Challenging The Impossible - 3-Week Series

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The Manhattan Project - 3-Week Series

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If I promised a download...I will deliver.

I am working on another big download as I make this download available. I was going the "Manhattan Project Series" today but decided to wait until I have the artwork for the "Challenging The Impossible Series". I want to post both of these series together...because I think they are a great "part 1/part 2" series. I will explain more when I post the series...moving on...

Today I am making available a very, very rough working copy of my novella "The Great Awakening". You can critique all you want and email me. It's rough and in desperate need of a good edit...or two...or three. I said it's rough, right?

Just wanted to make good on a promise...also to email me your comments, suggestions, critique, etc... email me at jim.coursey@yahoo.com.

Download direct HERE.

This past Sunday I had the pleasure of filling in for an absent Sunday school teacher. I gladly obliged, as I love the opportunity to pour into people that are hungry. I was handed a book on the subject that they were covering and was very interested to see the subject matter. The book was Max Lucado’s, “Facing Your Giants.”

Here is a breakdown outline of Chapter 5, Facing Your Giants:

Let me get straight to it…

The story in the section of the book that I was given is the story of David on the run. Saul is jealous, envious, and angry. David is scared. In just a few short scriptures, his military career is over, his marriage is destroyed, and his friends have left him. So he runs. He tries to find peace in the enemy’s camp but that doesn’t work, they don’t want him either. So he goes to where there is no one. He goes and hides in a cave called Adullam.

The whole journey to Adullam can be described in three words…

“Discouraged”

Who wouldn’t be in this scenerio. One minute the prophet of the land is saying you’re the next best thing since ice cream, to only end up a fugitive on the run for your life.

“Disconnected”

Fugitives don’t have a home. They are marked men. They are wanted most of the time more dead than alive.

“Deceitful”

When David ran to the priest he opened his mouth and spoke lies. He had to lie and fake about being crazy in Gath. Sometimes desperation will make a man do things that aren’t in his character to do. We start to see a side of David that only God knew about.

All is not lost…David reaches Adullam and in the midst of the shadows, wet, and moist rocky surface finds peace and solitude…and much, much more.

He finds…

“Refuge”

At the cave of Adullam, for David, finds refuge. The word refuge means “a shelter or protection from danger.” The word was popular with David. If you circle all the times it appears in the Psalms that David wrote you will find that it appears more than 40 times. But if there is ever a time where the word carried a definite weight it’s in Psalm 57. In Psalm 57 are the very words he cried out into the dark caverns of black void.

“Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” (Psalm 57:1)

“Community”

As David stayed at the cave others came and joined him. The misfits, rejects, losers…you know the type. They are the same people that sit next to you in church everyday. They are ordinary individuals that have problems just like we do. They know what you are going through because they have been where you have been. They feel a burden and passion for you because they know what it’s like to be on the run with nowhere to go. They welcome you in as one of their own. My favorite line in this chapter was this, “David was king of the marginal people”. He was king of the ordinary average person. That’s me. That’s you.

Where is your Adullam cave?

If I have said it once, I've said it a million times...I love imagination.


My kids have been so creative lately. Check out their new creations...decorated lunch bags. You gotta love it.

Still buzzing today from last night’s youth service.

Masters Commission made their way up from the Oaks to handle the complete service. What a relief, right? This is probably like the fourth or fifth time we have had “MC” come and do a service for us. You know what I forget? I forget how hard it is for me to sit back and allow them to make huge changes to things. For instance, I deal with all audio and media side of things. The first thing MC does is come in and changes everything to the way they like it. I’m cool with that. I get it. I understand it…but it’s still hard.

Allow me some transparency…

My actual initial first thoughts were, “this is ridiculous”. These kids need to be a bit more respectful. They are only doing one service. We are here weekend and week-out. All of this change is just for one night? My outward reflection was great…but my inward spirit was struggling.

And that’s when it happened.

I looked up from the soundboard and was just listening to the sound check and I felt God speak to me. I felt God say, “You see these young people? You see them? I am going to build my church with them. Yes, they’re over zealous. Yes, they’re a bit eccentric. But these young people are change…and change is always what my people need.”

