Friday, April 29, 2011

This week has been quite a roller-coaster ride. Last Sunday at lunch I became pretty sick, since then I have not got any better. Needless to say after several visits to the Dr. All types of test, including a ct and X-rays, my body has become quite fatigued, yet my heart remains excited.

I'm excited to witness what God is going to do the next three weeks as we dive in deep at church.

Join us as we experience the Sun Stand Still

A Legion finished his business

Yesterday a legion, a hero of the faith, and one of the greatest influences in my life finished up his work here on earth. I had the great honor of worshipping with him in New York and his book still till this day fires me up with passion. Rev David, thanks you for your faith, labor, commitment, and most of all your courage to show this world what a real christian looks like.

Rev. David Wilkerson, founding pastor of New York City's Times Square Church and author of the 1963 best-seller The Cross and the Switchblade, died Wednesday afternoon in a head-on traffic collision with an 18-wheeler in East Texas, local CBS station KYTX reports. He was 79.

Also injured in the crash on the Neches River bridge was Wilkerson's wife, Gwendolyn Wilkerson, and another woman. A Texas Department of Public Safety representative said Wilkerson was not wearing a seatbelt.

The pastor's death was confirmed by his family in a statement appearing on the Wilkerson's World Challenge Web site. "We appreciate your prayers and our hearts are sorrowful, yet we rejoice at the joy of knowing David Wilkerson spent his life well," the statement said.

The Cross and the Switchblade chronicled Wilkerson's early years in New York City tending to drug addicts and gang members. It sold 15 million copies in 30 languages and was made into a 1970 movie starring Pat Boone (as Wilkerson) and Erik Estrada.

The second of four children born in Hammond, Ind., to Rev. Kenneth and Ann Wilkerson, the future minister was raised in Barnesboro, Pa., in a home "full of Bibles" and began preaching at 14. He was not allowed to go to movies, and only Christian music filtered through the family's clapboard house.

"They called me Screechin' Deacon," Wilkerson told PEOPLE in 1989. He added that other children hassled him because he was skinny. "Later that did something for me in feeling for the oppressed."

After high school, Wilkerson tried Bible college but dropped out because "it was boring. None of the other students were serious about the ministry," he said. In 1953 he married Gwen and took Pentecostal pastorates in Scottdale and Philipsburg, Pa. Then a 1957 LIFE story about a polio-stricken boy who was killed by gang members in New York changed his life. "I heard an inner voice say, 'Go and try to reach those boys.' "

Moving to New York, Wilkerson started Teen Challenge, a drug, alcohol and evangelism outreach program that he ran for 14 years and expanded to 110 centers nationwide. In search of a wider ministry, he moved to Tyler, Texas, and founded a similar organization, called World Challenge (he was still its president at the time of his death), doing street ministries in New York in the summers. The sudden explosion of crack use brought him back to Manhattan full-time in 1987.

In addition to his wife, Wilkerson is survived by four children.
By Stephen M. Silverman

Friday, April 22, 2011

Interesting

This week as I review the journey Christ took on our behalf a thought consistently penetrates my mind.

Regardless of the reality if one professes their faith in Jesus or not, each one of us daily acknowledge the reality that He existed.

Every time we sign a check and date it...

Every time we put something on our calendar...

Every time we are given a receipt with a date on it..

Every time we ask the question "what's the date?"

We Acknowledge Christ existed.

It's Good Friday 2011, 2011 years from what? What is our calendar based around?

Once one figures the answer out to that question, they will quickly realize that each and every day they too, acknowledge that Christ walked the earth.

Live 2 Love,
C

Friday, April 8, 2011

Hollowness

So Im watching a movie called Eat Pray Love...Shh...don't tell anyone... as I sit on my couch blogging on my phone. Prior to viewing the movie, all I knew was there was a lot of hype about the book and movie.

In the movie, one of the characters states, " Quit Trying and Surrender."

What a great description of much of my life. So often I did all I could to attempt to fill the hollow hole that was in my heart, that hole constantly craved for something to fill the sea of emptiness. It wasn't until I surrendered, that the hollowness vanished.

Live 2 Love
C

Never Enough

Recently I have been really investigating a few thoughts that have caused me to struggle, research, and act.

One thought I have been wrestling over is how much is enough? The American way says there is never enough.

My heart convicts me that i already have more than enough and I'm 31.

If I was to never purchase another new item for my closet I would still have more than enough.

If I was to never see another day of sunlight I have been blessed to see many.

If I never had the opportunity to sit down at a restaurant and eat a large meal, it would be okay because I have had more than enough.

I even struggled with this thought most of the afternoon as I cleaned, threw away, and packaged stuff to prepare for Abilene Spring Clean.

The reality that I have more than enough intensified when I witnessed all the stuff that was useless in my storage.

More than enough, the reality is I have way too much already. Lord help me use the blessings you have given me for the greater good.


Live 2 Love.
C


Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Freedom to Move

This past Sunday night I had the great honor of speaking at a Hispanic Assembly of God church. Their hospitality, joy, and passion for the things of God was deeply encouraging. What was more beautiful than that was even though the band didn't have the best instruments, even though the building was small, even though the atmosphere was much different than my church community, God Moved. I have to laugh because I had the opportunity to speak in some massive venues, at times I have spoke in some of the most run down places, but one thing remains true is God doesn't matter where He gets the Invite to, as long As He gets an invitation.

Mission Abilene will definitely be partnering with this particular church community.

7PM

Hey guys I know it's late notice, but I will be at The Rock tonight at 7pm. (church on the Rock) Come hang out if you can,
I'm going to continue to focus on our hours, and how vital they are.
Live 2 Love,
C

Monday, April 4, 2011

ENEMY

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.
Winston Churchill

This quote is so intriguing, it is challenging, convicting, and down right disturbing all in the same breath. Yet, so true....

WHAT'S YOUR ENEMY'S NAME?

Is child abuse your enemy?

Is cancer?

Kid's dying of unclean water?

Racism?

What is the name of your enemy?

Live to Love.
C