Heading Home From Passion

My Dear Siestas,

I am writing you from an altitude of about 25,000 feet on my way home from Atlanta. I’m in the window seat and it’s a gorgeous day on our trek over Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi and I trust Louisiana and Texas, too. I’m sure I’ve told you before that I am one of those weirdos who actually loves traveling. As Melissa and I often say, our boots were made for walking. AJ is game, too, but two preschoolers have a way of coloring your present views toward air travel. Air Traffic Control is a breeze compared to Air Toddler Control. As for Keith, he prefers his size 13 D cowboy boot on the accelerator of a Ford pickup truck. I’m not a fan of the whole travel ordeal, mind you. A life thrown at the mercy of security lines, weather delays, mechanical difficulties, cancellations, and overbooking will take a toll on you. Sometimes my body feels so dog tired I can hardly fathom doing it all again but in no time I do. God gave me itchy feet.

You are one of two big things on my mind this morning as I make my way back to Houston. To say you completely blew me away with your Scripture memory commitments is an understatement almost too silly to say. My mind is spinning with what God might be up to. A few minutes ago I was looking ahead to the next portion of Scripture that I’ll write about in the James study. It’s James 1:19-21. (I know you are wondering how on earth I can only be that far in the writing process after all this time! It goes very slow because each portion has to be researched, mulled over, written, and self edited before I ever send it into LifeWay. The process takes a year to eighteen months of solid work.) As I read over the familiar portion, I fastened my gaze on the finishing words of James 1:21. It is the exhortation to all of us Christ-followers to humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. My eyes stung with tears.

God’s implanted Word has saved me from myself more times than I can count. I love it. No, I don’t always feel giddy about it nor do I always know what to do with it but the written Word of God hits me often enough in my daily exposure to keep me going back for more. I just do not know where I would be or, God help me, what my life would look like without my battered mind being interrupted and rewired by Scripture. Those words implanted deep into my belief system have convicted me, changed me and, at times, wrecked me. These thoughts are what led me to stop my research that very moment and write to you instead. I want you to know that you will never waste a moment of your life in God’s Word. (Unless you are trying to avoid actually doing what it says. There comes a time to shut the Book and go live the Book then go back to the Book so that You can again live the Book.) As you give yourself to the monumental, ongoing task of studying Scripture and hiding it in your heart through memorization, your life is altered. Unblocked and guarded, the words of God make it all the way into the marrow of your bones. Your way is made clearer, your thoughts brighter, your purpose stronger, and your glory to God greater.

I just want to tell those of you who have committed to a year of Scripture memory what I have a hunch you already know: you will not be sorry.

And that brings me to the second big thing on my mind, tied to you, the first, by way of the very same Scripture in James. I just left Passion 2011. It’s still going strong and will not end until tomorrow morning but my schedule was best suited to the first half of it. (I hate so much to miss Dr. Piper though.) If you’re not familiar with the Passion movement (Louie and Shelley Giglio, founders), I will never do justice to it here in this brief explanation so please google it and behold a mighty work of God. In a nutshell, however, it is perhaps the most powerful thing God is doing among college-age men and women across the globe. Do not believe the hype that Jesus has left the college campus. My whole family and I have had the mystifying privilege of being involved since the national conference began in the late 90’s. Even Keith adores it. Curtis serves as one of the community leaders and Amanda ministers right by his side. Every single time I stand in awe of God’s palpable presence in a secular arena packed with students but never more than this year. The event always attracts way over 10,000 people but this new year it sold out at a whopping 22,000 and about five minutes into the event, it was clear why. God.

No other reason.

He has as uncanny a way of showing Himself at these events and, in light of His innumerable mercies, we can guess why. There is no age demographic at greater risk than 18-25 year olds and He’s chasing them down like He’s got nothing to lose but a generation. Our embarrassingly secular culture (of which, in many ways, we are all a part) would be explanation enough for so many young adults walking away from the faith. Add to it the burgeoning disdain for Christianity and mockery of Christians on many college campuses and you’ve got yourself a boiling hotbed for disbelief. But our God is so faithful. We know He will retain a voice in the generations on the latter-day Kingdom calendar because Matthew 24 says that the testimony of Jesus Christ has to make it into every people group. Revelation 19 also tells us that He will return for a Bride refined and made ready. Jesus will indeed raise His Church to her feet but the closer and closer we get to His return, the stronger and stronger she must be. She will know a persecution and ultimately a suffering that 20th Century Westerners could never have imagined.

