Random thought this past week…

I was cleaning up some emails and came across one that said “JESUS LAUGHING,” so I opened it.  It contained sketches of Jesus with children smiling and laughing.  It made me think how we never picture, or how I never picture Jesus this way.  I picture him in the head shot with the long brown hair that hangs on the wall or is on the bookmark.  I visualize him in the picture with the disciples having the last supper.  I picture him on the cross, but never SMILING or LAUGHING.  Many have said they picture him as the “cosmic cop,” but the sketches in that email made me think of him differently….MORE LIKE A REAL PERSON…so later that day…..

I had this thought of how people treat God and the church.  How many people don’t make either one a priority?  They come to church regularly for a while …THEN, SOMETHING HAPPENS….
…The lake starts calling, or maybe sleeping in because it was a long week;

…maybe there is a new child in the home and parents use them as an excuse;

…maybe you have had to be out of town for your job and want to hang at home;

…maybe you have a big test;

…none of your friends are going to be there;

…because the economy is bad you are working six days a week and need a day off;

…who knows the reason or excuse.

So, WHAT IF when you decided to show back up—most of the time because, once again, SOMETHING HAPPENS and you need God to be there….what if He had hung out a sign that said “GONE FISHIN”? It made me laugh…Because I know some people that would be seriously “TICKED” for lack of a more proper word!! But, doesn’t it seem that is how many treat God? Always expecting Him to be just sitting there waiting on them to come to Him with their next prayer, when He hasn’t seen or heard from them in a while and doesn’t know when to expect them.  So, God decides to move on to something else and then they are UPSET when they don’t get their answer or need met right away….just a thought.

DISCLAIMER
I am not saying you can not take a vacation!!!!  Just ask yourself what question do my friends, family and children ask me on Saturday night…”WHAT ARE WE DOING tomorrow or WHAT SERVICE are we going to?”

QUICK NOTE FROM JIM –

FIRED UP about this Sunday!! We are taking COMMUNION, which will be an AWESOME way to close out THE HAND OFF, our series on Generational Influence. DON’T FORGET – Get every STUDENT, TEACHER, and PARENT you know there -CAN’T WAIT!!!

Go DAWGS!!!

These are your students last night @ The 706 praying over one of our teens!!

Then, when he got home and I saw the picture – I was BLOWN AWAY as a pastor and as a dad!! As a parent, that picture MADE MY DAY – YEAR!!

• Crazy busy Mon/Tues…Sunday @ Compass WAY TOO GOOD though not to shout about…
• CELEBRATED life change in Jesus by BAPTIZING 4 people on Sunday – BOO YAH!

• THAT Never gets old…THAT is why we do what we do…I’m addicted to changed lives!!!

• 3 of them were students and one 20 Something – THIS GENERATION is coming on strong!

• The day the church gets over all JESUS did for us…and the day we stop CELEBRATING the power of God to change a life is the day we need to pack it up and close the doors!

• THANK YOU COMPASS for getting FIRED UP about something that MATTERS!!!

• Talked to my Generation & Beyond on Sunday and brought the heat in the name of Jesus…

• …how about instead of a Mid Life CRISIS, it became a Mid life CATALYST 4 the great things God wants to do in the 2nd Half of our lives?

• Games are won or lost in the 2nd Half NOT the 1^st.

• Let’s be the GENERATION that refuses to take a knee and quit on the next generation but instead FINISHES STRONG!!

• I had a 76 year young dude ask me “How long is a quarter – 20 or 25 years and is there overtime?”…

• …I told him 22-23 Years and there is absolutely OT – my 94 Year young grandmother is kickin’ some serious butt in OT & plans on playing a LOT LONGER!!

• I’m preachin’ already and CAN’t WAIT to preach this Sunday.  This Sunday will be the MOST POWERFUL & CHALLENGING of the series and we saved the BEST for LAST!!

• I’m asking 2 Favors:
• #1 – Get EVERY TEACHER & STUDENT & PARENT you know there – SERIOUSLY – got a Special SHOUT OUT from the Word of God to each group I CAN’T WAIT to share!
• #2 – I know it’s Labor Day & traditionally a Sunday to slack…DON’T!!

• My father-in-law’s birthday is today – Love that man…Taking him to lunch at Fogo De Chao! Never been…SERIOUS MEAT EATING adventure…AWE YEAH!!!

Guest Blog – Lisa Carpenter

In this past Sunday’s message – STUDENT INTERCEPT, Jim referred to the “Lisa Spirit” in the 3rd question every student must ask if they are going to IMPACT their generation – “Am I Rushing The Snap Count?”

