Now.

During the next few hours many of you will be arriving in Atlanta. But Passion doesn’t start when you get here, Passion begins the instant you become intoxicated by the grace of God and determine to make every breath about the Savior who brought you back to life again.  Shake off the fog of lies that suffocate…and cling to the voice of the Spirit.  In Christ, you are prized, free, alive, new, washed, clean, able.  You are Passion.  And Passion is now!

If you’re on the way to Passion 2010, we’ll see you soon!  If not, know we feel your prayers from a far and will see you by the miracle of technology once the first session is streamed sometime Saturday night/Sunday morning.

So now we pray…
Father, what more can we say?  16 days.  So many words.
We need You more than ever.  You are everything.  Be happy at Passion 2010.  It’s all for You, Jesus.  Amen

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:12

Day 16.  Details.

Passion 2010 is beautifully coming to life as hundreds of volunteers and staff work tirelessly to prepare the way.  This morning (the morning after New Year’s Eve), it was humbling to see dozens of volunteers checking in before 8 AM!  Everywhere you look, amazing people are doing all kinds of things big and small.  And God is here, in it all.

We shouldn’t be surprised to know that God is part of every aspect of our lives. He’s not too busy (He doesn’t sleep), uninterested (He’s here with us), high and mighty (He’s a servant-King), overloaded (He knows the names of all the stars) or ambivalent (He gave His best for us) to be connected to the small stuff.  While He is a “big picture God,” He’s “intimately acquainted with all our ways.” Psalm 139:3.

God is specific (check out all the genealogies and lists in the Bible).  He is into microscopic things.  He first split the atom.  And there is no detail in your life today too small for Him to know and care about.

That’s good news for us as so many little pieces are assembled into Passion 2010!  God is not waiting until January 2nd to show up.  He is here in the details, too.

Things to pray about and be grateful for:
We survived yesterday, and all the Hokies and Volunteers (Va Tech and Tennessee) have departed after the Chick-fil-A bowl that happened last night next door.
Thousands of resources are being organized into an amazing 268 Store.
The coolest Do Something Now area is coming to life, a place where we will engage global and local causes for His fame.
Kneel, our interactive prayer journey, is taking shape and ready to welcome you.
People are buying towels and socks right now at Walmarts across the nation.
22,000 registration packets are being put together, all with various wristbands, maps, etc..
Our production crew is finishing the GWCC Arena today. They will have to wait until after today’s basketball game to start Philips Arena load in sometime during the night.
We will pack Philips Arena 48 hours after two Widespread Panic shows!
The weather has turned cold…but mostly things are dry.
19 Community Group settings are being brought to life.
Over 40 Team Leaders are cranking at full speed.
Over 1000 other volunteers are coming for the four days.
People are registering!  We are closing in on 22,000!  Come on!
17 Brazilians have hit a snag in Sao Paulo, arriving at the airport yesterday to find they had been sold bogus tickets by a shady broker.  We are working to find solutions and praying them here right now.
A car load of people are halfway here from Montana.  They hit a deer in Wyoming, but are OK.  Apparently, the deer passed away.
Our first of many all-day sound checks is going on.  Here’s to Kristian Stanfill and his band for an early arrival.

On other fronts:
Urbana (a giant four-day student missions conference) just ended in St. Louis with over 16,000 people. (Lots more details there!)
Campus Crusade Conferences are going on across the nation right now with thousands more students! (More details!)

So together we pray…

Father, thank You for being here today, and not just showing up for the “big moments.”  Give us grace to see You in every detail and each little thing.  We believe they all add up to something amazing.  We rejoice with Urbana, Campus Crusade and the other student conferences happening around the world today.  You are great, working everywhere at once to bring Your Kingdom here.  All of our hope is in You!  In Jesus name.  Amen.

“All this said David: the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern. Then David said to his son Solomon, Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.” 1 Chronicles 28:19-20

Day 15.  Stand.

Without going into great detail, there is a lot of spiritual headwind facing Passion 2010 today.  We are not surprised.  We know the days ahead will change lives forever.  And we know we are in a fight.

Most likely, many of you are also feeling the wind in your face as you make your final preparations for Atlanta.  Today, united all across the globe, we simply stand…confident that God is greater than whatever opposes us…confident that something greater than all our struggles is just over the horizon.

Stand.
Hope.
Believe.
Endure.
See.

“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.  Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD.”  2 Chronicles 20:17-18.

So together we pray…

Father, give us an enduring spirit today.  We have come to expect a fight on the brink of something large and life-changing, but we are too tired and too small to fight for ourselves.  Our hearts are waiting on You.  Fight for us.  Win the day.  Bring us through.  Crush the darkness.  Bolster our faith.  Be sure ground under our feet.  Fill our mouths with praise.  Fix our gaze on You.  Lift our expectations.

