If you missed what ARC is, take a few moments and read this post.

Many times when you listen to a message you end up walking away with only one point.  And many times that one point isn’t necessarily the crux of the message the speaker wanted you to grasp.  However, I think that is the role of the Holy Spirit – to make things pop out at you.

On Tuesday, we got to hear from Pastor Rick Bezet, Senior Pastor of New Life Church, a multi-site church in Arkansas.  He spoke on some key principles in doing ministry well.

1. Don’t forget about the hurting world.
2. Keep the Lord first.
3. Be very wise with your pace.
4. Be quick to forgive.
5. Be not afraid.

Great points all.  But the one quote that has stuck with me since was some advice from his mentor, Pastor Larry Stockstill, Senior Pastor of Bethany Church in Louisiana.

“Pray in the morning until joy hits your heart.  Never tackle the duties of the church until you have met with the Lord.”  I’m not sure why (maybe because it is convicting), but that has stuck with me ever since I heard it.  And it speaks to an overall narrative I’ve been working through for the past several months – I WANT MORE OF GOD.  Pastor Daniel asks us, “When people spend time with you, who do they get?”  Who do people get when they get me?  I’m not entirely sure.  But I do know I want them to get God.  I want there to be such a presence of Jesus in my life that it’s blinding.  And the only way to do that is that “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

One of the ways I want to accomplish this is that first time in the morning with God.  I love that imagery.  “Pray until…”  It is much like Jacob who “wrestled until…”  It is the posture that God has something good to give us, namely Himself, and we won’t relent until we have received it.  That is what I want.