Speaking of side tracked

I had a really good talk with a friend of mine yesterday that had to do with our leaving to Arkansas. He made some very compelling arguments and some very honest assessments. It is too bad it took us leaving to come to this point in a relationship where we can speak freely in love to each other. I can say that there are a few of the men in Colorado that I would have liked to have known better and wished it had gotten to that “point”. It seems we are all too worried about our precious feelings to really communicate…it, in my opinion, severely, tragically, beautifully, honestly deepens a relationship and it’s because of the relationship that it can go that real…it kind of builds upon itself.

Oh well, speaking of being side tracked, that has nothing to do with what I wanted to blog about! ;-)

Ministry – what is it and what does it mean to you? This is a question that was brought up by my good friend. It stunned me because I had never really thought about it. It always seemed like the definition is “helping”. That when I am in ministry I am a “helper” to God. Not that He needs ME, but He does use us. It’s a great and wonderful place to be used by the Lord. However, my friends assessment is that it’s more, much more. Listening to his definition and reasoning, it kind of made sense. I am sure that if he reads this he will “clarify” or correct anything that I screw up here…but, he likened it to your family. That your family is your immediate sphere of influence..however, your church being an extension of your family deserves the same commitment as your inner, immediate sphere. He used Paul as an example and the life that he lead in ministry. So, if that’s true my question is, does ANYONE really live their life in their ministry? I can see inward that I put my immediate family with their wants, needs and desires above all other periphery. Am I alone in that, is that wrong? That sounds like the topic for another blog at a later date. I have to stay focused here..sorry. So, who is living out life in the ministry and what do they do that separates themselves in it? What does it truly mean? As I look around, who can I use as a mentor in this? Who is a real life example? Is there anyone living this today? Let’s evaluate the qualifications… Their yes should be yes and their no should be no. They should love the Lord their God with all their hearts, minds and souls. Loving their neighbors as themselves. They should know when to say yes and when to say no. They should follow through with what they say they would do and do it forever or at least until there is a clear cut sign that it’s done. Anyone know anybody like that?

It’s a pretty hefty commitment. But, does God deserve any less? I would agree…he deserves my all. I will no longer commit to any man (as long as I remember) or church or team…but, be cautious about all my commitments in the future…and commit only to the Lord and be listening for His voice in moving me or keeping me. It was a very good talk yesterday.

One final thing – are there things that you have committed to that you’ve let go? See proverbs 6 about such matters! J

Have you said something will change that has remained the same?

Have you changed something only to revert back to your old ways?

Have you said that you wanted to start something, gotten started, then quit?

Have you ever encouraged others to movement, then not move yourself?

Have you ever had an idea and when it came to be never moved toward it?

Join the club! Maybe we can all change together! I don't think there is a more important ministry than being a witness and representative of the Lord in your every day walk. To that end, be extra careful and diligent...let your Yes be Yes...and if you say that you are going to do something, DO IT. My old pastor used to say the the battle cry of the baptist is "I'll try!!!". Let's be doers and not just hearers of the Word...

Don't get me wrong, I am not attempting to justify myself by the faults of others...but, merely stating that we all have a long way to go...and that we should do just that. Get going.

Many are called, few are chosen

I have been pondering this quote. Jesus said this at the end of his parable regarding what the kingdom of heaven would be like (although some versions omit this statement). (Matt 20:1-16)His parable referenced workers in a field that had agreed to a wage for the day…as the day went on the owner of the field brought in more workers. Finally, an hour before the workday was complete he brought in workers…and ended up not only paying them first, but paying the same wage for an hours work as he paid for the workers that were there all day. The workers that were there all day were unjustifiably peeved. Then, Jesus said many are called, few are chosen.

This started me thinking about “callings”. Many people make a really big deal about this. I don’t know if this passage has to with each man’s calling. But, there have been books written on finding your calling, I even had to go through one for a class I took at CCU. I suppose that callings have to do with gifting and the proper utilization thereof. However, what in the world did Jesus mean that many are called and few are chosen? And why do I have a sneakin’ suspicion that it’s related to when He says that many will say “Lord, Lord” and He will say “Depart, for I never knew you”…

He states “For many are called, but few are chosen.” again at the end of the parable of the wedding feast (Matt 22:1-14).

This parable is very similar to the other in several ways:

1. People are asked to come. They were sought out and had to be brought in.

2. It had to do with multiple people

3. Some were unpleasant

4. Some were disrespectful

5. Some received the reward.

Another similarity that I saw was that there was someone in charge, like a landowner or king. This person was responsible for and the reason for everyone being in the place that they were.

I will continue thinking on this…let me know if you have ideas or thoughts as well!

Focus Danielson

Here are some excerpts from the book “The Grand Weaver” by Ravi Zaccharias.

