Aug
18
50 Days of Scripture
During the “Love Works” series we asked ourselves, “What would it look like if the whole church focused their priority time each morning on God’s vision for ‘Love God, Love People, Make Disciples’?” Chris Conlee selected 50 passages of Scripture that reinforce time after time how important these truths are. We hope you will follow along each day. The “Love Works” series will be taught by lead pastor Chris Conlee through the month of September at Highpoint Church on Sunday mornings at 9 and 10:45. We hope to see you there! Past messages and additional “Love Works” videos can be seen at imperfect.tv. Focused Thinking: BE SIMPLE • What matters most? ___________________________________________________ Personal Application: BE SPECIFIC • Love God: ___________________________________________________ • Love People: ___________________________________________________ ==> Love ONE person in a specific way this week. ==> Be...
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19
Historical Confirmation: More Information about the Importance of a Priority Time
Recently I read a great book, ReJesus: A Wild Messiah for a Missional Church by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch. I’d recommend this book for many reasons, but I want to quote extensively from chapter six because it affirmed and improved my understanding of a priority time. This historical look at “Lectio Divina” perfectly describes the balance between the head and heart. I think we do an injustice to the Scripture by categorizing some approaches to Scripture as scholarly and some as devotional. I think all approaches to Scripture should include quality scholarship and devotional application. Please read the excepts below and let this historical description and explanation of “Lectico Divina” increase your commitment to your priority time. “One of the ways in which people have tried to overcome the distance between written text and dynamic Word as addressed to us is the use of the ancient practice of lectio divina, Latin for “divine...
Read More >>Feb
04
Getting Started: Three Keys to Establishing a Consistent Priority Time
I remember when Clyde Cranford first taught me how to have a priority time. He started with the basics and just asked me to spend at least twenty minutes a day with God through the Bible and prayer. It was a simple and straightforward requirement that anybody should have been able to honor. Unfortunately, it took six months to establish consistency in my priority time. Clyde never emphasized consistency for legalistic reasons; he emphasized consistency because he knew, apart from Jesus Christ, I could do nothing. He knew that if I wasn’t abiding in Christ, then I couldn’t bear fruit, more fruit and much fruit. The first key to establishing a consistent priority time is humbly asking God to give you the desire and ability. The truths of John 15:1–11 were foundational for me. I had to humble myself and admit that I couldn’t even spend twenty unhurried minutes with God in His Word and prayer by my own determination and discipline....
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24
Revival: Museums or Churches?
Today I took Andy and Jason with me to go through the Billy Graham Center Museum at Wheaton College. I’ve been to the museum twice before, but it is inspirational in a different way each time. Today was distinctly different because of God’s activity in my life over the past thirteen months. In December of 2008, I believe God re-communicated to me His promise of revival through Judges chapter 6. I say re-communicated because I believe God birthed this church with a promise of revival through Exodus 3:11–12, 33:18, 34:6 and 34:10. Today, I went to the museum and experienced the history of the first and second great awakenings through the promise of a future revival. The theme of the museum is two-fold: the history of evangelism in America and the life and ministry of Billy Graham, but it is impossible to miss the role that true revival has played in the history of evangelism. Revival occurs when the Holy Spirit revives the hearts of...
Read More >>Jan
17
Morning Colours
If you are a Highpointer, you know it is well documented that I am tone-deaf and have zero ability to sing whatsoever. Even though I can’t sing, I love music and believe that it plays a vital role in both private worship and public worship. In fact, I believe that private worship makes public worship more authentic, meaningful and powerful. That is one of the many reasons why I ask Josh Maze and members of the Highpoint worship team to write songs designed to enhance one’s priority time. The title of the record is Morning Colours because it is designed to capture the essence of rising early each morning to spend time in the presence of God. The heartbeat behind this project is to help you “be still and know that He is God (Ps 46:10).“One of the lines says, “In the stillness of the morning God your love it heals And now I’m longing to abide in You There is nothing better God, your face is all I need.” The music of Morning...
Read More >>Jan
13
10 Priority Time Principles
Have you tried and failed at having a quiet time? Do you feel defeated when it comes to spiritual disciplines? I know that feeling. I’ve failed as well, but failure must not be an option. We can’t give up that easily. We can’t allow the devil to steal, kill and destroy because we can’t prioritize reading the Word of God. Now is not the time to make excuses. Now is the time to quit doubting, to quit believing the lies and to read the Word of God today. Don’t worry about tomorrow. The way to do God’s will tomorrow is to do God’s will today. Let me give you ten principles that will help you persevere long enough to develop an addiction to God’s Word. Once you become addicted you won’t need these principles as much because you will be compulsively devoted to the habit-forming substance of the Word of God. 1. Starting is easy; finishing is hard. 2. You don’t have a discipline problem; you have a motivation problem. 3. Devotion...
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12
Favorite Authors
Find five to ten people that you respect and follow their spiritual journey. Read everything they write and listen to everything they teach. I think it is important to listen beyond the content and learn from the strengths and weaknesses of their life. Top 5 Authors / Top Three Books 1. Henry Blackaby Experiencing God Holiness Spiritual Leadership 2. J. Oswald Sanders Spiritual Leadership Spiritual Discipleship Spiritual Maturity 3. Andy Stanley Visioneering The Best Question Ever The Principle of Path 4. Henry Cloud and John Townsend How People Grow Integrity The One-Life Solution 5. Dallas Willard Hearing God The Spirit of the Disciplines The Divine Conspiracy
Read More >>Jan
06
Morning Obstacles
What is the biggest obstacle to having your priority time? The biggest obstacle isn’t learning and applying the four principles of a priority time (focused thinking, personal application, interactive prayer and life journaling). The biggest obstacle isn’t an academic issue at all; it’s a practical issue. The biggest obstacle is adjusting your morning routine to prioritize a priority time. Depending on personalities and circumstances, this is a bigger issue for some than others. But don’t underestimate how difficult it is to change your routine. People are incredible creatures of habit and your morning routine is something that has been ingrained in you for years. Whether you are a morning person or not, everyone has a morning routine. I’m not talking about what time you get up, I’m talking about your routine from the time you wake up till you walk out the door. Are you the organized person that systematically prepares for the...
Read More >>Jan
03
Top 10 for 2010
It is common for people to ask their pastor, “How can I pray for you?” That is always a tricky question for me. Do I tell the generic, obvious things that virtually every pastor should say or do I tell them what’s really on my heart? Honest prayer requests are vulnerable prayer requests. Here is my attempt to write an honest and vulnerable list of my top ten prayer requests for 2010. Some of them may not make sense because I don’t have the time to give the context behind each request, but I will trust the Holy Spirit to fill in the gaps as you pray. Top 10 for 2010 1. Pray for my personal holiness and the personal holiness of your staff. Life is hard. Family is hard. Ministry is hard. My greatest need is less responsibility so that I can be more responsible with my walk. The greatest gift I can give to Highpointers is my ability to dedicate myself to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4). 2. Pray for the health and...
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