I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving! I do not want to deter from time with your family or food so I will be brief.

Last week Brian helped us realize that what we stuff our heart and mind with has an effect on us, so we need to be sure and feed our faith not our struggles.

This week I am going to be looking at what we are missing out on because we are overly stuffed. It is going to be a mind-blowing, life-altering, foundation-shaking evening. Reason I can say that is because the truth of this message has been just that for me personally.

SO eat up with family, pray up for Sunday, invite your friends, and travel safely back to Resonate…I will see you Sunday.

FYI- One of the things I am most Thankful for is being your pastor.

With the holiday season comes a lot of traveling. I love flying but there is nothing like a Road Trip. The open road, coffee, bathroom breaks, junk food snacks, fast food meals, stimulating conversation, belting out to your favorite song, learning something new in a sermon on my ipod, and the feeling of finally arriving at the destination in record time.

Road Trips have never been the same since my amazing wife got me a GPS for Christmas. GPS can teach us a lot about the Christian life or more specifically what it means to walk by faith.

I often get asked, “What is faith?” Because of this I have come up with this definition. Faith is a firm belief based on facts that requires and dictates action. This means that faith is not based on feelings, since feelings can be and are easily manipulated. Faith is based upon proven unshakable facts (one example Jesus Resurrection) that dictate our feelings. It also puts meat to our belief or mental acknowledgment that something is true (for even demons have that type of faith- James 2:19-20) by dictating our actions. This is why baptism is so essential when one comes to faith in Jesus for salvation. For while we are saved by faith and not works our works display that faith and it is not until we have acted on our faith that it is real to us or the world looking on (however if someone dies before they are able to be baptized I think they will still be saved for God knows their heart and circumstances-but this is the exception not the norm).

So how does using a GPS on a road trip have anything to do with faith? Everything. As followers of Jesus we are on the Ultimate Road Trip Home. For as the old song says, “This world is not our home we are just passing through”. We are on our way to the biggest party for Jesus that church folk like to call Heaven. But as they say on any Road Trip half the fun is getting there and God provides a route that is just as adventurous, fun, risky, and impactful as heaven will be glorious and awesome. If we are journeying correctly with God we should be leaving others in the wake of a taste of heaven and hungry for the real thing.  How can we get to our destination in such way that brings that about? By living by our GPS faith.

Some Christ followers have determined that the best way to get to our destination was to plan the trip out by looking at a map in the Atlas. They understand that faith is not about feelings but facts. So they have all the answers to the theological and Bible questions. They spend time understanding tough theological issues and have the Bible memorized from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. This is great and helps keep us on the right track and from taking the detour onto the road of heresy. We need to know theology and what difference it makes in our lives. But the danger is one will begin to spend so much time studying the map that they have forgotten to go on the trip. Slowly being a Christian becomes all about what you know. The person can tell you were a certain exit or stop sign is on the map and how to get to the destination, but when you look for the evidence of them being on the journey themselves you find they have never left point A for they are too afraid that something they are not prepared for might arise and they will miss point B.

They would rather stay in familiarity and comfort than live in an adventure.

The danger here is that this type of faith can look more like all the other religions where as long as you have all the right answers then you will hopefully be ok.

What we need to do is live our Christian life by our GPS or God Positioning System called faith. Living a GPS faith is being where God wants you to be because you follow His direction. It is keeping our hearts soft before God by obeying and riding (not driving- He is in complete control) with Him. Where as what was described earlier was all about getting as much knowledge as possible Biblical Christianity is applying what you learn. The reason GPS travel is a better picture of Biblical Christianity is that it only tells you the next step-no more than what you need to know for right now. That is the best definition of the Christian walk by faith. We need to follow God by obeying what He makes clear to guide us in uncertainty. Let the clear direct you in the unclear times of life. You do not know the next step but if you follow what He is telling you to do now you will.

Often times the reason God seems distant or aloof is because He is waiting until we do what He has said so clearly- like stop looking at porn, stop lying, be content, love more, trust him. Once we obey in the matters that He has made clear we are able to see the next step.