When I said this to Jim, this is what followed…

We all grow up rushing to get to kindergarten, then middle school, high school, 16 and the drivers license, 18 and graduation, college to find our soul mate, the job that will fulfill us and then the house, the kids…DON’T RUSH!

If we could all slow down and enjoy our lives, enjoy the time we are living in right now, wouldn’t that be amazing?  I keep thinking of the saying “older and wiser.” What if you could be “younger and wiser” just because you slowed it down a bit and truly experienced life instead of rushing through it?  This of course applies to everyone, not just students.

DON’T SETTLE…I think so many people do this.  Because they are in a hurry and are worried that maybe nothing better will come along, they just grab on to what’s in front of them.  I guess it’s for a lot of different reasons…fear of being left behind or alone, peer pressure to belong or just because of our society and culture today.

I want my kids to HOLD OUT for the very best they could possibly have and as a parent I believe all parents want this.  Don’t settle in school, don’t settle in choosing your friends, don’t settle in your extra curricular activities, don’t settle at home, don’t settle with your boyfriend or girlfriend, don’t settle at work. Give your best and expect to get it back—if you don’t take a time out and consider your situation, maybe it’s time for a change.

• NINETEEN people SURRENDERED their lives to Jesus Sunday…MY GOD’s NOT DEAD- BOO YAH!!!!
• IMPACT, Compass’ new ministry for Young Adults, launched FRIDAY NIGHT with 60+ in attendance and 2 people surrendering their lives to Jesus.
• Sunday’s PARTNERSHIP LUNCH Rocked – Thank you to all who chose to Partner with this local church by getting out of the Stands and INTO THE GAME!!
• WOW – LOVE our series THE HAND OFF – could be one of my favorites we’ve ever done!
• STUDENTS – THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU BIG TIME for SHOWING Up, WORSHIPPING Passionately, LISTENING Intently, RESPONDING Boldly to God’s voice, and BRINGING your Friends with you!
• Even though I had prayed and asked God to do something BIG all weekend, seeing so many lives changed on so many fronts still BLEW ME AWAY
• I LOVE HOW our students worshipped Sunday – up front on the stage, hands in the air, and with EVERYTHING they had….
• …Some adults may not like kids rushing the stage & throwing their hands up. It WASN’T for you, it was for them and JESUS!!
• We will NOT be a church that SACRIFICES this generation on the altar of another generation’s preferences.
• We will NOT be a church that raises a generation that SURVIVES the world, rather they will IMPACT the world for the glory of Jesus!!
• CHALLENGED our NEXT GENERATION on Sunday with 4 Questions out of the book of Joshua every STUDENT MUST ASK if they are going to IMPACT their Generation for the Glory of God!!
• God’s Pattern throughout history has been to reveal to Young Men and Women His plans to use them in a POWERFUL WAY!!
• …Your IMPACT is not determined by your HEREDITY, but by your HEAVENLY FATHER.
• …Your IMPACT is not determined by your ORIGIN, but by your OBEDIENCE.
• …It’s NOT your friend’s opinions that matter – It’s GOD’s
• …DON’T RUSH this season of life & DON’T SETTLE for less than God’s Best!!!
• …Be STRONG and COURAGEOUS – God is WITH and FOR you (Joshua 1:6-9)
• OK – the”Forever Young” RAP was OFF THE CHAIN…talk about a life change Story….
• …Tommy Valentine (who wrote that RAP) grew up in an agnostic/atheistic home, met Jesus & was baptized at Compass recently, just got engaged to Laura –  an awesome young lady who loves Jesus, and now God’s using him to write words that challenge the hearts of this generation – that ROCKED and more importantly JESUS ROCKED through it!!
• Wesley Odum, Andy Zuniga, 706 & Compass Kids Volunteers – Thank you ALL for partnering together to lead this next generation in NE Georgia by GIVING YOUR LIVES to HAND OFF a Healthy Church and PASS ON a Godly Legacy for generations to come!!
• Yes, I did say the word “CIRCUMCISION” on Sunday – little awkward but powerful meaning!!
• I CAN’T WAIT to BAPTIZE THIS SUNDAY – if you’ve never been baptized since asking Jesus to change your life – WHAT are you waiting for? It’s your First Step –  check out our WHAT IS BAPTISM link here.
• Did I say 19 people surrendered their lives to Jesus Sunday and I LOVE this series – I CAN’T WAIT to PREACH this Sunday and see what God does!!

