Friday, February 27, 2009

Dumpster Day Cancelled!

Unfortunately, we are cancelling Dumpster Day tomorrow due to the likelihood of continued rainy weather. We will reschedule and announce the new date sometime next week. "Thank you" to those who were planning to participate.

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Vote For Our Friends At Casting Crowns!


Vote for our good friends at Casting Crowns to win Artist of the Year by texting DOVE CCROWNS to 72648 or by clicking here http://www.gospelmusicchannel.com/dovesvoting

Morning Chapel with Middle & High School Students


Here's a shot of what's going on just outside my office evey morning. I love hearing these guys and girls worship every morning.... we are so BLESSED!

The Power of "Will"

One of my favorite stories is about the six-year old whose mother asked her just before company came to dinner, if she would say the blessing at the table. “Oh, Mother, I don’t know what I would say,” the child protested. “Just say what you’ve heard me say,” the Mother said. When the food was served, the little girl bowed her head and said, “Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?”

As I have prayed through and studied this passage from Matthew 6 on the Lord's Prayer, I can certainly identify with that story. For too long, my prayers have bordered on vain repetitions and mumblings.

Today we get to a very difficult concept from scripture for most believers. As we are praying "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come", we come to the words "your will be done".

The human will is quite a force to be reckoned with. "The 1992 Summer Olympics featured two tremendously poignant moments. American sprinter Gail Devers, the clear leader in the 100 meter hurdles, tripped over the last barrier. She agonizingly pulled herself to her knees and crawled the last five meters, finishing fifth—but finishing.

Even more heart-rending was the 400 meter semifinal in which British runner Derek Redmond tore a hamstring and fell to the track. He struggled to his feet and began to hobble, determined to complete the race. His father ran from the stands to help him off the track, but the athlete refused to quit. He leaned on his father, and the two limped to the finish line together, to deafening applause." - “What Makes Olympic Champions? John E. Anderson, February 1994 Reader’s Digest, p. 120

There are millions of examples of just how strong our will can be, which is why I believe this concept of "your will be done" is so difficult for us to grasp. I've never understood why God puts up with us! After all, he formed us in our mothers womb, breathed life into our lungs, sustains us through life, made provision for our salvation by sending His Son to die on a cruel cross for us, and gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us through each day, but we still don't want to submit to His will!

In my observation, the things most worthwhile in the life are the ones that cost us something and are difficult. As I thought about this whole idea of praying "your will be done", I tried to imagine for a moment what my life would look like if I could harness that strong, "whatever it takes" will of mine and rip out the "GPS" that is preloaded with all that I want to accomplish, my will.

What if all that remained was just raw passion and devotion, that "whatever it takes" kind of heart determination? What if was willing to surrender that passion, devotion, and "whatever it takes" heart determination exclusively to the perfect will of God? Wouldn't I be more useful in the Kingdom? Wouldn't I be more fulfilled? Wouldn't I have a greater sense of purpose? Wouldn't I be less carnal?

The obvious answer is yes, but the process to get there is much harder than a little prayer. Every moment of the day, someone is sitting on the throne of my life. I know it breaks the heart of God when I'm continually nudging Him over and trying to sit on that throne myself, but I do it anyway, even though I know He is a far superior King and Ruler.

I think the answer is growing to a point in my walk with Jesus that I am so completely focused on Him and His will for my life, that my only desire in going to the throne is to spend time with my Father, not to attempt a takeover.

I believe that's why we are instructed to pray in this manner.... God knows our tendency to desire our own will above His. So He gives us everything we need, His word, His Holy Spirit, His presence in us, and His forgiveness to grow us to a point of change..... when we can no longer distinguish His will from ours because they are so aligned.

Have a BLESSED Day and Live For Jesus!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Police Dogs at Skipstone Academy



We are working on uploading a video clip of the K-9's attacking Principal Randy Freeman. Here's a shot of the demonstration they did yesterday. Now THIS is a cool school!

He Who Dies With The Most Toys

Call me crazy, but I enjoy a good bumper sticker now and then. I'm always intrigued to see what a particular person looks like who is making a "statement" by the bumper sticker(s) on their car. "Keep Honkin'... I'm Reloading", "My Kid Beat Up Your Honor Student", and "Follow Me Too Close & I'll Flick A Booger On Your Windshield" are ones that always make me smile.

So now that you think less of me, I'll tell you about another bumper sticker that always makes me think. I know you've seen this one.."He Who Dies With The Most Toys Wins". That's probably one of the most popular bumper stickers I've seen. It's also a great way to start our discussion about the next petition in the Lord's Prayer from Matthew 6:10.

