Intellect, Wisdom and Prosperity


As we are still in the opening hours of this new year, we are still hearing the greeting "happy new year". With this greeting people also usually attach a blessing such as have a "prosperous new year." Anyone with any life experience at all has come to realize that prosperity or success doesn't come automatically with intellect. There is a host of very successful people out there who never graduated from college. Bill Gates stands at the top the list which includes others like Peter Jennings and Harry Truman. On the other hand, I know some with post graduate degrees who can't get or keep a job. Obviously, education cannot be the measure of intellect either. Again, Bill Gates would be a prime example.





What is at the heart of achieving success and prosperity? I am not going to go into the argument in this writing about the true meaning of success. Let's just assume most of us on this reading list are on the same page here. The heart of achieving success is not found in intellect or education alone. Something else comes into play after intellect is recognized. Wisdom is the key to truly achieving success. When I speak of wisdom, I am talking about an accumulation of life skills that has been sought after and artfully absorbed through experience. A foolish person is one who refuses to hear correction and who believes that they are smarter than others. This foolish person is cutting themselves off from developing wisdom and sentencing themselves to a life of failure and poverty. Prov. 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction." It doesn't say that fools will reject wisdom, they actually "despise wisdom and instruction". The problem here is not one of not seeing their need, they see it but their own pride is a locked gate to gaining the wisdom that would bring the success they so desperately desire.





How can one get past this locked gate and become open to instruction in order to gain true wisdom? After many years of counseling, I am convinced that no person can change and become an open gate through mere will power or desire. There has to be a heart change. Only through recognizing that pride over intellect and knowledge is an affront to God Himself can a person begin to experience change. Then there has to be a humbling of self before God and man in order to see wisdom developed and long lasting success be established. Usually the Lord will have the person be discipled or tutored under one of much less education or intellect. One of my greatest and most respected tutors was a man with a grade school education, but a man of much wisdom.





May the Lord give us all great grace to humble ourselves at the beginning of this new year in order to truly see a "prosperous new year".

New Year's Eve

The word "eve" is defined as the day leading up to an event. The event isn't here yet, but it will be tomorrow. Not much of value happens on "eve" days. They are usually spent imagining or dreaming of tomorrow. Then there is the word "post" that is used as a prefix to speak of what happened. Again, this is speaking of a time other than now. What you hoped for has already either been realized, or you are now in disappointment. I'm not a big "eve" or "post" guy. I like "now". I can get my hands around now. Now is still underway and still adjustable. Of course "eve" still promises a lot of hope if we are willing to use today to work on making tomorrow different in a more positive way. Rather than spending all of New Year's Eve in a kind of dreamy fog, why don't we take some time to make it a planning day for tomorrow. Tomorrow we get to see that fresh big "one" pop up on the calendar. Let's be ready for it! Hebrews 11: 1 tells us, "NOW faith is..." Faith is not "eve" and faith is not "post", faith is now.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas week. I love it! Have a wonderful week with family and loved ones and don't forget to maintain a heart of love and worship to Jesus who came to bring us out of bondage and into His marvelous light!

Luke 2:6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."

Being Called And Being Sent





I don't know many songs from the mid to late 1970's. I remember a lot from the 60's and many from the 80's but the 70's is pretty much a blank. Movies are much the same way. One day I was thinking about it and as I was pondering the blank spaces in my memory I realized why. I came back to the Lord in 1973, responded to the Call to ministry that same year and was immersed in God, revival, training and discipleship for the next few years.





You see, I was so much in the world that my worldview, my tastes and my process of thinking was totally a worldly mindset. It was months before I could even tell a real change was occurring in my attitudes. Romans tells us not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by "the renewing of your mind." That was what was happening to me in the 70's and by the way, is still taking place. I had so much of the world in me that if I had just continued walking as I had been walking and thinking the way I had been thinking with the only change being ministry training and a new vocation, I would have been of no value to God.





In the life of every servant of Jesus, there must be this coming out of the world, a season of separation, before there can be an effective sending for Kingdom purposes. There must be a time of sanctification and then an immersion in the things of God in order to see true Kingdom fruit. Otherwise we will find ourselves in the church sending "clouds without rain". We are warned to avoid having "a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof". The sending without first before the drawing away for preparation produces this powerless religion in time.





All the great ones have had this experience. Jesus in the desert, Paul in Arabia, Moses in the wilderness, Joseph in the prison, Jacob at Bethel and the list goes on endlessly. Any person who tries to take a shortcut to ministry will end up in disaster while taking others with him.





What about you and me? If you find yourself already in a place of leadership and you know in your heart that you bypassed the "coming aside" for preparation, and I don't mean training alone. I mean a season of the emptying of you in order to be filled with Him. It's not too late. If asked, the Lord will take you through this process even while you are in a place of service. He does it all the time. Simply see it and pursue Him.

After The Fact

When people tell you that hindsight is 20/20, understand that behind that statement are many, many mistakes. It is through mistakes that we learn, hopefully, and gain wisdom for future success. All great discoveries stand upon the shoulders of countless failures. When you see a person who can do, what to you is a difficult task, it is because they have failed at it until they finally got it right.

I have this bad habit of starting a new project and being so excited that I often forget to read the instructions that accompany the new materials. I just want to get the job done so badly that I can't take the time to do the proper preparation work. Recently I was rebuilding an old bike rack. I needed to attach some new rubber guards on the metal to protect the bikes from the metal. I had some Gorilla Glue on my shelf. I had previously used it on a small job. Now I would tackle this larger job. I had grease on my hands from another job I was doing the same afternoon. The glue worked fantastic. It was the best I had ever used! Then I came to the part where I would clean my hands. I scrubbed, and scrubbed, used chemicals and did all I knew to do and guess what? I had greasy, dirty looking hands with a Gorilla Glue permanent coating! Then, after the fact, I went and found the instructions that I had cast aside and it said, "don't make contact with hands. Make sure you wear gloves when using this product". UUUuuuggghhhh!!!!! I did it again!!!

I will never use glue without gloves again. The pain of this experience was now steamed into my brain. Sounds pretty silly. Yet, Christians do it all the time with much more serious matters than having dirty hands for a few days. They launch headlong into everything from major business decisions to marriage without every consulting the Scripture or counsel to see if there is direction or confirmation regarding their situation. Most of the counseling I did as a Pastor dealt with just this topic. People would come to me for help "after the fact". Often people would get into situations that resulted in bondage that would take years from which to get free. It is such a waste because if they had sought the counsel of God's Word first they could have prevented the crisis. Preventative maintenance is much better than repair. It's a great thing to be able to tell people now, "don't use Gorilla Glue without gloves"! However, I would much rather have read the instructions and never had to learn the lesson the way I did. There are a lot of people out there who wish the same thing but in much more serious matters.

The good news? God is the the "mess fixin'" business! You can still see God work for you even when you made the mess. Like me, you might have to walk through some embarrassment for a time, but a new day will come and redemption is in your future!

In All Things Charity





I once heard a man say, "men of faith pray short prayers". I also believe men and women of faith, enlightenment and understanding can say more with less words. Unfortunately, I have a ways to go in that department! One of the most powerful sentences that I have ever read written by mortal man was written by the pen of St. Augustine. He said, "in essentials unity; in non-essentials liberty; in all things charity." How many wars could have been averted, how many churches could have remained united and how many friends might have remained close if these words had been taken to heart.





Of course the argument will arise trying to answer the question, "what are essentials"? The essentials would have to cover only the most central of doctrinal issues. In these things we must have unity or else we would in time evaporate as a Kingdom influence on the earth. Most of the time the things that divide us however, are not the essentials at all but the petty preferences guarded by pride. It is in these issues where we must make the decision to allow and embrace liberty. The harder a person fights to protect a non-essential, the more they reveal their pride shallowness or immaturity.





