Coffee With The Lord

In high school I had a “tough-as-nails” cross-country coach (I could tell you the stories!) … But he was also a coach that always produced a winning team!  He had a theme he drilled into our running psyche – “NO EXCUSES!” – NONE! Regardless!!

I thought of Coach Crumpton this morning and his “mantra” drilled into our psyche this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” as I read the “excuses” of several people Jesus summoned to follow Him in discipleship and ministry.  Here, read it for yourself…

“As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I WILL FOLLOW YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” [in other words, “COUNT THE COST!]  To another he said, “FOLLOW ME!” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”  And Jesus said to him, “LEAVE THE DEAD TO BURY THEIR OWN DEAD. BUT AS FOR YOU, GO AND PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM OF GOD!”  Yet another said, “I WILL FOLLOW YOU, LORD, BUT LET ME FIRST SAY FAREWELL TO THOSE AT MY HOME.”  Jesus said to him, “NO ONE WHO PUTS HIS HAND TO THE PLOW AND LOOKS BACK IS FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.” (Luke 9:57-62 ESV)

Listen, just let me say, if you feel the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart and sense the beckoning call of Jesus to follow Him, may you also hear “Coach Crumpton’s” challenge… “NO EXCUSES!”  In each of the cases in this Biblical account there were “Excuses… Excuses… Excuses!”  Jesus’ response to His invitation – His summons?  “NO EXCUSES!” (Hey, I can still hear it!)

Great advice today from Apostle Paul during my time of “Coffee with the Lord” for the time in which we livel!! … I’m going to take it to heart!!!

“I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace!” (Ephesians 4:1–3 ESV)

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If imagining Apostle Paul in fervent prayer for the believers in Ephesus (Ephesians 3:14-19 – yesterday’s post) was not enough, in my Bible reading today during “Coffee with the Lord,” Apostle Paul went one step further and “upped the ante”…

He did something I believe we all need to learn to do… “HE TRANSITIONED FROM PASSIONATE PRAYER TO POWERFUL WORSHIP!” In fact, you might picture it this way… He moved from “!” to “!!!”

My advice, just as you imagined Apostle Paul praying Ephesians 3:14-19, now imagine his voice, his facial expressions, his expressive worship movements as he prayed these words of worship and thanksgiving…

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen!!!” (Ephesians 3:20–21 ESV)

Com’on, let’s follow Paul’s example – Let’s be sure to always “TRANSITION FROM PASSIONATE PRAYER TO POWERFUL WORSHIP!”