My church is doing a sermon series on Mark Batterson's "In a pit with a lion on a snowy day". The book is all about taking risks and not being afraid because God is with us.

I got really mad when I used to go to First Baptist Pompano. They had this sermon series called "40 days to know Fear". It was the lamest thing I have ever heard. The name Jesus was mentioned no more than 3 times at a couple services because the emphasis was on how you live, instead of on the gospel. It was like I was attending a self-help seminar  

I thought that these types of sermon's are not for me, because I'm awesome and I am someone who reads a lot of John Piper, John Calvin, the early church father Augustine, A.W. Tozer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, loves and adores Wayne Grudem's "Systematic Theology", contends for reformed theology, and reads books by dead puritan authors.

What's funny is part of me wanted to complain about how this "Lion chaser" sermon series is too easy and light hearted and that we need to be preaching deep theology while brining it back to Jesus so he is the main point of the service. Then I started to think, I am not saying I have achieved it, but I think since pursuing humility has been my biggest goal so far this year I realized I need to hear this series and I need to read the book. Because the truth is, I do have a hard time taking risks.

I have alot of money type decisions to make. I need to buy a car and I need to find a place to live in Pembroke Pines, I'm getting married, I need to get ready to provide for a family. And I don't make that much to do it all, but I know I'm supposed to do it all. I don't think my reason for taking risks is me bring selfish. They are reason's like, I don't have a new Honda CRV is because I want to have money in the bank so I can provide in the future for my future family. I would think if I was being selfish I would buy a car and an Xbox 360 right now with no hesitation.

So even though, the book is ridiculously repetitive, and some would say John Piper's stuff is as well, there is a great message in it and I think God may have appointed this time for me to learn about God ordained risks that I need to take.