You know what happened after that? MC rocked the house. The worship was great. The preaching was surprising. The altars were flooded.

Last night I learned that even I am not far from placing limits on the next generation. That is a dangerous place to be. Lord, help me to not make the same mistakes others have made before me.

This past weekend I got to take care of my little ones while my wife attended the yearly women’s retreat. I was so glad to be able to take the kids for a while and give my wife a much-needed break. I tell her everyday how beautiful she is...but what I need to be saying more is how much I really appreciate all that she does for our household and family. I might be the needle, leading and directing the seams...but she is most definitely the thread that holds us all together.

Our 12th year anniversary what this past Sunday and I spent the whole day taking care of her. She was, unfortunately, sick the entire time. She got some sort of stomach virus that has had her sick for the past few days. As a matter of fact, her anniversary gift to me was they same stomach virus! Did I mention how thoughtful she is? Just kidding. Life throws all kinds of things at you at times...

Youth ministry tonight will be hosting Masters Commission from Dallas. Kind of excited. Always have liked the concept of MC. I will try and take a few pictures.

At the end of last year I got a hair brained idea to do a little writing. Nothing new right? Well maybe a little new. I decided to take a stab at writing a book. It didn't quite make the 50,000 word writing requirements, but it did make the "novella" standard at roughly around 26,000 words. Not too shabby.

Here is the thing...I am thinking about sharing it with all of you. All of "you" is probably like 4 people if you don't count my wife. I have let others read it and they like it...but the common critique is that it's rough. That's true. I haven't done any editing to it at all. I just wrote from the hip the entire story. It's in desperate need of someone elses input that can help me bring some creativity to it and show me the areas where I need to spend more time at.

My eventual goal is to release it for a small amount of money...and then give all the money to Speed The Light Missions. Whether as an ebook or a hard copy, I don't know just yet.

Anyway just throwing that out there...Oh yea...the name of the book is "The Great Awakening". Here is an exerpt....

"I do not remember the first time I heard His voice. We were told to expect the rushing of wind or the sound of trumpets. We were told a lot of things, but that isn't how it happened. It’s not how it happened at all. None of us asked for any of this, but the truth was we were divinely created for this moment in history. This “time” was ours to change. The Lord steadied His hand, guided our hearts, and with the smallest of voices ushered in a great awakening." The Great Awakening by Jim Coursey

Also working on another one for my kids right now that I have committed to making a novel...the working title is "The Sythian Key".n Key".

During my studies this morning...couldn't help but find this interesting...

Genesis 39 Vs 1-6 "Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate."

Here is a man that was hated by his brothers so badly that they sold him into bondage. Joseph had every right to be discouraged. He had every right to be angry. However, his character was noble, upright, and respectful. He did everything as it was unto the Lord. Take special notice of where specific influence comes into the scripture…it said, “When his master (Potiphar) saw…”

What do people see in us? Do they see what Potiphar saw in Joseph? Do they see someone that continually follows after God?

Our greatest influence sometimes is not what we say, or what we do, but is how we act everyday. Our “character” if you will.

What type of character are you?

Are you a Moses?· Moses was born in a king’s house. He ate from the king’s table. All the riches of Egypt could have been his. However, something in his heart pulled at him to see the error in slavery. Something in him pulled him to have mercy. You see, there are many who might make a great deal of wealth or might just be born into it. Moses could have easily have said ‘who cares’ when told of his Hebrew decent. He could have made plans to kill all who would accuse him of such a thing. But…it wasn’t his character to do so. The bible says he was an extremely meek and humble person.

Are you a Joshua?· Are you like Joshua? Are you being faithful at your job believing that some day God is going to use you in a miraculous way? Do others see you following the leader with reverence? Do they see you as the type that even if there is no one to lead, you will still do what is right by following God?

Are you a Jacob?· Have you done some things in your past you might be ashamed of and have gone back and made it right? Have you served faithfully to the promises of God upon your life? Do you walk differently now; do you have a limp, after meeting the Almighty God?

Are you a Ruth?· Are you a loyal and dedicated spouse? Are you the type that believes when everything screams hardship and trouble?

