Randall Popham's Blog

Trent sharing on 1 Peter 3:1-6 Role of the wife in family.

Randall Popham — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 03:09:11 GMT

1 Peter 3:1-6 by Trent

Shackin' Up

Randall Popham — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:45:00 GMT

Let’s face it. We’re in a commitment crisis. As I see it, there are two problems 1) people have a hard time committing and 2) people have a hard time keeping their commitments.

For example, our culture encourages multiple dating partners, sleeping together, moving in together and all before the promise of a marriage covenant. If people do make a covenant to each other, they move out when things don’t turn out the way they want.

The church is a lot like a marriage relationship. People will date many churches looking to take the best from each church. Once they find one they can live with, they move in. They start shackin' up with a church! They never make a commitment to a church, and if they do, they easily move out when things aren’t exactly the way they want it.

The lack of commitment is causing so many to miss out on something extremely beneficial in their lives. They are missing an opportunity to be LIBERATED.

A covenant liberates you in a couple areas of your life…
First, making and keeping a commitment liberates you to experience true love and community. It’s what nearly every woman knows. It’s the promise of the marriage covenant that allows for deeper love and community between a husband and wife. That’s why the marriage ceremony is such a big deal. The covenant is made and the opportunity for real love begins. Those who simply date or shack-up with a church miss an opportunity for true love and community.

Second, making and keeping a covenant liberates your growth. My wife is killing me and I am killing her. Of course not literally! Spiritually, God is using each of us to kill our selfishness and to grow us into people who resemble God. Keeping the covenant when it would have been easy to walk out has liberated a new me. Those who walk away from a covenant they have made with a church because of selfish reasons, miss an opportunity to grow.

Randall

How to be Free

Randall Popham — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 11:10:00 GMT

Freedom is one the most treasured experiences on Earth. It is also one of the hardest to achieve. In one since we are all free, but in another, we are all slaves to our freedom. We are free in most cases to become the person we want to be but few ever become that person. We are free to do all things but few choose the things that will be the most beneficial to them. To freely chase every impulse isn’t freedom, it’s an open door to slavery. Here are two principles that have helped me experience freedom in my life.

Principle 1. True freedom is found within boundaries. For example, I am technically free to look at anything I want on the Internet, but I know that could lead to destructive addictions. Therefore, I have set up my own boundaries. My wife and a close friend, have complete access to all of my Internet history. Every two weeks they receive a report of every moment I spend on the Internet. This boundary gives me the freedom to become the man I want to be. Like guardrails along the high curvy roads of a mountain, boundaries help me safely rise to new heights.

Principle 2. Often, we do what is inspected, not expected. I have found this to be true in nearly every area of my life. The areas of my life that are least inspected and where I have the most freedom are the hardest areas to achieve success. I have found the greatest freedom in accountability. Friends who care enough to ask the hard questions and inspect my life are my truest friends. Accountability isn’t fun but it's freeing.

The Bible says, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36) If this is true, then why are so many of us still in slavery to our addictions. It’s because we have failed to set up our own boundaries and accountability. Jesus unlocks the chains that keep us bound but boundaries and accountability help remove the chains.

Like you, I desire to be the greatest person I can be. I find freedom in Jesus and with the help of self imposed boundaries and friends who hold me accountable.

Thank you Jesus. Thank you friends.
Randall

PS - For the Internet accountability service I use click here.

The Pain of Progress

Randall Popham — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 20:45:00 GMT

Beware, if you are going to stand up and make a difference, PEOPLE WILL CRITICIZE YOU. It is during those unpleasant times of criticism that you have the opportunity to learn a lot about who you are and what you believe. In those tough times, it is important to remember this very important principal… THERE IS NO PROGRESS WITHOUT PAIN! The pain of progress has taught me some interesting things that apply to anyone who is trying to make a difference. Here’s six things I have learned through the pain of progress...

1.   The Fear of man cripples you!
When God calls you to do something, expect opposition. If you listen to the opposition, you will be crippled and rendered useless. Imagine with me a sleek red Porsche burning up the road, zipping around the corners and flashing by all the other cars. The driver is focused on the road ahead and the thrill of the ride when he sees guys with big bold signs that say “YOU ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY,” “YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING” OR “YOU SHOULD LET SOMEONE ELSE DRIVE.” The driver takes his eyes off the road to read the signs long enough to lose control and find himself wrapped around a tree. Those who would rather stand and watch instead of joining the race have crippled him. When God calls you to do something and he has confirmed it with his word and the blessing of wise counsel, Go for it and don’t let the fear of man’s opinion cripple you.

