When people get saved most of them get saved for the end product = HEAVEN. A lot of times salvation comes from a fear of HELL. A massive part of the Christian life is being missed…RIGHT NOW! Don’t get me wrong, being saved from HELL is significant!!! And having the promise of HEAVEN is outstanding!!! But what about when Jesus said: “I came to give life-life in all its fullness.” (John 10:10b NCV) He isn’t talking about when we die! He is talking about RIGHT NOW!!! He is giving you an abundant, full, jam-packed life with HIM!!! He doesn’t promise us riches or happiness. In fact He tells us that the world will HATE US because it first hated Him (John 15:18). He promises us a life FULL of HIM!
He is with us every second of every hour of every day…and night. He listens to our prayers, He knows our hearts, and He is constantly talking to us and guiding our paths. Elijah was watching and listening for God in 1 Kings 19 when wind, earthquakes and fire came bursting upon the scene. What if Elijah would have thought that this was God speaking and he jumped into action and began working for God. If that were the case Elijah would have missed the “still small voice” of God speaking to him! There was a reason that Jesus often went to a quiet place to pray…it’s because He wanted to hear that “still small voice” from His Father! Don’t let life get in the way…the busyness the craziness and the noise…spend time with God and listen for Him to speak!
That is what salvation is…A LIFE FULL OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS HIMSELF!!!
If all salvation is to you is getting to go to heaven when you die…you are missing the boat…start living a FULL life TODAY!!!
Glenn Dillon
& The Leaders
@ The Place
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Friday, December 17, 2010
Never Passed This Way Before
“You have not passed this way before.” Joshua 3:4
What an amazing verse. This verse can apply to a lot of life’s situations. As a Christian in today’s world it’s hard to stick with “TRADITION.” Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever…but that doesn’t mean you could fit His life and everything about Him into a neat little box…people believe certain things…and they think that is all there is to being a Christian.
Growing up I was always taught to live a “good Christian life.” I was taught to be in church EVERYTIME the doors were open, read my Bible every day, ask forgiveness of my sins daily...
But…now as an adult I see that’s ALL WRONG!
I can’t live up to God’s expectations…God only accepts perfection…through my own power…I will never be perfect! Only through dying to myself and surrendering to God and allowing Jesus to live His life through me can I reach perfection!
I’m positive that I’m gonna have a lot of “You have not passed this way before” moments in my lifetime…Lord give me the wisdom to know that the “TRADITIONAL” way isn’t always Your way!
TRADITION = this is how we’ve always done it!
Jesus didn’t do TRADITION!!!
Jesus did what His Father directed Him to do…REGARDLESS of what anyone else said, felt, thought, or believed! Shouldn’t we too?
Glenn Dillon
& The Leaders
@ The Place
What an amazing verse. This verse can apply to a lot of life’s situations. As a Christian in today’s world it’s hard to stick with “TRADITION.” Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever…but that doesn’t mean you could fit His life and everything about Him into a neat little box…people believe certain things…and they think that is all there is to being a Christian.
Growing up I was always taught to live a “good Christian life.” I was taught to be in church EVERYTIME the doors were open, read my Bible every day, ask forgiveness of my sins daily...
But…now as an adult I see that’s ALL WRONG!
I can’t live up to God’s expectations…God only accepts perfection…through my own power…I will never be perfect! Only through dying to myself and surrendering to God and allowing Jesus to live His life through me can I reach perfection!
I’m positive that I’m gonna have a lot of “You have not passed this way before” moments in my lifetime…Lord give me the wisdom to know that the “TRADITIONAL” way isn’t always Your way!
TRADITION = this is how we’ve always done it!
Jesus didn’t do TRADITION!!!
Jesus did what His Father directed Him to do…REGARDLESS of what anyone else said, felt, thought, or believed! Shouldn’t we too?
Glenn Dillon
& The Leaders
@ The Place
Monday, November 22, 2010
Burst Through The Doors!