Atlas faith is saying, “God if you will show me then I will go.” GPS faith is God saying, “If you would go you would see.” The danger here is that this type of faith can sometimes blend in with all the other “spiritual” movements in our day and age.

This is why we need to combine the two. One time my wife and I were traveling some friends in Chicago to my parent’s house we followed the GPS but we also pulled out our Atlas and used the two to help us find the quickest and easiest route. However, it meant that we went through some of the worst parts of Chicago. Living a life of Biblical faith is like this. It is grounded in the truth of God’s word and put into action by being sensitive to the Spirit’s leading. Like I mentioned earlier, we should not neglect studying the Atlas, it helps keep us from not going down the road of heresy. If we lose the gospel message that sets Christianity apart then we are no longer relevant.

For this reason when the two are in conflict then we need to veer more towards what we know God’s word says instead of how we feel about something. When what we feel God is guiding us towards matches up with what He has made clear in His word then we can travel confidently knowing we are exactly where God wants us to be. But we should never dictate God’s will based on our comfort or safety. For the sake of those God desires to save He will sometimes send us to dangerous/uncomfortable situations. “Open doors” are always for those on the other side of the door not the one going through it. He never promised safety and comfort but that He will be with us where ever we go. When we decide to follow Jesus we made the decision to lay down our own desires and dreams for the sake of Him- this is what it means to take up our cross.

The church (followers of Jesus) is on the threshold of great opportunity to make a difference in our country and in order to take advantage of it we need to be living by our GPS faith. With the new year coming we have new opportunities. As you make your resolutions for 2010 think about where you want to be at the beginning of 2011. What do you hope to accomplish and see done in your life? Community? World? What does God want to see done in our life? Community? World? Will you still be where you are today or will you be well down the road making a huge difference in the kingdom by Jesus’ help? If you are following your GPS and staying true to the Atlas then I can guarantee you that you will not be the same then as you are today. I can also tell you that the travel will be challenging, hard, and costly – Following God will not always be safe and easy – yet it will be fulfilling, fun, and rewarding because you are making an eternal difference with God.

One of my favorite holidays is just around the corner- Thanksgiving. What more can you ask for than a day of family, friends, football and FOOD!

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, mac ‘n cheese, hot rolls, and pumpkin pie with a ton of whip cream on top. I always STUFF myself beyond what I should on Thanksgiving.

It is interesting to hear what Jesus had to say about food. Food had a lot of spiritual connections and meanings in that day. Eating with people was a sign of acceptance, and what you ate had spiritual significance as well.

Jesus shook things up when he said, “It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.“

Have you ever thought about what you are stuffing yourself with that is effecting you spiritually or emotionally?

This Sunday we are going to journey through this thought and come to so surprising conclusions on what God has to say.

Be there are invite all your friends as we get STUFFED.

“Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!” (Luke 15:1-2)

This is becoming one of my favorite passages. This last Sunday we just finished one of the most powerful series to date at Resonate: God Unrated. The whole purpose of the series was to help us become more like Jesus and less like the Religious Leaders.

I am saddened that such a series is even necessary. But the truth of the matter is the church has either pushed away or negatively distanced themselves from those Jesus hung out with and came to rescue. Because of this people want nothing to do with Jesus- the ONLY one who can save them and give them true worth and purpose. We only looked at three particular people groups/struggles, but the truth is this series could go on and on.

The bottom line is this: God Loves Imperfect people. If people think they are perfect then they have no need for God. Within this truth is the mind blowing truth of the Gospel: a perfect God wants to have a relationship with imperfect people like you and me and HELP us become perfect.

Unfortunately the church has given the message that we need to get our act together before we come to God. Jesus addressed this in Luke 18:9-14:

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:

“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.‘

I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God.“

May Resonate be a place where the most notorious sinners feel loved and cared for so that they might come to know the One who loved them so much that He died for them.

This Sunday is going to be incredible! I can not think of a better way to end our series  “God Unrated: Taking Off the Church Censors” than with having our guest speaker Shelley Lubben.