Are you a Samuel?· Are you a person God can count on? Are you a prayer warrior and a voice when there is none?

Are you a David?· Are you a worshiper? Do others see that about you? Do they see you as human and mess up, yet fall back on your knees to repent before the Living God?

Are you a Elijah?· Are you the lone mouth of God amongst your friends and family? When no one else will speak for God, are you the type of person that will stand up against tremendous odds and fight a seemingly un-winable fight?

Are you a Josiah?· Josiah is interesting. Josiah became king at the age of 8 years old. Upon hearing the scripture read to him, he immediately understood that the life that had been influenced upon him was so far from the word of God that he decreed a life change for Israel. He was the only king after Solomon who was buried in the same tombs as King David. Are you a Josiah? When you hear the scriptures does your heart burn to do what is right and pure in the sight of God?

Are you a Nehemiah?· Are you a leader when there are none to look to? Are you willing to take risk in seeing things restored to the way God wants them?

Are you an Ester?· Ester was forced into marriage. Like Joseph, she deserves to complain. She deserves to be delivered from that situation all together. Nevertheless, she made a great impact by her influence to the King. One of my favorite scriptures from Ester is that at the end of the book it says that a fear of the Jews went out all across the land, insomuch that everyone converted to Jews.

Are you a Job?· Are you the type of person that when bodily affliction comes upon you, you will still give glory and wait upon God?

Are you an Isaiah?· Are you the type of person that if God was to tell you to go naked before the streets outside preaching whatever he wants you to?

Are you a Jeremiah?· Do you weep for this nation? Do you continually pray for the next generation?

Are you a Peter?· Do you find yourself always talking more than listening? Do you ask too many questions? Are you easily rebuked? Are you the type of person is on the mountain one day with Jesus and down the next over a lie?

Are you a John?· Are you the one Jesus loves the most? Is everyday a blessing that you spend in prayer with Christ?

Are you a Paul?· Did God intervene your life on the Damascus road? Were you once blind, but now you can see? Do you know your purpose now?

I know I just went through a whole bunch of names. I purposely meant to, because we all relate to many of their stories. Each story told is a story that influences our life. Can I ask you one last question?

Who are you and what is your story?

I am already putting together my book list for the next year and thought I would take the time to post it...for good measure.

First and foremost...

1. The Bible

From now on this is always going to be on my number one list. I want to start reading the entire Bible from start to finish every year. I probably should've been doing this from the beginning. Don't get me wrong. I study the Bible like a fanatic...but read it all the way through in a year? I just fall short there.

The rest are in no particular order...

2. Tribes, by Seth Godin
3. Unfashionable, by Tullian Tchividjian
4. The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell
5. The Spiderwick Chronicles, by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
6. The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow
7. Talent Is Overated, by Geoff Colvin
8. The Story Of Walt Disney, byBernice Selden
9. Spurgeon, by Arnold A. Dallimore
10. Becoming A Person Of Influence, by John Maxwell
11. Culture Making, by Andy Crouch
12. Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
13. The DC Encyclopedia, by Michael Teitelbaum, Scott Beatty, Robert Greenburger, and Daniel Wallace
14. The Marvel Enclyclopedia, by Daniel Wallace, Tom Brevoort, Andrew J. Darling, and Tom DeFalco

Did you know that for nuclear fission to be possible it entirely depends on a chain reaction of atoms exploding one another causing a reaction several million times more powerful than the initial explosion?

Visit my atom concept here.

I don’t want to just explode. I want to go nuclear. I want to affect this culture with an after shock of grace, love, and hope. I want to obliterate darkness. I want the light of Christ to shine so bright that the fallout is revival. Are you ready? To be honest, I don’t know if I am…but I want it anyway.

I am the exploding man…

I’m looking to cause a chain reaction. You see…I am an atom exploding. The explosion in me is going to cause a great chain reaction that will set off the explosion of others. It’s my destiny to teach others this great fact…that Jesus loves them. He loves them regardless of what they have done. To Him the past is the past…but the future…well that is a different story. The future for them is something of providence.

The future is right now.

Are you ready?