"Our society has no sense of duty in the committed and consistent view that says “I won't miss church for rain or distraction, tiredness or anything else.”"
It is a shame that the post office is more committed to their task than a lot of church goers are. Maybe I am wrong. I really hope I am. It could be that I live in Southern California and we are just a bunch of big babies. Any time a little rain falls out of the sky the news is broadcasting "Storm Watch" and the roads are flooded (no, not with water) with accidents.
So then the perfect storm of cold and wet on a Sunday morning and our attendance drops. I don't care who you are or where you are from if you are a pastor your hearts desire is to see people in church. What is worse than not having people in church is not having people in church for a stupid reason. I'll overlook traveling to be with family on a holiday weekend but a little rain?! Come on!
What it takes to turn this around is committed people doing what it takes to get to church. Those people when they get there have an encounter with God and then they need to tell everyone they know who wasn't there that they all missed out. Next time those who missed out might think twice before staying home. In fact I suspect the more fun, the deeper we go, the more expression of the Spirit on the small nights the more people will desire to be there. Maybe I am crazy.
What do you think? How can we help others to be committed to church rain or shine?
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Friday, October 30, 2015
Day 304 - Talking Snakes
"We saw the need to train our people more and get the Word and discipleship into their hearts"
This comment came after seeing the spirit of Halloween expressed in some our church members. There is nothing wrong with dressing up the kids (or yourself if you're in to that) and getting candy. We have no problem with having fun or even with decorations. Where we have to question is the expression of those things.
What would cause one of the children of the Light to want to look like the darkness? Why would someone with the resurrected Christ living in them want to decorate their house or their body like the dead? We were brought out of that kingdom into the Kingdom of Light. Our expressions should be from that place of life and light.
Again, there is nothing wrong with dressing in costumes or having candy or decorating. All three of our children dress up each year and get candy. We also have pumpkins and fall colors around the house. But with all of these things we talk to our children about life and death. We tell them about spiritual realities. We also encourage them to go away from where the current of society is and to stand for the things of God.
Many people who attend church and who love Jesus don't even realize how much the world influences them. They slip in to the patterns of society without a second thought. We were taken out of darkness so we should live in the light we have. As a pastor it is my goal to get the Word of God in to people's hearts so that they can have the light to see from it. All throughout the Bible you see the Word described as light. Jesus is our light. The Word is a light to our feet and a lamp to our path. The entrance of God's word brings light.
I find it interesting though that the devil is always trying to hide that light. He is a liar though. We need to realize that when there is a snake talking to us we are listening to the wrong voice. It didn't turn out well for Eve and it won't turn out well for us. When the devil comes like a slippery snake and tells us that everything is okay and we don't need God's standards or His word in our lives the only way to combat Him is through the Word of God. Even Jesus when He was tempted by Satan spoke the scriptures. The more we speak the more light we bring. And the darkness cannot overtake the light.
Let's shine the light on a dark night. Don't hide your light under a basket that looks like the world around you. Put your light on a lamp stand so all can see it's light. Speak the Word! Teach your children the Word. Tell others about Jesus. And if your heading out to get some candy...be safe and have fun!
What are some ways to shine the light on Halloween? How can we teach our children the right expressions on Halloween?
This comment came after seeing the spirit of Halloween expressed in some our church members. There is nothing wrong with dressing up the kids (or yourself if you're in to that) and getting candy. We have no problem with having fun or even with decorations. Where we have to question is the expression of those things.
What would cause one of the children of the Light to want to look like the darkness? Why would someone with the resurrected Christ living in them want to decorate their house or their body like the dead? We were brought out of that kingdom into the Kingdom of Light. Our expressions should be from that place of life and light.
Again, there is nothing wrong with dressing in costumes or having candy or decorating. All three of our children dress up each year and get candy. We also have pumpkins and fall colors around the house. But with all of these things we talk to our children about life and death. We tell them about spiritual realities. We also encourage them to go away from where the current of society is and to stand for the things of God.
Many people who attend church and who love Jesus don't even realize how much the world influences them. They slip in to the patterns of society without a second thought. We were taken out of darkness so we should live in the light we have. As a pastor it is my goal to get the Word of God in to people's hearts so that they can have the light to see from it. All throughout the Bible you see the Word described as light. Jesus is our light. The Word is a light to our feet and a lamp to our path. The entrance of God's word brings light.
I find it interesting though that the devil is always trying to hide that light. He is a liar though. We need to realize that when there is a snake talking to us we are listening to the wrong voice. It didn't turn out well for Eve and it won't turn out well for us. When the devil comes like a slippery snake and tells us that everything is okay and we don't need God's standards or His word in our lives the only way to combat Him is through the Word of God. Even Jesus when He was tempted by Satan spoke the scriptures. The more we speak the more light we bring. And the darkness cannot overtake the light.
Let's shine the light on a dark night. Don't hide your light under a basket that looks like the world around you. Put your light on a lamp stand so all can see it's light. Speak the Word! Teach your children the Word. Tell others about Jesus. And if your heading out to get some candy...be safe and have fun!
What are some ways to shine the light on Halloween? How can we teach our children the right expressions on Halloween?
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Day 303 - The One Percent
"All of us were focusing our attention on the one percent rather than the 99."
Most of what we worry about and fight over is small compared to the big picture. We focus on one percent of the whole picture. That one percent is where our frustrations and fears get the best of us and bring our the worst in us.
Today I had the opportunity to have a bad day. Lots of meetings, lots of needs, lots of stress. Frame all that with a problem with the sewer lines at my house and that makes for one crappy day in every sense of the word. I didn't let it get to me though. In the midst of all the stuff going on I took time to pray, exercise, enjoy my children, take in the beauty of a sunset and clouds changing colors over the mountains, talk to a friend, cuddle my wife while watching a show together and get in to the Word of God. When you look at the ninety nine percent versus the one percent it just makes sense to not sweat the small stuff.
Working with people it is easy to find little things that bug us. Personality quirks or inefficiencies are like sand in your bathing suit. You end up irritated to no end by such little things. It just takes a dip in the ocean or a quick rinse to get rid of the chafing. Similarly all we have to do is wade into God's love and mercy and remember how much He has forgiven us in Christ and it won't be long before we are ready to forgive and love others.
If we focus on the ninety nine percent we would overlook offenses, promote love and unity and get a lot more done. Just like the oyster that covers the little grain of sand over and over so that it no longer irritates we will find our days to be beautiful pearls to be treasured.
How can we keep our focus on the ninety nine percent? How do we effectively deal with the one percent?
Most of what we worry about and fight over is small compared to the big picture. We focus on one percent of the whole picture. That one percent is where our frustrations and fears get the best of us and bring our the worst in us.
Today I had the opportunity to have a bad day. Lots of meetings, lots of needs, lots of stress. Frame all that with a problem with the sewer lines at my house and that makes for one crappy day in every sense of the word. I didn't let it get to me though. In the midst of all the stuff going on I took time to pray, exercise, enjoy my children, take in the beauty of a sunset and clouds changing colors over the mountains, talk to a friend, cuddle my wife while watching a show together and get in to the Word of God. When you look at the ninety nine percent versus the one percent it just makes sense to not sweat the small stuff.
Working with people it is easy to find little things that bug us. Personality quirks or inefficiencies are like sand in your bathing suit. You end up irritated to no end by such little things. It just takes a dip in the ocean or a quick rinse to get rid of the chafing. Similarly all we have to do is wade into God's love and mercy and remember how much He has forgiven us in Christ and it won't be long before we are ready to forgive and love others.
If we focus on the ninety nine percent we would overlook offenses, promote love and unity and get a lot more done. Just like the oyster that covers the little grain of sand over and over so that it no longer irritates we will find our days to be beautiful pearls to be treasured.
How can we keep our focus on the ninety nine percent? How do we effectively deal with the one percent?
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Day 302 - Every Step
"God knows our steps."
Every day of our lives is fully known by God. He is eternal and declares the end form the beginning. Nothing takes Him by surprise. God is not concerned over or afraid of our future.
It can be easy to worry when we forget that God is in control. We were at dinner with a missionary and right in the middle of our conversation he had a thought brought to his mind about where his passport was. He had left it at home and was supposed to leave in a few days. It ended up working out because he was able to go home with his wife and get his passport before flying out. If he had his passport his wife would have been driving home alone for hours across the desert to where they live. God knew and took care of them both.
Hindsight really is 20/20. Many times I have looked back over where God has taken me and have been amazed at how wise He is. He knew where I was headed because He wanted me there. He knew what it would take to grow me and make me more like His Son. When we trust the Lord and let Him be in control of our future we can lay down our fears and know our future is secure. It takes the pressure off.
How have you seen that God is in control of your future? What has he brought you through that you now see was His plan?
Every day of our lives is fully known by God. He is eternal and declares the end form the beginning. Nothing takes Him by surprise. God is not concerned over or afraid of our future.
It can be easy to worry when we forget that God is in control. We were at dinner with a missionary and right in the middle of our conversation he had a thought brought to his mind about where his passport was. He had left it at home and was supposed to leave in a few days. It ended up working out because he was able to go home with his wife and get his passport before flying out. If he had his passport his wife would have been driving home alone for hours across the desert to where they live. God knew and took care of them both.
