It's not about you

I want to share a story.

I was reminded of this story by a friend who opined in an email yesterday how powerful it would be if the men of our churches men's ministry all started their sentence about the ministry with "we are about..."

The power of we. Not Nintendo we but us, Christians together in community.

"I" versus "we"

When I graduated with a Master of Science in Leadership and Management two years ago I decided that I wanted to get a class ring. I had never done so before and thought it would be a good way to remember the journey. In the process of getting the details for the ring ironed out with Jostens I learned that on the side panel they could only fit 9 characters across. (they did not have a standard design for my program so I had to custom design).

Well as you know the word leadership has ten characters. I was beside myself with frustration and selfishness. I brooded over this for a few hours and then called my wife to complain. As I related my story to her she listened then with absolutely biblical wisdom said "Ron it's not about you!" Oh the pain! My initial reaction was to want to defend and get angry at my wife. I kept it in check and began to consider what she had shared. Its not about you, its not about you of course she was right I was being selfish. Leadership is not about me, leadership is not about "I"... Suddenly a flash of light came as the coolest idea came forth. There is no room for "I" in leadership. The dilemma was solved remove the "I" from leadership, Leadershp fit nicely and I had a permanent leadership lesson engraved on my class ring.

According to Ecclesiastes one man can get into trouble while two can help each other but a cord of three strands... Ecc 4:9, 12

So to the power of we, a very important observation.

Our savior was the model of selflessness, where are you being selfish today and how do you remind yourself to get over it?

Be blessed

Ron

A house divided cannot stand

“A house divided against itself cannot stand” Matthew 12:25

I love the way the Lord brings clarity forth. Over the past few weeks this verse continues to come up in conversation and in prayer. In my men’s group we discussed the importance of being united in Christ and with each other if we are ever to claim victory over the schemes of the enemy. At a recent Sunday night service at my church a guest pastor brought forth a clear teaching on the importance of unity in the body and prayed over the congregation that the bonds of shame be broken and lifted from our midst.

It grieves me that there are so many men who are isolated, alone and unable to reach out for the camaraderie they so desperately need to be whole in Christ. If only every man knew that we must be united to overcome the schemes of the devil. If only every man knew what this meant and how to be an authentic Christian man. How can a man share the shame of failure of another drink, another drug, another pornographic website, another angry outburst if he has no brothers to help him through it in love. The moment he gives into temptation the devil convicts him, holds him down with a Jackboot on his neck in the dirt rendering yet another brother helpless in the cause of Christ.

This verse speaks to me of the battle we are in, the criticality of the cause and the hope we have in Christ. I share it with you in hope that it might stir the conversation and through prayer and thanksgiving that we might discover God’s calling for men of Christ.

May God bless you

May his face shine upon you

Amen

Be encouraged my brothers in Christ

A "High Capacity" Day

Have you ever noticed when you greet someone during their day and ask them how things are they will often say "very busy"?

In the past several weeks this word “busy” has taken on new meaning to me. Ironically it has taken on the meaning to have little meaning or purpose; to work hastily getting the tasks of the day accomplished all the while losing sight on what is important.

Perhaps this is an unfair assessment. Well perhaps, yet I do not judge others I simply wonder whether the list of tasks that people scurry about to complete have any meaning in the grand scheme of things. What eternal value do our tasks have? Could this be a deception of the enemy to keep us at bay; to keep us from fulfilling or perhaps discovering our true purpose?

I believe it is…

So I have created a new answer to this question. When someone asks me how things are, I reflect on how well I am doing against my purpose. How am I progressing those strategic activities that bring life, that help the lost to be saved, that bring comfort to the hurting, fellowship to the lonely. Since my career is my mission field I also consider how well I am on track in my leadership role in achieving the goals set out before me.

If I am doing well I respond to the question; I am having a high capacity day and I am blessed that supply is level with demand. This gives me an ability to create a nuance for those days that are overwhelming (supply is not meeting demand) and awesome days where “Bring it” is the quote of the day.

On days that are simply lost, that is I am not working toward my purpose, I can still respond that I am busy if I am or whatever else I am feeling. Only thing is now I have an external prompt to get myself back on track working for God and not man.

How do you stay in your purpose?

How do you find your purpose?

May our Almighty Father Bless you

May he grant you a word of knowledge to understand your purpose.

May he grant you the wisdom and courage to pursue it

Amen

There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus

So where was this verse 5 years ago, 10, 20, 30 years ago?

When I needed it...

Where was the grace and acceptance of a forgiving loving God?

When I did not understand it…

Where was the healing from shame and self condemnation?

