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Who am I?

One of the hardest things that I have had to get over is my perceived value of who I am. I have always desired to be someone who made a difference, was respected, and most of all, someone who has authority. Through my 32 years, I have had many positions and titles that I thought defined who I was. As I submit my life to Jesus, and start to look at His ways, I am gripped by a reality that my position or title doesn't determine who I really am. Think about it, when you ask someone to tell you about themselves they immediately start to describe what they do, because that is how society defines who we are. It is entirely based upon what we do. So we go around with our important little titles and our twinkie badge and shout it from the roof tops (especially if it sounds important). Believe me, I have been guilty! The funny thing is, that in the Kingdom, EVERYTHING is the exact opposite of the world. The world says, eye for an eye. The Bible says, bless those that curse you, pray for those who despitefully use you! The world says to do what feels good to the flesh. The Bible says to not give into the temptations of the flesh. The exact opposite. And for identity, the world would say that what we do defines who we are. Guess what? Just the opposite in the Kingdom. Our identity in the Kingdom is defined by who we are in Christ, not by the status of the world. It's like this, Jesus' title isn't Lord, It's who He is. It's not a position but a function. Paul is identified as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, not the "Apostle Paul". That is a title that we give him. Pauls title isn't Apostle, that is who he is, or how he functioned.

Let's go a little futher. You say, ok Rob, I am getting this a little bit, but isn't it your title or position that gives you authority? I say only in the world does a title or position give you any authority. In the Kingdom, it is a function of who you are. Authority in the Kingdom is not something that is titled, but something that is given to you by another person. When you get pulled over by a cop for speeding, you didn't call him earlier that week and say, I am going to be driving this route later, would you please keep me accountable for my speeding. No, that is a position that he has been given, and it is his discretion who he pulls over and who he lets go. He controls his authority over you. But in the Kingdom, authority is something that is given to a person. My authority in anyones life, is only as much as someone give me. It has absolutely nothing to do with my position, but who I am and how I am perceived by any individual I have relationship with. If I have no relationship with someone, the will be reluctant to give me authority to help steward their life. Authority is not something the is taken, but it is something that is given. Think about it! The only authority that I allow in my life is that which I give to someone. That is why my identity is only based on my revelation of Jesus Christ, and what He says I am. Many people never get their because they look at authority through the eyes of the law and not through the eyes of grace! I am so thankful that I understand who I am, not based on my performance or my works, but entirely on who He (Jesus) says I am. WOW, what a load of my back, no more earning my way to the top, do ya get it now? I am sure you do. Here something: There is nothing you can do to make Jesus Love you any more, and the good thing is, there is nothing you can do to make Him Love you any less! Stop perfoming and start being who He made you to be!

Thanks Mr. Pickle!

I wanted to personally thank the 1st Church of the Nazarene for bringing Mr. Pickle into town and sharing his testimonies. I am personally touched and encouraged by the Grace of God that is on his life. I was gripped by the stories he shared, and the truth that was revealed through them. He is definitely a blessed man with a powerful message of how God can change a man’s heart. It is evident that the Lord has kept him in order to use his testimony to change lives, and I know that there are lives being changed.

While listening to him speak, one of his statements really challenged me. Mr. Pickle stated, “if we wanted to do something about the drug problem in our area, we needed to stop being scared of the drug dealers/pushers and snitch them out.” When he stated this, I immediately had a check in my Spirit. I have never felt the answer is for us to snitch on them. So I prayed, searched my heart, and dove into the Word of God. As I was praying the Lord revealed to me 2 Chronicles 7:14,

“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Our land is very sick right now. It is sick with bondage and oppression like drug/alcohol abuse, poverty, hunger, broken families, and division within the Body of Christ. What we need is to come together as “1” Body, seek the Lords face, repent for our wicked hearts, and then He will heal our land. Only Jesus can bring change to a man’s heart, just as he did to mine. It is only through a revelation of Jesus Christ that can change a person heart, and that is what it will take. A heart change in you and me! Please don’t twist my words by thinking that I am disrespecting Mr. Pickle, because I have the utmost respect for Jesus in him. However, we must be very careful to take authority outside what has been given to us by God. We must be wise as a serpent, and gentle as a dove, in how we approach this situation, because lives are at stake. It’s not only praying for the down and outers, but I believe we need to pray for our City Officials and for the Law Enforcement Agencies just as much as we pray for the oppression and bondage in our city. We must pray for all areas good and bad, and touch the heart of God by uniting in Love just as He desires His Body to be. Then we will be used to radically change this community as Jesus heals our land!