Then we come to the last part of the sentence: "in all things charity". Whether there is unity in non-essentials or even the essentials, there still must be charity. There is a time when we are released from walking with a person because they don't embrace our doctrine. However, there is never a time when we are released from the commandment to love.





Romans 5: 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

When Others Interfere With The Will Of God For You

I know this sounds strange, but there are times when others can hinder or even stop the will of God in your life. Let me give you an example. There have been times in my life when I have been a part of a leadership team that moved as a team in making decisions. I remember at one point when I felt that I was supposed to go to a certain Nation to work with leaders there. I was also a Senior Pastor of a church working with elders. When I shared my desire to go to this country, there was a group feeling that I was not to go. I had to make a decision to believe in the process of God's government as we moved as a group. I didn't go. About two years later one of the leaders said to me, "I believe we missed God and that you were supposed to go". That was a very unusual situation of something that hasn't happened many times in my life and ministry. It did however, serve as a check point for me to see if I would in fact submit to the team. Submission isn't submission unless it is tested. I have also known of men of God that felt they were to go to a church as the Senior Pastor only to have the local elders make a decision to call someone else. Let us evaluate this kind of situation that could very well mean that God's will was hindered in your life.


First of all, there are times, like in the case of the man who felt he was to be the new pastor but hindered by local elders, when things are out of your control. What should you do?


1. Don't take it personally. Taking it personally will cause you to try to redeem yourself, lead a rebellion or at the very least become embittered. This will taint you and leave you less effective when the next opportunity for ministry arises.


2. Submit yourself to God in humility. This is the evidence that you see God as your source and not man.


3. Get your heart in a place of neutrality. Only from a neutral posture will you be able to on with a pure heart. Don't let the past pollute your future.


4. Set your heart to believe that the Lord will promote you. A person who fights for position is not a person of faith.


5. Don't allow anyone to try to start a war on your behalf. Again, sowing and reaping will come into play and you may sabotage your future.


This topic is a rare case study but it happens. If man hinders the will of God for you today, the right attitude and action can release heaven to bring you into a new place to experience the perfect will of God. Man may slow the process but only you can stop it.

The Power of Personal Encouragement

(Reprint)

By his own admission he was an unattractive, unmotivated little boy. He was difficult to like, especially for a schoolteacher who all day long faced his deadpan, expressionless, unfocused stare. Although his fifth grade teacher said she loved all her students, Miss Thompson had to admit that deep down she wasn’t being honest. She didn’t like him, and she even received a certain perverse pleasure in marking his papers with red ink and writing the F’s with a flair.

Her view of him was already distorted by her perspective, but she should have known better. As his teacher, she had his records and she knew more about him than she wanted to admit. His records read like this:

First Grade – Teddy shows promise with his work and attitude, but he has a poor home situation.

Second Grade – Teddy could do better. Mother is seriously ill. He receives little help at home.

Third Grade – Teddy is a good boy but too serious. He is a slow learner. His mother died this year.

Fourth Grade – Teddy is very slow but well behaved. His father shows no interest.

At Christmas, her class all brought her presents in pretty wrappings and gathered around to watch her open them. She was surprised when she received a gift from Teddy. It was crudely wrapped in brown paper loosely held together with tape. When she opened it, out fell a gaudy rhinestone bracelet with half the stones missing and a bottle of cheap perfume. The children began to giggle, but she had enough sense to put on the bracelet and apply some of the perfume on her wrist. She asked the class, "Doesn’t it smell lovely?"

When school was over and the children had left, Teddy had lingered behind. He slowly came over to her desk and said softly, "Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother. And her bracelet looks real pretty on you too. I’m glad you liked my presents." When Teddy left, Miss Thompson got down on her knees and asked God to forgive her.

The next day when the children came to school, they were welcomed by a new teacher. Miss Thompson had become a new person. She was no longer just a teacher; she had become an agent of God. She now had a changed perspective. She was now a person committed to loving her children and doing things for them that would live on after her. Because of Miss Thompson’s loving attention, by the end of that school year, Teddy showed dramatic improvement and had caught up with most of the students.
Miss Thompson did not hear from Teddy for a long time, after he left her class. Then one day she received a note that said:

"Dear Miss Thompson:
I wanted you to be the first to know. I will be graduating second in my high school class.
Love, Teddy Stallard."

Four years later, Miss Thompson received another note. It read:
"Dear Miss Thompson:
They just told me I would be graduating first in my class. I wanted you to be the first to know. The university has not been easy, but I liked it.
Love, Teddy Stallard."

Finally, Miss Thompson received another note:
"Dear Miss Thompson:
As of today, I am Theodore Stallard, MD. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know. I am getting married next month, the 27th to be exact. I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive. You are the only family I have now; Dad died last year.
Love, Teddy Stallard."

Miss Thompson went to that wedding. In Teddy’s eyes she deserved to sit where his mother would have sat; she had earned that right. She had done something for Teddy that he could never forget. By a small act of love and kindness, she had changed the course of his life. She had exercised the power of love. She had become an agent of God.

Christianity Lite

It seems that some of the most entertaining commercials are beer commercials! I didn't say I was happy about it, just that it seems that way. Most beer companies now have an ad selling their "lite" product. One of their selling points is that it is "less filling". They are saying that their lite product is just as satisfying but less filling. Well, I can't be the judge because I am not a beer drinker. However, evidently this commercial got into my head. Recently, while I was traveling I had one of those rare Sunday's when I wasn't preaching and I was on the road in my RV. Teresa and I didn't have a car with us and we were riding our mountain bikes everywhere. We were having a blast and decided to ride our bikes to a nearby church. I searched out the area churches with one of my favorite apps, "around me". I saw there was a non-denominational church with 800 yards according to my trusty iPhone. We found something to wear that was "bike worthy" and set out on this adventure. We pulled into the parking lot just as others were arriving in their cars. We dodged the traffic and found a place to chain up our bikes. We made our way in. You could tell folks were a little surprised to see these two strangers arrive on bikes but they took a deep breath and extended a warm welcome.

As we entered this small but comfortable church building, we were very much at ease. The service started right on time which impressed me. The service was exactly 63 minutes long including worship, special singing, announcements, sermon and communion. As the service ended, we were invited to have coffee and snacks in the lobby. Not to be elitist, we joined right in! Here comes the "lite" part. I kept thinking, "this is Christianity lite"! Everything is so condensed. Everyone from my "stream" of things knows that God can't show up in a 63 minute service! Or can He? As I am drinking my coffee, a racially mixed young woman made her way to speak to us. You could tell she was a little less fortunate than most of the congregants. She seemed a little worn and not as well groomed. Then she said, "this church has changed my life"! I was shocked! Changed your life? How could Christianity Lite change your life? Yet, I could see deep in her eyes this peace from what had been a great storm. She had found the Lord and the love of His Church here. Next, a crippled man in a wheel chair came to welcome us. I asked, "how long have you been a part of this church?" He said, "about 4-5 years". Then he said it too. "This church has changed my life and I don't know where I would be without this church".

As I left I kept pondering the service. It was very short by my standards. The music was good but not great. The teaching was adequate but not really dynamic. Two or three people were nervously lifting their hands about waist high. There even seemed to be this nerdy atmosphere which really bugs me. Yet...yet...Jesus was powerfully present! There was this genuine, simple and earnest seeking of the Lord that attracted Him to this seemingly unimpressive place. Bottom line? I plan to go back next time I am in the area.