Hindsight really is 20/20. Many times I have looked back over where God has taken me and have been amazed at how wise He is. He knew where I was headed because He wanted me there. He knew what it would take to grow me and make me more like His Son. When we trust the Lord and let Him be in control of our future we can lay down our fears and know our future is secure. It takes the pressure off.
How have you seen that God is in control of your future? What has he brought you through that you now see was His plan?
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Day 301 - Holding Patterns
"I listened to Bishop TD Jakes podcast about transition with a lady named Sheryl Brady who preached at his conference. It ministered to me. She had some nuggets of wisdom. One was that we may be in a holding pattern and need to stay there because we are going to fly soon. We need to stay there because otherwise we, like the caterpillar in the cocoon, will have to go back to crawling. Second she said that God is our teacher and rabbi and speaks before the test and is silent during the test. He knows we can handle it so he watches how we take it."
For all those waiting on the Lord be encouraged. It is only in the waiting that the promise of renewed strength can come. God is faithful to His word and will carry it out the way He desires. Go and find the verses in the Bible about waiting on God. Every one of them has a common thread; waiting. In order to receive the promises you must be waiting.
If you're like me you don't like to wait. In a time and day where everything from movies to oatmeal is instant we are impatient at best. Over the years fast food and microwave mentality has crept in and laid waste to our processes by which we get to quality results. Many would sacrifice quality for instant gratification.
God will not be rushed though. He knows the fullness of time and waits for the proper season. He sees the fruit ripening and waits until optimal time and then immediately puts in the sickle. He may not be on our time but He is always on time.
That word 'wait' in the original language also adds another dimension to our understanding. If it were only about waiting we all would go nuts or forget what we were waiting on. The word is not passive but rather active. It speaks of entangling in. We are to be wrapping up our lives in God and entangling ourselves in Him while we wait. Now we see what we are supposed to do in those holding patterns of life. Wait, entangle yourself, on the Lord. Get wrapped up in God. When we do then He will do His part, His way, in His time.
Are you in a holding pattern? How can we get entangled in God?
For all those waiting on the Lord be encouraged. It is only in the waiting that the promise of renewed strength can come. God is faithful to His word and will carry it out the way He desires. Go and find the verses in the Bible about waiting on God. Every one of them has a common thread; waiting. In order to receive the promises you must be waiting.
If you're like me you don't like to wait. In a time and day where everything from movies to oatmeal is instant we are impatient at best. Over the years fast food and microwave mentality has crept in and laid waste to our processes by which we get to quality results. Many would sacrifice quality for instant gratification.
God will not be rushed though. He knows the fullness of time and waits for the proper season. He sees the fruit ripening and waits until optimal time and then immediately puts in the sickle. He may not be on our time but He is always on time.
That word 'wait' in the original language also adds another dimension to our understanding. If it were only about waiting we all would go nuts or forget what we were waiting on. The word is not passive but rather active. It speaks of entangling in. We are to be wrapping up our lives in God and entangling ourselves in Him while we wait. Now we see what we are supposed to do in those holding patterns of life. Wait, entangle yourself, on the Lord. Get wrapped up in God. When we do then He will do His part, His way, in His time.
Are you in a holding pattern? How can we get entangled in God?
Monday, October 26, 2015
Day 300 - A Shared Life
"They are in a similar period of life as we are."
I don't know too many people who don't like having others share in their life experiences. The joys and trials we have are too much to keep to one's self. There are proverbs from many cultures that could be summed up and brought together to say that a joy shared is doubled and a sorrow shared is halved.
We search for our place with others. Recently a friend of mine was talking with his wife and said he wished he had someone who he could just call and hang out with or go to a movie with. When I heard what he said I made it my aim to do just that and we had a great time when we finally got together. He recently returned the favor by encouraging me and praying for me in a tough time.
The Bible tells us that when you have friends you have to be friendly. That means you invest in the relationship. You stay in touch. Celebrate what they are celebrating and hurt when they hurt. You also have to let people in to your life. I have been guilty of holding back more than I should. I feared the risk of being hurt of I opened up too much. After years of faithful friendship I have been able to pull out the stops and let people in more and more as they have built trust and have been patient with me while I grew int his area.
Life is better shared. If you need some good friends I would encourage you to start your search in church. There you will find like minded and faith filled friends. Pray and ask God to direct you to the right people. He will!
What do you enjoy about sharing life with friends? What makes a good friend?
I don't know too many people who don't like having others share in their life experiences. The joys and trials we have are too much to keep to one's self. There are proverbs from many cultures that could be summed up and brought together to say that a joy shared is doubled and a sorrow shared is halved.
We search for our place with others. Recently a friend of mine was talking with his wife and said he wished he had someone who he could just call and hang out with or go to a movie with. When I heard what he said I made it my aim to do just that and we had a great time when we finally got together. He recently returned the favor by encouraging me and praying for me in a tough time.
The Bible tells us that when you have friends you have to be friendly. That means you invest in the relationship. You stay in touch. Celebrate what they are celebrating and hurt when they hurt. You also have to let people in to your life. I have been guilty of holding back more than I should. I feared the risk of being hurt of I opened up too much. After years of faithful friendship I have been able to pull out the stops and let people in more and more as they have built trust and have been patient with me while I grew int his area.
Life is better shared. If you need some good friends I would encourage you to start your search in church. There you will find like minded and faith filled friends. Pray and ask God to direct you to the right people. He will!
What do you enjoy about sharing life with friends? What makes a good friend?
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Day 299 - Stay Humble
"It is a privilege to do what I do. I do not take it lightly that the Lord has placed me in front of thousands of people to preach His word. This is my calling and highest honor to pastor people in San Bernardino. After the third service I saw a couple from our church walking to the bus stop with their leftovers from the cafe and their sodas in hand. They said hello and were so happy to see me. They asked for a ride and at first I said I had to get home to my family but then I felt the Lord reminding me of His word that if I had done it to the least of these I had done it into Him. So I pulled over and invited them in. The conversation was pleasant. The husband would say something and then finish with “That's good huh?” Most of what I responded was, “Yes it is”. As I was driving them to their apartment I noticed the people of San Bernardino walking around. Some with carts, some wandering, some yelling at people, some yelling at no one. My heart breaks for them. Most were stuck in a rut they don't even know they are in. Many wouldn't want to get out if they could...
...Tonight while walking in to the evening service I met a man who was walking in to church with his two kids. I said hello to him and asked him how he was and he looked at me and stayed quiet. His eyes welled up with tears and he started to shake his head a little. He then burst into complaints and frustration over his relationship with his wife. Things just weren't working out. I listened and then encouraged him and told him God wants his marriage healthy. I encouraged him to listen to the message and that God would speak a specific word to him regarding his marriage even though the subject would be missions. I prayed and sent him on to get his children checked in and get to church. The next time I saw him he was running towards me with a smile on his face like we had an inside joke going and I knew what he was going to tell me. I almost couldn't wait to ask what God had said and he couldn't wait to tell me. I beat him to it and asked and he responded that right in the middle of the message the pastor stopped and said "It is not God's will for you to get a divorce!" and went on with what he was preaching. I vaguely remembered it from the message out of John 4. He heard it loud and clear. It gave him hope and confidence to believe God and work on the problem."
It is significant that I wrote these words one year ago. I see how my calling as a pastor has made me who I am and led me to many stories like these two I share here today. I am humbled to be where I am at doing what I do.
One year after I typed these words I had my Sr. Pastor pray for me and I became the Sr. Pastor of our church. I can only say that God knows what He is doing and His plan greater than ours will ever be. I had rock star dreams as a young man. My plan would have been stardom and fame. I thought I needed that sort of platform to speak to people and be effective for the kingdom. How wrong I was. All I needed was to faithfully follow God, as I have over the years, and God gives more grace. His ability and power has made what I am today.
Humility is more than being hidden or soft spoken. In fact when I read the Bible I imagine that Jesus was at times outspoken and there are scriptures that say He could not be hidden. I know that Jesus was humble so that means our definition must be a bit off. Really what humility means is to be dependent on God. Jesus depended on the power of the Spirit and the direction of God. That is why He was baptized and went by Himself to pray was so He could follow the will of the Father.
It is no different with us. As we hear God's voice and follow Him we will have His pleasure and the power of the Spirit upon our lives. Not because we are so good but because He is so good.
Stay humble.
How does it make you feel when you think about what God has done for you? How blessed are we to be able to minister to others?
...Tonight while walking in to the evening service I met a man who was walking in to church with his two kids. I said hello to him and asked him how he was and he looked at me and stayed quiet. His eyes welled up with tears and he started to shake his head a little. He then burst into complaints and frustration over his relationship with his wife. Things just weren't working out. I listened and then encouraged him and told him God wants his marriage healthy. I encouraged him to listen to the message and that God would speak a specific word to him regarding his marriage even though the subject would be missions. I prayed and sent him on to get his children checked in and get to church. The next time I saw him he was running towards me with a smile on his face like we had an inside joke going and I knew what he was going to tell me. I almost couldn't wait to ask what God had said and he couldn't wait to tell me. I beat him to it and asked and he responded that right in the middle of the message the pastor stopped and said "It is not God's will for you to get a divorce!" and went on with what he was preaching. I vaguely remembered it from the message out of John 4. He heard it loud and clear. It gave him hope and confidence to believe God and work on the problem."
