For the past two days, our Ministry Team has been together on one of our respective campuses, listening to one another and praying for our church.  These two days have been very beneficial days.  They are days where God has made Himself known to us in a special way.  It is amazing to see the diversity demonstrated through the unique, amazing ways God speaks to and works in the lives of these Christian leaders.

Find a time this day to have this “highly beneficial time with God.”

I am pretty committed to getting a Word from God on various matters in life. In fact, over the holidays via a friend, I was reminded of the value of seeing this occur in others, as well as yourself. Well, that led me to a journey we are taking with our staff team, and seeing the first day of it was very encouraging.

We are having a two-day, in-house winter retreat with our Ministry Team. Yesterday we were at Pinnacle Hills all day, and today we are at our Springdale Campus. Much of our time is spent in sharing what the Lord is sharing with us about our lives, our families or our church family, especially the respective ministries led by these staff team members.

I charged them to spend the last few days of 2008 searching and asking God for a Word from God for their lives or families or ministries. I asked them to get an actual Word from the Word of God and then be able to articulate it in one word, perhaps from the text itself.

Well, this was an interesting journey yesterday to see what God is saying to our team, plus what He is saying to each one of our players. It has been a blessing to hear those words shared by these brothers and sisters in Christ. You would be very encouraged if you had been with me in these days. We have many others to hear today and experience their journey with them. Then, the rest of our time is spent on priority issues for the ministry itself.

Any takeaway for you from this blog today? Get a Word from God’s Word for 2009. Then, articulate it in one simple word. There is no telling how many times you will be able to share this in 2009 and how many lives you will be able to touch.

May God give you a Word for 2009.

We got off to a great start yesterday on our series called, “How Your Family Can Have Success.”  The attendance was great, the weather was frigid, but sunny, and most of all, the Spirit of the Lord was upon our fellowship.  Let’s continue going forward this week to the glory of God.  This series gives you a great opportunity to invite someone to church.  Please take that opportunity numerous times this week.

Well, I called the College Football National Champions.  Some of my dear friends who are Oklahoma fans were not happy with my choice and obviously the outcome; however, Oklahoma is an outstanding team.  This year, they only lost to Florida and to Texas.  Again, when you see the lay of the land in college football, a playoff should be inevitable.  I am not sure that anyone in the country could have defeated the University of Utah on the night they played Alabama.  What fun a football playoff system would be for college football.

Last week, Meredith and Reese Caroline joined Jeana and I for a few nights.  Nick was at Liberty Theological Seminary at a doctoral seminar.  Meredith needed to come find them a place to live since Nick will be joining our team soon.  The Lord provided a home for them to rent in Rogers since he will be based out of the Pinnacle Hills Campus; however, his responsibilities will encompass both campuses and all ministries.  Please pray for their home to sell in Dallas.  They have had people looking, so we just need the right open door.  All we need is one buyer, not several.  May God provide that need.

Have a productive week.  Pray for our team as these first two days we are in an in-house, all-day staff retreat.

If you are a regular on my blog, you realize that I did some major football bowl predictions.  Today, we are going to evaluate how I did, PLUS, I am going to give you my pick for the National Championship Game on Thursday night.  Are you ready?

My record is 14 wins and 13 losses in my bowl game predictions.  I do that by faith, believing that Tulsa is going to finish victoriously.  I have faith in my friend, Gus Malzahn, who is, by the way, today becoming officially the new Offensive Coordinator of Auburn University.  Back to my picks, the great Kirk Herbstreit of ESPN GameDay is about .500 on his picks as well, so I do not feel that bad about my choices.

But now, who will win the National Championship Game on Thursday Night?  My choice is:  The Florida Gators!  Why?  It is simple:

• Meredith Floyd, my daughter-in-law, is from Florida.
• Tim Tebow, the great Quarterback of Florida.
• Defense, speed on defense, proven defense.
• Percy Harvin, speed, agility, some say the greatest player in college football.
• I love to vacation in Florida.  Look at this way, who wants to vacation in Oklahoma?
• I love to go to Disney World.

One sidenote of the National Championship Game:  Both Quarterbacks, Tim Tebow, and the Heisman Trophy winner, Sam Bradford, are both born again, on-fire believers in Jesus Christ.  I wish them both well.  To God be the glory for two great young men of God.  May they both succeed greatly.

Time will tell who will win . . . who do you choose?

I have a challenge for you to consider for 2009.  I am really committed to setting goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, reachable, and timely.  This time of the year, it is good to assess your life and future.  One of the ways we can improve ourselves is to try to set some of those “statements of faith” for this year.

1 THING is an emphasis we take our people through that challenges all of us to set these kinds of goals, then use this as a prayer list daily in 2009.  The 1 THING emphasis shows you seven areas where you can set these goals, believing God for them.  So my friends, take a couple of days to think it through and pray it through.  Settle it.  Look at it daily once you have completed  it.  Then pray through it daily.  Here goes.  Are you ready?  Get started now.

1.  1 Thing Spiritually
2.  1 Thing Family
3.  1 Thing Church
4.  1 Thing Job
5.  1 Thing Community
6.  1 Thing Personally
7.  1 Thing Supernaturally

We enter 2009 with great expectation. I have an expectancy that God is really going to show Himself strong in our midst.  I believe this is a great moment for those who walk by faith.  I am expecting God to lift us up to some great moments in 2009.

We enter 2009 with some caution. I will be honest with you, I do have just a small amount of caution.  The caution is not causing me fear, but hope and opportunity.  My hope is in the Lord, and I am convinced 2009 is an incredible moment for opportunity.  The caution that does exist is just do to the unsettled nature of matters today.  Yet, I have a peace much more powerful than the small amount of caution I experience at times.  God will see us through.

We enter 2009 with a moment of reflection of 2008. Enjoy the following pictures from the recent holidays and earlier.  We are blessed.  Look at the following.  God is good.