8) That being American can be a doorway to conversations that can easily be pointed towards matters of faith.

9) The Gospel transcends cultures and geographical boundaries and has the same power to save.

10) That the freedom of religion we have enjoyed all of our lives has afforded us knowledge and experience in God that many in the world do not have the freedom to enjoy.

11) That there are entire regions of people that are Godless and have been scarred by abusive governments and false religion.

12) That all showers don’t have shower curtains.

13) That just because you are using terms like God, Church, faith, and Jesus doesn’t mean that it communicates to their cultural experience. You can be talking, but not communicating.

14) That we have a responsibility to go into all the world and teach all nations. Much has been given to us and much is required. Comfortable Christianity does not fulfill the great commission.

I'll continue tomorrow with 15-21 (Click here). If you get an opportunity to serve a people group that will take you out of your comfort zone. DO IT!

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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

21 Things-Mission Romania-Part 1



What an eye opening trip! Thank you for your prayers and financial support. The missions trip to Romania was our (Jonathan, Justus, and Jerod) first time going on a missions trip and the first time our church has crossed the U.S. borders with the love of Jesus.
Over 400 military students and leaders with the organization MCYM (Military Community Youth Ministries) converged on Cluj-Napoca, Romania to show the love of Jesus to six different Romanian communities:  We constructed playgrounds, played sports, shared Christ through VBS (Vacation Bible School) & taught ESL (English as a Second Language) to the Romanian, Hungarian, & Roma people. Each of the six days ended with worship, a message, and small group time.
Twenty-one things we learned on the mission field ( First seven):
1) Meeting the Roma people, who are considered outcast in Romania, opened our eyes to the fact that no one is an outcast in God’s eyes and we should love on them all the more.
2) Seeing some of the shacks that people live in near the city dump reminded us that we should use the term “need” very sparingly. The little we say we have is much to someone else.
3) That good food can bring all types of people together. We could eat Hungarian Goulash every day!
4) Meeting the other missionaries that have left jobs, comfort and careers to follow God’s call was confirming and provoking.
5) That people who don’t speak English won’t understand you no matter how loud you talk.
6) That who you marry will have an effect on your ability to effectively minister. My wife supported us 200% and helped us in many detailed ways.
7) Just knowing that we had the opportunity to do a small part and encourage the families of our active duty military for six straight days was fulfilling.


I'll continue tomorrow with 8-14 (click here). I was so humbled to be given the honor to speak at this event. My eyes are opened wide to what Jesus said about going to all the world. There is a such a need for sound teaching and fervent love all over the world. Much has been given to most American Christians so much is required. GO YE!!!!!


For pictures go here and click on Romania 2012 pictures!


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Thursday, July 5, 2012

Bible Experience: July-August

Start reading your Bible today. We continue to hear how the Bible Experience (Bible-X) is helping people stay focused on God’s word. We have over 100 participants from eight different states (NJ, FL, MO, TX, OK, MD, IA and IN). I wanted to take time to share a testimony in my family.

We have two teenage sons. We want them to own their faith and spend time with God because they "want to" not because they "have to". Having the physical bookmark in their Bible and a set time when they read has helped them to keep a Godly focus for their days. It has been a joy to be in the car and have a spontaneous conversation over the reading for the day. We pray that they are developing a habit that they will be able to carry with them when they leave our house.
What are your testimonies? Please share: email to info@churchablaze.tv or leave a voice mail at 405-200-1846.

Read here to see how the Bible Experience works. The chapters for July and August are included as an image in this post. Below you can read how to print your own bookmark or receive one in the mail.

For July and August as we will stay on the theme of Establishing. We will look at:
  • Establishing of a leader---I and II Timothy, Titus
  • Establishing a love for Jesus---Gospel of John and his three letters (I, II, and III John)
  • Establishing the Christian life---James
  • Establishing of the temple---Exodus
  • Establishing of the law---Deuteronomy 
Remember this is an experience that you can use in multiple ways:

1. This can be a personal devotion tool. Fellowship with God a minimum of 20 minutes through prayer, reading, and journaling (See bookmark for guidance).
2. This can be a tool to bring your family together around the word. Have the family individually read the two chapters in their own quiet time. When you come together in the car, around the dinner table, or in the family room; have each family member share a portion from the reading that had an impact. Pray for each other and you are done.
3. This can be a tool used in small group environments. Get together with one or two others and share what passages stood out the most to you.

MAIL:
If you would like a bookmark mailed to you every two months please email: info@churchablaze.tv. Leave us your name and mailing address.

