Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Man Vision

Man Vision - that is apparently what I have?
It is that thing that men get accused of when we are hunting for that allusive ‘thing’ stored you ‘know where’, that you last saw ‘way back then’. 
When ever my wife sees me ‘hunting’ see asks if I need her help because of my apparent Man Vision issue.

Is there something you are looking for?
Something you would really like to find, but you just can’t track it down on your own?

Because of the season we are entering into, I am reminded about others in history, who were searching for something important to them.
Some of them found exactly what they were looking for and expecting.
Others found what they were looking for, just not how they expected it to be.

It is recorded that Wise Men came from the east looking for a King. 
What they found was a baby in a manger who would grow up to be a pretty amazing type of King.
Shepherds left their flocks at night to visit a baby, all because a choir of angels told them to check him out.

So again I ask you what are you looking for?
I pray that you would find it this holiday season…
Whether it be peace or comfort or provision or health or rest, may you find it?
Even if it comes in a form you may not recognise or even expect, may you find it?

God bless you heaps!

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Finding Your Declaration?

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard." - JFK September 1962

What an amazing quote and an even more amazing declaration!

When the President spoke those words at Rice University it was a declaration to his nation and the whole world. That the US of A was going to do something very specific. Something very hard. Something no one had do before and many thought was actually fanciful.
History tells the outcome the declaration. It shows us that the right thing declared over a situation at just the right and considered time, can indeed galvanise resolve, and achieve the objective.

I am huge fan of declaration!
Speaking out loud what you believe and what you want to believe...
I think it biblical. Gospel centred. Faith orientated.

Joshua made a declaration in his generation.
"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!"

David made a declaration in his generation.
"I will praise the Lord!"

Jesus told the generation around him...
"I will destroy this temple and raise it again in 3 days!"

Jesus tells this generation to declare...
"Speak to the mountain and tell it to move!"

So what is your declaration?
I ask because because it is very important!
It will help guide you, set you up...and lead you to your future.
The life you live right now could very well be because of the declarations you have previous made?

And how do you find your declaration?
Here are a couple of ways I have found have worked for me and help me avoid falseness and vain hype:

1. Worship 
Simply choose to do it. Determine to do it even when you don't feel like it.
Be a David and tell your soul to worship. That type of declaration will take you somewhere and you end up feeling like what you are saying. Your soul will eventually catch up with your spirit!

2. Read the Pslams
I love the example of David and his speaking to his soul. Telling it get in line with his spirit.
We can look and learn from his example.

3. Specific Scriptures.
We write scriptures that speak of God's desire and goodness for our lives and our ministry on the mirror. Every time I go to the bathroom I look at them and declare them over my life.

4. The 'Iron' Effect
Hang around people of faith. When you do it will effect your declaration.
If you spend your most valuable time around those with little or no faith, your faith will suffer.
The opposite has always proven true for me. People either make your sharper or blunter. There is no middle ground!

My prayer and hope for you this week is that you find your Godly declaration and speak it out.
Shout it out even if you have to. Post it on Facebook. Write on your mirror. Share it with a friend.

Something to think about...

I watched this great clip today. Maybe it could help fuel your new declaration over your life?
Unstoppable God - Elevation Worship
Our God is unstoppable! He can and will do the impossible!


Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Why aren't we flying?

...because getting there is half the fun...
Apparently that is what Chevy Chases character Clark Griswold states in the movie National Lampoon's Vacation.
As the patriarch of his family unit, he made a decision to take his family on a journey to a theme park not the quickest way, but one where adventure was more likely to exist.
They could have flown and got there in a day. But that was practical, predictable and kind of boring.
A family car trip across states lines appealed a lot more to his sensibilities.

What ensues is 90+ minutes of drama and experience that if real (because in the end this was just a movie) would actually make the destination more worth while.
Why?
Because the journey increases the value of the destination to those on the journey.

I shared with our Church recently that Jacob was frustrated in part with his life, because he was so focused on his destination, that he was robbed of the enjoyment of the journey.
And we are just the same. At least I know I can be like that.

When we as a family are heading away somewhere, all I think about is leaving on time and getting their as quickly and effectively as possible.
But in between where I am leaving from and where I am heading to is a whole expanse.
Wouldn't God want me to enjoy the expanse as well?
Shouldn't I be taking in what is around me along the way?
Could I in fact be robbing myself of some of Gods goodness from my life?

I think of scriptures like...taste and see that the Lord is good.
It is not talking about finding out how good God is when you 'get there'.
It is about tasting how good God is along the way!

So this week can I encourage to take a moment and look around you?
If you are on a journey of faith never loose sight of the destination, the race you are on.
But also don't forget take notice of where you are along the way.
Ask God to meet you along the road, along the path, where ever you are right now.
I think it will make your journey more meaningful, enjoyable and valuable.
It will help make the destination of your life grow in value to you...

Something to think about...

Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Roller Coaster

What a roller coaster the last week could have has been for me!
Please let me explain for a few moments...

I walked into a venue (not our Church) and one the first things that happened was a guy stood up and started going off his nut at me and a mate. Using an expletive ladened tirade, he expressed how he felt about us. Obviously not my biggest fan! 
Later that same night and at the same venue later I had fans.

Then in the last 24 hours I have been told of 2 totally different peoples opinions of me.
One person thinks I am not very good as a leader.
The other thinks I am really good as a leader.

If I based my life. 
Based my opinions of my own value. 
Lived my life based on what others think and say about me. It would be an emotional roller coaster! Complete with spiral twists and turns that one moment make me smile, and the next make me want to throw up.

I have heard it said we should live our lives 'for an audience of one'.
That 'one' being God. Living in such a way as to just focus on pleasing Him.
The trouble is we forget to do this or even how to do this...so I find it easy to go back to old habits.

What I have tried to do for many years relates to that concept, and I have found far more effective for me personally.
Don't try to live your life to please.
Instead live your life to serve.

So what does that mean practically?
Pleasing people is such hard work! And it is ultimately very frustrating.
People judge you then on your motives and effectiveness to varying degrees and score you accordingly. And if you are a little sensitive at times like me, the scores given out can dictate your perceived value.

Instead I do my best to just serve others. In whatever way I can with the talents, time and resources at my disposal, I simply try and serve.
And in the serving you end up by default live your life 'for an audience of one'.

Can I encourage you to shake off the bounds that trying to please imposes?
Choose to serve others as a way of life.
And see what God does through you and for you as you do...

Something to think about...

Matthew 20:26-28 niv
26...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”