Ever find yourself wading into a discussion and realizing that there's actually a discussion that should have happened first...like you can't even finish the current discussion productively without your mind racing, without being confounded, without clarifying? You know what I mean right? You can finish the current discussion but you know in the back of your mind that there are legs in the journey that you had no idea existed; others have ideas or preconceived notions but you’ve not been engaged in the conversation or knew they existed until this moment in time; perhaps, someone has designed boxes that you didn’t know existed and really don’t know if they fit for you or your understanding…the journey can seem convoluted or like one who is currently stuck in Babylon, without having made that choice.
Mark Batterson in his newest book, Wild Goose Chase, makes the following Biblical challenge. “So what do you do when you are in those situations or seasons? Here is the best advice I can offer: be the best cup bearer you can be. This is where the adventure begins. Don't whine. Don't complain. And don't check out. Make the most of the situation. Do little things like they are the big things. Keep a good attitude. And faithfully carry out your current obligations.One of the greatest acts of worship is keeping a good attitude in a bad situation. And doing a good job honors God. It will also open opportunities down the road. It did for Nehemiah. He had an ordinary job but he did the best he could with what he had where he was. In my book that is a success. Nehemiah was successful long before he rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem. And I've found that if you are faithful in Babylon, God will often bless you a thousand miles away."
Great wisdom, insights, and something I’ve attempted to do; I think it’s a great personal challenge to be the best cup bearer we can be and have the conversations that are needed for the journey.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Empty Me
Isaiah 55:8—“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Anyone besides me know this to be true? Sure, we've experienced that reality multiple times in multiple ways. His ways are not our ways but they are right and good and the perfect design for us.
Experience affirms for us that things don't always go as we might hope or dream, and yet in spite of that reality, He can do exceedingly abundantly more than we can hope or dream (Eph 3:20) according to His power at work in us.
In reality, we are limited in sight and knowledge; we have known and unknown shortcomings ~ selfishness, vain ambitions, pride, things our hearts hold on to that are never meant to be ~ as the song says "Lord, empty me of me so I can be filled with You."
When we allow Him to fill us, we can believe. Abraham and Sarah as well as others proved God's faithfulness by putting their faith in His promises. In Genesis 15, we read that God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Mark Batterson profoundly affirms, "Faith is not logical, but faith isn’t illogical either. Faith is theological. It just adds God into the equation so that what we’re able to imagine isn’t just determined by our human ability. " Abraham grasped reality (they were old), but he was also completely confident that God persistently performs His promises.
F.B. Myer declares, “Unbelief puts our circumstances between us and God. Faith puts God between us and our circumstances.”
Wonder why God took Abraham outside? So, He could see God and not be trapped by a tent ceiling. So, Abraham could experience the promise, the nearness of God in the midst of the circumstance. I wonder, how ofter do we trap God by ceilings or boxes we create?
The reality is we can trust every promise to us; we can place God between us and any circumstance knowing that He is faithful even though His ways are not our ways.
Embracing the journey...
Anyone besides me know this to be true? Sure, we've experienced that reality multiple times in multiple ways. His ways are not our ways but they are right and good and the perfect design for us.
Experience affirms for us that things don't always go as we might hope or dream, and yet in spite of that reality, He can do exceedingly abundantly more than we can hope or dream (Eph 3:20) according to His power at work in us.
In reality, we are limited in sight and knowledge; we have known and unknown shortcomings ~ selfishness, vain ambitions, pride, things our hearts hold on to that are never meant to be ~ as the song says "Lord, empty me of me so I can be filled with You."
When we allow Him to fill us, we can believe. Abraham and Sarah as well as others proved God's faithfulness by putting their faith in His promises. In Genesis 15, we read that God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Mark Batterson profoundly affirms, "Faith is not logical, but faith isn’t illogical either. Faith is theological. It just adds God into the equation so that what we’re able to imagine isn’t just determined by our human ability. " Abraham grasped reality (they were old), but he was also completely confident that God persistently performs His promises.
F.B. Myer declares, “Unbelief puts our circumstances between us and God. Faith puts God between us and our circumstances.”
Wonder why God took Abraham outside? So, He could see God and not be trapped by a tent ceiling. So, Abraham could experience the promise, the nearness of God in the midst of the circumstance. I wonder, how ofter do we trap God by ceilings or boxes we create?
The reality is we can trust every promise to us; we can place God between us and any circumstance knowing that He is faithful even though His ways are not our ways.
Embracing the journey...
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Sacred Cows?
I wonder, "Is there only one way?" When was the last time, you moved in a new way, took a new direction, tried a new way? Habits and routines can be beneficial and/or detrimental. What was once fresh and effective can become "sacred" in a non-healthy manner. I wonder, "What is a current sacred cow?” When was the last time you asked that question at a leadership brainstorming session?
It can help to look at life personally, and organizationally to look at every event you do and every major program supported to ask "why did I (we) start doing it?"