PRINT:
You can also print off a hard copy of the bookmark your self here. (Bookmark pdf file)
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Monday, June 25, 2012

Now what? The Event Is Over

When you go to a conference, retreat, or renewing event you often feel like you are on top of the world. How do you carry the glory of the event into everyday life? Inspiration feels like change, but it is not. Turn inspiration into initiation or it will become a memory versus sustatined change. God doesn't just come for a visitation but rather a habitation. When you leave an event it is important to know that the same God you met wants to dwell with you forever. Here are five things that I do to carry the renewal throughout my life.
  1. The week after I get up early to pray, read and listen to see if God has more to say in light of the event.
  2. I take a few days to reread all of my notes and ask my self the following quesitons:
    1. What changes do I need to make to my life? What are some areas where I need to repent?
    2. What measurable steps can I take now in light of the information I learned?
    3. What are some areas God is definetly demanding instant obedience?
    4. Who are some people I need to talk to and get things right with?
  3. I reread all of the passage of scripture to discover more personal insights.
  4. I tell at least three people a summary of the event and what it meant to me. Some people you should tell are spouses, parents, siblings, best freinds, or spirtual leaders in your life. Close relationships are the key because this has built in accountability.
  5. Any new commitments I make I write them down and submit them to my accountability partner. I don't trust myself.
Take this verse and memorize it and pray it daily after the event: Phil. 1:6 "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
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Monday, May 21, 2012

Hills to Romania

Jonathan, Justus, and Jerod Hill
Justus, Jerod, and I will be heading east to Cluj-Napaco, Romania for a missions trip this summer.  I have always had the desire for our family to experience foreign missions and now we have a golden opportunity. I truly believe in my heart that this is the first of many trips across the world. The gospel burns in our hearts as a family and we love to share our faith with the hungry. Now that we have older children I believe more and more doors will open for us to speak and serve outside of the United States.
On this trip we will be:
Speaking – I will minister to 500 military youth every night.
Serving –We will be building playgrounds for Roma schools.
Teaching – We will be sharing God’s love with the impoverished Roma children through stories, games, and crafts.

Here is last years video: http://vimeo.com/28087660
The mission opportunity is through an organization called Military Community Youth Missions http://www.mcym.org/ .  MCYM serves at locations with nearly 70,000 military teens. Over 90 full-time staff along with hundreds of volunteer leaders are working in over 45 military communities around the world.
Prayer needs:
1) For me as I prepare the messages God wants to deliver.
2) Raising $5,000 for trip expenses
3) All of our safe travels
4) For MANY hearts to be changed by the power of the gospel.

Any support can be mailed to:
Church Ablaze
P.O. Box 720960
Oklahoma City, OK 73172
Check to: "Church Ablaze" memo: "romania"

Any questions feel free to contact me via email or facebook:
jhill1972@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/jonathanhill

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Bible Experience-May-June

There is a deficit of Christians that spend a daily quite time with God. In this fast paced world it's good to have a tool that will help you slow down and focus on God's word. What a blessing it is to see the Bible Experience (Bible-X) bringing families and individuals together around God’s word. We have participants from NJ, FL, MO, TX, OK, and IN. It is sweeping across generations from six year old children on up to people in their fifties. Read here to see how the Bible Experience works. The chapters for May and June are included as an image in this post. Below you can read how to print your own bookmark or receive one in the mail.

This is an experience that you can use in multiple ways:
1. This can be used as a personal devotion tool. Fellowship with God a minimum of 20 minutes through prayer, reading, and journaling (See bookmark for guidance).
2. A tool to bring your family together around the word. Have the family individually read the two chapters in their own quiet time. When you come together in the car, around the dinner table, or in the family room have each family share a portion that impact them from the reading. Pray for each other and you are done.
3. A tool that can be used in small group environments. Get together with one or two others and share what passages stood out the most to you. 

Remember if you miss a day don’t worry about catching up, just pick up where you left off. We are not reading for speed, nor are we trying to finish the Bible in a certain amount of time. We are establishing a discipline of reading the Bible for life.

MAIL:
If you would like a bookmark mailed to you every two months please email: info@churchablaze.tv Leave us your name and mailing address.
PRINT:
You can also print off a hard copy of the bookmark your self here. (Bookmark pdf file)

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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The Bible Experience-20 minutes-5 days

The Bible Experience is a unique opportunity for you to draw close to the author of the Bible. The Bible is a collection of books that have been inspired by God and left for us as a tool to get to know Him and be transformed in the process.

On this journey we will read through select books of the Old and New Testaments two chapters a day, five days week, taking Saturday and Sunday off as days to rest and worship with the church.

This experience is a steady pace of reading that will allow you to soak in the Word of God and apply what you have read to your life. We are not trying to read through the entire Bible in a certain amount of time, rather we are developing a repeatable and reproducible pattern that will help you read the Bible for life.

