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My Voice

ImageMy MBTI analysis tells me I’m an introvert.  This is probably a true assessment, but sometimes I feel like I’m an extrovert who has just been trained to be an introvert.  I generally take a gentle approach to matters and conflicts.  I like to reason things out with people, gently prodding them instead of working like a bull in a china shop.  

But, sometimes we just need to be willing to get up and say what God has put on our heart.  The apostle Peter did this in the book of Acts.  In Acts 2:14 the Message says it this way, “That’s when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency.”  I don’t think Peter had too many issues with being afraid to speak up, but here is another example of it.  God had put something on his heart, and he needed to get up and boldly say it to the crowd.

I need to be sure that I am willing to stand and speak with the same urgency that Peter did.  Unlike Peter, it’s not my nature, but there are times when I need to get over myself and speak up.  I think that’s true for all of us.  God speaks to us through His word and His Holy Spirit and prompts us to speak up at times.  I want to be ready and willing when he prompts me.  We all need to be reminded that we are empowered by the Holy Spirit when He speaks to us and allow Him to speak through us.  Really, it’s a matter of obedience.

We all have different personality make-ups, but there are times when we need to move beyond our specific makeup and do what God leads us to do.

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Posted by  |  December 7, 2012 | Categories: Just Thinking | Tags: , , , | Leave A Comment »

A Life Considered

Year end is creeping right up on us.  I always find November and December as good times to examine my life, examine the previous year, and make sure my compass is still set on true North. I get so busy with so many tasks that it takes some intentionality for me to be able to review my life and make sure I haven’t drifted.  So, that’s what I’ll be doing in small bits and pieces over the next few weeks.

God encourages us to examine our lives.  He wants us to consider where we are in life, where we have been, and where He is leading us.  In this we can consider our friendships and relationships, how we treat others that we love, how we treat others that we don’t know, and how we treat others that we don’t love.  We can consider our attitudes, do we love people like Jesus does or do we tend to be exclusive with our love?  We need to think about all of these things.  

ImageThe Message puts it like this in the book of Haggai 1:7 – “That’s why God-of-the-Angel-Armies said, “Take a good, hard look at your life.  Think it over.”  God wants us to do this.  Now, we don’t want to go to extremes with considering our lives, some would call that navel gazing and that can turn very inward.  But good, intentional consideration of our lives at strategic times is very healthy.

As I examine my life, one of the side benefits is that I can remember all the great things God has done in my life and I can use those memories to recalibrate my present situation.  Also, I can use this time of consideration to remember where He has called me to and I can re-vision my path to getting there.  

There is so much good that comes from a life considered. 

Posted by  |  November 8, 2012 | Categories: Just Thinking | Tags: , , , | Leave A Comment »

Can’t Give Up

We can learn so much from some of the simplest parts of the simple story of the gospel. I’m continually amazed at some of the little lessons I learn as I read through the gospels over and over.  There is something new each time I read them.  I love that.

Today, for instance, I got a new insight on Jesus’ desire that we never give up on each other, regardless of how far away we are, how hopeless we seem, or how lifeless we look.  We just can’t give up!

I was reading Mark 9, the story about the man who brought his son to Jesus to have a deaf and mute spirit 

Imageremoved from him.  Jesus did this, the spirit came out and the boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.”   But, then Jesus reached down and took the boy by the hand and life was restored to the boy, color came back into his face, and he stood up.

 The townspeople gave up on this boy, saying he was dead, but Jesus didn’t.  Jesus just extended his hand to him and the boy was truly full of life.  Jesus always seems to do that, right?  He reaches out to those of us who seem beyond hope and restores life to us.  He never gives up on us, he just won’t give up!

This lesson reminds me of those who I have given up on in the past.  How many times have I thought someone was too far gone, or too deep in sin, or just a lost cause?  Just in the past year or two I’ve seen people who I felt this way about come back to life, because Jesus hasn’t given up on them.  I’m so thankful that Jesus didn’t give up on me!  I’m thankful that Jesus to continues to extend his hand to me and bring me life – life immeasurable!

Posted by  |  November 1, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , | Leave A Comment »

Living the Dream

There is a little story in the book of Ezra that has taught me a great lesson regarding how to view the future, God’s plans for my future, and how to fulfill God’s vision for  my life.  I think the lesson could be for all of us.

The book of Ezra starts with Israel’s efforts to rebuild the Temple of God, how they organized themselves, and how they would begin their work.  In chapter 3, we read that the people of Israel began offering burnt offerings to God even from the very first day of the construction of the Temple.  The Temple’s foundation had not yet been laid.

The vision that the Israelites had from that first day was so vivid in their minds that they were offering gifts of thanksgiving to God from the very first day of construction.  In their mind, the rebuilding of the Temple was a done deal because God had birthed that vision in their minds and they knew He was always faithful. 