In Your Darkest Hour

A question I find myself asking those I counsel is: "what rattles around in your head in your darkest hour?" The reason I think this is such an important question is because the answer to that question represents their greatest and often most suppressed fear. On a good day it is very possible to get on top of life limiting fears and pretend they aren't there. The sun is shining, circumstances are good all around me and I convince myself that this is reality. Then, circumstances change, it is cloudy and cold and those fears rise to the surface and want to take over.

How do you handle that darkest hour? There are many ways to deal with fear and anxiety. Some people like to make life a constant celebration. They try to make believe life is a party. These people are often addicted to entertainment. They run from anything negative and try to surround themselves with people who only make them feel good about themselves and life in general. These folks actually create an atmosphere where they control other people around them and make others perform to keep things pleasant. The other people are the ones having to deal with anxiety, the anxiety cause by the one they are trying to keep happy.

As with all fear, the only healthy way to deal with fear is "head on". You can't imagine it away. Within fear and anxiety are roots that will poison every positive initiative within your life. Here's the really hard part: you can't deal with fear only on sunny days. Fear doesn't usually manifest on sunny days. Fear is like a mouse, he only comes out boldly in darkness. That is why fear must be confronted in darkness. It takes great courage to confront an enemy in darkness. However, as a Christian, you have the key to winning over this dark fear. You not only have fear with which you are dealing, you also have great light within you! You see darkness doesn't just run from light, darkness is destroyed by light. What is the light within you? It is the light of the Lord Jesus, the light of the Scripture and the illumination of the living Holy Spirit. Fear tries to lie to you and tell you that you cannot be free of fear and anxiety and that you need to try to cope with it. That is why fear tries to convince you that you cannot be at rest except on bright happy days. That is a lie.

You and I can win over fear! Learning to face our greatest fear and admit it is our first victory. Yes, as a Christian admit that this specific area of fear is real and needs to be confronted. If you find mouse droppings in the kitchen, you can't imagine it away. It doesn't mean that you fear mice, it means you really do have a mouse. Face your fear today. Bring it out in the open before the Lord in prayer. He will not be surprised. Then begin to find Scripture that relates to victory over fear and memorize those verses. Use them against fear over and over again. Now you are doing warfare in the middle of the night. In prayer ask the Holy Spirit to hunt down the causes of this fear at it's deepest level and reveal it to you. Invite Jesus to deal with these issues at the very root. Deny nothing He uncovers.
You will discover and unfolding deliverance and the day will come when you have less and less rattling in your head on dark days. You will learn to live in the sunshine even on cloudy days!

Your Amazing Possibilities in God

Teresa and I were hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park a number of years ago. This turned out to be the longest climb we had ever made. Our goal was the summit where from the base of the mountain, you could see a faint water fall. We climbed for 5 hours on what would also be the most exhausting climb of our lives. Finally, we reached the origin of the water fall or what we had thought was the source. We sat down to have some water. As we were sitting there enjoying the moment we realized that we weren’t quite to the top! We looked at each other and said, “let’s see if we can get there.” We had to climb a steep rock face, exhausted at this point. When we finally came out of the top, we were amazed to see the real source of the water fall was a mountain top lake! It was unbelievably beautiful there, as we sat in what seemed like heaven.


I am so glad that we persevered that day. Mark Twain said, “in twenty years you will regret what you didn’t do as much as what you did do”. As a young person I was too cautious. Caution certainly has its place. There is a time to evaluate and hold back, or put off the challenge to a better day. However, to live a life settling for the easier way, the safe way, the way that promises no failure is a puny excuse for living. One of the primary places that people settle for mediocrity is in their spiritual lives. The problem here is that your spirit is “control central” of your life. Everything flows from your spirit. If you stop short in your spiritual life, you will stop short in all areas of life.

Most Christians became believers because of some crisis. They responded to the good news of the Gospel, the Holy Spirit entered them and a wonderful transformation was underway. Jesus was now the one in charge leading them to their true destiny for the first time ever. Bad habits were broken, relationships were mended and the path of a new direction was found. They attended Bible classes, asked someone to disciple them and loved church. Life was good. Is that it? Have you arrived? Not in the least. It would be like graduating for Middle School thinking it was the University. Yet, all too many if not most, stop near here. Rather than being on a journey to the summit they have proven they were simply trying to get out of a storm and get into a place of comfort. “It’s good enough!” I hate that phrase! The only thing good enough is finding the amazing possibilities that God has in store for you!


Stopping short is coping. We, as Christians cope when we experience salvation but stop short of experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We cope when we settle for relief rather than restoration. We cope when we settle for restoration rather than destiny. Today, be aware that you are fixated on the natural realm around you and before your eyes. Close your eyes and pray and ask the Lord to show you what He has intended for your future. I believe you will discover an amazing view and great expansion and fruitfulness ahead.

How Bad Do You Want it?

Well, I made it to 60 this year. Now that I'm here, it doesn't seem old. I remember school teachers that I thought were ancient and looking back they were probably 35! I have now lived in 7 decades counting the 1940's when I started this journey. Of course that was while I was still wearing diapers. For those of you younger people, that's what kids wore before pampers!
I have learned a lot, and most of what I have learned came with a price. It has been said that we learn little from success but much from failure. I have had my share of both. I try not to dwell on failure but I do try to learn from it. I believe that is a part of the way wisdom comes from experience. Experience only produces wisdom if we learn from it and see it as a mentor. Yes, wisdom comes at a price. The older I get the more questions I am asked. I think wise young people ask a lot of questions, and the wiser they are in their youth, the wiser they will be in old age. It is something that must be pursued. I have seen some pretty dumb old people which makes me know that wisdom must be sought as Proverbs tell us.
What kind of price is attached to progress? Every thing that I have wanted to accomplish in life so far has cost way more than I first thought. Herein lies a problem. If we don't first, as Jesus taught us, "count the cost", we won't be able to pay the price of completion. Everything of any value is much more expensive than we thought when we started the pursuit. Building a house usually cost, on average, about 25% more than we first estimated. Repairing you car usually cost more than the estimate. I haven't had the mechanic come back many times to say, "well, I was wrong, it cost $500 less than I thought!"
In the Kingdom of God it is not any different. There is a price to be used by God. There is a cost of pioneering churches, becoming a senior leader, living a Godly life out in the workplace, or being a parent. My daughter gave me my first grandchild. They waited over 8 years before having their first child. It was a joyful and exciting season getting ready for the birth of the child. Then the cost came. The labor was about 28 hours and that was only the beginning. Recently they visited our house and I could see the price on my daughter. She is an excellent Mother. I am amazed at how the grace of God has changed her from the normal young woman pursuing a career to a Mother focused on her child and husband. It has required a selfless transformation and she has made the journey. There was no way she could have imagined 2 years ago the price for this progress.
Where do you stand in all this today? What have you set as a goal? What do you want to accomplish? I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first? The good news? Great, here it is. You will make it! You can, and I believe will, see your dream fulfilled! Here is the bad news. It will be tougher than you think! God will help you and you will have days you want to quit, but you can make it through to completion. The price and the struggle is a part of the journey. The little chick needs the challenge of the breaking out of the shell to prepare it for living the life it so desperately desires.
Count the cost now, knowing it will be more costly than you think, then press toward the goal with reckless abandon. It will be worth it in the end!

Forgiveness, Focus and Follow Through

One of the most difficult things to endure is restoration. It sounds like such a wonderful word, "restore- ation". Webster says it this way, "the act of returning to an original state or condition". Truth be told, we Christians are living in an ongoing constant process of restoration. We are all being returned to an original state or condition. Jesus through redemption paid the price for our restoration but even after salvation there is this ongoing "working out our salvation with fear and trembling". Just to show how difficult it is to submit to this restorative process, think how long and how hard we resisted even the first work of salvation. For the Christian, if he falls, the process back is no easier than was his first war of resistance against salvation.