As in any relationships knowing God takes time together. If you are just beginning, 20 minutes a day is a good way to start. Find a quiet place and a workable time when you can regularly be alone. Then…

Pray (5 minutes) Talk from the heart abou the things that matter most to you. You might follow the well-known pattern of “ACTS”
-Adoration: “Lord, I’m amazed by Your
-Confession: “Lord, I was wrong when I…”
-Thanksgiving:”Lord, I’m grateful for…”
-Supplication: “Lord, I need…”

Read (10 minutes) Follow the Bible Experience reading Guide, read two chapters a day. (5 days a week)

Journal (5 minutes) After you’ve read your chapter go back and ask, “what is God saying to me?” In just two or three sentences write what you are hearing.

Join in and experience a more intimate fellowship with God.

If you would like a bookmark mailed to you every two months please email: info@churchablaze.tv Leave us your name and mailing address.
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Thursday, February 2, 2012

Ending a Fast-Six Things to Remember

The fast is over, now what? Earlier I passed on 27 Biblical Reasons to Fast and also 8 Biblical Reasons to Stop Fasting. Let's look at six things to remember when ending a fast.
1) The fast may be over but the purpose of the fast is continual.
2) Don't gorge yourself, ease back into your regular eating.
3) Any new habits that you developed keep them throughout the year.
4) Continue to pray without ceasing
5) Stay attune for other times God may inspire you to fast
6) Take time to evaluate your fasting period by asking your self these questions:

-What have I learned about myself?
-What have I learned about God?
-What were some breakthroughs in my life or in the life of others?
-What contrary attitudes or behaviors came to the surface while fasting?
-What did I discover about my pace of life?
-What did I discover about my ability to focus on God?
-What were some obstacles that I had to overcome?

Biblical fasting is a means not an end. There is really nothing that you were doing while fasting that you should stop doing, short of abstaining from food or drink. The expereince of fasting may not be as good of a teacher as an EVALUATED fasting experience. Use the questions above to evaluate your fast. May your season of fasting be a platform for a fruitful year.

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Thursday, January 5, 2012

Fasting-27 Reasons

January is often a month of prayer, fasting, and consecration. At Church Ablaze and many other churches often a Church wide fast is called by the leadership. When taking on a fast the big question that comes up is, "Why am I doing this?" My family did a little Bible study together and came up with 27 biblical reasons to fast.








1) Intensify the effectiveness of prayer Isaiah 58:9, Ezra 8:23
2) A means to seek the Lord Dan 9:3
3) A means to accompany confession Dan 9:3; I Samuel 7:6; Neh. 9:1-3
4) A means to accompany returning to the Lord Joel 2:12-16
5) A means to serve or worship God Luke 2:37, Acts 13;2-3
6) A means to accompany prayer Neh. 9:1-3; Luke 2:37; Acts 13:2-3
7) A means to accompany bible reading Neh. 9:1-3
8) A means to train our bodies 1 Cor. 9:27
9) A means to invoke humility Ezra 8:21
10) A means of mourning I Sam 31:13; II Sam. 1:12; 12:16
11) To accelerate physical healing Isaiah 58:8
12) So righteousness will go before you and glory behind you. Isaiah 58:8
13) To overcome strong temptations Luke 4:1-2
14) To strengthen obedience to God Luke 4:1-2
15) A response to being led by the Spirit Luke 4:1-2
16) To enhance personal devotions Matthew 6:16-18
17) To loosen heavy burdens and wickedness Isaiah 58:6
18) To free the oppressed Isaiah 58:6
19) To respond in times of crisis and seek deliverance 2 Chron. 20:3-4
20) To develop a hunger for God’s word over food. Matt. 4:4
21) To focus your hearing in making decisions Acts 13:2-3;
22) To find and set forth leaders Acts 14:23
23) To hear directions from God clearer Acts 10:30-32
24) To increase faith to overcome evil spirits Matt. 17:19-21; Mark 9:28-29
25) To seek God's protection Ezra 8:21-23
26) A reminder to share with the poor Isaiah 58:7
27) A reminder to help your family with needs Isaiah 58:7
Incorporating fasting as a spiritual discipline is like injecting an accelerator into all of the other means you pursue God. It totally is an example of offering your body as a living sacrifice to God (Rom. 12:1). A great ebook on the subject of prayer and fasting is available for free from John Piper called "Hunger for God". Take these 27 reasons to heart and make fasting apart of your spiritual growth. Also you can read a blog I did on Journaling that is a very effective spiritual discipline too. What has been your experience with fasting?

Listen to a message here: Spirtiual Disciplines II-Fasting

Read: 8 Biblical Reasons to Stop Fasting
Read: Ending a Fast-Six Things to Remember

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