Category Archives: Gospel

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My Emote-Control Part 1.5 | God’s Control of EVERYTHING

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Hey, control freaks (LIKE ME), do you really want to be free from needing control over every aspect of your life? Start here: mediate on the fact that God is in control of everything, so you don’t have to be in control of anything. Here are 30 (out of many more) verses as a starting place. Meditate on one of these all day for the next 30 days, and each time, ask God to help you believe what  it says about Him. I promise, your need to control everything will change.

  1. Proverbs 19:21: Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
  2. Romans 8:28: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
  3. Isaiah 45:6-7: God says, “That people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides Me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.”
  4. Matthew 19:26: But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
  5. Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
  6. Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
  7. Psalm 22:28: For kingship belongs to the Lord, and He rules over the nations.
  8. Joshua 1:9: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
  9. Ephesians 1:11: In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of His will…
  10. Psalm 115:3: Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
  11. 1 Chronicles 29:11: Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.
  12. Isaiah 55:8-11: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
  13. Job 12:10: In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
  14. Jeremiah 10:6-10: There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might. Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you. They are both stupid and foolish; the instruction of idols is but wood! Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz. They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; their clothing is violet and purple; they are all the work of skilled men. But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.
  15. Psalm 24:1: A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein…
  16. Matthew 10:29: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
  17. Revelation 4:11: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
  18. Proverbs 16:9: The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
  19. Psalm 99:1-9: The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool!
  20. Genesis 50:20: As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
  21. Hebrews 2:8: Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.
  22. 1 Corinthians 14:33: For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
  23. Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
  24. Isaiah 41:10: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
  25. Hebrews 1:3: He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…
  26. Proverbs 21:1: The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
  27. Psalm 3:1-8: O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. …
  28. Isaiah 14:27: For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?
  29. Isaiah 14:24: The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand…
  30. Revelation 21:22-24: And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
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My Emote-Control Part 1 | Control

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Sunday we launched our new series “My Emote-Control.” Here is the premise, all of us have emotions that, to one degree or another, infrequently or often, control us.  Emotions, whether good or bad, are the product of the mind, will, and heart. Oftentimes they are expressed because of a lack of control over ourselves or our circumstances. In the end, either we master our emotions, or they control us. The question then is, how? How do we master our emotions? Every emotion is based on what we believe, and the loyalties of our hearts, so in order to master them we need new beliefs and new loyalties.

Every emotion we experience can be traced back to one of three root emotions, either Control, Fear, or Guilt/Shame. Sunday’s message was geared toward those of us whose greatest struggle is with the root emotion of control.

If you struggle with needing control, the question is, what do we actually believe. It would seem that we believe we are the ultimate definer of our destiny. And what do we actually value? It would seem that we value having authority and control over, and in, every aspect of our lives. And guess what will change that? Submitting to the reality that God is the ultimate definer of our destiny. And God is the only true authority, and He has all control over and in every aspect of every single human being’s life. Ultimately it’s God’s control gives His people comfort. 

That’s a brief recap of what turned out to be a very impactful Sunday. I want to encourage you to do two things. First, check out the entire message from Sunday. There is even some cool live stories in the middle. Here is a great pic of that time. Second, check out our gathering time and join us for part 2 of My Emote-Control, as we discuss the root emotion of fear. 

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By Name

Jesus is Alive (An Open Letter to Renovation Church)

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Family,

Tomorrow morning is the most incredible day of our year! Tomorrow we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus! It’s not that we don’t live for and celebrate His resurrection each day, but tomorrow is our corporate remembrance of this glorious event, and it is significant.

Easter is also a time when those whom we know and love, who do not know or love God, are most responsive to our inviting them to gather with the church and hear the gospel.

Here is my challenge Renovation; as I said last Sunday, we must first pray, and then move from prayer to proclamation.

It is not too late to invite those you know and love to worship with us in the morning. It is not too late to be the reason that they hear the gospel, and meet Jesus tomorrow. It is not too late to be a part of someone’s life changing forever…literally.

