Sun Stand Still Prayer

Joshua 10:6-14

What kind of prayers do we pray? Some things about Joshua’s prayer:

It was Bold:

Who prays for the sun to stand still? Our prayers minimize the power
of God.

Goals should be attainable….Our prayers should be impossible!

Take the opportunity for man to take credit for the answered prayer.
Joshua prayers this prayer publicly…it had to be God’s will.

Hebrews 4:16

It was a specific prayer:

Some specific Oak Leaf Prayers..(Join in these with us!)

Canton
50 biggest cities in US
House for church planting interns
Third Campus location

Be specific with our thanks!

It required action:

They marched all night….then he fought….then he prayed.

James 2:26

We are called to an active faith. Put some feet to your faith.

Work like it depends on you…Pray like it depends on God!

What is your specific prayer?

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Here are some notes I took yesterday from the message at Oak Leaf Church. We are in a series called Remix here we are looking back at messages from the past. This one is on parenting and here is what I re-learned

1) Good parenting takes time!

- Kids want our time
- Time cannot be replaced with stuff
- It is OK for things to go undone
- Something has to get cheated don’t let it be family
- Primary job is to lead kids to Christ
- Ephesians 6:4

2) Good parenting takes a team

-Mom and Dad have to be on the  same page
-Family and Church must work  together
-Avg time at church 40 hrs/yr (The church cannot raise your kids)
-Parents get 3000 hrs/yr (what do you do with that time?)
-Check out resources at Oak Leaf Church Kids
-Get involved in church with kids

3) Kids don’t need you to be their friend they need a parent.

-Kids need discipline, punishment at times but teaching as well

Types of Parents:

Lifeguard Parent- always bails them out

Parents cannot protect their kids from every bad influence…their job
is to teach them how to respond to bad influences.

Etch a Sketch parents- the rules always change and aren’t consistent

Practical Tips:

-bedtimes are important
-teenagers need a curfew
-calendar needs limits
-less rules are better

3 simple all encompassing  rules Obey, Be Kind, Respect

3) Parent Police

-Always want to catch them doing  wrong

-Catch them doing something right!
-Have a reward tool

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Recently the organization Georgia Right to Life (GRTL) released its endorsements in the years gubernatorial election. The lone Republican candidate not to receive an endorsement was Karen Handel who is also the only women in this years contest. This group did however endorse at least one candidate with questionable integrity and documented morality issues.  How does it make sense to do this but not support someone else on such narrow differences?  Not only did she not get the organizations nod but the groups President Dan Becker made some pretty insensitive remarks in the process.

Karen and her husband have been unable to have children and support the use of invitro fertilization for couples wanting to be parents.  She also believes that in addition to the life of the mother, rape and incest should be exceptions allowed under any abortion restrictions.  As a result she is deemed unworthy by GRTL.

Let me just drop a little news flash on everyone…..I AGREE with Karen Handel. I think that abortions should be illegal except for rape, incest and the life of the mother. I would have also consider invitro if my wife and I would have had trouble conceiving.  Here are the remarks from the GRTL president:

GRTL President Dan Becker said, “Someone’s desperate right to parenthood – because they’re infertile, they’re barren, whatever term you want to use – is an emotionally fraught subject that has our highest sympathy.  But it should never be attempted to be addressed where a life is taken in the process.”

I am getting more and more convinced that this no longer even needs to be a political fight among Christians and conservatives.  Finding a candidate who supports the elimination of abortion except for those 3 exceptions is a win across the board.  When are we going to stop ripping each other apart politically on such a narrow difference of opinion? Rape, incest, life of the mother and invitro do not represent the problem area with abortions in this country anyway.  The area where there in universal agreement among all groups is that abortions should not be used primarily for birth control. There is no debate on this between Christians and conservatives across this country. We should unite on this point and see if real change is possible. The left loves the fact that we are so busy trying to validate each others beliefs that we get NOTHING accomplished.

Groups like GRTL and others have been fighting the abortion issue for to long on the wrong side of the problem.  Putting all of our money and efforts into curtailing abortions legally once someone is already pregnant has produced mixed results at best.  I would like to see these groups do much more to support the re-emergence of the family unit.  If we work more with young girls prior to them getting pregnant then maybe we can see the number of abortions drop without the fruitless political circus that this issue has become.

