He is Alive
He is Alive // Spoken Word from Dustin Bankord on Vimeo.
Created in collaboration with Heartland Community Church Rockford IL , Red Rocks Church Denver CO, Mission Church, Ventura CA.
Video Concept by Carson Bankord
Written by Jodi Hickerson and Dave Smith
Produced By Sherri Bankord
Filmed by Carson Bankord and Scott Zibell
Directed and Edited by Scott Zibell and Carson Bankord
Motion Design & Animation by Dustin Bankord
Color Grading By Scott Zibell and Colin Gregory
Music Score by Corey Pelley (along with Jared Cacciatore & Gabe Zammitt)
Voiceover recorded at Side 3 Studios in Denver, Co.
Faith: Enjoying today while waiting for the bend in the river.
Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.” John 4:34-38
In John 4, Jesus tries encourages people to see by faith. He asked the women for water and led her to see that He was the well springing up to everlasting life. The disciples were concerned for His physical needs and were looking for food. Meanwhile, Jesus was concerned for the eternal lives of people.
There is a harvest. You don’t see it. You haven’t worked for it. You will get to harvest it and enjoy the day with those who worked to plant it.
Isn’t that how life is. We do not always see what is around the bend in the river. We are blessed with the benevolence of others. It is more than winning a lottery ticket. It is working and living with the Master who has created all things for Himself. We get to enjoy with Him the magnificence of His creation and His plan.
May we all have the eyes to see what He sees. When we are drained, tired and wornout. May we have the courage to see what Jesus sees. There is a harvest at the door and around the bend in the river. We get to live and breathe and enjoy His created order and His plan.
“Jesus, I am thirsty for a drink of Your Spirit. Let me enjoy the river now and around the bend.”
Does God owe you an explanation?
Who of us can tell God that He owes us something? How many of us can tell Him to contact us if He needs help?
Intellectually, the answer to these questions are obvious. God does not owe me anything. He does not need my advice. These truths are self-evident until life happens and I start to question why the bad things in life have happened to me. If I am not careful, my emotional response to a fallen world will cause me to tell God that He owes me an explanation.
How often are my prayers filled with my giving God advice on how to fix people and situations?
Intellectually I would agree God does not need my advice and He does not owe me anything. Yet life has a way of getting me to react emotionally and irrationally. In difficult times, I can find myself trying to tell God through my prayers how to fix my life and the life others. He doesn’t need my solution. He has made the world. He can make mine.
For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the Mind of the LORD, or who became His Counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:32-36
What you cannot lack as a Nonprofit
Enduring through the highs and lows to become a place of trust takes time. Heroism is not needed as much as faithfulness. This is not impulsive but it is intentional. Every good cause not only needs a spokesperson and champion. It needs a person that just does and the next day does it again.
Don’t hangup on the conversation
Image credit: davidmartyn / 123RF Stock Photo
In this global online village there is a struggle for authenticity going on. Brands are trying sell, people are trying to converse and millions of posts, tweets and updates are flying around each day. In this maelstrom of words, pictures and sounds that fuel conversation, we are trying to communicate and build trust. The new commodity is genuineness. Are you real? Are you really interested in having a conversation with me? Do you have an hidden agenda? What are you trying to sell? Will it help me?
