Followers of Jesus live in GRACE! It is freely given to us and we get to live free lives as a result. So as free men and women…no longer responsible before God for our own sin. UNBELIEVABLE!

As you continue on in your new journey with Christ, I challenge you to dispense grace, lavish it , and offer it yourself. God gave it to you…now you can give it to others. (Wanna fun way to put this into practice? Look for opportunities to offer grace today & go for it. Watch what happens. Grace is always shocking!)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– not by works, so that no one can boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

Here are Justin’s observations from the weekend:

Thanks so much to Pete for entrusting me with the surprise gift of Week 2 of LOST! It was a privilege to lead out again in our Easter series. This week felt like an important hinge point of the series. If we can get this one straight, we allow God access to the wounded places of our heart where He longs to pour in His hope.  Here’s some of what rang out to me…

1. Amber’s portrayal of the straightjacketed person was shockingly raw and real. For so many of us, anger has us locked up and we don’t know how to get it out of it. For many of us it hit really close to home – which allowed God access to our hearts. Thanks for going there, Amber!

2. So what kind of person are you when it comes to anger? Which of the volcanoes captures your way of dealing with anger: Kilaeau, Mt. St. Helens or Mt. Stromboli? (I still think alot of you Kilaeau people are masquerading as the serene Mt. Stromboli!)

3. Anger is meant to be a signal flare – it always points to something deeper. Not only did that picture help us understand the role of anger in our life, it’s always a highlight to light something on fire on stage! (And a great picture of how anger doesn’t always easily go out!)

4. Focusing on the LOST character, Jack, was eye-opening. As we got to know him and understanding the root of his anger, it made him a lot more like us. So many of us have spent years of our lives trying to “fix” the wreckage of our lives.

5. Ever notice how anger can transforms from signal flare into a weapon? Aiming the flare gun around the auditorium not only made people nervous, but also helped capture the reality of how we aim our anger at the people in our lives.

6. Have you ever pointed the gun at God? When I aimed the gun up toward God and been shouting out angry statements to him, I knew I was giving voice to real places in our hearts. Some of us have pointed the blame at God for the events of our lives, letting it be a barrier between us.

7. I loved walking through the differences between Jack (from LOST) & David (writer of the Psalms) on Sunday — and that the main difference was where they placed their hope. What have you placed your hope in? Could your anger be a signal of poorly placed hope?

8. Hebrews 6:18-19 never gets old: “We who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.” I love that while God never promised us a crash-free life, He did promise to be anchor in the midst of it.

9. Taking a cue from Psalm 142, we let David show us how to let our anger lead us toward God: 1. Start an honest conversation with God 2. Allow Him to show you what’s underneath your anger 3. Ground your hope in Him, not a certain outcome. 4. Wait for rescue.

10. Our rescue can begin when we quit firing our anger at others and instead wave the flare as a signal for help. Anger doesn’t have to be a barrier, it can be the signal of lostness in our lives which leads us toward God. I can’t wait to see where Pete leads us in the remaining 3 weeks of LOST. Who are you inviting, Questers?

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world – like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all.” – Matthew 5:13-15 (nlt1)

p.s. Someone in your life really needs to know!

Today is the LAST DAY to get Early Bird Tickets! The $69 rate ends at midnight, so register NOW! (Prices go up $20 tomorrow, so don’t miss out.)

You are invited. You are needed. And you can make a difference with your one and only life. Come be provoked to be the leader you were called to be. I can’t wait to see what God unleashes in us on April 15th!

Here’s what the Bible says about what you can expect from God Himself:

God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!” – Jeremiah 31:3 (msg)

Tired? Worn out? Feel like you are running out of strength & hope?

Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:30-31 (NLT1)

No matter what troubles you face, Jesus will be your help. Look first to God and He will comfort you.

In these early days of your journey with Christ, let Him be the lifter of your head. He knows you inside and out, and He knows everything you’re facing. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians that He is “the God who comforts us.” Give Him an all-access pass to meet you in every area of your life.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us.   He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Romans 8:1-4 – So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

From our Lead Team to Governing Team Leaders to Accelerators, Apprentices and Novice Leaders, we got to hold each one before the church to pray for them, honor them, and ask God to bless their leadership in 2010.

I am freaked out at these leaders’ commitment to be servant leaders in the Bride of Christ. They really take Jesus’ words seriously. They lay down their lives for you, Questers. They love you, pray for you and invest in you in ways you’ll never know. When I describe our leaders to pastors in other churches, they can’t believe what God is doing through them! Pray for them. And when you cross paths with one of them, thank them for leading out front. (Because ask any leader you know…leading is almost always hard!)

Take your cue from Hebrews 13 as you follow wholeheartedly this year:

Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith. – Hebrews 13:7 (NLT)

Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit. – Hebrews 13:17 (NLT)

p.s. Leaders…you make His Bride SHINE! From the heart of your pastor…thank you!

New Christians…you are SO on my heart today. When life’s tossing you around, don’t be afraid. You can have great confidence in the One you ran to…cling to Him. He is utterly trustworthy, and always true. No one in this life even compares. So when trouble comes your way (& it will), let God be your anchor. You are building your life on a firm foundation and you aren’t up for grabs.

Hebrews 6:18-19a – God has given us both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to His promise with confidence. This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. (NLT1)