As a Christian and even as a young minister, I found myself in great need of restoration. I went through the normal process of repentance, submitting to those over me and ongoing accountability. Yet, I have learned that the greatest enemy is fought within my own mind. God and others forgive me much quicker than I forgive myself. Then the battle rages far longer than any required process of man. I have learned some things about restoration that only a restored man could understand. I don't want to make light of such a serious topic but some golf thoughts have really helped me in life and especially in this realm. Let me give you three words that might help:

1. Forgiveness - Forgiveness is an intersection where we sit with options and we have to make the right directional decision. Too many sit there for long periods of time in great remorse and some never leave that spot. Yes there needs to be a sorrow about your sin, but restoration requires that we arise and move forward. Restoration is like fleeing a house fire and in time there is not even a hint of smoke on you. God's forgiveness and restoration is exactly like that.

2. Focus- There has to be a focus on a new direction. Your focus can't be behind you but before you. Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set "before him". There has to be an intense focus on the vision, the life purpose before you.

3. Follow through-Now the golf term. In golf everyone makes mistakes in every round of golf. Yes, the great Tiger Woods makes mistakes at every outing. Granted, his mistakes and my mistakes are on different planets, but he makes his share.

After a bad shot, a mistake, a player must forgive himself for the bad shot. Believe me many people ruin a complete day at the course over one bad shot, one mistake. Professionals do the same. Once he has forgiven himself for the mistake, he must now put it out of his head and focus on the next shot. He can't allow the last shot to destroy the next shot. Then, he must hit the ball with a good complete follow through. A follow through is really hard to understand. I used to stop my swing when I made contact with the ball. Then I learned the importance of making a complete swing. Once you hit the ball you continue your swing completing the arc. Once I started completing the follow through, I started hitting the ball straighter and farther.

In restoration these three things are critical. First, forgive yourself and release the past. Get back in the game and focus on your future and purpose. Then, go for it with purpose and determination wholeheartedly! Take a full swing at life. Don't try to live too tentative. Go for it!

Dealing With Problems

In Acts chapter 6 we see a problem arise in the middle of the great Pentecostal revival. Revival does not mean the absence of problems. As a matter of fact, when there is a living work of the Holy Spirit in a church or ministry, that work of revival itself will cause weaknesses and problems to surface. The key here is not to focus on the problem as if we are shocked by the presence of a problem. We must act swiftly and decisively to deal with the problem and get back to giving our energies to the vision.

Leaders who try to avoid a problem will only find that the problem will arise later much larger and with a much greater following than when it was first discovered. In Acts 6 the Apostles (church leadership) did several things that we need to observe:

1. They faced the problem. The didn't pretend it didn't exist.

2. They summoned the people together to address the problem.

Often leaders try to pretend a problem is not a problem. Often they try to hide the problem from the people when the people already know there is a problem and a lack of information leads them to become suspicious of leadership. It is better to just face it publicly. Obviously, this is on a need to know basis. This doesn't mean that leaders share things that are inappropriate. However, the primary problems needs to be acknowleged.

3. They didn't allow a problem to distract them from their primary vision and calling.

Just as in Nehemiah's day, they weren't coming down from the wall because the work they were doing was much too important. The stayed the course in ministry and allowed the people to be involved in the process of solving the problem. They gave the people instructions on what kind of servants should be involved in solving the problem, asked for names and then they set these deacons in to a place of solving the problem.

What was the result of facing the problem, involving the people and allowing the people to be a part in solving the problem? It "pleased the multitude"! What a miracle! The major result of dealing correctly with the problem was there was a great expansion of the Kingdom of God as "the number of disciples multiplied greatly".

Most leaders hate conflict and problems. They have a hard time dealing with confrontation. However, there is not a place in leadership apart from dealing with problems. So you don't like problems...deal with it!

Turning Leaders into Leaders

Jesus said, "the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few". When Jesus made this statement he was surrounded my thousands and pursued by a number that would have been considered as leaders. Yet to Jesus, the laborers were few. Still today, the greatest need in the church is leadership. Oh, there are many who want to preach or who want "their ministries" to be embraced by the church or who want the church to promote them. However, to find a true gifted leader who wants to be prepared and used for the Kingdom of God without a thought of self promotion is a rare find.
In my early days of ministry I had this idea that if you could find a leader, you could just plug them into the work and see their leadership gift work for good. You see, I truly believe that there is a gift of leadership as the Scripture says. What I learned was that discovering a gift of leadership in the heart of a man our woman of God was little different than finding a gifted athlete in elementary school. Their gift was of little use unless it was cultivated, tried, proven, tested and released slowly. As a matter of fact, there are many who are gifted leaders who faltered by putting them under the strain of leading depending only on a gift. Just because someone has an obvious gift of leadership only means we see where we must disciple them. Being faithful stewards over the flock of God is learning to take inventory of the flock, finding the undeveloped gifts of leadership and taking them through a process of maturing that gift so that it becomes fit for service to Jesus. An undeveloped leadership gift or one that has never been discipled under the oversight and discipline of a loving spiritual father is a dangerous and often destructive thing. Look at Jesus and how he dealt with Peter, the one upon whom would fall the greatest responsibility after the ascension. His dealings with him often seemed almost cruel or harsh. Yet, he was in preparation. He always had the leadership gift but it was only vanity until Jesus and the Holy Spirit gained access to it through the Lordship of Jesus.
It is time that we in the church start taking responsibility for the young eaglets in our congregations and make it our goal to see them fly!

Remember the Basics
I have mentioned this before but I continue to see it overlooked. It is that truth that says, "get the fundamentals right". Over and over as I deal with challenging situations in ministries and ministers, almost always the problem came through an overlooking or an abandonment of some fundamental. Just as professional athletes who fail usually miss the mark over fundamentals, so do Christian leaders.
What kind of fundamentals? Here is a list of some little fundamentals that can cause serious problems:
1. Private Devotions - So many get so busy working for God that they forget to spend time alone with him. It's like going on a long trip and making all the preparation but filling the tank with gas. Even the biggest names have gotten into trouble over this critical basic.
2. Get rid of bitterness- Leaders tell people to forgive and get rid of bitterness all day, all the while carrying bitterness in their own hearts.
3. Take a sabbath rest- anyone who gets so busy working for God that they believe the Kingdom can't afford for them to have a day off is in idolatry. They have made their ministries an idol.
4. Enjoy the ministry- while the ministry can be a crucible at times, it still should be enjoyed as the calling that it is. When ministry turns into something you and your family endures, you are in trouble.
5. See God as your source- the moment you begin to see paychecks, leadership teams, or individuals as controlling your provision, you are no longer seeing God as your source. There is a place in faith where, while receiving a paycheck, God is still your source. This posture will open the windows of heaven for provision far beyond your "seen" source.
6. Never counsel, spend time with or talk on the phone too much with the opposite sex other than your mate. People are still doing it!!! Stop it!
7. Keep your mate as the love of your life!