"your kingdom come" is both a petition and an acknowledgement in my view. I say that because the day I met Christ as my personal Savior, His kingdom expanded to include the territory of my heart. When I pray "your kingdom come", I'm not asking for salvation again, I'm acknowledging that my life, heart, soul, strength, body, and possessions are under His rule. I'm also asking Him to expand His kingdom here on earth. I praying for an advancement of His kingdom , for people to be saved and drawn to a closer walk with Jesus.

So what does the bumper sticker have to do with any of this? Although most of us would probably not put the bumper sticker on our car (I apologize if you have one), we all battle with the mindset of "He Who Dies With The Most Toys Wins". If you don't believe it's true, just think about what we have invested in ourselves, in our own comforts, and in "stuff". Now think about your "kingdom"... your heart & soul, your possessions, and the "stuff" that makes up your "kingdom". Don't you find it easier to focus on building your "kingdom" instead of advancing His? Don't you find yourself putting up fences in your heart and trying to establish boundaries for God? We may think, "Lord I surrender this and this and this, but this one little area here I'm holding on to this part".

What we are attempting to do when we think that way, is to claim territory that belongs to our King. That is so completely opposite of what this model prayer is talking about. One of our prayers should be that as His "kingdom comes", our attitude and the posture of our heart would be a picture of surrender, much like a king would conquer his enemies in battle.

The truth is, surrendering the territory of our heart and life to God's kingdom, and ultimately playing a role in the advancement of His kingdom here on earth, is not a one time decision, but an everyday battle that we must face. The more I surrender, the more His "kingdom comes" in my life, and the more His "kingdom comes" in my life, the more useful I can become in advancing His kingdom to to the nations!

That bumper sticker really should read "He Who Dies With The Most Toys, Still Dies!". When it's all said and done, our "stuff" won't matter, but our surrender will!

Have a BLESSED day and Live For Jesus!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Summer Camp Open House With Mark Hall

What's In A Name?

Let's continue working our way through the Lord's Prayer from Matthew 6:9-13....

"hallowed be your name" is the first petition listed in this model prayer. Most of the remaining petitions are more focused on us and our "needs", but it all begins with a petition for the name of "Our Father" to be hallowed. So what does that look like? What does it mean? What's in a name?

The word, "Hallowed," means to set something apart from all else as Holy. For the Christian, praying "hallowed be your name" is declaring our desire that God be put in the drivers seat. It means that in my walk today, in my thoughts today, in my plans today... that His glory is what is most important. The petitions that follow are meaningless if God isn't glorified. Everything that God made was designed to bring glory to His name. Psalm 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

One of the most fascinating studies in all of God's word is to study the meanings of the names of God. Unlike our culture today, names in biblical times had significant meaning. Take a look at some of the names of God found in scripture:

He is Elohim, the "Creator God." He is El Elyon, "the possessor of heaven and earth." He is Jehovah-Jireh, "the Lord will provide.' Jehovah-Rapha, "the Lord that healeth", Jehovah-Raah, "the Lord our Shepherd", Jehovah-Tsidkenu, "the Lord our righteousness." Our God is Jehovah-Sabaoth, "the Lord of hosts", Jehovah-Shama, "the Lord is present and near", and He is, "the Lord who sanctifieth thee",( Jehovah-Maqodeshkim).

In the person of Jesus Christ he is called the Bread of Life, the Living Water, the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Resurrection, The God Shepherd, the Branch, the Bright and Morning Star, The Lamb of God, the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley, the Door. He is, Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father.

Now I'm not sure if that does anything for you, but let's just think about how our prayer life might change in light of this little phrase "hallowed be your name" and what we have learned the last couple of days. Instead of rattling off our wish list for the day to God, what would happen if we prayed something like this "My Father, I thank you for loving me today as your child. As you look down from Heaven this morning, I recognize that your view of my life is unobstructed. You know what every second of this day holds.... your perspective is perfect and I trust you to guide my steps today. May you be glorified through the life I live today. You are Jehovah - Jireh, my provider, so Lord as you make provisions for me today , may others see you at work in my life and may you and you alone receive the glory for what you have done!"

We could take that same thought and go through each one of the names of God. The point is that we must bring ourselves to a place where we recognize that God's glory is the ultimate goal. I wonder if we really consider this when we pray? I know I'm guilty of selfish, hurried, routine, and "going through the motions" praying. It's no wonder that I sometimes feel as though my prayers are bouncing off the ceiling!

I was sharing with one of the parents from our school yesterday that the older I get (hitting the big 40 this year), the more I like "routine". I once was a rebel when it came to shaking people out of their comfort zones. Now it's just easier to stay in my routine and in my own little world. The problem with that kind of thinking is that my "routine" life, and the "routine" lives of countless other believer's, paints a distorted picture of God for the world around us. Our walk with Jesus should be so intense that those around us can't help but see HIS GLORY revealed in and through us.... but it can't happen with "routine" praying.... that kind of life demands a change! I'm in...how about you?

