Psalm 3

God gave me some words.  I was reading Psalm 3 recently and these can to me.  I am not a writer, but that doesn't matter.  So, here you go.  Take this for what it is and make fun if you will. 

Here are the actual words to Psalm 3 penned by King David.

 ¹O LORD, how many are my foes!
   Many are rising against me;
²many are saying of my soul,
    there is no salvation for him in God.
                         Selah ³But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
   my glory, and the lifter of my head.
⁴I cried aloud to the LORD,
   and he answered me from his holy hill.
                         Selah
 ⁵I lay down and slept;
   I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
⁶I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
   who have set themselves against me all around.

 ⁷ Arise, O LORD!
   Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
   you break the teeth of the wicked.

 ⁸ Salvation belongs to the LORD;
   your blessing be on your people!
                         Selah

Here are my words penned by Derek.

Verse 1
Here they come.
They're closing in.
My foes are so many, they'll be my end.

Insults, mockery, ridicule is their cry.
"There is no salvation for him, he'll die."

Chorus
But You, O Lord, are a shield for me.
But You, O Lord, will deliver me.
But You, O Lord, lift my head and dry me tears.
I cried aloud and You answered me.
And You, O Lord, rescued me.
You rescued me.

Verse 2
 As lay down on my pillow tonight
Despite the turmoil, there's an end in sight.
I will not fret and I will not freight
I'll wake again with You by my side.
Though enemies are many and want to succeed
You, O Lord, You rescue me.
You rescue me.

Bridge
 Arise, O Lord and save me.
Strike and break the wickedness of my enemies.
Salvation belongs to You, O Lord
Bless us all in one accord

Books I Am Reading...

I do this from time to time.  I like to tell everyone what I am reading, as if they are sitting on the edges of their seats wondering.  Anyway, here is the lengthy list.

I am currently using this resource in my time with the Lord each day.  It is an extremely helpful resource that has really (over the last week) energized my study.  When I purchased this resource it came with an access code that enables me to use this tool online. 
I have also started a journal.  I look up the text that I am studying for that day, read over it several times, and then break it down verse by verse reading the study notes that go with each verse. 
This is a very useful resource.  I would recommend this resource to any person who is serious about study God's Word. 

Children's Ministry Leadership by Jim Wideman is a used book that I recently purchased on Amazon.  One of my main responsibilities at Ada First is children's ministry.  Ironically, this is something that I feel that I am not equipped to do so I decided to get equipped.  This resource is surprising me, however.  I was expecting many practical tips and resources that could be used to lead children's ministry.  I was pleasantly shocked to realize that it has more to do with the leadership potential and structure of the person leading the children's ministry.  I am still in the infant stages of reading this book, but I am really getting a lot out of it.  This book is yet another resource that I have come into contact with lately that has led me to think about risks/faith.  I am looking forward to getting to some of the nuts and bolts of children's ministry in the later chapters.  Great book thus far!

The Millennials by Thom and Jess Rainer is a book about me.  No, its not my biography.  That will come much later in my life.  This is a book about my generation.  I downloaded this book for free several months ago to my iBooks app on my iPhone.  My budding Curt Holland, Pastor of Adults at the Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, really put me on to this book.  I am amazed to read about me.  I don't always enjoy reading books on statistics from surveys taken, but this one is good.  It is interesting to read things about my generation.  What we believe in, what we expect of previous generations, what we want in the workplace and what we want in a host of other things.  This is an real eye-opening book.  It would do the Baby Boomer Generation to read this book.  It would give them great insight.  Just ask Curt Holland, http://www.donelson.org/staff

One final book that I am reading is entitled Fit to Serve Him Longer...and Better.  I recently had a Skype conversation with my friend James Evans.  I was telling him how the Lord had (and has) been speaking to me about my physical health.  I believe God wants me to be not only spiritually and emotionally healthy, but physically healthy.  James sent me this book.  I am only in chapter 2, but it is challenging.  I look forward to my next Skype conversation with James when we will unpack this book some more. 

There you have it.  Now your mind can rest easy because you know what I am reading.  How about you?  What are you reading?

Risks...

I have been challenged a lot lately in one area.  I must take risks.  Now, I am not talking about doing things by the seat of my pants (even though they are big pants) and just doing whatever feels right or what is the hottest thing going.  I recently attended a training where this point was emphasized extensively. 

I was listening to a church planter discuss what risks looked like in his ministry in the early stages of the church plant.  I was floored at some of the things that he did.  Several years after he had started the church (the church was running several hundred people at this point) God spoke to him. 

God told him that he was longer taking risks.  God reminded him how in the infancy stages of the church, the faithful church planter had taken big risks and God had proved faithful during those risks.  The church planter heeding the reminding of God and began taking risks again.  God has continued to prove faithful in this ministry.  The church now runs over 1,000. 

This got me thinking (that is dangerous, I know.).  What risks I am currently taking in my ministry at Ada First?  Am I believing that God will prove Himself faithful in my ministry?  

I think something for us to remember is that in the Christian world, risk is just another word for faith. 

In what areas of my ministry am I trusting God's faithfulness?  I am not doing this nearly enough, if at all.  I hope that this gives us something to think on.  I hope this challenges us not only to think, but to act.  I need to get off my "blessed assurance" and take some risks (have faith).  God please help me to do this.

In this situation, OUR ACTIONS NEED TO SPEAK A LOT LOUDER THAN OUR WORDS!