Breaking Out Of A Slump
I Am Jesus – part 22
HEY – are there any sports fan out there? OKAY – on a count of three just shout out your favorite sport…. NOW – my favorite sport to watch is the NFL. AND – let me tell you, I can’t wait for the season to kick off again. This year Anthony & I are hoping to get Direct TV’s ‘NFL Sunday Ticket’ so that we can watch our favorite teams each week…
NOW – growing up as a kid, baseball was game. I played little league until I was about 13. AND - I was a big time Baltimore Oriole fan (who by the way won more games then any other team in the 1970’s). I collected baseball cards (for fun not for investments)… I went to games, I got there early and I hung around late to get the autograph of players like; Brooke Robinson, Frank Robinson and Jim Palmer. I even got to sit in the owners box seats a few times because my aunt worked for the owners mother in-law…
BUT - I have not followed them for years… And to be honest part of the reason is that they have basically been in a 20 year slump. However this year I started following them again, and they are having a pretty good year, so far… (It’s been a lot of fun…) BUT – I am always a little worried that they will slide into a mid-season slump… (if you are a Cub fan you know, what I am talking about).
NO - slumps are never fun for players or for teams. And when you are in a slump you will try anything to bust out of it. This week I did I a search on the internet for sports slumps. And I found Dr Gary Calhoun’s website called onlinecoach.com. AND ON – that site he had a page called ‘overcoming slumps’
• Are you going through a slump?
• Has your performance dropped off for no apparent reason?
• Do you know that you could be doing better?
If your answer to any of these is Yes, you should keep reading. All athletes whether amateur or professional will experience slumps in performance. If you are locked into a performance slump Dr. Gary can help. Slumps are often caused by a variety of factors including, but not limited to the following:
#1; Not being able to let go of past mistakes
#2; Losing focus is another major reason for performance slumps.
Several weeks ago I began reading Isaiah during my quiet times. Isaiah is a great book, it is sometimes called the little bible because it has 66 chapter. The first 39 chapters deal more with God judging His people for their rebellion and the last 27 have more to do with God restoring His people back to Him… I decided to start my reading at Isaiah 40 because at this particular time I felt that I needed to be lifted up more than I needed to be beaten up (now sometimes I do need to be beaten up, but I knew that this was not the time…)
AND MAN – the last several weeks in Isaiah have been so awesome! I MEAN – Isaiah paints such incredible pictures of God’s; love, power, grace, kingdom and of His son… CHECKOUT – some of the stuff he wrote… AND HEY – listen up because what I am about to read may be just the words that God wants to speak into your life this morning…
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.” - Isaiah 1:18
those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint – Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43:18,19
If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. – Isaiah 48:18
He was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! – Isaiah 53:4
"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. – Isaiah 55:1,2
MAN – that is good stuff… AND – it’s true and available to us…
• Your sins as white as snow
• New strength & past forgotten
• A new thing starting
• Peace like a river
• Your deepest thirst quenched forever
OKAY - back on May 25 (at about 3:30 pm) I grabbed my bible and my pen and headed off into the woods out back, to be with God… AND – I read these words from the pen of Isaiah;
I have worked hard for nothing. I have used all my power, but I did nothing useful. – Isaiah 49:4 AND – in verse 21 of that same chapter, Isaiah uses these words to describe himself, sad, lonely, defeated, separated from His people and left all alone…
Do you know what? I think Dr Gary Calhoun would say that Isaiah is in a little bit of a slump here… He’s spent, he’s worn out… AND - at this particular moment everything he has tried to do for God seems to be just a big fat waste of time… I have worked hard for nothing. I have used all my power, but I did nothing useful… I FEEL - sad, lonely, defeated, separated from His people and left all alone… OR – as I like to say, when I’m at that same place, ‘I got nothing.’
QUESTION – have you ever been there…? HAVE – your ever felt the same way? (sad, lonely, defeated – like you used all your power but did nothing useful?) HEY BUT – guess what else happens, in this very same chapter. AS - Isaiah pours out his heart to God… GOD - does what He does best… HE SHOWS UP - in a big way and speaks some powerful words to His servant.