I am Blessed!

Wow, where do I begin this blog. I have been ravished by my Gods Love for me. It is truly changing my life. I am realizing that as I give God more, the more
He takes, and this changes my heart to His. It is a painful yet beautiful process. I am so refreshed with His faithfulness in my life. He is such a faithful God, even in my weakness, He loves me. He cherishes everything about me. Man that is good to know! We don't serve a God who beats us down, but a God who is for us. He is always looking out for our best interest. Unfortunately, our twisted selffish minds don't allow us to see past our own desires. It is very funny when I look back on the ways that I used to be and how immature I was even in my perception of who He is. God thank you for being so patient with me. Thank you so much for Your Mercy that is new every morning. You truly are the God of Grace! Ya'll listen to me, we have a God who adores us in every way! That excites me. There is nothing in the world that can change you more than a revelation of who you are in Jesus, and how much He truly Loves and Desires intimacy with you. I am so Blessed, knowing that I am above all things, I am Loved by my King!

Very Tired

I am so stinkin' tired. We have been working overtime on the Block Party doing this weekend. We are teaming up with Isaiah 61 Ministries (Donna Stephens), Westminster (Jeff Kundert), and a whole bunch of others which include my buddies from 1st Baptist Youth Group (YEAH). I am so blessed to have brothers and sisters in the Lord be a part of this outreach. God is truly transforming Hospital Heights (where we have been working for a year now). When you sit back and watch, you can see the hand of God orchestrating something incredible. He is pulling together His resources to change a community. I am so greatful.

Anyway, I have PERFECT POWER today! "His power is made perfect in my weakness". I thank God for His power through the Holy Spirit. So many Christians walk around with such defeat and weakness. Many of them are ignorant to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I am thankful that I have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is the POWER behind the fullness of God. A free gift to all who believe and receive it. It is like have a television plugged in into the source of power (wall socket), but never turning the power on inside the T.V. The T.V. is hooked up to the power source (through our receiving Jesus as our Savior-being saved), but never receiving the power from the source through turning the T.V. on. So many people never experience what life is like with the Power of the Holy Spirit. If you don't have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, seek it out through the Scriptures and allow God to change your life forever through the Power of the Holy Spirit Baptism. You'll never be the same. Trust me, I NEED IT! We all do, in order to have victorious Christians lives that are constantly conquering sin, not constantly getting our butts kicked and staying bound by it! Seek it, Know it, Own it!

His inheritence!

I was awakened to a new revelation this weekend. It was the revelation of understanding the price Christ paid for all, and within the revelation was an understanding that it is our responsibility as Christians to bring Him His inheritence. I know, you're saying, "what the crap are you talking about?" I am glad you asked! Christ was the ultimate sacrifice for all sin. Saving us from eternal damnation in hell. He paid the price of sin for all, and that is death. Because of His death, His heart is turned towards us as His vessels to deliver to Him His inheritence. What is His inheritence you ask? His inheritence is everyone you come in contact with, and those you don't. His inheritence are all who have been, are, and will be created. He created all for a purpose, so He could have intimate fellowship and love for them. So many of His creation don't understand they are His. And many times, because we call ourselves His (Christians), many people never experience that they are His, because many times we really aren't fully His! So what those who don't know Him see, is a lukewarm bowl of a person who only thinks about their needs. This is not His heart towards those who don't know Him. He has a desperate pursuing Love that persistently cries out for their souls. How would you feel as a father or mother, if your son or daughter had not ever known you, or if they knew you, and they rejected you. Some of you know what I am talking about. You experience that everyday! Just imagine if you were Jesus, He created all. And the ones you reject as you call yourself a Christian (being Christ Like) defiles the nature and the person that He is! Forgive us Lord. For looking through tained lens. Lord our desire is to see the way you see. We must have your eyes Father, give us your eyes to see Your heart. We are such shallow and selffish people Lord. Please have mercy on us. Show us your heart towards your inheritence. Give us eyes of desire for what Your desires are. Allow us to experience Your heart so we can be vessels willing to bring You Your inheritence!

