Life Lesson #2

Never Stop Learning

If I remember correctly studies show that the average person when graduating from college only reads a few books over the course of the rest of his life. My parents taught me the value of learning. My father received an award for Outstanding Alumni of the college he attended. I will never forget one thing he said during his address to the graduates. Never stop learning!

I made a commitment at the beginning of 2009 to read 50 books this year. As of today I am at 41. They range from Insightful books from great theologians and Bible scholars to biographies of great Presidents of our Country. Reading helps us to learn so much more than what we would normally pick up in life on a day to day basis. Out of the 41 books I have read there were some great ones, but the one that I am scheduled to finish reading on December 31st is the greatest one by far and none of the other 41 can hold a candle to the value, insight, lessons, wisdom, or life that it brings everyday to me. It is the number one best selling book of all time. It is the Bible. No book can replace the holy scriptures in my library and I learn so much from it.

To never stop learning you have to recognize the teachable moments that God brings into your life. Every experience, whether victorious or failure, is an opportunity to learn. Look for those moments. Even in the midst of tragedy and pain God can still teach us something. Never get so educated that you fail to keep learning. In between every sunrise and sunset there are moments to learn greater lessons and truths than we can ever imagine.

Never stop learning!

Life Lesson #1

In the next few posts I am going to share some of the valuable lessons I have learned in my life. Today I want to share lesson number one.

You Past Does Not Define Your Future.

This was a hard one for me to learn. Growing up I made a lot of mistakes and bad decisions. The choices I made were out of a wrong mindset. The Bible tells us that "What a man thinks in his heart, that he is." This is so true. Once I got labeled as "lazy" or "someone who won't amount to much" I took on that mindset and began to see myself as a failure and worthless. I didn't believe that I would be able to be successful in anything that I tried. I then took it one step further and began to see and allow my mistakes and decisions to become a foundation that I built my life upon. It was embarassing and shameful for me. I walked around with shame literally shackling me and holding me back from living a good and victorious life.

But all that changed when I gave my life to Christ. It was a starting over. My slate was wiped clean. Jesus used terms like "being born again" and "a new creation" to describe what takes place in our lives when we invite him into our lives.

My past is still my past. But God has redeemed my past in that many of the failures and mistakes I made I am able to come alongside other people today and help them overcome their past with the help of God.

I am living proof that your past does not have to define your future. I am not happy that I made the choices I made, but I am overjoyed that God has used those things in my past to make me a better Man, Husband, Father, Pastor and friend.

Don't let your past define your future! Today is a brand new day and God has a plan for your life today!

Loved Until the End

This morning while reading my Bible I came to this portion of scripture.

Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.."

John 13:1

Last Sunday I preached on this topic. Love. Loving others and not just saying that you love others but showing them by your actions that you love them. When I look at the church today as a whole many times I see a church that is fractured due to divisions and small arguments. Jesus said that it wouldn't be our beliefs, standards, or doctrines that we should or would be known by. He said that, "All men will know you are my disciples by your love for one another."

In John 13 Jesus after we read of Jesus love for his disciples he then takes the place of a servant and washes the disciples feet. I can't imagine the sight of this, or the shock on the disciples faces when they see their master, teacher, and messiah; the Son of God bowing before them and washing their feet. One word comes to mind for me... Awkward. Peter even argues with Jesus but eventually gives in and lets his Lord and Master wash his feet. I imagine a lot of tears were shed in that upper room as this is one of the most humbling experiences I know of.

In verse 17 of John 13 Jesus concludes this teaching with these words;

"Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them."

Knowing to love and serve others is not enough. Acting and doing is the completion, the obedience to this command. This kind of love is not based of feeling, but on doing.

My question for myself and you is this, How can I act in Love and not just feel in love today with others? Who does God want me to show love to today?

Strange Question

Reading my Bible this morning I came across something that really stuck in my mind.

In John 5:5-6 it says, "One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, He asked him, 'Would you like to get well?'"