 

As management sits around a table heavily discussing some technology problem that they are having one of the people finally states, “What about the shirts?”

“What about them?” is the reply…

“ Isn’t that what this company is all about, manufacturing shirts?”

 

Too often we put all our energies into the peripheral concerns of life and forget why we are here…we neglect the purpose of our life. The bane of our lives is getting side tracked into secondary pursuits.

 

Write down your purpose, put it somewhere where you can prominently see it to remind you what your primary purpose is. Mark down your life’s goal to use as a measuring stick against all that you try to accomplish.

 

Suzanna Wesley gave birth to 19 children – when asked by one of her sons to define sin she stated, “Son, whatever weakens your reasoning, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God or takes away your relish for spiritual things. In short, if anything increases the authority and power of the flesh over the Spirit then, that to you becomes sin however good it is in itself.” Her son carved that on his heart to focus his life around that wisdom….it became his guiding beacon…

 

Dr. Livingston – “Sever any ties but the tie that binds me to your service and your heart” – a set purpose….

 

What is your purpose? Are you a victim of side trackery? Let’s write down what our purpose is and hold true to it.  I highly recommend this book…

 

 

What I Like About CO (guest post from his lovely wife b/c she doesn't wanna mess up another post that she's working on on her own blog!)

~Our church

~Our friends

~Our homeschool group

~Our house (Honey you're good at picking out houses!)

~The weather (most of the time)

~Soccer and fencing and music lessons at CCU

~Tuition waivers at CCU

~Better grocery shopping

~Waterton and the zoo

~Some of our family living closer

Hmmm, maybe I should've titled this a Top Ten List.

What would they say?

I am trying to figure out how I feel about leaving, 1) my job 2) my church...
1. This is fairly easy - I more than likely haven't been a good example. Probably way too prideful there. Mostly thinking that I could offer a lot more than they cared to listen to! ;-) Typical of me really and really, this is probably the answer for both questions, but...

2. My church is a little different - as I was thinking about it I started getting disappointed. I know my pastor would consider this arrogance. But, it wasn't like that ... it was a sad disappointed and not because I was leaving and not coming back, but for those that were staying. WAIT, don't start balling me out yet...Here's what I am talking about; as I was studying the congregation from behind the drums here's what I noticed every week - when we sang praise songs, certain older folks refuse to sing. Their arms are crossed and they actually have a scowl on their face. The younger folks sing along as expected. When we sing hymns those same folks may uncross their arms, but rarely utter a word, and as I look at the younger crowd, they are singing along. I started thinking of how this ties into scripture. How the older folks are to teach the younger, be examples. What are they teaching me, what is the example they are trying to set? So, in this example, I wondered if given the microphone and the opportunity to say farewell, how exactly would it go?

Here's what I thought of: "When I first visited here without my family I thought that this wasn't the church for me. I didn't like the tone of the worship and the teaching was good..but, at this point, most of the churches I visited had good preaching/teaching. Except this one where all they talked about was their new building and how they needed to really give so they could complete it. I kinda crossed that one off the list quickly. ;-) But, honestly, based on location, this one made the top 3. So, when my family arrived, we visited each of the churches and I let the family decide where they wanted to attend. The kids loved the size of AHBC and it appeared that most of the older ladies just loved the kids. So, we sank into this church for a while. After a few times, I started to take a look around and get excited about the opportunity to be mentored or discipled to some degree by the older men in the church. The ladies were active, I could only assume the men were. After I attended an evening study a few times for the men, I learned that the older men didn't usually participate. I tried to make a go of it, but quickly lost interest in the book that was being studied. It appears that I philosophically disagreed with a lot of the book. My problem, not the books or the guys there for sure. Fast forward 1.5 years to today. Still the same thing, there are none of the older men involved in anything that I see except for a monthly luncheon..where just one or 2 may show up. But, I usually don't attend that since it's in the middle of the day and I am usually at work. Whatever seems to happen that is church sponsored, it's always the same 10 or so core folks (rarely any of the older men). So the questions come up: 1. Did I leave anything behind that may have been a blessing or a work for the Lord 2. Was there anything that I can take away from the church to build my relationship with the Lord? In regards to number 1. I don't know. I tried. I wanted to. I hope I did or helped or something. 2. This is what this letter to myself all comes down to. The answer is yes, there are many things. I had been working on developing a fantastic relationship with the pastor. He's guided and helped me tons. His heart appears to be truly for the Lord and the body that he pastors. But, I also learned some very negative things that I hope to turn around and make good in my life. I hope for all the folks that were scowlers, that for their sakes, when we get to heaven and we are worshipping the Lord together, that Jesus prefers hymns and speaks using "thee and thou". If he likes modern worship, some folks will just absolutely not be happy. :-)

While there is a hint of sarcasm to a lot of this, I do mean that I am bit disappointed that we couldn't help them with what they needed. (Whatever that would have been.) But, there were soooo many that were far above the bar. The women, especially the older ladies, of the church are AMAZING. Us men should take notes.