The time has come to reevaluate this issue as a litmus test for being a conservative.  We are doing much more damage to the movement and seeing very little change take place.  We should all be following President Reagan’s 80% rule on this and give our country the opportunity to see the conservative movement for the diversity that it truly offers this country.

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This morning I announced on WBHF 1450am that I would not be seeking another term on the Bartow County school board.  I am making this announcement now to give those interested in succeeding me plenty of time to prayerfully consider stepping into public service.  I began my political journey volunteering for former Congressman Bob Barr as part of his campaign in 1994.  That year we saw a conservative revolution sweep Washington, D.C.  The climate was very much like the one we see captivating this country right now. Later, I would have the opportunity to intern for Congressman Barr and work with Catherine Brock who really taught me what legislative and constituent service was all about.

After completing college, I served in various leadership positions within the Bartow County Republican party and had a great experience running for the state legislature in 2002. Through all of these roles my belief has not wavered that government should be limited and accountable to the people.

I was first elected to the school board in 2004 to fill the unexpired term of Paul Bennett. I was later elected to a full four year term in 2006.  I am proudest of the strides that this system has made in our graduation rate during my time on the board. Since 2004 we have seen about a 20% improvement in moving our students towards graduation.  During my time on the board we have never raised the milage rate and have done our best to lower it every year that we could. The current rate dates back to the mid-1990′s. We built the best fund balance that this county has ever had and we have been using it to deal with this crisis (with minimal impact to employees to date). We also have the best bond rating that this school system has ever been able to achieve due to fiscally sound decisions.  I am also very proud that I have stayed true to my convictions. Even when I had to stand alone or vote on something I knew would be unpopular I always did what I thought was right.

Public service no matter what form it takes should be about being part of something larger than yourself. I begin this final chapter in my school board service knowing that I have made a difference. I am also proud that I can say that I never used this position to benefit me or my family personally. For me, this has been and will continue to be about helping our children reach their full God given potential and purpose.

I would like to thank my wife Stephanie for her patience and love. The wife of an elected official is not always an ideal position. Stephanie you always handled my political life with grace and class. I love you very much! Thank you for allowing me to be away and serve for all of these years.

I am so excited about being able to spend more time with my 3 wonderful children Sydney, Austin & Anniston.  They have always been my biggest fans and now I have more time to be theirs for a while.

Too often we look to our elected officials for answers to problems that they are incapable of giving. I know that many people are hurting right now and have serious questions about the future.  I hope you find some comfort in knowing that Jesus Christ has a plan for your life. God sent him so that you could have a bright future free from the guilt that past sin often consumes in our life.  If you need a church home to learn more about Jesus please stop by Oak Leaf Church and let us minister to you!

This bible verse has been a guiding force in my life for years and I hope you find strength and peace in it too.

Proverbs 16:9

In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.

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Sin Wall from Oak Leaf Church on Vimeo.

No matter your sin and how much you may be hurting Jesus is there to wipe away your past and give you a future. Jesus did not die so that you would live shackled by the guilt of your past sins.  Give yourself to him and take the first step towards redemption!

Romans 10:9

⁹That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

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Josh I tend to agree with you that finding these kind of Christian leaders in today’s world is much more difficult but I am reminded of how this country was started back in the beginning.  It was that search for an authentic untarnished relationship with Jesus Christ that sent the pilgrims and early colonists to early unsettled America in the first place.

During the time of the American Revolution many of our leaders spoke about our innate need to fully know Christ so that we could achieve our utmost potential as people and as a society.  On paper we should have never beaten the British but I personally believe that our victory was the providential action of Almighty God. Our first attempt at self-government failed (Articles of Confederation) but our Constitution was born out of a desire to see faith, speech and individual achievement protected (Through the acts of politicians from parties)

If we are to believe (like I do) that God intervened on our behalf it must be asked for what purpose would he do so.  I think this country is a grand experiment in mans ability to take our free will given to us by God and see what we would do with it.  Our country (up until recently) has been the beacon for freedom around the world.  A place where the inner dreams of man could be realized through hard work even in our imperfect society.