Is it accomplishing its missional goals?
Is the leader responsible still impassioned about its intent, value and execution?
What has become a sacred cow that was once valued and effective but now is just draining, distracting and hindering us?
Are we as leaders willing to have everything be fair game?VBS? Fall Events? Particular mission trips? Our preferred styles?
It’s valuable to re-evaluate regularly. Sacred cows hoard resources and weigh you down as an organization or person. Melt the golden calves and use them for more purposeful pursuits!
Only one life...pursue the dream...
Friday, September 5, 2008
Listen & Reimagine
As we listen, sometimes in the silence, we begin to hear the echos...and Re-imagine
Can you hear Him?
Listen closely and you will...as you journey...He is there.
Listening in the Silence
"Wisdom is the reward for a lifetime of listening ... when you'd have preferred to talk." - D.J. Kaufman
'My son, (daughter, child,) pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight" Proverbs 5:1
Learning to listen comes easy for some...for others it's a lifetime discipline. When we listen we gain heart insights and wisdom..."Be still and know that I am God." Sometimes, even the silence speaks.
There are all kinds of silences and each of them means a different thing. There is the silence that comes with morning in a forest, and this is different from the silence of a sleeping city.
There is silence after a rainstorm, and before a rainstorm, and these are not the same.
There is the silence of emptiness, the silence of fear, the silence of doubt.
There is the silence of peace, the silence of rest, the silence of waiting.
There is a certain silence that can emanate from a lifeless object as from a chair lately used, or from a piano with old dust upon its keys, or from anything that has answered to the need of someone, for pleasure or for work. This kind of silence can speak.
Its voice may be melancholy, but it is not always so; for the chair may have been left by a laughing child or the last notes of the piano may have been raucous and gay.
Whatever the mood or the circumstance, the essence of its quality may linger in the silence that follows. It is a soundless echo.
In the stillness, in the silence, if we listen...we may hear the echos of dreams yet to come...of imagination yet to be realized...of a deep calling...of those who are crying out to be heard...
if we listen we may hear the heart of others...we may hear the very words of God and gain wisdom.
Embracing the journey...learning to listen...even in the silences...
'My son, (daughter, child,) pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight" Proverbs 5:1
Learning to listen comes easy for some...for others it's a lifetime discipline. When we listen we gain heart insights and wisdom..."Be still and know that I am God." Sometimes, even the silence speaks.
There are all kinds of silences and each of them means a different thing. There is the silence that comes with morning in a forest, and this is different from the silence of a sleeping city.
There is silence after a rainstorm, and before a rainstorm, and these are not the same.
There is the silence of emptiness, the silence of fear, the silence of doubt.
There is the silence of peace, the silence of rest, the silence of waiting.
There is a certain silence that can emanate from a lifeless object as from a chair lately used, or from a piano with old dust upon its keys, or from anything that has answered to the need of someone, for pleasure or for work. This kind of silence can speak.
Its voice may be melancholy, but it is not always so; for the chair may have been left by a laughing child or the last notes of the piano may have been raucous and gay.
Whatever the mood or the circumstance, the essence of its quality may linger in the silence that follows. It is a soundless echo.
In the stillness, in the silence, if we listen...we may hear the echos of dreams yet to come...of imagination yet to be realized...of a deep calling...of those who are crying out to be heard...
if we listen we may hear the heart of others...we may hear the very words of God and gain wisdom.
Embracing the journey...learning to listen...even in the silences...
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Relentless-- Summit '08 - Hybels
Session 9: Bill Hybels- "Relentless"–adjective that does not relent; unyieldingly severe, strict, or harsh; unrelenting:
God searches the whole world looking for hearts fully committed to Him.. there He sends His strength and power...
Mother Theresa decided to "refuse Him nothing"... What does it look like in my life to give God cart blanche' authority in my life?
Takes steps to move time and resources out of day to day worldly pursuits and more into His work...
Embrace callings from God without delay-so that lives are not lived with regret with "If only I had listened", "If only I had acted"...
Every leader can tell stories about how their dream almost died... It should come as no surprise when this happens to you (obstacles beyond your control, overwhelming circumstances)
How do I know when I hit obstacles if I missed what God called me to do or when God is working on His own time line? Be very careful when in this era....
Mother Theresa was amazingly relentless... just to be allowed to "start" her calling...
Outlast the problems, the obstacles, the people in the way- Who knows what God may do if you hang onto the calling- We must endure... Sometimes the calling may only come once in a lifetime...
Be relentless about becoming a Godly leader... be relentless to be someone worth following.
Mother Theresa: "I will seek to love Him as He has never been loved"- said in one of her "dry" times in her life...
Much of life can be lived without feeling the "presence" of God. Mother Theresa felt this... Hybels is honest about the same feelings..