I've been ravished!

I really don't know what I am going to write in this blog. I am just going to start typing and see what God does. I went to a conference this weekend in Indy. It changed my life forever! The simplicity of the Gospel came alive to me when Shawn Bolz (whitedoveministries.org) shared. You know we try to complicate things so much. We try to get this deep understanding, like we figured something out in God. We wear it on our shirts like a medal, and then we base our whole ministry on this revelation. I have to tell you Shawn has done this as well, except this isn't some deep theological revelation of the Word. It is as deep as it is shallow, as long as it is short, and as wide as it is narrow. In a whole it summarizes everything up in just 4 letters (LOVE). Yeah we hear a lot that God Love's us, but this was shared very differently. It was a man who has been ravished by God's beauty, a man who was lovesick for his Bridegroom to come sweep him off of his feet. Shawn truly had this fragrance (atmosphere) of Heaven on him. His message was so simple, yet deeper than any revelation that God has brought my way. I am drawn by the realness of this. I am captured by the trueness of this. I am left only to desire the same atmosphere in my life. WOW, Jesus a beautiful Bridegroom, and I am His Bride. Even in my weakness, He Loves me. I don't think the church on a whole gets this, I know that my life has been changed forever. My heart has been wrecked for less. I have to have and know more about my Saviors Love. Just talking about it makes it burn within me. Living with the Atmosphere of Heaven in my life, what do you think God could do with that? Miracles, signs, and wonders through anyone who will put themselves in that position, the position of being ravished by His Love. It's coming guys, we have to catch this revelation! I goto go!

A Glimpse of His heart!

I was at a conference last night (Friday) called "Fire in the Heartland". It was a conference on Prophetic Worship & Healing. During worship I had my little boy Judah (19 months) with me. As the music began to intensify, I began to dance with Judah in my arms. It was a very intimate time with my son. While we danced, we would spin around and around, and I began to feel the joy that Judah was receiving as we danced. At that moment, the Lord touched my heart and showed me a glimpse of His heart towards me. I began to weep as we danced. The tears intensified the more I saw joy and laughter come from my son Judah. I was moved to be changed forever with this encounter with my God. I realized that the father was dancing His son, that was dancing with his son. You see, the first son was me! As I danced with my son, Jesus was dancing with me. And as I experienced the Joy from my son, Jesus was experiencing the Joy from me. There's nothing like touching the Fathers heart, and having Him smile down on you from Heaven. No one will ever be able to take that away from me! Thank you Father for the dance!

Searching my heart!

As I search my heart, I see many wicked and lonely places. Wicked in the sense that there are still so many wrong motives and selffish ambitions. Lonely only because I refuse to allow God to go to the depths of my heart. My heart is very shallow right now. I have to get in line with Gods ways for my life. I have to seek and understand this Love that pursues me so perfectly. I don't want to be busy for busy sake. God change my heart to Yours. Teach me Your character and give me Your integrity. Show me the intensity of how You Love Your children, so my heart will be purified of all the filth I feel in my flesh. Only You know what the future holds for me. Please Lord, do not increase me in any way until I am ready and wholly submitted to You. I want to represent You, not Rob White. I give You all I can, help me give You more! (Please check out "My Photos", I want to introduce you to the Love that pursues me)

Is my schedule full?

I am one of the busiest people I know. The sad thing is, is that it is my fault. I read this article on Jordon Cooper Blog the other day that convicted the crap out of me. The article went a little like this.

