Yesterday being the fourth of July I had to go with this thought. Whether you talk about the United States of America or our relationship with Christ, without a doubt freedom comes at a cost. We have to realize that for us to live in a nation where you can almost say and do what you want,or for us to serve a God whose grace is matchless; there was a price that had to be paid. The problem of it is and the thought for the day I suppose is why do most people abuse that price that was paid. When you basically push the principles that our nation was founded upon completely away and call them old school thinking. You basically walk through the blood of every solider that spilled their blood on a battle field defending our nation. Each soldier took an oath to defend the constitution of the United States, against enemies both foreign and domestic. If you continue to abuse and change the constitution we continue to turn our backs on those who sacrificed so greatly.
In the same thought when we ignore the standards set down by the bible, the teachings of Jesus himself, and try to live our own way through our own interpretations of the Bible. Basically what we are doing is ignoring the great sacrifice that Jesus made on a cross some 2000 years ago. We continually walk through the blood of Jesus each and every time that the supreme court places another law into effect that says a same sex married couple gets "this of that." Each time the government says that a baby doesn't deserve life and can be aborted, and we as Christians just stand pat and allow that to happen. What is happening is we are doing the same thing in disrespecting a man who laid down his life so that we could all be free. Freedom isn't free is always comes at a cost, we just have to be willing to take notice of that freedom and learn to appreciate its value, instead of ignoring it like we do.
Many might say well if our government makes these decisions what can we do? Well, a lot of the decisions they make is us as believers faults. We don't let our voice be heard in the polls when time to vote. We don't say or do anything when others put their beliefs out there like they do we don't. We keep to ourselves, I don't believe that you have to be militant in getting your message out. However, don't be afraid of standing up for your beliefs and rights either. To honor the sacrifices that were made for you and I then you say this is what I believe and I make no qualms about it. Go to the polls, when surveys are done that ask peoples stances on things, don't deter from your beliefs. According to the constitution of the United States I have as much right to believe the way I do as anyone else. However, most Christians just tolerate instead of find ways to let their voice be heard. Sometimes we too are going to have to make sacrifices and a cost might have to be paid. People might talk about you or think your crazy, because you don't accept the things that are going on. Once again this isn't a call to arms its a call to exercise your rights as an American and Believer, to show the love of Christ to all, but be active in your stance that the bible says is correct. That in itself is our cost that we must pay. Remember, Freedom isn't FREE, there is always a price the question is are you willing to pay it?
Friday, July 5, 2013
Friday, June 28, 2013
Are you a leader or a follower?
Most follow and few lead and that's whats wrong with this world. Everyone will follow someone and the things that surround themselves with cause them to become that. Want to be broke, busted, and disgusted then surround yourselves with broke, busted and disgusted people. Want to be positive surround yourself with positive people. Successful people are always surrounded with other successful people that is just the way it is. A leader is born from the environment you choose to surround yourself with. You are going to eventually lead someone, whether it be by becoming a parent or by some job you end up getting your born to be a leader. Many don't want the responsibility so they keep running from it, but they will eventually bring others down with them. We are naturally learning beings, from the time we are born till the time we die we are learning. The things you choose to learn, and the people you surround yourself with will essentially be the people you become. The world we have right now is full of worldly leaders that are desensitizing us to things that are wrong. The problem is that Christians don't want to be leaders they want to tuck behind their pew and let things be as though they are. Simple thought today learn to lead the right way don't follow the fleshly desires because it will lead you down a road your not ready to take. I know this from experience.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Legacy
Obviously, with all that has happened in the NBA finals we hear a lot of talk about legacy. Lebron can leave his mark on history if his heat win game 7 against the 4 time NBA champion Spurs. Well he did just that he was able to close out the spurs in an incredible series between two very good teams. Lebron cemented his legacy as one of the great ones as he has already done more at 28 than most will do in a career or has done in a career. All in one night he could have made his legacy either as a hero or a goat. In everyone's life there is that moment where you can cement your own legacy. You can create you own moment as to where you will either maximize you moment or fail in that moment.
Today's leadership thought is how high is your leadership LID? John C. Maxwell has a teaching on the law of the LID. Its a law that states that your organization, or whatever it is that you lead can only go as far as the LID in which the leader of that organization has for him or herself. This is the thought of where you are as a leader! If your leadership LID is a 5 then the best that your particular organization can ever be is a 4. That is essentially the law of the LID. What your the leader of will never surpass the LID or (parameters) in which you set for what your leading. However, the flip side of the Law of the LID is that as you grow as a leader so to will what your leading. "Everything rises and falls according to its leadership." John C. Maxwell.
If that statement rings true and I without a doubt believe that it does then why is it that we as Christians are afraid to take roles as leaders in our communities. We are willing to just sit back and let others lead us instead of us leading them. You might be thinking well we aren't all bosses! Well that is probably true, but why is it that you think that being a leader is reserved only for those in ranking positions? That is where we miss it; so many think that well I am not the boss so I will just do what I am told and then go about my business. Well, that mentality is good if you want to just be doing the particular job you are doing the rest of your life. If that is what you desire then more power to you, but I am one that believes God has given me more of a purpose than to just sit back and live my life pay check to pay check and wish that I could have been more. I believe that contentment leads to resentment in so many cases. We get satisfied as to what we are and get rooted in our comfort zone, then in most cases set back and complain that this guy gets paid this much, and this woman gets paid this much. While all the while we should have been in that position ourselves but we are driven not as leaders, but as followers.
Followers are content, and often times resent those that are in leadership positions. The reasons we would rather complain about Pastor's sermon Sunday rather than go out and apply it to our life, and live it Monday through Saturday is because of being a follower.
Your life whether you want to believe it or not; is leading someone somewhere. You might have never been a boss, but if at your job your one of the most respected employees because you willing to step up and say I will take that task on. That's a way of leading, if you are a parent your a leader whether you want to be or not. Looking at the state our world is in, due to the lack of leadership in the homes. Its an epidemic, God called us to be leaders. He gave us biblical examples of how to be a leader in our everyday lives.
