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Jam Off This For A Minute – Steffany Frizzell – He Is Like

Steffany Frizzell – He Is Like

This was a spontaneous song from the IHOP Prayer Room that got released on one of their limited edition CDs.  Stephanie kills it right here.

Carl’s Rules for Fasting

As we begin our 21 days of fasting, devotion, prayer and worship, I want to lay down my rules for fasting. I don’t have these written anywhere, and this is certainly not an exhaustive list, but I hope it portrays the spirit of what I believe about fasting.

1. Fasting involves food.  Please don’t say you are avoiding one website on the internet and call it a fast.  That could be a spiritual discipline, it could be the elimination of a distraction, it could be the breaking of an idol,  but it is not a fast.
2. Jesus won the victory, salvation is by grace and God gives gifts.  Chances are you think you know this.  The fact that you are fearful of not fasting correctly betrays this fact.  You can’t earn anything from God.  Not through a fast, hours of prayer, evangelism, being radical or weird.  It does not earn you anything from God so cast off the fear and quit worrying that you won’t get it right and miss your blessing.
3. Fasting changes you, not God.  The ultimate goal of a fast is to humble yourself further.  When you stop eating you deny yourself pleasure and often push yourself into discomfort.  This is the place of saying, “My will is not the most important thing on the planet. I choose to not satisfy my desires.”  God gives grace to the humble.  And that’s all the gifts of the Spirit are, graces.
4. Don’t’ compare your fast to anyone else’s, even Daniel’s.  Read the bible concerning Daniel’s fasts.  He did not want to be defiled by what the King served so he ate only vegetables and drank only water.  But when he needed to hear from God, the bible says that he ate no meat or pleasant food, and drank no wine.  There is a big difference.  Some have perverted the Daniel Fast into a legalistic menu of blessings.  And to be honest I think the juicers of the world are behind it.  Funny thing is, Daniel only drank water on the Daniel fast.  No juicers allowed.  Quit asking if the kind of rice you are making is permitted.  That kind of thing is just stupid.
5. Don’t tell folks about your fast.  You are not inspiring anyone else, you are receiving a really bad reward. Though there is nothing wrong with asking someone to fast with you.  That is quite helpful.
6. Pick your fast.  Unless the Lord specifically tells you about your fast it is really up to you.  If the fast means something to you it will mean something to God. Pick something easy that won’t change your lifestyle and chances are you won’t see many results other than the pride of saying you fasted. The goal is to be uncomfortable.  If you are not a fasting veteran, a water fast may make you feel like you are dying the first few days.  But you don’t have to feel like you are dying for the fast to count.  You may not be able to fulfill the fast you pick.  Selah
7. Fasting alone does not accomplish the goal of a fast. During the fast we are to pray, interact with God.  In fact, during the fast you should experience a greater grace to pray.  It is through prayer AND fasting that you will grow during this time of sanctification.  Religions all over the world fast but they don’t grow in grace with God because the only way to God is through the Son.  And if you are not feeding from the life of God all you are accomplishing is a fleshly work.
8. Don’t give up.  If you decide to fast with water only for 10 days and after three you blow it, don’t give up.  You may able to restart after that meal.  If you don’t think you can, don’t go back to your old diet.  Go on a modified diet.  It’s not all or nothing.  Complete the remainder by restricting your eating.
9. Fasting is an invitation to encounter God in a new way with less of you.  Enter in and seek God as much as possible.  Normally when I fast I either get breakthrough right away or later, after the fast is done.  Fasting until God does something is not always the best idea.

Monday Morning Musings–Marriott Edition

We did not find a place to meet until Friday morning.  When God tells you to trust Him, its usually because you are about to come into a situation where you will need to.

I almost rented a space that was much smaller.  Tracey said it would not work.  Man was she right.  We really were packed into the ball room at the Marriott.

To be honest, I like smaller spaces.  Feels way more intimate.

This was a little too small, it was standing room only.

I was overwhelmed at how strong the presence of God was in the room and how quickly it fell.  When I opened the service with the call to worship, I did not want to get off the stage it was so thick.  During worship it only increased.

I talked about fasting.  I hope to write “Carl’s rules for fasting” later today or tomorrow.

At the end we had an altar call.  You may remember Anastasia vetoed a location because it was not possible to have one there. The girl was right.  It was my goal to see someone get saved at the Marriott.  And sure enough it happened.

The amazing thing about our wandering is that we have had first time visitors every week. 

Next week back at The Loft. 

Monday Morning Musings–Happy New Year Edition

Suffering some serious Holy Ghost hangover today.  It has been a long couple weeks.

We showed up and setup at our holiday location.  It is a neat space but not really good for what we are doing.

