This is what happened in Moses’ life. Check out Exodus 3 and 4. Moses grew up the adopted Israelite son of an Egyptian. He was connected as an Egyptian but he was passionate as an Israelite. He knew what was right and wrong and he knew that God’s people were due more than they were getting in life. He was caught between two worlds and he had a tough time walking that life trail. Let’s break down the story and see what we can learn about what really happened at the burning bush.
1. Moses was always passionate about God’s people. Remember Moses murdered an Egyptian for beating an Israelite and tried to be a peacemaker among two Israelites. But his misplaced and misused passion sent him away to hide instead of pushing him to lead. We must not allow our passion to mislead us.
2. Moses’ sin made it difficult to impossible to operate in his passion. When we get selfish and sinful with our passions (even good passions) we lose the ability to truly operate in them for the glory of the Lord.
3. God forgave Moses for his sin and restored him to a place of serving in his passion. If we take hold of the grace of God in our lives he can still use us, but we have to be willing to be forgiven.
4. Moses had to face his fears, failures, and selfishness to give his life back over to his passion. We will examine the conversation at the bush to learn this truth. We will examine the things Moses has to say to the Lord.
a. Here I am. – I am comfortable here. I am no longer bothered by that situation.
b. Who am I? – I am no longer a person of importance. I am not usable for such a task.
c. Who are you? – I don’t even really know who you are. My identity problem is really about me having a problem with your identity. Our failures often reflect themselves more in what we think about God than what we think about ourselves.
d. What if people don’t listen or follow me? – People did not listen last time, why will they now?
e. I am not good enough. - I can’t talk, etc. How can you use me?
f. Send someone else. – Finally, honesty. Moses is saying I lost my passion. I don’t care enough to take and make the risk again. Send someone who cares.
God sent Moses. He gave him some help, but he sent the one he gave the passion. He did not change his plan to match Moses’ failures or fears or selfishness. He restored the man he created. Moses was no longer incapable to be the man God wanted him to be when he put that passion in his heart years earlier. He was now ready to be that man.
Don’t let passion be all you have. Passion is great, but displaced and misused passion will cause much heartache and failure. Give your passion to God and let him use you.
My thoughts on life as a Christ follower.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Hunter or Hunted
The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as a bold as a lion. Prov. 28:1
Today in one of my personal spiritual disciplines I read the Proverb of the day – there are 31 so I try to read the one corresponding with the day of the month every month. There is much wisdom for life in reading the wisdom writings of Scripture. Today, like many days one jumped off the page fresh, new, and powerful.
Is your spiritual life the life of predator or prey? Are you the hunter or the hunted? Many “Christians” live scared of failure and void of the victorious power that is theirs in Christ and never understand why. They never understand such promises as “we are more than conquerors in Christ.” They never experience the truth that we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” They just never get it because they never get there.
I believe this verse gives some powerful insights into why. We have an enemy that is like a lion. He is waiting to devour us. The enemy came to kill, steal, and destroy. He is always at work. He is constantly tearing at our flesh and lives and our spirits. He reminds us of every wicked act. He causes one act of sin to become months of failure because we believe the lies of the Prince of Lies and believe that we are nothing more than sinners saved by grace.
So we live like wicked men and women who flee for no reason. We run although there really is no one or nothing chasing us. We flee although there is nothing to flee. We run in all kinds of ways. Some simply run away. They fail and without realizing it, they decide to seek a life of failure. They venture further and further in to a life and path of sin. Some flee by running hard after good things. Oddly enough they go after all the right things for the wrong reasons. They are still trying to earn their righteousness because of the guilt they feel over their wickedness.
They have not grasped the truth that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. They do not understand that they no longer have to live the life of prey. They have the privilege to be on the offensive. Lions do not walk around in fear, gazelles do. Why? Lions eat gazelles, but no matter how great a gazelle you are your only hope is to outrun the other gazelles when a lion shows up. That is not the life of a Christ-follower because greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.
The key to living a life on the offensive, to living a life of a hunter – perhaps a fisher of men, is to understand who you are in Christ and who you are not in Christ. You, in Christ are a sinner saved by grace, but that is not all you are. You are more than a conqueror. You are the salt of the Earth. You are the Light of the World. You are holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people set apart to God. You are not what the enemy says you are. You are not simply one who will enter into the presence of God as one escaping through the flames – or at least you don’t have to be.
So put on the full armor of God. Before you take up the Sword –the Word of God and your only offensive weapon – put on the breastplate of righteousness. Remember, though, that your righteousness is not your own – you were bought with a price. Your righteousness does not fade when you fail. Your righteousness is not defeated when you are. Your righteousness is not sold when you sin. Your righteousness is not yours. You couldn’t buy it, get it, bribe it, or gain it no matter what you do in life. It is given to you. Free from God. Your righteousness is grace, but it is a gift given you and it is yours.
When fail to see the truth about your righteousness, you take off your breastplate and you are vulnerable to attack, and so you flee. You run as if you are losing a battle. But the problem is that the battle is not your own. It is the Lord’s. It is those moments that you must walk by faith and not by sight. You must decide to stand firm and in the end just stand. Don’t back down. Don’t back away. Stand up and fight. Your righteousness is a done deal, paid in full at Calvary, and given completely from the tomb. You have no need to fear the one who roars like a lion because the Lion of Judah reigns. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and he is in you, with you, and for you.
So stand up, fight hard, run fast, and go after this world in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You have nothing to flee and nothing to fear. Live like you are paid for not like you are paying. Run like you are conqueror not like you are conquering. Fight like a predator not like the prey.
Today are you the hunter or the hunted?
Today in one of my personal spiritual disciplines I read the Proverb of the day – there are 31 so I try to read the one corresponding with the day of the month every month. There is much wisdom for life in reading the wisdom writings of Scripture. Today, like many days one jumped off the page fresh, new, and powerful.
Is your spiritual life the life of predator or prey? Are you the hunter or the hunted? Many “Christians” live scared of failure and void of the victorious power that is theirs in Christ and never understand why. They never understand such promises as “we are more than conquerors in Christ.” They never experience the truth that we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” They just never get it because they never get there.
I believe this verse gives some powerful insights into why. We have an enemy that is like a lion. He is waiting to devour us. The enemy came to kill, steal, and destroy. He is always at work. He is constantly tearing at our flesh and lives and our spirits. He reminds us of every wicked act. He causes one act of sin to become months of failure because we believe the lies of the Prince of Lies and believe that we are nothing more than sinners saved by grace.