Today I am going to quickly share with you the rule of 5 as taught by John Maxwell. I am not going to really elaborate, but this is more for you the reader to examine and find out for your self. Number one thing you must remember a true leader is a learner. You can never lead anyone if you aren't willing to grow in knowledge. The great Francis Bacon was quoted to say, "Knowledge is power."
Here is rule of 5 in a nutshell. If you have a big tree in your back yard and you go out back and take your tool the ax, then you get five swings of the ax daily, but that is all. You must do it daily each day you go out and swing this ax, then when you get your five swings in your turn around and walk back in to the house and keep repeating this day in and day out until the tree eventually falls. You are staying consistent with the things it will take to get you to the place of accomplishing your goal. This tree represents your goal, your dreams, your ambitions as long as that tree is still standing you haven't accomplished it yet. That tree going down is the thing that you have chosen to attack. While you get only five swings at it per day, most of us would listen to the metaphor and immediately say well that's stupid because I would just go out and swing, swing, swing until that guy come down. Most of us in our life approach our goals that way anyways, that is why most will fizzle out. Most will tire down to until they are fine with the tree staying right where its at. Others hit the gas and chop the tree down, but once its down they have no idea what they are doing once they have got there. The actual rule of this metaphor is that we are only to get five swings, because we must embrace the process. The process is what gets you there, the knowledge that if I keep swinging my ax I will eventually reach my goal, I will eventually reach my dreams. Its the concept of consistency, if you don't have it you will never reach your potential. The entire time you are swinging that ax just those 5 swings a day you are learning and processing more and more skill to ultimately get you to the end of the process.
your five daily swings to help you achieve this and essentially raising your LID are as follows:
#1 Lead yourself
- "Understand that if you won't follow you, then why would anyone else"-John Maxwell
#2 Add Value to others.
- "If a leader cannot value others, then they need to stop leading. Leading is about people." -John Maxwell
#3 Study Leadership
-daily I research a great leader in history and determine what it is that made them who they are. Remember this thought. Dr. Mike Murdoch tells the story of him paying $1000 dollars for a book and everyone thought he was crazy. He said, "how you can place a value on something this significant." "The man that wrote this book was a Millionaire." he went on to say,"I can buy this book for a $1000 and learn in 3 hours what it took this man seventy years to learn."
#4 Practice Leadership.
- "If your not willing to lead then why bother working towards something." -John Maxwell
#5 Intentionally Grow
- "If your the head of the class your in the wrong class" John Maxwell
- "Get out of the ankle deep water and submerge yourself in water that is over your head. No matter how deep the water is your in, its still over your head." John Maxwell
Remember your legacy is based upon if your willing to lead or not. Were you and influencer of men or were you content to be influenced? When I die I want people to say about me I was a great: Husband. Father, Man of God, Coach, Teacher, and Man. I want my life to mean something, I want to get better daily. I strive daily to take my 5 swings at my tree understanding that the process is strengthening my resolve and I am striving for endurance that might not get there over night, but in the long run when I get there I will be ready. I encourage you today to stop being a pointer and learn to be a leader and realized that people follow what they can see. We are visual learners if you are willing to do it yourself someone will follow you, and that is exactly what Jesus showed us with biblical leadership principles in his leading of the disciples. Consistency, endurance, courage, commitment, patience, and confidence will help you leave a lasting legacy. So today work towards raising your LID, you will be glad you did and so will those who follow you.
That's my Friday Leadership moment of the week. God Bless hope you enjoy this as much as I have if you will let it, it truly will change your life.
If that statement rings true and I without a doubt believe that it does then why is it that we as Christians are afraid to take roles as leaders in our communities. We are willing to just sit back and let others lead us instead of us leading them. You might be thinking well we aren't all bosses! Well that is probably true, but why is it that you think that being a leader is reserved only for those in ranking positions? That is where we miss it; so many think that well I am not the boss so I will just do what I am told and then go about my business. Well, that mentality is good if you want to just be doing the particular job you are doing the rest of your life. If that is what you desire then more power to you, but I am one that believes God has given me more of a purpose than to just sit back and live my life pay check to pay check and wish that I could have been more. I believe that contentment leads to resentment in so many cases. We get satisfied as to what we are and get rooted in our comfort zone, then in most cases set back and complain that this guy gets paid this much, and this woman gets paid this much. While all the while we should have been in that position ourselves but we are driven not as leaders, but as followers.
Followers are content, and often times resent those that are in leadership positions. The reasons we would rather complain about Pastor's sermon Sunday rather than go out and apply it to our life, and live it Monday through Saturday is because of being a follower.
Your life whether you want to believe it or not; is leading someone somewhere. You might have never been a boss, but if at your job your one of the most respected employees because you willing to step up and say I will take that task on. That's a way of leading, if you are a parent your a leader whether you want to be or not. Looking at the state our world is in, due to the lack of leadership in the homes. Its an epidemic, God called us to be leaders. He gave us biblical examples of how to be a leader in our everyday lives.
Today I am going to quickly share with you the rule of 5 as taught by John Maxwell. I am not going to really elaborate, but this is more for you the reader to examine and find out for your self. Number one thing you must remember a true leader is a learner. You can never lead anyone if you aren't willing to grow in knowledge. The great Francis Bacon was quoted to say, "Knowledge is power."
Here is rule of 5 in a nutshell. If you have a big tree in your back yard and you go out back and take your tool the ax, then you get five swings of the ax daily, but that is all. You must do it daily each day you go out and swing this ax, then when you get your five swings in your turn around and walk back in to the house and keep repeating this day in and day out until the tree eventually falls. You are staying consistent with the things it will take to get you to the place of accomplishing your goal. This tree represents your goal, your dreams, your ambitions as long as that tree is still standing you haven't accomplished it yet. That tree going down is the thing that you have chosen to attack. While you get only five swings at it per day, most of us would listen to the metaphor and immediately say well that's stupid because I would just go out and swing, swing, swing until that guy come down. Most of us in our life approach our goals that way anyways, that is why most will fizzle out. Most will tire down to until they are fine with the tree staying right where its at. Others hit the gas and chop the tree down, but once its down they have no idea what they are doing once they have got there. The actual rule of this metaphor is that we are only to get five swings, because we must embrace the process. The process is what gets you there, the knowledge that if I keep swinging my ax I will eventually reach my goal, I will eventually reach my dreams. Its the concept of consistency, if you don't have it you will never reach your potential. The entire time you are swinging that ax just those 5 swings a day you are learning and processing more and more skill to ultimately get you to the end of the process.
your five daily swings to help you achieve this and essentially raising your LID are as follows:
#1 Lead yourself
- "Understand that if you won't follow you, then why would anyone else"-John Maxwell
#2 Add Value to others.
