Top 5 well 6 post of 2010

Here are the top 5 post of the year from my blog. There are six because there was a tie for number 5. 

1. Glow In The Dark
2. Can You Handle This?
3. 1,000,000 Pieces
4. Maybe - TMI (This is my favorite)
5. 27 and Counting and Every Road Leads Somewhere

Hope you have been drawn closer to Christ through my blog this year. 

Book Review - Out Live Your Life by Max Lucado

Authenticity seems to be something that people desire in themselves and others. This book is one that will spur the reader on to live a life that does make a real difference. The Bible says in Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Lucado give guidance, encouragement and challenge for each person to make their life count for something greater than themselves. He deals with some of the most popular concerns that people use to justify not investing in the world and community around you. One of my favorite quotes from the book is, “In the game of life, many of us who cross home plate do so because we were born on third base. Others aren’t even on a team”. For those of us who are on third based, we need to reach out and rescue, restore and redeem that which is lost. You might ask the question, “Can God use me?” Read this book and Max will point you in the right direction. 

Book Review - The Gospel According to Jesus by Chris Seay

I love a book that takes me to another level in my understanding and comprehension of truth especially biblical truth. Furthermore, the enjoyment increases substantially when I am challenged to enter a new place of adventure. That is exactly what I found in this book. I was able to hear Chris speak at Catalyst 2010 which further reinforced the challenging truths of this book. I would estimate this to be one of the best books I have read in 2010. The format is different that most books. Not only do you get the insights from Chris but also others sharing in a Q&A format. I promise you will walk away seeing words like "righteousness" in a new and engaging way.

Out Until Year End

I will not be posting until 2011. Taking a few days off.

WHAT IT DEPENDS ON

Last night an old saying came to my mind. "Prepare like everything depends on you and pray like everything depends on God". If we would all make that a practice then so much would fall in place. However, sometimes all we do is pray and don't prepare. Other times, all we do is prepare and we do not pray. God want to use us to get His will done. We cannot do it without Him. So in "whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31) and "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess 5:17).

Ingrown Christians

Today I address the Barna Research Megatrend of 2010 number 2 (please read the article).

2. Christians are becoming more ingrown and less outreach-oriented.

I agree. What I do find is that people find it easier to talk with someone they do not know about Christ and Christianity than the people they know. I do agree that the Christian community is “becoming more ingrown and less outreach-oriented”. It is easier to just hang out with my Christian friends, for they are cleaner. Here is what I mean. What if I go out to dinner with one of my unchurched friends (if I even have one) and they order a beer? Or a glass of wine? I have heard people say they would never let that happen. So, here is the conclusion of most Christians. If unchurched people are going to act unchurched then we just choose to skip it – it’s just too messy. I hate this about us. What are we scared of?

Here is a short story of Jesus. Read it.

Mark 2:15–17 (ESV)

¹⁵ And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

I'M 25!

I am 25 years old today. It was 25 years ago today that I met Lee Hartley at Eastern Hills Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Papermill Road) and knelt at the end of the first ugly green pew on the right and asked Christ to become the Lord and Savior of my life. I was radically saved and my life radically changed. I have experienced much in these 25 years and been blessed beyond measure. 

THEOLOGICALLY WEAK?

I am writing in regard to the research from www.barna.org entitled Six Megathemes Emerge from Barna Research in 2010. Please take time to read the article so you know my base. I will write concerning each Megatrend and my observations from my vantage point.