When the pain was too much to bear…

Where was the humility of a life devoted to Christ?

When I knew nothing of it...

The answer to these questions have, for me, a similar answer; The answer lies hidden deep within the lies and deception of the enemy. For years I lived in the insanity of what most men go through. I lived in the constant struggle of good behavior followed by failure then condemnation, guilt, remorse, confession. Each time through the cycle was as if on a downward spiral staircase stuck acting as a descending escalator. You simply cannot win, every stumble takes you further away from the love and forgiveness of Christ. The failures pile up one upon another. You feel like a train wreck. Each car scattered all over the ground one upon another in a tangled mess of steel broken glass, broken flesh and heart ache.

I lived this pattern most of my formative years and adult life. Although a lifelong believer, I fell victim to the schemes of the devil so easily I look back on it with embarrassment. I feel like a cow being led to the slaughter house.

Why do we as men live in this pain for so long? How can we be released from this bondage?

Unfortunately we live compartmentalized lives. We live in secret. We think we cannot share our pain, our desperation, our desolation. We think that our identity is at risk; our very manhood will be undercut if we confess to another brother the struggle for life we engage in every day. The lie of pride, the lie of ego, the lie of shame all clever deceptions of an enemy who never sleeps.

We see a racy commercial on television and Victoria Secret models assault our thought life. Before we know it we are in death thinking things no man has a right to.

We see a shiny new Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, fill in the blank and we lust after the sleek lines, the precision engineering. We imagine what it must be like to drive such a fine automobile. We start to attack the driver. How can they have it if I cannot?! We swell up with pride at how we will be perceived behind the wheel.

We take one more drink (drug, fill in the blank) to dull the pain of profound loneliness of meaninglessness. We know we should not but we do, just one more we rationalize I can handle it.

Can you?!! Really!! I think not.

My heart is broken today and I believe it will stay that way until my Lord and savior gives me a new one. I too still fall victim to these traps but Praise God the frequency has lessened and the condemnation is gone. I have been given a gift of knowledge that the struggles I have had have been of the flesh and not of my soul. My struggles are sure to be with me for the days to come, yet the consequences of failure are so totally different.

Christ loves me, he knew me before I was born, and he has a plan for me. I take such comfort in this and know that through him all things are possible. Through him I can be a difference maker, through him I can help the Kingdom grow. I can be his hands, his feet. May his will be done on earth.

There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus

Amen

Thoughts on Navigating this Blog

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.

Brothers and Sisters

This blog reflects my heart. It reflects the thoughts and the prayers that match my spiritual highs and lows. There are times where this blog may seem to have wild direction changes and large gaps in time where there are no posts. It is my desire to be authentic, to be real. So I write when the spirit moves me, I write when I am in pain, when I am in joy. So yes the direction changes can seem drastic. But then in your own journey I suspect that you too have highs and lows. Christ calls us to be hot or cold, otherwise he will spit us out of his mouth. I want to be on fire for the Lord, the hotter the better.

How about you?

Praise you Lord Jesus

Praise you for your gift of grace, your sacrifice

Teach me your ways so I might follow you

So I might commit my heart to you completely

Praise your Holy name

Amen

The Trip "B"

Tuesday morning early I was sitting in a departure lounge at the Toronto Canada airport. My family and I had just finished a week long visit to the great white north from our home in southern California. We came back to spend time with family, to visit my mother who is finishing chemotherapy. Those who have read my previous posts all named The Trip, will know that this is another chapter in my mothers journey through the valley of cancer. I find it comforting to know that her favorite psalm is 23. The verse Yea though I walk through the valley of death I will fear no evil, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me has special meaning to her and to me. Since last August I have been praying for a miracle of healing. I was praying the cancer would be completely removed from her body. The prayer was answered once as she nearly died due to complications in the weeks following surgery. Those prayers were answered.

I have been filling the prayer bowls again though, nothing less than complete recovery is what I am praying for. This mountain will fall into the sea!

This trip was so different from last summer. We spent many hours over the course of the week talking to playing games and sharing meals with my parents. It was a time to remember. Not at all like the horror and stress of cancer surgery and uncertainty. No this trip was different.

There were many prayers for us as we left for home. So many well meaning friends who genuinely cared for us. The stress of last August seemed to melt away as we each day made the most of this precious time with family. It was a good trip, God inspired and prayer lined. The last day we found out the cat-scan showed no sign of tumors, the cancer is gone. In Gods hands, gone for good.

Father

Thank you for your gift of grace

Thank you Holy Spirit for guiding this trip

Praise you for your love and kindness

Praise you for healing

Amen