- "If a leader cannot value others, then they need to stop leading. Leading is about people." -John Maxwell
#3 Study Leadership
-daily I research a great leader in history and determine what it is that made them who they are. Remember this thought. Dr. Mike Murdoch tells the story of him paying $1000 dollars for a book and everyone thought he was crazy. He said, "how you can place a value on something this significant." "The man that wrote this book was a Millionaire." he went on to say,"I can buy this book for a $1000 and learn in 3 hours what it took this man seventy years to learn."
#4 Practice Leadership.
- "If your not willing to lead then why bother working towards something." -John Maxwell
#5 Intentionally Grow
- "If your the head of the class your in the wrong class" John Maxwell
- "Get out of the ankle deep water and submerge yourself in water that is over your head. No matter how deep the water is your in, its still over your head." John Maxwell
Remember your legacy is based upon if your willing to lead or not. Were you and influencer of men or were you content to be influenced? When I die I want people to say about me I was a great: Husband. Father, Man of God, Coach, Teacher, and Man. I want my life to mean something, I want to get better daily. I strive daily to take my 5 swings at my tree understanding that the process is strengthening my resolve and I am striving for endurance that might not get there over night, but in the long run when I get there I will be ready. I encourage you today to stop being a pointer and learn to be a leader and realized that people follow what they can see. We are visual learners if you are willing to do it yourself someone will follow you, and that is exactly what Jesus showed us with biblical leadership principles in his leading of the disciples. Consistency, endurance, courage, commitment, patience, and confidence will help you leave a lasting legacy. So today work towards raising your LID, you will be glad you did and so will those who follow you.
That's my Friday Leadership moment of the week. God Bless hope you enjoy this as much as I have if you will let it, it truly will change your life.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Living Life on Purpose...
James 2:14-25
focusing on verse 14 and verse 25
Anyways, the fact is that to the world a lot of our so called "Christians" look a lot like this guy. A zombie is a person that is dead, but is still roaming around focusing on its goal to destroy others. Quick disclaimer.. I don't believe in zombies, however, I do believe in Dead Christianity. I know that to our world there we are suppose to be the light and that is what James is referring to in this passage. James the brother of Jesus is basically saying my brother says that if you believe in him and you do nothing to show others, then you faith is dead. This often causes Christians to look like this guy pictured above. Our churches are full of these guys they talk a good game, but when push comes to shove then often times they get mad, and starting spewing death out of there mouth.
In verse 14 you see James saying what good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? James is questioning why people say they are something and then don't live it! We say we care about the lost yet our churches are over half empty. We claim that we we want to see the sick healed, but we wouldn't approach them. We say we care about the poor, but we don't give them food. Its a dead Christianity, its dead to the world. They look at us as wondering what makes them different from me. They claim to know Jesus, but that's it they believe in someone who lived long ago. They still stab each other in the back, they still cuss, they still drink, they still do all the things that I do.. That is our perception to the world. I am not saying to be a holy stick in the mud. That's religion and it often times is the cause of dead Christianity. We talk rules and regulations, but we don't live what the teachings are. Now I know a lot of people will probably get upset reading what I am writing today, but the facts are I am sick and tired of grow people throwing a mad dog fit because they don't get there way. They claim they are Christians, but they are so ticked off all the time they look like that zombie picture above.
I just don't have time for that any longer and neither should any of you. You should be more concerned about the lost and dying than the, color of the stinking way a piano sits on the stage. The more we bicker and fight, while people are losing jobs and have no food to eat. Why would people who are hurting and lost come to the church? They walk through the doors of our churches looking for help and looking for some answers and we run them off because they set in our pew! That's faith without works, you come to church because you place in your mind that as long as I am there and I sing my tired songs, I sit in my same pew, I sit in my same Sunday school class that some how you are justified to claim you're a Christian. The fact is James is writing you claim a faith, and you do nothing to back it up then that is the same as a body without a spirit, its DEAD!
I remember going to skid row in Los Angeles, California and being down there at night. I still remember the eight or so bicycle cops that looked at us like we were crazy for being down there, especially that time of night. I remember seeing people cooking dope on the side of the right and injecting it into their arm. I remember seeing prostitutes, and pimps. I also remember seeing lines of tents where people lived. I cannot get those images out of my mind what I saw that night. I remember God speaking to me that night clearly saying, "this is where I would be if I was on earth today." That was a modern day leper colony that was cast out by society and they were all there hopeless. Now the alarming thing is that isn't just in LA its spread all over the United States of america. Its an epidemic of lost and hurting people that don't have hope, who just need someone to give them a bottle of water. Just the other day I was walking into Subway and a local guy that you see walking up and down the streets all the time was sitting on the sidewalk at Subway. He was asking for money, now I told him that I wouldn't give him money, but I would buy him some food. I went in and bought him food and when I got back out there he was gone. I wish I could have told you how I brought him the food and he was so overwhelmed that he talked to me about his problems, and we prayed together and he accepted Christ. However; I can't tell you that, unfortunately he was gone and I couldn't find him. Hopefully, I planted a seed that I was going to help him in some way. Those faces of skid row still are in my memory today, still why I have a burden for those types of people.
