Running Your Marathon

Matt Chandler is the Lead Pastor at The Village Church in Texas. I was really excited to hear him. He has been at Catalyst before. 

One thing he kept repeating, "We are in a marathon, while being stalked by our enemy, and haunted by our flesh. But don't fear, just be aware."

2 Timothy 4 and Revelation  7:9-10 are two Scriptures he mentioned first.

There are men and women all around your community that do not know Jesus. We should have a confidence because God's arms aren't too small. No one can out sin the cross of Christ!!

God can not fail. He doesn't need to be "awesome" to use you. It's not what we do, God woo's people. This calling can not fail because God called you! 

We need to reprove, rebuke, and encourage each other. Reprove is correct error with reason and argument. Rebuke, is tied to reprove, you're wrong, be careful. It's loving, not arrogant.

Encourage, speak life and applaud with all patience.

If we want change, we've got to have something we change FROM and TO.

Don't try to make Jesus cool. He doesn't need you to make Him cool. He needs you to be faithful. The power of the Gospel is gone when you yield to culture.

Be sober minded, keep your head on and in a calm spirit.

Care for your soul, be serious about rest, not just vacation. The ocean and the mountains will not give you rest unless you are gazing at God!

Guard your mind, hold every thought captive (Haven't I already written this?) Your thoughts are public to the only one who matters!!! Pay attention to what's going on in your mind. We have a pet lion in our mind waiting to attack.

Our worth is not established in doing, it's established in being!

Be careful how you judge your successes and failures. If you take credit for your failures, you will take them for your successes too. God is at work in the mess!