Have a BLESSED Day and Live For JESUS!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

God's Perspective

I suppose it makes sense to pick up this morning where we left off yesterday.... once we begin to understand that God really desires to be "Our Father", what comes next just seems natural.....

When I read the words "in heaven" from Matthew 6:9, my first thoughts were "of course Our Father is in heaven, why do we need to state the obvious?". Even people who may not be followers of Christ may acknowledge that God is in heaven!

One of the biggest problems I had with my parents growing up, and now get to experience on a daily basis as a parent of four kids, is that my parents always seemed to have a different perspective on things than I did. When they would say I couldn't do this or that, I'd say "why not?", and they would always respond with the same four words... "because __ _____ so!". I don't have to fill in the blanks... you have heard and maybe said those same words.

As I considered the words "in heaven", in light of understanding that God is "Our Father", I came to the conclusion that this is a gentle reminder that God's perspective is different than mine. His view from Heaven is unobstructed. We can only see the beginning of today, but He can see the end. We can easily be distracted by the circumstances of the day that we never saw coming, but He won't be taken by surprise because He saw it coming.

Why is this important? I received two gripping emails this week. One was from our ministry partners in Uganda, who witnessed an unimaginable scene this past week. Just after four young African boys had come to know Christ and had publicly declared their faith in Christ through baptism, they locked arms and jumped back into the lake to celebrate their new life in Christ. That celebration quickly turned to catastrophe when those four boys, arms locked together, went straight to the bottom of that lake and drowned. To hear the story was horrific.... I can't imagine seeing this happen.

The second was from a young woman, who was one of our "kids" in a former student ministry we served. She's probably reading this today, with a heart full of pain, trying to understand "why?". This young woman, who we knew as a Godly young teenager, loved our family, especially our children. She would spend hours upon hours at our home, caring for and playing with our kids. Now married, she poured her heart out in an email to us this week about her continued struggles to have a child of her own. Since 2004, she and her husband, who faithfully serve God and live for Jesus, have done everything they can, including multiple rounds of every available kind of Fertilization technology. She's experienced two miscarriages, and unthinkable pain - physically, emotionally, and spiritually. My heart broke for this sweet family - I can't imagine walking in thier shoes today.

Here comes the "whisper" from God.....

I Corinthian 2:9-11 (NKJV)
But as it is written:
“ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. ”But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

My vision will never be as clear as God's. My understanding of how He works will always be tainted by my perspective on the situation. We can't see it, we can't can't hear it, we can't "feel" or comprehend it, but God's plan for us is perfect. From His perspective, everything is under control!

FATHER God, in HEAVEN, give me the strength today to trust your heart, even when I cannot trace your hand....

When You Can’t Trace His hand, Trust His Heart
All things work for our good
though sometimes we can’t see how they could.
Struggles that break our hearts in two
sometimes blind us to the truth.
Our Father knows what’s best for us;
His ways are not our own.
So, when your pathway grows dim,
and you just can’t see Him,
Remember He’s still on the throne.

God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don’t understand,
when you don’t see His plan,
When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.

He sees the Master plan.
He holds the future in His hands.
So don’t live as those who have no hope.
All our hope is found in Him.
We walk in present knowledge,
but He sees the first and the last.
And like a tapestry, He’s weaving you and me
to someday be just like Him.

God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don’t understand,
when you don’t see His plan,
When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Monday, February 23, 2009

"Our Father"

It's good to be back in my routine..... we spent last week in Gatlinburg , TN with fifteen of our high school students from Skipstone on a Winter Retreat. It was a great week, and I pray that God used our time together to encourage and exhort our students to a deeper relationship with Jesus.

There are so many things that God showed me last week, that I'm not even sure where I should start. The week began with an incredible drive up to Gatlinburg, right through the heart of the Smoky Mountains. If you've never had the opportunity to drive a bus through the mountains, with elevation changes from 900ft. to over 5000ft., it is test of faith in and of itself!

It's been several years since I made the trip to Gatlinburg by going over the mountains, but it didn't take me too long to remember why I went around the mountains the last time I went. I remembered it being a little challenging in our family car, but it was pretty intense in the bus. I joked with the students about it when we got to the cabin, telling them that the only way I made it was to pray the whole way, even peeking now and then to see where the road was!

While the drive was intense, words can't really describe the beauty and majesty of what we saw as we creeped up that mountain trek and back down. I don't understand how anyone could see the beauty of God's creation displayed in such splendor and not be overwhelmed with the thought of how magnificent our God really is. It was truly breathtaking.

As I had time this past week to be "still", I thought and prayed a lot for the students and for what God would have Shondi and I to share with them. I kept coming back to very familiar passage in Matthew 6:9-13. We know it as "The Lord's Prayer", and it likely ranks up there with John 3:16 and Romans 3:23 as far as "familiar passages" go. It's so familiar to us, that it's easy sometimes to quote it and not even think about what it is that we are saying. As God drew me to that passage this week, I prayed for spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear from Him through that simple model for prayer.

Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)
This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

I didn't get very far before I saw something..."Our Father". Now I'm sure that this isn't a new thought for a lot of people, but it was as though God said to me "do you really see me as your father?". I had to stop right there and camp for a little while.....what does that look like? What are the attributes of a good father? Why is important for us to see God as our "heavenly Father", a father with a capitol "F"?

For me, this was a realization that He is the "Big Daddy" of all dads. He's not just "a father", he is "Our Father". I used to have a shirt that said "World's Greatest Dad". Now I'm so naive as to believe that was or is true of me now, or at any point in the past. The truth is... I'm nowhere near the top of the list of World's Greatest Dads, maybe not even on the list at all!

I know me, I'm a dad that needs a lot of work. I am blessed to have a good dad that loves me very much, but he would tell you that he might not make the list either. What God "whispered" to me in these two words, "Our Father", is that our ability to see Him as "Our Father" can easily be hampered by our own inadequacies and failures, and our perceptions of our earthly fathers. If we are not careful, we'll see His attributes and abilities through eyes that have been distorted by our own experiences.

How do you see God? Is He "a" protector, who seldom lets His guard down or is He "Our" protector whose protection is impenetrable? Is He "a" provider, who meets most of our needs or is He "Our" provider who "supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory"? Is He "a good father", who tries His best but often fails, or is He "Our Father" who is perfect, holy, sinless, and blameless?

I don't know about you, but I needed to be reminded of whose child I am today!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Monday, February 16, 2009

Be Still Today!

This week is Winter Break for our students here at Skipstone Academy, so it's little weird not to hear the normal laughs and squeals, the band warming up, and the cars zipping by my window in a hurry to get the kids here on time. It's a rare day for this place to sit "still".

Occasionally on Wednesday nights at our church, our youth Pastor will say something like this during our prayer time..."for some of us Lord, this is the first time today that we have been still so that you can speak to us". Whether that was true of me on that particular day or not, that statement always grabs me.

We are so busy "being busy" sometimes that standing "still" may be the hardest thing we have to do. Stillness for some of us is difficult. I'm just wired weird, but I can't be still. I'm not still when I'm at work. I'm not still when I'm at home. I'm not even still when I sleep, I'm constantly moving around, tossing and turning, etc.

When you think about it, it's the epitome of arrogance on our behalf.... to know that the God of the universe, who spoke this world into existence, lovingly formed us in our mother's womb, sent His son to die on a cruel cross to provide salvation for us, and gives us daily bread to supply our every need and even our desires, is sitting at the right hand of the Father each day waiting to speak to us,and we're too busy for Him. We're too busy for Him? Is it me or does that even sound absurd to say? It is absurd, yet many of us live that scenario out every day.

What would we have to give up in order to be still today? Should we put down the newspaper, turn off the television, or skip that favorite talk radio show? I wonder if we would do it if we saw things from God's perspective?

Maybe He wanted to give us a word of direction today, before we made that decision that we will regret next week. I wonder if He wanted to speak a word of peace to our hearts, before we got that news we weren't expecting. Perhaps He wanted to give us a word of exhortation for a fellow believer, so that we could be a blessing to them, but because we were too busy, we both missed the blessing.

I don't know what the most important thing you have to do today is, but I think I'm realizing what it is for me.... I've GOT to be still and hear God's voice!

John 10:26-28 (The Message)
Jesus answered, "I told you, but you don't believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don't believe because you're not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind."

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Friday, February 13, 2009

What Will Your Legacy Be?

I realized this morning that we were out of Diet Mt. Dew, so if this post doesn't make any sense it's because I've not yet had my morning "dew"!

I spent the majority of the day yesterday with our Middle School students. I drove one of the buses (5th-8th grade girls... very quiet group!) on a field trip to the Chic-fil-a headquarters in College Park. If you've never had the opportunity to visit there, you should definitely add that to your "list" of must see places.

As we walked around and heard the story of Truett Cathy, I couldn't help but think about the unbelievable legacy he is building. I say "is building" because at age 87, he is still going to work most every day, and still living his life by the same principles that have led to his unprecedented success.

I've had the opportunity to meet Mr. Cathy on three different occasions. We first met on my birthday in September of 2007. As we were in the midst of trying purchase the land we now know as Skipstone, Shondi and I were completely exhausted from the previous six months of intense negotiations and borderline "battle" that was waging over the sale of the camp property. We knew what God had called us to do, but we were weary. We faced significant opposition from a few people who didn't want the camp to be sold, and were at the point of giving up. Mr. Cathy showed up unannounced and walked in the door asking to see us. He said that he had heard what we we trying to do with the birth of Skipstone, and that he wanted to be a part. We couldn't believe it!