Fare well, AHBC, do not let the letter of John be true of you, burn hot for the Lord!!

14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

I may have just graduated Kindergarten

Some revelation that is probably obvious to others…

I have recently been thinking about my relationship with the Lord and how it focused mainly on me. The things that I am going through, the things that I am worried about, etc. I don’t necessarily think that’s bad. For we are to “cast our cares upon Him, for He cares for us.” – “His Yoke is easy, His burden light”. But, when I am saying self centered I mean I was thinking in a way that felt like everything about those issues I took to Him, were about me only. It’s hard to explain…but, kind of like God would answer or not answer and shift the world around on my behalf. Honestly, I think He has altered the world for me…even though that may be incorrect thinking.

 

The crux of what I am saying lies in “Love your neighbor as yourself” and “Love your enemies”. I could see the first one, how it is important…but, love my enemies? Then, as everyone else in the world probably already knows, I realized that God loves my enemies. He loves the murderer. He loves the thief. He loves however many people have been involved in stealing stuff from me since we’ve moved here. He would prefer that “none be lost, no not one”. Lost sheep is how he refers to them I believe. I had thought that meant believers that are wandering off…while I still do to an extent, I really think it’s more encompassing than that. It’s not the Lords desire that ONLY the believers be His. But, ALL should come.

 

Luke 15:3-10 

³Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' ⁷I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. ⁸Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins^[a] and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' ¹⁰In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

 

Seriously, what was I thinking??!!??!  This sort of came to light in a weird way. I have been in a bad situation for a little while and was praying for God’s hand in it. I felt compelled to pray for this person in light of the “praying for my enemies” verse. The kind of hard part was that this person was also a believer.  Honestly, not knowing what to pray for him or about him or me, but just kinda saying, “Lord, this dude…amen”  Then, it appeared that in answering my baffling and empty worded prayer, he found a way to bring His goodness to BOTH of us. Are you kidding me??? The dude loves Him. Yes, He loves the “dude” too. So, apparently, Jesus doesn’t only work things for good for those that love Him for one side of it only. Man, GOD IS AMAZING.

 

Lord, I am sorry to have been so elementary in my faith…so selfish. Thank You for teaching me, thank You for Your patience, thank You for Your love.

We didn't make the top team

It’s disappointing around the house right now. My oldest boy tried out for the Nike team (the top team in his division) and, unfortunately, didn’t make it. Things they don’t know that would have help the coaches make a better decision:

1.       He’s extremely smart with the ball.

2.       He has tremendous vision and can see lanes and openings that others can’t.

3.       His moves and maturity in handling the ball exceeds all the other boys – actually, they acknowledged that when they talked to me.

 

Things that I hope will become of this – He becomes more driven for his own sake, not mine. Not only in soccer but in every aspect of life. That we can take this disappointment and grow with it. That he would see how important working hard to become excellent at something is.

 

He’s a good little man…I’m sorry for him that he didn’t make it.

People to pray for:

1.       Ben

2.       Kristina

3.       T

4.       Mike N’s dad

5.       Mom and Dads

6.       Sister and family

7.       Christy and Les

8.       Jeremy

2 weeks into it...

We have had Saturday services for 2 weeks now. All I can say is that God has blessed me by being a part of it.

Test everything. Hold fast to what is good.

Funny 6 year old

The other day there was dissention amongst the ranks and a squabble busted out. It seems that #2 amd #3 were having an argument as to what to do while mom ran to a friends for lunch. Both of the kids thought they knew what mom wanted while she was gone and both were being very stubborn. Talking led to frustration, frustration to shouting. The 6 year old was very brave in trying to be a peacemaker but things had already escalated to DEFCON 4.
#4 had her wits about her and called mom. Mom came home and 2 and 3 were trying to work it out....enter the Dad.

The interrogation was intense, thorough and revealing. As I got to the heart of the issue, I used a military simile. I compared soldiers and officers and the like. The short of it was that they should have obeyed the one in charge...if there were questions about the decision the one in charge would ultimately be responsible. So, it would behoov the one in charge to validate with her leader...etc.

Well, since the 6 yo was also guilty of not obeying the one in charge, he received the speech as well as some extra! However, before we could take care of business, he made his way to the trampoline. I definitely was not pleased with him just thinking of himself and taking off before punishment was issued...so I let him know about that too.

Well, all that occurred during my lunch break. So, as I get back to work I get a phone call. It's my lovely wife. She was asking if it was ok for the 6yo to jump on the tramp... She told him it was but he insisted on having her call her commander to make sure!!! LOL

I guess he was listening.
Test everything. Hold fast to what is good.