So we live like wicked men and women who flee for no reason. We run although there really is no one or nothing chasing us. We flee although there is nothing to flee. We run in all kinds of ways. Some simply run away. They fail and without realizing it, they decide to seek a life of failure. They venture further and further in to a life and path of sin. Some flee by running hard after good things. Oddly enough they go after all the right things for the wrong reasons. They are still trying to earn their righteousness because of the guilt they feel over their wickedness.
They have not grasped the truth that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. They do not understand that they no longer have to live the life of prey. They have the privilege to be on the offensive. Lions do not walk around in fear, gazelles do. Why? Lions eat gazelles, but no matter how great a gazelle you are your only hope is to outrun the other gazelles when a lion shows up. That is not the life of a Christ-follower because greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.
The key to living a life on the offensive, to living a life of a hunter – perhaps a fisher of men, is to understand who you are in Christ and who you are not in Christ. You, in Christ are a sinner saved by grace, but that is not all you are. You are more than a conqueror. You are the salt of the Earth. You are the Light of the World. You are holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people set apart to God. You are not what the enemy says you are. You are not simply one who will enter into the presence of God as one escaping through the flames – or at least you don’t have to be.
So put on the full armor of God. Before you take up the Sword –the Word of God and your only offensive weapon – put on the breastplate of righteousness. Remember, though, that your righteousness is not your own – you were bought with a price. Your righteousness does not fade when you fail. Your righteousness is not defeated when you are. Your righteousness is not sold when you sin. Your righteousness is not yours. You couldn’t buy it, get it, bribe it, or gain it no matter what you do in life. It is given to you. Free from God. Your righteousness is grace, but it is a gift given you and it is yours.
When fail to see the truth about your righteousness, you take off your breastplate and you are vulnerable to attack, and so you flee. You run as if you are losing a battle. But the problem is that the battle is not your own. It is the Lord’s. It is those moments that you must walk by faith and not by sight. You must decide to stand firm and in the end just stand. Don’t back down. Don’t back away. Stand up and fight. Your righteousness is a done deal, paid in full at Calvary, and given completely from the tomb. You have no need to fear the one who roars like a lion because the Lion of Judah reigns. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and he is in you, with you, and for you.
So stand up, fight hard, run fast, and go after this world in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You have nothing to flee and nothing to fear. Live like you are paid for not like you are paying. Run like you are conqueror not like you are conquering. Fight like a predator not like the prey.
Today are you the hunter or the hunted?
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Learning while in the Lead
Learning while in the lead is one of the toughest things to do in the world. I am called by God to be the man in the lead, yet I learn every day. Everyday I learn more about who I am supposed to be as a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a friend, a boss, and a pastor.
Learning in the lead is difficult for several reasons…
· Everyone behind you can see that you’re learning.
· Some people behind you use your learning against you to say that you are not leading
correctly.
· Other lives are affected by what you are learning – both positively and negatively.
· Some people behind you do not love you enough to let you learn while in the lead.
· People “behind” you that are arrogant always think they know more because you are still
learning. But they fail to realize that the main reason they are not leading is because they
quit learning.
· People call learning instances failures and hold them against you.
How do you overcome the fear of learning while in the lead?
· You share what you learn and how you learn it and let God deal with the rest.
· You cultivate a culture where failure is not fatal. You teach people to fail forward.
· You speak clearly and confidently in to the lives that are behind with what you know and
you do not speak clearly and confidently about what you do not know.
· You listen to those who are behind you that do know, but not those who know-it-all. This
is simply the difference of pride and arrogance, not of knowledge. Often 2 people can
know the same thing and one person be useless with that information and the other a life-
changer.
· You pray and fast and then you pray and fast and then you pray and fast. And then you
get up and your run faster then anyone behind you.
· You never stop learning because you never stop running and because you never stop
running you will never stop falling. The goal is not to be failure free, it is to please God.
· When you fail – you fail forward. And when you fail again – you fail forward again. Then
you do not commit the same failure again. It does not mean you will not fail again, just not
that failure.
What I have recently learned from the lead.
· Leaders need information first, even if they have no vote in where you are going they
need to know where you are going so they can go with you and lead those they lead to
follow you. A leader can not lead if you do not give them the opportunity. All they can do
is be another follower.
· If you are a Spirit-led leader more people following you love you than do not love you and
will follow you than will not follow you. So lead without fear of learning as you lead.
· Leading is not for know-it-alls. Be careful that the way you present what you know does
not come across as knowing-it-all(especially when you know it is from the Lord).
· I am a better leader than I knew I was and at the same time not as good a leader as I
thought I was. Which probably means that God has me right where he wants me.
· Where you are leading is not negated by small mistakes in how you are leading.
· You will never please everyone, so quit trying. But don’t try to displease anyone.
So that’s where I am. I am in the lead. I am learning in the lead. Learning does not negate leading. It strengthens it. If you are in an organization that does not allow you to learn from the lead, leave. If you are, lead and learn as you do it and enjoy it, because I can testify that learning while you lead is a rare privilege granted to you only by those who truly love you and believe in you. And that is truly the privilege of leadership.
Some more great thoughts on these truths.
http://swerve.lifechurch.tv/2009/03/10/failing-forward/
Learning in the lead is difficult for several reasons…
· Everyone behind you can see that you’re learning.
· Some people behind you use your learning against you to say that you are not leading
correctly.
· Other lives are affected by what you are learning – both positively and negatively.
· Some people behind you do not love you enough to let you learn while in the lead.
· People “behind” you that are arrogant always think they know more because you are still
learning. But they fail to realize that the main reason they are not leading is because they
quit learning.
· People call learning instances failures and hold them against you.
How do you overcome the fear of learning while in the lead?
· You share what you learn and how you learn it and let God deal with the rest.
· You cultivate a culture where failure is not fatal. You teach people to fail forward.
· You speak clearly and confidently in to the lives that are behind with what you know and
you do not speak clearly and confidently about what you do not know.
· You listen to those who are behind you that do know, but not those who know-it-all. This
is simply the difference of pride and arrogance, not of knowledge. Often 2 people can
know the same thing and one person be useless with that information and the other a life-
changer.
· You pray and fast and then you pray and fast and then you pray and fast. And then you
get up and your run faster then anyone behind you.