Very powerful video.... "Here am I, send me..."-
"What life are you waiting for to finally step up and step into God's call for your life?"-BH
Thoughts:
Am I living in a way that will allow me to hear God's call for me and His purpose in my life?
There are some phenomenal "causes" in life. When do you know a trigger has been pulled in your life? When do you know when it's YOUR calling?
I think one of the hardest challenges of a vision/call/idea is having the persistence to go on while many people close to you are telling you all the reasons why it doesn't make sense...
God.... "Here am I.... send me...."
So... is it us? Do we sit back waiting for God to just do stuff, say stuff, and take care of stuff....or... are we stepping out because we are really His plan?
God searches the whole world looking for hearts fully committed to Him.. there He sends His strength and power...
Mother Theresa decided to "refuse Him nothing"... What does it look like in my life to give God cart blanche' authority in my life?
Takes steps to move time and resources out of day to day worldly pursuits and more into His work...
Embrace callings from God without delay-so that lives are not lived with regret with "If only I had listened", "If only I had acted"...
Every leader can tell stories about how their dream almost died... It should come as no surprise when this happens to you (obstacles beyond your control, overwhelming circumstances)
How do I know when I hit obstacles if I missed what God called me to do or when God is working on His own time line? Be very careful when in this era....
Mother Theresa was amazingly relentless... just to be allowed to "start" her calling...
Outlast the problems, the obstacles, the people in the way- Who knows what God may do if you hang onto the calling- We must endure... Sometimes the calling may only come once in a lifetime...
Be relentless about becoming a Godly leader... be relentless to be someone worth following.
Mother Theresa: "I will seek to love Him as He has never been loved"- said in one of her "dry" times in her life...
Much of life can be lived without feeling the "presence" of God. Mother Theresa felt this... Hybels is honest about the same feelings..
Very powerful video.... "Here am I, send me..."-
"What life are you waiting for to finally step up and step into God's call for your life?"-BH
Thoughts:
Am I living in a way that will allow me to hear God's call for me and His purpose in my life?
There are some phenomenal "causes" in life. When do you know a trigger has been pulled in your life? When do you know when it's YOUR calling?
I think one of the hardest challenges of a vision/call/idea is having the persistence to go on while many people close to you are telling you all the reasons why it doesn't make sense...
God.... "Here am I.... send me...."
So... is it us? Do we sit back waiting for God to just do stuff, say stuff, and take care of stuff....or... are we stepping out because we are really His plan?
Why Gather?
Why gather? Why would we want to gather for a Sunday morning experience? Could it be that we need to bring our stories in to the light of the God story...to experience a renewed mind...to be transformed.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12.1
Erwin McManus, in his book Wide Awake states "while our imagination is not limited, our thinking so often is." Profound truth. Experience affirms that our thinking gets contained, restricted
...by our old tapes that inform our feelings and behaviors
...by our misinformed notions of God and life
...by our need for security, to keep things "normal", as we know it.
What we think is critical; relationships are impacted and navigated, decisions are made, and events or appointments are prioritized based on what's in our mind.
As Christians, we are called to be Christ-followers. Christian. We're called to live life as created beings, surrendered to our Creator. Pursuing his passions, his Kingdom, his will, his character, his agenda, and all that He is. We are called to renewed minds and lives, transformed and surrendered to whatever that means.
Why gather? We need to gather to renew our minds because it's easier to let people, culture, and "normal" patterns of living to suck us into their flow. It's easier to restrict God's will by expecting him to make us happy with our desires in our time frames. It's a tougher challenge to surrender to His will to transform our mind - to help us live from a core of truth about H
im, the world,
ourselves, and others.
We gather to experience the Living God as we bring our life stories into the light of the Scriptures, God's story. We gather to re-imagine...life, love and legacy.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12.1
Erwin McManus, in his book Wide Awake states "while our imagination is not limited, our thinking so often is." Profound truth. Experience affirms that our thinking gets contained, restricted
...by our old tapes that inform our feelings and behaviors
...by our misinformed notions of God and life
...by our need for security, to keep things "normal", as we know it.
What we think is critical; relationships are impacted and navigated, decisions are made, and events or appointments are prioritized based on what's in our mind.
As Christians, we are called to be Christ-followers. Christian. We're called to live life as created beings, surrendered to our Creator. Pursuing his passions, his Kingdom, his will, his character, his agenda, and all that He is. We are called to renewed minds and lives, transformed and surrendered to whatever that means.
Why gather? We need to gather to renew our minds because it's easier to let people, culture, and "normal" patterns of living to suck us into their flow. It's easier to restrict God's will by expecting him to make us happy with our desires in our time frames. It's a tougher challenge to surrender to His will to transform our mind - to help us live from a core of truth about H
im, the world,ourselves, and others.
We gather to experience the Living God as we bring our life stories into the light of the Scriptures, God's story. We gather to re-imagine...life, love and legacy.
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