Does that mean that I am super spiritual.. I can honestly say that is doesn't, I wish I could say I was. I however, have to work daily on my walk with God. I am learning daily my identity in God, I am figured out its a daily process. I do know how I am and where he is taking me, but daily I learn all the time. John C. Maxwell says, "when is the last time you learned something you didn't know." A leader is a learned and I am trying to deepen my knowledge daily. I don't want to be like that zombie picture, I don't want the world to view me as that. I don't want them to view my Christianity as Dead. I don't care about denomination, walk of life, family background, race, or ethnicity all I care about is making sure my life counts. I am working daily to live my life on purpose. I want to be intentional in my approach to my life. God has opened my eyes to the value of education, and how its not wrong to ask questions and research. I know what God has given me a calling to do and that is be an educator and a coach to help young people find their purpose in life. I am not bound to a ministry as just a pulpit, my life is my ministry and my calling is one that he has told me to go to the front lines and get my hands dirty. Go the schools, be out there where they are at don't be afraid of the unknown, but live in the unknown. God has open my eyes to realize that there are more important things to life that if my holder in front of my pew has my bible in it or not. Valuing people, Leading myself, Studying Leadership, Practicing Leadership, and Intentionally growing. These are the principles that I try to implement daily in my own life. I want to be successful and I want to make a difference in our future leaders. Our young people are worth the investment, and so is the lost.
I leave you with this: "“Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.” - Zig Ziglar.
Don't be a dead Christian, live life on purpose and with purpose, so that you can put works with your faith.
Friday, June 14, 2013
DNA of a Leader.
We have to understand that we have been set apart for so much more than most people do. We have been called to be leaders not followers. One thing we are focusing on, in our youth ministry is raising up leaders. I know that God has called us to be light where there is darkness. We are surrounded by the darkness of the world on a daily basis, and being a follower won't help you on your mission to spread the gospel. Today's devotion is about the DNA or the make up if you will of a real leader. Jentzen Franklin is one of the best I have ever heard on his teachings on leadership. I actually heard a lot of what I am going to talk about today from his teaching on the DNA of a leader. However; the reason I am using it is because it has spoken to me on my daily study on leadership. Hope this blesses you as much as it has me.
Looking at what it takes to have the make up of a leader. We are going to look at it from the biblical perspective of Moses. Moses was a great leader that wasn't always a great leader he actually was not what most would say a leader was suppose to be. However, God set him apart and called him out as a leader and we are going to examine what qualified him for that task.
#1 A Alienation- Anytime God is going to use you in great leadership he is going to alienate you.
The very name Moses means in the Hebrew..Drawn out..
When God is reading your DNA he often times is going to lead out into a time of alienation. When God's hand is on your life and he is readying your destiny he is preparing you. When you start to feel out on that limb like no one understands you. When you are starting to feel lonely even when your around friends. Its because God is preparing you for your isolation. Doesn't mean you will always be that way, but for a time it may feel that way. When your friends are going to the party, movies, or anything else you normally would do, yet you just don't feel like your really into going. That's often the time that God is preparing you for a time of alienation. When the things that use to matter to you, don't seem so important to you then he is wanting to use that time. In these moments is when need to find him, these are the moments he is preparing our hearts to hear his voice. When all your friends are out on dates, but you find yourself at home. Its not that there is anything wrong, but God is probably trying to get your attention. Your time will come and when it does let me tell you will be so blessed. You won't always feel alienated, but those moments that you are get ready, because God is trying to raise you up. Don't worry about being single while all your friends are dating someone they most likely won't end up marrying anyway. God is probably preparing you for a moment when you actually meet the one you will end up with, because during this time of preparation God is preparing another with the same heart you have. These times we don't like because no one likes to feel alone, but its in those times if we will let him God speaks to us the clearest.
See Moses was taken to a river; let go by his mother, and ended up being in the house of Pharaoh.
#2 N- National Leadership and National Vision.
Moses ended up being found my Pharaoh's daughter, this wasn't by accident. When God is preparing a leader he will always place them somewhere that they get a Vision and are surrounded by an influential leader. Leadership is something that is learned not just immediately started. You have a leadership quality in you from birth, but everyone has to learn to cultivate that seed. You look all throughout history, whether good or bad; great leaders always learned from someone. They always got into another person's philosophy of life, and that lead them to do great or evil things.
When God is preparing you for leadership he will place in your life a teacher, coach, Pastor, Government official or someone that is doing things that God is preparing you do to yourself. You will find a person that God places you with that has a vision for the nation. This person could have national or even international impact, he just wants us to see that there is so much more than what we have always known in our box. He wants us to realize that our world isn't our four and no more. When God is preparing you for leadership and finding your true destiny, he will put the people in your life that will help you get there. You will only grow with the people you associate yourself with.
#3 D- Divine Discontent or Dissatisfaction.
Moses was upset about the way that his people were treated and was ready to get them out of that slaves mentality. He was ready to lead them out and lead them to their destiny that God had for them. He was too lead a group of slaves and build a nation out of them. Moses was dissatisfied with the way things were going for his people so he was set up to lead them out.
You will know that your assignment by what it is that bothers you. Dr. Mike Murdock in his book, "Seven signposts to your assignment." He says, "that one of the signposts to your assignment is found by what problem you are here to fix!" With that being said when you allow God to alienate you so he can speak to you, then you find yourself outside your box surrounded by people of influence, and you have a real discontent about something. Get ready because God is trying to prepare his man or his woman that he has chosen to begin to lead.
You have been prepared, by being able to hear his voice. You have been taught by people that you have surrounded yourself with and now you have a vision for being a world changer. Then you figure out the problem your hear to fix and begin piecing together a plan to fix it. God is preparing you to be a World Changer not a World Follower. You now have the DNA (or make-up) of a Christ lead leader, go and change the world.
I hope this little teaching will help you as much as it has helped me. Its impacted my life, as I am in a time right now where God is preparing me for leadership. I am called to coach/ teach and you all know that by now, but the reason I am not where I am going is because he is really teaching me how to be a leader that he wants me to be. Every week I will give a little tidbit of some of the leadership studies of I in. I want to partner with you to raise up Godly leaders, which our world truly needs. I can also say from experience that I have experienced each one to these very pieces of the recipe of a leader in my own life. Remember this, "embrace the journey, because it will be get you to the prize." You may spend most of your life in the journey but very little in the destination, but that's what its all about. Jesus himself spent thirty years preparing for a three and a half year ministry. The journey truly does make the destination even greater when we get there. The journey is where God truly molded and made us who we are.