Christians pastors/workers are some of the vainest people in the world. They get there identity from being needed. They pack there schedules in order to make themselves feel important. Look at Doctors, no one wants to goto a doctor that has an empty waiting room. You see, our importanct in the world is based upon how needed we are. A doctor who is busy all of the time is perceived to be an expert or the best in his field. Many times you see this in the Christian world, where pastors are keeping such busy schedules with their flock, but neglecting their home life. Do we really need to be so busy in our lives. Many times we are so busy that even God gets put on the schedule. This is a major problem.

I am sure that this wasn't word for word, so don't get upset. But there is truth to us finding our identity in our work, even as ministers. There is a rush that you get when someone depends and needs you. Unfortunately, we as humans, feed off of the feeling of being wanted. I know that I do. I have to change. My identity must come from a revelation of who I am in Christ, not by what others perceive me to be. I had to repent to my wife the other day, and explain to her that I was wrong for ever putting the needs of the people above the needs of my home. I have to tell you, she cried, because she has seen this and has been praying that God would reveal this to me, and He did. Imagine her relief. We all need a check in this area. We all desperately want to be needed and understood. But let us focus on the one who created us and understand how much He needs us, and how deeply He wants us to understand Him and His heart. If we would only get this revelation, He would take care of all of the needs that WE try to be God in!

Joe call me again!

Joe, the number that was on my caller I.D. was a calling card, call me back. Thanks

What do we do?

I have had so many calls since the last article I wrote in the Newspaper. Everyone is so excited, but no one knows what to do. So I am going to share a story with you

Mother Teresa was on her way to a speaking engagement at a major convention center, where men and women from all over the world came to hear her wisdom of how they could help the dying and hungry people of their areas. Unfortunately, she was running late to the meeting. Thousands of people sat waiting for her to get there. When she finally arrived, she came upon a homeless man who was hungry and weakly postured on the steps of the convention center. Mother Teresa approached the man and turned to the other sisters and said, I am sorry we are going to have to take this man back to our hotel room and take care of him. One of the other sisters stated, "But mother, we are already late for your speaking engagement". Nevertheless, Mother Teresa helped to load him in the car, she took him back to her hotel, she bathed him, and the she personally fed him. After she had taken care of the man, she then went to the convention center to speak to the people. When she got there, everyone was very excited. Then she spoke these words, "All of you came to this city to learn how to take care of the dying and hungry, and at the same time, each of you walked by the man that was hungry on the steps. You want to know how to cure hunger and need of your city, you must met the need that is before you!" (Story told by Pastor Andy, Church on the Street Atlanta)

It isn't a complicated thing, all we have to do is open our eyes and look around. There are needs everywhere. So many of us see needs, and we do nothing about it. We are so selffish with our time and resources it makes me sick. You want to be like Jesus then do something, stop talking about it. Give someone the hope that you have been given. Maybe it's just through a smile, or giving someone grace who has offended you. Maybe its seeing someone in need, and instead of giving them money for food, take them to applebees and then to Goody's and getting them some clothes. Or maybe its just calling me 765-599-HELP, and we will get them the resources they need. Do something, act like you are a Christian, stop talking about it!

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Shut up, and do it!