I MEAN - right after Isaiah says; I have worked hard for nothing. I have used all my power, but I did nothing useful… GOD – has him pen these words; But the Lord will decide what my work is worth; God will decide my reward…’
MAN – I like that… God is telling ISAIAH – “Forget about what other people see or even what you see… because it’s what I see and what I say that matters…”
AND – checkout a few more things that God has Isaiah pen in this chapter… (it’s a great chapter.. IN FACT - I spent 5 days in it…)
The LORD made me in the body of my mother to be His servant, to lead the people…back to Him… The LORD will honor me and I will get my strength from my God… (5)
God reminds Isaiah;
• OF – who he is, God’s servant
• OF – what he is supposed to do, lead people back to God
• AND OF – where the power to do this comes from, I will get my strength from my God…
AND – I ‘really’ love these phrases that God says to his slumping servant;
• You are an important servant to me (6)
• At the right time I WILL hear your prayers
• I will help you
• I will protect you (8)
• Anyone who trusts in me will not be disappointed (23)
AND GUYS – you have to forgive me.. BUT – I just have to read 2 more passages that God has this worn out prophet write, that really fire me up…
Yet Jerusalem says, "The LORD has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us." "Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I will not forget you! See, I have written your name on my hand. Ever before me is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins. – Isaiah 49:14-16 (NLT)
You were destroyed and defeated and your land was made useless. But now you will have more people than the land can hold, and those people who destroyed you will be far away. Children were born to you while you were sad (God was still working through him), but they will say to you, ‘this place is too small for us give us a bigger place to live…
- Isaiah 49:19,20 (NCV)
COME ON - that is some good stuff… written 2,700 years ago by an awesome servant of God.
NOW – perhaps at this moment, some of you are wondering, ‘okay, Steve I agree, that is good stuff, but what in the world does; sports, slumps, Dr Gary Calhoun and Isaiah have to do with our year long message series, I Am Jesus…’ HEY – you need to stick with me on this… Trust me, I will bring this thing together…
[Tim, Laurie...] - can I be honest with you guys this morning? I hope so, because I am going to be… GUYS - I have been in an emotional and spiritual slump for over 7 weeks… YOU SEE – it was a slump that caused me to grab my bible and head off in to the woods 2 Wednesdays ago. AND LISTEN – the awesome thing about God is… OR – I should say the awesome THINGS about God ARE;
#1 – that He still shows up and speaks to his servants… LIKE I SAID - that Wednesday a few weeks back. I was feeling just like Isaiah… I MEAN – I could so relate to those words…
I have worked hard for nothing. I have used all my power, but I did nothing useful. – Isaiah 49:4 AND – to those feelings of… sadness, defeat, separation and feeling all alone… I pretty much said, ‘yeah Isaiah, I know how you feel dude’
HERE – is what I wrote, in my journal when I first sat down in the woods that day…
Hey Father, I sure need to be here with you. It’s Wednesday about 3:30 pm. I am so wore out physically, spiritually, mentally… I don’t feel like I am having much of an impact. Help me Father!!
BUT LISTEN – God as He always does showed up and He began to speak to me… HERE – are the first words I read that day (they are sooo amazing, sooo God);
People of Jacob listen to me I have called you to be my people. People of Israel listen to me. I have called you to be my people.
I am God.
I am the beginning and the end.
I made the earth with my own hands.
With my right hand I spread out the skies.
When I call them, they come together… - Is 48:12,13 (NCV)
IT – was like God was saying…’ Steve remember who I am- I am GOD!
AND THEN – I read these words from the pen of Isaiah;
You are my servant and I will show my glory through you… - Is 49:1-3
NOW - the 2nd thing that is awesome about God is that like with Isaiah; children were still born to me in my sadness, in my slump… I MEAN – it was during this time the God birthed me the incredible and powerful truths of the kingdom of God and living in it now. AND – I also know that during this time the reality of living in the kingdom; the reality of life on the other side of the rainbow was born in the hearts and minds of some of you in this room. YES – children were born to me in my slump.