ImageThat’s the way it can be with our dreams, too, as we align them with God’s plans for us.  Can we dream big dreams, pray through them and know that they align with God’s plan for us, and  then start thanking Him for the completion of those dreams from day one?  Yes, it takes faith on our part, but it also takes a commitment from us to dream God-dreams, to listen to Him as He plants those dreams in our heart, and to receive His dream for us so deeply that we know that successful completion of the dream is a certainty.  The Israelites in Ezra’s day did just that.

What’s your dream?  Have you prayed through it?  Are you so confident in God’s fulfillment of the dream that you are ready to start thanking Him for it, even from day one?

Posted by  |  October 18, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | Leave A Comment »

Love is a decision

I think we have too many uses for the word ‘love’ in our language.  We love burritos, we love pizza, we love our dogs and cats (well, at least some of us love our dogs and cats!), we love our children, we love our spouses, and we love a beautiful day.  Do all those things mean the same?  Do we love all those things in the same way?  I sure hope we don’t!

I think we often think that love relates to only how we feel.  We love when we feel like it or we love when it feels good, but if we’re not really feeling it we think the love is gone.  I could be cliche here and use the Hall and Oates lyrics that ‘we’ve lost that loving feeling’, but I’ll refrain.

I think Jesus teaches us to go way beyond love as a feeling as he teaches us that love is a decision we make and love is a verb.  Take the story in Luke 7 for example.  There was a woman there who was anointing Jesus’ feet with some very expensive perfume.  This happened to be occurring at a Pharisees house (Pharisees were the really religious people of the day).  The Pharisees started grumbling about Jesus letting this sinful woman anoint his feet and they said, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner.”

The thing is, though, that Jesus knew exactly who this woman was.  Jesus wasn’t a prophet, he is the Son of God so of course he knew he; he knew her past, he knew her heart, and he knew all about the Pharisees too.  Jesus knew all of this, but he had decided to love her anyway.  He had decided, way before this time, that he would love her.

You see, In John 3:16 we read that God loved the world so much that he sent his son so that we could believe in him and find life everlasting.  The decision was made beforehand that Jesus would love this lady.  The decision was made beforehand that he would love me, and the decision was made beforehand that he would love you.  That decision has been made.

After Jesus made this decision, he walked it out in all he did on earth, showing us that love is a verb.

What would it look like for me to decide beforehand to love others?  What would it look like for me to accept others and walk it out by showing love (the verb) to others by serving them, encouraging them, or walking alongside them?  I fail at this every day, but today, I feel renewed in my passion to decide to love others by serving, encouraging, and walking alongside them.

Posted by  |  October 11, 2012 | Categories: Just Thinking | Tags: , , , | Leave A Comment »

Got your back

I always like to be sure I have my children’s backs.  I’m sure all parents feel the same way, too.  We want the best for our children and are always watching out for them, even from a distance sometimes, to make sure there is no one sneaking up from behind to ambush them.  We feel that sense of covering for them, a sense of wanting what is best for them, so we keep constant watch and are quick to stand up for them when the circumstance calls for it.

ImageThat’s the way Jesus watches our backs.  In the book of Luke, chapter 6, we read this from The Message, “But Jesus stood up for them, “Have you never read what David and those with him did when they were hungry?””  Jesus was quick to stand up to those religious folks who wanted to drag his disciples down by criticizing their every move.  He spoke up for them, covered them, and made sure they all felt securely covered as they followed him.

Every leader should feel this way about those we are called to lead.  We need to love those we are leading, watch out for their best, expect the best from them, and cover them with our words and deeds.  It seems like the Church is deficient in this area.  Many skeptics say we are the only organization on earth that shoots our wounded.  Wouldn’t it be so much better if we were known as the only organization that covers each other, not whitewashing or trying to hide things, and genuinely loves each other enough to stand up for our co-laborers in truth and in love and walk through difficulties together?

Wouldn’t those we follow feel so much safer and more secure with leaders who have there backs in truth and in love?  That’s the kind of leader I want to be.  As I do this, I think all those that I lead will be able to grow in their gifts and calling because they know they are covered in truth and love and they will know they love, accepted, and forgiven.

Posted by  |  October 4, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Place Matters

Sometimes place matters.  Even Jesus had issues with place.  Remember the story in Mark 6 where Jesus ‘could not do any miracles there’.  It seems that we have an assignment and that assignment includes a place.  

ImageTake the fish, for example.  If we take a fish and place it on the shore of a lake, it will flip and flop around, gills gasping, and look incredibly awkward and even foolish.  However, throw that fish in the water and you can immediately see the brilliance that God gave it.  The fish darts here and there, swimming freely, and thriving in the place God created it to be.  

Then, there is the gazelle.  It is one of the most graceful and fastest creatures on earth.  Have you ever seen a gazelle running across a plain?  It’s amazing and beautiful, not to mention really fast.  However, if we put that gazelle in the water with the fish, we’ll see it turn into a splashing, gasping, foolish looking creature that has no effect.  

