declaration 2010

Lots of stuff going on in the Turning Point lately!  God has been giving us huge dreams, and calling us to follow him more closely and let him guide our dreams.  Tuesday night at our midweek service for the singles and the married women, we spent some time talking about how we have to be careful that our dream does not become our god, but that we desire God more than anything else, even our dream that we think came from God!  

In his new book Primal, Mark Batterson quotes Phil Vischer of Veggie Tales fame: "The impact God has planned for us doesn't occur when we're pursuing impact.  It occurs when we're pursuing God."  We want to be sure that as we are pursuing our dreams and goals, we are more interested in God's dream becoming reality than we are interested in our own impact. 

This past Sunday, I read what we are calling the 2010 Declaration.  It is what we want our answer to be to God when he calls us to live fully for him.  I adapted this freely, liberally, and unapologetically from Rick Warren's Radicalis Declaration, and edited it for our own church culture.  I have been reading it every day for the last several weeks, and it moves and inspires me every time I read it.  We are hoping it will be a great daily catalyst for our family here to stay focused on God's desire for us to dream and live big! 

Tuesday night at midweek, to mark the moment, I brought a giant parchment with the words Declaration 2010 and all of our goals for the next three years across the top.  Every Member on a Mission - Multiple Adoptions - 750 members and 1000 attendance by the end of the year 2012.  After praying about it, everyone who was willing to give their time and energy to this cause in this family at this time came up and signed their name.  It was incredible to see people making a public declaration of their willingness to participate in what God has planned for us.  I can't wait to have all the teens and married men sign it over the next few weeks.  Hopefully, it will keep us focused and be a great reminder of where we are trying to go. 

Here is the declaration. I hope it inspires you like it has inspired me! 

Today, I’m stepping across the line.  I’m tired of waffling and I’m finished with wavering.  I’ve made my choice.  The verdict is in and my decision is irrevocable.  I’m going God’s way.  There’s no turning back.  I will live the rest of my life serving God’s purposes, with God’s people, on God’s planet, for God’s glory. 

Since my past has been forgiven and I have a purpose for living and a home awaiting me in heaven, I refuse to waste any more time or energy on shallow living, petty thinking, trivial talking, thoughtless doing, useless regretting, hurtful resenting, or faithless worrying. 

Because this life is preparation for the next I will value worship over wealth, “we” over “me”, character over comfort, service over status, and people over possessions, position, and pleasures.  I know what matters most and I’ll give it all I’ve got.  I’ll do the best I can with what I have for Jesus Christ today. 

I won’t be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by praise, frustrated by problems, debilitated by temptation, nor intimidated by the devil.  I’ll keep running my race with my eyes on the goal, not the sidelines or those running with me.  When times get tough and I get tired, I won’t back up, back off, back down, or back out.  I’ll just keep moving forward by God’s grace.  I cannot be bought, I will not be compromised, and I shall not quit until I finish the race. 

I’m a trophy of God’s amazing grace.  I will be gracious to everyone, grateful for every day and generous with everything that God entrusts to me. 

To my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ I say: However, whenever, wherever and whatever you ask me to do, my answer in advance is yes.  Wherever you lead and whatever the cost, I’m ready.  Anytime. Anywhere.  Anyway.  Whatever it takes, Lord; whatever it takes.  I want to be used by you in such a way that on that final day I’ll hear you say, “Well done, good and faithful one.  Come on in and let the eternal party begin.”

Comments

[Nika]

Thanks for leading us with the series and I am "all in." I realize I don't even know what that means my future will be like, but I know I am meditating on the right direction. Sunday, I realized I have the opportunity to repent. I led a study on discipleship the Friday prior and what came to mind while listening to you preach was the scripture Luke 9:23-25, denying self. Some of my dreams don’t require me to deny myself; they are actually all about my comfort which is convicting. Last year around Easter the Wells family (and beyond) got together and we all did a dream board, cutting out pictures from magazines and imagining what our futures would be like. I hung it up on my wall to remember to dream big, but what I realized Sunday was that not only did I not dream big enough, but there was not even anything on my dream board that had to do with giving to the poor or helping others, which I do but on a very small scale. I was not denying myself when I created that dream board. I wasn’t focused on what I believe God is concerned about. I only had stuff about work, relationships, and home, honestly things that don’t produce burning passion in my heart. I know God cares about the things I mentioned because everything is spiritual, but in the big picture it isn't really a big, thinking out-of-the-box dream. Thank you for helping to broaden my horizon to dream BIGGER! I am also mediating on Luke 16. I desire to be a good steward and I know I have been trusted with much, so now I need to consider: would I be worthy of to be trusted with more? I’m praying for sure and asking God to empty me.