AGAIN - you may be wondering why I am spending all of this time… Not only talking about slumps… BUT – telling you that I have been in one… NOW – to be honest the idea of talking about breaking out of a slump didn’t even enter my mind until Wednesday morning… AND – then I spent most of Wednesday debating with myself… AND asking God IF this is what he wanted me to talk about… I went to bed Wednesday night still unsure of what I was supposed to talk about. Which by the way led to a really weird dream…
BUT [Tim, Laurie…] – God eventually convinced me that this is exactly what He wanted me to talk about… BECAUSE – if Isaiah the prophet (and other men like; David, Moses, Elijah and Paul) occasionally fell into a slump emotionally and spiritually… AND – if I had fallen into one… ‘Maybe’ – (I felt God telling me) there will be someone in this room on Sunday June 5th who is in a slump emotionally & spiritually… AND – needs to hear about how to break out of it…
AND - that’s what we are going to do for the next few moments…talk about breaking out of a slump…. AND – I am going to use the words ‘A Slump’ as an acrostic to do just that…
A – Acknowledge Where You Are
[Tim, Laurie…] – when you can tell something is not right, emotionally or spiritually… the first thing that you need to do is to admit it. LISTEN WHEN - you are spending more time on the bench then running the bases. WHEN - you can’t even seem to hit a fat pitch right over the middle of the plate or hold on to a 6 run lead in the 9th inning. WHEN – you don’t even feel like going to the ball park… WHEN – are always praying for the game to be rained out or for the coach to keep you out of the lineup. DENYING - that you are in a slump is kind of silly and self defeating…
UNDERSTAND – the first step in overcoming a slump… Is simply (though in theory) is to acknowledge where you are… ‘I am not on fire like I sued to be, I’m not that excited about hearing the word or talking to people about Jesus, and some Sundays I’d rather stay home or go to the lake. NOW – all kind of things can cause a slump…
• A lost job
• A lost dream
• A lost relationship
• Feelings of failure
• A bad report from the Dr.
• You prayed really hard for something and it did not happen
• You gave all you had and it didn’t bring the results that you hoped for.
BUT REGARDLESS – of what causes it, the first step is to acknowledge where you are.
S – Spend Time With God
OKAY – the ‘S’ in the word slump stands for… Spend time with God. HEY – let me tell something that I am learning to do. The moment I start to feel ‘funky’ spiritually… I won it and ‘B-line it’ to God. YOU SEE – I’ve learned that He is the only one whop can pull me out of it.
L – Listen To What He Says
AND – what I mean by this… IS – don’t go to God with your mind already made up about what you want Him to tell you… INSTEAD – listen to what He says to say. NOW – He may speak through His word, through other people or to your spirit…
BUT – come with an open mind, an open heart and a spirit willing to do what he says. I find it helpful sometimes to slow down and breathe deep… Breathe out – the world and my will and breathe in His presence and will…
U – Understand That There Are Different Paths To
Connect With God
HEY – have you noticed that people are different… Who here likes;
• Get up early/get up late
• Everything planned/live by the seat of their pants
• On time/late
•
•
•
AND – since people are different have you noticed that you have to relate to different people in different ways… Parents do you relate and connect with each of your kids in the same way (of course not)? AND – what about our friends… I MEAN – if we think about it we probably relate to each of them in a different way. Some of our friends we connect with simply by sitting around and talking, others we connect with by doing something… AND THOUGH – we are with each of our friends, they each experience our presence in a different way. WHY? Because people are different.
IN – a book called, ‘God Is Closer Than You Think’ – John Ortberg points out an awesome truth. AFTER – talking about how God makes us ‘wildly, wonderfully and absurdly’ different from each other, he writes;
Yet all too often we fail to realize that our individual uniqueness means we will all experience God’s presence and learn to relate to Him in different ways, in ways that correspond to the wiring pattern He himself created in us. Frequently in churches we give people a ‘one size fits all’ approach to spiritual growth, like a doctor who prescribes the same medicine for every ailment from rickets to pneumonia.