God Bless
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Your Words have power!!!!
As indicated in the book, The Power of Your Words, its a commonly known fact that there are about 800,000 words in the English language. But 300,000 or so of these are technical words and scientific jargon used only by a small group of professionals in various fields and disciplines. That leaves about 500,000 words from which to select as we communicate in our daily lives.
Of course, no one carries that large of a vocabulary. In fact, the average person knows about 10,000 words, but uses only about 5,000 in everyday speech! - Robert Morris
Its interesting to note that God gave us two ears, two eyes, two nostrils, two hands, two legs, two feet, and only one mouth. I believe God was trying to send a message from the get go. Words to have a huge impact on daily living. Often times we pray in such purity and with such passion for our kids for example, then we go talk to sister super christian and we say I worry about little Sara or little Jimmy because they have to go to that awful school. We don't even realize that is watering down what we just prayed over them. Fear and a mouth can cause a person to live in turmoil most of their life. You see it all the time a person has fear that they are going to contract some sort of disease and they speak all their life that they don't want that exact disease. They then contract it and others around them wonder how that happened to that person. They prayed all their life that it wouldn't. Does this mean God doesn't hear our prayers? I don't think so as a matter of fact its a biblical fact that he does hear our prayers. Think about this scenario; a person who is a tremendous faithful worker for God, spends their entire life praying for something to NOT happen. Well think about the dynamic in which that individual has created. Most pray for things because they fear its gonna happen to them, most speak it as though they are destined to see it in their own life. So they begin to pray to head it off at the pass, if you will. What are they essentially doing? Well they are speaking things as though they were are they not? That's biblical to call things as they were not as though they were. Most of the things that happen in our life to ourselves we speak into existence. I know from seeing it with my own eyes that praying one specific thing not to happen can happen and often will happen. Say for instance you have a loved one that prays their entire life not to get cancer and yet they seem to always get it. Not in every instance, but in many. Why is that is God punishing them? Are they wrong for what they are praying? No to both, but prayer is about faith. If you don't implement faith in your prayers then often times you totally miss what could happen. Now for humanity that is often the toughest thing is praying by faith, most pray by fear. We as humans fear the unknown so there fore we pray as to the unknown. The bible says in Hebrews 11:1 "faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen." Now we have misunderstood and misinterpreted that for years in the church. Many take that as believing in God whom we can't see. That is totally correct, but its not the whole story, in fact its just a little bit of it.
Look at this text and examine faith in the context of what we have been discussing today. Faith in prayer is praying for the unknown and unseen is it not? Well if in fact acting in faith is a substance of things hoped for then why in the world are we praying not to have this specific illness or thing happen? Well are we not telling God I have nothing wrong with me....BUT! Hold on a minute there it is, that big ole but! That is probably one of the most commonly used words in the English language and probably the most powerful. That one word in a prayer or common communication with anyone describes your faith in a nutshell. We all do this and that's why the world has got to where it is! Here are some examples.. Don't stop if any of these are you, because I am writing this and I do this too. Father thank you for my wonderful family, but don't let harm come to us. Father I love that person, but they are so frustrating. Father thank you for giving me health, but I am don't want this pain I am feeling to be something bad. Really? How about this one talking to you friend. Hey man I sure love our church, but that pastor is getting boring. Hey bro that was a great service, but the worship was not great today? Then the music consistently gets worse and the worship leaders hear about it and get mad and jealousy sets in. Then you have a good ole fashion religious mess, because now you have allowed for the religious to throw their two cents in and now you have a fight on your hands.
Also lets look at the second half of Hebrews 11:1 If its the evidence of things not seen. Hold on now evidence? Nothing is wrong with you, but you been praying as though there was. Then you keep feeling bad you go to the doctor and here is the evidence. You have been speaking it, you have been talking about it, you have been praying it. Then it shows up in your life and your surprised? Then everyone prays diligently for you and the healing doesn't take place. Well I have a theory, maybe you have placed something on yourself that isn't going to be undone necessarily. God can do everything and anything he wants, but remember he gives you the desires of your heart. From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. If all that is in your heart is fear of the unseen and the substance of the things hoped for. Well substance is something that is tangible something that is there. Something that has substance is something or someone who exist. Your prayers are a living breathing measure of your faith. If you are praying for someone to get healed and your asking as if your a kid begging for candy. Is that faith, I have a hard time believing that God wants a 33 year old man to jump up and down going please oh please oh please. We pray from our hearts we let out to God what is really in there, we also pray from our intellect in other words what you constantly speak or have spoken to you that you learn becomes your intellect and it comes out through your prayer.
Now let me say that in no way fashion or form am I saying that when people pray like this they are sinning or they are a bad person. That's not the case at all, I mean Peter walked on water for a moment and then fell into the water because his eyes wander due to his fear of the unknown. Jesus picked him up and they got back into the boat and later Peter preached a sermon and 3,000 people were saved. I am just saying we don't realize that ramifications of our words. We don't realize the fact that what we say and what we do has a profound impact on ourselves and others. Also let me say I am also not saying that just because you're sick or something bad happens to you that you have prayed it into existence. That is often not the case I am just saying that it does happen. Bad things are gonna happen and I will tell you the healing's and blessing's come most often to those who hadn't spoke it over their life. Its just often when you haven spoken it, God has given your the desires and intents of your heart. Its a very dangerous thing to speak death in any aspect of your life. Its very dangerous to constantly let fear dictate the words your pray or the things you do. Prayer is our communication with God, and if our prayer is negative how can we expect anything other than negative results. If your prayer is full of positive faith how could we expect anything, but the favor of God.
Finally, I have raised a lot of questions no doubt. I will also say this that the dilemma most of humanity faces is how do I learn to have that measure of faith. We live in a very cynical and negative society, every claims this or that and they turn further away from God. With that surrounding you it becomes very hard to keep that strength in your faith. I don't have a magical answer to an age old problem, I wish there was a+b=c formula to this. Unfortunately, there isn't its more about our determination to just make it happen. If those prayers have been your prayers, don't worry I am not saying your bound for hell or you have done something bad. You just fall into the majority, I myself have caught myself doing this as well. I have been working to make my prayers positive in faith when I pray for others or my families well being.