Converting Pessimism
As believers, and especially if you are a part of a leadership team, we tend to be an optimistic bunch. If not by nature, we learn it out of survival. You cannot last long in leadership if you are not basically a positive person. Yes, you have to deal with a lot of negative situations but therein lies the evidence that you are optimistic. If you have been in a leadership role for over 10 years and still standing, you are pretty optimistic. Otherwise, you wouldn't still be here!
Now, let me challenge you to look around you, determine your area of responsibility and make a quality decision to teach those around you to be optimistic as well. Right now the world and much of the church is screaming "the sky is falling"! Negativity is the present state of the world. The great disaster here is that this type of atmosphere reproduces itself manifold. How do you teach those around you to be optimistic? You do it first by living in the realm of faith. Faith is the most positive force on earth. As Christians we should be moving in and extending faith everywhere and in every situation.
There is an old much used slogan that says, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going". We can turn around any situation through faith and the activity of faith. The atmosphere of faith is never pessimistic. Faith always sees a way out. Faith always sees improvement. Faith always sees the hand of God intervening in every negative situation. It's not a matter of if God will turn things around, it's just a matter of when.
Today, let one of your main goals be to change the atmosphere around you and start training others to be faith filled people. Go ahead and put it on your calendar for the next week as a reminder and email me after you finish the week and let me hear how things have changed for you.

The Cost of Rejecting Correction





Correction is the love of a true father. We are told in Scripture that a father who disciplines his son loves his son. Yet, there are those in the pulpit today that would lead us to believe that God never disciplines us as His children. We had better hope that he does because otherwise we are illegitimate children and not true sons. The writer of Hebrews makes it plan. Let me share it with you.





Heb. 12: 6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives."
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.





Notice verse 7 says, "if you endure chastening..." As sons we must always trust God, but especially when He disciplines us. Our future is dependent upon our receiving and learning from the discipline of the Lord. Below are just a few things that rejecting the discipline of the Lord will set in motion in our lives:


1. Rebellion against God’s authority and usually the church.


2. A separation from God’s people.


3. A rejection of God’s Truth.


4. A rejection to all attempts from God’s people to reach out to them.


5. An alignment with those who are also in rebellion.


6. A susceptibility to error and heresy.


7. A plunge into deception.


8. Destruction of quality of life.





Rather, let us embrace the loving correction of Father God. By the way, as leaders, those under our spiritual covering will learn to respond to correction as we show them by our example.

Are we living in the end times?

The question as to whether we are living in the end times has been asked for 2,000 years. The time elapsed has caused many to believe there will not be a return of Christ and an end of the age. However, to the Bible student and the one who has a daily living faith in Jesus, there is an excitement about the signs around us that point to a nearness of the end of this age and the Second Coming of Christ. What are some of those signs?

Matthew 24 stands out to me because they are the very words of Jesus himself. He points out conditions that will lead to the end of time. He tells us that there will be many false Christ’s, wars and rumors of wars and nation will rise against nation. He predicts an increase in atmospheric phenomenon that will lead to famines, pestilence and earthquakes. We have seen storms that have ravaged our own nation, earthquakes that have broken historic records. Scientists are still trying to interpret all the data that would pertain to “global warming”. The word “pestilence” that Jesus uses here is defined by Webster as, “plaque; an infectious or contagious disease”. Even as I write this the world watches nervously as the “swine flu” and other diseases race toward humanity with deadly potential. Jesus tells us that these are only the “beginning of sorrows”.

Lastly, another sign of the end of the age will be the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. These signs of the last days will be seen by the following conditions and characteristics in the church:
1. False prophets
2. Betrayal of brother against brother
3. Lawlessness leading to apostasy
4. World Evangelization

There seems to be contradiction in these end time conditions in the church. However, we see them manifesting even now. We see false prophets moving through the church seeking to bring confusion and motivated by self exaltation, ego and personal gain. We see the breaking of covenant among Christians with brothers taking brothers to court which is forbidden in Scripture. We see such lawlessness in the land that many are moving into a state of apostasy. Apostasy is the forsaking of what one has believed or practiced earlier. This is happening in individuals and denominations or groups as a whole.

Now the good news for the church! Jesus said one of the signs of the end of time would be that the Gospel would be preached in all the world as a witness and then this finished work of the church would usher in the coming of Jesus. Although there is a falling away by many, there is also a new generation who are taking the great commission of Jesus very seriously and giving their lives to see that this assignment is completed. Local pastors and congregations are remaining faithful to live as a witness to Christ and serve their communities around the world. Missionaries of the church are taking the good news of the Gospel to every people and culture on the face of the earth. Rather than simply talking about it, there is a movement in the earth today that is planning real strategy. Working across denominational lines efforts are underway to see this mission of world evangelism completed in this generation.

The signs are in place and the symptoms are occurring. The people of God are advancing the Kingdom of Jesus across the earth. Yes, we are approaching a world wide change of order. It would appear to me that the Second Coming of Jesus is near. Yet, we must continue to remain faithful to our assigned task given to us by the Lord Himself.

Taking time off. Back with new blogs in August!

Taking so

Personal Taste

There is a very thin line between my opinion or taste, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. When we teach on these things it seems so easy to see and understand with certainty the difference between them. However, in the pressure of a real life situation, that clear line easily becomes blurred. I love to watch and learn from the reactions of people when confronted with diversity. It has been a fascination for over 25 years since I first saw the power of cooperative diversity. Of course, diversity that is not cooperative is not creative but destructive. It is destructive because diversity in and of itself is a blind, self sufficient attitude that truly believes that what it believes and feels is the mind of God. I actually enjoy watching reactions in group settings when differing personal tastes confront each other. Of course, excluding myself! I don't really enjoy it when I am the one who is pressing my taste on everyone as the will of God. I believe that maturity brings flexibility and the ability to analyze your own personal tastes. I believe immaturity is inflexible and not able to even take a good look at personal opinion or taste to see if it is the will of God.



I was sitting one night in a meeting and I was thinking about the leader who was speaking. I was thinking in the secret recesses of my mind, "I couldn't follow this leader because something about him bothers me." What is it? Hmmmm...right in the middle of those thoughts I hear this clear word from the Holy Spirit. How do I know it was the Holy Spirit? Because the voice I was hearing was challenging my own personal taste. I heard the Lord say, "taste or preference does not constitute the will of God." I looked around the room and other leaders whom I greatly respect were focused on this leader and obviously following him. As I meditated on the moment I realized that what I was sensing was not discernment of the Holy Spirit but a clash in personal taste.



This is really a very big thing. If we can't grow beyond preference or taste, we will seek to lead from a standpoint of taste. The Kingdom of God cannot increase in the earth if leaders are leading from taste or preference. Let's make this a matter of prayer today and try to bring this liberation of personal preference to ourselves and our people.

The Cutting Edge Idol

Where is the headquarters of the person who sells the "cool factor"? Who is he, anyway? How is he or she, able to sell us on a product or an idea only to tell us months later that "where it was, is not where it is"? Who decided that jeans couldn't be dark and then about the time we got all our jeans washed out finally, they told us they weren't cool any longer, dark jeans is now, "what's happening". Then, if that wasn't confusing enough, about the time we bought new dark jeans, we were back to the faded jeans but now they had to be ripped in the knees. Man, you have to stay on the Internet constantly, just to keep up. Back to our question: where is the person who determines these things? Maybe it's movie stars or other celebs. If you notice , they will wear something, start a new rage and never wear it again. What is the deal? No matter, they are doing a very successful job and the masses are marching to their tune.



All that really doesn't matter much at the end of the day. However, if we aren't careful, as leaders in the church, we will succumb to the same patterns and find ourselves captured by a desire to be on the cutting edge at all cost. That's not necessarily wrong either unless, unless, we abandon our first pursuit of seeking God and wanting to know his will, and exchange it for, "what is the latest cutting edge thing in the pages of the latest preacher celeb magazine". We need to remember, most everyone is selling something.



