GASP! (Let me set the record straight)

As many of you know, my beautiful bride Alex is scheduled to deliver our 2nd baby boy on or around October 11th.  Though he is still in the womb we already refer to him as our son.

Well, as I have learned many times already as a communicator everything you say is up for interpretation.  Two weeks ago in my message I said, 'I am the father of two boys...'  I didn't notice it at the time, but after the service several people came to me and said did you hear the gasp of surprise in the audience when you mentioned your 'two sons?'  They were inquiring about how he was doing, and when he had been born.  I was totally confused.  Finally the light bulb turned on and I realized the confusion  I had unintentionally and unknowingly created...

So let me set the record straight.  Our 2nd son, Cruz Alexander, is still living inside his mothers womb.  You will be the first to know when he is actually born.  By the way my official prediction is...October 5th.

Furious Love

...so that phrase probably seems a bit confusing.  Furious love?  Those two words don't seem like they belong next to each other, in fact that may even seem to be contradictory.  Do a little word association....when you read 'furious' what is the first thought that comes to your mind?  It is likely that you associate 'furious' with anger, or rage, or hate, or animosity...so 'furious love' just doesn't seem to make sense.  Furious can be defined in a variety of ways, yes most of those have a negative connotation, but it also can simply mean 'unrestrained.'  With that definition in mind 'furious' may be the best adjective to describe the love of God.  The love of God is wild, irresponsible, irrational, limitless, white-hot, intense, reckless and unconditional.  It is a furious love.

Brennan Manning (I highly recommend his books to anyone who would like God to mess up their life in a good way) said it this way, '

'The wild, unrestricted love of God is not simply an inspiring idea.  When it imposes itself on mind and heart with the stark reality of ontological truth, it determines why and at what time you get up in the morning, how you pass your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, and who you hang with; it affects what breaks your heart, what amazes you, and what makes your heart happy.'

Furious.

Love.

Changes Everything.

Fire and Brimstone...well just Fire Truck actually!

Last Sunday morning, 8:58 am, two minutes before first service was set to begin I was standing back stage with the worship team praying when the fire alarm went off. Isn't it interesting that when a fire alarm goes off the first response is, 'Who has the keys to turn it off?' Fortunately it was not a real fire. A fan in the duct work had burnt up or yada, yada, yada. Not really sure what happened, but it was an interesting sight to see 200 men, women and children standing outside the church building as the fire truck pulled up. After a short walk through the fire personnel gave the 'A-okay' to enter the building. We had to cut two or three songs on the fly (of course I wasn't going to make cuts in the sermon), but it was a powerful time of worship.

You just never know what might happen on a Sunday morning. Someday I may tell you about the day I was preaching in a small country church in Kansas when a bird flew right through the front door and made a beeline for my forehead. Well I guess I just told you.