I truly believe we are facing our greatest political and moral threat at this precise time in our nations history. We have a president bent on the political socialization of this country and the opposing forces seem disorganized at best.  Christianity should never be a political tool in and of itself but I think its principles lead most people towards a specific ideology.

Our system is not perfect and at times our leaders truly disappoint even me.  You mentioned Abortion in your article and I think the church and Conservatives have totally missed the boat on this topic.  If the time, money and effort spent pursing this issue had been focused on strengthening family relationships and rebuilding self-respect among teens we would be seeing decline in Abortions with changes in the law.  Abortion will not ever be reduced by fighting this problem after the pregnancy has occurred.

Politicians know that people focus on such a narrow band of issues that they like to isolate the debate into a them vs. us proposition that rarely is that simple. I believe that our system of government, however flawed is and was ordained by God but just like our lives individually we have at times messed it up.  Christianity can never be removed from politics because our very system of government was established though multiple acts stemming from a deep abiding faith in Jesus Christ.

We will make it through this storm and I believe that there is a new crop of people more loyal to freedom than party who are emerging from this barrage on our countries values.  We all just have to look a little harder at their character and less at what initial follows their name on the ballot!

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In writing The Purpose Driven Church Rick Warren has written a book that offers a glimpse into the process of what establishing and leading a church plant to success looks like. This journey is an authentic account of both the trials and tribulations that met this amazing servant of God along the way. In this book tradition in many ways is the enemy of innovation. Warren speaks eloquently about the need to try new things in order to reach the lost for God.

This story will cause every pastor to question the methods they are employing to reach the lost. That church self-examination process makes this a must read for all pastors who want to leave a legacy of life change in their churches. Every church has the capacity to be more than it currently is if the purpose is clearly defined and the staff and volunteers are clearly sold on the lead pastor’s vision. Warren’s purpose I believe in writing this book was simple and that is to provide a different path for church planters and progressive pastors to travel. Warren seeks to emancipate churches from the prison of the past and lead them into a dialogue on what the future should look like. Warren rightly diagnosed that doing things simply because they have been done before was not transforming this culture in a meaningful way for Jesus Christ.

Rick Warren for all of his critics has been successful because he stays true to his mission and his purpose. We are in a period of explosive growth in church planting all over this country but I wonder how many of those pastors have their own vision. Simply trying to pick up the vision of another pastor and drop it into another community will not work for sustained success. Pastors must go through the exercise of hearing from God and articulating their own unique vision for their church. This book is a great way to frame that argument for new pastors and church plants so that they can reach their full potential for God!

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Today there is a revolution of shorts going on in the way that we present God’s message to the public. Churches like Willow Creek in Chicago and Saddleback in California ushered in many of these changes in the 90’s and we are now seeing their work become the neo-traditionalism of this generation. So in an effort to differentiate themselves from one another churches are turning to the power of the internet and social media to be on the cutting edge of ministry for church in the 21st century.

I must admit that I blog, tweet and have a facebook account that I access daily. I use these as my journal, and as a tool to connect with people within my church and an extended network around the country as well. I see daily the power that these tools can have in the lives of those people who allow themselves to be connected to various groups this way. These tools are only as strong as the commitment, vision and creativity of the people who are employing their use. Integrating these tools into ministry if done correctly can yield amazing results for the organization who tries. If students all over the world can receive degrees churches can use this tool to connect people to small groups, answers to common life questions and facilitate a sermon experience all from the users computer.

This is an exciting time for Christians all over the world. The ability to extend our influence beyond the confines of our physical reach has never been as extensive as it is right now. We are using every tool possible to win our city, country and world for Jesus. It always amazes me that the traditional church crowd has so much animosity for these new tools that expand the message of Christ. I pray that when I am a more seasoned adult that I will always have a mind open to see the possibilities of what new technology can bring into the church.

I work in business professionally but some of the most innovative things going right now are in the church. The best and brightest are coming into ministry because we are welcoming that creative spirit into our churches and more importantly our church offices!