Megatrend #1

1.     The Christian Church is becoming less theologically literate.

My Vantage Point

                  I believe the points Barna Research list could easily be said of the population as a whole without a doubt but the extremes would be hard to say about the Christian Church. From my vantage point everyone in our area associate Easter with the resurrection of Christ; however, not all people in the Christian church see faith as the focal point of their life. Furthermore, there is great uncertainty concerning the Holy Spirit in the Christian Church. The last statement of Barna Research reads, “The theological free-for-all that is encroaching in Protestant churches nationwide suggests the coming decade will be a time of unparalleled theological diversity and inconsistency.” I must agree with this. I seems we are moving more toward a belief that there are many interpretations of scripture as well as applications. Which lead to many interpretations of God. This is dangerous. There is but one interpretation and many applications. In conclusion, I do feel that most people are theologically (the study and knowledge of God) weak. This is dangerous because our actions will reflect our belief. Weak belief leads to weak action. 

Jesus' Voice

Do you ever find yourself in a conversation with someone that you wish you weren't? I mean that person that sounds like they just swallowed a pack of cigarettes, or drank a pint of whiskey, or maybe uneducated? That person that just drives you crazy? Your biggest critic!  I know everyone has some type/stereotype that they just try to get off the phone or away from. What about the person who you know they are lying because their mouth is moving? What if Jesus were talking to you through them. Would you hear them? Or do you have those you listen to and those you never give a hearing. I'm working on this and I hope you are too. 


Jesus had a word or two about showing preference. 

N SYNC

Remember the boy band singing sensation N SYNC ? I want to take a moment to write about N SYNC. Not the boy band but a way of life. It is our call to be N SYNC with God's will. He reveals his will through His Word and His Spirit. It is amazing how God weaves a wonderful tapestry when we are N SYNC with Him. Today, ask yourself if you are N SYNC with Him - His Word - His Spirit - His Will. 

THAT WAS STUPID!

Sometimes something looks so good you will do something so stupid. This past Saturday I was fixing fudge and a new chocolate cookie recipe from one of my new books 300 Chocolate Recipes. I was going along and had finished up and was putting stuff in the sink and there was a knife with some cookie icing on it and it looked so good I licked the knife. Sometimes something can look so good that you do something so stupid. I cut my tongue. STUPID!! My first words were, "That was stupid!" 


That is Satan's job. Take a person and put something in front of them that looks so good that they will do something so stupid. 


Just realize you are just one decision away from being stupid. 

CAN YOU RIDE TWO HORSES

How many horses can a man ride? I have seen a man ride two but he had to stand up with a foot on each. I never have seen a man ride more than two. The amazing thing is that a man riding two is a trick show. If you want a warrior he has to be on one horse. Too many times we find ourselves trying to ride the horse of what we want and what God wants. That is a trick show. Pick a horse and ride it.

Joshua put it like this:

"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."(Joshua 25:15)

GET ON A HORSE AND GIVE IT YOUR ALL. JUST DON'T TRY TO RIDE TWO.

GLOW IN THE DARK

Crayola has a product that caught my attention last night as it was advertised. It is the Crayola Glow Station. The catch line is, "what is written in the light glows in the dark". That is a good statement for the Christian walk. It is the things that we learn and become when we are in the light that is revealed when we are in the dark. There are so many ways to consider what we do in the light. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world" John 8:12. 


Take a few minutes to think about this statement. 


What I do in Christ, will glow in the dark.

YOU COULD BE

What is a good Christian? Is it that person who is at church every time the doors open? It could be. Is it the person who is a deacon, pastor, elder, minister? It could be. Is it the person who reads their Bible everyday and one, two or three devotions? It could be. Is it the person who is the most highly respected person in your church? It could be. Is it the person who is a missionary to one of the unreached people groups? It could be. 


Jesus set the example and told others to follow.


Two Things That A "Good Christian" has settled.

1. Love God
2. Love Others

This means the death of self. I believe a "Good Christian" is a person who does what God says. Most of that is outside the church walls. But there is a balance. All Christians need to be participate in the body of Christ for discipleship but also in ministry and missions. 

So Christ desires us to be God-centered, Other-centered and not self-centered. Are you a "good Christian"? You could be!

A GOOD CHRISTIAN IS ONE THAT KNOWS TO DO GOOD AND DOES IT!