· You never stop learning because you never stop running and because you never stop
running you will never stop falling. The goal is not to be failure free, it is to please God.
· When you fail – you fail forward. And when you fail again – you fail forward again. Then
you do not commit the same failure again. It does not mean you will not fail again, just not
that failure.
What I have recently learned from the lead.
· Leaders need information first, even if they have no vote in where you are going they
need to know where you are going so they can go with you and lead those they lead to
follow you. A leader can not lead if you do not give them the opportunity. All they can do
is be another follower.
· If you are a Spirit-led leader more people following you love you than do not love you and
will follow you than will not follow you. So lead without fear of learning as you lead.
· Leading is not for know-it-alls. Be careful that the way you present what you know does
not come across as knowing-it-all(especially when you know it is from the Lord).
· I am a better leader than I knew I was and at the same time not as good a leader as I
thought I was. Which probably means that God has me right where he wants me.
· Where you are leading is not negated by small mistakes in how you are leading.
· You will never please everyone, so quit trying. But don’t try to displease anyone.
So that’s where I am. I am in the lead. I am learning in the lead. Learning does not negate leading. It strengthens it. If you are in an organization that does not allow you to learn from the lead, leave. If you are, lead and learn as you do it and enjoy it, because I can testify that learning while you lead is a rare privilege granted to you only by those who truly love you and believe in you. And that is truly the privilege of leadership.
Some more great thoughts on these truths.
http://swerve.lifechurch.tv/2009/03/10/failing-forward/
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Cyber Love
Today I feel very cyber-loved. See today is my birthday. Anyway, the reason I feel cyber-loved is because I have had many cyber-birthday wishes. They are great. I am on Facebook and I got Happy Birthdays from people I have not seen in years, but have reconnected with through this great medium.
Sending a cyber-happy birthday is a wonderful thing. But I must be honest, so far the best happy birthday wishes have been personally delivered. My wife was the first to tell my happy birthday. Then I got happy bdays from the kids. Melanie remembered and asked “Is today your birthday?” When I said yes she was not sure what to do next, so she just gave me a kiss. Now that is a happy birthday! They sang to me and gave me a present. My parents have called. One of my pals gave me a card reminding me I am still a baby. Stuff like that.
But by far the amount of happy birthdays I have gotten are mostly cyber-love. So I take that thought (which is actually a good thing) and connect it to another thought. One reason that cyber-birthday wishes are more numerous is that they are more convenient and there is a nifty birthday reminder on your home page in Facebook. In other words it is convenient and effective.
Often in our following Christ what is convenient and effective in our lives rob us of the ability to live out the Great Commission in our culture. At Fellowship Church we have a bold new vision to “Connect to Love, Grow, Serve, and Go.” This vision describes the chronological process of discipleship and our program and ministry process for doing discipleship. But it also and most importantly sets our priorities in Christ following.
Let me explain. Connecting to Love means to connect the lost to the love of Christ. We do this through lifting high the name of Jesus in our daily lives through influence and our corporate lives through our worship services and community service events. That is priority number one. That priority gets the most convenient location and time slot in our ministry. That priority gets the best out of our budget, most of our time, the focus of our creativity, etc…
Then we connect those who love Christ to growth in Christ. We do this through life groups. This priority gets seconds. It is not that it is not important, it is just second in priority. (If you are wondering where I got this priority list check out this passage. Matthew 28:18-20.) The meeting time might not be as convenient nor the location, but it is still very….very….very important. It is second.
Then we connect to serve through our place of service in our local church. You can not serve the Body of Christ outside of the Body of Christ. Why is this third? Those who do not keep growing stop serving. We have to stay connected to the vine to bear fruit. It is very….very…important. it is third.
Then we connect to go though living our lives of influence through the circles God has put us in. He put us where we are and when we are for his purposes. So we live out the truths of Christ and speak them in our daily lives. Our goal in that is to get people to Connect to the Love of Christ. It is circular and it is very important.
Why is this connected to cyber-love thoughts? The closer we are to God the less convenient it needs to be for us to do the will of God in our lives. The closer a person is to the birthday boy impacts the effort they make in wishing him happy birthday. (All of it is love, but there is simply levels of that.)
Lost people will not go out of their way to find Jesus. Jesus went out of his way to find lost people. We must do the same. Put away your convenience so you can live by conviction. If your life as a Christian is not challenging, it is not what God commanded!
By the way, thanks for the Happy Birthdays. I do feel very loved but even more challenged. Fellowship Church and its pastor will not be a church of convenient Christianity it will be a church where God does great things because His people will do whatever it takes to do them. Actually, the response I have gotten in my recent leadership says IT ALREADY IS.
NOW THAT IS A BIRTHDAY PRESENT!
FC I LOVE YOU and I THANK GOD FOR YOU!
Another guys thoughts on this. http://www.stevenfurtick.com/leadership/too-good-for-our-own-goodThis guy usually brings it. His is a great blog. The one before is pretty god too.
Sending a cyber-happy birthday is a wonderful thing. But I must be honest, so far the best happy birthday wishes have been personally delivered. My wife was the first to tell my happy birthday. Then I got happy bdays from the kids. Melanie remembered and asked “Is today your birthday?” When I said yes she was not sure what to do next, so she just gave me a kiss. Now that is a happy birthday! They sang to me and gave me a present. My parents have called. One of my pals gave me a card reminding me I am still a baby. Stuff like that.
But by far the amount of happy birthdays I have gotten are mostly cyber-love. So I take that thought (which is actually a good thing) and connect it to another thought. One reason that cyber-birthday wishes are more numerous is that they are more convenient and there is a nifty birthday reminder on your home page in Facebook. In other words it is convenient and effective.
Often in our following Christ what is convenient and effective in our lives rob us of the ability to live out the Great Commission in our culture. At Fellowship Church we have a bold new vision to “Connect to Love, Grow, Serve, and Go.” This vision describes the chronological process of discipleship and our program and ministry process for doing discipleship. But it also and most importantly sets our priorities in Christ following.
Let me explain. Connecting to Love means to connect the lost to the love of Christ. We do this through lifting high the name of Jesus in our daily lives through influence and our corporate lives through our worship services and community service events. That is priority number one. That priority gets the most convenient location and time slot in our ministry. That priority gets the best out of our budget, most of our time, the focus of our creativity, etc…
Then we connect those who love Christ to growth in Christ. We do this through life groups. This priority gets seconds. It is not that it is not important, it is just second in priority. (If you are wondering where I got this priority list check out this passage. Matthew 28:18-20.) The meeting time might not be as convenient nor the location, but it is still very….very….very important. It is second.