What foe can stand in Your Way?  You are our God and there is none like You!  In Jesus’ name!  Amen

Things to know if you’re headed to Atlanta to Passion 2010:

A schedule of the Breakout sessions for January 3/4 is now online under Latest Details at the Passion 2010 site.   Check out the great daily offerings as you plan your time at Passion 2010.

Towels and Socks.  Yep, we need every person (student, leader, volunteer) coming to 2010 to bring a like new or new towel and a package of socks for a men, women or children.  Together we are going to stock the homeless shelters of the city with enough towels and socks to communicate the love of God to countless people who will never hear about Passion 2010.  After all, if 21,000+ people who love Jesus show up in any city shouldn’t the less-fortunate of that city know the Kingdom of God was near?  We say “yes,” and with your help we can spread His love in a tangible way throughout the year.

Do Something Now. In addition to Towels & Socks there will be lots of causes at the heart of Passion 2010. Maybe you will want to contribute to a small business loan for a woman in Haiti, or help build a border outpost in Nepal to intercept women being trafficked as sex slaves into India.  Check out the Do Something Now area of the website before you arrive and come prepared to invest in the lives of people around the globe.

The Road To 2010 Arrival Podcast is online now.  A little travel companion, this is A MUST LISTEN for everyone coming to 2010.  The idea is that you download and listen to the podcast AS you are making the trip to Atlanta, not before.  If you are coming as a group, burn the podcast to a CD so you can listen together on the way.

Speaking of arriving, people are still registering as we type.  There is still room for you!

Things you need to know if you are not coming to Atlanta:

We will be updating our twitter [@Passion 268] throughout the event.  As well, we will be Playing Back the main sessions during the four days on the Passion 2010 website so you can join us from wherever you are.  The sessions will be delayed by a few hours and each session will remain online for a 24 hour period.

Join us in reaching our Do Something Now goals by clicking the link on the Passion 2010 Playback page (where we will be posting the sessions during Passion 2010)!  You are a part of this Movement, so we wanted you to be able to give, as well.  Please help us touch the world!

Please keep praying and covering us from the four corners of the world!

Day 13.  Humbly.

If God spoke the Universe into existence, and sent His Son into that world on a rescue mission of love–a mission He knew would cost Him His life and purchase ours–then let’s come to Passion 2010 carrying a hefty dose of humility in our hearts…that attitude that says “You are God and we are not.”

Humility is simply seeing God. Pride, on the other hand, is seeing ourselves. No one has ever had a glimpse of God and not ended up closer to the floor. He is glorious and massive and radiant and holy and imposing and awe-inspiring and intimidating. Yet, God somehow wedged all that into a Bethlehem manger in Christ so He could wrap us in His arms. Sin continually and deceptively puffs us up, making us think we’re larger than life, stealing our ability to appreciate all that He is and all we are in Him.

So, arriving at Passion 2010 let’s let the re-sizing begin.
Let’s tread gently.
Come reverently.
Loved and treasured by God, let’s insist less and say “yes” more.
Let’s not stiffen our necks, let’s soften our hearts.
Why act like we know it all already, let’s come open to whatever He has to say.
Let’s lay down our agendas and figure out where we fit in His.
Let’s surrender first, before He even asks.
Let’s stop assuming.
And demanding.
And ignoring.
And running.
Let’s bow.
And bend.
And pause.
And honor.
Let’s lift Him high and bow down low.

So together we pray…

Father, please soften our hearts so they can easily fit into Your hands and into Your plans. We are making a mess of our lives without You. We need You more than ever. Help us down to our knees where surrender ushers in marvelous rescue. We love You Jesus.   Amen.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; or He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care. Psalm 95:6-7

Day 12.  Bring.

We are convinced the kind of worship that makes God happy is songs that amplify His fame combined with hands that are outstretched to the last and least of these in His name.  That’s why the songs and the causes have equal billing at Passion 2010.  And why we need a shift in our thinking on the way.

Often we “come to worship” thinking mostly about what we are going to get from the experience.  But true worshipers come thinking about what they want to bring as they come before God.

Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, praise His name;
proclaim His salvation day after day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His marvelous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before Him;
strength and glory are in His sanctuary.
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name;
bring an offering and come into His courts.
Psalm 96:1-8

So together we pray….

Father, You are worthy of all our affection and worship.  We do not want to arrive at Passion 2010 empty handed.  We want to come with hands that are open to honor You and extend Your love to those around us.  Move our hearts with a level of generosity that mirrors Your kindness and mercy to us.  All we have is Yours.  All we are is Yours.  Take us and all we have for Jesus’ fame.  Amen.

Don’t forget your towels and socks for the homeless of Atlanta.  The towels do not have to be new (just nice), but the socks need to be new and for men, women or children.  Take some time to look over the Do Something Now causes on the 2010 website and come ready to make a difference in someone’s life as we reflect His face to the world.  Please forward, ReTweet, text, etc.!