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Life-Defining Decisions

Posted on April 28, 2011 by johnmarkum

The older I get, the longer I’m married, the more I know Christ, and the greater experience I have in life and ministry, the more my life has been impacted by a few decisions I have made along the way. These are not all necessarily from the Bible, but the principles are all there. I’m taking for granted a few things that should be obvious: give my life to Christ, etc… These are more specific. And the benefits – and burdens – of these decisions continue to guide my life. These are not general guidelines. These are personal declarations that I intend to follow through at the cost of everything else if necessary. These are decisions that have radically altered and determined the direction of my life:

I choose to love 1 woman, my whole life, with all of my heart, soul, and mind – and earn her honor and love in return.
I will raise my kids not to simply survive their world, but to change their world.
I choose to enjoy every season of my life. I will embrace my youth while I have it, my seniority when I’ve earned it, and every day in between.
I will retire in Heaven. When it is time for me to step off the scene of “full-time ministry” I will invest the rest of my days into the next generation to take the mantle of leadership.
Aside from my wife and children – I will not sacrifice the vision that God has given me for the demands of anyone.
I will commit my life and ministry to reaching those who are not yet reached.
I will trust God enough to boldly attempt to do the impossible. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.
No matter the cost, no matter my comfort zone, no matter others’ opinion, I will 1) listen to God, and 2) do what He says.
I would rather be known by what I am for, rather than what I am against. I will speak life and call people into their potential.

What principles do you live by? What are the things that define the direction you are going? I suggest that you think through some things that you will stand by as well. This was NOT an over-night list, and depending on which aspect of my life we’re talking about, the list gets longer and more specific. The point is, I intend to get somewhere on purpose. Of course I am open to how God wants to lead me, but I find these things to be consistent with God’s Word and His character. So it’s safe to bank my life on them. What are you banking your life on?

Blessings,

John

Beginning of The End

Posted on April 27, 2011 by johnmarkum

Wars. Natural Disasters. Government overthrows. Economic failures. Terrorist plots. Crisis and uncertainty abound. Is this another difficult time among other difficult times in history? Could these things be signs of something worse on the way? Could all these things be pointing to the beginning of the end? Join us for a 4 week series that connects current events with Biblical prophecies. Know what is to come, and know what all of the signs mean for you.

I don’t do these kind of series often at our Saturday night service, but we felt the need to address several concerns with everything that has happened in the last few years: Wars in the Middle East, increasing fossil fuel depletion, massive earthquakes, political upheavals, economic limbo, and on, and on we could go. We cannot pretend like these things are not happening. We must face reality and know what it means for us. We don’t intend to scare anyone, but rather for people to know the truth, and for the truth to set them free!

With that said, join us for this look into the possibly-not-too-distant End Times series. Be informed. Be wise. And be ready.

Blessings,

John

Earth Day vs. Good Friday

Posted on April 22, 2011 by johnmarkum

Earth Day: A day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s natural resources.

Good Friday: A religious holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary.

This year, Earth Day falls on the same day as Good Friday. An interesting coincidence to be sure. Some who maybe be prone to believing in a general conspiracy might assume that this was done on purpose to somehow attack the Easter season. Frankly, that just isn’t true. Earth Day happens to always fall on April 22, and has been since it was started in 1970. It just so happens that this year, April 22 landed on Good Friday, which is unusually later in the spring than normal. So no conspiracy.

The coincidence of this year’s dual holiday does, however, cause us to consider some points. While Earth Day is focused on saving the planet, Good Friday reminds us that God saved us. Clearly, what Good Friday stands for is far more significant than that of Earth Day. God cares far more about people than planets, and more about souls than recycling. And I long to see the media reflect that, as opposed to the barrage of commercials and spotlights on saving the Earth, to the complete, politically-correct, exclusion of the death of our Savior for the sins of all mankind.

With that one statement, I know many of you are cheering and some of you are about to find a new blog to follow. Before you go though, at least acknowledge that I did not say Earth Day was unimportant, or that taking care of our planet is a waste of time. Because quite fairly, God gave us this planet. He charged us to have dominion over it. He instructed Adam in Genesis 2 to “keep” the garden of Eden. In other words, maintain, conserve, and cultivate. God did create this earth. And God never gives resources without responsibility, and He never gives responsibility without resources. So God expects us to make the best of the natural resources He’s given us.

We should be concerned about oil dependency, pollution, sustainable food sources, smog, eroding farm lands, and deforestation. We are called to be good stewards of the planet God has given us.

In the big picture, it’s all about Jesus. Jesus dying for us on the cross and rising again the third day. Jesus living a sin-less life in our sinful place. Jesus dying to redeem a broken and dying planet. Jesus rising again to bring us new life. If you are a follower of Jesus, then you know the significance of what today is all about. But taking care of our planet is not in contradiction to anything we believe. In fact, quite the opposite.

Blessings,

John

P.S. – “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” I Corinthians 10:26 ~ Thanks, Andy! 😉