What's going on with me...

Hello, Beloved… God has been convicting me of some things that need to change in my life and my walk with Him. Some of this may have an impact (hopefully good!) on you. Would you be willing to read about it in [a lengthier] Deeper Thoughts below, and pray with / for me? Thank you in advance!
 
But first…a few key updates:  

·      Everybody: Join us for our inaugural Annual Celebration and our next Covenant Partners business matters discussion, Sunday, February 8, 11:45 – 1:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome as we celebrate what God is doing at Mt. Hope, cast vision for what’s next, reveal next steps in our facility expansion, and our Covenant Partners will vote on key decisions—to include the proposed appointment of Ryan Sauder and Samuel Sierra as Elders of our church. More details to come!
 
·      Teens: Youth Group will be a bit shorter THIS Sunday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Snacks, devotion, prayer & connection. Let Jess know if your student needs a ride home!
 
·      Ladies: Our NEW Ladies Bible study got postponed last week, so you’ve not missed the kickoff THIS Tuesday, January 20 at 7:00 p.m. at the church. We are following the book "The Circle Maker" by Mark Batterson, learning to pray in a new way—praying circles around our family, dreams, and the promises of God!  Click here for more info and to RSVP!
 
o   Also… join us Saturday, January 31, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. as we make prayer and gratitude journals to deepen our relationship with God. Click here for more info and to RSVP!
 
·      Men: I’ve been invited to be one of the keynote speakers at a combined all-day men’s conference with Christian Fellowship Church and Reston Bible Church on Saturday, February 21, from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The focus is “Guys Growing Godlier.” I would love to have you join me, and let’s make it a three-church combined event! Click here for more info and to RSVP!
 
·      A memorial service for my stepdad and Mt. Hope member, Larry Motz, will be held on Saturday, February 14, at 11:00 a.m. All are welcome.
 
·      Our “Daily Six” video series is going to morph for a few weeks as God is leading me through some important convictions. More on this in Deeper Thoughts below…
 
OK…that’s it for you email skimmers and you who don’t want to know what God is challenging in my journey. BUT…
 
 
Some Deeper Thoughts…
 
Let me start with some good news… I think it is really good news.
 
We’ve been analyzing the responses from the 93 of you who responded to our Discipleship Content Survey in December. The results are compelling and encouraging.
 
Most notable to me is how the “needle has moved” in the area I’ve been most passionate about helping you with: your commitment and equipping you to be invested deeply in God’s Word on a regular, rhythmic basis.
 
One year ago, when we did the exact same survey, 68.7% of our respondents reported spending focused time in God’s Word either every day or several days per week. One year later, that number has grown to 81.7%.
 
Wow.
 
This matters. I believe the most foundational building block of developing an abundant life in Jesus Christ is to consume, live from, and dwell in the Word of God. Faith is built first and foremost by absorbing God's Word (see Romans 10:17). God reveals that it is His Word that accomplishes His purpose in our lives and helps us distinguish between the spiritual life and the fleshly (soul-based) life (see Isaiah 55:11 and Hebrews 4:12). It is the Word of God that renews our mind, cleanses us of our worldly way of thinking, and brings down unhealthy imaginations and strongholds (see Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, and Ephesians 5:26).
 
We’ve been relentlessly hammering our need to be in God’s Word. We’ve been investing hundreds of hours in preparing tools and resources for you to be in the Word. The results--and your passion to step up to this challenge—are stunning.
 
(**Did you know that the national average among the most devoted Christ-followers in the U.S. is only 11% reporting daily or frequent time in the Word? This means that at Mt. Hope Church, this focus—and your pursuit of it—has grown beyond the “norm” by sevenfold. Wow. Wow. Wow.)
 
I believe that our Daily Six video series has been an important part of this process, as we’ve grown together by being in the Word together—albeit virtually—and so many of you tell us how vital this daily video has been in opening you up to the habits, confidence, and understanding of God’s Word. About three-quarters of you are using this tool, and the correlation between this tool and such a wild sevenfold growth in the Word is fairly evident.
 