My problem is finishing that prayer and then talking to someone else and saying man I don't want, "Mia to be a teenager because of what they have to face." I mean really Shawn, that's pretty stinkin ignorant don't ya think? That's what I am saying its hard to do, but when we do it that's when God will begin to operate in powerful ways in our life. Thank God for his sovereignty because he doesn't immediately act on each time we pray or say things like that. I wasn't praying negative over my family, but I did speak it so I counteracted my prayers, but God knows we are humans and we do ignorant things more often than not. God's grace allows me to make mistakes like that an catch myself and oops God I did it again. He doesn't set there waiting for you to mess up. He knows your gonna, its a process of growth that we all have to go through. However, on the flip side, and as I have eluded to throughout this devotional today, if you don't work to get better and you get set in your ways (at any age this can happen, youngest to the oldest) that's when it has truly become a part of who you are and unless you totally surrender it to God, it becomes a part of your intellect thus becoming part of your spirit. That's when its starts to speak from the abundance of you heart, then the evidence begins to show if you will. Also, let me point out in this that being vulnerable in your prayer time isn't praying curses on your life. Being broken and coming to God in times of hurt and need isn't what this is about. I love the times when I am by myself that I can come broken to God and say this is happening to me and I don't know why? That isn't what I am referencing at all, this is all in the context of faithless prayer or speaking negative over those that you just prayed for blessing in their life. Words really do have power and that's the point of this devotional.
My prayer for you today is that God richly bless you and your family. I pray for tremendous favor for you in your workplace, friends, and family.
Of course, no one carries that large of a vocabulary. In fact, the average person knows about 10,000 words, but uses only about 5,000 in everyday speech! - Robert Morris
Its interesting to note that God gave us two ears, two eyes, two nostrils, two hands, two legs, two feet, and only one mouth. I believe God was trying to send a message from the get go. Words to have a huge impact on daily living. Often times we pray in such purity and with such passion for our kids for example, then we go talk to sister super christian and we say I worry about little Sara or little Jimmy because they have to go to that awful school. We don't even realize that is watering down what we just prayed over them. Fear and a mouth can cause a person to live in turmoil most of their life. You see it all the time a person has fear that they are going to contract some sort of disease and they speak all their life that they don't want that exact disease. They then contract it and others around them wonder how that happened to that person. They prayed all their life that it wouldn't. Does this mean God doesn't hear our prayers? I don't think so as a matter of fact its a biblical fact that he does hear our prayers. Think about this scenario; a person who is a tremendous faithful worker for God, spends their entire life praying for something to NOT happen. Well think about the dynamic in which that individual has created. Most pray for things because they fear its gonna happen to them, most speak it as though they are destined to see it in their own life. So they begin to pray to head it off at the pass, if you will. What are they essentially doing? Well they are speaking things as though they were are they not? That's biblical to call things as they were not as though they were. Most of the things that happen in our life to ourselves we speak into existence. I know from seeing it with my own eyes that praying one specific thing not to happen can happen and often will happen. Say for instance you have a loved one that prays their entire life not to get cancer and yet they seem to always get it. Not in every instance, but in many. Why is that is God punishing them? Are they wrong for what they are praying? No to both, but prayer is about faith. If you don't implement faith in your prayers then often times you totally miss what could happen. Now for humanity that is often the toughest thing is praying by faith, most pray by fear. We as humans fear the unknown so there fore we pray as to the unknown. The bible says in Hebrews 11:1 "faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen." Now we have misunderstood and misinterpreted that for years in the church. Many take that as believing in God whom we can't see. That is totally correct, but its not the whole story, in fact its just a little bit of it.
Look at this text and examine faith in the context of what we have been discussing today. Faith in prayer is praying for the unknown and unseen is it not? Well if in fact acting in faith is a substance of things hoped for then why in the world are we praying not to have this specific illness or thing happen? Well are we not telling God I have nothing wrong with me....BUT! Hold on a minute there it is, that big ole but! That is probably one of the most commonly used words in the English language and probably the most powerful. That one word in a prayer or common communication with anyone describes your faith in a nutshell. We all do this and that's why the world has got to where it is! Here are some examples.. Don't stop if any of these are you, because I am writing this and I do this too. Father thank you for my wonderful family, but don't let harm come to us. Father I love that person, but they are so frustrating. Father thank you for giving me health, but I am don't want this pain I am feeling to be something bad. Really? How about this one talking to you friend. Hey man I sure love our church, but that pastor is getting boring. Hey bro that was a great service, but the worship was not great today? Then the music consistently gets worse and the worship leaders hear about it and get mad and jealousy sets in. Then you have a good ole fashion religious mess, because now you have allowed for the religious to throw their two cents in and now you have a fight on your hands.
Also lets look at the second half of Hebrews 11:1 If its the evidence of things not seen. Hold on now evidence? Nothing is wrong with you, but you been praying as though there was. Then you keep feeling bad you go to the doctor and here is the evidence. You have been speaking it, you have been talking about it, you have been praying it. Then it shows up in your life and your surprised? Then everyone prays diligently for you and the healing doesn't take place. Well I have a theory, maybe you have placed something on yourself that isn't going to be undone necessarily. God can do everything and anything he wants, but remember he gives you the desires of your heart. From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. If all that is in your heart is fear of the unseen and the substance of the things hoped for. Well substance is something that is tangible something that is there. Something that has substance is something or someone who exist. Your prayers are a living breathing measure of your faith. If you are praying for someone to get healed and your asking as if your a kid begging for candy. Is that faith, I have a hard time believing that God wants a 33 year old man to jump up and down going please oh please oh please. We pray from our hearts we let out to God what is really in there, we also pray from our intellect in other words what you constantly speak or have spoken to you that you learn becomes your intellect and it comes out through your prayer.