It is significant that I wrote these words one year ago. I see how my calling as a pastor has made me who I am and led me to many stories like these two I share here today. I am humbled to be where I am at doing what I do.
One year after I typed these words I had my Sr. Pastor pray for me and I became the Sr. Pastor of our church. I can only say that God knows what He is doing and His plan greater than ours will ever be. I had rock star dreams as a young man. My plan would have been stardom and fame. I thought I needed that sort of platform to speak to people and be effective for the kingdom. How wrong I was. All I needed was to faithfully follow God, as I have over the years, and God gives more grace. His ability and power has made what I am today.
Humility is more than being hidden or soft spoken. In fact when I read the Bible I imagine that Jesus was at times outspoken and there are scriptures that say He could not be hidden. I know that Jesus was humble so that means our definition must be a bit off. Really what humility means is to be dependent on God. Jesus depended on the power of the Spirit and the direction of God. That is why He was baptized and went by Himself to pray was so He could follow the will of the Father.
It is no different with us. As we hear God's voice and follow Him we will have His pleasure and the power of the Spirit upon our lives. Not because we are so good but because He is so good.
Stay humble.
How does it make you feel when you think about what God has done for you? How blessed are we to be able to minister to others?
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Day 298 - You Win Some You Lose Some
"No responses to the altar call but that is okay, I won't cast away my confidence (as I preached today!)."
This day last year was quite a contrast. As I read over my day I realized that I did some things well and other things not so well. Even with all that it wasn't a loss. We still had family time despite my bad attitude at one point. Even though the altar call had no responses I read several miraculous answers to prayer in the church service.
As I look over the past year I see that there are tough days and great days. Highs and lows and everything in-between. Life in this world is designed to bring us down. Strength is limited by age, there will always be more need than resource and we are warring with our own flesh and the spiritual host of evil we don't see.
With all that we desperately need to realize that we should never give up. On our worst day when we have fought and lost we are still more than conquerors. When things don't turn out in our favor or we did everything right and everything went terribly wrong God is still working all things together for our good.
Just yesterday there was a huge cyclone headed for Mexico. We got the word from one of our pastors to pray and we did! This morning my wife told me that the cyclone had downgraded overnight to be a tropical storm and even though there could be some flooding there would be no loss of lives.
Be encouraged. God is good continually and He never changes. The circumstances good or bad while we are here on the earth are subject to change. We will have the mountaintop experiences and the valley seasons. Don't ever give up or cast away your confidence.
Have you seen days like this? What keeps you going through the tough times?
This day last year was quite a contrast. As I read over my day I realized that I did some things well and other things not so well. Even with all that it wasn't a loss. We still had family time despite my bad attitude at one point. Even though the altar call had no responses I read several miraculous answers to prayer in the church service.
As I look over the past year I see that there are tough days and great days. Highs and lows and everything in-between. Life in this world is designed to bring us down. Strength is limited by age, there will always be more need than resource and we are warring with our own flesh and the spiritual host of evil we don't see.
With all that we desperately need to realize that we should never give up. On our worst day when we have fought and lost we are still more than conquerors. When things don't turn out in our favor or we did everything right and everything went terribly wrong God is still working all things together for our good.
Just yesterday there was a huge cyclone headed for Mexico. We got the word from one of our pastors to pray and we did! This morning my wife told me that the cyclone had downgraded overnight to be a tropical storm and even though there could be some flooding there would be no loss of lives.
Be encouraged. God is good continually and He never changes. The circumstances good or bad while we are here on the earth are subject to change. We will have the mountaintop experiences and the valley seasons. Don't ever give up or cast away your confidence.
Have you seen days like this? What keeps you going through the tough times?
Friday, October 23, 2015
Day 297 - Dealing With Disappointment
"It was good food. When I asked for the check the waiter said it was free because it was Friday. Thankfully we didn't leave at that point because a moment later he was back with the check."
Have you ever had high hopes of something only to have a huge let down? Or maybe someone promised something and didn't come through? It happens to everyone. When disappointments come we often handle them wrong.
Most of the time dashed hopes mean that we are resolved to never hope again. If our dreams are hindered or don't turn out as we expected then we resolve to not dream anymore. It is just too painful.
I don't believe that God intended for us to give up so easily though. Jesus was faced with tremendous opposition and suffered many things here on the earth. We find that He was constantly dealing with disappointments. There were times Jesus would give someone an opportunity to follow Him and the people would turn away because of family ties or finances. When Jesus entered Jerusalem He wept because He knew the devastation that would come upon the people and all the while He was with them and they turned from Him and even forsook Him and crucified Him. He is described in the Bible as a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
All that we know but think on this for a second. We are to follow Him. Even through all that disappointment and sorrow He never gave up. His prayers are full of life and future blessings. He endured the cross for the joy that was on the other side.
So how do we handle the disappointments. First of all you do what you have to do. When you are hoping for the free lunch and the waiter brings the bill you pay for it. Figuratively speaking of coarse. When life tells you something and then makes you pay for it later just bite the bullet.
Second is you dare to hope again. Allow yourself to dream. Also, be open to God's interpretation of the dream. It is okay that we are not in control of everything. If we were we would make a huge mess out of our lives. God knows how we handle the disappointments will shape our character and eventually our future. Purpose in your heart to handle the road bumps and roadblocks of life well. Slow down or find a detour. Delays are not denials. Your dream may be waiting for you on the other side of a tough season. Trust God with your tomorrows. When you do you can focus on today's lessons.
How do you handle disappointment? What other scriptural examples are there of people who gracefully handled disappointments?
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Day 296 - Make It and Take It
"It comes down to experience and courage."
This week I took on a new responsibility. As usual when I looked back at last years journal entry we were doing the same thing on the same day this year. Only this year I am in a new role. I have never been where I am at today (really none of us have been) and know that next year will be a different story as well. The story will be one of the grace that God gives to make me into the leader He wants me to be.
I do know from my past experience that I can do it. I can be what I need to be and do what I am called to do. It comes down to experience and courage.
You have to make it through something in order to have experience. It doesn't come any other way but through time and lots of situations that you came through. You wan't always come through well either. Many times we learn more through the negative experiences or the tough ones than we do with the positive or easy ones. What matters is that we made it through and we learned.
Courage comes when you know who is backing you. Some trust in themselves. Some trust in wealth. Some trust in their team or in their leaders. All of these are good but they are not the best. The ultimate One to be trusted is God Himself, Christ in you. When you know that God backs you then you have all the courage you need.
There are times that I struggle with doubting my decisions. I wonder if I am going with what others want or if I really hear from God. Along the way God has always assured me that I was going in the right direction or corrected my direction if needed. Just today when I was reading my Bible in the morning I read some verses that assured me I was headed in the right direction. It brought me to tears.
You can know that the paths you have traveled and the experiences you have had combined with the backing that God can only give are a set up for success. You can handle the day because God won't give you more than you can handle. He has called you to this time and this place. Be bold and take the day!
What experiences have shaped you? How much of a role does courage have in your decisions?
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Day 295 - Doing It Better
"We had our training for the staff."
Practice, practice, practice.
Practice makes perfect. We have heard it. Said it. Maybe even experienced it. But then we forget it.
Somewhere along the line we forget the practice that made us what we are today. Then when a new challenge arises or we need to grow to a new level we try and side step the process. Well...maybe you don't but I sure try.
I would love to live in the day and age that someone plugs a cool looking cable into the back of my head and types rapidly on a computer screen and when I wake up from the download of information I am well versed in sixty-two types of martial arts and underwater basket weaving. The reality is that we don't have that technology and may never have it because one, we are not robots to be programmed and two, God knows the process is good for us.
Athletes, security professionals, military, public speakers, tradesmen and so many others all know this principle. Practice until you get better.
We had an issue last year with our staff that we wanted to get better at. We wanted to get better at saying hello. It may seem like overkill but we actually practiced saying hello. The neat thing was that after we practiced we talked about our experiences and it helped us to process how we could get better at greeting people and providing a welcome environment for our church.
Who knew that it wasn't just a clever saying for kids? Practice makes perfect.
How does this principle apply to you? What do you need to practice so you can better at it?
Practice, practice, practice.
Practice makes perfect. We have heard it. Said it. Maybe even experienced it. But then we forget it.
Somewhere along the line we forget the practice that made us what we are today. Then when a new challenge arises or we need to grow to a new level we try and side step the process. Well...maybe you don't but I sure try.
I would love to live in the day and age that someone plugs a cool looking cable into the back of my head and types rapidly on a computer screen and when I wake up from the download of information I am well versed in sixty-two types of martial arts and underwater basket weaving. The reality is that we don't have that technology and may never have it because one, we are not robots to be programmed and two, God knows the process is good for us.
Athletes, security professionals, military, public speakers, tradesmen and so many others all know this principle. Practice until you get better.
We had an issue last year with our staff that we wanted to get better at. We wanted to get better at saying hello. It may seem like overkill but we actually practiced saying hello. The neat thing was that after we practiced we talked about our experiences and it helped us to process how we could get better at greeting people and providing a welcome environment for our church.
Who knew that it wasn't just a clever saying for kids? Practice makes perfect.
How does this principle apply to you? What do you need to practice so you can better at it?