A guy named Gary Thomas writes about this:
All too often, Christians who desire to be fed spiritually are given the same, generic, hopefully all-inclusive methods – usually some variation on a standardized Q.T. Why? Because it is simple, it’s generic, and it’s easy to hold people accountable to. But, for many Christians it’s just not enough.
OKAY – what I want to do now is talk about 7 spiritual pathways that John Ortberg talks about in his book. (And keep in mind that a spiritual pathway is the way we most naturally sense God’s presence and experience spiritual growth). NOW – as we talk about these pathways try to see which ones seem to be how you are wired. AND – let me say a couple of things upfront;
1. fight the temptation to think that how you relate to God is better then how other people relate.
2. also fight the temptation to envy someone else’s spiritual path
3. though you have a some ways of connecting to God that are more natural – understand God at times wants you to step out of your comfort zone and relate to Him in a different way… (hey it will give you a different taste of God’s presence. The prophet Elijah usually related to God in dramatic ways, like showdowns with false prophets on top of mountains… but there was a time when God wanted to connect with through a gentle whisper)
AND - the really cool thing is that since no one is exactly like you, there is only one person in the entire world who can relate to God the way you do. OKAY – the first path is; THE…
Intellectual Pathway;
NOW - people on the intellectual pathway draw closer to God as they learn more about Him. IF – this is you, you love to study Scripture. AND - the word ‘theology’ has the same impact on that the phrase ’hot donuts now’ has on the average Krispy Kreme customer. No one wants to go to the bookstore with you, because once you walk in, they know they’re going to miss curfew. You hear God best when you learn. You love to immerse yourself in great books, deep thoughts and sound teaching. When you mind is growing you feel fully alive… (I think Paul walked this pathway to God) NEXT IS; THE…
Relational Pathway;
AND - people on this pathway have a deep sense of God’s presence when they are involved in significant relationships. I MEAN - Jesus’ statement ‘where 2 or 3 are gathered there am I in your midst makes perfects sense to them. You love being in small groups and other community experiences. You rarely meet a stranger. YOU – often find yourself in deep conversations with people you just meet (because you really do want to know how they are doing)… Being alone drives you crazy. Being with people gives you energy. You tend to hear God speak to you more in a conversation then in a book…
(Barnabas, my wife, Ryckie)
THEN – there is;
Serving Pathway;
People on this pathway find that God’s presence seems most tangible when they are involved in helping others. Jesus’ comment about ‘whatever you did for the least of these you did for me,’ is a truth they embrace tightly.. If this is you may find yourself somewhat uncomfortable when you don’t have a role to play. But if you can do something – set up chairs, make coffee, help decorate – you feel a sense of God’s delight in you.
(An example of someone in Scripture on this pathway might be Dorcas… Though she is only briefly mentioned, Luke says that she was always involved in helping people, especially the poor… Mother Teresa would be a modern example).
Worship Pathway;
IF - this is you, when you worship at church you hope it will go on for hours. While the intellectual types are looking at their watches, waiting for the message to start, you are internally shouting, ‘yeah, I know we already sang the that chorus 6 times… but let’s do it again…’ You may or may not be naturally expressive but somehow in worship your heart opens up and you come alive. SOME TIMES - you find yourself in tears, other times experiencing deep joy… BECAUSE - God seems so close. If this is you, you’ve probably turned your car into a rolling sanctuary… (I think King David who once danced in his underwear walked this path way…)
NEXT is, THE…
Activist Pathway;
If this is you – you have a high level of energy. AND – your pulse quickens when you hear Scripture like, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’ (John 2:17) You have a passion to act. Challenges don’t discourage they energize you. When someone says, ‘This can’t be done,’ you smile and say ‘watch me.’ You love a fast-paced, problem filled, complex, strenuous way of life. At the end of the day, you want to be able to say, “I ran really hard. I used everything I had and it was all for you God I saved nothing for the trip back…”.