If I could say one thing on this subject, it would be, back away, take a deep breath and get alone with God. Ask Him what he wants from you and what is the direction He wants you to take. It might not be in the direction of all the rest. It might not even be cutting edge. Ouch!!!! Would the Lord actually call me to do something that can't be looked upon as cool? Most of the heroes in the Bible were considered peculiar or different, but not necessarily cool.



Be bold enough to hear from God and follow the individual path He has chosen for you and your ministry. Relax, he will probably allow you to wear whatever jeans you like!

Trust... the foundation of Team.

It should be obvious to most by now that the Church is not a democracy. In our Southern part of United States, however, there are many that haven't discovered that yet. They think there is a link between American democracy and the Bible. There is not. Actually, the vast majority of the church universal seem to understand this foundational point regarding the life of the church; most of the church world doesn't allow the most common expression of this misconception, the vote. It takes great trust to allow a group of leaders, or a leadership team, to lead us and the church on our spiritual journey. Of course to me it takes much greater faith to believe in the vote of a majority, and especially when novices and often times the disinfranchised get the same vote as mature, stable believers.



My primary focus today is the trust that must exist within the leadership team. The kind of trust that doesn't have to wonder if another member of the team has my best interest or the best interest of the church at heart. It has no question or fear of a "hidden agenda". Is this possible? Absolutely! Not only is it possible, it is critical to the success of any spiritual team. A group can arrive at a place where there is the safety of the input of the diversity of the group while held together by the trust factor within the group. Each member of the team knows and trusts the others in the group. Sound impossible? It's not. It takes several things to get there:

1. The correct choices of the right leaders in the first place.

2. Much time spent develolping respect and trust. There are no short cuts here, "time is the cost of every relationship".

3. Handling confrontation Biblically to keep confrontation from becoming conflict.

4. Developing and honoring confidentiallity.

5. Time and experience in the relationship.

6. A commitment to preferring others above yourself.

7. A belief that other members of the team are there in the will of God.

8. A decision to trust.



If trust is lost, God's ability to lead through the leadership team is weakened. That is probably what caused many to abandon this process and deteriorate to the vote in the first place.

America, land of the free, home of the independent!

America was founded by many who were coming here to escape religious persecution. There was a pioneer spirit in these rugged adventurers. They were tired of people "telling them what to do", and vowed to never again allow someone else to rule over them in religious matters. As an old friend once told me, "it seems the Church goes from ditch to ditch". From his analogy, we have a hard time finding the middle of the road and making progress. Rather than actually making progress, too often the church has been satisfied just fighting to preserve freedom. High atop the Oregon state capitol stands the Golden Pioneer. He is a symbol of "rugged individualism". That figure and what it stands for seems to be embedded in much of the church leadership in America. A "team spirit" is hard to find. In the Church we have learned how to clothe independence in religious garb. Rather than saying, "he's a rebel", we say, "he marches to the beat of a different drum".

1Ch 12:38 says, "All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king. Here we see how David was raised to his place as King. He was supported by a team "who could keep ranks". The result was that all the rest of Israel followed this leadership team and their ability to function in their place of order by having one mind. Those we lead are mostly a reflection of our leadership team. One of the most important things we can do as leaders is to learn to "march in ranks" in the team. New Testament Christianity is not a solo act, it is a concert of harmony. Good harmony is achieved when no one person stands out of the group as the main player. A Senior Leader is more like a director and the team and/or congregation should be working dilligently to discover and maintain that melodic sound. It has been said that there is a "new sound" coming. Could it be that the new sound is the "old sound" finally arriving at harmony?

You Vs. Team

One of the primary differences between Old Covenant Ministry and New Covenant Ministry is a move away from the "one man show". Old Testament heroes appeared, did great exploits for God and everyone around them stood in awe. In the New Testament we see a new paradigm emerge. We see it especially clear after Pentecost. The single hero image disappears and we see TEAM function. In team there is a dependence upon one another and a valuing of one another that is critical to success. There is a learning curve involved in team function. There is also a humility and mutual submission that some find difficult to embrace. Is it possible to remain a loner and experience success as a "Lone Ranger"? Absolutely! There is no question, a person who is called and gifted can accomplish much without ever being connected to others in the Body of Christ in a functional way. The outcome of such independence is:

1. Pride and self-promotion - It's hard to walk in humility in the shadow of your own statue.

2. Mistakes - You will make mistakes without the input of the diversity around you.

3. Loneliness - When you are self-sufficient, others back away and withdraw from you.

4. Duplication without multiplication - You may have one or two who try to duplicate your
ministry. However, multiplication is impossible without diversity of input from TEAM.

5. When you die the ministry dies - When you are gone there are memories but no posterity.

6. Rebellion - You experience repetitive uprisings and rebellion among your followers. The
calling and giftings within them cries out to be used but there is no room for others on
your stage.

Today we need to reevaluate our philosophy and mode of operation. We need to repent of the pride that says, "I am so anointed that I can't afford to take time to train and disciple others". In truth, such thinking is counter-Christ thinking. Jesus said, "I will build my Church". We need to understand that at Pentecost Jesus released his Holy Spirit to build and empower a Body of believers, an army of ministries. It is our job to multiply what we have into them and release and oversee them.

Team Leadership - Delegation

1. Determine the task to be delegated?

2. To whom will you delegate the task?

3. Training (What tasks need training? Who will train the person?)

4. Details (What are the appropriate limits of authority? What are the time, money, or resource limits for this project?)

5. Express confidence (How will you communicate your confidence in this person’s ability to succeed?)

6. Inform others (Who inside and outside of the team should be informed this person has this particular responsibility?)

7. Check points ( What are the check points to know if the person is on track?)

8. Availability (When will you be available for help while at the same time encouraging independence? Who should the person go to if you are not available?)


Some additional hints edited from “Job Aids” by Mike Lynch and Harvey Lifton, Amherst, Mass.: HRD Press, 1998:

If you can’t establish performance standards or monitor the results, don’t delegate.

Take the time to communicate effectively.

Insist on quality results, not perfection.

Learn to live with differences.

Don’t short-circuit or take back assignments.

AMERICA

O beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.

O beautiful, for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!

America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw;
Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law!

O beautiful, for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!

America! America! May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness, and ev'ry gain divine!

O beautiful, for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years,
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!

Learning To Say "No"


Every leader needs to learn to say two very important words...yes and no. Everyone likes to say "yes", and most people like to hear it as well. The yes word comes with license to proceed. It brings such positive feelings and reinforces our opinions and actions. What a wonderful word..."YES"...just say it out loud now and enjoy the reinforcement it brings. Then, there is the anti-yes word, the word "no". No isn't nearly as much fun to hear as that comforting yes word. No is also much more difficult to say than yes. Think about it, you never struggle to say yes but you may lie awake all night just knowing you have to say no tomorrow. As an example just imagine as a leader that one of those you lead has asked for money to help them through a difficult time. You know their situation and they are a hard worker and you see nothing that should hinder their receiving this gift of mercy. You can't wait to tell them. You might even violate proper protocol and call them late at night just to say that wonderful word, "YES"! On the other hand, if you know the person has wasted their money, they haven't listened to counsel and continually are asking for money without ever changing their patterns, their answer is a clear "NO". It's only 5:30 in the afternoon but you decide to wait until tomorrow to tell them. What a coward!





Leaders all feel the same pressure to please men but good leaders are willing to pay the price of rejection if need be to deal with those they leads with the purity of love that comes forth in true honesty. If a person needs to hear the no word, saying yes is cowardice and betrayal. If a person is due the yes word, the no word is cruel and harsh. A person who really wants truth will welcome the no word if that is the word of the hour for him. He will also know the yes word, if not deserved, is a word of compromise for him.