God says… "The Fear of man will prove to be a snare; but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe." Proverbs 29: 25

2.   Everyone has an opinion and most of them are just preferences!
Most seemingly moral issues are really just preferences. People will passionately try to convince you that something is a morally wrong when it’s really just their preference. God leaves a lot of freedom in the Bible. God gives you the freedom to choose on disputable issues. God gives you freedom when the Bible doesn’t give any clear direction. Some people want to steal your freedom because they are not free. God says don’t let them.

God says…"Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." Roman 14:1-4

3.   Vision divides.
Vision divides. Vision is a statement that says we are going this way. It closes off all other possibilities. It clarifies for everyone where we are going. It draws those who have the same vision and frustrates those who had a different vision. Those who had hoped for a different direction find themselves with three options. One, accept the vision and get in line with it. Two, do nothing and remain frustrated. Third, move on. When you clarify the vision, expect division. Jesus was always causing division and people had to choose to follow or move on.

John says... "At these words the Jews were again divided." John 10:19

4.   Most people would rather talk about making a difference rather than doing anything differently!
You have probably heard someone say, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.” It’s true. Most people talk and dream about doing great things but they never do anything. I can dream about losing weight but if I am not going to do anything about it then I should just shut up. I can say, “I care about helping people experience new life through Jesus,” but if I am not willing to do anything, then I should probably really say, “I don’t care enough.”

God says.. "Much dreaming and many words are meaningless." Eccl 5:7

5.   People are worth the effort.
How much is one life worth? This past week, as I passionately persuaded a young man back from the edge of suicide, I was totally convinced that he was worth it because, God proved he is worth it.
If you were to look at the state of most churches today, you would have to say one life is not worth much. They are content to keep the ones they’ve got and not excited about reaching people that aren’t like them. The cross is proof that every life is worth the pain and struggle. Some would rather argue over disputable matters rather than shed one tear for a lost coworker.

Paul says people are worth it…"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20: 24

6.   You can’t go wrong when you lift up Jesus!
Jesus really is the answer for the world today. When we talk about him, honor him and lift him up, he draws people to himself. This past weekend at Lanier Hills Church is proof. The place was packed out. Chairs were brought in from all over the building. The music was powerful. The redemption testimony was moving. But, when Jesus was exalted through the message, video and painting, the place was filled with God’s presence. All week long, people have shared that Sunday was the most anointed service they have ever been a part of. You can’t go wrong when you lift up Jesus!

Paul said... "Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 8: 31

Learning through the Pain! (I have to admit, I kind of enjoy it.)
Pastor Randall

What Would Jesus Say?

Randall Popham — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 15:47:00 GMT

What would Jesus say? NO. Rather, how would Jesus say it? How would Jesus speak to the person who doesn’t know the rules or language religious people use in church? Would he use words like salvation, trinity, repentance or sin? I think he would use common words of common people. Words like “suck.”

(See the article in the Gainesville Times about Lanier Hills to get the background.)

We have a hard time imaging Jesus outside of Biblical culture. We see him with dirty sandals, a robe and walking everywhere he goes. Can you imagine him using a computer to check his email, a cell phone to keep us with his leadership team or a minivan to get around? We think Jesus has a problem adapting to the times. Here’s news for you. Jesus will always be relevant. Jesus will always be relevant but the church has made him irrelevant to the common man. The truth Jesus teaches and his message of hope will never change, but the means in which they are communicated will. If the church desires to effectively communicate Jesus’ message, we must use the language of the people we are trying to reach.

According to Wictionary.com “suck” means “ the subject or situation is without redemptive qualities.” How many people believe their situation is hopeless or their life is worthless. Jesus’ message to the world is - Your life is worth redeeming. You don’t suck! You are worth every bit of the pain and suffering. The cross is proof.

Jesus will always be relevant. As long as people are suffering, dieing, and hurting other people, Jesus will be relevant. Jesus’ message of hope, forgiveness and love must be spoken by the church in terms the world understands. As long as I am the Pastor of Lanier Hills Church, we will make an effort to break down the traditions, rules and religiosity that keep people from Jesus. Lives are counting on in it!