As we look for our permanent location Mission Kids started their new curriculum “On the Trail.”  Yup, we are a prophetic people.

We had an amazing flow in worship.  In 2012 we are going to see lots of musicians come forward.  I can’t wait to see who they are.  I have been dusting off my bass and you may see me make an appearance on a special song.

btw, I am looking at getting a practice amp with an xlr out in the $200 range.  If you have any suggestions let me know.

Shared an amazing testimony that still blows me away.

I would tell you to check the podcast but the overhead computer completely fried and is officially dead.  Gonna try to declare some resurrection life over it later but I am not hopeful.

We are starting the Awakening fast on the 8th.  I am expecting really great things from it.

Want to hear something funny?  I met a woman who said she knew me years ago.  She said she was unhappy when I was kicked out of my old church.

I have never been kicked out of a church.

I have had to delete about five comments to follow up that last sentence.  I am preventing the glaring disapproval from my wife.  I think that is a sign of growth.  lol

After service we went to Chili’s and I drank way to much coke.

Went home and completely crashed.

Had an ASD reunion party after that.  My God, my God did the Glory fall.

Excited about 2012!

New Year’s Eve Plans

Normally we go to downtown Delray Beach for New Year’s Eve and do the countdown.  This year we have service the next morning so I don’t really want to be up that late.

So here are my (and the rest of the Thomas family’s) New Year’s Eve plans.

Around 3 p.m. I am going to load a truck with everything needed to do a church service.

Around 6 or 7 I am going to Denise Davis’ house to nibble on her snacks.

Around 7 or 8 I am going to Downtown Delray Beach to walk around and let me kids eat overpriced snacks.

By 10 or 11 I hope to be in bed (but it will most likely be 12 or 1)

BAM!

I know others are having gatherings.  Let me know if you want to tag along.

Monday Morning Musings – My Birthday Edition

It has been a bit of a whirlwind for me the past few weeks.  Life is busy enough with Christmas and New Year’s.  On top of that we needed to find a new place to meet, let everyone know where that place is, and figure how to get our stuff there and do what we do.

I have started doing prayer walks around downtown Delray Beach with whoever wants to walk with me.  I have really enjoyed that.  I hope to keep that up.  Last time we said we were going to meet at the big tree and parking was a nightmare.  We have to find a new place to meet.

I got excited I was done with my Christmas wrapping at a decent time.  Tracey kept telling each other that we were going to get our Christmas stuff done early this year.  I don’t think two hours earlier was exactly what we meant.

I am so proud to lead the people of The Mission.  We are committed to the call of God more than a building or convenience. I have said it time and time again that this is not a church that is easy to attend.  Lots of churches are built for comfort.  We are built for power. 

I know God is doing something amazing in this season but I would be lying if I didn’t tell you it has been a challenge none the less.

Christmas Eve?  While many churches were having candle light services, a group of us were loading our moving truck to be ready for service the next morning.  Later the Thomas family had our traditional candle light takeout dinner.  This year we had Carraba’s.  This broke a string of Chinese takeout years.

Christmas morning we got up, prayed, opened gifts, got dressed, got out the door, picked up the moving truck, drove to the location, set up a new location for the first time and got ready to have church.

That’s how we roll.

We had a great service.  Really a great service.  For possibly the first time we started service ten minutes late.    We don’t ever start service late but we needed the breather.

The worship team did their thing and the presence was amazing. 

When I got on stage I saw that not only did we have good attendance, we had first time guests!  Praise God. No advertising, new location, Christmas morning and first time guests.

I preached on trusting and obeying Jesus.  That was not the plan but that’s what came out.  If nobody else got anything out of the message I was encouraged.  A handful of folks either committed to following Jesus.

We tore down everything, loaded it on a truck, drove to storage, unloaded the truck, took the truck back, went home laid down and knocked out.

That night we went to my mom’s for dinner.  Came home and went unconscious.

This morning I slept in and have accomplished almost nothing.

Thanks to everyone who blessed Tracey and I with gifts yesterday and to the folks who gave e a birthday gift.  I am truly grateful. 

Have a happy Carl’s birthday!  I you have to work today, go ahead and take off early.

Thinking about going to a buffet tonight or something like that.  If you want to hook up holler!

Throwing Rocks at the Train and Flattening Quarters

When I was a kid, I had a friend who lived right next to the tracks.  Every time I would spend the night we would run out when the train was coming and throw rocks at it.  When we had change we would put it on the tracks and walk away with slivers of metal. 

Over the years I have told this to my kids as we sit at the railroad crossings.  This week my son and I got to do it together.