I have decided that this is the new moto for the Dream Center (Shut up, and do it!). Very direct, and harshly pointed. I think that the people of the world need a wake up call that is very direct. I am seeing more and more that people who go to church call themselves Christians, but in reality, they really don't strive to live that way. They talk about all of the things they should be doing, but they don't do them. I don't know, I am sure it is a mixture of self-fishness, pride, hurt, past experiences, and many more. People are just to busy for God. I promise you that there are only 2 currencies that account for anything in heaven. 1. Your Money 2. Your Time. There is only one thing that the two of these (Money/Time) have in common. Do you know what it is? I will tell you. They both represent your LIFE. Your time is the only thing in life that you can never get back. Your time is so precious, even your employers give you money for your time based on how much you are worth to them. So when God tells you that your life is not your own, he is speaking of your Money and your Time, cause this is the only thing that truly represents the importance of your life. God desires for us to give our life to Him in every way. But what we say is, "OK God I will give you this area, but don't go there!" We are such winey little kids, we live our micromanaged lives and when something doesn't go our way, then we cry out to God. Come on! When are you all going to get it. God isn't interested in your failed attempts to run your life, so He can make it better and you'll just go back to your own ways. He wants ALL of you. Your time, money, thoughts, love, effort, gifting, heart, children, YOUR LIFE!!!! He knows what is best for you. He knows the plans He has for you, plans to prosper you, to give you hope and a future. He desperately wants to give you the desires of your heart, but He will not do it if He can't trust you in your stewardship of your life. He wants us to be able to give all things to Him, so He will get the glory for our lives. Trust me, I know what it is like to do EVERYTHING on your own, I lived that life for 30 years. Only in the last 2 years have I allowed God to really have areas of my life that He could have, and this is still a process I am dealing with. But guess what, I am trying, and God honors our efforts. Anytime that Jesus had an encounter with someone, whether it be healing a lepor, or radically changing their lives in some way, you know what He would tell them? He would say, "Go and tell no one, but go and show yourself to them." People don't care what we say, all they care about is what we do, and believe me they are watching. So let me challenge and encourage you when I say, "shut your mouth, and do it!"

Unity.....

u-ni-ty (yn te) the state of being one, or united; oneness; the quality of being one in spirit, purpose; harmony; agreement; unification; a unified group or body.

The bible tells us, "how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity". Unfortunately, this is something that we do not walk in, YET! I believe that God desires for us to make every attempt to come together. Where I see the problem, is that everyone is trying to build THEIR kingdom instead of Gods Kingdom. We have our priorities way out of wack. We must allow God to change our hearts and motives, so we can experience the beauty of Unity. I am so blessed to be a part of a group of spiritual leaders who are coming together every other week. Putting down their agendas and schedules and meeting for prayer for Unity in the Kingdom and our city. These brothers are dear to me, there lives encourage mine. They drop their titles, positions, and doctrines to come together in Unity in prayer for our city. You see, God doesn't really care about Bethany Tabernacle, 1st Baptist, South Memorial Church of God, Christian Missionary Alliance, New Covenant or any other church more than another. It is not our doctrine that makes us any better than any other church or group. The only thing that God cares about is that we love Him with all of heart, and that we love our neighbor like ourself. I want to thank John, Dan, Jack, Mark, Ted, and Eric for being forerunners in the area of Unity. You guys really move me, and let me know through your lives that God is ALIVE and doing something in this city!

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A Cry Heard?

My heart is stirred with a multitude of emotions. I am tired of seeing the
people of Henry County in bondage and oppression. I am distressed by the fact
that my brothers and sisters in this community stay bound to drugs and alcohol.
I am broken by the 2 recent teenage deaths due to an overdose of street drugs.
I am sad that there is so much division in the Body of Christ. Most of all, I
am sick of people saying that they are Christians, sporting the T-shirts,
wearing the WWJD bracelets, and making Christianity their stated value, but not
living it out through there lifestyle. It’s like someone going to the Texas
Roadhouse and ordering a steak, and the waitress bringing them a can of spam,
wouldn’t you be a little disheartened too?

You see, God has put the Church on this earth to be Jesus to our community. The
problem is, there is very little community within the Church. We have over 150
churches in our community, and very few have any contact with each other. Are
we really building Gods Kingdom? God desires for us to be Kingdom people who
are members fitly joined together (The Body of Christ). Coming together with
our foundation firmly planted in Jesus Christ, and radically changing the face
of this community TOGETHER. We have to come together in this war of injustice
that is keeping our brothers and sisters in bondage. We have to mobilize our
people to bring justice to the oppression in our communities, not the justice of
the “law”, but the justice of “LOVE”.

We must unite in order to bring the full expression of Jesus Christ to our
people. Jesus didn’t come just for the Christians, but for those that live in
the world.
(John 3:16, For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten son)
The local church is the hope of the world, let’s start "BEING" that!

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