Jesus makes a difference!
Pastor Randall

How Much Does Sin Weigh?

Randall Popham — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:59:00 GMT

How much does sin weigh? What if you could place your disobedience on a scale, weigh it and discover just how much it would cost you? What if you could weigh it and then make a decision about whether or not it’s worth it? If you and I could devise a “Sin Scale” that weighed the consequences of sin, we would be richer than Bill Gates. You know people would use it. Each time someone thought of chasing a lustful thought, leaving their spouse, stealing something from work or speaking harmful words they would use the “Sin Scale” to find out if it was worth it.

    The problem with the “Sin Scale” would be that people would always think it’s broken. Here’s why: The consequences of sin always out weigh its pleasure.” No matter how many times you try it, shift the weight or change the scenario you always lose. The consequences of sin always out weigh its pleasure.

King David could have used a Sin Scale (2 Samuel 11-18). What if he had used it before he took a lustful look at Bathsheba? One pleasurable look led to the following horrible consequences…
-    Bathsheba’s hurt and scorn.
-    The death and murder of a true friend and warrior, Uriah.
-    The death of other fine warriors.
-    The death of David and Bathsheba’s first son.
-    The death of his reputation.
-    The death of his respect.
-    Severe depression, grief, guilt and shame.
-    The removal of God’s blessing.
-    The rape of his daughter.
-    The lack of courage to discipline his sons.
-    The death of two of his adult sons.
-    The death of 20,000 soldiers.

Disobedience always weighs more than the pleasure it brings. In our lives, we must stop and consider the consequences of even the smallest act of disobedience.

The quickest way to keep the consequences from continuing to pile up is to do what David did. When confronted with his sin, he confessed and turned from it. We serve a God whose mercy is new every morning. He has taken extreme measures to redeem us and forgive us. I believe the sooner we agree with him about our sin, the less the consequences of our sin will be. But, in every situation the consequences of our sin will always out weigh its pleasure. So, forget the Sin Scale. It’s useless. Sin is never worth it.

These are a few notes from time alone with God this morning. They were challenging to me. I hope you find them useful. I would love to hear back from you if you have any thoughts.

The Perfect Pastor for the Imperfect Church,
Pastor Randall

ALSO - Thanks for an amazing day yesterday! The worship was extremely powerful, attendance was one of our largest and the response to the message was INCREDIBLE! It was exciting to see how passionately you responded to the vision God has placed on my heart. All three hundred footballs were taken as you committed to “Catch our Vision and Run with It.” Three hundred families and individuals committed to take a football as a sign of their commitment to…

1. Our Mission: To reach every person from Dawsonville to Gainesville.
2. Our Process: To grow in maturity by becoming a part of our process.
3. Our Future: To bring their football back on Sunday, April 15th filled with their gift toward the $150,000 to renovate our children’s facility, to start to meet the needs of our community and send teams around the world on missions in the next year.

Here’s some other exciting news. Yesterday, nine families indicated they want to become members of Lanier Hills. Many people indicated they want to be a part of the trip to Russia and others indicated they want to be a part of the Compassion Team to help meet the needs of our community. I am also very excited about J.K Bull coming on our staff to develop our NEW Middle School Ministry. She is going to do a phenomenal job!

A Work In Process

Randall Popham — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 18:12:00 GMT

I am a work in process. I am learning to love like Jesus but it’s extremely hard. Recently, I received a comment about my blog titled, “Simplicity” and it shows just how much I still have to learn. I have included the individual’s comment and my response below. This is a reminder that there is only one perfect lover of people. This is also a reminder that I am so thankful to serve at “The perfect church for people who aren’t.”

Comment from: “A Wandering and Questioning Spirit” (Real name not given.)

Are you really living like this? Can you honestly say that you show 'love' to EVERYONE you encounter, even if you don't agree with their lifestyle or the choices they have made? Is that your sole focus in life- to love each and every person you come in contact with? I sure hope it is now because honestly, from what I know of you, love was not your focus in the past. I pray you are impacting peoples lives for the glory of God; not impressing or influencing people, but TRULY IMPACTING them in a positive way for the GLORY of God.

