Character counts

I am writing a shorter blog entry this morning to give us a thought to ponder. In my early morning reading this morning I found the following statement from Dr. Henry Cloud:

“Who a person is will ultimately determine if their brains, talents, competencies, energy, effort, deal making abilities, and opportunities will succeed.”

It’s the “character” thing. It counts. Success is not only related to talent or brains. It needs to be in our DNA.

Our Big God

In the 26th chapter of the book of Job, in one of Job’s speeches, he makes the following observation:

“7 God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing. 8 He wraps the rain in his thick clouds, and the clouds don't burst with the weight. 9 He covers the face of the moon, shrouding it with his clouds. 10 He created the horizon when he separated the waters; he set the boundary between day and night. 11 The foundations of heaven tremble; they shudder at his rebuke. 12 By his power the sea grew calm. By his skill he crushed the great sea monster. 13 His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and his power pierced the gliding serpent. 14 These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?"

It is good to be reminded of the power of God. He really does not fit into that box that we try to put Him into. I am currently taking a class on Wednesday nights where we are learning about the history of the church. The journey of the church (the body of Christ) through the centuries starting with the apostles and moving through the centuries to today. One of the terms that came out in class last night was “The ‘lostness’ of man” This hopeless condition that God has delivered us from by sending His son Jesus Christ to find us.

On the other side of that equation is the “bigness” of God. In our mind we really do not comprehend the scope of either our need or God’s solution. Only in the spiritual light are we able to comprehend that, and then only by faith.

“For by grace are we saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8)

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but not I’m found
Was blind, but now I see

Prepared for good work

I read this morning that society is like a stream. If we don’t like the direction it is going, we face a choice: We can either stand on the banks, yelling and screaming about what is wrong with the stream, or we can roll up our pant legs and wade in. We need the mindset that says we will do whatever it takes to affect positive change.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

If God saved is to do good works and prepared us to do them and we are not engaged in them; no wonder we go about unfulfilled! We should be involved in significant ministries no matter what our professional occupations are. One of the things I try to do as a pastor is to make it easy for people to be involved in service. It may sound funny to say, but sometimes I feel like it is a difficult task to make that service avenue easy. Actually sometimes it would be easier to simply do it myself. The equipping of others to do ministry work is one of the key tasks assigned to pastors. God didn’t tell us it would be easy but He did indicate it would be more effective and more would get done if we follow His leadership model. That, in no way, relieves me of personal service tasks. I learned many years ago that I do not have the right to ask others to do what I am not willing to do myself. I cannot ask you to pray if I am not a praying person. I cannot ask you to give if I am not willing to give. I should not ask you to work if I am not willing to work.

I think I need to get to work.

The Pain of the New Idea

In my personal Bible reading schedule I am up to the middle of the book of Job. It makes me realize that I really don’t have problems. The ability to stay focused in the midst of challenges is usually about a five on a scale of one to ten. It is so easy to drift off, fuzz out and veer off and early in the journey the consequences may be few. Later in the journey however, those mis-directions may come to haunt us. Along the way we have decisions to make about how to handle the new ideas. Here is a great quote from Walter Bagehot in “Physics and politics”:

“One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea. It… makes you think that after all, your favorite notions may be wrong, your firmest beliefs ill-founded…Naturally, therefore, common men hate a new idea, and are disposed more or less to ill-treat the original man who brings it.”

Many of the great truths and inventions that we benefit from today were once new ideas. We may miss many a great solutions in life simply by shunning a new idea. Our excuses of, “It will never work” or “It’s never been done that way before” get in our way and although the solution may be in front of us, it is out of focus. I pray regularly for focus because clarity of the road allows me to better enjoy the journey.

Have a good time today and check out at least one new idea.

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away everything has become new”
2 Corinthians 5:17

Finishing touches

“There are rooms in your world that need your special touch-your child’s classroom; your coworker’s office; your neighbor’s heart.

There are regions in your world that need inspiration-your community’s poor; your state’s policies; your nation’s leaders.

God has given you a blank check to create a better world-just sign your name.”

-from Bill Johnson’s book, “Dreaming with God”

Reading that this morning I was reminded that although I do not hang a shingle that says I am a designer, I do have a responsibility to do some designing. The place God has planted me is not a finished product. It is as though God has roughed in some of the areas and given me the options on the finishing touches. I can certainly exist in the roughed in rooms but some color and trim would be nice. Even if I am satisfied with my roughed in conditions, I still should trim it up and make it pleasant for those who might come visit my life. I need to remember that the best novel and plays have yet to be written and the best songs have yet to be sung. “The best is yet to come!” Don’t let your memories become bigger than your dreams.

God is Good!!!!

Inventory, the necessary task

One of my favorite quotes from Bill Johnson, Pastor of Bethel Church in Redding California:

“When we live with genuine passion for God, it creates a passion for other things. While it is possible to value other things above God, it is not possible to value God without valuing other things.”

In his book, “Dreaming with God”, he goes on to say that the way we steward the rest of life becomes the litmus test that demonstrates an authentic love for God. I am going to enjoy reading the rest of this book.

I have found good stewardship to be a required trait of successful people. That kind of stewardship needs to be in all of our resources. In order to do that, we need to know the inventory of those resources. The inventory task is time consuming, yet necessary. A business that ignores that task will soon find themselves without key material that they need to complete tasks. Uncompleted tasks are dangerous and can stop progress. The urgency of the hour demands that progress keeps moving. Taking inventory helps that to happen.

“Count your blessings, name them one by one;
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

God's Presence

I read a paragraph this morning in Bill Johnson’s book entitled, “When Heaven invades Earth.” Here is what it said

God’s covenant promise, “I will be with you,” has always been linked to mankind’s need for courage to face the impossible. There is no question that the presence of God is what brings us great comfort and peace. But the presence of God was always promised to His chosen ones to give them assurance in the face of less than favorable circumstances.

You would think that as people of faith, we would have a handle on God’s concept of “I will be with you”, but most of the time my life does not reflect that kind of confidence. Carrying the authority of God with us ought to make our witness a little bolder. There should be a spring in our step and like the frog at the water fountain we should be proclaiming that we have found a home. Too many of my decisions are based more on my own comfort than on the proclamation that God is with me. Getting comfortable is a dangerous goal. As Mark Batterson says, “Playing it safe is risky!” What society calls “Less than favorable circumstances” are opportunities for us to allow God to shine. It always comes down to the question, “Am I going to believe God, or not?”

In the year my grandfather was born, 1887, John H Sammis wrote the following words that became a Hymn that we still sing today:

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,What a glory He sheds on our way!While we do His good will, He abides with us still,And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,But His smile quickly drives it away;Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,Can abide while we trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,But our toil He doth richly repay;Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,But is blessed if we trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His loveUntil all on the altar we lay;For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,Are for them who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;Never fear, only trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.