The second time we met was a week later, when our leadership team went to Mr. Cathy's home to meet with him about his involvement in Skipstone. For several hours, we shared our hearts, listened to his heart, cried, dreamed, and soaked it all in. It was a time that I will never forget. He and his wife Jeanette are two of the most gracious, tenderhearted, Godly people that I've ever met. During the meeting, Mr. Cathy confirmed what he shared with Shondi and I a week earlier. He felt led to donate $750,000 to purchase the camp property for Skipstone. It was a miracle of God, delivered through the hands of Mr. & Mrs. Cathy.

The third time we met was in March of 2008. We went to his office to share a quick update about the progress of the ministry since the purchase of the property in December of 2007. Ironically, and to our surprise, it was his birthday on the day of our visit. He turned 87 that day, and he was at work, dreaming up a new idea for a pizza restaurant! We asked for a few minutes to share with him, and he talked with us for several hours instead.

Each time I tell the story of how God used Mr. Cathy to help with the birth of Skipstone, I'm reminded of what put him in the position to do what he did and to give what he gave. It wasn't just being a savvy businessman, although nobody could argue that he has an incredible gift for business. It wasn't because he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, for he grew up with the poorest of the poor. It wasn't a lucky break... his road to success was a hard one. It wasn't instantaneous, but instead a very long road with detours and setbacks all along the way.

For me, although the money that he gave was a miracle, far beyond what we could have dreamed or imagined, the opportunity to get a glimpse into the life of a man like Truett Cathy made an impression on my life that was equally miraculous.

I'm challenged when I think about the legacy that I will leave behind some day. Am I willing to endure the hard times with grace? Am I being the very best steward of all that God has blessed me with? Am I generous, grateful, and thankful? Am I willing to work hard, wait, and put others before myself? Am I making my life count for God's glory?

I'm so far from where I want to be, but I'm thankful for a Godly example like Truett Cathy who, by his faithful life, has influenced me to attempt something so great for God that it's impossible to do it without God. That way, only HE can receive the glory for it all!

Proverbs 22:1 is Mr. Cathy's life verse "A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold."

It's our choice on what we choose to chase in this life!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Fighting The Funk aka "the flesh"

I'm ashamed to say that I didn't take time to blog yesterday because I was "fighting the funk". For those who may not understand what that means, it's kind of like writing the invitations to to your upcoming pity party. For some reason, I find myself at that place more often than I should. I hate being there. I hate it for those around me when I get there. I hate to think what God thinks of me when He sees me throwing a spiritual temper-tantrum! I'm sure it makes Him sad to see how quickly I can take my eyes off of Him and be consumed by my own circumstances and guided by my flesh. The worst part is knowing that I know better!

As I sat here yesterday morning, I really struggled to stay focused and hear from God. Although I wasn't faced with any "giants" or dealing with any major problems, I just couldn't get myself together. I just didn't "feel" good. I read five or six different devotionals, prayed (although I felt as though my prayers were just bouncing off the ceiling), and just sat here quietly. Nothing I did seemed to help.

I went through the day yesterday with as little interaction with others as possible. I kept my office door closed and focused my attention on the tasks ahead. As the end of the day drew near, I couldn't really look back and see much of anything that was accomplished. I was angry with myself for surrendering to my flesh. I was disappointed that I "wasted" the day on myself instead of investing the day in the Kingdom.

Dying to self is probably the hardest part of the Christian life for most of us. I know it is for me. It's easy for me to worship.... I love to sing songs of praise to Jesus. It's like praying without asking for anything. I love to give...my time, my abilities, and my treasures. I love to serve.... I can't wait to get here every morning and see what God has planned for me. I love to pray... I'm still learning how to talk with God, but I cherish that time every morning. But dying to myself, that's the hard part. Look at what Paul had to say about it in Galatians....

Galatians 5: 16-21
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

I think it's pretty interesting that most of us don't consider "hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, and envy" to be on the same "level" of surrendering to the flesh as "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, murders, drunkenness, and revelries". The truth is...flesh is flesh and our flesh will always be our enemy. In fact most of us never have to engage in war with the devil because our flesh keeps us bound up enough that we can't accomplish anything great for God anyway.

Lord help me to arm myself every moment of every day with your Spirit. I can't win the war against my flesh without first surrendering myself to you!

Galatians 5:22-25
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Have a BLESSED day and live for Jesus!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Where Two or Three Are Gathered

Thank you so much for your prayers as we traveled to Booneville, MS and back the last couple of days. We were BLESSED to be given a 24ft box truck FULL of office supplies..... marker boards, bulletin boards, laminating machines and film, lanyards, and tons of consumable goods. Thank you Jesus for meeting this need!

I wanted to go in a little different direction today.... one of the verses I read this morning was from Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.”

I've heard many a sermon based on this verse in my lifetime. It's been mostly used as a motivational verse to encourage people to be faithful in their church attendance or when a "small crowd" shows up for something and we ministers get disappointed.