Shelley will be sharing her story of life as a prostitute, stripper, drug addict, and porn star…and how Jesus saved her. Her life story proclaims the truth of the night: ” God Loves Sex Addicts.”

Here are four Great and Easy ways to invite through Facebook:

1) RSVP on the Facebook Event page for this evening: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162270576863&ref=mf

2) Click the link “Invite People to Come” under the picture of Shelley on the Facebook Event Page and then Invite all your friends.

3) Share the link of the Facebook event page (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162270576863&ref=mf) on your Profile Wall.

4) Update your Status frequently inviting people to come and telling them how excited you are.

I know God is going to do amazing things this Sunday…we need to do our part and get as many people there as possible.

Please be in prayer for the evening. Pray that people will come, feel welcomed/loved, and that they will be set free. Remember: the only people not welcomed at Resonate are perfect people!

Tithe Rap from Resonate College on Vimeo.

The other night there was a full moon on a super clear night. It was so perfect it seemed straight out of a movie. I decided to go out on the porch and enjoy the night with a mug full of hot apple cider. As I was standing there I was struck with this thought: Why would God create such an amazing universe? Why would He create stars, planets, and galaxies that we will never see or visit?

He could have made the world/universe simple and dull and it would have been fine because that is all that we would have known. But He didn’t.

Looking at the full moon I thought about this even more. I know that the moon works with controlling the tide, but God could have controlled the tide without a ball of dirt.  So why did He create a ball of dirt that could take your breathe away on a perfect night?

For His glory and show His power…but also because HE LOVES YOU!! In fact He is CRAZY for us! He not only died in our place to save us and show His love for us…He created an AMAZING Universe for us to live with Him in!

Or think of it this way: The One who created this huge and amazing universe loves you so much He came down here and died for you!

If you feel unloved or forgotten by God…if you are having a hard time given your life to God and obeying Him. Then do yourself a favor-next clear night go out and look up.

Psalm 8:3-9

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?
Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.

O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

The next two weeks of our God Unrated Series is focused on people groups that most people think the church has done a great job showing God’s love and grace too, Alcoholics and Sex Addicts. Compared to how the church in general has treated the Homosexual community that is true. Just because people are not holding signs that read “God Hates Drunks” doesn’t mean that the church has not hurt those who struggle with an addiction to alcohol or drugs.

Many that struggle with addictions are good at hiding their addiction from the general view. But by staying quite they hurt themselves and those closes to them. Why do they keep their struggle quite? Why do they hide their addiction from the very ones who can help them the most-Christians…Church?

Shame and Guilt. From the pulpit to casual conversation church has lavished on so much shame and guilt that most who struggle with an addiction believe that they are all alone. Through our lives and teachings we have given the world the message, “Don’t do that! Stop that! Shame on you!” So the person struggling with the addiction feels like they can’t even measure up to God’s standards or be considered a Follower of His. As Christians we often create walls and barriers between Jesus and the world by making ourselves out to be better than what we are.

We have lead the world to believe that before they can be loved by God that they must get their act together-that’s Religion not Christianity.

The church is a community unified under Jesus, helping each other becoming more like Jesus (get rid of sin) by the means of His Grace with the help of His Spirit.

May we become more open about our struggles with one another and become known by our Life Changing Grace that comes from Our Holy God more than our Rules and Logic.

Don’t miss this week as PC Walker continues to unpack this and share how “God Loves Alcoholics.”

We had a great start to God Unrated with “God Loves Homosexuals.” This week we are addressing “God Loves Alcoholics” with a different slant than what you might expect.

Invite everyone you know! In fact invite those you don’t know by getting posters up at your favorite coffee shop, bowling alley, school…heck go put them up in a bar and club!

This Sunday Money is Due for the Fall Retreat! Also we are going to take a special offering to help pay for some of Shelley’s travel expenses this Sunday as well.

(Click on the Pictures for the Facebook Event Pages)

Don't miss this HUGE opportunity to change someone's life! Make sure EVERYONE knows this is happening: Invite your friends to attend through the FB Event page, and call your favorite radio station and ask them to announce it.