a glimpse towards Sunday 7.5.13
I like to watch Shark Tank. Anxious entrepreneurs are paraded in front of venture capitalist sharks for the chance of fame and fortune. Sometimes I place myself before the sharks to victoriously convince them ALL to invest in my latest world-changing invention. It’s the simple joys of reality TV that can suck the best of us in.
I’ve seen great opportunities fritted away on Shark Tank. Most often, selfishness and greed impede vision. This quickly erases incredible moments of opportunity. In short, when eyes fraught with opportunity become clouded with selfishness, bright futures can erode into deep frustration.
I certainly don’t want to compare God with a shark, but He does offer so many great opportunities for committed followers of Jesus. Interestingly, we fritter prospects away when our vision turns inward and selfish. Jesus’s grand opportunity to be Kingdom players gets clouded when we reply: “Let me bury my father (when neither parent is sick),” or, “First let me say good bye to my family (when Jewish good byes could last a long, long time).” Only putting one hand to the plow while eyes are looking selfishly backwards is not how Kingdom opportunity is created.
All this to say… We have such a grande opportunity this weekend. Dr. Steve Kimmel will be our guest speaker at Cumberland. Steve is a good friend of mine, and helps lead the Smyrna First Baptist Church as her Senior Pastor. For two years running, Steve has joined forces with CCC in our Spring Extended F.I.A. (Faith In Action) service projects. Now THAT is a great Kingdom opportunity forcing selfish, in-bred thinking out the door.
What a great, Kingdom thing for a local Baptist pastor to be speaking at CCC. Do you see how cool this is? Do you see opportunity and unity and gospel advancement as real possibilities because we’ll be forced to look beyond ourselves? I can’t wait for Steve to encounter the Cumberland culture, love, acceptance, and EPIC focus God has stirred within us. The two-way benefits fueled by God’s Spirit, I believe, will be very special. I encourage you to bask in the thick glory of our God as Kingdom walls come down this Sunday at Cumberland and Smyrna First Baptist.
I’m on my last week of study break. Thanks for allowing me time away, and for continuing such beautiful, EPIC gospel efforts back in the ATL. (I hear the floors are looking amazing!!)
If you’d like to read some of my thoughts and insights from this study break, you can click here to check out my daily blogs.
Blessings!
Weekly Giving | 06/30/13
$26,088.03
Weekly Need $29,000.00