As I read this verse today, I thought about a story I heard once about a young man who was a gifted writer. He loved to write, but found it more difficult to carry on a face to face conversation. Sometime in his early twenties, he saw a young lady and was absolutely "smitten" with her. He wanted to talk to her, get to know her, and ultimately court her for marriage. His problem was that he couldn't muster up the courage to talk to her face to face. Knowing his best and only chance was to go to his strength, he picked up a pen and began "courting" her by writing her letters. He was so consumed by his love for this young lady, that he wrote her every single day for two whole years. By the end of the second year, you have probably guessed what happened.... she married the mailman!

I recognize that is just a silly story, but it reveals a great truth. If you really want to get to know someone, there is no substitute for spending TIME with them. Untold numbers of marriages crumble because we do not MAKE TIME for each other. If you don't believe it, ask yourself how many couples you know who say after twenty years of marriage "I just don't feel like I even KNOW him/her any more!".

It's true with our kids too. Most parents are significantly involved in their kids lives from birth through the elementary years. For some reason, that involvement fades to "an awareness that some strange person is living in my house" as we go through the teenage years. The moment we stop intentionally spending time, even if our perception is that our kids don't "want" to spend time with us, is where the road parts and soon we don't even know our kids anymore.

Now if this principle is true, my question is "How important is it for us to spend time with other believers?". I'm not necessarily talking about just going to church, although I can testify that the journey for me has been much easier because I belong to a great church family. I'm talking about intentionally surrounding yourself with a few people, who love Jesus and can tolerate you:), to help you walk through this journey we know as life.

For me, this is critical. I've found that just having a small group of people who love me enough to be honest with me and trust me to be honest with them, spur me on in my walk with God and in my relationship with my family, and walk closely with me through the difficulties and trials of this life, has made all the difference.

How is your spiritual life? Are you in a growing relationship with Jesus or are you more like pen pals with God, just communicating from a distance and trying to get through life on your own?

I realize that God promises "I will be with you always", and that is a wonderful promise. But, if you ever have the opportunity to experience God's presence in the midst of two or three brothers or sisters in Christ, gathered together in His name, you will find it calling you to a new level of commitment and accountability that is certain to impact your life in ways you never imagined!

Have a BLESSED day and live for Jesus!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Monday, February 9, 2009

On The Road Again

I'm blogging this morning from a hotel room in the thriving metropolis of Hamilton, Alabama. It's about 45 miles from Tupelo, MS, and about two hours from Booneville, MS. We're heading to Booneville in a big Budget rental truck to pick up another load of school and office supplies for Skipstone.

The truckload of supplies is being DONATED! I'm continually amazed at how God chooses to provide for the ministry of Skipstone..... He has been so faithful to provide our "daily bread"!

We would appreciate your prayers today as we continue traveling up, get loaded, and drive back home tonight. All you night owls are invited to meet us at Skipstone tonight to unload! We have to get everything unloaded tonight so we can return the truck first thing tomorrow and jump in the bus for our Elementary field trip. I'll be "twittering" today about our progress for those of you who are bored enough to follow it!

Have a GREAT Day and live for Jesus!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Friday, February 6, 2009

Take Five Minutes To Watch The Real Superbowl!

Remembering The Journey

On Wednesday afternoon, I had the opportunity to visit with an awesome young couple about the ministry of Skipstone. Eric & Andrea are about to graduate from college and have an overwhelming sense of calling to ministry, to camp ministry and Christian education more specifically.

When I received an email from them several weeks ago inquiring about the ministry, it was in the midst of a very busy time for me. I remember contemplating my response. I was immediately aware of my flesh screaming "but what about your calendar?", "you don't have time for this!", and "somebody else can do it.". I also vividly remember a whisper from God reminding me that it wasn't so long ago (although longer than I care to admit!) that I was sitting at the same intersection where Eric and Andrea are sitting today.

I remember the turmoil of having such a strong desire for God to use me in ministry, but being "stuck" in a job I didn't particularly enjoy, and praying everyday for God to open the right door of ministry for me (or at least get me out of "here"!). I remember all of the promises I made to God.... "Lord, if you will just do "this", I will serve you with all of my heart".

I remember hours and hours of Shondi and I sharing our hearts with one another and dreaming about what God would do "one day". I remember the first opportunity I had to be a part time Youth Pastor at a little mill village church with only enough students to fill up my little Plymouth Champ (that's a four seater car for those of you who don't know about the first "egg shaped" car!). I remember my plans to grow that ministry into a mega youth group and my ultimate realization that my plan didn't remotely resemble God's plan for that little church.

