I got 3 1/2 hours of sleep last night. Yup. 3 1/2. I finally put my head to my pillow around 3:30 a.m. and that's because I had to make myself finally go to sleep. Truth be told, I probably could have stayed up all night till morning. Why? Insomniac? No. Vampire? No. Worried about something? No. So why? Well, part of it is that I'm a night owl, always have been. Actually 2 to 3 a.m. used to be the norm for me all through my twenties, but everynight of that stopped a while back. The other part, and I think the major part is that I AM PUMPED UP!!! Pumped up about what God is doing in my life, pumped up about my marriage and family, pumped up about my church. I LOVE MY CHURCH!!! I love that I pastor a church that if I wasn't the pastor or on staff I would be there anyway!! I would have my sleeves rolled up ready to serve, I'd sit on the front row ready to worship, I'd have my tithe ready the night before ready to BRING to God, I'd be connected in community and I'd be spending my life REACHING UP, REACHING OUT, & REACHING IN! Basically everything I do now.
God has his hand on Cornerstone Church, as He has his hand on so many churches in His KIngdom. Many that I follow and that are pastored by wonderful friends of mine. I think this is a time of year when pastors get a little giddy and lose sleep for the right reasons: BECAUSE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT EASTER AND THE POWER AND POTENTIAL OF "THE CHURCH". Yes that's Church with a capital "C", the Bride of Christ, the greatest hope of the world. As pastors, we're thinking about the impact and difference that "our" churches will make in people's lives this Easter, but something that I'm really thankful to God is a "KINGDOM MENTALITY" among pastors and churches that we are thinking about how all of us COME TOGETHER TO ADVANCE THE KINGDOM!!!
Those were my thoughts last night. I spent time praying, reading Scripture (meditated on Numbers 6:24-26 & Proverbs 3:5-6; ch. 4), begging and pleading with my AWESOME GOD to do something amazing at Cornerstone this Sunday, this series, this Easter, and beyond. I prayed what I always pray for: FOR LIFE-CHANGE TO HAPPEN. TRUE, LASTING LIFE-CHANGE THAT CAN ONLY COME FROM & THROUGH CHRIST! As I prayed and pleaded for Cornerstone, it was an honor to lift up other churches and pastors and pray for them. Everything I prayed for Cornerstone, I prayed for them. What an honor and a privilege.
Now before you go thinking that I'm "super-spiritual", etc. I spent plenty of time last night catching up on some old episodes of two of my favorite series: 24 & The West Wing. Awesome! That's the thing about last night, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS WHEN GOD SHOWS UP AND YOUR MIND IS RACING WITH ALL THE AMAZING THINGS GOD IS DOING AND IS GOING TO DO!
I AM SO PUMPED ABOUT THIS EASTER!!! For followers of Jesus Christ it doesn't get any better. Every Sunday is special and important at Cornerstone Church, we make sure of that. What we need to understand though is that Easter is a time when people are more aware of God and what He's doing in their lives; it's a time when someone who might not usually accept an invitation to church will do so. How are you asking God to use you during this Easter season? Cornerstone, "Easter" as I'm referring to it, isn't just April 12th. This moment in time when people are more spiritually aware has already begun and will continue for some time after the 12th. What are you doing about it? Who are you having conversations with? Who are you inviting to church? To our "Dinner & A Movie" night? Who are you sharing your faith with? Who are you praying for? WHAT AN AWESOME TIME TO BE SERVING GOD!!!
Man, the way I'm feeling right now, I might not get to bed tonight till 3:30 again! :)
i'm right there with ya bro. I have recently re-trained myself to go to bed around 11pm so I can get up at 5:30-6ish to spend an hour with God and exercise, but sometimes I still slip into my night owl tendencies.
Funny thing is, even though I say I'm a night owl, life is much better when I go to bed early and get up early.
I have always said I am a "cycling insomnia" but i realize now that God just gets me JACKED UP about stuff and I can't sleep sometimes.
BOOYAH.
Posted by: zak white | March 26, 2009 at 02:07 PM