• We saw people in each service surrender their lives to Jesus – ok, THAT never gets old!!
• TODAY ROCKED – if for some lame reason you weren’t out of town and SKIPPED Sunday – DANG – YOU MISSED IT!!
• The 706 Student Band led us in worship today – FLIPPIN AMAZING – those kids can PLAY!!
• I told one of the other parents – “We get to do two things today – Worship God and be Proud Dads” – I did BOTH!!
• Our Worship times have been AMAZING  - God is doing something INCREDIBLE every time the band steps on stage!!
• I LOVE our new series THE HAND OFF!!
• I think I’m going to teach with a football every week of this series.
• Big Time Apology to the dude I hit in the FACE with the football in the second service…I PROMISE it was NOT intentional and with the lights I have no clue who I hit!!
• I came clean – my football career really did end at 11!!
• As a church, We will GIVE OUR LIVES to HAND off a healthy church and PASS ON a Godly Legacy for generations to come (2 Timothy 2:2) – seriously, I’m willing to GIVE MY LIFE to make that hand off to the next generation.
• I’ve seen way too many people FUMBLE the HAND OFF to the next generation – we’re going to do EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to position them to score with their lives!!
• If you’ve fumbled or had a band hand off my God can REDEEM your PAST, CHANGE your PRESENT, and RESTORE your FUTURE!!
• We’ve got way too many INJURED PLAYMAKERS and SEASONED VETS sitting on the sidelines and not in the game – WE NEED YOU!!
• We need a generation who’s willing to STAND UP and SAY ” God, CALL MY PLAY – I CAN THROW A PASS, I’m ready to do something GREAT for YOU in my lifetime and NOTHING will stop me, NOBODY is going to block me AND if you get in my way, I will run you over!”
• Yea – I”M still FIRED UP!! Why? I’m tired of seeing wasted lives instead of people pouring themselvs out for the Glory of God!!
• Here’s the link to the FULL VERSION Matthew Stafford winning drive game film (PG 13)!
• REFUEL, Compass’ Night of Worship was the BEST EVER – WOW! The Presence of God SHOWED UP in the warehouse after we took communion like NEVER BEFORE!!
• Special thanks to our WORSHIP & PRODUCTION TEAMS for all the EXTRA WORK – it was a long day, but SO WORTH IT!!
• It made my day to see the 706 Students leading the Refuel Production Team – you ROCKED it!!

• Yes, Matt really did say “Open up your gas tank and put a little Jesus in it.” Awesome!!
• I can’t say this enought – DO EVERYTHING you can to get your STUDENTS and their FRIENDS here this next Sunday for BOTH SERVICES – God is going to Rock their world as we challenge  the NEXT GENERATION like never before!!
• I’m pumped about the BRAVES!!!!
• LOVE being your pastor and connecting this city to JESUS with you!!

• THE EYE – doing much better and healing well – should have a full recovery – AMAZING from the shot I took.  Psalm 139:14 is SO TRUE!
• VISITED HELL FOR A WEEK – ok, not really, just felt like it –  I cleaned out our basement and garage – OUCH!! – been putting that off for years!!
• WORKED on the next 2 series – THE HAND OFF and B30X – CANNOT WAIT!! Some of the greatest stuff God has ever prompted us to teach about !!
• 2000 MILE ROAD TRIP with 3 AWESOME Kids and my really HOT, BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING and INCREDIBLE wife!!
• VISITED FAMILY in Florida for a week – THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the prayers for my mom!! Recent tests have come back CANCER FREE and one more MAJOR OPERATION this August!!
• SECRET SHOPPER at a couple of friend’s churches  - Amazing, Refreshing, and Encouraging!!
• PERSONAL FUN – Saw SHAMU at Sea World, Rode the Mantu 5 times (could be the best roller coaster ever), ate the best seafood on the planet at Hunt’s Oyster Bar, built a sand castle on the beach with Mackenzie – never gets old, took the boys to a Tampa Bay Rays game (indoor baseball – I don’t know….), saw Inception (thumbs up for me, thumbs down for Lisa), took Gram to eat her fav chocolate and peanut butter pie at Grandma Yoder’s as featured on Man vs. Food, and had the best ribs and crab fingers in the world at Angelo’s Steak Pit, and according to my friend KCI  grilled the BEST RIB-EYE Steak he’s ever tasted this past Friday night!!
• ULTIMATE HIGHLIGHT – the phone call we received last Sunday from a friend who had a guest at Compass that day who SURRENDERED THEIR LIFE to CHRIST!!