Then we connect to serve through our place of service in our local church. You can not serve the Body of Christ outside of the Body of Christ. Why is this third? Those who do not keep growing stop serving. We have to stay connected to the vine to bear fruit. It is very….very…important. it is third.
Then we connect to go though living our lives of influence through the circles God has put us in. He put us where we are and when we are for his purposes. So we live out the truths of Christ and speak them in our daily lives. Our goal in that is to get people to Connect to the Love of Christ. It is circular and it is very important.
Why is this connected to cyber-love thoughts? The closer we are to God the less convenient it needs to be for us to do the will of God in our lives. The closer a person is to the birthday boy impacts the effort they make in wishing him happy birthday. (All of it is love, but there is simply levels of that.)
Lost people will not go out of their way to find Jesus. Jesus went out of his way to find lost people. We must do the same. Put away your convenience so you can live by conviction. If your life as a Christian is not challenging, it is not what God commanded!
By the way, thanks for the Happy Birthdays. I do feel very loved but even more challenged. Fellowship Church and its pastor will not be a church of convenient Christianity it will be a church where God does great things because His people will do whatever it takes to do them. Actually, the response I have gotten in my recent leadership says IT ALREADY IS.
NOW THAT IS A BIRTHDAY PRESENT!
FC I LOVE YOU and I THANK GOD FOR YOU!
Another guys thoughts on this. http://www.stevenfurtick.com/leadership/too-good-for-our-own-goodThis guy usually brings it. His is a great blog. The one before is pretty god too.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Vantage Point
We are in a new sermon series at FC titled Vantage Point. The goal of this series is to help people see the cross of Christ from the Vantage Point of those who were there. Then we take that vantage point and what the Bible has to teach us from that and learn how to apply that to our lives. We do this through someone sharing a testimony through interview each week and presenting the Biblical person’s life from starting point to vantage point.
The last two weeks have been very powerful at the church. I believe it is because people relate to people. It is easier to see the truth when someone who sees the truth shares how they began to see the truth. Truth is not always easy to see. It is seen more clearly seen when someone else helps us to clearly see it.
Who in your life (your circles of influence) needs to hear and see your vantage point of Christ? The people God has put around you in life are around you for His purposes. They need to see Jesus in you and through you. We often think that people see Jesus through us because we are good or do nice things, but that is still just seeing you. It is not until we share our vantage point with them that they can see Jesus in it.
I encourage you to work on how to share your vantage point by answering these two questions. 1. What was your life like before you came to know Jesus as your Savior and Lord?2. What caused you to accept Christ in your life and how has that changed who you are and your life?
There is a great tool out there to help you share your vantage point. It is www.whativaluemost.com. This website allows you to share your story on the web. You can then purchase (or make your own) cards that will allow you to hand out to others the web address and your name. They can then go to the website and read your Vantage Point.
I encourage you to check it out. We gave all of the people in our life groups at FC 10 vantage point cards this week. We gave them 10 because we do not really believe God only has one person in our lives that need to hear about Jesus. It is time we opened our eyes and realized that our world is in desperate need of seeing Jesus for who He is and what he has done. What better way to share that truth with them than from our Vantage Point.
The last two weeks have been very powerful at the church. I believe it is because people relate to people. It is easier to see the truth when someone who sees the truth shares how they began to see the truth. Truth is not always easy to see. It is seen more clearly seen when someone else helps us to clearly see it.
Who in your life (your circles of influence) needs to hear and see your vantage point of Christ? The people God has put around you in life are around you for His purposes. They need to see Jesus in you and through you. We often think that people see Jesus through us because we are good or do nice things, but that is still just seeing you. It is not until we share our vantage point with them that they can see Jesus in it.
I encourage you to work on how to share your vantage point by answering these two questions. 1. What was your life like before you came to know Jesus as your Savior and Lord?2. What caused you to accept Christ in your life and how has that changed who you are and your life?
There is a great tool out there to help you share your vantage point. It is www.whativaluemost.com. This website allows you to share your story on the web. You can then purchase (or make your own) cards that will allow you to hand out to others the web address and your name. They can then go to the website and read your Vantage Point.
I encourage you to check it out. We gave all of the people in our life groups at FC 10 vantage point cards this week. We gave them 10 because we do not really believe God only has one person in our lives that need to hear about Jesus. It is time we opened our eyes and realized that our world is in desperate need of seeing Jesus for who He is and what he has done. What better way to share that truth with them than from our Vantage Point.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Changelicious (Part Two)
· Godly leaders are not people pleasers. Galatians 1:10 is very clear about the exclusive nature of two goals. Pleasing people and serving Christ are mutually exclusive. You can not do both. You must choose which one you will do. Leaders must choose to serve Christ over pleasing people. This is much easier said than done. Often those you choose not to please for the sake of serving Christ will take it personal. Lead them personally as best you can. Love them, but do not compromise what God has told you to do to please them. The people you lead need a leader not a people pleaser – whether they realize it or not. This is often offensive to those you lead because they truly want to please Christ, too. The difference is not always about heart, it is about role and responsibility. So do not wear you non-people pleasing call as a badge of honor. Wear it as a humble mark of a humble leader. The goal of great leadership is not to displease people, it is to serve Christ. Leaders can often take great pride in the displeasure of people. That is not leadership; that is selfishness. What you have to say as a leader is often offensive (or at best hard to hear), but you don’t have to be offensive. Allow people to be displeased by your serving of Christ, but don’t make your goal in serving Christ the displeasure of people.
So in the end leading is difficult. Leading will often cause people to have a bad taste in their mouth and they will see that bad taste as you. Those who are with you will stick around long enough to acquire the taste. Many of them will learn that they love it. Others will leave and find a new flavor. Often they will stay there until there is a bad taste again and they will quickly move on to find another flavor.
The problem about leadership is that is most often it is not delicious it is changelicious. It has a bitter taste but it will grow on those you lead. Your goal is to make sure that you are flavored with Christ and not with self. The taste of a prideful leader will not just leave people with a bad taste in their mouth, it will leave people sick with leadership poisoning. We must remember that we are the “salt of the earth.” Leaders, we can not lose our saltiness or we will be useless and left to be trampled under the foot of men. If you want to be changelicious then make sure the flavor in you is not you.
