Love...Love...Love!!!

Wow! What a week it has been. As of today, four celebrities in the entertainment and media industry have passed away. Each of them were precious and mattered to JESUS. His love for them, is deep, immeasurable and unconditional. We are commissioned to love our neighbor – those in our world - with that same Christ-like Love.

How do we do that? By pursuing intimacy with Jesus and staying hungry for HIS Presence – involving HIM in every area of our lives – communing with HIM at work, on the campus, at dinner, during times of joy, times of uncertainty, when we make important and even not-so-important decisions...HE welcomes every part of our life and longs to be in relationship with us.

From that place of intimacy with LOVE Himself, we receive His transforming Love in our own lives, and are empowered by His Spirit to love those in our world. When that happens, transformation WITHIN and WITHOUT will take place in our circle of influence - which will then affect our society, our culture and our world!

It’s difficult to remain defeated, broken, hopeless, and bound in sin, when you encounter the wild, powerful, beautiful, authentic, eternal and beyond-logic love of JESUS!!

So what are the ingredients of this kind of relentless, enduring LOVE?

1. Love is patient.

2. Love is kind.

3. Love is not jealous and does not envy.

4. Love does not boast.

5. Love is not proud.

6. Love is not rude.

7. Love is not self-seeking.

8. Love is not easily angered. It does not become irritated. It is not touchy.

9. Love keeps no record of wrongs.

10. Love does not delight in evil but it rejoices in truth.

11. Love always trusts, and believes all things.

12. Love always hopes.

13. Love always perseveres.

14. Love goes on forever.

Now read the list and replace the word "love" with "God." God is not just loving, He IS Love!

All the special gifts and powers from God will someday come to an end, but love goes on forever...there are three things that remain -- faith, hope, and love -- and the greatest of these is Love. I Corinthians 13: 4-8, 13 (LBV)

Let's challenge one another to show the tangible love of JESUS, to each individual we come into contact with, today! "They will know we are CHRISTians, by our love..."

Living Backwards, Upside Down and Impossible

So this is what we are called to do....our job description...to live backwards, upside down, and absolutely impossible. Isn't that just like God? The funny thing is that to Him, it is totally forward, right side up, and not only possible, but NORMAL.

So...are there really people who have chosen to live completely "unfashionable" in this society? Jesus did. He said that in order to live, we must die. In order to find life, we must lose it. Though He was rich, He became poor. Though He was King, He became a servant to all. It is a decision to go as absolutely low as possible, placing yourself in a posture of complete dependence on the One who is fully dependable.

You see...When you know that the Creator of the Universe truly wants you to access everything He is and literally overtake you with abundance, you don't have to promote yourself. You don't have to strive. You don't have to walk in fear and doubt. You simply believe that you are accepted, loved, cherished, and not only in relationship, but actually co-laboring with the One who is withholding NOTHING from you.

So, what do you say? Shall we live totally "unfashionable" in this society, daring to believe that God will exalt us, provide for us, surround us with favor, and let His power be displayed through our lives? I'm in....are you?

CKE
What happens when a hungry group of men and women come together for one purpose...His Face! The Word of God infused our worship as the fragrance of Heaven filled the room. In a prophetic act, we released our will to Him and stepped over into total dependence on a trustworthy God, with NO BACK-UP PLAN.

The men of CKE got totally blasted as the women surrounded them and spoke to the greatness of God in their lives...calling them to be men of integrity, purity, lovers of the Word, worshipers, and leaders with Kingdom purpose.

S.W.I.M.
Last week in Columbus Circle, 6 radical men and women broke through the facade of happiness, wealth, and success to let people know that God loved them and had a plan for their lives. It was a beautiful encounter that they never expected, but I know they will never forget. Prophetic words and miraculous healing happened right in the lobby of the Time Warner Center.

God is so good and this is THE GOOD LIFE!!!!