Response from: Pastor Randall

Thanks for the feedback and your concern about me. The answer to your questions is, NO. Do I love everyone perfectly at all times and in every situation? NO! I wish I did in the past. I wish I were (loving perfectly) right now. I hope I can in the future. But honestly, I am quite a failure at loving people like Jesus did.

You’re right. In the past, I was more concerned about impressing and even manipulating people. I find myself battling it even now. But, I know I am a work in process. I am further along than I was and I will be even further along in the future. God constantly loves me by kicking my butt. I know I am far from perfect and I am constantly reminded of it.

I am making progress and God has placed me in a perfect place to learn about loving people. Daily, at my church I am embracing genuine people from every kind of background with incredible stories. I am called to love them because they are human. But, love is such a diverse word. It can mean something different to you and me. Am I to love people like I love pizza? Am I to love you like I love my wife? Sometimes love is showing grace. Sometimes, it’s speaking the truth. Sometimes, it’s giving a hug. Sometimes, it’s giving discipline. There is only one person who loves perfectly at all times and I am not him. I hope I can become more like him.

Thanks again for responding to the blog. I take a huge risk sharing my feelings with the world. I am not afraid to put my name and face with what I write. It is part of my process of letting down my guard and trying not to impress people. Pastor Randall

So, how about you? Are you a work in progress? Are you learning daily to love people like Jesus did? It is a very difficult and messy process. But, I am glad to be a part of it. Join me in the process.

My Prayer Today: Lord, thank you for constantly growing me. Continue the work you started long ago in me and lead me to be the man you have called me to be.

The Imperfect Pastor for the Imperfect Church,
Pastor Randall

Simplicity

Randall Popham — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 15:09:00 GMT

    Simplicity. It’s what we all desire, especially at tax time. As a child, I remember watching my father wrestle anxiously with his taxes. As my brother and I would run through the house, I would stop and look at the huge stack of papers piled on the kitchen table. The frustration on my dad’s face was evident to the whole family. We knew to not mess with Dad while he did the taxes. The tax filing days would usually last several grueling days and when it was finished you could see the relief on dad’s face, especially when we were getting some money back.

    Now that I am in charge of the taxes, things are different. With my computer and Internet, I completed my taxes in thirty minutes. I will receive my RETURN in a few days (YEH)! I love the simplicity. I wish everything could be so simple.

    Why do we make things that are meant to be simple so complicated? According to Dictionary.com, simple means, “Not complicated, easy to understand, deal with, or use.” We are great at making the simple things hard to understand or use, for example, a relationship with God. Why do we make a relationship with God so complicated when Jesus said it would be easy and light? Jesus said in Matt 11:30, “For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

    There should be nothing burdensome and heavy about our relationship with Jesus. Jesus simplified the entire Bible into one word, “Love.” Love God and love others with everything in you. Do you want to know what it means to be an authentic Christian? The answer is love. Don’t worry about the lists of “do’s-and-don’ts,” just love God and love others.

    Can I be honest with you? Sometimes, after a busy day of work and chores, I lay down my head on the pillow and I wonder, “Did I do enough today God?” Did I miss what it means to be a true follower of Jesus? In the last few days, God has shown me that to love him and to love others is enough. That is so freeing! It is so simple! My heart through the entire day was motivated by love for Jesus and love for others. That’s enough! Nothing else is needed, just love. I love simplicity. Jesus loves simplicity.

    Lanier Hills Church is a place of simplicity. I wouldn’t want to be in any other place. I love to worship and serve with imperfect people who simply love God and love others. Jesus is in the simplicity and it’s my goal to make sure we keep it simple. We will simply, love God and Love others with everything in us.

My Prayer: Father, thanks for loving me with everything in you. Help me to simply love you and others with everything in me. Keep me simple!

Your Simple Pastor,
Pastor Randall

P.S. Don’t forget, this Sunday, Feb 11th, in both services, we will have a powerful time of special music, gripping testimonies and prayer for people who are suffering. Plan to attend and bring someone with you who is suffering. It could change your lives!

Why Me?