I remember each opportunity that God has given me over the last twenty years, and how with each one, I quickly put my plans into action and "put the pedal to the metal". "Go big or go home!" was probably the best way to describe the majority of the early years of my ministry. That's all I knew, and a part of me always thought that accomplishing something great with the opportunity God gave me was the benchmark I had to reach in order for God to give me a bigger opportunity.

While those who know me best would say that there is still some of that "Go big or go home" and "pedal to the metal" thinking in me, I pray that I'm finally discovering that the opportunities God has given me over the last twenty years were much more about preparing me for His ultimate purpose for my life than for what "I" was going to accomplish for Him.

I'm so thankful as I look back.... He let me be a part of impacting a lot of people over the years. I saw a lot of students discover a relationship with Jesus Christ. I saw families restored, relationships healed, and lives changed. I also experienced great disappointment, unimaginable heartache, and often the unpleasant consequences of getting out of step with God's plans and perfect will.

When I consider all that God has done to bring me to this point, I'm thankful beyond comprehension for both the blessings and the pain, because God used it all for His glory and to prepare me for today. The pain of getting out of step with God and His plans, reminds me to seek Him first every day, and to make sure that I'm willingly surrendering my own agenda in order to accomplish His. The blessings of the past give me reassurance that the same God that was at work then, in spite of me, is still working today, in spite of me!

I wish you could have been in my office as I shared the Skipstone story with Eric and Andrea. I pray that it was an encouragement to them as they begin their faith journey, but fear I may have scared them to death! My prayer for them is that they will recognize the places they have been, and even where they are today, is a wonderful place for God to continue preparing them for His ultimate plan for them. In a selfish way, I think it would be kind of cool if we got to be a part of that process some day. Please pray for this young couple...for patience & understanding, for provision, and for the right opportunity in God's perfect timing.

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Matthew 6:33 (King James Version)
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Have a BLESSED day and live for Jesus!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Thursday, February 5, 2009

National Prayer Breakfast in Washington Today

Wow! I had no idea that people were actually reading this! To be honest, I write my thoughts each morning as much for myself as for any other reason. I've never been very good at "journaling", so I can look back at these posts and see how God has been working in my life and in the life of the ministry of Skipstone on those days when I get discouraged.

As I was praying this morning, I thought of some friends of mine who will have an incredible opportunity in just a few moments to do something most of us wil never have the opportunity to do. They will be leading President Obama and congressional leaders in worship at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington this morning.

I thought since you and I can't be there, you might enjoy knowing what God will be saying to our country's leaders this morning through the ministry of Casting Crowns. Here is what they are singing:

VOICE OF TRUTH by Casting Crowns
Oh,what I would do to have
the kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is,
And he's holding out his hand
But the waves are calling out my name
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win,
you'll never win."
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
Oh, what I would do
to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out
my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
time and time again
"Boy you'll never win,
you'll never win."
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
But the stone was just the right size
to put the giant on the ground
and the waves they don't seem so high
from on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
singing over me
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says do not be afraid
And the voice of truth says this is for my glory
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
I will listen and believe
I will listen and believe the voice of truth
I will listen and believe
'Cause Jesus you are the voice of truth
And I will listen to you.. oh you are


WHO AM I by Casting Crowns
Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.
Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.
I am yours.
Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
'Cause I am yours.
I am yours.

This is a pretty awesome opportunity if you ask me. I'm praying that God will do a work in Washington today!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

What I Learned From My Dog Today


My day started out a little earlier and a little stranger than I hoped. Our beloved camp dog "Belle" has been with our family for at least the last seven or eight years. If you are familiar with Skipstone, then you've probably met Belle.

Although I don't consider myself a "dog person" or really even a "pet person", I have grown to love Belle. She's a great dog , who rarely does anything wrong, doesn't require a lot of attention from me (in part because she gets nonstop attention from 140 kids everyday!), and for the most part just "hangs out" and takes in the activities of the day.

Like most of us though, Belle does have her issues. She is intelligent enough to know that we sell Chic-Fil-A biscuits to our students in the mornings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She has developed a perfect strategy for getting her fair share of the biscuit population on those mornings, by strategically placing herself to put on the "puppy eyes" and beg, or if all else fails, waiting on the students to look the other way and grab the biscuit right out of their hands and dispose of it, wrapper and all.

She also has strange sleeping habits. She claims a particular spot on our old sofa, and sleeps lying on her back with her paws sticking straight up in the air. There nothing wrong with this I suppose, but it sure looks strange when I leave the house each morning and she picks her head up and looks at me as if to say "can you please be a little more quiet, I'm not done with my beauty rest?".

Belle's worst issue is that she is absolutely terrified of bad weather. I have never been able to understand how such an easy going dog can absolutely lose her ever loving mind when bad weather arrives!