So in the end leading is difficult. Leading will often cause people to have a bad taste in their mouth and they will see that bad taste as you. Those who are with you will stick around long enough to acquire the taste. Many of them will learn that they love it. Others will leave and find a new flavor. Often they will stay there until there is a bad taste again and they will quickly move on to find another flavor.
The problem about leadership is that is most often it is not delicious it is changelicious. It has a bitter taste but it will grow on those you lead. Your goal is to make sure that you are flavored with Christ and not with self. The taste of a prideful leader will not just leave people with a bad taste in their mouth, it will leave people sick with leadership poisoning. We must remember that we are the “salt of the earth.” Leaders, we can not lose our saltiness or we will be useless and left to be trampled under the foot of men. If you want to be changelicious then make sure the flavor in you is not you.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Changelicous (Part One)
I would love to be able to come up with a recipe for “changelicious.” It would be my dish to serve people when I lead change that would make change delicious. But change is not delicious. Most people believe change is bitter and sour. The interesting thing about change is that it grows on you. Change is an acquired taste. Something that tasted sour the first time you tasted it often becomes one of your favorites in the future.
I want to share a few thoughts on leadership and change. I hope there are some leaders out there that will be encouraged by these thought and challenged by these thoughts. Leadership is not easy. It is actually very hard work. You have been entrusted with much, much is required of you.
· Leading carefully does not mean leading cautiously. In Matthew 10:5-24 Jesus sent his disciples out into the world. It was a change for them. They had never been sent; they had just followed to that point. They were put in harms way. They were told there would be those that would persecute them. Jesus gave careful instruction and invested in them, but he still sent them. Be careful but don’t be cautious. Leaders have to be willing to see those they lead take a risk.
· Leading change is lonely. Even when people say they are with you, and they are behind you, they are still behind you. Leading change means getting out in front and being in front is a lonely place. When Moses went to the mountain and spent time with God he came down to find the people had chosen to follow a new god and Aaron had done it with them. Moses had to stand in front and stand alone, but God was with him.
· Lead people not programs. I am still learning this one. People are who you lead. I am a shepherd not a business manager. Leading people is personal. After Peter denied Christ, Jesus led him personally. When Thomas doubted, Jesus response was personal. When Paul wrote corporate letters to the churches he often named leaders specifically. Why? Leading people is personal. You lead corporately better when you lead personally, too. It takes time.
· The goal of leadership is not martyrdom. Leading is often lonely but it does not have to be all lonely. Moses had some lonely moments but he also organized the entire nation into groups that were led by leaders and he entrusted the daily interactions with them. A great leader does not try to walk alone for the sake of personal glory, he just must be willing to get out in front and experience lonely moments for the benefit of those he leads and then allows the leaders he leads to lead with him. When you praise your place of loneliness it is pride, not passion. Jesus stepped out in front and led but he had a group of leaders that went with him everywhere he went.
· Leadership is a gift from God. When leaders think they are the gift from God they’re done. Your leadership is not because of you, it is because of God. Paul understood this as he told others to imitate him. He was not saying be like me because I am the greatest. He was willing to say be like me because God has done a great work in me. He said that because he believed things like he was a new creation, he was the chief of sinners, he was God’s workmanship…etc…
Expect another delicious helping of changelicious tomorrow!
I want to share a few thoughts on leadership and change. I hope there are some leaders out there that will be encouraged by these thought and challenged by these thoughts. Leadership is not easy. It is actually very hard work. You have been entrusted with much, much is required of you.
· Leading carefully does not mean leading cautiously. In Matthew 10:5-24 Jesus sent his disciples out into the world. It was a change for them. They had never been sent; they had just followed to that point. They were put in harms way. They were told there would be those that would persecute them. Jesus gave careful instruction and invested in them, but he still sent them. Be careful but don’t be cautious. Leaders have to be willing to see those they lead take a risk.
· Leading change is lonely. Even when people say they are with you, and they are behind you, they are still behind you. Leading change means getting out in front and being in front is a lonely place. When Moses went to the mountain and spent time with God he came down to find the people had chosen to follow a new god and Aaron had done it with them. Moses had to stand in front and stand alone, but God was with him.
· Lead people not programs. I am still learning this one. People are who you lead. I am a shepherd not a business manager. Leading people is personal. After Peter denied Christ, Jesus led him personally. When Thomas doubted, Jesus response was personal. When Paul wrote corporate letters to the churches he often named leaders specifically. Why? Leading people is personal. You lead corporately better when you lead personally, too. It takes time.
· The goal of leadership is not martyrdom. Leading is often lonely but it does not have to be all lonely. Moses had some lonely moments but he also organized the entire nation into groups that were led by leaders and he entrusted the daily interactions with them. A great leader does not try to walk alone for the sake of personal glory, he just must be willing to get out in front and experience lonely moments for the benefit of those he leads and then allows the leaders he leads to lead with him. When you praise your place of loneliness it is pride, not passion. Jesus stepped out in front and led but he had a group of leaders that went with him everywhere he went.
· Leadership is a gift from God. When leaders think they are the gift from God they’re done. Your leadership is not because of you, it is because of God. Paul understood this as he told others to imitate him. He was not saying be like me because I am the greatest. He was willing to say be like me because God has done a great work in me. He said that because he believed things like he was a new creation, he was the chief of sinners, he was God’s workmanship…etc…
Expect another delicious helping of changelicious tomorrow!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The Theological Challenge of Children
We had a great time at supper the other day. Wendy and I laughed and taught and laughed some more. Kids ask the greatest questions and give the best answers. I love to hear their wisdom. So I want to share it with you.
Daniel: Dad, who is your favorite super-hero?
Me: Well…… (Cause honestly I don’t have one.)
Daniel: Mine is Jesus…………….and God. (We are still working on how those 2 tie together)
Me: Well, me too I guess. Jesus is indeed my hero because he is my Savior.(I thought this would be the end of the conversation, but we have not even gotten started)
Daniel: Dad, What does God look like? And Jesus?
Me: Well….(How do I explain the human form of Jesus and the Spirit presence of God to a 7 year old?)
Daniel: Do they look alike?
Melanie: Yes they look alike. They just wear different colored shirts. (I assume like twins. Wendy and I are laughing pretty hard at that one. Then….)