Jesus was perfect in his communication skills. He spoke the no word when it was needed and the yes word when it was appropriate. In my life, the no word usually comes before the yes word. The no word causes me to stop and evaluate the motives of my heart and not just my intended actions. Then when the yes word comes, it releases me as one now prepared by the no word for success.





Ask the Lord to help you learn to hear the no word as readily as the yes word. Then, ask him to help you become a leader who can say both yes and no as the situation dictates.

Called To Care


I was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee and enjoying the morning paper. My daughter Tarah was only about 5 years old. She decided to start a lengthy conversation in the middle of an interesting article. I kept reading while smiling and nodding as if I was really listening to her. I thought I was getting away with it until she climbed up in my lap, took my face between her little hands and said, "you aren't listening to me". I assured her that I had heard every word. She then said, "then tell me what I said"! I was busted! I had demonstrated a common mistake among people who are called to care. I was hearing but I was not listening. What I was communicating without words was, "what you are saying is not important enough to give it my undivided attention". Another way to say it is, " I don't really care"!





Caring is of the utmost importance. Caring opens the door for the Holy Spirit to use us to enter a person's life with redemptive solutions. Howard Ridings was a man who had a great impact on my life. I was in my upper teens when I first met him. He came to our church once a year to preach a series of meetings. I can't remember any sermons he preached but two things stand out to me. First, he preached with such passion and power. Second, somehow he convinced me that he really cared about me. He would single me out to talk. He was 25 years my senior, old enough to be my father, yet he could connect with me. He seemed to always have time for me and I never felt in the least that I wasn't as important as him. One day I finally realized his secret. He would talk and he words were always directed to me and my life. He had this rare ability to talk for long periods of time and only talk about the other person. I can't remember him ever saying, "I care about you", but you just knew in your heart that he did.





As I think about Howard, I now know that he was exemplifying Jesus. Jesus, though the Messiah, was never too busy or distracted to spend time with people. The crowds loved Jesus and wanted to be with him. They didn't want to be with him because he was God. They wanted to be with him because he was a man, filled with the Holy Spirit, called and on an important mission, but still a man who saw them and cared for them. That demonstrated caring opened the door for a receptive heart in the people that created and atmosphere for miracles. In contrast, the Pharisees seemed to exemplify religious leadership that was too important, too busy and distracted to really care about the common man.





May the Lord help us care and demonstrate that care to others. After all, when you are gone, the sermons you have preached and the buildings you have built probably won't be remembered.

Zeal and Momentum



More often than not, I give warnings about the dangers of zeal. Zeal always, always needs to be balanced with wisdom. It seems that younger leaders are filled with zeal and older leaders are filled with wisdom. Of course there are exceptions to both of these. I know some where the characteristics are certainly reversed. I also understand that there is much Biblical admonition to gain wisdom and I totally align myself with this pursuit. HOWEVER, when wisdom has been gained nothing of value will be accomplished without zeal. I was once told that a battleship could be pushed by one man standing on a dock if the ship was already moving and momentum was occurring. Momentum is often activated by zeal. When King David acted as a simple shepherd boy against the giant Goliath, his zeal activated an otherwise stalled military effort of King Saul. Zeal is such a force of influence. Of course true Christian zeal is not an effort or a decision so much as it is a human response to an inner zeal called the "zeal of the Lord". It is the zeal of Jesus within us that activates and at times explodes to get things off dead center.



You may find yourself today in just such a place of neutrality. Things are safe but benign. "Safe" is not a place where creative things happen. There is little possibility for the miraculous in the harbor of "safety". Columbus had to leave safety to experience the greatness of the discovery of a new land.



I am not saying to run out and act like you have zeal. I am talking about getting in touch with God again in the sphere of expectancy. Dare to believe that He wants to use you and/or your group beyond your past or present, as good as it may have been. Be willing to walk through the plains of discomfort in order to discover the heights of accomplishment. Start by "drawing near to God" and see that he will "draw near to you". Then, listen...listen like you haven't in a long time. Expect him to speak to you. When God speaks new fresh things by His Spirit, Zeal always accompanies those fresh revelations. Then be willing to declare what you have heard and watch your group run with zeal just as the armies of Israel were activated by the zeal of David.

Spirit Directed Ministry
One of the things that can be easily lost in the daily work of ministry is the fact that we are involved in a supernatural endeavor. We are not working in the mundane world limited by human abilities. We have a power within us that leads, guides, empowers and accomplishes far beyond the frailty of the talents of mortal man. Man can accomplish many things in his own efforts. As as was proven at Babel, combined efforts of men can do most anything. However, when the Holy Spirit is involved in the daily life of the Christian leader, the unbelievable can occur. Many times I have gone through seasons where I felt little was happening. I didn't see or feel much beyond the natural world around me. Then I would look back and see how the hand of God had been "directing my steps" even when I didn't have a clue. That is generally how God works in our lives and minitries. It is human to want to experience the whirlwind, it is divine to reveal Godly direction in the still small voice. I am convinced we often walk over answered prayer on the way to the prayer meeting.

What causes us to be so sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit on one day and so insensitive the next? The problem usually stems from a departure from expectancy. Insensitivity and a lack of expectancy is a faith problem caused by a confidence in our own abilities and/or confidence in our worldly systems and methods. We have been taught to confront problems by surfing the internet for solutions derived from others who have solved the same problems or challenges. The problem here is that we can learn some things from the methods of others but their solutions may only prove to be our detour. Why didn't the "steps to success" that I brought back from the conference in California work in Florida? Because we often forget that God is a God of relationship. While we are totally focused on the destination, He is deeply involved in the daily process. It is His intention that every detail that takes us to the destination or ministry goal is a part of daily intimacy with Him. Too often we find ourselves "working for God, quick to give him all the glory, and yet involving Him very little in the details". The results of such ministry activity is a limited, short-sighted vision, diminished true Kingdom expansion and wearniess to the servant of God. The words of Zechariah scream in my ears on a regular basis: "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord".

Perplexed By A False Call
The thought of the Call of God is a mysterious phenomenon. When we examine the Scripture we understand that every Christian has a call as a priest of God. I Peter 2:9 tells us, “ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” This is a call and confirmation to every believer that they are a minister of the Lord. Yet, there are those whom the Lord specifically calls and requires to leave their secular work and worldly ambitions to pursue the full time work of the ministry and to even earn their living by the ministry of the Gospel. Many people don’t know that the Bible speaks of those who are required to earn their living through the ministry. Some in ignorance actually criticize ministers receiving income from the ministry. However, Paul writes, “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.” (1Co 9:14)
Since there are those who are targeted by the Lord to fill these ministry roles there are also those who are not. That doesn’t mean that those who are not called to this ministry function are less anointed, they just fill a different need. It would be just as wrong for a person who is not called in this way, to try to make it happen, as it would be for one called to not follow the call. In Mark 5 we are told of the wonderful account where Jesus sets the man filled with demons free. What a powerful testimony? How many of us in ministry would not call this man to follow us for PR purposes and to validate our ministry? Yet, Jesus did not allow him to follow him in full time ministry. He actually sent him home. Here is what Mark writes of the event:
Mar 5:18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."

Bible College towns are filled with those who have been called by friends, preachers and mothers, but not by Jesus. They avoid careers and work at menial tasks far below their abilities and often at the expense of their families. Why? They are still waiting on the door to open to the ministry. I believe I can say that most of the time, if the door to ministry hasn’t opened to you after 10-15 years of pursuing it, that door probably isn’t supposed to open. I’m sure there are exceptions to this, but not many. You need to face the possibility that Jesus never called you. You might even be chasing a fantasy. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to get you in position. Effort and desire does not a call make.

