I spent a wonderful weekend at Promise Keepers in San Jose with my friend John McClements. It formed an interesting counterpoint to the Web 2.0 conference I had attended earlier that week. One of my favorite talks was by John Dawson , President of YWAM, whose book I had read many years ago. Thus, it was a double-treat to have him speak this Sunday at Elk Grove.

It will take me a while to digest all of it, so for now I’m just collecting my notes (from him and Promise Keepers) here [Read More] for future reference. Note that some of these are more my reflections rather than direct notes from the speakers…

0. From Law to Grace: Redemption 2.0

A. I feel Shame because:

a. You say I’m bad vs.

b. You show you’re good

B. I experience Judgement because:

a. God despises my sin vs.

b. God desires my freedom

C. I will Repent in order to

a. Turn away from sin vs.

b. Turn towards God

God’s redemptive process

* create, mandate, elevate -> redeem

* inform, perform, reform -> transform

Generations of Civilizations

* My grandfather was a Titan

* My father was a Roman

* I am a Monk

* My son is a Man

In order to win freedom:

* my father had to kill my grandfather

* I had to wait for my father to die

* my son I will release and bless

I. Spheres of Responsibility

A. Personal

* Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength
B. Relational

* Wife, Children/Family, Friends
C. Topical

* Sex/Love [Belonging]

* Money/Value [Worthiness]

* Power/Authority [Competence]

II. Listening to God [John Dawson]

Blessed are those who hear and observe.
Don’t deny common sense, but sometimes transcend it
Seek God versus [being forced to] run into Him
Only trust impressions that align with:

* God’s Word

* God’s character

Seek today’s manna

* talk with the comforter (“shock and awe” — rest in/praise God’s power)

* trust and train (don’t just “try”)

* fullness precludes 90% of temptation (and boredom)

Gifts are given for the purpose of encouragement [self and others]

Don’t seek a method, seek God

* Know God

* He won’t tell us what we won’t obey

* Must continually rewrite the blank check

Three voices: God, flesh, devil
We have authority to silence the devil
Must die to flesh to silence it (blank check)

III. Discovering Purpose

Men yell, Women scream [Brad Stine]

* Woman = Man + “Whoa!”

* Female = Male + “Fee” [have to earn their love/respect]

Men with purpose make history

* Our Why precedes our Where

* Here with these strengths and weaknesses for a reason

History creates pessimists; optimists create the future [ENP]

[Samuel Rodrigues?]
Praying for his son when dropping off at school [with a kiss, even in High School]

* Father, in the name of Jesus,

* fulfill your purpose in his life

* cover him with your blood

* protect him from all evil. Amen.
Because God’s power is in him.
The purpose of God is greater than the brokenness of Man

IV. Becoming Awakened [Wellington Boone]

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

Challenges are not cause for fear

* reason we’re needed

* call to glory

Home first
make one woman happy
blow her mind

Genesis 1 – reason we’re alive: live for God

Go from sin management to inner transformation
Leave a pure seed for the next generation
Must “run our heart” right to “run our homes” right
Authentic authority vs. abdicating responsibility
Wife takes your name, shares your destiny: spiritual leadership

Psalm 91

* God is our refuge

* Only the people of God have the solutions

* Coming to the Altar

But, where’s the cross?

V. Living Awakened

Take God to Work
“You cannot spill what you do not carry”
Jesus did “work” in 122 of 132 places, 45 of 52 parables
all but 1 of the heroes in Hebrews 11 were “workers” not priests

Philippians 4:7*

Holy Spirit like ‘Remote Desktop ‘

* knows everything

* can take control

Increase our value at work by out-serving

* keep promises

* refuse to coast

* add value

* carry calling

Acts 13:36 “accomplished God’s purpose in His generation”

You are bigger than your job description

Epilogue: Hearing God [John Dawson, again]

“Self-Pity” = “Diet Joy”

There are many possible objectives for all of us
but specific inheritances and jurisdictions for each of us

God has the answers
We supply (find?) the questions

God is a God of completion

* Idea-lize

* Social-ize

* Act-ualize

* Real-ize

Inhabit Christ vs. merely Imitating Christ