Mike Edmisten Follower of Jesus. Husband of Nicki. Father of Ryan & Brock. Communicator of the Word.

Sunday Night Reflections

I don't even know where to begin.  I am TOTALLY exhausted, but I still feel like I've got to get some stuff out here on my blog.

This morning blew my mind.  The atmosphere in our church was jumping! People were absolutely pumped up…and why not?!?!

The mission we have been given is incredible.  The stakes couldn't be higher.  We are on an all out search-and-rescue mission.  Eternity hangs in the balance.

But then…to see Kayla (on her 18th birthday) give her life to Christ and be immersed in baptism was the pinnacle.  Never seen a standing ovation after a baptism before.  Hope I see it again soon, because it was awesome!

I am wiped out.  I preached my guts out this morning. God has been stirring that message in my spirit for a long time.  Felt good to finally have the chance to preach it…before I exploded!

We're Bringing It This Sunday!

You need to be at ACC on Sunday.  Seriously.  We are bringing the heat!

I am always passionate about preaching, but this week…I feel like my heart has been soaked in gasoline and the Holy Spirit flicked his Bic! I am PUMPED about the word that God has given me this week!  This is a Jeremiah 20:9 message for me.

There will be some tense moments.  This message isn't going to be easy to receive.  But if you allow God to open your heart and mind and spirit to His truth, you will walk out absolutely jacked up!

Twitter Peer Pressure

"Oh, come on.  Just try it.  Everybody's doing it."

That pretty much sums up what I've been hearing about Twitter.  And I finally succumbed to the peer pressure.  I mentioned in an earlier post that I had a Twitter account but wasn't posting anything.  Well, that has officially changed. I'm actively posting tweets now.

Don't know how this will work out.  Don't know if I'll like it or not.  Don't know how many people will care enough to start following me.

But…for whatever it's worth…I'm twittering.

God help us all.

You can follow me at http://twitter.com/mikeedmisten.

They Don't Belong

Something hit me as I started reading the book of Acts today.  Even after the disciples of Jesus had witnessed His death AND His resurrection, they still didn't get it.

Acts 1 records a conversation the disciples had with Jesus after He had risen from the dead.

So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6)

Many Jewish people thought that the Messiah was going to restore the glory of Israel.  The Israelites would be freed from Roman oppression.  The Christ would set up a political kingdom on earth.  However, Jesus came to usher in the Kingdom of God. Not a political kingdom, but a spiritual one.  It wasn't what many of the people expected…or wanted.

But of all the people who rubbed shoulders with Jesus, you would think that His disciples would get it. They spent years with Him.  Saw Him crucified.  Witnessed His resurrection.  But even after all of that, they still asked Him, "Ok Jesus…is it finally time for you to kick some Roman butt and restore the Jewish people to our position of honor?"

You can almost hear Jesus sigh as He looked at His dense disciples.  He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:7-8)

The disciples were looking for the Jewish people to regain their preeminence as the chosen people of God. Jesus responded by telling them that they were going to take the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.  In other words, they were going to share the good news with the Gentiles.

Instead of setting up an exclusive political kingdom for the Jews, God's spiritual kingdom would welcome all believers…regardless of race.  But His disciples just didn't get it.

We've got to keep a close watch on the attitude of our minds and hearts, because it's very easy to fall into the same trap as the disciples.  It's very easy to believe that the Kingdom of God really isn't for everybody.

If someone is in a different tax bracket…if someone has a different skin color…if someone has a sinful reputation…if someone is pierced or tattooed…if someone (fill in the blank)…many Christians won't accept them. At least not in THEIR church.

Jesus specifically told his followers to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.  In other words, the gospel is for everyone.

God forbid that we ever look at someone who is different than us and believe that they don't belong in the Kingdom of God.

Too Good Not To Share

Read this comment from an ACCer on Facebook today.

"A friend who first put me in God's direction came for a vist today.  We had lots to talk about.  Thank you God for your grace & ACC."

That's the kind of stuff that will make a pastor's day.

Keep knocking it out of the park, ACC!  We're making heaven more crowded!

This Kid Must HATE Church!

You may have seen this video by now.  It's everywhere.

This seven-year-old boy stole a car. Drove recklessly.  Almost hit another car.  Was chased by police. All because…

HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO CHURCH!!!!

That is some serious stuff to go through just to avoid going to church.  And everybody is wondering how the kid got the keys, where were his parents, how did he learn to drive so well, etc.

But I'm wondering…

What makes this kid hate church so much?

Sadly, most kids believe that church is boring. In some polls, a lot of kids rank church as the most boring place in the world. And I'm sure that this breaks God's heart.

If the gospel really is the greatest news ever heard, then why would we present it in a boring way? If Jesus is alive, then why do many gatherings of His followers feel like a funeral? Shouldn't it feel more like a celebration or a (gasp!) party?

I still believe what I preached on Sunday…we worship a God who loves to throw great parties!

I'm not saying there isn't a place for solemn reverance.  There is.

But there is also a place to let go and have a great time. After all, the Bible reminds us that "the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10, NIV)

I'm so thankful that our church has a children's ministry that is vibrant, creative, loud, and alive! It's worth the effort, time, and money required to reach kids for Jesus.

I'm praying that the next seven-year-old who steals a car tells the cops, "I'm sorry…but I just had to get to church!"

Are You a Guy?

Then you need to read this.

7 Uncommon Characteristics of Masculine Christian Men – Brian Jones

Some Twitter Gems

Ok…I confess. I swore I would never start Twittering. Mostly because of the effeminate sound of the word "Twitter."

But I finally caved…somewhat.  I have a Twitter account, but I'm not actively posting tweets yet.  I'm just following some people, reading their tweets.  (Can we PLEASE come up with better names than "Twitter" and "tweets?"  Seriously?!?!)

Josh took the liberty of calling me out in this post.  Too bad, dude.  I'm still not writing tweets.

So far, following some guys on Twitter has been a worthwhile venture for me.  They have posted some incredible leadership principles on Twitter.

Here are a few gems I've read recently…

"Praying for my preacher friends.  Don't crave compliments. Don't fear criticism. Let it rip!" (Mark Batterson)

"Pastors…if TENSION isn't in your message the HOLY SPIRIT probably isn't in it either! PREACH!!!" (Perry Noble)

"Life is a stick of dynamite. It can either blow off your fingers or launch you to heights you've never known before." (Joel Young)

"God will never provide for you in a way that makes Him unneccessary in your life.  Faith requires that you require Him." (Steven Furtick)

"Leadership is not about making decisions on your own. It’s about owning decisions once they are made." (Andy Stanley)

"Godly leadership MUST begin with a view of WHO GOD IS…not what people want!" (Perry Noble)

It's really amazing to sit back and consider the truth of these principles…expressed in 140 characters or less.

Simple Pleasures

Last night was just a run-of-the-mill, ordinary night at the Edmisten homestead.

I mowed our yard while holding Brock on my lap.  He loves to ride around on our riding mower with me.

After mowing, I played a little Frisbee with Ryan in the backyard.

Like I said…just an ordinary night.  But I'm learning to appreciate ordinary nights more and more.  I've been reminded recently how precious, and unpredictable, life really is.  God has been teaching me to treasure the simplest things.

How about you?  What have you been taking for granted in your life?

Sometimes the simplest things in your life are the most important. Thank God for them today.