1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6″If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
” ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

7Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9″All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”

11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

11 The word of the LORD came to me: 12 “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:
” ‘You were the model of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

13 You were in Eden,
the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you:
ruby, topaz and emerald,
chrysolite, onyx and jasper,
sapphire, turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.

14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.

15 You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.

16 Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, O guardian cherub,
from among the fiery stones.

17 Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.

18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.

19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.’ “

First of all I blog to communicate in a way that is open and effective. Many people check this blog day by day (according to our web people). So I want to be in touch.

Several of you who are somewhat new to Grace have mentioned to me that this blog helps you to get in on what goes on at Grace.

Also, I like to blog because it gives an open way for you to respond and discuss things.

Do you read this blog? Do you have suggestions or topics you want addressed? Do you have other blogs you read?

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

This cool shot was taken early this week in campustown. What a Phaneroo- a vivid display of God Himself!

This is one of my favorite greek words…and it is the root word for the english word “manifestion” in the key verse for today, 1 Cor 12:7. Call me wierd but I just like the way it sounds. Phaneroo, phaneroo, phaneroo.

Its a larger than life word meaning to make visible or clear, to plainly reveal or show.

So in the verse it says “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” Each one of us is a display of what God is and what the holy Spirit is up to. Each one of us is a display of God so that the goodness of God shine onto all around us.

Do you have an example of a phaneroo (an obvious display of the Holy Spirit in someones life today) you can share?

When our team enthusiastically agreed to join the LifeChurch.tv network, we recognized that they had much of the same mission and values we have had at Grace since our start ten years ago. There are all kinds of resources out there and all kinds of groups. We have teamed up with a ministry that is right in line with us.
The Vision 2007 message is such a good summary of what LifeChurch is about. I would recommend to all at Grace to listen to it (at the Grace site) a couple times.

Give me some feedback on it!

My job has changed since we have networked with Lifechurch.tv. Some may wonder if I just sit around and contemplate my navel or think about what might have been with the cubs or play free cell. (Just for the record, I have never played a game of freecell in my life and would need a three week course to understand how to play!)

Anyway, I am busier than I have ever been before investing in lives. This fits with the vision I have had for ministry and it is one of the reasons LifeChurch offers their resources to developing churches: it frees leaders like me to invest in the ministry when staff and resources are in short supply.

Here is whats on my Top Ten list for October:

1.Evangelism/ Lead Generation 

2.Small groups 

3.Network and LifeChurch.tv transition 

4.Jr High development 

5.Finances 

6.Lead Community- Board and Leads 

7. Music team 

8. First Impressions 

9.Faclities 

10. Equipment transition 

Its alot of people contact work and I’m loving it.