Randall Popham — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 16:05:00 GMT

    You know you’ve said it before. In a desperate moment of pain or suffering you have confronted God and asked, “Why me?” Why do I have to suffer? Why do I have to wait? Why must I go through this? God, “Why me!” We all have asked God this question and his answer is the same for all of us. His answer is, “so that the work of God might be displayed in his (your) life.” (John 9:3)
    God allows you to suffer so you and the world can see God’s might displayed in your life. It’s hard to see or understand, but the very thing that causes you to suffer may also be your biggest opportunity. It may be your best opportunity to experience God and be used for him. It may also be your best opportunity to advance your life. The greatest stories are the ones where people like yourself faced huge difficulties and overcame with God’s help. The Bible is packed with stories of ordinary people who could have said, “Why me?” but instead they chose to say, “Why not me!” These people experienced God in a way most people never will.
    If you want to experience God and advance your life remember this…

Trouble = Opportunity

The next time you face a huge problem, see it as huge opportunity and do the following:

Face it head on.

    Once during my High School Football practice days, I had an opportunity to face a huge problem and turn it into an opportunity. My closest friend David was one of the strongest and toughest guys on our team. One day, I had to face him head-on in a tackling drill. Each time the coach blew the whistle I had the opportunity to try and tackle the nearly 300 pound running back. I was half his size.
    After the first whistle blew, I could only remember lying flat on my back and looking up at the sky. The coached laughed and asked, “You want to try it again?” I replied, “Yes sir.” After trying six times and receiving the same result, David bent down, helped me up and said, “Randall, don’t do it again.” But, I was not going to back down. Each time, I struggled back up and the team cheered me on. After failing to stop David, and receiving at least ten crushing blows to my pride and my head, the coach said, “That’s enough Popham. Team, that’s the way you do it. Never give up!” That day I received the respect and admiration of my friend, teammates and coaches.
    Today, face your troubles head-on and turn your troubles into opportunities. Instead of asking, “Why me?” proclaim, “Why not me!”

We serve a Great God!
Pastor Randall

Why Worry?

Randall Popham — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:24:00 GMT

We all do it. We worry. We let our imagination run wild and before we know it, we have conceived the most unbelievable story in our mind. The horrific events in our minds would make an excellent script for a Hollywood drama but our imagined nightmares rarely turn into reality.
A family member is an hour late from an evening out and before you know it, you have conceived a horrific car wreck with painfully mangled bodies. Or, finances begin to get tight around your home and your imagination runs wild with thoughts of you and your poorly dressed kids standing in line at a soup kitchen begging for help. We all do it but we don’t have to. Why? because...

God loves to give you his best.

Our Father doesn’t want to just half-heartedly give you the scraps from his table. He wants to give you the whole feast. Jesus says in Luke 12: 32

“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.” (NLT)

Did you get that? Did you see it? Right there in the Bible Jesus says, God not only wants to take care of you, he wants to give you the kingdom! He doesn’t want to give you just enough. He longs to give you the whole kingdom! Here’s what it means:

Imagine the Best!

If God loves to give you the kingdom, don’t let your mind run wild with horrific thoughts. Next time, imagine what could happen if God gave you the most incredible outcome you could imagine.

I know what its like to let my mind run wild and be surprised by a better than imagined outcome. Everyday, I look around and see incredible blessings in my life that one time I worried about. When I read Luke 12:32 this week, I was blown-away by the fact that God wants to give me the kingdom. He wants to give me the riches, the authority and the blessings of his kingdom. I feel dumb for worrying, but today I choose to imagine the best. Let’s imagine the best together.

The Most Blessed Pastor in the World,
Pastor Randall

A Dark Blurry Vision

Randall Popham — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 16:10:00 GMT

    I haven’t been blogging the past few days because I spent the weekend dating my wife and intentionally staying away from a computer. We traveled back to the Carolinas and relaxed in some beautiful bed and breakfasts. We enjoyed our favorite restaurants and hung-out with old friends. The weekend renewed our souls and our marriage.

    As we traveled, it seemed like we had a story or memory around every corner. The memories reminded us of the scary but rewarding path that God has brought us down. Here is something I learned as we traveled this past weekend: Visions are rarely clear. Let me explain.