I saw about 22,000 reasons for high hopes in the last forty-eight hours. You see, Passion isn’t for the faint of heart. The schedule is packed and the sessions are refreshingly unrushed. About two seconds into the conference you lose that warm, fuzzy feeling that any god goes. If you’ve got an aversion to Jesus, you’ve got an aversion to Passion. The Word of God is preached and taught, read aloud and read in unison. The worship is…well…impossible to describe. Just go right ahead and anxiously anticipate the worship CD that will come out of it somewhere down the road. World missions and the needs of the downcast and suffering are kept at the forefront constantly and the 268 concept for the “Go-Center” is nothing less than genius. (Google all of this if this is news to you. You will be astounded and your faith will surge.)

Even this very moment, the Word of God is being implanted in those thousands upon thousands of young lives. Words that can save. Words that can sanctify. Words that can serve. Words that can send. Words that can be shared.

That’s the power of God. That’s the power of His Spirit. That’s the power of His Word.

That’s the power of Jesus.

Let’s keep saying it until every knee bows and every tongue confesses He is Lord.

Share

356 Responses to “Heading Home From Passion”

If you'd like your own pic by your comment, go to Gravatar.com. Click the first button "Get your gravatar today ->", and it will walk you through a simple process to select a picture.

Comments:

  1. 251
    LaRae Wright says:

    LaRae, Princeton TX
    Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve what ]ods will is. – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

    Romans 12:2 NIV

  2. 252
    LaRae Wright says:

    LaRae, Princeton TX
    Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve what Gods will is. – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

    Romans 12:2 NIV

  3. 253
    Anna Smith says:

    “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.” – Psalm 112: 7-8

  4. 254
    Katelyn says:

    Katelyn Hoover Al.
    God didn’t give us a cowardly spirit but a spirit of power, love, and good judgment. 1 Timothy 1:7

  5. 255
    Fontaine from Lake Charles says:

    Colossians 3:17
    And whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. KJV

  6. 256
    Twila Steiner says:

    Twila in Reseda

    “For I know the plans I have for you, “declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” NIV29:11

  7. 257
    Toni Lizana says:

    Toni, Gulfport, MS Ephesians 1:13,14 (NIV)
    And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.

  8. 258
    Annemarie says:

    The Lord will workout his plans for my life-for your faithful love O’Lord endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me. Psalm 138:8 NLT

  9. 259
    Jan says:

    John 14:21
    “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show Myself to him.”

  10. 260
    Kendall in Dallas says:

    Dear brothers and sisters,when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ~ James 1:2,3 (NLT)

  11. 261
    Liz says:

    Romans 15:13
    May God of hope fill you with joy and pease as you trust in him, so thay you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

  12. 262

    Jeanene, League City, TX
    Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him and he will help you. Psalm 37:5 (NLT)

  13. 263
    Cathie, in Ohio says:

    Pro. 18:20
    Words kill, words give life;
    they’re either poison or fruit
    –you choose. ( Mess.)

  14. 264
    Janny says:

    James 4:7,8&10 NIV

    “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

  15. 265
    Judy, Princeton, TX says:

    Psalm 91:14 (NIV)

    “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name.”

  16. 266

    Sheila Sanchez, West Monroe

    Show me your ways O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5

  17. 267
    brianna taeuber says:

    Let us not give up on meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:25 NIV

  18. 268
    Darlene Webb says:

    Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement. James 2:12-13 NIV

  19. 269
    Terry Wilcox says:

    Terry, Evansville,”As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6,7 NKJV

  20. 270
    Terry Crowl says:

    Terry. Mechanicsville. Psalm 16:11. You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. NAB

  21. 271
    Rita Faulkenbury says:

    Rita Faulkenbury
    Hickory,NC

    “In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.”
    Psalm 71:1 KJV

  22. 272
    Laura Hudson says:

    Laura Eloise, Austin – You hem me in and behind and before You have laid Your hand upon me. Psalm 149:5

Leave a Reply

To receive a daily digest of comments on this post, enter your email address below: