Worship

Watchdogs and Hate Blogs

February 2014 was a whirlwind of travel.  One stop was Gastonia, NC where Keeli and I spoke at the Grace Upon Grace conference.  I began by reading a quote from John Crowder.  This quote is one of the most detoxing, myth busting, religious attitude killers I’ve ever heard.  So often, believers observe and mimic the patterns and habits of leaders in the church.  But the wonderful thing about maturing as a believer is that we don’t have to stick with those bad habits.  There is grace to move on and come to a fuller understanding of Jesus Christ’s finished work and your inclusion in that work. In today’s world of social media, skewed facts, hasty conclusions, and brutal attacks are prevalent.  In fact, one would conclude that most believers feel more called to be a watchdog or whistle-blower than a minister of the Gospel.  It’s a tendency developed by self-righteous living.  True discernment is not publicly calling out the faults of others, nor is it a gift to be abused by self-exaltation.  Discernment is a gift, like every gift, that should be operated from a place of love.

With that said, don’t be quick to get on a bandwagon of divisiveness, hate, slander, or libel towards other brothers and sisters in Christ because their church has activity you may not be familiar with, teaching you don’t agree with (or completely understand), or trends that are foreign.  I implore you: do not jump to conclusions without understanding the context.  Any “watchdog” can create a blog and spout off hate, create division, and be an instrument of confusion to the church and the world.  Nasty blogs tend to bind rather than create an allowance to enjoy God’s grace and freedom.

Keeli wrote clues for the treasure hunt conducted earlier that day.

After speaking, Keeli and I teamed up with our friends, BJ and Lisa Sullivan, and had an opportunity to pray with an array of people.  It was one of the best times of prophetic ministry we have ever had.  The message of grace tends to free people from the idea that something else must be done in addition to Jesus' finished work.  The requests weren’t weird, strange, or off the wall.  The requests for prayer were real and honest.  No super spiritual conspiracy theories or deliverance from the yabba-dabba-doo spirit of Beebop and Rocksteady (Ninja Turtle reference!).  The Holy Spirit did amazing things, called people back to a place where they were fulfilling their call, began restoring marriages, and speaking His language of love to them.

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for.  The quote that I read from John Crowder’s video “A New Language”.  May the words bring a newfound freedom into your life.

  • I am not pressing in anymore.  I’ve been pressed into.
  • I’m not contending anymore.  I’ve been contended for.
  • I’m not a God chaser anymore.  He moves way too fast.  He chased me down, roped and hog-tied me, bagged and dragged me.
  • I’m not seeking God anymore.  He found me.
  • I’m not even drawing close to God.  We’re not getting closer.  We are in union.  We are Siamese twins.
  • You will never hear me say anything about overcoming the flesh.  The fleshly nature was circumcised away.
  • You will never hear me say anything about killing the old man.  The old man has been co-crucified with Christ.
  • Some people say, “You’re only human.” I’m not.  I’m a new creation.
  • Some people say, “Well, nobody’s perfect.” I am.  Unless you think Christ was incompetent on the cross.
  • Some people say, “Well, we’re all sinners.” What Bible verse is that?  As a matter of fact, John says if you continue in sin, you’re a child of the devil.
  • I don’t talk about dry times.  I don’t talk about dark nights of the soul.  I’m done with dessert theology.
  • I’m not asking Him to purify my heart.  He gave me a new one.
  • I’m not asking Him to open the heavens.  The veil of His flesh was torn and all of heaven was open with it.
  • I’m not asking Him to take me into the holy of holies.  That’s where I’m seated right now.
  • I don’t pump people up into intercession.  I think He’s done an adequate job of it.
  • I don’t pump people up into fasting.  He fasted so that I could feast.
  • I don’t pump people up into godly sorrow.  He was a man of sorrow so we could be a people of joy.
  • I don’t overemphasize confession.  It’s just admitting your sins to see that they’re already forgiven.
  • I don’t overemphasize my faith.  It’s His faith that saved me.
  • I don’t overemphasize repentance.  It’s a fruit of salvation, not the price tag to buy it.
  • I don’t talk about insiders or outsiders.  I don’t talk about saved or unsaved.  I don’t talk about good or evil.  I don’t talk about yin and yang.  I don’t talk about good cop-bad cop.  I’m just talking about Jesus and His inclusion of all humanity on the cross.  And I don’t talk about forgiven or unforgiven.  The only distinction is believer or unbeliever.  The Gospel changes everything… The scandal of grace.

To watch the entire video, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e25DSxQcp7Q

Jonathan Fawcett

 

Image

Image: a physical likeness or representation of a person. AviatorsA little girl twirls, dances, dresses up and takes care of her baby dolls.  She runs to the mirror as soon as she puts her tutu and hat on to see how beautiful she is.  In that moment the reflection she sees is not simply her but Jesus in her.  Childlike faith allows the little girl to see the beauty in her eyes and how she was so perfectly made.  As time goes on we so easily forget those reflections we once saw and we begin the search for imperfections in our own life.  The mirror once brought joy but as time goes by we so often allow the mirror to pinpoint the frizz in our hair or the blemish on our chin.