CAUGHT IN WHOREDOM

God led me to the book of Jeremiah in the past weeks. I have not been real faithful in reading it. It is kind of depressing. Today, I was in chapter three. There Jeremiah is declaring all that God tells him to say. In this one chapter he refers to Israel (His people) as a whore. Why? Because they were a nation who was adulterous. I am sure there were some husbands cheating on wives and wives cheating on husbands, but that is not the focus here. "Because she took her whoredom lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree." (v9).

Israel had replaced God with stuff. Stuff made of wood and stone. We find ourselves doing the same thing. Here is what God wanted proclaimed.

"Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger for I am merciful declares the Lord; I will not be angry forever." (v12).

Are you caught up in your whoredom and forgotten God?

Return "for He is merciful".

Take time to read Jeremiah 3

IT'S BEEN GOOD

Well it is the Saturday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday. The family is still sleeping. I think it is a parents most fulfilling moment when their grown kids are home for the holidays. We have laughed, eat, shopped, shopped and ate. We have decorated for Christmas and even wrapped a few presents. God has been good to us this year (I know He is always good) but I guess it felt right. I have much to look forward to but I mainly want to drink in this moment. I want to make sure I do not get so focused on what is next that I am not in the now. It has been a great Thanksgiving. 


How has your Thanksgiving been?

Thanksgiving Reminders

This is my favorite time of year. This week is the best of the best. Extended time with family is what makes it so meaningful. I just want to remind you to make the time meaningful.

• Be where you are. 
• Listen to what others have to say. 
• Take pictures. Invest in others. 
• Ask the cook for a recipe.
• Make an ornament for the tree.
• Remember it all comes from God.
• Remember those already home (I miss you mama).

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2

I will not be back to blog until Monday. Enjoy the break. 

THANKS ANDY STANLEY

On Twitter this morning Andy Stanley (@AndyStanley) tweeted, "When I look at my children, I never think about their past. Only their potential." That is one great word or as Perry Noble (@perrynoble) put it, "THAT's AWESOME!!!". Johnny Hunt (@johnnymhunt) tweeted, "Thanks for a great reminder!" I'm not sure if Andy was speaking of just parenting or parenting love or God's love or ever how we can use it for good. I'm going to say their is one interpretation (What he wrote) and many applications (how it applies in other areas). I want to write concerning two applications.

1. Parental love - our children have made mistakes and even did exactly what they were not told to do. I watched a 2 year old stare down her dad when she was doing exactly what she was told not to do. She is a good child but we all want to find the line of authority. We are all going to blow it, BUT our parents continually see our potential. Thank God for love, grace and mercy.
2. Godly love - as children of God he sees our potential. Because of the gifts of repentance, mercy and grace God looks to our present. He see what we can be today. He see our potential as an obedient child. Peter was able to walk on water because he began to believe what Jesus believed about Him. God believes in your potential. He sees you as you can be. 

Today, live in your potential. Do not settle for mediocrity or complacency. 

$4 FOR $10

I just saw a commercial that has a $2 bill on sale for $10. It has a special picture on it. Also, a great deal was offered. If I were to order NOW I could get another $2 bill free. So, I could send them $10 (plus shipping and handling) and get $4 dollars in return. There is someone out their that made the call I'm sure. They might have really gotten aggressive and sent them $100 (plus shipping and handling) and got $40 in return.


Isn't that how Satan works? He offers a "deal" and if you decide NOW he will make it even better and we get used and abused. He makes some stupid deal look good (Adam and Eve, David and Bathsheba, etc.) and it is a deal (plus shipping and handling to KILL, STEAL AND DESTROY John 10:10)  if you act NOW.

Why do we make such stupid purchases?

JUST SAY NO!