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
A story is told of Tad Lincoln bursting through doors into his father Abrahams office during a cabinet meeting…in the middle of the Civil War…the men were probably agitated at this young boy and his cries of a turkey “Jack,” his friend being killed for Christmas dinner. Tad pleaded his case openly and sincerely to his father…he didn’t care what everyone else thought…he wanted his request known to his father. And Abraham in the midst of one of the most turbulent times in American history…put everything to the side…dropped his papers…picked up his son and listened to his every word…and took care of the request!
It is unbelievable that I can approach the God of the universe in the same way Tad approached his father, the President of the United States…he didn’t need permission or approval…he simply had to open the doors…and make his request known.
Prayer is the same exact thing…anytime, anywhere I can approach God with my requests…He just like Abraham will drop EVERYTHING to listen to my every word and pull me to Him and as Zephaniah 3:17 says: He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
Glenn Dillon
& The Leaders
@ The Place
A story is told of Tad Lincoln bursting through doors into his father Abrahams office during a cabinet meeting…in the middle of the Civil War…the men were probably agitated at this young boy and his cries of a turkey “Jack,” his friend being killed for Christmas dinner. Tad pleaded his case openly and sincerely to his father…he didn’t care what everyone else thought…he wanted his request known to his father. And Abraham in the midst of one of the most turbulent times in American history…put everything to the side…dropped his papers…picked up his son and listened to his every word…and took care of the request!
It is unbelievable that I can approach the God of the universe in the same way Tad approached his father, the President of the United States…he didn’t need permission or approval…he simply had to open the doors…and make his request known.
Prayer is the same exact thing…anytime, anywhere I can approach God with my requests…He just like Abraham will drop EVERYTHING to listen to my every word and pull me to Him and as Zephaniah 3:17 says: He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
Glenn Dillon
& The Leaders
@ The Place
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Scars
I have a lot of scars…I have scars from dog bites, bike wrecks, football games, punching garbage bags with glass in them (I was 4), falling out of trees and many…many other ridiculous circumstances where I’ve hurt myself. Physically I’ve gained a lot of scars. But emotionally I have scars too. I have those moments in my life where I have been let down or hurt. All of these times serve as reminders of how “unfair” life can be. Often I am reminded of these scars and the deep cuts they have left. Many people…scratch that…ALL people have some kind of emotional scars that they deal with. Whether it’s the abandonment of a parent, physical or verbal abuse, strained relationships, or wrong decisions we all bear some kind of scars. And if we aren’t careful we allow these scars to define us…we can use them as excuses or as crutches for shallow reasons as to why we are the way we are.
BUT…the Bible tells us about some scars that reach farther and cut deeper than our own. The scars of Jesus know our pain! They were put there to give us an opportunity for a new identity and a new future! If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, His scars have replaced ours!!! One day because of His scars we will be given a new body that will be unblemished and perfect!
Glenn Dillon
& The Leaders
@ The Place
BUT…the Bible tells us about some scars that reach farther and cut deeper than our own. The scars of Jesus know our pain! They were put there to give us an opportunity for a new identity and a new future! If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, His scars have replaced ours!!! One day because of His scars we will be given a new body that will be unblemished and perfect!
Glenn Dillon
& The Leaders
@ The Place
Friday, October 22, 2010
Step Out
One of my favorite Bible stories growing up was Peter walking on water. (Matthew 14:22-33) I can remember hearing this story multiple times from many different speakers. And it seems to me that every time I heard this story there was a focus on the part where Peter began to sink, he cried out, Jesus caught him and then Jesus discussed his lack of faith. We were always told that we should always have faith…we should always trust…we should NEVER doubt…and I can remember thinking to myself…okay you go out in the river on a stormy night and just step out…see how fast you start crying out and flipping your lid like Peter! I think that this portion of scripture shows us just how HUMAN, how NORMAL and how SIMILAR Peter is compared to us.