It starts well before I even know a storm is coming....she starts panting, walking around with a terrified look on her face, as though she has just seen satan in the closet. As the storm draws closer, she will find Shondi (I guess because of her gift of mercy) or me (I'm not sure why "me") and walk so closely to our feet that we can hardly move. If we try to put her in a "safe" place, so that she isn't under of feet, she will scratch and beat on the door until she convinces us that being under our feet is less annoying than replacing whatever door she is about to claw her way through.

At 5:30am this morning I awoke to the familiar scratching and clawing on our bedroom door. I layed there for a minute, hoping she would give up and go back to her "upside down" sleep, even calling to her through the door that it was just the wind blowing (as though she understood or even cared). I finally gave up, walked her back into the den, and tried my best to persuade her to go back to sleep. She just sat there with the "but I've just seen satan" look and waited for me to take a step.

Since I was already wide awake by now, I headed for the bathroom to shower. She was right under my feet from the den to the bathroom door, where I politely explained that she was not welcome in the bathroom (the line has to be drawn somewhere!). When I finished my shower, and opened the bathroom door to go out, there she was, patiently waiting to get under my feet again.

By this time, the rest of the household was waking from their slumbering, so I passed off the "comforter role" to somebody else and came on down to the office.

As I was thinking about the morning, it occurred to me that from God's perspective, maybe Belle has the right idea. I wonder how many times we see the storms of life coming, but instead of trying to get to our Master, we walk around terrified by the threat of the storm, so worried or afraid that we look like we just saw satan in the closet! Yes, we get through the storms, but we sure bear a lot of unnecessary fear and worry when we fail to get to the feet of Jesus, where a "peace that surpasses all understanding" is found.

Several times a day in recent weeks, I have met or heard of people who are facing significant storms in their life. People are losing their jobs, their homes, struggling with broken relationships, and fighting spiritual battles. These storms are real, some are so intense that imminent danger is near. My prayer is that when we find ourselves in a storm, our first reaction is to RUN to our Master, the Prince of Peace, for it is at HIS feet that we can find our greatest comfort. God never intended for us to walk through our storms alone and afraid! RUN to His feet, whatever it takes, just RUN there now and trust Him....he will take care of you!

Psalm 46:1-3 NIV
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Run To HIM Today,
Chip Moody

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Who's Got Your Back?

I'm running a little late with this morning's post, but sometimes God works in ways we don't expect. I had one of our Skipstone dads drop by for a few minutes this morning. We had a great time sharing with each other and talking about what God is up to in our lives. This guy continues to be one of the most consistent prayer warriors for Shondi and I and the ministry of Skipstone of anyone that I am aware of.

I pray that each person reading this has someone that you know is praying for you on a regular basis...it really is the fuel that keeps us going. I also pray that you make it a spiritual discipline to pray for others. It's amazing how much less we tend to focus on ourselves and on our problems when we are consistently praying for others.

James 5:16 (King James Version)
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

effectual, fervent..... probably not words that would describe most of my prayers!

Charles Spurgeon once said "There is a general kind of praying which fails for lack of precision. It is as if a regiment of soldiers should all fire off their guns anywhere. Possibly somebody would be killed, but the majority of the enemy would be missed."

Lord help us to learn to pray.....

Have a BLESSED day and live for Jesus!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip

Monday, February 2, 2009

Conclave 2009 - Booth Picture


Here is a pic of our booth at the Conclave Conference at Gwinnett Arena this past weekend!

Is Jesus All That We Need?

I had the opportunity to attend the Conclave Conference last Thursday-Saturday in Atlanta. The Conclave is an event designed to encourage and equip student pastors from churches and ministries all over the Southeast.

Several of our staff members attended primarily to be a part of the ministry expo and talk about the ministry of Skipstone to conference attendees. We had a great time, met a LOT of people, and networked with some churches that are planning some events with us later this year.

This was the third "youth conference" we have done since Skipstone was started. I'm always interested in what the "latest and greatest" minds immersed in modern day "youth culture" have to say to those of us who minister to students on a regular basis.

I don't have time to go into all that was said (maybe I can do it over several posts), but the overall theme from this year's conference was a call to those of us who work with students to be "satisfied" with Jesus, and not so intent on finding the next great "thing" to reach this generation.

Interestingly enough, God has been showing me a lot of those same things this year as I have prayed for direction and for God's vision for Skipstone. In other words, both in my personal walk, and in the life of this ministry, we should be striving towards a "everyday walk" that is immersed in Jesus!

If we can discipline ourselves to the point that Jesus is all we need.... not the accolades of men, not the "wisdom" of the world, not the logic of our own minds, and not the goals and dreams of our flesh, I believe with all of my heart that God will show us "great and unsearchable things we do not know"-Jeremiah 33:3.

Is Jesus really enough for me? Do I really believe that He is the answer to the challenges that I face everyday? Do I trust Him or do I give my problems to Him and then keep worrying about them anyway?

Psalm 62:1-2
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Have a BLESSED week and live for Jesus!

Whatever It Takes,
Chip