(A couple of guys in the bible that walked this path were Elijah and Nehemiah. I MEAN - when God needed a prayer prayed, false gods dealt with, wicked rulers confronted and walls built those guys said ‘God, I’m there let’s do it!’)
Contemplative Pathway
If this is your pathway… You love large blocks of uninterrupted time alone. It is very likely that when you were a child, your parents used to tell you to get outside and play with kids more. Reflection comes naturally to you. AND - God is most present to you when distractions and noises are removed. Images, metaphors and pictures help you as you pray. If you get too busy, or spend too much time with too many people hanging around, you begin to feel drained and stretched thin. You probably love to journal.
Creation Pathway;
IF – this is you feel most connected to God when you are outside experiencing the world he created. People on this pathway, find something deeply life-giving and God-breathed about nature. Being outdoors restores, refreshes and energies them – It opens up their spirit to God.
THOSE – are the 7 ‘ spiritual’ pathways which ones are most natural to you…?
P – Practice The Things You Did At First
NOW – I need you to skip (for now) the ‘M’ in the word slump, we will come back to it later.
BUT – right now I want to look at the P in the word slump…WHICH – stands for Practice the things you did at first…
THIS – step is based on something that Jesus said to the church at Ephesus. A church that Paul started and spent 3 years at. A church that Paul prayed would BOTH understand and be rooted in the love of Christ.
Ephesus was a good church… BUT – about 30 years after Paul had left they slide into a slump. YEAH – they still did some outward acts but their love for Jesus had grown cold… SO – Jesus has the apostle John write down these words for them in His book of Revelation;
"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first... – Revelation 2:1-5
WHAT – great advice for someone who is in a slump.
Acknowledge where you are…. Don’t deny it….
You have forsaken your first love.
Remember the height from which you have fallen!
AND THEN;
Do the things you did at first
UNDERSTAND – when you are in a spiritual slump… YOU – need to start doing the things that you did when your love for Christ was on fire. When you weren’t in the dugout but you were rounding the bases…. When if anyone was crazy enough to throw you fastball over the middle of the plate you’d knock it over the fence. When you couldn’t wait to get to the ball park.
When you felt God loves, when you gave him your best, when you served him with joy… When couldn’t stop talking or telling people about Him.
GUYS – when I was in my slump I started doing the things I did at first… THE – things I did when I was on fire. AND THOUGH – I didn’t know the name for it I started going back to familiar spiritual pathways…
I’m a contemplative… So on May 7th I bought a brand new notebook to journal in…
I also love to connect with God intellectually… So I went to the book store and found that my favorite author had written a new book… I knew I needed to learn new things…
AND – since I get energized and can sense God’s presence in creation I spend a lot of time reading and praying outside…
NOW – to be honest I really had to work to get out of this slump… AND – to be honest I didn’t totally pull out of it until this past Friday morning… WHEN – God lead me onto a spiritual path I had not be down in awhile…
ON - Friday morning… I got here at 6 am… YOU SEE - every Friday I sit on the floor back there and pray (with whoever shows up) for our Church and for our Sunday Worship service. As I pulled into the parking lot and set up the room… I had a feeling that it was going to be just me… SO – I sat there with my PK uprising tape… AND – to my surprise I wasn’t alone after all… YOU SEE – God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit were with me… AND – at the right time a listen to one of my favorite songs on that CD (at least 5 times)… The Song Is Called I will Not be shaken…
LISTEN – if you are in a slump – Acknowledge It… Seek God… Listen To What He Says… AND – Practice the things you did at first…
• Maybe serving is what fires you up
• Maybe you’re an activist and you need to take on a big challenge for God’s church
M – Make The ‘One Thing Needed’ Your Focus
OKAY – now for the ‘M’ in the word slump… AND – guys this is so important… UNDERSTAND - part of the reason why I got into this slump to begin with, is because I allowed myself to forget what this whole year in the I Am Jesus series is about… I forgot that only one thing is needed…
HEY TURN – in your bibles to Luke chapter 10 verse 38; I know we are running out of time… SO – I’ll hurry… BUT - you really need to hear this.