This way of life is contradictory to the heart of Jesus.  The more time we spend with someone the more we replicate them.  Watch a teenage girl find a new group of friends in middle school and in no time you will notice her buying the same brands and wearing the same makeup as her “best” friends.  It is a natural development that we take on the look and personality of those around us.

Banjo Family BandThere is no question that Anneli is mine and Jonathan’s little girl.  Not only does she look like us but she acts like us.  Her dad plays the guitar so she plays the guitar.  Her dad loves chocolate so she loves chocolate.  Her dad hangs his sunglasses on the collar of his shirt so she hangs her sunglasses on her shirt.  The examples go on and on.  She spends time with us therefore she is like us.

Being made in God’s image not only means that we look like Him but we also act like Him.  There is no denying that we are Anneli’s parents and there should be no denying that we are God’s children.

I believe when the enemy looks at us he sees Jesus because we were made in His image.  We may not have the same skin color or hair color as Jesus but we are a representation of Him on earth.

WorshipAnneli has been saturated in the practice of God’s presence.  When we pray, she folds her hands.  If we ask her if she wants to pray, she never says, “No.” If she needs prayer, she will grab one of our hands and put it on her head.  When we worship, she worships.  When music plays, she lifts her hands and dances.  When someone sings, she sings.  When someone plays an instrument, she wants her little uke to play with them.  When someone needs healing, she will pray for them and they get well.  Your ministry is your family.  Your mission field is your address.  What happens behind the walls of your home will change the lives of countless people outside of your home through your children.  Your love is not a face you put on for your church gatherings.  It is a genuine manifestation that thrives and overflows from family.  Before you show the image of God to the nations, be like Jesus in your living room.

PrayerThen God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” --Genesis 1:26-28, NIV

-Keeli & Jonathan Fawcett

Enjoy the Season

We waited anxiously to…

  • Get our license
  • Graduate high school
  • Graduate college
  • Complete our highest degree of education
  • Get our first real job
  • Fall in love
  • Get married
  • Buy our first car together
  • Have our first child
  • Buy our first home together

And the list goes on…

Do we live a life of purpose or waiting?  I think the response to that question is both.  What if in the midst of our waiting we are living out our purpose?  It can be so easy to become discouraged in the midst of our waiting for the next big step in life.  Maybe you know that you are called to start orphanages, develop the cure for cancer or end abortion but it seems so far out of reach.  What has God put on your heart?  He cares about the process, the journey and the waiting.  God is a big God and He orders our steps (Psalm 37:23).  There are key scriptures I live my life by.  That is one of them.  Another is Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as your possession.”

Everyday, I dream of seeing the nations know Jesus.  Not just people hearing about a good man who walked the earth and died for them to have eternal life with Him.  But for them to intimately know their Father who died, lives today, and sent the Holy Spirit to earth so heaven can invade their life now.  As I dream of all races and generations falling radically in love with my Savior, I find myself sitting in a small town in North Carolina.  It could be easy to think I will never have an impact for the kingdom of God or ask how there will ever be the finances to see the world changed for the glory of God.  Yet I find myself so full of God’s promises knowing that He has it all figured out for me.

I remember sitting in the car with my mom one afternoon.  After school, as my dad went in the grocery store, we saw a woman popping wheelies on a grocery buggy with her little child in it.  I was shocked!  The poor kid was barely hanging on!  At that moment I told my mom, “ I am so glad I am not the Holy Ghost.”  I realized it was just too big of a job for me to “fix” people.  In those few seconds of silliness, the Lord showed me that it really is not up to us to take care of everyone and fix everyone’s needs.  God knew that was such a big job that He died to send the Holy Spirit (John 16:7).  Thank goodness we have the Holy Spirit!  That should take a lot of pressure off of us!

Instead of worrying about what you are not doing, enjoy what you are doing!  Everyday remind yourself who God created you to be and keep focused on those dreams.  Our dreams always become our reality.  Whatever you set your mind to is what you will step into.

“Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do super abundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams].” --Ephesians 3:20, AMP

What is the biggest dream you have every dreamed?

You want to become a teacher?  How about see the education system as a whole glorify God and our history books teach the Godly foundation our nation was established on?

You want to create roller coasters?  Build an amusement park and give money to feed and house children all over the world!

Quit worrying about what you have not seen and start dreaming about what you will see.  No age is too old or too young.  God has big things in store for you.  When God speaks, be instant to obey no matter how crazy it may seem.  I can promise you that God always knows best!

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” --Philippians 4:6, NKJV

Keeli Fawcett

No worries!

Landmark

Friends,We are excited to announce an event taking place Friday, March 1 from 7pm-9pm in the Whitewater Lounge of the Student Union on Appalachian State's campus.  Campus ministers, local pastors, current students, alum, and residents who have been praying for revival and transformation to come to ASU are invited to pray as we worship with our friends, BJ and Lisa Sullivan.  Watch the video to learn more about Landmark: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGoqyMUgAO0?rel=0]

We will see you Friday, March 1st as we launch into 40 days of prayer and fasting.  Until then, Instagram this photo, tweet it, post it as your Facebook profile picture and help spread the word...

Landmark Instagram

We love you and look forward to making a scene with you for the Kingdom of God.

Jonathan & Keeli Fawcett