Daniel: No they are not wearing shirts its different colored robe like things.
(NOW we are laughing.)
So I turn this one over to Wendy. She is much better at this than I am.
She does a really good job describing how they look different. I jump in with that it says that God is the light of Heaven, that there is no need for the sun. In trying to explain all this we have to get past that God did not make Jesus – he has always existed – but he did send him to Earth in form of man. So we make it through and have a good conversation about the depth of who God is. (I whisper to Wendy to go ahead and handle up on the Holy Spirit real quick. She declined.)
Then to end the conversation….
Daniel: Jesus and God are my favorite super-hero. What about you, Dad?
Me: Yeah, mine too.
All this to say. We sure can get worried about stuff about who God is and what he does. We worry about what he wants us to do and how he wants us to do it. We worry about what music he likes (or at least we pretend that it is about Him when we go off on other people’s worship music.) We worry about what church is the right church. We get consumed with when and where Bible study is or when, where, and how our leaders lead. We can fret over everything under the Sun…
When sometimes we need to just stop and answer this question.
Is Jesus your super-hero?
He’s mine!
Daniel: Dad, who is your favorite super-hero?
Me: Well…… (Cause honestly I don’t have one.)
Daniel: Mine is Jesus…………….and God. (We are still working on how those 2 tie together)
Me: Well, me too I guess. Jesus is indeed my hero because he is my Savior.(I thought this would be the end of the conversation, but we have not even gotten started)
Daniel: Dad, What does God look like? And Jesus?
Me: Well….(How do I explain the human form of Jesus and the Spirit presence of God to a 7 year old?)
Daniel: Do they look alike?
Melanie: Yes they look alike. They just wear different colored shirts. (I assume like twins. Wendy and I are laughing pretty hard at that one. Then….)
Daniel: No they are not wearing shirts its different colored robe like things.
(NOW we are laughing.)
So I turn this one over to Wendy. She is much better at this than I am.
She does a really good job describing how they look different. I jump in with that it says that God is the light of Heaven, that there is no need for the sun. In trying to explain all this we have to get past that God did not make Jesus – he has always existed – but he did send him to Earth in form of man. So we make it through and have a good conversation about the depth of who God is. (I whisper to Wendy to go ahead and handle up on the Holy Spirit real quick. She declined.)
Then to end the conversation….
Daniel: Jesus and God are my favorite super-hero. What about you, Dad?
Me: Yeah, mine too.
All this to say. We sure can get worried about stuff about who God is and what he does. We worry about what he wants us to do and how he wants us to do it. We worry about what music he likes (or at least we pretend that it is about Him when we go off on other people’s worship music.) We worry about what church is the right church. We get consumed with when and where Bible study is or when, where, and how our leaders lead. We can fret over everything under the Sun…
When sometimes we need to just stop and answer this question.
Is Jesus your super-hero?
He’s mine!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Déjà vu
Well it was not exactly déjà vu but I had an experience last night that reminded me clearly of another time in my life and ministry. Last night I had the great privilege of setting forth a bold vision before the people of Fellowship Church to reach our city for Christ.
Last night I was awake in the middle of the night. The doubts that tend to eat at us anytime we stand up for the cause of Christ began to hit my mind. The biggest fear is to speak what the Lord has given you and for it to not work. It is difficult to be a person that casts God’s vision because all you can tell others is what God shows you – you can’t make it happen.
As I lay awake God reminded me of the words he told me to teach our people last night. Lift high My Name and I will bring people to myself. I honestly rolled over and slept in peace. I slept in peace until a racket awakened me.
My family has the flu. My sweet Kare Bear was upstairs hacking and having a hard time breathing. She was completely unable to sleep because of the congestion. I tried to get her to sleep for a while, but I could not.
Eventually I ended up rocking her in our rocking chair holding her where she could breathe. As I laid there with her in my arms I was reminded of the night before our first worship service at Fellowship Church. I stayed up all that night holding Daniel so he could breathe while sick with RSV. I thought the 2 nights to be strangely connected.
One reason is that the vision God has now given is as new and exciting and challenging as it was that night on January 5, 2002. The déjà vu had not quite happened yet, though. It came next as I realized that I sat their just as excited about what God had called me to do as I was the night before we started. I sat there with the same expectation of God doing unbelievable things. I sat there with a complete faith that God who begins good works finishes them too.
Honestly, I sat their and thanked the Lord that I have a great privilege and calling in my life. I thanked him that he always has been faithful. I also thanked him that I have no idea what he will do next. In 2002 I honestly had no idea what it would mean to start a church – I thought I did – but I did not.
On March 6, 2009 I sat their knowing that I have no idea how to reach a city for Christ either – but God does. All I have is the vision and the direction God gave to get there and the knowledge that He is all I need.
Vision is often scary because it leads to change and challenge. There is no person greater changed or challenged by it than the man God gives it to. So I sat there and thanked God for something else. I thanked him for not changing the passion and vision but for changing the man he had given it to. I sat there in déjà vu yet it was totally different. The difference was not in who God is, what the vision is, or the cost it will take to get there. The change is what God has done in me.
Thank you Lord for finishing what you start. O Sovereign Lord, YOU ARE GOD!
Last night I was awake in the middle of the night. The doubts that tend to eat at us anytime we stand up for the cause of Christ began to hit my mind. The biggest fear is to speak what the Lord has given you and for it to not work. It is difficult to be a person that casts God’s vision because all you can tell others is what God shows you – you can’t make it happen.
As I lay awake God reminded me of the words he told me to teach our people last night. Lift high My Name and I will bring people to myself. I honestly rolled over and slept in peace. I slept in peace until a racket awakened me.
My family has the flu. My sweet Kare Bear was upstairs hacking and having a hard time breathing. She was completely unable to sleep because of the congestion. I tried to get her to sleep for a while, but I could not.
Eventually I ended up rocking her in our rocking chair holding her where she could breathe. As I laid there with her in my arms I was reminded of the night before our first worship service at Fellowship Church. I stayed up all that night holding Daniel so he could breathe while sick with RSV. I thought the 2 nights to be strangely connected.
One reason is that the vision God has now given is as new and exciting and challenging as it was that night on January 5, 2002. The déjà vu had not quite happened yet, though. It came next as I realized that I sat their just as excited about what God had called me to do as I was the night before we started. I sat there with the same expectation of God doing unbelievable things. I sat there with a complete faith that God who begins good works finishes them too.