The space where we are having our holiday services has a train track nearby. We watched from a distance as a commuter train went by.  You obviously don’t mess with these trains, they have big windows and people on board.

But when a a freight train I knew our time of father son bonding had arrived.

Everything went as planned until the rock throwing commenced.  Isaac would throw the rocks at the oncoming part, not the just passed part.  That had the potential to have rocks coming flying back at us at whatever speed the train was going and that is not a great thought.  Because of this the video gets a little crazy near the end.  But all ended well.

Monday Morning Musings – Goodbye Orchard View Edition

This week has been a massive whirlwind. I don’t know what you like to do in the last two weeks leading up to Christmas but you have not lived till you spend that time looking for a Christmas service venue.  I had a strange mix of peace and panic.  I knew God was in this but it’s not one of those things where you can sit back and watch God work.  As a leader, you have to know that God is leading your steps but at the same time you have to be able to discern the Lord’s leading.

On Friday at 5:20 in the evening we firmed up our location for at least the next few weeks.

I don’t know how this is for anyone else but for me this is the adventure of a lifetime.

Sunday morning I told the church that I always knew I would travel but I did not know the whole church would be traveling with me.

At Friday night setup intercession was amazing.  The Holy Ghost was really speaking to the people words of comfort and promise.  We blessed the school and prayed that God would continue to move there.  It is really a shame we had to leave because the money we paid, in part we to the school’s general fund.  The school serves a disadvantaged population and I think that helped.

Worship was amazing as always.  Khamille continues to kill it.

Want to know what got me?  All the people who cried in the service.  A whole bunch of folks got saved, baptized in water and baptized in the Holy Ghost in that building.

God did a miracle for our last service at Orchard View.  I had a message with a title and three points. 

After the message I wanted Sergio to come up and lead worship with one of his songs.  That’s how we started there and that’s how we were going to finish.  That turned into a time of ministry, which turned into a fire tunnel.  I think Pastor David calls it a pipeline.  Either way we did that with fire.

After service it took a minute to load the truck but we managed to get everything out and leave the school perfectly clean.  We swept out our storage closets and made sure the place was clean.  We wanted to leave with our reputation.

I did manage to kick the dust off my shoes before leaving the building.  Just wanted to stay biblical.

We took our stuff and went to our new storage unit to unload.  Since I don’t know where God is going to have us long term, I am hesitant to purchase a trailer or truck or sign any leases.  We have to see what God does.

I was so amazed at the people of The Mission.  God has blessed me with an amazing spiritual family.

Monday Morning Musings–Christmas Party Edition

Note:  I was kind of thrown a curveball on Monday and it threw of my schedule.  I will talk more about that later today or tomorrow.

This was one of those Sunday mornings that I love / hate.  I knew that the Lord was going to talk to me Sunday morning, and He did, but that means I have less control of the Sunday morning message. I study throughout the week. I study the Bible and other subjects as I feel the Lord leading me.  I study for my message, I study for my personal growth, I study to show myself approved but If I am supposed to preach and not teach, I don’t get an outline.

God likes us to be dependent on HIm.

Lillian lead worship. She killed it.

In worship I had to deal with an unclean spirit that was trying to mess with the service.  I got testimony that the person who brought the spirit in got free.  Don’t think they knew I was dealing with the spirit in them.  Glad they got free.

When I got up to preach there was such a prophetic flow I had to share some prophetic words.  We decided to leave them on the  service video.  That should be up later.  Khamille played keyboard and sang for a while. It was great.

I had such a clear word from the Lord and yet I had no idea what it had to do with my message series I was starting that day.  Little did I know God has me prophesying over the house.  It took me about 24 hours to realize what I was saying.

God is still alive.

Sunday night we had our annual Christmas party.  This party is a blast every year.  This year was especially good for my house because my wife did not plan it.  That gave us a whole lot more peace leading up to it.  We had an onslaught of stress before the party because we had a BUNCH of folks that never bought tickets that wanted to pay at the last minute.  We only had so many seats so we had to cap it.

Isabel Pereira and Khamille Barbosa planned the whole thing.   It is great to have people serving in their gifting. 

We had four really special guests come and perform.  The church superheros.  If you have any video footage of them please upload it somewhere and send a link.  We want to make a full video.

We had the craziest thing happen with the DJ.  In the end it did not matter.  We had DJ Mikey Mike spin and we did not miss a beat.

I love living life with the people of The Mission Delray.

That Depends

The Mission Delray talent show is going to be so funny you may need to pick up a pack of these before you come.

If you have not bought tickets go here and pay online or you can pay at setup on Friday or Sunday morning. 

No ticket, no entrance so don’t miss it!  Get your ticket today!