This man had been sick longer than I have been alive. He had suffered for most of his life. I think it is a strange question that Jesus asks. We think when we read this, well of course he wants to get well. I think the reason Jesus asked him this is because the man had probably given up all hope that he would ever get better. He had lost his hope for his miracle. He had gotten used to living with his sickness and it had become a part of his identity. The sickness defined his life. What he could and could not do. I think Jesus was trying to get him to think differently.

I think Jesus was trying to give him hope. Hope that life could be better, hope that his life could change. Hope that his life was more than just his sickness. He had to get him to think in his mind even for a half second that life could be different. That moment changed everything for Jesus then said to him, "Get up! Start Walking!"

It was in that instant moment faith being released and Jesus healing the sick man.

What situation in your life have you gotten used to living with? What area in your life do you need to release that moment of faith? Have you lost hope that things can get better? Stir up your faith and bring it to Jesus. Jesus is asking you, "Do you want to get better?"

Wrestling Part 2

In my last post I wrote about Cultural Relevance and the New thing God is wanting to do. I will continue that thought today.

One of the mistakes churches make in my opinion is trying to act too much like the world. Copying the Culture instead of crafting the culture. When Jesus came to this earth over 2000 years ago, he didn't fit in with the culture. As a matter of fact, he turned the religious culture on its head.

I believe that God is wanting to do the same today. Listen to this verse from Romans 12:2, "Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to it's level of immaturity, God brings out the best in you, develops well formed maturity in you."

As followers of Christ, we need to set the culture not reflect it. The difference between a thermometer and a thermostat is the perfect example. The thermostat's job, role and function is to set the temperature for the atmosphere around it. It defines how warm, cool, hot, cold, humid, dry the air or atmosphere will be around it. It has the power to change those things. The thermometer on the other hand, only reflects the temperature around it. It has no power to change anything and can only reflect what is already there.

For too long the church has acted like the thermometer when it has the power available to be a thermostat. We should set the culture around us, change it if it needs changed and define the culture according to God's Word. When all we do is reflect the atmosphere around us we are not using the power available to us.

My question for you today: Do you act more like a thermometer or a thermostat in your surroundings? What do you need to do to change the culture around you?

Wrestling

In my next few posts to the blog I am going to present you with some questiuons that I myself am wrestling with.

As a pastor, I spend a lot of time observing. Observing the culture and the people that make up the culture. I try to put myself in another's shoes. Try to identify with the way they feel and most importantly, I try to find out what is on God's heart for those I am observing.

A term that is overly used in society today is the phrase "Culturally Relevant." We ask ourselves different questions in regards to this subject; "Is the church culturally relevant?" "Is what we are planning on doing going to be relevant to the culture?" "How relevant is our programs?" "How relevant is our music?" "How relevant is the way we dress?" "How relevant is our teaching and sermons?"

But I think we need to change our mode of thinking. Pastor Matthew Barnett says this in regard to this subject. "The church should not be relevant, but revolutionary!" Being relevant means that we are trying to fit in to the culture but as a church we will always be one step behind. I think that being culturally relevant means that you are one step from being out dated.

The word of God in Isiah 43:19 says this: "See I am doing a new thing!" Notice it doesn't say I am going to copy what the world is doing and bring it into the church. It says a new thing.

I am not sure about you, but I need God to do a new thing in my life every day! I want Him to do a new thing in the church, in my family, in my marriage, in my kids, in my finances.... in every area of my life. I hope you do to.

Here is the key to the new thing. Perception. The verse goes on to say, "Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" or "Do you see it?" The key to the new thing that God is wanting to do in every area of your life is being able to see. Being able to perceive it.

My question for you today is this; What new thing do you want God to do in your life and when it comes will you see it?

Strong-Willed Leadership

I don't normally repost others articles but felt this was such a good article I wanted to post it in it's entirety. Interestingly enough, the book he mentions in the opening line, American Lion, is what I am currently reading.