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Day 294 - The End of Your Life
"Nana was gone. Her closest relatives had all came today to say goodbye. Jess wrote the following in an e-mail to our staff: The family has said goodbye to our beautiful nana Ellen. Tonight she closed her eyes and woke up with our Jesus. She was the best mom, and grandma anyone could have. She loved people with all her heart and she loved Jesus."
I could have included my entire journal entry from this day last year but I am sure you don't want to read the details of soccer practice and grocery shopping in between the point of what this day was all about. Here was a woman who simply loved people and loved Jesus. She would recall her favorite moments again and again and loved to talk. She had a flare for life. She would order things from Home Shopping Network and immediately return it or tuck it away and never use it. We all laughed about it with her. She loved to cook for her family.
All these things are happy memories but even more so they are her legacy and they have have shaped individuals and families. The real point of what I am saying here is not about my wife's Nana. It is really about you. What will people say when you are gone? What will the legacy be that you leave?
Life is too short to mess around. We must love passionately and let people know we love them. We must witness like Jesus is coming back today (because if it was the Will of the Father He could). We must work and build for the future and for our families and future generations. As we do the legacy we leave will be one worth having.
You may have heard the story of the man who had been working with explosives and became wealthy through his work. When his brother passed away there was an error in the newspaper and the reporter did an obituary on this man instead of his brother. It was all about how he had merchandised death and his life was destructive from that point of view. The man decided to change his legacy and poured himself into more honorable pursuits and rewarded others for the same. That man was Alfred Nobel who the Nobel Peace Prize is named after.
If you don't like the answer you came up with when I asked what would people say about you then it is time to make some changes. You can as long as you have breath in your lungs. It is like a friend of mine used to say to me from his seat in a wheelchair with a smile on his face; 'Any day above ground is a good one.' Now I happen to know that the day of a Christian's death is much better than thousands of days here on the earth but I get what he was saying.
Let's live and love and leave a legacy so that when we go into eternity people speak of the wonderful things we have done and the impact we had on their lives.
If you could write your own obituary what would it say? Are there any that you have heard of or read in the Bible or somewhere else that you admired the person after hearing it? Who and why?
I could have included my entire journal entry from this day last year but I am sure you don't want to read the details of soccer practice and grocery shopping in between the point of what this day was all about. Here was a woman who simply loved people and loved Jesus. She would recall her favorite moments again and again and loved to talk. She had a flare for life. She would order things from Home Shopping Network and immediately return it or tuck it away and never use it. We all laughed about it with her. She loved to cook for her family.
All these things are happy memories but even more so they are her legacy and they have have shaped individuals and families. The real point of what I am saying here is not about my wife's Nana. It is really about you. What will people say when you are gone? What will the legacy be that you leave?
Life is too short to mess around. We must love passionately and let people know we love them. We must witness like Jesus is coming back today (because if it was the Will of the Father He could). We must work and build for the future and for our families and future generations. As we do the legacy we leave will be one worth having.
You may have heard the story of the man who had been working with explosives and became wealthy through his work. When his brother passed away there was an error in the newspaper and the reporter did an obituary on this man instead of his brother. It was all about how he had merchandised death and his life was destructive from that point of view. The man decided to change his legacy and poured himself into more honorable pursuits and rewarded others for the same. That man was Alfred Nobel who the Nobel Peace Prize is named after.
If you don't like the answer you came up with when I asked what would people say about you then it is time to make some changes. You can as long as you have breath in your lungs. It is like a friend of mine used to say to me from his seat in a wheelchair with a smile on his face; 'Any day above ground is a good one.' Now I happen to know that the day of a Christian's death is much better than thousands of days here on the earth but I get what he was saying.
Let's live and love and leave a legacy so that when we go into eternity people speak of the wonderful things we have done and the impact we had on their lives.
If you could write your own obituary what would it say? Are there any that you have heard of or read in the Bible or somewhere else that you admired the person after hearing it? Who and why?
Day 293 - Phases of Life
"It is getting dark earlier and people in our family keep noting it."
Seasons are a constant reminder to us that life changes. One of our pastors who I respect very much told me that the times, days, seasons and celebrations are God's way of giving us reminders and opportunities to see important life lessons on a yearly basis. I see the wisdom in that statement because I often am brought back to concepts when seasons change or special days of the year come around.
I wonder how much we would talk about Jesus' birth if we didn't have a yearly day set aside for us to celebrate. Would we remember the cross and the resurrection like we should without a yearly reminder?
I often encourage people that holidays, anniversaries and birthdays should be celebrated. Make a big deal of your family and marriage and children. Celebrate big time and express love and appreciation. I just went to a ten year anniversary of a church and was so happy that I could pray for them and encourage them that their work was vital and their labors are making a difference.
In the Old Testament you see God commanding the children of Israel to celebrate multiple times a year. If He hadn't they may have worked themselves to death! What He was doing was causing them to pause and take notice. Jesus said the Old Testament scriptures pointed to Him so really these feasts and yearly celebrations were pointing them to the One who was to come. It is no different for us today except that we are looking back on the finished work of Jesus.
As the holiday season approaches remember to pause and take notice of who God is, what Jesus has done and what the Holy Spirit is speaking to you in this season.
What is your favorite season or holiday? In that season or holiday how does it point you to God?
Seasons are a constant reminder to us that life changes. One of our pastors who I respect very much told me that the times, days, seasons and celebrations are God's way of giving us reminders and opportunities to see important life lessons on a yearly basis. I see the wisdom in that statement because I often am brought back to concepts when seasons change or special days of the year come around.
I wonder how much we would talk about Jesus' birth if we didn't have a yearly day set aside for us to celebrate. Would we remember the cross and the resurrection like we should without a yearly reminder?
I often encourage people that holidays, anniversaries and birthdays should be celebrated. Make a big deal of your family and marriage and children. Celebrate big time and express love and appreciation. I just went to a ten year anniversary of a church and was so happy that I could pray for them and encourage them that their work was vital and their labors are making a difference.
In the Old Testament you see God commanding the children of Israel to celebrate multiple times a year. If He hadn't they may have worked themselves to death! What He was doing was causing them to pause and take notice. Jesus said the Old Testament scriptures pointed to Him so really these feasts and yearly celebrations were pointing them to the One who was to come. It is no different for us today except that we are looking back on the finished work of Jesus.
As the holiday season approaches remember to pause and take notice of who God is, what Jesus has done and what the Holy Spirit is speaking to you in this season.
What is your favorite season or holiday? In that season or holiday how does it point you to God?
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Day 292 - Work For It
"I had to work for it."
Yesterday we talked about worth. Today is work. Many people don't like work. I understand why. It is unpleasant to the flesh. If we could have results without work we would take it. That is not the way it happens though. Without work there are no results.
It is a great encouragement that God is a worker. We are introduced to the Creator of all things in the book of Genesis as He works. Jesus said that He and the Father were working since time began. The Holy Spirit has a work He is doing in all of us.
We are to be imitators of Christ. That imitation includes working. If we do then we will eat the fruit of our labors. That is the reward of our work. We get to the 'it' we had to work for. Whatever that 'it' is.
How do we do the works Jesus did? What satisfaction is there in our work?
Yesterday we talked about worth. Today is work. Many people don't like work. I understand why. It is unpleasant to the flesh. If we could have results without work we would take it. That is not the way it happens though. Without work there are no results.
It is a great encouragement that God is a worker. We are introduced to the Creator of all things in the book of Genesis as He works. Jesus said that He and the Father were working since time began. The Holy Spirit has a work He is doing in all of us.
We are to be imitators of Christ. That imitation includes working. If we do then we will eat the fruit of our labors. That is the reward of our work. We get to the 'it' we had to work for. Whatever that 'it' is.
How do we do the works Jesus did? What satisfaction is there in our work?
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Day 291 - The Worth You Have
"God was waiting for them to come. So I had them sing the song again and closed my eyes and waited on the Lord to do His work in the hearts. When I opened my eyes there was a woman standing in front in tears. It is worth it to go after souls."
Read that last line again.
You are worth going after. I am worth going after. I know that because the God of the universe, Creator of all things, Author and Most High went after us. He looked at our condition and patiently waited for us. In the fullness of time when He had given us all we needed to prepare for His coming He came down to our level. Jesus, the Son of God, God in the flesh, came for us. He showed us God's heart in word and then in deed as He died on the cross.
He saw us as worth dying for. He saw us as worth waiting for. He is still waiting. Lest anyone think that God sends people to Hell or is happy about people going to Hell consider that God is patiently waiting for the full number of people to come in to salvation from Hell. He knows that exact moment. In fact when you see the events unfolding in Revelation realize that even through catastrophe and demonic attacks like we have never seen He is still offering salvation to those who will believe.
Our worth is not based on our goodness. Our worth is based on His goodness and love for us. The value of something is placed by what someone will pay for it. God payed the ultimate price for humanity with the purchase price of the life of His Son Jesus.
The next time you think that you are worthless, too stupid, too ugly, too sinful, or too whatever else, remember that God is too in love to leave you there. He wants you. He loves you. You are worth it. I am worth it.
Lastly, others are worth it. If you have experienced the saving power of Jesus then God wants to live His life through you and save others. Just like we needed Jesus so do those who are lost and don't even know it. These are people who Jesus died for. They are worth my life being lived in a way that witnesses the goodness of God to them. I will unashamedly and unreservedly tell people about Jesus because they are worth going after.