COST AND JUNK

Just got a text that offed me a .243 with a scope for $450. I think I want a gun. Why? Not sure! I do not hunt. I might go once a year but I do not even own a  piece of camo clothing. Here is what I think I have learned. I like the thought of owning a good gun but I just don't want to pay the cost. Now, if I could find a good one for about $250 I would probably buy it. My friend said, "I thought you wanted a good gun not a piece of junk". $250 gets me a piece of JUNK. 


Here is the lesson I learned:


This is how many people approach Christianity. They want a good strong Christian life but they are not going to pay what that cost. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote a great book The Cost of Discipleship that would be a great read as well as David Platt's Radical or Francis Chan's Crazy Love to inspect yourself as to the cost of discipleship. 


DON'T SETTLE!
Matthew 10:37-39 (New International Version)

   ³⁷ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Wise Words from Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods wrote an op-ed for Newsweek. Can we learn anything? I think so.


He wrote, "At first, I didn’t want to look inward. Frankly, I was scared of what I would find—what I had become. But I’m grateful that I did examine my life because it has made me more grounded than I’ve ever been; I hope that with reflection will come wisdom. Golf is a self-centered game, in ways good and bad. So much depends on one’s own abilities. But for me, that self-reliance made me think I could tackle the world by myself. It made me think that if I was successful in golf, then I was invincible. Now I know that, no matter how tough or strong we are, we all need to rely on others."


LESSONS


LOOKING INWARD IS GOOD

• Proverbs 27:19 (ESV) As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man. 

SELF-RELIANCE IS BAD

• 1 Corinthians 10:12 (ESV) Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.   

NO ONE IS INVINCIBLE

• Just as 1 Cor 10:12 says, "take heed lest he fall". The Bible is filled with people who thought they were invincible and fell. David is a great case study. 

WE REALLY DO NEED EACH OTHER

• Other people are there for us. Don't make your journey alone. 

7 Life Principle from David

Below is the lesson from Men's Fraternity this morning (Gil McKee). Great Principles to remember. 

7 PRINCIPLES FROM DAVID'S LIFE

God deals with us on the basis of our PRESENT spiritual condition. 

• God was was removing Saul and establishing David based on their present spiritual condition. 

Our failures are often causes by a failure to CONSULT God. 

• Every time David experienced failure it is characterized by this truth. 
• Remember that the Bible is sufficient for life and godliness
• James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

We must always fight the tendency to stop trusting God and to take matters into our own hands. 

• Trust God and win battles in the name of the Lord (David and Goliath)
• Trust in self and failure is sure (David and Bathsheba) 

Our greatest failures will often follow our greatest successes. 

• We must be on constant guard during times of great success and popularity. 
• Tiger Woods said, "Golf is a self-centered game, in ways good and bad. So much depends on one's own abilities. But for me, that self-reliance made me think I could tackle the world by myself," Woods wrote. "It made me think that if I was successful in golf, then I was invincible. Now I know that, no matter how tough or strong we are, we all need to rely on others."

Success and popularity in this life are not necessarily a measurement of spiritual maturity. 

• The statement "God has blessed me" is not always true in all areas of success.
•         How many people have you seen that were close to God and then experienced great success than drifted away? 

Our greatest failures in life can destroy our credibility/integrity. 

• David lost credibility/integrity with his own family. 
• David lost credibility/integrity  with his closest followers. 
• A bowl of soup can destroy our credibility. 

Each time we acknowledge our sin and truly repent, God forgives and restores our fellowship with Him. 

• This is how David is called a man after God's own heart - RESTORATION/RECONCILIATION. 
• 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

PLANNING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

I have heard many teachers make the statement, "If you fail to plan you plan to fail!" What are your plans in the missional aspects of your life? Is it just a random stab here and there. There is this pastor in Atlanta that has a passion for Haiti. His name is Shaun King. If you follow him on twitter (@shaunking) or his blog ShaunintheCity.com you will know what his passion is. Are you aware of your missional passion? It is clear that Jesus believes that our Christian life is reflected in how we reach out to the hungry, thirsty, naked, and poor. It is clear that we are to reach out to orphans, widows and prisoners. Create a missional plan. How much money will you invest each month? How much time will you invest? If you do not have a missional plan you will fail at being missional.