Honestly, I sat their and thanked the Lord that I have a great privilege and calling in my life. I thanked him that he always has been faithful. I also thanked him that I have no idea what he will do next. In 2002 I honestly had no idea what it would mean to start a church – I thought I did – but I did not.
On March 6, 2009 I sat their knowing that I have no idea how to reach a city for Christ either – but God does. All I have is the vision and the direction God gave to get there and the knowledge that He is all I need.
Vision is often scary because it leads to change and challenge. There is no person greater changed or challenged by it than the man God gives it to. So I sat there and thanked God for something else. I thanked him for not changing the passion and vision but for changing the man he had given it to. I sat there in déjà vu yet it was totally different. The difference was not in who God is, what the vision is, or the cost it will take to get there. The change is what God has done in me.
Thank you Lord for finishing what you start. O Sovereign Lord, YOU ARE GOD!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Forward from the Verge
It is a true honor in life to be the pastor of Fellowship Church in Prairieville. In 1999 God began to work in my heart and spirit a calling to plant a church. During the next two years I learned and trained and prayed about what church planting would be. June 1, 2001 my wife and I moved to a town we had visited 2 times to settle there and start a church. Little did I know that church planting was nothing like the textbooks, the classes, nor the popular books written by mega church pastors.
Fellowship Church has become the work of my life. I was a 26 year old man that had the audacity to believe that God could use me to start a church that would reach people for Christ. And he has. He has put people around me that I believe are absolutely some of the most amazing and wonderful people in world. The only problem I have really faced is discouragement. I have often struggled with my desire for success over God's work. I have lived many days here in Prairieville defeated and discouraged because the church was not what I had intended, desired, or envisioned. Not that discouragement has been my daily life. It has just been a lingering problem from time to time. Overall life is great, but my goals (my goals) were not being met.
This year some people from within Fellowship shared with me that they could see the burden in my life and spoke boldly and truthfully to it. I was honest about my struggle with them and they committed to pray for me and to help me. This was the confession I had to make. "I do not consider myself successful. Too often all I see is what we have not done instead of seeing what God has done." For some reason I felt real shame in admitting that to those people I pastor. There sat in that room lives changed by the ministry of Fellowship and I struggle to see it as such.
Over the last month or two God has really done some great things in my life. I shared with you a prayer time I experienced recently but did not tell you what it was all about. It was about this. One Thursday morning in my office, I was praying. I was praying as Kirk usually does. I was bringing God my laundry list of things to get done for his glory and asking him to make me ready. I was not asking him to talk to me about me - maybe about you - but not about me. So that morning he told me to shut up and sit still.
And he spoke. And honestly his words set me free. God simply told me "Thank you. And I am proud of you." Hear me when I say that Jesus Christ owes me no gratitude. God knows all that there is to be ashamed of in Kirk Jones. What God also knows is that I might not be a man that gets it all right, but I have a heart for him. He also knew I needed to hear it. He knew I needed to put down my definition of success before the altar of Christ before I would ever be ready to experience it.
There has been a great freedom in my life since that day. Literally God has rejuvenated my spirit and my soul. My hunger for him is growing. My prayer life is increasing. I am becoming a better husband and father. I believe I am also becoming a better pastor. The passion I have is renewed and so is my vision.
God took me through a valley so he could bring me to a Verge. I truly believe that Fellowship is on the Verge of a great movement of God. The people of Fellowship are telling others about Jesus and sharing his love like they never have before. The church is excited about Christ and their Pastor is ready to lead. No wrong motives. No hidden agendas. No personal success stories desired. Just ready.
This Friday I ask for your prayers as our church has A Night of Vision with Pastor Kirk. We are coming together to hear where we are going and why we are going there. I am so humbled that God would allow me to be the man with such a vision. I will tell you this though. I truly believe that if the people of Fellowship will follow me down the path God is laying ahead of us, that down that road is the salvation of our city.
I do not deserve the place nor the position, but I appreciate the grace that has given it to me. Pray that God will continue his work in our midst and that our lives will be laid open before him for his work. Pray that I will not speak any personal preferences, opinion, or agendas, but simply the will of God. Pray for Prairieville. And as I pray I praise because he who began a good work in me also began a good work in Fellowship and HE will complete it!
I praise God that he has renewed the audacity within me. He has given me the audacity to believe that not only will he use me to start a church but he will use that church to reach a city for Christ! Are you ready to get audacious?
Monday, March 2, 2009
Passion Action
(I try not to blog two times in one day, but I am leaving for some time of retreat with the Lord and had 2 things I needed to say.)
This Sunday we concluded our sermon series Connected. This series taught 4 characteristics needed in our lives for us to live connected lives to others spiritually and personally. The characteristics are love, authenticity, forgiveness, and compassion.
This Sunday we talked about compassion. The definition I taught is that compassion is passion action. It is one thing to be passionate about something or someone. It is entirely different to be compassionate. It is one thing to take action over a problem. It is entirely different to be passionate about it. Compassion is both passion and action.
Passion action is to rare in our lives. Many Christians can be passionate about worship and walk away and put no action into the truth they heard that day. We can be active in serving the Lord. We can be action, action, action and have no passion. God desires us to be passionately active in our lives.
The text for the day was Philippians 2:5-11. I challenge you to read and check out the greatest passion action of all time. Jesus’ death on the cross was the greatest act of compassion EVER! This passage talks about the name he was given by the Father and the glory that was his, but this was not why Jesus died. It says it in the last verse that he did all this for the “glory of the Father.”
Jesus was not concerned with his rights (his ability to take hold of his nature as God and claim every right he has the Maker of all things), his privileges (equality was not his concern), his promotion (he made himself nothing), nor his position (he became a servant.) Jesus lived the ultimate life of compassion because he had the right attitude. We must not simply change our actions, we must allow God to change our attitudes if we are to live lives of compassion.
Don’t just shout to God, serve God. Don’t just serve God, shout to Him. Put the passion into action and see that action become more passion.
Getting Hungry
It is rare in life that I allow myself to truly get hungry. Some times I say I am starving, but it has never been true. The only times I go out without a meal is by choice for spiritual reasons or schedule reasons. (Or because I ate so much the last meal that I am not yet able to force any more food in my body.)