Now let me say that in no way fashion or form am I saying that when people pray like this they are sinning or they are a bad person. That's not the case at all, I mean Peter walked on water for a moment and then fell into the water because his eyes wander due to his fear of the unknown. Jesus picked him up and they got back into the boat and later Peter preached a sermon and 3,000 people were saved. I am just saying we don't realize that ramifications of our words. We don't realize the fact that what we say and what we do has a profound impact on ourselves and others. Also let me say I am also not saying that just because you're sick or something bad happens to you that you have prayed it into existence. That is often not the case I am just saying that it does happen. Bad things are gonna happen and I will tell you the healing's and blessing's come most often to those who hadn't spoke it over their life. Its just often when you haven spoken it, God has given your the desires and intents of your heart. Its a very dangerous thing to speak death in any aspect of your life. Its very dangerous to constantly let fear dictate the words your pray or the things you do. Prayer is our communication with God, and if our prayer is negative how can we expect anything other than negative results. If your prayer is full of positive faith how could we expect anything, but the favor of God.
Finally, I have raised a lot of questions no doubt. I will also say this that the dilemma most of humanity faces is how do I learn to have that measure of faith. We live in a very cynical and negative society, every claims this or that and they turn further away from God. With that surrounding you it becomes very hard to keep that strength in your faith. I don't have a magical answer to an age old problem, I wish there was a+b=c formula to this. Unfortunately, there isn't its more about our determination to just make it happen. If those prayers have been your prayers, don't worry I am not saying your bound for hell or you have done something bad. You just fall into the majority, I myself have caught myself doing this as well. I have been working to make my prayers positive in faith when I pray for others or my families well being.
My problem is finishing that prayer and then talking to someone else and saying man I don't want, "Mia to be a teenager because of what they have to face." I mean really Shawn, that's pretty stinkin ignorant don't ya think? That's what I am saying its hard to do, but when we do it that's when God will begin to operate in powerful ways in our life. Thank God for his sovereignty because he doesn't immediately act on each time we pray or say things like that. I wasn't praying negative over my family, but I did speak it so I counteracted my prayers, but God knows we are humans and we do ignorant things more often than not. God's grace allows me to make mistakes like that an catch myself and oops God I did it again. He doesn't set there waiting for you to mess up. He knows your gonna, its a process of growth that we all have to go through. However, on the flip side, and as I have eluded to throughout this devotional today, if you don't work to get better and you get set in your ways (at any age this can happen, youngest to the oldest) that's when it has truly become a part of who you are and unless you totally surrender it to God, it becomes a part of your intellect thus becoming part of your spirit. That's when its starts to speak from the abundance of you heart, then the evidence begins to show if you will. Also, let me point out in this that being vulnerable in your prayer time isn't praying curses on your life. Being broken and coming to God in times of hurt and need isn't what this is about. I love the times when I am by myself that I can come broken to God and say this is happening to me and I don't know why? That isn't what I am referencing at all, this is all in the context of faithless prayer or speaking negative over those that you just prayed for blessing in their life. Words really do have power and that's the point of this devotional.
My prayer for you today is that God richly bless you and your family. I pray for tremendous favor for you in your workplace, friends, and family.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Sacrifice
John 12:1-9
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.
3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected,
5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages. "
6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7"Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.
8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
In this passage we see a picture of the church. We see a woman in Martha that is busy going and working, then you see Lazarus a dead man made a live by the power of Jesus. You see Lazarus complaining about an act of worship, because he has an agenda. Then finally, you see Martha whom didn't care about anything or anybody just about worship. Today I want to look at Mary and what we can learn from her sacrifice.
Now in that video its a humorous look at worship, but you see exactly that kinda of argument going on in our churches today. The video does show one thing there are many times of worship and the main thing is sacrifice. Mary gives us a pure picture of sacrifice. The "pure nard" or as the KJV says, "spikenard" is a very expensive form of perfume. So expensive in fact that back in those days it was referred to in Mark 14:4 as a years wages. That would have been a Denarii a day, or three hundred denarii for a years wages. Breaking down this to modern process of thought. Its been claimed that four hundred thousand roses full grown produce one ounce of this perfume. Its three hundred dollars an ounce. With what she used that day this bottle of perfume in today's market would have cost her somewhere in the neighborhood of twelve hundred dollars. Judas was seeing this and was upset that she would even think about doing this. He said it was for the poor, but his heart was not there. He was in the mindset of how much they could have kept for his own agenda. Sin was exposed and often times is when true worship is taking place. When the heart isn't right there is no consideration of worship its more about what everyone else is doing as opposed to your time with God.
Now I have been guilty of this myself, I have been in the wrong frame of mind at times of worship. It hasn't been about me and Jesus. Its been about what everyone else was doing. Shawn, "are you saying there doesn't need to be order?" Not at all, there always needs to be order, but our opinion of order and God's opinion of order often times are different. Worshiping isn't a state the newest fad, or even the song that is being sang. Worshiping is an act of sacrifice and total submission to God. I will tell you as I have been guilty of looking at others in their worship (what I call a Judas mentality) before, I have been scolded by the Holy Spirit before. I have been told how can I judge someone else's act of worship, because I have no idea what they have been through, or where they have came out of. I know what God delivered me from, and I know there are times that I feel like jumping or dancing. I know there are people that look down on me, but I can't carry that concern. I must in fact do as Mary did, she was worshiping without restraint of "churchy" ways of doing things. Her worship was pure, and it was blessed by Jesus. Look at her testimony here, look at what she had just seen. Her brother was just dead and now he was alive sitting at the table eating with the master.
Now I think we can all learn from this Mary is praising because a relative that was dead is now alive. Many of us pray for unsaved loved ones. When that family member comes to know God often times that family doesn't care about what others are thinking. They know where that family member was (dead) but now he is alive in Christ Jesus. Her sacrifice was completely accepted by the one the sacrifice was being made for. No matter what the Cost no matter what the story, an act of pure worship doesn't confine you to a series of religious exercises. Its a love expressed for Jesus no matter the cost, no matter what others might say. Often times it defies the human standard of logic. Logic is merely a human standard measured by what is right in front of you, based upon human facts. Logic often times is a good source for decision making, but a horrible choice for faith in God. Mary in this case goes outside the realm of logical and gets out in the deep water and immerses herself in the presence of Jesus Christ.