Which leads me to what God is dealing with me about.
 
As you probably recognize, it takes an enormous amount of time and energy to produce these videos. I love doing them, and so does Dave Firestone (who leads the technical and editing side of this project). Truth be told, in my 39 years of teaching God’s Word, there has never been a teaching effort that has borne such incredible fruit. Not by a mile!
 
But God is dealing with me.
 
As a result of the significant time investment and the recording responsibility that comes along with amazing regularity every single week, I’ve fallen into a rhythm that is not the best that God has for both you and me.
 
Here it is: Many times, I have been recording these videos in my own strength and without the singular anointing of the Holy Spirit.
 
Oh, He has been involved nonetheless and has tremendously used even these flesh-based efforts for great growth and impact in your life. That’s what God does… His Word accomplishes His intent no matter how it is sown or from what posture (see again Isaiah 55:11 and then Jesus’ explanation in Mark 4:26-29).
 
But God needs me to learn once again to depend on Him for an anointing of the Holy Spirit, and to not depend on my communication skills, education, and personal passion to push out for you a quality product. While a good and useful tool in your life regardless of how much of my flesh is involved--precisely because it’s God’s Word and His power in it—can you imagine how much more useful it can be when it is anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit in my heart and mind instead of my own strength?
 
Here’s how God revealed this to me: On January 8, I set my mind to seeking God without any preconceived agenda. “What do you want to say to me, O God?” was my sincere and unfiltered prayer. I got quiet. I came surrendered.
 
And then He spoke.
 
I felt prompted to grab a pen and write. What flowed next was an instinct. An unmistakable presence. An impression of words flowing through my pen that were clearly not coming from my own mind. This was the voice of God. Subtle. Quiet. Inaudible. Internal. But clear.
 
Here’s what He said… and told me to tell you: “Tell My people that it is My Daily Six, and the anointing shall return far stronger than before, but only after you [Chris] complete My assignment of surrendering your wisdom, efforts, passion, and muscle. This shall be an example to them that will explode their interest, for I have been stirring in them the same hunger [as you have] for an authentic Word from God. Tell them you will emerge from My prayer closet with a fresh anointing when I have finished a cleansing work in your heart. It may be some days and weeks, for My surgery is precise. It is loving. It is patient. It is gracious. I will be working this surgery in you, and I will also work this in My subscribers [to The Daily Six] as they learn to wait on me.
 
“Tell them this and provide them printed handouts to use for the length that I will determine. If they are faithful to prepare themselves along these lines, when we return—and we will, for it is bearing My great fruit—they shall be a well-prepared remnant of Mine who seek My Word with unrivaled fervency. And the longing of their heart to hear My voice will be abundantly realized.
 
“Tell them to print this email and post it in their prayer closets along with the handouts I shall reveal to you, and they that follow My Word in this manner shall bear My fruit—even if unseen.”
 
So, there it is. We are going to pause production of any new Daily Six’s until God performs this surgery and His anointing manifests. This is not about managing fatigue or a thinning down a heavy workload. It is about aligning with the power of God and how He does things best. It’s about following Him, not me.
 
In the meantime, would you do two things? First, pray for me. I need to boldly surrender to God in the closet of prayer and let go of my flesh and my strength (see 2 Corinthians 12:9)… a process which is quite useful to any aspect of our lives, not just video productions! Secondly—and far more importantly—will you do your own surrender and get in the Word of God every day on your own with God’s help? Do not depend on me--God is stripping us both of this—and search out His Word as He leads and empowers.
 
This is so good. God is at work.
 
With that, let’s meet in person!! We’ll be in Hebrews 13 once again this Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Don’t forget to bring your Bible and a pen!
 
Much love to you all…
 
Chris Eads
Mt. Hope Pastor
Friend
[email protected]