She will not get out of my head.

I just did a purity service in Goldsboro, NC where there were about 4 or 5 different church youth ministries represented. They showed up big so HE showed up big. Human videos and dance routines to some great Christian music. SO CREATIVE.

Started my message with a word about SECONDARY VIRGINITY then went on to the call of God to have a conviction about SEXUAL PURITY. Nearly all the students came forward to make a stand and start a REVOLUTION OF PURITY.

It hit me like a slap up side the head. A young lady whom we will call Sheryl (not her real name) came up to talk after the altar call ( 1 saved for the first time, many prodigals came home). Before she could even speak I heard these words coming out of my mouth.

THE LOOPED VIDEO GOING ON IN YOUR HEAD ABOUT YESTERDAYS FAILURES AND TOMORROWS FEARS IS GOING TO CRUSHED RIGHT THIS MINUTE SO THAT IT WILL NEVER PLAY AGAIN.

She just broke. WOW!! What a miracle God did in her life at that moment. I woke this morning praying for her again.

Maybe you need to hear that healing word for your life. Take it and make yours today.

Love Ed

YOU HAVE NO EQUAL

Ps 40:5
5 O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
I would never come to the end of them. NLT

Connie (my wife) and I have been quoting this verse to each other all of 2010. It has been really amazing to be reminded of "the wonders" that He has done for us over the last 32 years.

There is so much more to come.

I am praying for all my friends and family that we will recognize that His good plans for us never come to and end. Jeremiah 29:11

Blessed to be a BLESSING

Gal 3:13-14

13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
NKJV (emphasis added)

I have been teaching through the Biblical concept of COVENANT for several weeks in our Wednesday night ELEVATE service.

It has been so RICH and FRESH to re-visit some truth that I had not touched for many years.

We are the seed of Abraham therefore we enter into the same covenant that he had with Jehovah (Genesis 12-15).

In re-visiting Biblical principles; which by the way they are way to big to really lay out here in this venue, I realized that my MOUTH is the apparatus through which the COVENANT of God is triggered into reality today.

For example just PRAYING (my mouth) the Lord's Prayer out loud. KINGDOM OF GOD COME, WILL OF GOD BE DONE.

Then realizing that the WORD OF GOD & the WILL OF GOD are the same thing puts a whole new perspective on the power of our words. When we speak or even pray that which is not in the WORD then we are actually making a covenant with the other side.

My MINDSET is changing to the place that I am doing my very best to THINK and SAY those things that are in agreement with God. Check out these verses: John 5:19; 5:30; 8:28; 12:49; 14:10.

To get our mind right we have to shut out those VOICES that lead to CHOICES that lead to being out of the will of God; which is precisely why God called Abraham out from among his people.

Gen 12:1

12 Now the Lord had said to Abram:

"Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father's house,
To a land that I will show you.
NKJV

To keep our MIND SET we have to be around people with the same MIND SET. Wrong voices equal wrong choices!!

The PERFECT ONE hung on tree (the cross) and thereby took our curse for us so that we could receive ALL THAT THE COVENANT provided for us (i.e. Galations 3:14 that the blessing).

Before you think "Oh no, here comes another prosperity preacher" hear this . "That the blessing" is so much bigger than a new car. The blessing that should define us is:

HIS DIVINE ENABLMENT
HIS WISDOM
HIS ANOINTING
HIS HEALTH
HIS FAVOR
WE COULD GO ON FOREVER HERE . . . .

This kind of blessing serves as a Kingdom advertisement for those around us
to see who we are connected to.

Ps 107:2
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
NKJV

Notice the COVENANT language (an exchange is going on) in the above verse. COME ON FRIENDS LETS ALL SAY IT TOGETHER, "I AM BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING."

Ed

INVESTING . . . NO NOT MONEY

After 30 + years of ministry I am finally figuring it out. BELONGING comes before BELIEVING. Can we love people where they are so they will want what we have? Muslims, Homosexuals, Alcoholics, Divorced, or any other group you can think of are people who need acceptance before they will even consider what you believe.

So here is my plan:

Inspiring others to INVEST in the hopes and dreams of others. It will require an INVESTMENT of our time, talent, and resources. In Mk 2:1-12 four friends INVESTED in another persons future. THE RESULT WAS AMAZING TO ALL.

Maybe as you read this you are asking the question, "WHO WILL INVEST IN ME?" Well the best way to remedy your need is to give your time, talent, & resources to someone who is in need . . . INVEST.

We have been breaking this down in our VISION 2010 series at GENERATIONS CHURCH. Check it out at www.generationslubbock.com where you can connect to the podcast, mp3, or just listen to it right there on your computer.

Blessed to be a Blessing
Ed

What is your VIBE?

^{Luke 9:54-56
54}When His disciples ^E)">(E)James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to ^F)">(F)command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? ⁵⁵But He turned and rebuked them, [and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; ⁵⁶for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."] And they went on to another village.

We can have all the right beliefs, our doctrine can be all lined out, say all the right things, and even have good quality ministry but if we have the wrong spirit nobody will hear or see all our right stuff.

We push more people away from the church because of our spirit (vibe) that we put out, even though we have all the right stuff to help them.

MAYBE A REBUKE IS IN ORDER??

Jesus came to heal not harm. Jesus came to deliver hope not despair.

Religious people with the wrong spirit got Him more upset than rank pagan sinners. Lets all check what spirit we are of so that we can bring healing and hope to the lost. People find more love and acceptance at their local bar than they do at church. Why? We have the wrong spirit!!

Accepting them does mean we approve of their behavior or choices it just says we want a voice in your life because we care.

Thinking out loud,
Ed

VISION 2010

Casting VISION is something that we church leaders talk a lot about and preach about a lot but I think it is one of most challenging concepts to really put into application. It becomes easy to layout big grandiose plans, dreams, and goals but it becomes quite another thing to really live it out.

CASTING VISION IS A LOT LIKE SCATTERING DREAM SEEDS. SOME WILL TAKE ROOT AND MAKE IT AND SOME WILL NOT.

As the LEADER though you must still THINK IT - SAY IT - SEE IT - BELIEVE IT every day of your life and others will eventually get the VISION.

A GOD SIZE VISION is a must. If we can pay for it, If we can figure it out, If we are not just a little bit scared then our VISION probably is not GOD SIZE.

When the VISION comes to pass (either in part or in fulfillment) it will be because it took the hand of God to make the VISION happen and He gets all the glory.

I have a conviction that our VISIONS come to pass as ordinary everyday people in ordinary everyday life do EXTRA-ORDINARY acts of kindness for others. Sort of a FREE MARKET MINISTRY CONCEPT where ministry is taking place anytime, anywhere, by anyone. Let's break the mold and take the ministry to the MARKET PLACE and put ministry in the hands of non-professionals.

This will require a major SHIFT in our thinking. I am convinced that we must go from always thinking SUCCESS (nickels and noses) to thinking SIGNIFICANCE (changed lives). Then as we ENVISION free market ministry taking place anywhere, any place, any time, we will find that the numbers increase along with the ministry.

With the above thoughts in mind GENERATIONS CHURCH is making the SHIFT to advance the King and His Kingdom through SIGNIFICANCE (changed lives) by TOUCHING the city - TEACHING the nation - TRAINING the world. Keep up with how we are doing by checking out www.generationslubbock.com.

I would love to hear your thoughts.
Ed