Where the church has missed it in so many cases is we set back and deliberate what is happening. Why that person is doing that or reacting in that way. We don't know their pain and we don't know what they have been through. John 8:36 says, "so if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed." Once you have had a real encounter with Jesus you are set free and you don't have those chains that bind you anymore.
Finally, Mary's sacrifice wasn't accepted by the others in the room, other than Jesus. So lets think about this Martha was too busy to worship, because she was trying to make sure everyone was taken care of. Like many Pastor's we get so busy with the goings on of our church we sometimes program our self right out of a true worship experience at church. Then you have Judas whom is so taken back by her sacrifice, because it doesn't make sense to his sinful state, that he calls it a waste. Then you have Lazarus who doesn't have anything to say during all this he is just reclining at the table with Jesus. In other words he was once dead, but now alive so he is just happy to be in the presence of Jesus. What I love about this is during it all Mary isn't distracted, upset, too busy, or content. She is having a moment of revelation, she has come to the place I pray we all get too. That state of revelation knowledge that I certain ones had throughout that bible that were life altering moments. The centurion who had "great faith" as Jesus just spoke the word and his servant was healed. Peter had a moment where he defied logic and walked on the water. The ten lepers only one came back and laid himself at the feet of Jesus and while the other nine were healed. The one that came back was made whole, or in the Greek the word is sozo or to be restored kept from destruction. He was made complete. These are a few instances of the many where the revelation of who he was separated their worship from the others.
With that being said that's the hard thing to do! Its not easy it takes sacrifice. Smith Wigglesworth, one of the modern day prophets would wake up and praise for up to three hours each morning before he would even pray or do anything else. It takes a commitment, one that unfortunately many won't or say they can't give. Many of us are in the boat of Martha, so busy we miss the revelation and the presence of Jesus right in your own home. We are too worried about this and that, then we complain that no one is helping. We aren't sinning per say we are just in a state of missing an opportunity for true revelation. That's why we have to make a sacrifice that no matter what time it is or when it is I have to be sensitive to his presence. When you're hungry you eat, when you're thirsty you drink. Well when you are seeking his presence you will find him. We know that God in habits the praises of his people, and just like Mary when you are willing to sacrifice what you have for a moment with Jesus. That's when true revelation happens, that's when those moments happen to where he can truly have a time with you. Those vulnerable times happen and its in those times that he can truly bless you and help you right where your at. It takes Sacrifice, are you willing?
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
The Cost
I am surrounded daily by teenagers and I know it was getting rougher when I was a teenager, but each and everyday things are getting worse for teenagers today. Unfortunately I see young people that aren't allowed to be kids. They face hell daily, some of the stories that I have been told by some will make you just want to cringe. I heard a story about a young man that at 8 years of age set and watch a family member blow a guys head off with a shotgun, because of a drug deal gone wrong. Also when I first moved here I heard of a young lady that was a Junior in high school at the time, and she was working on her third child. These things are exactly what our teenagers are facing regularly as they go to their schools. You think "NOT ME" well I am here to tell you that I am living example of that mentality. Having been raised in a family full of ministers I took a path that lead me far away from God. I always said not me, and it happened all of the sudden I went down a wrong path.
Now the good news is a young person that is on "Fire" for God can help change that mentality. Our Mission this upcoming school year as a youth ministry in this area, is to begin to put a dent in that mental make up. We are striving to meet the Great Commission. Matthew 28:19 says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." That commission has been misunderstood and misinterpreted for years. We have been lead to believe that is a sole missionary commission. It is in fact a commission for missionaries, but not just vocational missionaries if you will. Its a call of God on "ALL" those who are saved. If you are a servant of Jesus you are called to go. Going is the cost, and its one that most in the church aren't willing to pay. Going is a sacrifice, it means you might have to give up something that you might want to do to be actively in pursuit of something you are called to do. Go is a verb (a word of action) and its a commandment. Its by its very definition a tool for furthering. Furthering what? well that's the question you have to ask in this sense Jesus is commanding his disciples to Go meaning get ready to leave your comfort zone and step out. This call is to us as well we are now his disciples and its our duty to not get too comfortable, and be prepared to go.
The biggest issue for most "Christian's" is the going part, because like all human beings we all want to find out niche and be good with living that life out and not getting in anyone's way. Well I am gonna tell you we as the church, followers of Christ, or whatever you want to refer the family of believers as has become a quit dysfunctional family structure. Our worry about the color of the carpet, or the sound in a church has driven most totally away from the church. Also while we bicker among ourselves, young people are dying and going to hell. Young people aren't feeling loved, so they turn to other sources and go against everything biblical. They chase love ladies and gentlemen, just like you and I. They want to be accepted and when they are not they turn to sexual sins, alcohol, drugs, prostitution, pornography, and self-mutalization. They are seeking for a feeling of love and also they are seeking to find away to make the pain go away. When we as the church set back and watch it happen. Sure we watch the news and say, "that's really sad, someone needs to fix this mess." I have grown tired and weary of hearing that statement. Its because of that way of thinking that has surrounded us with the mess we have, we worry too much about our comfort zone and everything that stays nice and cozy in our world. While the whole time out there in our community our future is waiting for someone to get out of their way of doing things and come and accept them for who they are.
I have one challenge for you if you have stuck with me and read this blog. You want to fix our world invest in our future. Young people are the ones that can make a difference, most believe that can't be reached because of the grip the world has on them. Well statistics show you are harder to reach while in your 40's and up than as a young person. You are more open to listen, the reason young people are doing the things they do is because they are listening, and I am gonna tell you the only people they hear these days are the ones saying the wrong things. We as the church have got silent and comfortable. Shame on us is all I have to say, because the world isn't silent about it, they promote their way of thinking everywhere now. Church isn't just a Sunday and Wednesday thing, it should be a lifestyle. You don't have to go around talking in Christianese, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to live like your a Christian, instead of worrying about what song's are being sang on Sunday morning worship, worry about people's souls. Sacrifice your personal preferences just a little bit and Go, get out of you're box and start investing in what I believe is the greatest generation that has ever existed. Our young people are worth your time, and if you will give it to them they will change the world. "Go and Make Disciples!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)