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The development of the mission statement has become one of the founding activities from both the secular and religious community. The process has taken on the time honored role of being that sacred of all boxes that must be checked prior to seeking a Small Business Association loan or presenting to a group of church investors. It is the opportunity to in a few words truly explain what the role of the organization will be. The mission statement seeks to both define why the organization exists and explain how it will be successful moving forward. Mission statements have lost much of what they were originally intended to be and now take on almost an after thought role in business or organizational development. This lack of sustainability is due in large part to overly verbose mission statements with little to no creativity. Statements should be shorter and well thought out so that they can convey the feel of the organization but strong enough to inspire and direct to work of the organization.

Social networking is changing the way that we are all interacting with one another. I must admit that I am a Twitter user as are many people across all professions and organizations. The thing I love about Twitter is that you only have 140 characters to say whatever it is that you want to communicate. You really have to refine your message to get it to its most impactful level to fit it into the required length. I really believe that a lot of churches and organizations should see if their mission statement passes the “Twitter Test” on what they are communicating.

Many people miss the opportunity to brand their organizations through the effective crafting of a short, thoughtful, memorable statement about what the organization exists to do. The best mission statements that I have seen are the ones that drive decision making and that are repeated at almost every meeting or gathering of the institution involved. By creating a concise mission statement the end user, patron, or church member remembers organizations empower people to live out those values each time they represent the institution. Mission statements must be a real part of the planning process or they will simply become a perfunctory exercise that is only understood by the leadership and never fully embraced by those doing the work in the trenches day in and day out.

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I was watching the fireworks holding my 10 month old in my arms last night and I could not help but wonder would my youngest child grow up experiencing the same kind of America that I had been so fortunate to grow up in. This country has been on a precipitous slide into socialism since the January inauguration of President Obama and as difficult as it may be to believe things are going to get worse from here.

The founders of this great country (Christian’s by the way) set up a system of government that offered the opportunity for success not the guarantee of it. I will even go one step further and suggest that it is this ability to fail that has made America such an amazing country for the last 233 years. We have experienced so much innovation in business, technology and society at large through the entrepreneurship culture woven through the fabric of this great country.

This has been America’s paradigm for all of it’s history until now. President Obama who has espoused in his own writings an affinity for Marxism is trying to shift our cultural paradigm from freedom to that of government security. We are in a ideological culture war and two clear sides have been established. Unfortunately for those of us who love freedom we do not have the systemic power to protect our institutional freedom. President Obama and the Democrats want a society in which no one is allowed to “fail”. They want to trade freedom for security and lose the most basic element that has made this country a beacon of freedom around the world.

When you sanitize America and ensure no one achieves greatness or demise you institutionalize mediocrity and innovation dies. Capitalism while not perfect rewards people for the ability to have better ideas. America, at least the one I grew up in has been a country of ideas where nothing could prevent your success if you had an idea that the marketplace would respond too. For all of their high sounding ideals the Democrats and President Obama are picking winners and losers in our society and trying to achieve a social parity that only ensures America’s slow decline into obscurity.

As you think about the July 4th and what it means to you I ask that you allow yourself to be emboldened by the story of the shopkeepers, and farmers who had the guts to want a different life and said no more. They saw an opportunity to be great with NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS. They sent off that amazing little letter to the King called the Deceleration of Independence that said we will begin anew and make this country a place based on freedom and ordained by Grace under God.

America is standing at the most significant crossroads in our countries history since Thomas Jefferson first drafted that amazing document over 200 years ago. We have two choices and they are not about party or politics. Those two choices are freedom and institutionalized socialism. If you choose freedom then stand with me to protect the right of all people and organizations to FAIL. No company or industry is so big that we need massive government intervention to ensure it’s “success” even though the market had judged them poorly. It has been through failure that some of our best innovation has occurred. I call on all people regardless of race, religion, or political party to contact your elected representatives and help begin the “Choose Freedom” movement. It is time for another group of Americans to write a letter to our elected tyrant and issue a new “Deceleration of Freedom” so that our children will have the chance to experience what an America truly blessed the Almighty God really looks like. Never forget what this country was so we can ensure once and for all what she will continue to be!

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