The part that I like to focus on is verse 29 where Peter steps out of the boat. That is FAITH! Not one of the other disciples stepped out of that boat!!! NOT ONE!!! Yes Jesus scolded Peter and said “You of little faith.” BUT…Jesus also said that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains and that nothing is impossible for you! (Matthew 17:20)
Peter did something that no other person in the history of this world has done…He walked on water!!! I want to have the faith that when everything around me is screaming STAY IN THE BOAT…I step out. If I have the faith to do that…I KNOW that Jesus will catch me!
Glenn Dillon
& The Leaders
@ The Place
The part that I like to focus on is verse 29 where Peter steps out of the boat. That is FAITH! Not one of the other disciples stepped out of that boat!!! NOT ONE!!! Yes Jesus scolded Peter and said “You of little faith.” BUT…Jesus also said that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains and that nothing is impossible for you! (Matthew 17:20)
Peter did something that no other person in the history of this world has done…He walked on water!!! I want to have the faith that when everything around me is screaming STAY IN THE BOAT…I step out. If I have the faith to do that…I KNOW that Jesus will catch me!
Glenn Dillon
& The Leaders
@ The Place
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Simplify
This past week I read an article by Beth J. Harpez that was hanging in the teachers’ lounge at school. The title caught my attention quickly… “Is the newest generation of children the dumbest?” I found it online @ Boston.com under the title “Are we raising a generation of nincompoops?”
Link to article: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/09/27/are_we_raising_a_generation_of_nincompoops/
The more I read the article the more I could picture specific moments in my mind of teenagers @ The Place struggling with simple contraptions like tire pumps and water hoses. It honestly worries me that because people have simplified life so much…today’s generation will struggle in the future.
BUT…What worries me even more is the fact that for too long the same thing has happened with scripture. Jesus Himself told us in John 5:39 to “search the scriptures,” and find out for ourselves who HE is. Unfortunately, we as youth leaders want to simplify our youth groups and our message about Jesus. We add more games, more events, more social time, more entertainment, expect larger crowds, and then beg for a few minutes to talk to them about Jesus. Don’t get me wrong, the entertainment aspect is important…BUT…the message of Jesus is more valuable than anything else we could ever offer!
We’ve wasted too much time giving teens a “KNOWLEDGE” of Jesus…
James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
We as leaders need to be showing teenagers what a “RELATIONSHIP” with Jesus is like. When they begin that relationship they will be given an abundant life that will begin TODAY…and last for ETERNITY! And this relationship will give them a passion to eagerly attain a deeper relationship with Him through His word!
John 8:32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
I guess it’s pretty…SIMPLE…
Glenn Dillon
& The Leaders
@ The Place
Link to article: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/09/27/are_we_raising_a_generation_of_nincompoops/
The more I read the article the more I could picture specific moments in my mind of teenagers @ The Place struggling with simple contraptions like tire pumps and water hoses. It honestly worries me that because people have simplified life so much…today’s generation will struggle in the future.
BUT…What worries me even more is the fact that for too long the same thing has happened with scripture. Jesus Himself told us in John 5:39 to “search the scriptures,” and find out for ourselves who HE is. Unfortunately, we as youth leaders want to simplify our youth groups and our message about Jesus. We add more games, more events, more social time, more entertainment, expect larger crowds, and then beg for a few minutes to talk to them about Jesus. Don’t get me wrong, the entertainment aspect is important…BUT…the message of Jesus is more valuable than anything else we could ever offer!
We’ve wasted too much time giving teens a “KNOWLEDGE” of Jesus…
James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
We as leaders need to be showing teenagers what a “RELATIONSHIP” with Jesus is like. When they begin that relationship they will be given an abundant life that will begin TODAY…and last for ETERNITY! And this relationship will give them a passion to eagerly attain a deeper relationship with Him through His word!
John 8:32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
I guess it’s pretty…SIMPLE…
Glenn Dillon
& The Leaders
@ The Place
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