What is going to be your first missional move? Let me know.

GIVE ME 7 MINUTES

Please watch this and join me. IT IS TOO DARK TO SLEEP



What are you going to do?

RICK WARREN AGREES

Here are the tweets from Rick Warren this morning. We are not alone in understanding that it it TOO DARK TO SLEEP.


"There are 146 million orphans in the world.. Are you OK with that?"


"Neutrality or apathy when you see evil & injustice allies you with Satan"


"Jesus saved the very people the self-righteous thought were unsavable because they refused to hang out with "sinners."


We have been learning about all the injustices in the world which we as the Christian community can no longer ignore. We must wake up from our sleep and take the message of Jesus Christ to the world. 

POINTS OF LIGHT

Yesterday the faith family of Harvest Church stepped up and saw the following POINTS OF LIGHT. 

• Provide 24 families with a Thanksgiving Meal
• Provide clean water for 20 people for 20 years (www.charitywater.org). 
• Fight against Human Trafficking (www.thea21campaign.org)
• Do home repairs for someone in need. 
• Another trip to Central Primary today with paper, underwear, belts, etc. 
• More people going to Haiti (www.nwhcm.org)
• Another youth was saved last night (Dalton Smalley)

Thank you: Stay awake because IT IS TOO DARK TO SLEEP. 

"Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered."


Be a POINT OF LIGHT

1,000,000 PIECES

This is a message that was sent to me after Sunday's Sermon. I clearly speaks to what is at risk when we do not repent. It is used by permission. 


Well I’ve thought about this all day and I just cannot hold it in anymore. I wanted to stand up and scream this yesterday at church. Yesterday morning when you stood at the altar and said what if, what if you took the blood and body of Jesus as if you were pure and repentant, but you were still living in sin. What if you exploded into a million pieces as soon as you took it? That’s exactly what happened to me. God will only take so much. God will not be openly disobeyed. My God is a forgiving God and he will give you a chance to repent. He will put people in your life to help you out to try guide you back to him. But if you do not repent, he will turn away and he will replace you. 

Just like in 1st Kings 11:9 
9And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, 10And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. 11Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

It’s like you explode into a thousand little pieces and all those little pieces stick into the people that you have hurt. Family, friends, acquaintances and the church body. Then the pieces of you just fester and grow and make the people around you angry at you, angry at God, angry at the whole situation. But the people that are strong slowly realize that it’s not you. It’s the sin that totally controls you. 

But it’s also like with Job. And I am in no way saying that I am any type of Godly man. But God lets Satan take everything away, house, cars, family, friends, children, every worldly possession that you have. And when you are down in that hole that you have dug for yourself, you look up and see there is know where to go but up. That’s where I am right now. I will not be defeated. I will not lie down and just give up and say poor pitiful me. God has brought me so far in the past two years and the next few years are going to be some of the hardest. But I am back on my feet and I will not let Satan win again. 

I appreciate everything that you and the Harvest Church family have done for me and my family. You will never know how much it means to me.


All I can say is, "Will, we repent?"

WHY REPENT?

Yesterday I was in a conversation about the whole forgiveness issue. It is my opinion that we have cheapened forgiveness. When I pray or ask for forgiveness, I am asking someone to forgive something I have done. Now, there might be some kind of understanding that I also mean that I will not do it again, but that goes unsaid. I think forgiveness is mostly focusing on the past mistakes with little to no focus on the future. I think that is why we are instructed to repent. The Bible does not say to ask for forgiveness. It says, repent. The word repent is both past and future focused. I desire forgiveness for my past action and I do not plan on committing the sin again. I plan to turn. Merriam-Webster defines repent as "to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life". We need to be dedicated to amend our lives. Sin is serious and it affects every aspect of our lives. Let each of us Repent and Amend.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

4:25 to Conviction

Watch this and decide. Be prepared for conviction.