So I want to plead with you to do three things, for God’s glory, your good, and the good of those we know and love who don’t know or love God:

  1. Pray tonight that God do the incredible tomorrow. We want to see 1000 people worship with us, and many more baptized as new Christians. Pray for the sound, for the worship team, for hospitality, and for me. Pray the gospel is preached with compassion and clarity.
  2. Be Bold! Invite your friends to worship with us. It is NOT too late.
  3. Be early tomorrow, and fill in the front so that those who will be there for the first time don’t feel pressured to sit a few feet away from the preacher.

I love you all so much, and I know you will be faithful in this.

- Pastor L

By Name

God Has Beautiful Feet

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As I watched this video, and I watched it several times, there were three things Penn said that stood out to me. He said, “how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much to do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible, and not tell them that?” And, “this guy cared enough about me to proselytize.”

These three phrases struck me, because of course in our society it has become taboo, or lacking tolerance to do just what he is describing as a caring act. Sometimes Christians are hesitant, even afraid to tell those they know and love who don’t know or love God, the great news of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. Yet Penn describes it as hate if we do not tell people about Jesus if we genuinely believe that God is real, that Jesus died for the self-worshipping posture of humanity, and that Jesus longs for people to turn from worshiping themselves to worshipping God—and he is an atheist.

This should be a challenge to anyone who says they follow Jesus. Our friends, family, co-workers who don’t know and love God need to hear from us that their self-made systems of righteousness are not the answer. They need to hear from us that though they don’t know or love God, He knows and loves them. Last week I challenged @RenovationATL to pray. Pray for those they love who do not know God. But, after we pray, we must proclaim. We must open our mouths.

God has limited Himself to use humans in His mission, and we must proclaim to those we love what God has accomplished on their behalf, so that THEY CAN CALL ON HIM and cease trying to save themselves. And the good news, the great news is that God has promised that “everyone, who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” The Lord WILL save them!

It blows my mind when I think about it. God has chosen the least likely people to take His message of good news to those far from Him! But for various reasons, mostly fear, we resist His sending.

  • We fear reaction or loss of friendship. We think to ourselves, “what if they won’t be my friend anymore?” My challenge to that, are you really their friend if you are withholding the good news of eternal life from them?
  • We fear fumbling; let me assure you, you will not get it perfect, but this is where we trust God’s sovereignty to work through our imperfection.
  • We fear challenge; yes, they may challenge what you believe, but your job is to share the good news, not necessarily always defend it.
  • We fear not knowing what to say, but we have the content of the good news. We have the very words to say in Romans 10 [9]. Our job is to tell them, …if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. And if they believe, God will take hold of them, the whole of their person, and they will experience salvation.

Everyone…EVERYONE who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, but not without being invited to know God by those who already do. Knowing this, believing this, I challenge you to share Jesus with someone you love who doesn’t know or love God. And then, invite them to worship this Easter so that they can experience the gospel with the family of God.

By Name

As the World Turns

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Sunday’s gathering with Renovation Church was intense, so I was told repeatedly by several of our Renovation family. It was one of those gatherings where God’s presence was very tangible. I imagine the topic contributed to the feeling.

Here was the big idea:

It is very easy for us to fall into falsely thinking that the world will continue as it always has. But what if scripture is clear that this world will cease and that God will intervene, renewing this world into what He intended it to always be and beyond. What if there are people we love who will left out of that renewal unless we shake our apathy, and act on our faith?

This is a troubling, but very real assertion. If you are a Christian you believe certain truths. You believe that God created the world. You believe that Jesus is God, and that He came and walked this planet perfectly, and then died at the hands of His creation. You believe that Jesus literally came back from death; and you believe the truth that says God is going to return to this world, and when He does, it will turn no longer, not as it has, and when that happens, all the people we love who do not know and love Him will have no more opportunity to do so.

