Join Us This Sunday To Celebrate Easter At Merge...

If you don't already have plans for this Sunday's Easter Celebration, why don't you go ahead and make plans on swinging by Merge.  We will have live spitting camels, fire jugglers, clowns and a dodo bird (those things actually subject to change).  

What we can promise is that you will experience a great place to hear about God in a welcoming environment with a really good looking guy doing some talking:)

Words To Chew On...

"Life is wasted if we do not grasp the glory of the Cross, cherish it for the treasure that it is, and cleave to it as the highest price of every pleasure and the deepest comfort in every pain."

---John Piper "Don't Waste Your Life"

What I Wanted To Do Was Ninja Kick Him To The Chest...

I have been playing basketball at my local 24 hour fitness a few times a week for these past few months.  I LOVE IT!!!!  I always enjoyed basketball more than any other sport I was playing.  I forgot how much I loved the competition of playing against another person when you stop them from scoring or when you shoot a three from the corner to end the game.  To say the least, it is one of the highlights of my week.  

But I do have a hidden agenda when playing.  I want to help guys meet Jesus.  With this in mind there are a lot of things I can't get away with.  Case in point, yesterday we were playing 5 on 5 full court basketball and I was playing against a guy who plays regularly up there when I do.  He has been a bit hard to get to know, he is a bit rough.  One thing he really likes to do is throw his weight around by pushing and shoving on defense.  Yesterday, I came down with a rebound and he chest bumped me into the wall.  

As I laid there I had a few thoughts running through my mind "One ninja kick to the chest would put him down and everyone would probably think it is the greatest move of all time."  "If I cry in front of everyone I will have to find a new gym and turn in my man card." "I wonder what would happen if I pantsed him and ran out of the gym?" Then the one that stopped me in my tracks: "What is the most loving thing I can do?"

As he stood over me, chest out, staring down like he did something impressive I said..."I sure am sorry you had to run into me, I hope I didn't hurt you."  He stared for a second and then gave me the biggest smile I had ever seen him give as he extended his hand to help me up.  After the game he came over and apologized.  It made me smile.  

You see, there is a very carnal and sinful side of me that wants to exact revenge when I feel I have been wounded but all of those wounds have been dealt with by Jesus.  So now pick up basketball games now carry an eternal influence with them.  How I react will effect how people will view Jesus in my life.  I don't take that kind of perspective lightly.  

My prayer is that we as God's kids would realize that there is much more on the line than we typically want to accept.  Everything we do will speak of what God is doing in our lives. Every action and reaction will have consequences that speak of a story much grander than the one just about you.  

Though I have many more stories of getting this wrong, yesterday I am convinced I brought a smile on my Heavenly Father's face.  That my friend, is a good day.


Heart and Soul,
BAG
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When Love Breaks Through...

The other day at Merge we were walking through a prayer Paul prays in the book of Philippians where he asks God that our love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight we may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day Jesus comes back , and that we would be filled with His righteousness to the glory and praise of God.  

It should not come as a shock to anyone that the pursuit of every Christian's life boils down to our desire to reflect Jesus to this world in order to bring as much praise to God as we can.  What I find interesting is in this prayer the catalyst that Paul prays to unlock this beautiful reality...  

LOVE!!!!

When love breaks through all other barriers begin to break down.  When love breaks through we see things like patience and kindness and consideration take place over evil, selfishness and pride.  When love breaks through we celebrate when good wins over evil and rest assured that in love we find protection and a hope for a better tomorrow.  

When love breaks through addictions are broken, hearts are mended and lives are restored.  When love breaks through we go from the wilderness to the promised land.  We go from pieces to a masterpiece.  

Our desire to live in love will change the courses of our lives.  There are a million reasons we can give for choosing not to live in love.  A few I hear from time to time usually deal with wounds received, wounds given, wounds of previous generations, wounds.  What we forget is that all wounds can be healed in Jesus because in Him we find everything we need.  

Love as it turns out is the most important thing about our lives.  Not our yearly income, not our business I.Q., not how popular we are or how big the T.V. is.... Jesus tells us that our lives come down to our desire to LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE.  All other commands fall under this great one.  

I wonder what it would look like if love actually broke through in your life and you made it your mission to always act/react in the most loving ways possible.  Maybe you should start wondering this with me:)

Heart and Soul,
BAG
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