I Can't Do Much! You Gotta Be Crazy!!!

I have heard people say that they feel frustrated because they can't do much. What if you look at it from the other perspective. The perspective of the touched, the helped, the healed is different. What if you are the one who gets a meal today? It's huge! The key is that if everyone would do what they can, use what they have and start where they are we could make a huge difference. We could provide water to a whole village, food for a family, or some glue to heal a broken heart. Quit giving the excuse that you just can't do much. We do not have the choice to do nothing.

12 Hours NO WATER

Try this! Carry around with you an empty water bottle this week for 12 hours. You pick the time. Don't drink any liquids. You will get the message what it is like to go without clean water. You can make a difference. go to www.mycharitywater.org/hcwater

GIVING GLORY BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE

Who is giving glory to God today because of what you have done?

2 Corinthians 9:13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,  (ESV)

It is easy to talk the talk. Will we walk the walk?

FULLY AWARE

“you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. . . But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.” 1 Thess 5:1-2, 4

It is time for the Christian community of America to wake up. It is time for the Christian community in Northport, Alabama to wake up. It is time for me and you to wake up. There is so much work of God to be done. If we all choose to do something we will be amazed at what gets done. Find your passion and wake up to the need around you. People need Jesus, but if we are not going to show them the love of Christ they do not want our Jesus.

“So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” 1 Thess 5:6

TOO DARK TO SLEEP

More on this picture later.

I will begin a sermon series this Sunday that will be entitled “TO DARK TO SLEEP”. In recent weeks I have been reminded AGAIN of the tragedies and horrors that are happening during our day. As I sit in my office or in my home I do not feel there is really any great need in the world. I have found my safe place or bunker as many of you have. I fight a battle within me as to what to do and seem frustrated. I do know this. There are too many people who are unreached with the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are too many people that do not have the basic need of clean water to drink and are dying. There is too much poverty in the world. There are too many people caught in the slavery of human trafficking. I cannot do everything, but I MUST do something. It is TOO DARK TO SLEEP.  As Christians, we must wake up and attend to the work God has placed before us. This is happening on our watch.

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:31-40)

DR KEVIN ELKO NEWSLETTER. A GREAT BIBLICAL LESSON.

                                                           The Difference

I am often asked what the big difference is between those who make it and those who do not. I have finally come up with the answer. In the second chapter of first Chronicles, there is a story about how the Philistines pursued King Saul and the enemy archers wounded him, but in the end, he fell upon his own sword. Here is the difference: winners think the thing that will end it for them, if it ever ends, is them; they know it will not be what somebody else does, but it is in the end, what they do to themselves; they believe in cause and effect. And the rest who don't make it believe that it is not them that causes the end but that somehow something outside of them, such as luck, the economy, the market, that outside something will dictate where they go. Remember that the archers wounded Saul, but they did not kill him; it was his own actions: he threw himself on the sword. Sail's suicide started long before the Philistines were pursuing him.

First, what if you wanted something so badly that you pursued it exclusively and you did not also desire any other compatible thing? Martin Luther King, Jr., was organizing a march, and the town authorities said, "If you do that march, we are going to beat you with clubs, turn water hoses on you, and let attack dogs lose on you." He replied, "After you are done, I am going to love you." He wanted what he wanted, peaceful coexistence, so badly that he would not allow something incompatible with peace,hate, into his mind. Along the same lines, Saul was anointed to serve the Israelites, to be their King, to do the best he could for them. But he was so concerned and intimidated by his predecessor, King David, that he could not serve, because all he wanted to do then was to find and kill David. What he did not realize is that, when you have the mission to destroy another man, you should dig two graves.