We need people in the Kingdom of God who will hear this Call and follow Jesus regardless of the sacrifice or cost. We also must have those engaged in society, working in the secular fields, and giving themselves to assist in the expansion of the Kingdom of God in the local church.

I know this is a hard word but no one seems to be willing to suggest to some that it is very possible that they have misunderstood their love and zeal for the Lord. In truth they have spent too much time disengaged rather than engaged because of a false call. In the end, the will of God is all that matters.

Intimacy or Intimidation


It is easy to see why newcomers to the Christian faith might have some struggles trying to understand the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. The God of the Old Testament seems so harsh and demanding while the God of the New Testament seems so loving and forgiving. What’s the deal?

Regardless of how different they may appear, the God of the Old and New are the same God. The Old was a preparation for the New. God, from the beginning of time, wanted to live in intimate relationship with man. When man sinned, that sin was a barricade that kept sinful man from enjoying the presence of a perfectly Holy God. Jesus came and died in man’s place and removed the barricade between God and man. Now through the individual’s acceptance of Jesus, man can come with boldness right into the presence of Father God. It is to be a relationship. For all Christians, that relationship should be one of intimacy. Yet, all too many believers seem to live in a relationship of intimidation rather than intimacy.

The great problem here is that intimidation limits and causes the relationship to remain on a powerless plane. The Christian at this level never moves beyond that first level of introduction. Every time he encounters God, he is uncomfortable and gets little from the experience. On the other hand, a person who has an intimate relationship with the Lord is at peace in God’s presence. That connectivity of intimacy transfers spiritual power that leaves the believer on a higher level than before.

The church was built on a revelation that the Apostle Peter received through that connectivity of intimacy, “thou art the Christ”. Jesus said to him, “flesh and blood did not reveal that to you”. As Christians, we need to move beyond “flesh and blood” Christianity. We need to move beyond only keeping the rules and regulations and enter that place of intimacy with the Jesus.

Tiffany Back In Dubai!

We put Tiffany on the plane bound for Dubai Tuesday evening! She just emailed me that she is safely in her apartment there. She finished two months of rehab at Project Walk in San Diego. Project Walk is a great place and I highly recommend it to anyone with a spinal cord injury. The two months was very difficult for Tiffany because of the physical strain but also because of the social separation from her friends. However, she made it and has gained much strength and mobility. She can now walk on a walker most of the time, using the wheel chair as little as possible. Her walking is slow but when you consider that 3 months ago she was in a hospital bed paralyzed from the waist down, it is miraculous! Her company has been great in all this and has assured her that she still has a job.

We had a wonderful weekend before she left for Dubai. Scott, Tarah, Lucia and Shane all came home for a long weekend for some much needed family time that was not in the midst of crisis. With the help of Shane and Scott, Tiff was able to Kayak the Withlacoochee River. She was in the kayak over 3 hours. She also rode behind me on my Honda scooter and made a boat ride in the lake. As parents, it was difficult for Teresa and me to see Tiff helped aboard the plane with wheel chair and walker bound for a foreign country. However, she is now 29 years old and determined to make it work.

As a family, we are eternally grateful to all of you for your love, concern, prayers and financial support during this crisis. To date, all bills have been paid in full because of the gracious giving of friends and loved ones. May the Lord return to you multiplied all that you have given. I also give God praise and thanksgiving for all He has done in and through all this. "In everything give thanks..." He is faithful!

Love and Blessings!
L. A.

Don’t be afraid to preach!

A classic Christian bumper sticker says, “Preach the Gospel and if necessary, use words”. We certainly get it, we need to be living the Gospel among mankind before we have the right to “preach at him”. Or, it would seem. Yet, for those of us called away from secular work and into the Kingdom building work, a major part of our call involves preaching, and yes with words! Today there seems to be a glut of teaching and a famine of preaching. Oh, I’m not simply talking about talking faster and raising our volume, I’m talking about a declaration of Truth. While teaching is certainly a big part of discipleship, it causes people to ponder and gives them room for consideration. Preaching doesn’t really leave room for comparative religion. By definition, preaching is a heralding, a declaring, publishing and proclaiming truth with no options other than the truth being set forth in the Scripture. Of course we need to make sure what we are “heralding as Truth” is in fact, the Truth of the Bible. It’s tempting to “preach” our pet doctrines but maybe we should leave those to our teaching venues.

In California and other States, there is a movement that is called, “teach don’t preach”. The thinking behind this movement is precisely my point. They are calling for Christians to use our Holidays as opportunities to “teach” our beliefs to those in our communities in a passive, non threatening way. That sounds good. There is even a place for that in our Nation. I like to practice diplomacy and enjoy being known as a peacemaker or one who can communicate without conflict. However, when we bring that thinking alongside the commands of Jesus and the very foundation of our mandate to take the Gospel to all Nations, we quickly discover that to preach is in itself an act of confrontation and demands a decision to be made by the hearer.
The New Testament is especially filled with commands and exhortations to get on with the preaching!

I have noticed in my own ministry that when I have actually abandoned my efforts at self preservation and reputation building, and actually let go and “preached the Good News of the Gospel” without compromise, there came into the room a fresh empowering. I could sense it in my preaching and I saw it settling on the audience. It brings a confrontation between the hearer and God Himself. When Peter was facing charges in Acts chapter 4, his answers to the authorities was not teaching. He was not bargaining for his life or reputation. He declared, he heralded, yes he preached, 11 This is the 'STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED BY YOU BUILDERS, WHICH HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.' 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." That is preaching!

Paul challenges Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7 by saying, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Timothy had a problem of timidity. Then later in this letter Paul gets down to some specifics of Timothy’s struggles when he says in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach The Word”! It is time to preach. Don’t be afraid to preach!

How To Take A Vacation
Mark 6: 30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.31 And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

Webster defines the word vacation as: 1. “leisure time away from work; devoted to rest or pleasure. 2. “a period of absence from work for recreation”. “Recreation” - The act of recreating, or the state of being recreated; refreshment of the strength and spirits after toil; amusement; diversion; sport; pastime.

I. Signs of the need for a vacation:

A. Decision-making becomes difficult (both major and minor kinds).

B. Excessive daydreaming or fantasizing about "getting away from it all."

C. The use of medications just to cope on a daily basis.

D. Thoughts trail off while speaking or writing.

E. Excessive worrying about everything.

F. Sudden outbursts of temper and hostility
G. Paranoid ideas and mistrust of friends and family.

H. Forgetfulness regarding appointments, deadlines, dates.

I. Frequent feelings of defeat and inadequacy.

J. Change in your normal behavior.

II. Personal Characteristics That Brought You To The Crisis

A. Plans day unrealistically

B. First to arrive, last to leave work

C. Always in a hurry

D. Makes no plan for relaxation or recreation

E. Feels guilty about doing anything other than work

F. Sees unforeseen problem as a setback or disaster

G. Is always thinking about several other things when working/Can’t

remain focused.


III. Making Vacations Happen

A. Make vacations a part of your annual planning.

B. Budget in vacations well in advance.

C. Be realistic about your venue.

D. Make a vacation long enough to get past the threshold of relaxation.

E. Plan a vacation that will work best for your family.

F. Don’t over plan your vacation.

G. Leave you cell phone, laptop and beeper at home. (Yes, really!)

H. Plan ahead so that when you leave your job, you leave your work.

I. Learn how to vacation.

J. Take Jesus on vacation with you. (Not your job, and there is a difference)

K. Show this to your mate and ask them to grade you on it! (I just added this at the last moment.)


Closing: Ex. 20: 8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.