a challenge...

that I have been pondering the last few days! James 4:17 (NKJV) ¹⁷ Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. With New Years Resolutions in mind I have been thinking a lot about goals for 2010 and past goals that were never achieved! Dave Ramsey shares a quote all the time on his radio/TV show that hits me heavy every time I hear it! "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again and expecting a different result!" Then I read the above scripture in James and I look at past failures and have come to the conclusion that almost if not all of my past regrets come from me not doing something or not doing what I said I was going to do! I always used to say that I was afraid of failure and that was my excuse for not trying...but really I was just being lazy! I have little regrets about the things I actually worked at and failed! So... What has God been challenging you to do? Maybe your response or lack of response to what you feel called to do has not been a sin...but I know God is ready for me and you to step up! He tells us that He has called us to do great things...that he knew us before we were formed in our mothers womb...that the hairs on our head are numbered...and yet we settle all the time with just getting by! I am tired of it! Are you? What is he calling you to do? What has he called you to do that you have been not doing...even to the point where your lack of responding to his call has become disobedience and has become sin? I know we don't like to talk about words like obedience, or discipline (I know I don't)...but I wonder why that is? Is it because we like to settle? We like to stay comfortable? We feel satisfied with our lack of achievement? I know this blog has become more of a rant...but this is what God is trying to deal with me about right now! I am sure that I am not alone! And know that if any of this is challenging you...you too are not alone! Be encouraged...God is mindful of you! Not only does he want the best for you...I believe he has more for you and I then we realize! I wrote down some goals for 2010 that I am praying will become more than just words! The categories include my relationship with: God, my wife Amber, family and friends! Also physical, financial, education, ministry, music, travel and purchases. I know that the last 3 sounds selfish and trivial but they are things that I have been thinking about so I figured there is no harm in writing them down! To know what is right...to know what we are being called to...and to choose to do those things...to choose to take the 1st step...I believe...those choices to move forward in the things of God will not only make him smile...but more importantly will draw us closer to him! Thanks for reading...it has been a while and I have a lot going on in my dome! In the same words that Joe Sangl writes in his book 'I was broke. Now I'm not.'... let's hear the Lord say to you and me everyday... Pssssttt...I believe in you!

A book that you need to read is...

PRIMAL by Pastor and Author Mark Batterson! I highly recommend that it be the first book you read in 2010 (after the Bible of course...but that was a given right?!?)! I have had the pleasure the last several years of following Mark on his blog www.evotional.com. That is how I found out that on top of being a follower of Christ, a husband, a father and a pastor he is also an author that God is using to communicate truth to a world and church much in need of God's word! I find Mark's writing to be both inspirational and challenging! I have read part of his 1st self published book I.D. and I have also read In a pit and Wild Goose Chase! I have tagged many of my own emails with his book quotes...Chase the Lion and Chase the Goose! But Primal is what this blog will be devoted too...so let me get started with that! I was extremely excited when I found out I was selected to receive primal and to write a review. I got it in the mail a few weeks ago and honestly...it has been speaking to me and challenging my heart and faith walk! The whole concept of the book is to examine the great commandment...the one that Jesus himself said should be at the top of our priority list! Mark 12:28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." 32"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." 1st off...loving God with all we have should be the most important thing...but Jesus says this again which communicates a few things. 1 being that obviously we don't all get what is most important or 2 we have forgotten what is most important! Mark writes a number of things that challenge the way we as American followers of Christ live our lives...but it does not just point fingers at the church...it forces us to examine ourselves! He breaks down what it means to Love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength...but he also is constantly pointing to the fact that our acknowledgement of the word of God demands a response! In a Pit and Wild Goose Chase both communicated clearly a rally for God-sized courage, and faith that is not just preached but that is lived out! Primal does the same thing. Mark writes a statement in Primal that echoed some of wild goose chase where he talks about how our faith was never intended to be a noun or just a label....but it is to be walked out! Mark points out many injustices and needs that are represented in this world and challenges us to examine ourselves and how we fit in to what God is calling the church to do...not just talk about! He encourages us to look at what breaks the heart of God...and then to identify what our direct response to that should be! At the time of this blog I am 3/4 of the way through the book. For 1...I am a slow reader....but honestly...primal has challenged me so much that I am trying not to just breeze through it because I want to chew on what he is talking about! I want to be in pursuit of Christ and what he has...but when we just read things without processing them (which he also addresses in primal), we really miss out on what God has for us sometimes! Mark has a great way to communicate timeless truths in a relevant way that makes us question...what are we going to do with what God has given to us? Not just with our check books, or our relationships...but with our time...ultimately with our life! Out of all of Marks books so far Wild Goose Chase was used by God to jack me up the most but Primal has something for every reader no matter where they are in life! I appreciate Marks transparency in both his books and his blog! It encourages people and shows us that we can observe what God is doing in and through Him and NCC his church...but we too have a chance to do something with this life that God has given us! 1 more thing...if we have breath and a heart beat...we have an opportunity to choose to live a life of purpose on purpose! So I encourage you to read PRIMAL...but I also would encourage you to read In a pit with Lion on a snowy and Wild Goose Chase! Mark is voice that God is using to both reach the lost and challenge the Body of Christ! Mark has shared many times that he prays for the books that God gives him to be intentional moments in peoples lives! The Holy Spirit will speak to you clearly if you will take the time to listen to what he has to say! This Book does not take away or add to the word of God...but it does bring a fresh perspective to the truth that we know to be the living word of God! This concludes my review and blog on Batterson's new book Primal! Chase the Lion...Chase the Goose...and Love God with all of your Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength! -jimmy akers PS. ...and Love your neighbor as yourself! -Jesus to check out Marks blog go to www.evotional.com to purchase Marks book go to www.RandomHouse.com