JoshLazar

the deep, deep south...

well, today finds me in the deep, deep south of Jackson, Alabama. yeah... Ive never heard of it either. Its about a two hour drive north from Pensacola, FL.

Mia's grandfather passed away and we are all down here celebrating his life. Lots of people i don't know; huge mosquitoes; beautiful weather; and Mia & Caed all make for an interesting but great trip.

I really missed being at Lifepoint this morning. I heard it was a moving day! As always... 

we traveled yesterday and are leaving tomorrow... I finally got about 15 minutes of someone's free wireless network! Let me get off now!

See you all on twitter in the mean time... catch that over there to the left...

peace out!

21... day five.

Philippians 2:12-18

I’d like to think of myself as a creative person. I also tend to get distracted by the smallest things. I notice the detail; the why and how behind the what; the things that stick out because of their uniqueness. I can’t watch a movie or a concert without examining how and why they decided to go with a shot, angle, or effect.

Last week, I was driving down route 3, and noticed a searchlight beaming through the cloudy evening sky. The traffic, of course, was over-crowded but I really wanted to go find out what was going down. They intrigued me. I wanted to go check it out.

Our world has the appearance of the cloudy evening sky. We as followers of Jesus have the opportunity to “shine like stars in the universe.” You see if we shine bright enough, our community will want to come see what is going on. But before we can shine in our community, we need to be set on fire within from God.

As we seek the face of God for the remainder of these 21 Days of Fasting, one thing must be true: The Revolution has got to start in my heart first.

God, set a fire in my heart for You. Consume me with everything that You are. Give me a hunger and passion for everything that is true and pure. Let me be worthy enough to burn so brightly that others would notice You! 

JOSH LAZAR
creative arts pastor
L I F E P O I N T  C H U R C H

21... day threepointfive.

when you gettin' hungry... remember Jesus is all we need!

21... day three.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they
will be filled." Matthew 5:6


The pain of hunger and the dryness of thirst are symptoms of our human need
and desire for nourishment for our bodies. When we are hungry, we seek
out a way to find food that will satisfy us and make that pain go away. Jesus used the analogy of hunger and thirst in His famous Sermon on the Mount to teach us that our deeper need is for a closeness with God that is truly sustenance for our lives. Hungering and thirsting for righteousness is a way of realizing that the pain of our lives can only be satisfied in turning away from ourselves and turning toward God. I have been looking forward to these 21 days because I have been longing to feel that hunger and thirst for God again--the desire and the need
to be as close to Him as I can, to become more like Him, to drink Him in and reflect Him to those around me.

Are you desperate--to the point of feeling pangs of hunger--for God to meet you where you are right now and nourish your soul? Would you believe God is waiting and longing for you, too? The second part of Jesus' analogy, "for they will be filled," is a promise.  The reason God gives us a hunger for Himself is so that He can satisfy it. Isn't that amazing? The very thing we hunger for--more of Him--is the thing He is
hungry to give us.

Oswald Chambers says that although the things Jesus taught in that sermon
initially seem to be "of very little practical use in the rigid, fast-paced workdays of the world in which they live, they contain the dynamite of the Holy Spirit" and "explode when the circumstances of our lives cause them to do so." That is my prayer for all of us during this 21 days of fasting and praying together. . . that the Holy Spirit
will explode within us as we hunger and thirst for Him and for all that He has for us and for Lifepoint in this season--and that He satisfies our desire for Him, as He promises to, in ways that will blow us
away!

GUEST BLOGGER: Kristen Schlee, Director of Guest Services

21... day two.

 Luke 11:9-13

Christ tells a story of a guy that shows up at his friend’s house around midnight asking for bread.  The friend agrees, after a bit a grumbling, not because of his status with the person, but rather because of the person’s boldness.  After the story, he  gives the above verses.

The longest fast I ever took part of was 6 days.  On a Thursday we were told our current pregnancy had failed.  And the fast started, and I was specific in what I asked for.  The next Tuesday we were told that there was a heart-beat.  And I believe in my heart it was because I simply asked.