This is heavy, and our tendency to get wrapped up in our routine, forgetting the grand story that we’ve been woven in to, causes us to very often forget or not care about that truth. We lose sight of the end game as we cast all our energy into the monotony of our lives. We forget that just as God intervened once, He will intervene again, His justice will be enacted and the godless will not enter the new creation.

The godless will not go into the coming Kingdom. And the godless are not some far off dictator that we feel deserves to face God’s justice. Among the godless are the people we love the most. We typically conceptualize the godless as Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Murderers, Rapists, and Molesters. We never think of the godless as “good people” that we know and love, who are either indifferent or even hostile toward God. We never think of the godless as our mother, father, brother, grandparent, best friend from college, coworker, boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse. Yet, all of us have someone we love who doesn’t know or love God.

God loves humanity. He created, and He loves; and He has been patiently withholding His return so that as many as possible will turn to Him. But at some point His waiting will cease, and so will this world. Knowing this, what do we do? THERE ARE TWO THINGS WE MUST DO. First we pray. We start with asking God to draw people to Himself. We start with asking that God invade the lives of those we love with His grace and mercy. We pray for them #ByName! Next week I’ll cover the second thing we must do.

If you want to hear the sermon that this post is based on click here.

By Name

The Greater Work (By Name Initiative)

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As I thought through our new series, “By Name,” which launches next weekend and concludes on #EasterSunday, I wrestled with one truth in particular; as a Christian I celebrate the return of Jesus with intense excitement, as I should. I am His. But should I, to some small degree, mourn it as well? Allow me to explain.

In 2 Peter, Peter writes to Jesus’ followers, [1] This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. [9] The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient on your account, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. (2 Peter 3:1;9-10)

For years I have missed an essential point of these words—read them closely again. Who is Peter writing to? He is writing to Christians, that is apparent from the first sentence. Now follow his thought through to the next two sentences. God is waiting in patience to fulfill His promise of return, not because He is slow; not because He has forgotten; not because He is unfaithful. He is slow in returning because He is patiently waiting; grieved at the thought of losing one single person; hoping that all would turn to Him—and that we would participate in their doing so.

For years I somehow read this as God being patient on behalf of those far from Him, but no, God is patient on MY account, YOUR account if you are a Christian. He is patiently withholding His return in hopes that we would be so active in seeing His wayward children return to Him, that maybe all He calls will reach repentance. Why? Because if they don’t before His return, they will never have the opportunity again. Here. Now. This is the last chance for those far from God to return to Him. Because when He comes, time ends as we know it, and their chances will be no more.

This is why we must either simultaneously celebrate and mourn Jesus’ return, or we must with diligence and joy do the work of seeing many turn to Him. But where do we start? Do we start with outreach events, and awkward conversations? No. We start with prayer. We start with asking God to draw them to Himself, and we pray for them BY NAME!

The scriptures assure us that God is intricately involved in the workings of this world, that He has numbered the hairs on the head of His children, and that He knows each by name. We then, with great love and urgency should begin now praying for them in just that way, by name. This makes them more than a checklist, more than fulfillment of an obligation, more than a task to be completed. This turns our hearts to theirs as we seek to see their hearts turned to God.

Oswald Chambers writes, “prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.”  Will you join me, join @RenovationATL for this greater work, as we believe God for 1000 of His wandering children to return home to Him this Easter. If you will, tweet with the hashtag #byname, let’s show God together that His patience will not be wasted.

Faith vs. Works | C.S. Lewis

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Christians have often disputed as to whether what leads the Christian home is good actions, or Faith in Christ. I have no right really to speak on such a difficult question, but it does seem to me like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary. A serious moral effort is the only thing that will bring you to the point where you throw up the sponge. Faith in Christ is the only thing to save you from despair at that point: and out of that Faith in Him good action must inevitably come.

There are two parodies of the truth which different sets of Christians have, in the past, been accused by other Christians of believing: perhaps they may make the truth clearer. One set were accused of saying, “Good actions are all that matters. The best good action is charity. The best kind of charity is giving money. The best thing to give money to is the Church. So hand us over 10,000 pounds and we will see you through.”