What is it that you want above all else? Is it a close family, personal health, being joy filled? Then, want it exclusively, and you will attain it. Get rid of those things that are incompatible with what you want. Most people's heads are like a big mixed salad, and then the people cannot figure out why they did not get what they wanted. But they did not want it exclusively; they wanted it with comfort or handed to them without work and had incompatible thoughts in their heads.

Second, I have watched athletes; specifically, hockey players in the NHL come in from a shift on the ice and say, “I am exhausted.” When I was working with the Pittsburgh Penguins, I watched the players come off the ice, exhausted like they could not go on, and then a player scored. At this point I watched the energy change and the team immediately scored again. I went to one of the players, Jaromir Jagr, and asked, “How are you exhausted and then no longer exhausted?” He said, “That happens all the time in hockey. It is like someone scores and you feel like the game just started.” Here is the answer: the spirit does not get tired. When the team scored, there was a transfer from one energy reserve, the physical, to another, the spiritual, and the spirit does not get tired. Likewise, I have a friend who beat cancer and was given weeks to live and he beat it. I asked him how he did it, and he said, "I could not envision telling my wife and children goodbye." He foug
ht the physical disease on the spiritual.

When the Holy Spirit anointed Saul to be King, he led, he had a great vision in mind, and it stayed on the level of the spirit because it was about others, the Israelites, and the kingdom. But when David started to gain favor, everything became about Saul and losing the Kingdom. It was his own personal agenda, not that of something higher or other than himself, the motivation left the spirit and now the motivation was on the physical plane and that point was the beginning of his end.

When I was in New York City, working with people impacted by 9/11 a short time after the attacks, nothing got to me more than going in and working with and talking to the firefighters. Here was a group of people willing to run into a building, to risk everything for people they did not even know. That thought broke me into tears. Couldn’t you and I then give and sacrifice for people we do know? How did they do this giving with all this courage? They did it because giving and risking on that level is an act of the spirit. That spirit is what left Saul; his reign became about the flesh, specifically his and not the spirit.

Quit allowing yourself to say it is the market, the economy, my teenage kids, the weather or whatever. In the end it will be what you do to you which will matter. What others do to you is really insignificant and can only wound you but not destroy you. The only one who can destroy you is you. If you believe others and outside influences can do you in, you are doomed to be done in. Do what you do on the level of the spirit, do it because you believe in what you are doing, because it helps others, because your family will be blessed by it. And remember that the spirit does not get tired.

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WHAT IS YOUR GAME PLAN?

If that is your game work at it. When Tiger Woods began working on his golf game he was not Tiger. When LeBron James began working on his basketball skills he was not LeBron. You got to work on your game when no one knows who you are. You have to work on your game when no one is looking.

Proverbs 16:3 (ESV) Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

What is “your plans”? You need a game plan. How are you going to win without a plan. 

I have heard it said that if you do not have a plan then you plan to fail. Put a plan together and become the best in the world at your game.

I have to have a family plan, church plan, preaching plan, and a leading plan.

If I do not, I will most likely never reach God’s desired goals for my life. 

WHAT IS YOUR GAME?

What is your game? What is it that dominates your thinking? What is it you wake up thinking about? What is it you go to bed thinking about?  What is it that you live for? 

Here are MY games:

Family – Church – Preaching – Leading

These things dominate my mind. I wake up thinking about them. I go to bed thinking about them.

Proverbs 16:3 (ESV) Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

What is your game? What is it that you know God has called you to?

Gone Out Of Business

I heard a story of a buggy company that went broke after the automobile was invented because they thought they were in the buggy business instead of the transportation business. Sometimes churches get confused also. We are not in the church business. We are in the people business. We are not here to keep church people happy. We are here to bring people to Christ and disciple them to reach more for Christ. That comes by developing authentic relationships outside of our Christian circles. How long will we strive to keep the status quo happy at the expense of hurting people spending eternity without God? I also heard the story of a man who walked up to a church to read a note on the door that read: “Gone out of business because we forgot what our business was!” Let us be about God’s business.  

What do you think?