Greg Atkinson

Aren’t we all a work in process? I’m thankful that I’m not complete, yet. God is working on me. Chipping and carving away…molding me. Over the years, God teaches me different things and reveals more of Himself and my true identity in Him. Lately, I keep sensing Him dealing with me in the area of pride. Truly, I must decrease. He must increase. It really is that simple. I believe pride is at the top of the “sin list” – meaning that all other sins flow out of the common root of pride. As I said before, I sense God saying to my heart, “When pride walks in, I walk out.” Pray for me as I seek to grow in this area of weakness.

INJURY UPDATE:
It’s official: I fractured my foot. I get to wear a big, black boot and am on crutches.   God is teaching me something. I sure of it. Just got to figure out what. I will say, last night during rehearsals, it was amazing to just sit and watch everything – see my team in action. I’m very proud of them and how dedicated they are to giving their all this Easter season. We usually see 3000 – 4000 visitors at Easter. This year’s production is very powerful – so we’re praying for changed lives.

I subscribe to Greg Laurie’s daily Harvest Devotional. The one below was especially meaningful to me and something you could use with your ministry team sometime as a devotional thought:

An Outlet for Your Inlet

“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

—Luke 6:38

A lot of Christians today who have known the Lord for many years are facing spiritual stagnation. They are saying, “I have been a Christian for so long. I know the Bible so well. I go to church every week. What is wrong?”

I can tell you what is wrong. They need an outlet for their inlet. If you don’t have an outlet for what you are taking in, then you will stagnate. The truth of God’s Word was not designed to be hoarded, but to be shared. And the more you give out, the more God gives to you.

Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38). Proverbs 11:25 says, “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” The Bible is saying that if you want a soul that is full, if you want a life that is rich, then give out.

It’s a radical thought. And it flies in the face of what we hear today, especially in our touchy-feely, narcissistic culture in which we are all trying to help our wounded inner child and build our self-esteem.

Jesus was saying, “Want to find life? Then lose it. Deny yourself.” This means we stop focusing on ourselves and start thinking about other people and their needs. Then we will find what we have been looking for all along —not by searching for it, but as the byproduct of a life that is properly aligned with God.

* For more relevant and Biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org.

PERSONAL:

Last night was pure sweetness – to have two of my favorite shows on back to back (Prison Break and 24). Wow. What a line up!