You see, the fish is designed to be in the water and the gazelle is designed to be on the plain.  They were made for that and thrive in that.  Switch their places up and you’ll see certain failure and frustration on their parts.  

We all have strengths; we all have weaknesses.  We all have a place where we thrive and we all have a place where we flip and flop and look foolish.  The key is to find those strengths and that place where our brilliance is evident and obvious.  We have to keep in mind that sometimes our failure or frustration isn’t so much about us, our abilities, or our calling as it is our location.  

We need to find the place where we are brilliant and then we need to shine there.  God has created us all for greatness so we need to be sure we are where we need to be so our  greatness will shine like a fish in the water or gazelle sprinting across the plain.

Be great!  Think big!

Posted by  |  September 20, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , | Leave A Comment »

Who would have ever thought…

Kathy and I got to enjoy some vacation time recently as we had the chance to go visit my family in Tennessee.  It had been a year since Kathy had a chance to go to Tennessee to visit and almost a year since we had a chance to get away together for some time to recharge and rejuvenate so we were really excited to go.  We had an awesome trip, got to visit with family, and even had a little time to relax.

ImageOne of the things that we realized as we were away together is that we have experienced some amazing ‘who would have ever thought…’ experiences with each other and with our families.  We have experienced miraculous family breakthroughs and miraculous relational healings. We have experienced great growth in ourselves as we have had the chance to minister to others that we never expected to minister with. We have grown friendships that have seemed God ordained. It has truly been an amazing and fruitful year for us. 

The funny thing is, though, how easy it is to lose sight if these events in our lives and let Satan discourage us because our ‘day-to-day’ isn’t moving us in the direction we expect as quickly as we expect. We realized this in our lives and we were saddened to realize that we had let Satan steal our joy about all of the miracles we have seen. 

So, we have chosen to focus on these ‘who would have ever thought…’ things in our life and it has made all the difference in the world.  We see our circumstances in a different light and we are eagerly anticipating more ‘who would have thought…’ moments as we close out 2012 and begin 2013. 

Where is your focus?  I encourage you to reflect on where God has brought you from and the miracles, as small as they might seem, that He has performed in your life to bring you there. Don’t let the enemy steal your joy!  Circumstances are as they are but your outlook on the things God has done for you over the years can make all the difference in your life as you let Him encourage you to persevere in what He has called you to do.

Dream big!

Posted by  |  September 16, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , | Leave A Comment »

Obedience before Sacrifice

God asks for our obedience.  Actually, He requires obedience from us before He asks us to sacrifice for Him.  In Jeremiah 7, God says, “I delivered your ancestors out of Egypt, I never said anything to them about wanting burnt offerings and sacrifices as such.  But I did say this, commanded this:  ”Obey me.  Do what I say and I will be your God and you will be my people.”  (The Message)

ImageThis shows that God cares so much more about our obedience than what we can offer him through our sacrifices.  As a matter of fact, our obedience to God is the key to walking with Him.  So many time, we want to talk about and be known for the things we’ve sacrificed for God or to Him.  It seems He isn’t so interested in that.  We should focus more on finding His will for our lives and being obedient to it.  We need to be in His Word often enough that we know His desires for us and then we can be obedient to Him.  

God might call me to sacrifice some things for Him, and if He does I want to be ready and willing to do that.  However, He has already called me to be obedient, has given me His Word as a compass, and expects that obedience from me.  In the end, obedience will always trump sacrifice!

Posted by  |  August 30, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | Leave A Comment »

Who am I?

It’s so easy for me to forget who I am!  I get caught up in the tasks of the day, the plans I’ve made, and the job I do and I forget that I am a child of God.  He knew me before I was conceived, created me, and grafted me into His family so that all I need for my identity is found in Him.

ImageIn The Message, we read it this way in 1 John 3:2:  ”But friends, that’s exactly who we are:  children of God.  But that’s only the beginning.  Who knows how it will end up?”  This is a startling and important reality that all of us should grasp ahold of and take to heart.  We are children of God; sons and daughters of the King!  I believe so many of us don’t know this or don’t grasp it and find themselves frustrated as they try to work for their identity.  

God does give us a job to do, tasks to perform, but our identity can solely be found in who He has created us to be as His children.  As such, there is nothing more valuable that we have to offer.  So, why do I end up so frustrated and overwhelmed when I feel behind on my tasks?  Why do I get anxious about so many things?  It’s only because I lose sight of who God has made me to be and I start to rely on my tasks, my job, and myself to define my identity.  I’m pretty sure I’m not alone here!

So, I’ll continue to work hard, to stay on track with the projects and tasks I have, but I will only look to God for my identity and my affirmation.  That’s a good idea for all of us.

Posted by  |  August 23, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »

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