Jon Meachem's Pulitzer-Prize-winning biography of Andrew Jackson, American Lion, begins with a quintessential Jackson quote: "I was born for a storm, and calm does not suit me." (He includes another that is pure Teddy Roosevelt: "The darker the night, the bolder the lion.") He recounts how Jackson was beaten, scarred, and nearly killed as a fourteen year old boy for refusing to blacken the boots of a British officer.

A side note to Meachem's account is his insistence that Jackson's formidable will and mind were shaped in surprising degree by his faith. Jackson attended church services for three to four hours growing up. Public prayers in his Presbyterian church could last over twenty minutes; longer than many Presbyterian sermons nowadays. As a grown man, Jackson said he read three chapters of Scripture every day.

When reading this I thought of Jim Collins' famous description of the highest level of leadership. The truly transformational leaders differ in almost every imaginable respect except for two common denominators: they have a deep sense of humility, and an indomitable will. In church leadership, a good deal gets written about the importance and virtue of humility, but not nearly so much gets written about the need for an indomitable will.

We are a little distrustful of the whole notion of will in leaders. Willfulness comes pretty close to the essence of sin. And perhaps the highest prayer ever recorded is an expression of surrender: "Not my will, but yours be done."

However, there is a fundamental difference between a surrendered will and a weak will.

Jesus' surrendered his will. That meant he placed it in submission to his Father, to the mission his father gave him, and to the service of sacrificial love. But that did not mean he was weak-willed. To the contrary, it required a tremendous exertion of moral courage to defy power and authorities and influences that tugged on him from all sides trying to divert him from his calling.

An indomitable will is not the same as sheer stubbornness (being Swedish, this is something of an inherited trait.) Stubbornness lacks precisely the humility that makes learning possible, and gives conviction the flexibility needed to achieve ultimate goals. It is not egoism, which seeks to gain control for the gratification of the self.

At its heart, an indomitable will involves a sense of commitment; a binding of oneself to a task or a cause or a value so intensely that mere external forces are not allowed to sway or deter. At its best, in the words of Gerald May, it involves not willfulness but willingness—a giving of my will in the service of a greater mission.

So if you're involved in church leadership, ask yourself this question: How often have people close to you encouraged you to develop an indomitable will?

I have two main sources for this encouragement. One is a little group of old friends (or an old group of little friends) whom I've known far longer than I've worked at a church. Because they are not part of the church, they have no particular agenda other than wanting to call out the best in me. They are particularly situated to see where I am tempted to be discouraged or cave in to pressure rather than to persevere in the service of good. They strengthen my will.

The other source is God. When I am alone with him, the forces that drain my will are diminished of their strength. My choosing is both purified and strengthened. Amazingly, the One who demands the most surrender of my will is the One who wants and makes my will to be its strongest and best.

John Ortberg is editor at large of Leadership and pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California.

Max Lucado's New Release, Fearless

Fearless by Max Lucado

I just finished reading the new book that will be released September 8th by Max Lucado titled Fearless. This book comes at a very timely moment here in the United States. With all of the coverage the news is giving to the economy, the proposed healthcare plan and terrorism, we are a country that has literally millions who are trapped in a cycle of fear.

This book for me was one of Max Lucado’s best writings to date. I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter and the study guide and the end of the book was very helpful. I am a pastor and used the study guide for one of the chapters for our Wednesday night study. Everyone who was there enjoyed the study. I am planning to use this book and the small group study for one of our Life Groups next semester. It was challenging and inspiring all at once. This book has something for everyone no matter your age or the stage of life you are in right now. Every chapter begins with a story that captures the audience’s attention. I highly recommend this book for every person who struggles with fear.

To learn more about this book, visit www.thefearlesschurch.com

Question

There is a really nice place here in Ulysses that I like to go and think. It has lots of trees and flowers and is pretty quiet. I especially like the lighting at night. I was reading my bible at this place this morning and had a thought. As far as I can tell there were no houses in the Garden of Eden. Makes me wonder if originally God made us to live in the outdoors. Before the fall of man I doubt there were many mosquito's. We knew that it didn't rain, and the animals were pretty tame.

