Passion Regionals '08 - Los Angeles
A weekend of worship like none other I have ever experienced. The Passion Conferences came to the West Coast this year (and right in our backyard of LA), and I was privileged to go with 20+ college students from our church to the brand new Nokia Theater. It was a short program (Friday night to Saturday night), but I think it made a big impact on those who never went to Passion, which was about 95% of them. =)
A few highlights:
- Worshiping with 4000+ college/young adults from all across the West Coast. Leaders included Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and David Crowder Band - all less than 10 feet away from me.
- Valuable lessons from inspirational speakers Louie Giglio and Francis Chan
- Our decisions ultimately draw attention to someone - would that be us or God?
- Not even God would waste time on those who refuse to follow Him (even though we do). That's why in speaking parables, Jesus is reaching the "good soil" - those people who really want to understand who God is. (Luke 8:4)
- The Holy Spirit is IN us (John 14) - such a promise helps us to naturally please God!
- Possibly the most glorifying moment for God is when we are suffering the most in our lives. When all things seem hopeless and the bottom falls out - yet we still go against everything sensible and say...."Praise God!" =)
- Joining with others to write the story of God by together raising:
- $54,000 to build 18 wells for African villages who don't have access to water
- Giving 2,260 towels and 10,500 pairs of socks to LA shelters, AND
- $42,707 to extend this God-filled weekend experience to Jakarta, Indonesia for 1.5 million university students.
- In Mr. Giglio's words, "all this from less than 4000 'poor' college students". Amazing what God can do, yes? =P
"Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." ~ Isaiah 26:8
Photo courtesy of Passion Conferences =)
2 comments:
"Not even God would waste time on those who refuse to follow Him (even though we do). That's why in speaking parables, Jesus is reaching the "good soil" - those people who really want to understand who God is. (Luke 8:4)"
Please elaborate further on this. Thanks.
Sure. What I mean by this is that though God loves us, wants us, pursues us...he does not beg for our attention. A lukewarm heart for God is tossed out. God is bigger than begging for our attention, and deserves much better than that. If I want God, I have to pursue Him and give Him my best.
Luke 8:5-15 is there parable of the sower where a sower sows his seed. Some falls on good ground, some on rocky soil, others eaten, etc. Francis Chan explained how strange this parable really is. A large crowd gathers to listen to Jesus, and he talks about a sower? That probably wasn't the answer or story that people were looking for. However, this parable is explained in verses 10-15 for what it means when the disciples ask Jesus to clarify. However, Jesus explains that the disciples understand the parable because it has been granted to them to know the mysteries of God. To the rest of the people who don't seek God, the parables are spoken so that "they may not see, and hearing them they may not understand".
Bottom line: If we do not pursue God, we are not meant to understand.
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