I wonder how much this is true in our spiritual lives. We are told by Jesus that “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” Are we really hungry for God? Do we yearn with a spiritual need or do we simply sit among the spiritual want of life? We want God but do we hunger for him? Do we live needing him?
Often in the spiritual life we can confuse a craving with hunger. I challenge you to learn how to hunger for God. There is a book by John Piper called A Hunger for God. It is not a book I can truly vouch for because I have not finished it – but Piper is pretty much a safe bet. I am however being challenged by the thoughts in it.
Recently I have challenged our church to fast and pray. I must admit that neither fasting nor praying is a particular strength in my walk with the Lord. (Praying more than fasting.) I have considered fasting simply as the giving up for something to draw closer to God, but I never stopped and considered why that drew me closer to God. Fasting is more than simply doing without. It is more than simply making time. I am going to personalize the illustrations and thoughts of Piper in my own life to share this within this blog. I pray it helps you pray.
Wendy and I were engaged while I worked at summer camp and went to school in Ft. Worth. I literally asked her to marry me and then a week later left until we were married. I visited but was not in the same place as her very often. I recently found some of our letter correspondence during those days. The love letters were pretty strong. Why? I hungered for her. I did not simply desire her in my life; I hungered for her in my life. What happens to that? Sometimes when the extraordinary become a part of daily life we see it as ordinary. Recently God has really been working in me as a husband and some of what seemed ordinary has been renewed as extraordinary. (Because Wendy is extraordinary!)
We often seek God because we miss him. We have been away from him or we are in tough times. Those times are easy times to see and experience the hunger for God. But what about during the regular days and the good times of life? It is not so easy to hunger for God, when he is all around you. We do not hunger for God as we should when all is good at home, at church, and at work.
Fasting is seeking hunger. If you want to get hungry work all day in the hot sun or play all day in the ocean. (It is amazing how hungry I get on vacation every year.) Or walk into your favorite restaurant and watch someone else eat your favorite meal while you smell it but do not participate. That would make you hungry. Fasting is purposefully building a hunger for God in your life. A hungry stomach is not the goal. It is not the sacrifice as much as it the passion to be with God sought through sacrifice.
Piper says it this way, “The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but an endless nibbling at the table of the world…….The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth. For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable.”
WOAH! We have to build our hunger for God by not simply denying the evil in the world, but the good in it, too. Sometimes the enemy of what is best is that which is good. During this time of year the majority of our city is practicing Lent (or their church thinks they are). Lent is a time where people are challenged to give something up for over 40 days to seek God in their life. It is a great concept when practiced correctly.
But, what are you giving up? This year I pledge to eat no asparagus for 40 days? ME, TOO! Actually I will pledge that for next 400 if you want me to. No, fasting is about giving up something that you need and/or desire because you need and desire God more. It is to say to God, I will take you over food today. I will take you over caffeine this week. I will take you over my favorite tv show tonight. It is to tell God I want you MORE! I need you MORE!
Strangely when we seek God this way, we experience him more in our life and at the same time we hunger for him more in our life, too. We take more of him in, yet we feel unsatisfied. We have a greater longing for him, his work, his ways, and his will.
This week commit to give something up to grow in your relationship and hunger for God. Seek him not just to find him, but to desire to find him more…and more…and more.
I wonder how much this is true in our spiritual lives. We are told by Jesus that “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” Are we really hungry for God? Do we yearn with a spiritual need or do we simply sit among the spiritual want of life? We want God but do we hunger for him? Do we live needing him?
Often in the spiritual life we can confuse a craving with hunger. I challenge you to learn how to hunger for God. There is a book by John Piper called A Hunger for God. It is not a book I can truly vouch for because I have not finished it – but Piper is pretty much a safe bet. I am however being challenged by the thoughts in it.
Recently I have challenged our church to fast and pray. I must admit that neither fasting nor praying is a particular strength in my walk with the Lord. (Praying more than fasting.) I have considered fasting simply as the giving up for something to draw closer to God, but I never stopped and considered why that drew me closer to God. Fasting is more than simply doing without. It is more than simply making time. I am going to personalize the illustrations and thoughts of Piper in my own life to share this within this blog. I pray it helps you pray.
Wendy and I were engaged while I worked at summer camp and went to school in Ft. Worth. I literally asked her to marry me and then a week later left until we were married. I visited but was not in the same place as her very often. I recently found some of our letter correspondence during those days. The love letters were pretty strong. Why? I hungered for her. I did not simply desire her in my life; I hungered for her in my life. What happens to that? Sometimes when the extraordinary become a part of daily life we see it as ordinary. Recently God has really been working in me as a husband and some of what seemed ordinary has been renewed as extraordinary. (Because Wendy is extraordinary!)
We often seek God because we miss him. We have been away from him or we are in tough times. Those times are easy times to see and experience the hunger for God. But what about during the regular days and the good times of life? It is not so easy to hunger for God, when he is all around you. We do not hunger for God as we should when all is good at home, at church, and at work.
Fasting is seeking hunger. If you want to get hungry work all day in the hot sun or play all day in the ocean. (It is amazing how hungry I get on vacation every year.) Or walk into your favorite restaurant and watch someone else eat your favorite meal while you smell it but do not participate. That would make you hungry. Fasting is purposefully building a hunger for God in your life. A hungry stomach is not the goal. It is not the sacrifice as much as it the passion to be with God sought through sacrifice.
Piper says it this way, “The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but an endless nibbling at the table of the world…….The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth. For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable.”
WOAH! We have to build our hunger for God by not simply denying the evil in the world, but the good in it, too. Sometimes the enemy of what is best is that which is good. During this time of year the majority of our city is practicing Lent (or their church thinks they are). Lent is a time where people are challenged to give something up for over 40 days to seek God in their life. It is a great concept when practiced correctly.
But, what are you giving up? This year I pledge to eat no asparagus for 40 days? ME, TOO! Actually I will pledge that for next 400 if you want me to. No, fasting is about giving up something that you need and/or desire because you need and desire God more. It is to say to God, I will take you over food today. I will take you over caffeine this week. I will take you over my favorite tv show tonight. It is to tell God I want you MORE! I need you MORE!
Strangely when we seek God this way, we experience him more in our life and at the same time we hunger for him more in our life, too. We take more of him in, yet we feel unsatisfied. We have a greater longing for him, his work, his ways, and his will.
This week commit to give something up to grow in your relationship and hunger for God. Seek him not just to find him, but to desire to find him more…and more…and more.
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