When I am outside I kind feel my soul breathe. There is a peace that comes when I pause and thank God for His creation that can only be described as a peace beyond understanding. It is so easy in the hustle and bustle of this world to forget to stop, take a look around us, and praise God for all He has made. I want to encourage you today to take a moment and take in all God has made around us.

Review of The American Patriot’s Bible NKJV published by Thomas Nelson Publishers

I had the opportunity to read and review this new Study Bible. I have to say after reading some other reviews I was curious about this Bible. The articles in this Bible blew me away. There are all sorts of articles that were of interest to me. There is a page that contains the names of all fifty states in the order they were admitted into the United States along with the days of admission. There are several full color featured articles that captured my attention. A few are on the following subjects; The Bible and American Presidents, Christianity in Colonial America, Faith of the Founders, The Great Awakenings, and The Bible and Famous Americans, One of my favorite features is the Presidential Oath Feature. This Bible shows you where our Presidents have placed their hands on the scriptures as they took the Presidential Oath of Office. Some of the subjects that are addressed in the American Patriot’s Bible are John Quincy Adams; Buzz Aldrin, Communion on the Moon; Todd Beamer; Winston Churchill; Columbia University; and Christopher Columbus; There is something in this Bible for everyone. This is a hard bound Bible and will last for generations to come. No matter your political affiliation, you will love this Bible.

Vacation

I apologize if there are any misspelled words in this post. I am writing it on my smart phone sitting in a coffee shop. It seems to me that whenever I get a chance to get away my mind and spirit take the opportunity to regroup and refocus. It is like a breath of fresh air. The most important things rise to the top of my priorities. It's like the story of Mary and Martha in the Bible. I can rush around and forget about the important. The most important thing is one thing. Like Curly in "City Stickers." The secret to life is one thing. That one thing is this....... Relationships. My relationship with God. My relationship with my wife. My relationship with my kids, family, friends, and others. My challenge for today is how can I improve every one of these relationships today?

To Be Honest

I am going to go out on a limb and be transparent. You have heard it said that honesty is the best policy so here goes.

Summers are frustrating to me as a pastor. We see numbers on Sunday mornings drop. We see attendance at the mid-week service jump off the cliff. We try to spend so much time trying to create momentum and excitement only to see it wane in the summers. Every fall we pull out all the stops to get people back attending church once again. It can be very discouraging. I see so many of my fellow pastors take a month off in the summer to refuel their own lives. Sometimes I wonder if it is because they don't want to have to look out into all those empty seats staring at them that just a few months before were full of people excited about what God was doing in their lives.

But then last night I came across this in a book I am reading called "Mad Church Disease."

".... It breaks my heart when I hear pastors of churches say, 'We only had seventy-five people today' or 'Only two hundred people showed up.' Only? I'm sorry. Are those seventy-five or two hundred people not enough for you?.... Numbers have become an addiction. We flaunt our numbers, despise our numbers, fret about our numbers. Our numbers validate us. But they shouldn't. We often don't know how God is using us. We only need to know that He is- and respond with grateful hearts. After hearing it over and over, leaders who aren't as 'successful' start believing the lies that maybe God just hasn't blessed them like He blesses other churches or leaders. And at that point, those leaders either shut down or begin to be driven for their need for affirmation. We have completely lost sight of the most important fact..... we are called."

I can get so caught up in numbers that I lose sight of lives. Yes, lives are numbers. But how many lives need to be affected through me in order for me to be "successful"? One, 10, 100, 200, how many until I am content and satisfied? I know this for myself. If I allow what I see to influence my life, I can easily become bitter and discontent. My job is to do the best with what God has given me and He will take care of the rest. Yes, I have goals and it is important to have something to shoot for. But I cannot let empty seats and people who don't follow through on their commitments to influence how I lead my life.

I am called by God to live for Him not to live for numbers.