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" 41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Great story… BUT UNDERSTAND – it often misunderstood. YOU SEE – many people think that this story is telling that we must be careful not to become like Martha and get to busy doing things, that it is better to do nothing and just sit at the feet of Jesus like Mary. AND – I think this understanding, has on one hand; made a lot of workers feel guilty and on the other created a lot of lazy believers. So what is going on here…
First we need to understand that the term sitting at the feet of someone – was a term used to describe not so much the position of your body but the attitude of your heart… Mary was in fact saying to Jesus, ‘I want to be your student, I want to be your disciple, I want to be with you as much as possible so I can learn everything I can from you…”
Second we need understand that Luke does not say that Martha’s problem was that she was too busy or over committed… BUT RATHER – that she was ‘distracted’… A word which means to be pulled or dragged away from something…
Martha allowed herself to be pulled away from the one thing that is needed… Sitting at the feet of Jesus, making a decision to be in His presence. So that she could know Him…
AND – now we come full circle… I was in a slump… BECAUSE - I allowed myself to be pulled away from what 2005 is all about ‘knowing Jesus.’ YOU SEE – 2005 is not about all the things in my life & ministry working out the way I want.
UNDERSTAND – the greatest thing in life is not the blessings of life… NO – the greatest thing in life is that you and I can know God. LISTEN - the all-powerful, all knowing, all present GOD - the God who carved the entire universe with just a spoken word wants you to know to Him… AND – because of Christ we can draw close, the barriers are gone… BUT INSTEAD – of drawing close… WE - choose the creation over the creator, the blessing over His presence. We are like a small child who is offered a 1,000 bill… BUT – who chooses a bright shinny dime instead… BECAUSE – it appears to be the better deal.
GUYS – I really need to be straight with you, with me, with us… BECAUSE - the truth is that it is very hard for us to believe & accept that knowing Jesus is better than having life workout the way we want it to.
I MEAN – having; your marriage, your family, your relationships, your health, your job…your finances… HAVING your life work out the way you want - sounds pretty good… IN FACT – it sounds awesome, doesn’t it. SO – how could ‘knowing Christ’ really be better than all of that stuff.
TO – be honest I don’t know how… YOU SEE – this is just one of those things that we just have to take by faith… AND – that we have take Jesus’ word on it;
“Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent.” John 17:3
YES - the journey we are taking together in 2005… IS - a journey where we are pursuing the higher dream (the presence of God) AND – having that presence be enough….
June 1, 2005
Hey Father it’s about 6 am, I’m in the basement. And this morning I am making a choice. A choice to see you this month. I’ve had a tough April & May, A spiritual slump… I’ve been really treading water for 7+ weeks. It’s time for a new month.
I don’t want to be in a slump. I don’t want to be discourage about life and ministry. I don’t want to retreat. It is time to press forward.
There is so much about this month that I do not know and I cannot control… BUT THIS I DO KNOW… If I seek you with all my heart… I will find you. AND – you Are, ‘life’ ‘eternal life.’
So once again, I leave, I release from my hands things that should not be in my hands in the first place. And I give them to you…
AND [Tm, Laurie] – when you know Christ… You will;
• know who we are
• walk on water
• finally put aside once and for all… fear, doubt and worry
• be a new creation
• be content in any and every situation
• feast on a living hope that will spoil fade or pass away
• experience fullness of life
• have a peace that passes understanding
• will love one another deeply from the heart
• will forgive each other as God has forgiven us
• will live a life that give this world a better glimpse of the glory of our Jesus
OKAY – that is how to break out of a slump… AND GUYS – I think it was VERY important for us to be reminded of what this I Am Jesus series is all about… HERE – at mid season… AND – before we move on… UNDERSTAND – it is SO EASY to loose focus of the only thing that is needed… Knowing Christ!!!!