Have you received this wonderful saving goodness of God? If not click here and watch the video.
What amazes you about the goodness of God? How can we let others know they are worth going after?
Friday, October 16, 2015
Day 290 - Do Overs
"It was better this time around."
When my wife and I were running the young adults ministry at our church we tried a lot of things. Beach trips, dances and events were regular events for us. We have some stories of fights with flying rocks, socks filled with flour being whipped on people (not a good game idea), exhaustion and sunburns. And that list was just one trip!
Something happened that made us stand up and take notice. We did a dance and it flopped. We had one girl on the dance floor and about five people watching. We decided right then and there we would never do a dance again.
Years later we had a few interns that wanted to do a dance. We told them of our failure and how it wouldn't work. They persisted and told us they would own the flop if it failed. We reluctantly agreed with a caution to guard their hearts in case it didn't work out the way they thought it would.
We were surprised that the night of the dance there were roughly thirty people dancing and a bunch more hanging out, talking and enjoying the night. We had a realization that it was the right time for this idea.
For all of us we have had things we tried that failed or didn't have the success we thought it would. It may be that the timing was off. If you are open to a second try and not afraid of a second failure you may find success the second time around.
Have you seen success the second time around? What do you think made the difference?
When my wife and I were running the young adults ministry at our church we tried a lot of things. Beach trips, dances and events were regular events for us. We have some stories of fights with flying rocks, socks filled with flour being whipped on people (not a good game idea), exhaustion and sunburns. And that list was just one trip!
Something happened that made us stand up and take notice. We did a dance and it flopped. We had one girl on the dance floor and about five people watching. We decided right then and there we would never do a dance again.
Years later we had a few interns that wanted to do a dance. We told them of our failure and how it wouldn't work. They persisted and told us they would own the flop if it failed. We reluctantly agreed with a caution to guard their hearts in case it didn't work out the way they thought it would.
We were surprised that the night of the dance there were roughly thirty people dancing and a bunch more hanging out, talking and enjoying the night. We had a realization that it was the right time for this idea.
For all of us we have had things we tried that failed or didn't have the success we thought it would. It may be that the timing was off. If you are open to a second try and not afraid of a second failure you may find success the second time around.
Have you seen success the second time around? What do you think made the difference?
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Day 289 - Playing the Silence
"I stayed silent so as to not sin with my mouth or speak rashly."
In music there is a note that you intentionally play silence. It is called a rest. I believe that there are times we need to give our tongues a rest.
Many times silence is the best answer. I have found that if I can be slow to anger and slow to speak I will not only have all the information I need but I can also calculate my answers and people will listen more because I haven't been talking. In fact, the Bible says in Proverbs that where words are in abundance sin is not absent.
Our tongues steer our lives. When we talk out of emotion or condition we run the risk of steering in the wrong direction. I would rather play the rest and focus my heart to speak the Word of God so I get going in the right direction.
It will not only help our direction but our relationships, marriages, parenting, work and witness. When we can think properly and communicate in a way that imparts grace and our speech is seasoned with salt who wouldn't want to hear what we have to say? You have to play the rest so that when your part comes in it is harmonious with the other voices.
The most important voice we want to be in agreement with is God's voice. If I fly off the handle or allow anger and bitterness to spring forth from my lips then I am in opposition to the Word of God. When I play the rest and then speak in turn with what God says then I will have the pleasure of God and the power of God on my side.
As you go throughout your day take time to listen. If you are confronted with sour attitudes or situations that make your blood boil don't be like the tea kettle that whistles out to let everyone know how hot you are. If you can submit your tongue to the power of the Holy Spirit, play the rest and stay silent, then when you speak it will be graceful loving words that build instead of break.
Is it a struggle for you to stay silent or do you wish you could speak up more? How do you know what the appropriate time and place to speak is?
In music there is a note that you intentionally play silence. It is called a rest. I believe that there are times we need to give our tongues a rest.
Many times silence is the best answer. I have found that if I can be slow to anger and slow to speak I will not only have all the information I need but I can also calculate my answers and people will listen more because I haven't been talking. In fact, the Bible says in Proverbs that where words are in abundance sin is not absent.
Our tongues steer our lives. When we talk out of emotion or condition we run the risk of steering in the wrong direction. I would rather play the rest and focus my heart to speak the Word of God so I get going in the right direction.
It will not only help our direction but our relationships, marriages, parenting, work and witness. When we can think properly and communicate in a way that imparts grace and our speech is seasoned with salt who wouldn't want to hear what we have to say? You have to play the rest so that when your part comes in it is harmonious with the other voices.
The most important voice we want to be in agreement with is God's voice. If I fly off the handle or allow anger and bitterness to spring forth from my lips then I am in opposition to the Word of God. When I play the rest and then speak in turn with what God says then I will have the pleasure of God and the power of God on my side.
As you go throughout your day take time to listen. If you are confronted with sour attitudes or situations that make your blood boil don't be like the tea kettle that whistles out to let everyone know how hot you are. If you can submit your tongue to the power of the Holy Spirit, play the rest and stay silent, then when you speak it will be graceful loving words that build instead of break.
Is it a struggle for you to stay silent or do you wish you could speak up more? How do you know what the appropriate time and place to speak is?
Day 288 - God of Creation
"It is amazing to me with the expanse of creation how much of it is in the Bible. It shouldn't surprise me because all creation speaks of the glory of God. Each thing on earth tells us of God, man, and redemption. We can even find the Godhead through creation, His invisible nature and attributes. Theology can be found in creation. Amazing!"
As I type I am listening to the sound of booming thunder rolling across the land where I live. It is unmistakable.
I find it incredible that any scientist could say that there is no God. From the macro and universal to the micro atomic level it is all speaking of God. It is unmistakable.
There are places on earth that when you stand next to the enormity of them it moves you to a place of awe. I remember the first time I entered Yosemite National Park. It was like I was entering the gates of heaven. There were rivers and streams and large granite mountains all around. All I could do was think of how awesome God is. When I stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon or saw the huge boulders at Joshua Tree it turned my eyes to the Creator who was larger and more imaginative than I could comprehend.
As I finish today's post the lightning has come closer, the booms are louder and the rain is coming down hard. Often that is how it is when we get a revelation of God's greatness. It starts with the entrance of His Word, it gets reinforced and stronger until there is no doubt at all. It is unmistakable.
Where in creation have you seen signs of the Creator? What scriptures speak of God in creation?
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Day 287 - Lament
"No one wants to watch strength fade and soundness vanish away."
Reading the journal entry from last year was tough today. It brings back memories of a time where two grandparents were fading from this life and another one was ill. Today is a better day since those two are in Heaven. More difficult days are ahead. I have family on both sides that are close to their end of days here on earth. My greatest comfort is that they are Godly people and will be in Heaven soon.
Death is never easy. Death is as much of a part of life as life itself is. Unless Jesus comes in our lifetime we will all have to pass through a physical death. For those who are Christians it will be a passing from glory to glory. We discard this old tattered tent and put on our eternal dwelling.
The pain of that process is not for those who are gone but for those who remain. We all feel the loss of someone we cared for and valued. It is necessary to grieve and shed tears. When we do we heal and are able to move forward in life.
I have had two men that I deeply cared for pass on too soon. Both left a profound impact on my life. One was a high school friend named Marcus. He was kind of a quirky guy who always had something to say. We would love to have him around as a friend and life of the party so to speak. When he truly gave his heart to the Lord he traveled with a missions group and shared the love of Jesus with everyone he met. One day he put on a new pair of roller-blades and grabbed the back of a friends car and went for a ride. Little did anyone know that would be his last act on the earth.
Our youth group took it hard. We prayed, cried, gathered and talked. We comforted one another that Marcus was probably talking Jesus' ear off and was running around Heaven having a good time. I learned that life is short and we have to stay focused on our mission while we are here from Marcus.
The second man that impacted my life was named Martin. He was a small African American with a gold tooth and corn rows that ushered at our church. He had a scratchy voice and a personality much like Marcus. That is probably why I liked him. When people would get saved at our church he would go get them and bring them to the altar. One time two kids got saved and Martin had one under each arm and had the biggest laugh and smile.
When Martin passed from health issues I remember how surreal it felt. I had the privilege of doing the funeral. The only problem was that I had grown to love Martin as a brother in the Lord and when I went to speak at the funeral cried through most of my words. During the funeral they showed a video that they had filmed of Martin at our Food Distribution Center. He was giving his testimony about how he actually died in a hospital and had an encounter with Jesus. He knew better than what he was doing and the Lord gave him a charge to live for Him for the rest of his days. Martin's next words still ring through my soul; "I left this earth a fool and came back a preacher." Indeed he was and he did live for the Lord whole hearted for his time here on the earth.
In Ecclesiastes it says there is more wisdom in the house of mourning than in the house of feasting. The living take to heart their lives in the light of eternity when confronted with death. It isn't easy but it is a place we can grow from and take comfort that God is good no matter what.
What lessons have you learned in times of mourning? Are there scriptures that give you comfort when facing death and eternity?
Reading the journal entry from last year was tough today. It brings back memories of a time where two grandparents were fading from this life and another one was ill. Today is a better day since those two are in Heaven. More difficult days are ahead. I have family on both sides that are close to their end of days here on earth. My greatest comfort is that they are Godly people and will be in Heaven soon.
