Posted | Wednesday, October 23, 2002 | by Ron
What Greg Laurie Says about Disciples:
"Are You His Disciple?" Luke 14

1. They Love Jesus more than anyone or anything.
When you love God it will cause problems with people ... Love Jesus most. You will be able to love people more when you Love God most.

2. Take up His cross and follow Jesus
Brings Joy ... it's hard but it will bring joy.
Laydown your life and you will find it.

3. Want to find yourself? Laydown your life.
God's Plan for your life is much better for you than the plan you have picked for yourself.

4. Forsake your possitions ... Not obsessed by stuff. It's not a call to poverty. It's a proper relationship to things ... you have them ... they don't have you!

Never be afraid to commit an unknow funture to a known God.

Posted | Thursday, October 17, 2002 | by Ron
Like minded

I haven't read this lately. I don't know if I've said anything about my friend from work how has recently dealt with Jesus in a huge way.

I've apologized to for the choir and the robes the ups and downs ... the people yelling and the pointed finger ...

I think he just see's all that stuff for what it is.

All of which he seems ok with it ... In matter of fact he has started going to church with me. Talked to Jesus in the parking lot by the dumpster ...

Sometimes people drive right through stop signs.

To me all that stuff I apologized for ... all stop signs.

If you don't fit into this specific set of personality trates ... you are a sinner ... you sinner (pointed finger and all ... bad breath ... the whole deal).

He's driven right through all the stuff I've been in a internal war with for the last 7 years.

I talked to him about this stuff honestly.

We meet at Starbucks on Sunday mornings prior to church.

"Wouldn't it be great to have a place like this to just get to know God together at" ... Talk about the week ... I mean the real issues. Share Gods word. Worship ... bust out a song or 2.

His responce.

Why not just do it?

Find some people who are like minded and do it.

I could start in someones living room.

... How many times have I had this conversation with my wife ... with Broe ... with Scott.

Like minded.

Posted | Thursday, October 17, 2002 | by Ron
Skate the Same!

You've heard me talk about Scott. He's 28ish. A skater from back in the day.

As a punk kid he would ask himself ... "do I skate any different when people are watching?"

He skated relentlessly for years up until recently. A serious injury to his ankle.

Hours everyday.

It wasn't about the cloths ... the culture or the vibe. It was a love for skating. A message you will hear from many who "really" skate.

Part of that meant ... if there's a trick he needed to work on ... he worked on it.

Sometimes when I know others are watching me. It's easy for me to "skate safe" ... or the other extreme is to do things that arn't me at all.

What a lesson for life.

Be who you are.

Skate the same.

Posted | Thursday, October 17, 2002 | by Ron
The Manager at Starbucks

The guy Scott and I used to talk to everyday for months just disappeared. Yesterday at noon, there he is.

He told me he had been in a bad accident. Almost died.

I was in line for my coffee ... a few others hearing everyword.

He said he was thankful thought. His mom had been talking to him. He was alive for a reason.

Just a week prior on my way in, I was thinking about him. wondering what happened to him. Hoping that God would put someone in his path ... feeling like something was unfinished.

He also said that he had been praying ... talking to God.

There were still others in line ... he had the same message for everyone.

He said he was glad. He had a new outlook ... a new lease on life.

Scott and I went to Starbucks today ... Verona was the coffee of the day ... one of my 3 favorites ... Our manager friend asked if we had a second ... he was pressing a new coffee they had just gotten in ... "do you have a grinder?" ... Do I have a grinder (cockie smerk) ... he handed us a bag ... "brew some of this tonight".

The conversation will continue.

It will be a true conversation.

I've got a ton of crap in my life ... stuff I've got to get rid of ... stuff that will cloud the converstion ... any converstion I have about God will be clouded with my selfish take as log as the "stuff" is there ... the agenda.

I know God dosen't need me to reach people. I know that the manager at Starbucks has someone shinning a light of hope his way ... but I want to be one of them.

I want to be about hope and encouagement.

I want to be the guy that tell the people who never have been allowed that they can!

Freedom.

... but to speak words of freedom, I've got to be free my self.

Not perfect.

Free.