    Twelve years ago, my wife and I had a vision of what our life might look like, but the vision we saw was very dark. It was not dark in a depressing scary way. It was a type of low-light darkness that makes things barely visible. We could see children, a house, vacations and we could see our future in fulltime ministry. We could see all these things but they were not clear. We couldn’t see the faces of our children or the type of house we would live in. We couldn’t see the ministries we would serve or the church I lead today. Everything was dark. Our eyes of faith could only see a low-lit blurry image of our future. Often, this is how God works. The Bible reminds us that our vision is blurred. I Corinthians 13:12 says,

“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

We only faintly see God’s vision for our life and we will only fully know God’s plan when it is all said and done. So here’s what this means:

    -    Your “dark blurry vision” has something to do with God’s calling on your life. Ever wonder what God is wanting to do with your life? That dark blurry vision has something to do with it.

    -    Your “dark blurry vision” is God’s invitation to step out in faith. Don’t wait until your vision becomes perfectly clear. It may never happen.

    -    Your “dark blurry vision” will become clearer as you pursue it. Each step along the way you will say, “So that is what I saw.”

    -    Your “dark blurry vision” is what makes you come alive. When you pursue the vision for which you were created, you will begin to come alive. Your journey may be difficult and even painful, but the day you see the vision clearly you will know you’re fully alive.

Here are a few questions to think about:
-    Has God given you a “dark blurry vision” for your life? Can you write it down?
-    What is keeping you from pursuing your vision? What steps can you take this week?
-    Do you feel fully alive doing what you are doing? Have you lost that vision and settled for something less than what you were created to do?

Pursue your “dark blurry vision” and begin to fully live.
Your Friend and Partner in the Journey,
Pastor Randall

P.S. – Go see the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness.” It’s a great true story about pursuing your vision. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Does God Need People?

Randall Popham — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:47:00 GMT

Does God need people? No. Our great God needs nothing. He needs nothing to complete himself or add to his power. God doesn’t need you but he chooses to work through you. I heard Ravi Zacharias say recently “In every great movement of God, God used an individual.” I had to stop and think about it and I discovered, he’s right. God begins the work, and he works it to his purpose but God always uses an individual to lead great movements that change the world.

Behind every great movement of God there is a leader. Throughout the Bible God used men and women to advance his Kingdom. Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Esther, David, Solomon, Mary, Paul and Peter were all used by God to do his work. There are no abstract movements of God. He doesn’t act in a vacuum. He uses imperfect people like you and me do to the miraculous.

There is something in us that thinks its noble to back away from being used by God for great things. In me there is a constant battle over my worthiness to lead God’s people to accomplish great things. But God is not glorified in my lack of courage or false humility. It is noble to step out in courage and believe that God is searching the Earth for people who are willing to shout “God use me for great things!”

The truth is none of us are worthy to be used by God. Even the smallest task in the kingdom of God is a task I am not worthy of. But through faith in Jesus, I am considered worthy of being used by God for something greater than I can imagine.

Think about these things...

What great vision has God put in to your heart that He wants to do through you?
Has your lack of courage kept you from doing great things for God?
Is a false since of humility keeping you from attempting unbelievable things for God?

My Prayer Today: Father use me to do the unimaginable. Help me to change anything in me that is keeping from being used by you.

What if we all prayed this and meant it?
Word’s for thought (and hopefully action).
Pastor Randall.

I Have to Pass This Along.

Randall Popham — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 04:52:00 GMT

Think you're ready for change? I read this today and thought it was good enough to pass along. You can read the entire article at www.Tonymorganlive.com.

10 Signs You're not Ready for Change

You see other organizations as the competition instead of the idea incubators.
You're trying to avoid criticism that comes when you fail...and when you succeed.
You're afraid of the culture.
Your life is fast and cluttered and there's no space to dream.
You value getting it right over getting started.
You believe conflict is a bad thing.
You've stopped asking questions.
You think systems and strategy are the enemy of creativity.
You're expecting to receive credit for your ideas.
You think you've already arrived.

So, are you ready for change? Most people aren't and they have little impact in the Kingdom. I thank God I am serving in a church that isn't afraid of change. Change is what's happening each week at Lanier Hills. Our God is changing lives! God is passionate about changed lives and so I am. I believe God is wanting to change so many lives that we can't even fathom it. I hope you are getting ready for some great changes at Lanier Hills. God is putting such an exciting vision in my heart that I can't hardly wait to share it. As we look forward to great days at LHC, begin asking yourself how ready are you for change?