Death is never easy. Death is as much of a part of life as life itself is. Unless Jesus comes in our lifetime we will all have to pass through a physical death. For those who are Christians it will be a passing from glory to glory. We discard this old tattered tent and put on our eternal dwelling.
The pain of that process is not for those who are gone but for those who remain. We all feel the loss of someone we cared for and valued. It is necessary to grieve and shed tears. When we do we heal and are able to move forward in life.
I have had two men that I deeply cared for pass on too soon. Both left a profound impact on my life. One was a high school friend named Marcus. He was kind of a quirky guy who always had something to say. We would love to have him around as a friend and life of the party so to speak. When he truly gave his heart to the Lord he traveled with a missions group and shared the love of Jesus with everyone he met. One day he put on a new pair of roller-blades and grabbed the back of a friends car and went for a ride. Little did anyone know that would be his last act on the earth.
Our youth group took it hard. We prayed, cried, gathered and talked. We comforted one another that Marcus was probably talking Jesus' ear off and was running around Heaven having a good time. I learned that life is short and we have to stay focused on our mission while we are here from Marcus.
The second man that impacted my life was named Martin. He was a small African American with a gold tooth and corn rows that ushered at our church. He had a scratchy voice and a personality much like Marcus. That is probably why I liked him. When people would get saved at our church he would go get them and bring them to the altar. One time two kids got saved and Martin had one under each arm and had the biggest laugh and smile.
When Martin passed from health issues I remember how surreal it felt. I had the privilege of doing the funeral. The only problem was that I had grown to love Martin as a brother in the Lord and when I went to speak at the funeral cried through most of my words. During the funeral they showed a video that they had filmed of Martin at our Food Distribution Center. He was giving his testimony about how he actually died in a hospital and had an encounter with Jesus. He knew better than what he was doing and the Lord gave him a charge to live for Him for the rest of his days. Martin's next words still ring through my soul; "I left this earth a fool and came back a preacher." Indeed he was and he did live for the Lord whole hearted for his time here on the earth.
In Ecclesiastes it says there is more wisdom in the house of mourning than in the house of feasting. The living take to heart their lives in the light of eternity when confronted with death. It isn't easy but it is a place we can grow from and take comfort that God is good no matter what.
What lessons have you learned in times of mourning? Are there scriptures that give you comfort when facing death and eternity?
Monday, October 12, 2015
Day 286 - Dreams I Don't Remember
"I had dreams of being in Japan at these buildings by a sea which is much like Mono lake."
I don't remember this dream. At all. The only reason it has any place is because I wrote it down. I do know what Mono Lake looks like. I have never been to Japan but I am sure I could draw a picture of what I think this dream would have looked like.
Why am I saying all this? Good question. Here is a question for you, are there dreams (and not the ones you have while you're asleep) that you have forgotten?
We all have had desires and have imagined our life as successful or different than what we are living. The problem is that we forget and never get to the point of making those dreams a reality.
So how do we do it? First of all on a practical level write it down. Give as much detail as you can. Thoughts, images, emotions, action plans and any other thing you can think to record get it down.
Second you have to go back to it. If you write it down and never go back to it then it is just like you never wrote it down. Remember and rehearse what you dream is. Talk to others about it. Set goals and write those down to. Make reminders in a calendar or have someone keep you accountable to a time table.
Finally just get going on your dream. Small steps toward your goal is still progress. Make an effort. Save money for it. Get what you need in supplies, information, resources or teams built. It won't be long before there is momentum and you are able to achieve your goals.
No more forgotten dreams. Now it is time to live your dreams.
Is there a dream that you forgot but in reading this post came back to you? Write it down and make an action plan. What do you need to know and do to achieve your dream?
I don't remember this dream. At all. The only reason it has any place is because I wrote it down. I do know what Mono Lake looks like. I have never been to Japan but I am sure I could draw a picture of what I think this dream would have looked like.
Why am I saying all this? Good question. Here is a question for you, are there dreams (and not the ones you have while you're asleep) that you have forgotten?
We all have had desires and have imagined our life as successful or different than what we are living. The problem is that we forget and never get to the point of making those dreams a reality.
So how do we do it? First of all on a practical level write it down. Give as much detail as you can. Thoughts, images, emotions, action plans and any other thing you can think to record get it down.
Second you have to go back to it. If you write it down and never go back to it then it is just like you never wrote it down. Remember and rehearse what you dream is. Talk to others about it. Set goals and write those down to. Make reminders in a calendar or have someone keep you accountable to a time table.
Finally just get going on your dream. Small steps toward your goal is still progress. Make an effort. Save money for it. Get what you need in supplies, information, resources or teams built. It won't be long before there is momentum and you are able to achieve your goals.
No more forgotten dreams. Now it is time to live your dreams.
Is there a dream that you forgot but in reading this post came back to you? Write it down and make an action plan. What do you need to know and do to achieve your dream?
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Day 285 - The Pain
"...the pain..."
With all things in life are pain. Even the most joyous and wonderful parts of life come with their own pains to get to them. In our Christian walk, which is the greatest joy, we will be persecuted and are promised to be hated and suffer trouble in the world. In marriage there is the pains of becoming one. If we are to lay down our lives and love our wives like Christ loved the church it will be painful because crucifixion isn't easy or pleasurable. Raising kids has its own pain. I was just thinking earlier today of times I have had to discipline my children and say no to them when I wanted to say yes. Listening to them cry and watching them learn hard lessons is painful.
We live in a society that is actively trying to do everything in their power to avoid pain. They will numb it through distractions and passing pleasures, drown it in a bottle, or just avoid it all together. The problem is that in avoiding pain we find that new and deeper pains come.
Rather than run from pain we should face it and take it. Just like a good workout may seem daunting, afterward you are glad you did it when you see the results. I have often dreaded the pain of conversations and confrontations only to find that the pain was worth the process. The things we go through properly and endure the pain we will find that we actually grow through. On the other side of the pain is a health and strength. God builds character in us.
Pain is never fun. Don't let that send you the wrong way. Stay through the pain and you will see the joys that outlasting it brings.
How do you deal with pain? What are some joys that come from pain?
With all things in life are pain. Even the most joyous and wonderful parts of life come with their own pains to get to them. In our Christian walk, which is the greatest joy, we will be persecuted and are promised to be hated and suffer trouble in the world. In marriage there is the pains of becoming one. If we are to lay down our lives and love our wives like Christ loved the church it will be painful because crucifixion isn't easy or pleasurable. Raising kids has its own pain. I was just thinking earlier today of times I have had to discipline my children and say no to them when I wanted to say yes. Listening to them cry and watching them learn hard lessons is painful.
We live in a society that is actively trying to do everything in their power to avoid pain. They will numb it through distractions and passing pleasures, drown it in a bottle, or just avoid it all together. The problem is that in avoiding pain we find that new and deeper pains come.
Rather than run from pain we should face it and take it. Just like a good workout may seem daunting, afterward you are glad you did it when you see the results. I have often dreaded the pain of conversations and confrontations only to find that the pain was worth the process. The things we go through properly and endure the pain we will find that we actually grow through. On the other side of the pain is a health and strength. God builds character in us.
Pain is never fun. Don't let that send you the wrong way. Stay through the pain and you will see the joys that outlasting it brings.
How do you deal with pain? What are some joys that come from pain?
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Day 284 - Keep On
"It should be out in the beginning of next year."
I have a friend who works in the music industry who has been working on an album for years. Here we are a year after I wrote that statement and it isn't out yet. The process has been grueling but he hasn't given up. He has had every opportunity to. People have stolen from him. He has lost hours and money and time in the process.
What makes the difference is his determination. Even though he could have quit he never did. He could have just sat down and cried and no one would have blamed him. Through it all he stayed determined.
I believe because he pushed through and kept going that God opened doors for him that otherwise he would have never had open before. When his album releases he will have more sales and more momentum because of the delay. Isn't that just like God to turn something bad into something good?
Keep on. If you have had delays to your dream don't stop. It could be that your set back is a set up for something good!
What is the dream you have been working on? What delays have come and how are you handling them?
I have a friend who works in the music industry who has been working on an album for years. Here we are a year after I wrote that statement and it isn't out yet. The process has been grueling but he hasn't given up. He has had every opportunity to. People have stolen from him. He has lost hours and money and time in the process.
What makes the difference is his determination. Even though he could have quit he never did. He could have just sat down and cried and no one would have blamed him. Through it all he stayed determined.
I believe because he pushed through and kept going that God opened doors for him that otherwise he would have never had open before. When his album releases he will have more sales and more momentum because of the delay. Isn't that just like God to turn something bad into something good?
Keep on. If you have had delays to your dream don't stop. It could be that your set back is a set up for something good!
What is the dream you have been working on? What delays have come and how are you handling them?
Friday, October 9, 2015
Day 283 - Where We Came From
"I still remember the despondency he had when he first came."
As Christians we don't look back to see the glory days nor do we look back longingly. We look back to learn and to remember where we came from. We learn from our mistakes. Hindsight is truly 20/20 as they say.
When we can look back and remember where we came from it helps us. First of all it helps us appreciate our salvation. It gives us a heart of gratitude that God would send Jesus to take our punishment. It makes us thank God He saved us and took us out of the bondage and sin we were in.