Know this, God wants to bless us much more than we want to be blessed, and that is evident in our lack of boldness in what we ask of him.  How desperate are we for God to show up?  How bad do we want to see him work?  Then ask, seek, and knock.  Let’s pray for a Spiritual Ambush on Lifepoint Church.  He’s just waiting.

GUEST BLOGGER: Jeremy Pickwell, Administrative Pastor

21... day one.

Psalms 139:23-24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Welcome to what has the potential to be the most life changing, faith deepening journey you have ever embarked upon--21 days of seeking the heart of God for personal renewal and for life change during our Easter weekend services. As you begin this journey let me encourage you to consider the words of King David in Psalm 139. 

In this Psalm, David is explaining that God knows everything about us, even down to the details of how we were formed in our mother's womb. As David concludes this Psalm, he says to God, "since you know all, please search me and expose me."  In other words, "please reveal to me who I really am and allow me to see me the way you do." Respond to what God shows you when you pray this prayer, so that He can lead you in the way everlasting. There is no better way to start this 21-day journey than with a clean heart before God.

Remember as we agree together and expect great things from God, we WILL see amazing things!!

GUEST BLOGGER: Pastor Daniel Floyd

capturing the heart of God...

There is something special about being a part of something significant! We all love it. It makes us feel like we actually have a part in the story. 

There is something even more special about a group of people with a unified front calling out for the name of God. To see Him grow our hearts affection for Him. To see Him change the focus of our lives. To see Him work in the ministry of Lifepoint Church. To see Him give such unimaginable dreams that only He could see them come true. 

Beginning this Sunday at sundown (or Monday morning) we are beginning a church-wide 21 Day Fast leading up to Easter. We are calling out for God to do amazing things on that day. 

Lives changed through Salvation; marriages begun to be restored; celebration of the resurrection of Jesus! I can't wait for God to ruin my life that I had planned and restore His true plans for my life! 

So... 21 days... fasting in many different ways in many different frequencies. Are you with us?

unleash...

this morning we all head down to the booming metropolis of anderson, sc. 

We are taking 50 of our rowdy Lifepoint volunteers to Newspring Church for their Unleash Conference.
We are all very excited about seeing God continue to put vision and excitement in their hearts.

So... I probably won't blog while we are away, but you can follow me on twitter over there to the left. I will update regularly!

All of you Lifepointers that are coming - all I have to say is that this is going to be one fun road trip!

Writing Retreat

I am super excited about what today holds. This is our very first worship writing retreat. We are going away for today to a beautiful home on Lake Anna to be inspired.

Of course I won't be writing. I'll just be along for discussion and moral support.

Check my twitter today for regular updates and pics.

Today will kick start the journey of making our first Lifepoint worship album.

Top 10 Reasons You Do Not Want to Miss Lifepoint This Sunday...

10. The snow has melted and you no longer have to worry about bad roads! It 
is going to be a beautiful day!

9. Jeremy is leading worship and he always does a phenomenal job!

8. We have a brand new message intro video that you do not want to miss! 
It really gets your blood pumping!

7. You get to come and see the awesome Lifepoint Staff!

6. THERE WILL BE A VERY EXCITING SURPRISE WAITING FOR 
EACH OF YOU!

5. If you don't come, everyone else will think you forgot to set your 
clocks forward for Time Change!

4. Pastor Daniel's message is going to be very inspiring, exciting, 
and challenging!

3. Each of you that come will be directly involved in the message.

2. You are Lifepoint, and we could not do what we do each week 
without You!

1. We are done talking about sex! So you don't have to get
uncomfortable anymore!

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN HELP:

1. Call two people that you know who haven't been at Lifepoint in 
a while. Tell them you miss them, and that they do not want to miss 
this Sunday. Have we mentioned that it is going to be awesome?

2. Pray that God will use this Sunday in a powerful way! It is going 
to be amazing!