Thanks for a great day yesterday. The building was rocking and God was changing lives!
Pastor Randall

Lessons from American Idol

Randall Popham — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 18:35:00 GMT

OK. I have to admit. We TIVO American Idol. But it is only because my wife and kids want to watch it. No, really. We did watch it this past Wednesday night and I was surprised how many people in Seattle really think they can sing. If you missed it, you missed the making of a modern day circus act.

    As I reflect on the show I am reminded of a few things we all can learn...

1.    Somtimes passion and hard work aren’t enough; it helps to be gifted and called. When you understand your gifts and your calling it will save you a lot of headaches. You can work extremely hard but still be going the wrong direction.

2.    Your blessed if you have friends who love you enough to tell you the truth. Each contestant was convinced that they had what it took to be an American Idol because they listened to their friends. There are three conclusions here: a) Their friends are tone deaf; b) Their friends are horribly tricking them; or c) Their friends didn’t care enough to tell them the truth. I hope my friends love me enough to tell me the truth even when it hurts.

3.    There’s only one perfect judge. Simon, Paula and Randy all have different preferences and expertise through which they judge the contestants but; in life there is only one judge that matters. The Perfect Judge judges perfectly. He judges your heart. His standard does not change with the culture or with ratings. His standard for perfection is revealed through the Bible. The bad news is we all have fallen short of his standard of perfection. None of us are “Idol” material. I know I'm not. The good news is there is one who was, is and will always be perfect, Jesus. Through faith in him we make it, not to Hollywood, but to Heaven.

4.    We all will be judged some day. It takes a lot of nerve to get up and sing in front of the world and have the judges openly attack you. I feel sorry for many of the contestants who leave shocked and hurt. Imagine the day when we will all stand before God and give an account for our life. Now that’s scary! But I am so relieved to know that because I am in Jesus I am not condemned. The words that come from his mouth want be, “Sorry, but your not good enough” they will be, “Well done!” I needed to remind myself of that today.

These are just some of my thoughts after watching American Idol. I know there are more lessons to be learned there. Let me know if you have other lessons we can learn from the show.

Thanks for the recent comments and feedbacks. If you know someone who might need to read this, pass it along.

Y’all are awesome. See you this Sunday.
Pastor Randall

What Makes It Christian?

Randall Popham — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 19:20:00 GMT

    Christian music, Christian art, Christian businesses, Christian cruises. You name it; there is a “Christian” alternative to everything. As Christians we have created a subculture that, in most cases, says its Christian if you call it Christian, put a cross on it or put verses everywhere. But what makes something Christian? Is it the crosses, verses or something else? I believe it is something else.

    When I was in college, I had an art professor who would cringe every time a new student would start creating something with a cross in it. The student’s intention was to put a cross in the piece of art and call it Christian. Each time this would happen, he would sit us down and talk to us about this very subject. I have not forgotten it. The Professor would say, “Before you call it ‘Christian’ make it great.” He was saying it would give more glory to God by being great than it will by sticking a cross in it. His intention was to teach us that God is glorified and people are drawn to something when it is done with excellence for God. An awe-inspiring piece of art, done for God’s glory, is more Christian than a half-hearted piece of art with a cross in it.

    How does this apply to us? How many teachers, bosses, business owners, artists or, whatever you do, make a point to let everyone know they are Christians by wearing Christianity on their sleeve? What if you made a point to be the very best at what you do for God’s glory? The Bible says,

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” Col 3:23

In other words, before you call it Christian, make it great.

Check out this "Christian" Coffee House inWashington DC. Ebenezers Coffee House was just voted Washington's Best Coffee House. These guys understand what I am talking about.

My prayer today: Father, you deserve my best. Give me the passion, energy and perseverance to give you my best in everything I do.

Thanks for the great feed back over the past couple of days. I really do serve with the most incredible people in the world.
Pastor Randall

Simply Obedient

Randall Popham — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:37:00 GMT

    Why can't we get it? Why are we so hard headed sometimes? Why can't we just see that God blesses obedience? We know it. We've heard it. We've experienced it but how many times will we fail to do it today?

    This morning God reminded me of his promises to bless those who are simply obedient to Him. The Bible records the cool story about a family called the Recabites and how when they were strangely tested they continued to be obedient to God's command for them. Check it out in Jeremiah 35.