Second it helps us stay humble. No matter how great or small we thought we were before salvation we were lost and couldn't help ourselves. Some of us didn't even know we needed help! But God knew. So we see our need and it sends us humbly to the feet of Jesus. That is what true humility is; total dependency on God.
Finally it helps us look forward. We keep our focus where it needs to be when we are humble and grateful. We can tell others of how God saved us and gave us real life.
I think of the guy I was talking about in my quote from last year. Caught up in all kinds of sin. He and his wife were cheating on each other and he was was ready to end his own life. We prayed together in the foyer of the church and he cried all over me. His life hasn't been perfect since but he is following the Lord and trying to be the husband and father he should be. When I last met with him we looked back together. In the midst of his current problems he had a smile and was in faith for his future.
As we look back let's be grateful, humble, and look forward with eyes of faith.
What does looking back do for you? How does it help you to live now?
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Day 282 - A Small Church With A Lot of People
"Small church hospitality with the large church opportunity. We need the best of both worlds. It is possible."
These thoughts are really notes from what I was crafting regarding our church staff and volunteers attitude towards our members and guests. We have a church in a rough area. At times it is difficult to have a gentle approach when confronted with some of the issues that come on our campus. Regardless, we need to still have the right approach to our people. There are times we have to say no but it must be done in the right spirit.
What we concluded after wrestling with these issues is that this year of 2015 we were going to love people more and do church better. That included accommodating our members and guests. We needed to streamline processes and make it easy to be connected and involved.
We are not perfect at this and the change is still taking place. Just today I heard of instances in two separate ministries that needed adjustments. The good thing is that we are noticing it and making the changes.
Really the problem and the solution are found in one word: family. If we know that the problem is because we are too familiar with our family then we need to love one another and overlook offenses because we are family. In the Bible we are told to treat our elders as father and mothers, young women as sisters and young men as brothers. We are the family of God. All brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Families can have their issues. Especially large ones. But family also has the closest bond of all, blood. We are bound together by the blood of Jesus. We are family and we need to stick together, love one another and prefer one another above our own interests.
What would a church, business or home look like if we truly started doing this? What are some practical ways to do this?
These thoughts are really notes from what I was crafting regarding our church staff and volunteers attitude towards our members and guests. We have a church in a rough area. At times it is difficult to have a gentle approach when confronted with some of the issues that come on our campus. Regardless, we need to still have the right approach to our people. There are times we have to say no but it must be done in the right spirit.
What we concluded after wrestling with these issues is that this year of 2015 we were going to love people more and do church better. That included accommodating our members and guests. We needed to streamline processes and make it easy to be connected and involved.
We are not perfect at this and the change is still taking place. Just today I heard of instances in two separate ministries that needed adjustments. The good thing is that we are noticing it and making the changes.
Really the problem and the solution are found in one word: family. If we know that the problem is because we are too familiar with our family then we need to love one another and overlook offenses because we are family. In the Bible we are told to treat our elders as father and mothers, young women as sisters and young men as brothers. We are the family of God. All brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Families can have their issues. Especially large ones. But family also has the closest bond of all, blood. We are bound together by the blood of Jesus. We are family and we need to stick together, love one another and prefer one another above our own interests.
What would a church, business or home look like if we truly started doing this? What are some practical ways to do this?
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Day 281 - Don't Miss Out
"It was reported that we had 260 salvations this past week."
I read over this sentence and it didn't register. I couldn't tell you what we were doing other than normal church activity. In the midst of our labors God was moving and people's lives were being changed for eternity.
I don't care who you are or how large your church is when one person or 260 people get saved it is a miracle. The problem is that we miss out. We miss the miraculous. Why? Lots of reasons.
It becomes common. If you are consistently having responses to calls for salvation or healing or prayers answered it can lose the wonder and become commonplace if we allow it. Stop and be thankful. Stop and wonder. Stop and praise God.
We also miss it because we get busy. Our lives can be so distracted. Too many times I am focused on peripheral things and miss the central focus of what God is doing. It takes discipline and focus to remove the things that distract and get back to what God is doing.
Finally we miss it because our aim shifts. Many times people will see someone else doing something they like and get off of purpose. They set aside what they are called to do in order to aim at something they shouldn't be. We have to know our purpose and stick with it. Methods may change but if we know our calling and central purpose the aim is the same.
Is there something God is doing and you recognize you might be missing it? Is there another way we can miss it and, if so, how do we guard against it?
I read over this sentence and it didn't register. I couldn't tell you what we were doing other than normal church activity. In the midst of our labors God was moving and people's lives were being changed for eternity.
I don't care who you are or how large your church is when one person or 260 people get saved it is a miracle. The problem is that we miss out. We miss the miraculous. Why? Lots of reasons.
It becomes common. If you are consistently having responses to calls for salvation or healing or prayers answered it can lose the wonder and become commonplace if we allow it. Stop and be thankful. Stop and wonder. Stop and praise God.
We also miss it because we get busy. Our lives can be so distracted. Too many times I am focused on peripheral things and miss the central focus of what God is doing. It takes discipline and focus to remove the things that distract and get back to what God is doing.
Finally we miss it because our aim shifts. Many times people will see someone else doing something they like and get off of purpose. They set aside what they are called to do in order to aim at something they shouldn't be. We have to know our purpose and stick with it. Methods may change but if we know our calling and central purpose the aim is the same.
Is there something God is doing and you recognize you might be missing it? Is there another way we can miss it and, if so, how do we guard against it?
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Day 280 - Try, Try Again
"We tried to make some banana bread but it didn't turn out that great."
Old saying abound when it comes to things like this. 'You win some. You lose some.' Would apply but I think a better one would be 'If at first you don't succeed try, try again.'
Often we give up way too easy. We try something once and because it wasn't perfect the first time we never try again. What we forget is that the results we want take time. A before and after shot often has months if not years in-between it. The deceiving part is that when it is all done we see both images side by side.
But, to use another old saying, 'Rome wasn't built in a day.' It will take time for something good to be produced. So you burned the cake, bake another. So you don't have those flat abs you want, do some more sit ups tomorrow. So your painting wasn't exactly like the photo you were trying to reproduce, paint it again.
You know what will happen if you give it another go? You will get better. Results will start taking place. You will actually like what you create!
So practice, take a class, invite a friend or mentor to help you, buy a book and read up on it. As you try, try again, you will succeed.
Can you relate to this post? What would you want to try again and how will you do it?
Old saying abound when it comes to things like this. 'You win some. You lose some.' Would apply but I think a better one would be 'If at first you don't succeed try, try again.'
Often we give up way too easy. We try something once and because it wasn't perfect the first time we never try again. What we forget is that the results we want take time. A before and after shot often has months if not years in-between it. The deceiving part is that when it is all done we see both images side by side.
But, to use another old saying, 'Rome wasn't built in a day.' It will take time for something good to be produced. So you burned the cake, bake another. So you don't have those flat abs you want, do some more sit ups tomorrow. So your painting wasn't exactly like the photo you were trying to reproduce, paint it again.
You know what will happen if you give it another go? You will get better. Results will start taking place. You will actually like what you create!
So practice, take a class, invite a friend or mentor to help you, buy a book and read up on it. As you try, try again, you will succeed.
Can you relate to this post? What would you want to try again and how will you do it?
Monday, October 5, 2015
Day 279 - The Story of Your Life
"On our way out we encountered and older couple who both happened to be tour guides for the mission. He asked us what we learned and I responded that we were big babies. He then asked about if we knew when the cross became the official symbol of Christianity and proceeded to tell us the story of Constantine in 330 A.D. and the visions he had of the cross in his dreams. The guys life was interesting. We probably talked with him for a half an hour. He was Catholic and grew up in Rome right near the Vatican. He remembers sitting on the base of the statue Michelangelo had carved of Mary and Jesus before they placed it behind the bullet proof glass. Also he told of a story about the Monks who all their life were making beautiful copies of the Bible and in their lifetime they would hand copy a Bible. It went off in my spirit that it was a picture of every believer that we are writing the story of God with our lives and at the end it will be the beautiful picture of God's grace and a living letter read by all men. He also spoke of a time he was in Jerusalem after the six day war when a bomb went off by him and a priest he was with. If they would have been 20 seconds longer they would've been dead. Jess felt like she was with family and he reminded her of her grandpa Rudy. He was refreshingly blunt but definitely a Christian."
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians and told them that they were living letters. The Holy Spirit is writing the story of your life. You are known and read by everyone who comes in contact with you. God has written His Divine law of love on our hearts and in it He has a love letter to the world.
The couple we met last year left a lasting impact on us. They were genuine. They couldn't be someone else if they tried. They were also unapologetic. There are many people who would have walked away from a conversation with them offended. There was nothing politically correct about them. Their lives were open and bold.
We should be no less as Christians. Engaging, bold, open, honest and loving. When people leave our presence it should leave a lasting impact on them. They should feel as if value was added to their life from being with us. Not because we are so cool or wonderful. Not because we have interesting backgrounds. But because we genuinely love God and love people. That is a story worth telling and people will read it!
What does it mean to be genuine? How can we guard against insincere interaction with others?
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians and told them that they were living letters. The Holy Spirit is writing the story of your life. You are known and read by everyone who comes in contact with you. God has written His Divine law of love on our hearts and in it He has a love letter to the world.
