kenmurphy.org

Pathway of Life

Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. Proverbs 4:25-27 (NLT)

Is the path you are on one that your wife, children and closest friends could travel with you? If you have found yourself easily sidetracked by the lures of dark pathways, take courage. It is never too late to change paths. Stop. Speak aloud and agree with God the path you have chosen leads to death, and confess with your mouth that His path, although narrow, leads to life. Leave the dark path behind, and walk with God. His path is well-lit , and in Him you will stay secure and have life, and have it to the full.

Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time

A friend shared this video clip with me, and I wanted to share it with you. This is a great example of character... doing the right thing at the right time.

Deadly Viper Character Assassins

Bottom Line: We are all a mess and we all have character issues.

If you're looking for a resource that will help you begin the journey to becoming a more whole, complete, and healthy leader, then check out Deadly Viper Character Assassins, by Mike Foster and Jud Wilhite.

From the book...

If you think you've got it all together, please put this book down immediately, dial 1-800-IMSOGREAT, wait for the beep, and tell the lovely operator standing by how you figured out all you've figured out. In your case, this little guide will be an utter waste of your time. But if you...
... are looking to be a better leader, friend, or person,
... want to learn a couple of things about the pitfalls of life,
... have messed up and aren't sure where to go from here,
We have ... a few insights on how we can grab hold of sustained meaning for our lives.

For more, visit DeadlyViper.org.

Coming Soon! Mike Foster will be coming to Stonecreek July 20 as a part of our "Simply Summer" series during the month of July.

11,610 Days Left to Live

"So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

A Momento Morti is a "reminder of your death." This was a new phrase for me. One I have never heard before. Ken Boa made reference to it in an article I read titled, "Paradigm Spirituality."

The article prompted me to consider the number of days that I have lived my life to this day, at age 38. If my calculations are correct, I have been given the gift of 13,940 days of life to date. Considering a life expectancy of 70 years, or 25,550 days, only 11,610 days remain. I'm no math genius, but I'm certain that's less than I started with, and I've spent more days that what I've got left.

If I had 11,610 marbles in a jar, and took one out each day for the rest of my life, how would that change my perspective on how I lived each day?

I know, I know... No one knows when they are going to die, and I could live well beyond the age of 70. I could also not live past tonight. That's really not the point. The point is being present in this moment. This day.

Imagine... Walking wisely. Growing in wisdom. Increasing in joy. Relishing and enjoying life to its fullest. Loving more. Slowing more. Noticing more. Laughing more. Creating space. Loving God... Striving less. Worrying less. Ignoring less. Contending less. Rushing less. Doing less...
Living!

My greatest comfort is this: All of this life is preparing me for an eternal, endless life with Jesus. This is not my home. Heaven is my home, my true place, my greatest calling.

"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

New Year, New Spending Plan

Happy New Year! If you are like the Murphy household, the turn of the year brings about the opportunity to evaluate our giving and spending plan for 2008. Crown Financial Ministries has some great free tools to help you set your feet on a path towards financial freedom. Here is Crown's recommended spending plan.

Gross Salary minus Tithe (10%+), minus Taxes = Net Spendable Income

Net Spendable Income Plan:
Housing: 36 %
Food: 12 %
Auto: 12 %
Insurance: 5 %
Debt: 5 %
Ent/ Rec: 6 %
Clothing: 5 %
Savings: 5 %
Med/Dental: 4 %
Misc: 5 %
School/Childcare*: 6 %
Investments: 5 %
* The School/Childcare category is added as a guide only. If you have this expense, the percentage shown must be deducted from other budget categories. Remember, all percentages must add up to 100 percent.

Merry Christmas & Freedom For All!

Jesus' Birth is Foretold
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 18:1

Jesus Announces His Purpose
14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." Luke 4:14-21

The birth of Jesus Christ was the beginning of a new story! This story would bring new life and new freedom to transform the human spirit. And, through Jesus Christ, there is no one who is exempt from the opportunity to be re-created.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Do You Desire Freedom from Life's Hurts, Habits & Hang-ups? | Join the movement at www.dumpyourjunk.net

2|46 Community

It is brand spankin' new and you will not want to miss this! 2|46 will meet Thursday, November 8, 7 - 8:15 p.m., Stonecreek Auditorium. Childcare is available with reservation for ages 4 and younger (register by November 4).

We'll enjoy a time of worship, prayer and celebrating stories of God at work among us! Steven will challenge us as we move forward with "one mind" and "connect with people and lead them into an authentic and growing relationship with Jesus Christ."

We'll also be sharing exciting plans for Christmas Eve at Stonecreek, where we'll begin promoting our January series, "Dump Your Junk." Our creative teams are already hard at work putting together useful tools to send your way as you connect with your 1Life and invite them to Stonecreek.

People are more open to attending church on Christmas Eve than any other time of the year. So, invite your family, friends and neighbors to attend one of our Christmas Eve services at 4 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. We'll be sharing more at 2|46!

Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart. Acts 2:46 (NASB)

Sheep, Wolves, Snakes and Doves

Check out this article on Matthew 10:16 by John Piper, posted on his Desiring God blog.

Bringing The Spheres of Our Life Under God

I'm reading The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch, and it is really challenging my thinking on the Church. Here is an excerpt from pages 90-91 (emphasis mine) that really resonates with me. This amplifies the central message God gave Christ-followers in Mark 12:28-31 to "love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength."

... Therefore, everything--one's work, one's domestic life, one's health, one's worship--has significance to God. He is concerned with every aspect of the believer's life, not just the so-called spiritual dimensions.

... To say this more explicitly, there is no such thing as sacred and secular in biblical worldview. It can conceive of no part of the world that does not come under the claim of Yahweh's lordship. All of life belongs to God, and true holiness means bringing all the spheres of our life under God. This is what constitutes biblical worship--this is what it means to love God with all our heart, mind and strength.

Ethur.org References Stonecreek

Mike Foster and the team at Ethur just sent out their fall newsletter. I was surprised to see where Stonecreek was referenced with a quote from my interview with Mike this summer on ThePornTalk.com.

Mike is a creative guy with an incredible passion to be a difference-maker through innovative thought and conversation. His latest initiative teamed up with Jud Wilhite, senior pastor at Central Christian Church, Henderson, Nevada, tackling the issue of character in their new book, Deadly Viper Character Assassins. Check it out at DeadlyViper.org.

So, this is a shout-out for Mike and his team at Ethur. Keep up the great work!