The answer to that nonsense, of course, would be that good actions done for that motive, done with the idea that Heaven can be bought, would not be good actions at all, but only commercial speculations. The other set were accused of saying, “Faith is all that matters. Consequently, if you have faith, it doesn’t matter what you do. Sin away, my lad, and have a good time and Christ will see that it makes no difference in the end.” The answer to that nonsense is that, if what you call your “faith” in Christ does not involve taking the slightest notice of what He says, then it is not Faith at all–not faith or trust in Him, but only intellectual acceptance of some theory about Him.

The Bible really seems to clinch the matter when it puts the two things together into one amazing sentence. The first half is, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”–which looks as if everything depended on us and our good actions: but the second half goes on, “For it is God who worketh in you”–which looks as if God did everything and we nothing. I am afraid that is the sort of thing we come up against in Christianity.

I am puzzled, but I am not surprised. You see, we are now trying to understand, and to separate into watertight compartments, what exactly God does and what man does when God and man are working together. And, of course, we begin by thinking it is like two men working together, so that you could say, “He did this bit and I did that.” But this way of thinking breaks down. God is not like that. He is inside you as well as outside: even if we could understand who did what, I do not think human language could properly express it. In the attempt to express it different Churches say different things. But you will find that even those who insist most strongly on the importance of good actions tell you you need Faith; and even those who insist most strongly on Faith tell you to do good actions. At any rate that is as far as I can go.

When God Changes a City – A Prayer for Atlanta

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Here is a prayer that Renovation prayed together at our gathering last Sunday at the end of the sermon “When God Changes a City,” preached from Acts 19:1 – 35…

God I pray too safe, and believe too little. Would you help me to pray dangerously? Would you help me to pray foolishly? Help me God to pray in such a way that when that which I have prayed for is accomplished, there will be no doubts that God and God alone has answered. And that God has visited us in a unique and significant way.

With that Lord, I pray for a city wide renewal, so powerful that it rivals the great awakening! I will not be satisfied with less. I pray that those confused about what they believe would receive Jesus, and be filled with the Spirit.

I pray that racial, social, economic, and educational barriers be broken down, and that from Atlanta, all the nation would hear the good news of the gospel. I pray that You would do miracles God, and I’d see people healed holistically. I pray that Jesus name would be made so great that people would come in off the street, confessing their idolatry, and destroying their idols.

I pray that the economic systems that support trafficking, pornography, strip clubs, drug abuse, and all the idols that plague Atlanta would be shut down and irrevocably altered. And I pray that the places that house and host them would close forever. I pray that places of false worship would cease, and that those who oppose the gospel would be riotous because they don’t know what else to do to stop the change it’s causing.

God, I pray that you completely and thoroughly change my city…I will not be satisfied with less. Let it be here, let it be now, let it be us. In Jesus name, amen.

Beautiful Feet – Scripture Reading and Prayer for today

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Scripture Reading and Prayer for today

Romans 5:5 – 15 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Read these words today as we prepare for Easter. Be reminded of the Gospel you have received. Pray God give you beautiful feet that carry the good news of the gospel to your friends and family members who do not know Him. Pray the Holy Spirit give you wisdom and boldness in inviting them to worship with us for one of our Easter services.

P.L.

Real Marriage Starts Sunday

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ImageI don’t know a statement more true than the one on the picture above. After 6 years with my wife, 5 of them married, I’d actually say it’s an understatement, but it is definitely true. When something is stagnant it is no longer fresh or life giving. That is what all relationships, but especially marriages, become if they are not growing in and toward something.

This Sunday we begin an 11-week journey through the scriptures on what marriage is supposed to look like. If we can faithfully live out God’s intentions for this relationship, we can almost certainly do it in any other. Please don’t miss this opportunity to be challenged, affirmed, and encouraged by what God has to say about all human relationships, but especially about marriage.