The couple we met last year left a lasting impact on us. They were genuine. They couldn't be someone else if they tried. They were also unapologetic. There are many people who would have walked away from a conversation with them offended. There was nothing politically correct about them. Their lives were open and bold.
We should be no less as Christians. Engaging, bold, open, honest and loving. When people leave our presence it should leave a lasting impact on them. They should feel as if value was added to their life from being with us. Not because we are so cool or wonderful. Not because we have interesting backgrounds. But because we genuinely love God and love people. That is a story worth telling and people will read it!
What does it mean to be genuine? How can we guard against insincere interaction with others?
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Day 278 - Brothers and Sisters
"They are all very sweet people and it is always an honor to be with them."
All over the world there are people who have believed in Jesus and given Him their heart and life. Christians. Or we could call them brothers and sisters. They are covering the face of the earth. Every day there are more and more of them. Every day they are gathering together in the name of Jesus and being encouraged and growing closer to Him.
It doesn't matter the doctrinal differences or the lines that have been drawn. If it is Jesus who is their Lord and ours then we are family. In persecutions we grieve with those who are suffering. In victories we rejoice together.
We are bound by blood; the blood of Jesus. There is now no longer black and white, brown or any other color, there isn't class systems that separate, there is no cultural or economic background, the Bible even says there is no longer male nor female, we are one in Christ.
Let's love the family. Let's pray for each other. Let's agree in our salvation and not separate in non-essentials like worship style's and the like. Let's honor the members of the body of Christ. After all, He died for all of us the same. We have the greatest value of all because His blood was shed for us. We better learn to get along because we will be together for eternity!
What do you enjoy about the family of God? How can we honor one another?
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Day 277 - Sapped Strength
"When we came back home everyone was wiped out from being in the heat. I ended up taking a 2 hour nap. I didn't want to be asleep that long but it felt good to get some rest."
When you have been going for a long time and the heat is on you can get exhausted. I think there are two extremes in our society when it comes to rest. One is too much, also called laziness. The other is too little and could be labeled workaholic.
Work is good. We were made to work. It is built on the inside of us. I am very glad I was brought up with a strong work ethic and have seen the benefits of it myself. Even with that it is still good to get some rest every now and again.
Sometimes I feel a bit guilty when I get rest. Like I should be doing something. But just as much as God built into us to work He also modeled rest for us. After the six days of creation God rested and then later commanded the children of Israel to rest.
We need not get lazy but we do need to refresh every now and then. Even Jesus rested after long periods of ministry. If the anointed Son of God fell asleep in a boat and stayed asleep in a storm then I know he was tired! He would also take time with His disciples to rest (even though they had many interruptions of their rest that resulted in miracles).
When you have been going for a long time and have been sweating through the heat of your labors take a rest. Don't feel guilty. Kick your feet up and get refreshed. You will be glad you did and when it comes time to work again you will be stronger and more focused.
How do you like to rest? Would you say you have to watch out for being lazy or being a workaholic?
Friday, October 2, 2015
Day 276 - Take My Breath Away
"It was a beautiful sunset and I had trouble focusing on the practice."
Last year my son's soccer team found a need for the dads to step in and coach. I knew only what I had learned the previous year from watching the coach and the game. On this particular practice I was trying to coach but the sunset was so beautiful I kept getting distracted.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love photography. The main reason is that it captures moments and beauty. Sunsets are a particular draw for me. The rich vivid colors draw me in and captivate my attention. The same sunset in a matter of minutes can change several times over.
There is an old Calvin and Hobbes comic that shows them sitting on a rock next to a lake with a beautiful sunset. Hobbes is staring dreamily at the sunset while Calvin has a sour look on his face and says "I am probably missing some great television right now." My wife relates to Calvin while I relate to Hobbes.
My wife and my friends often make jokes about how I get distracted with taking photos. There are times I will intentionally leave my camera behind in order to be in the moment with my family.
All of this to say that there is beauty all around us. King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that God makes all things beautiful in their own time. Let's not miss the beauty or get distracted from what is most important. Each moment has its place and beauty and we need to be wise enough to recognize it and respond accordingly.
Let me give you two examples.
The first time I drove on the Generals Highway through the Giant Forest and saw all of the sequoia trees it took my breath away. I almost couldn't stop staring except that I was driving. What was important was that I keep my family safe on the mountain road. In doing so I still didn't miss the beauty.
The second example comes from my quote from last year. Even though I was coaching I would steal away to look at the sunset. No matter the situation recognize what is important while capturing the beauty. Like when you have to have a tough conversation with you kids that is important but you see the maturing and growing in them. Don't miss the beauty! Or in business if you have to keep your eyes on the task but you see the beautiful impact of your work on people's lives.
Life can take your breath away if you're watching. Don't neglect what is important but also, don't miss the beauty.
What takes your breath away? How do we identify what is important versus what is beautiful?
Last year my son's soccer team found a need for the dads to step in and coach. I knew only what I had learned the previous year from watching the coach and the game. On this particular practice I was trying to coach but the sunset was so beautiful I kept getting distracted.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love photography. The main reason is that it captures moments and beauty. Sunsets are a particular draw for me. The rich vivid colors draw me in and captivate my attention. The same sunset in a matter of minutes can change several times over.
There is an old Calvin and Hobbes comic that shows them sitting on a rock next to a lake with a beautiful sunset. Hobbes is staring dreamily at the sunset while Calvin has a sour look on his face and says "I am probably missing some great television right now." My wife relates to Calvin while I relate to Hobbes.
My wife and my friends often make jokes about how I get distracted with taking photos. There are times I will intentionally leave my camera behind in order to be in the moment with my family.
All of this to say that there is beauty all around us. King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that God makes all things beautiful in their own time. Let's not miss the beauty or get distracted from what is most important. Each moment has its place and beauty and we need to be wise enough to recognize it and respond accordingly.
Let me give you two examples.
The first time I drove on the Generals Highway through the Giant Forest and saw all of the sequoia trees it took my breath away. I almost couldn't stop staring except that I was driving. What was important was that I keep my family safe on the mountain road. In doing so I still didn't miss the beauty.
The second example comes from my quote from last year. Even though I was coaching I would steal away to look at the sunset. No matter the situation recognize what is important while capturing the beauty. Like when you have to have a tough conversation with you kids that is important but you see the maturing and growing in them. Don't miss the beauty! Or in business if you have to keep your eyes on the task but you see the beautiful impact of your work on people's lives.
Life can take your breath away if you're watching. Don't neglect what is important but also, don't miss the beauty.
What takes your breath away? How do we identify what is important versus what is beautiful?
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Day 275 - Starting Wrong Ending Well
"It was a crazy morning!"
I have had many crazy mornings. Some turn out well and others...well...
All puns and joking aside it is not how you start but how you finish that matters. You may get out of the gate and stumble but in the end with the race. A day may seem crazy or start bad but you can finish well.
It takes a few factors to finish well. First is the attitude factor. You choose how you view and respond to your circumstances. If life is crazy you can have a range of emotions. Some choose anger and blow up on people. Some choose sadness and remove themselves from the situation. Some choose joy and laugh. Others choose focus, resolve and attack the situation with determination to overcome. All these emotions have a time and a place but remember we are trying to end well. Choose to walk in the Spirit and the right fruit will be produced.
The second factor it takes to finish well is faith. Even crazy mornings can work out to a great day. The proof of that is in how my crazy morning ended with productive meetings, children taken care of and loved, conversations had that were necessary, and God moving mightily! I had to choose to push through in faith and live with it in mind that a crazy morning didn't mean a crazy day. It did however mean that I was faith focused and was believing God for a great day that ended well.
The final factor is the God factor. We believe in a God who makes all things work together for our good. He is working behind the scenes for good things on our behalf. He will make it turn out right. We have to trust Him and follow His lead. He has the final say because He is not only the Author but also the Finisher of our faith.
How can we choose the right attitude for a crazy situation? Which of these factors do you utilize the most or least?
I have had many crazy mornings. Some turn out well and others...well...
All puns and joking aside it is not how you start but how you finish that matters. You may get out of the gate and stumble but in the end with the race. A day may seem crazy or start bad but you can finish well.
It takes a few factors to finish well. First is the attitude factor. You choose how you view and respond to your circumstances. If life is crazy you can have a range of emotions. Some choose anger and blow up on people. Some choose sadness and remove themselves from the situation. Some choose joy and laugh. Others choose focus, resolve and attack the situation with determination to overcome. All these emotions have a time and a place but remember we are trying to end well. Choose to walk in the Spirit and the right fruit will be produced.
The second factor it takes to finish well is faith. Even crazy mornings can work out to a great day. The proof of that is in how my crazy morning ended with productive meetings, children taken care of and loved, conversations had that were necessary, and God moving mightily! I had to choose to push through in faith and live with it in mind that a crazy morning didn't mean a crazy day. It did however mean that I was faith focused and was believing God for a great day that ended well.
The final factor is the God factor. We believe in a God who makes all things work together for our good. He is working behind the scenes for good things on our behalf. He will make it turn out right. We have to trust Him and follow His lead. He has the final say because He is not only the Author but also the Finisher of our faith.
How can we choose the right attitude for a crazy situation? Which of these factors do you utilize the most or least?
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