Here are some thoughts from this passage:

-    God will test your obedience. (Vs 2) Not every trial is from the enemy. Some times its God outright testing your faithfulness. The test may come at the most inopportune time and may be directly related to God's specific command for your life.

-    The command God has for you may not be the same for everyone. (Vs 7) As you follow God, He may ask you to do something that doesn't make much since and the command may be just for you. God told the Recabites you can't drink wine and you can't permanently settle on any land. He didn't give the Israelites the same command. This was specifically for the Recabites. Just because God tells you to do something it doesn't mean He is telling everyone else to do the same thing. You are responsible to do what God calls you do. That's it. (Note: God's commands want contradict his character or his word.)

-    Trusting and obeying God's will for your life isn't always easy but it's worth it. (Vs 8-10) The Israelites had prophet after prophet instruct them about God's will but they continually disobeyed. The Recabites did not need more prophets to warn them. They got it the first time and God promised to bless them. (Vs 19) The Israelites refusal to listen and obey led to disaster. (Vs 16,17) How many times does God have to warn you about obedience in your life? What could happen if you listened and simply obeyed no matter how outrageous God's command may be? What blessing may God be waiting to give if you simply obeyed?

I want to simply listen and obey and experience the blessing of pursuing Jesus. This spoke to me this morning. I hope it speaks to you too.
Pastor Randall

Seeds

Randall Popham — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 01:17:00 GMT

This morning I picked up my daughter’s easy-to-understand Bible and began to read. I flipped though the pages and the Lord led me to Jesus’ parable about the seeds. I have read this passage and taught on it many times but today God showed me something that I have missed in the past. He was speaking to me about me. Here's what I learned.

The story is a familiar one to those who read the Bible much. Some of the seed falls on the roadside and never grows. This symbolizes the fact that the word of God will never take root in some lives because the enemy quickly rushes in a steals away the truth. Perhaps we should be quicker to follow up with people or challenge them to make a decision to follow Christ. The enemy is in a hurry to steal it away. We should beat him to the seed and water it before he steels it away.

The other seed falls on to the rocks and grows up quickly but is destroyed when hard times come. To me, this represents the fact that we must be more intentional about helping people develop deeper roots in their faith. It is not enough to plant the seed; we must also prepare people for the storms they will face. Most people want to see quick results with quick fruit. True growth, that God blesses, helps people grow deeper and more fruitful. As a Pastor my call is to produce fruit that remains.

More seed fell in to the thorns. It grew up well but its fruit was choked out by pleasures, distractions and worries. This is the section that hit me in the head like a two-by-four. It is so easy in ministry to let these things choke our ministries. How much more fruit would I bear in my ministry if I weren’t so worried? What if I didn’t worry about money, my future or what others thought about me? What if I simply trusted God to provide for all my needs? What if I confidently stepped out every time God told me to take a step and didn’t worry about the circumstances? What if I made decisions based on what God was telling me to do rather than worrying about what others may say? How much more fruit would I be enjoying today I didn’t let these worries choke me?

The fruit is also choked out by pleasure. I love pleasure, and sometimes we need (a lot) pleasure. But, pleasure at the expense of fruit leads to hunger. Imagine a farmer who spends all of his time chasing pleasure rather than planting and harvesting his field. Before long he will find himself hungry and homeless. There is a time for pleasure and there is a time for work. The fruit becomes choked out when I am more passionate about enjoying pleasure than I am about enjoying my work. In low accountability ministries, it is easy to let pleasures choke out your fruitfulness. I must constantly keep myself in check and ask others to hold me accountable in my pleasures. The greatest pleasure is to be used by God. The enemy wants me to buy in to cheep pleasure. I will not buy it any more. I want to be fruitful.

Distractions are another form of thorns. From Internet to exercise, the enemy knows how to effectively distract us. In my life I constantly fight against distractions. Hunting, running, internet, playing or even my family can distract from the call God places on my life as a pastor. “There is a time for everything” and as a leader I must learn the best time for all things. I am afraid. No, I know I would have seen more fruit in my ministry if I had dealt with distractions in my life earlier. I am learning it now and it feels good. I can see that God wants to do more through me. He wants me to bear more fruit than I could ever imagine. I want that too.

God today I ask for your help with the thorns. I make a fresh commitment to not worry, balance pleasure and work, and fight the distractions in my life. I want to bear much fruit.