Me and God.....what a great team!
One of my favorite speakers loves to tell the story about the night in March, 1990, that the Chicago Bulls were playing. Superstar Michael Jordan and a rookie on the team scored 70 points. It sounds great until you discover that Jordan scored 69 of those points.
In a post-game interview, the rookie, tongue in cheek, told the reporter that he would always remember this night as being the night he and Michael teamed up to score 70 points.
I've thought about that story often, as I fondly remember my friend. But recently this story took on a new meaning for me. I was reviewing some notes on the Gospel of John and discovered that in four of the seven miracles Jesus did in this Gospel, obedience on the part of someone else was needed.
In the Miracle where the water was turned to wine, the servants had to "do" what Jesus told them to do. Then when Jesus fed the multitude, the disciples needed to "serve" and the folks needed to "sit." Even the blind man had to "go" and "wash" the mud from his eyes before his sight would be restored. And finally, in the miracle of life itself, someone had to obey and "move" the rock, Lazarus had to "hop out" and then someone needed to "remove the grave clothes."
Nothing was too difficult, maybe worth only a point on the score book of miracles, but these actions were necessary to the miracle.
Nothing was outside the realm of what those folks could do. They didn't need special training or inside information. Kind of makes you think that all we need to do in order to see Christ miraculously work is the simple stuff.
I wonder if Moses ever talked about the time he and God parted the waters?
Always in Pursuit!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Ya gotta go deeper.......
I mentioned in the last entry that Jesus was challenging Peter, the fisherman to think outside his box. The instructions Jesus gave to Peter were outside the box. It was going to require Peter to do something a little different than he had been doing.
I love to read the verses in Luke 5:1-11. Peter and his crew had been fishing all night, just like they always did. This was their box. And for the most part, doing things this way seemed to be working for them, but not this night. They came up empty handed. But Jesus came along and told them put out a little deeper and then throw their nets in the water.
You know the rest of the story. It was a great catch. All the fish that had gotten away before now had ended up in their nets and they had to call for help to bring the catch in.
When we begin to think outside the box, or as our genius friends reminded us, when we start doing something different, we get results we've never seen before.
This whole event is a great reminder of what happens when we obey the simple commands Jesus gives us to do. Just doing what he says will turn our lives from being disappointing and empty to exciting and overflowing.
My favorite part of the story comes in verses 10 & 11. Jesus tells Peter to not be afraid. Afraid of what? Could it be that Jesus wanted Peter to live outside the box? Could it be that Jesus' plans for Peter's life were beyond anything that a second or third generation fisherman from Galilee could imagine ever being so for him? Probably. But Jesus told him not to be afraid. He was going to change Peter from being a fisherman of fish, to being a fisherman of men.
There would be challenges. There might be some big waves, a few soldiers, an angry mob, and even some Gentiles to encounter. But Jesus said "don't be afraid."
It's a great reminder for me and probably for you. It's going to be different than we think. It's going to be outside our box. But don't be afraid!
Always in Pursuit!
I mentioned in the last entry that Jesus was challenging Peter, the fisherman to think outside his box. The instructions Jesus gave to Peter were outside the box. It was going to require Peter to do something a little different than he had been doing.
I love to read the verses in Luke 5:1-11. Peter and his crew had been fishing all night, just like they always did. This was their box. And for the most part, doing things this way seemed to be working for them, but not this night. They came up empty handed. But Jesus came along and told them put out a little deeper and then throw their nets in the water.
You know the rest of the story. It was a great catch. All the fish that had gotten away before now had ended up in their nets and they had to call for help to bring the catch in.
When we begin to think outside the box, or as our genius friends reminded us, when we start doing something different, we get results we've never seen before.
This whole event is a great reminder of what happens when we obey the simple commands Jesus gives us to do. Just doing what he says will turn our lives from being disappointing and empty to exciting and overflowing.
My favorite part of the story comes in verses 10 & 11. Jesus tells Peter to not be afraid. Afraid of what? Could it be that Jesus wanted Peter to live outside the box? Could it be that Jesus' plans for Peter's life were beyond anything that a second or third generation fisherman from Galilee could imagine ever being so for him? Probably. But Jesus told him not to be afraid. He was going to change Peter from being a fisherman of fish, to being a fisherman of men.
There would be challenges. There might be some big waves, a few soldiers, an angry mob, and even some Gentiles to encounter. But Jesus said "don't be afraid."
It's a great reminder for me and probably for you. It's going to be different than we think. It's going to be outside our box. But don't be afraid!
Always in Pursuit!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Sheer Genius
"Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results is the definition of insanity" said my friend Wayne Howes in a Sunday school class discussion several years ago. I was fascinated with the statement and have hung on to it for a long time.
Several years later, I discovered that it was Albert Einstein who had first said these words. But when Wayne spoke those words, they went straight to my heart and they have been the inspiration for many times of re-evaluating things in my life that I've wanted to be different.
I was also introduced about the same time to the phrase, "thinking outside the box." I believe both the formula for different results and "thinking outside the box" are pretty much saying the same thing.
Here are some conclusions about boxes I have come to in the intervening years:
#1--before you can think outside the box, you have to realize you are in a box
#2--boxes can become caskets if we are not careful
#3--not all boxes are wrong
#4--all boxes have a life span of their own (I think Scripture refers to these times as seasons)
At a recent conference, I was reminded of the Dakota Indian tribal wisdom that said, "If the horse is dead, it might be time to get off."
I was also reminded of the temptation for some of us when we discover that the horse is dead, to yell louder at the horse, work harder at spurring the horse on. And some of us even pray for a resurrection of the horse instead of getting off, taking our saddle and search for a new ride.
I've had folks ask me why they weren't growing in their faith or why their marriage was getting better. It could be that something different needs to be done if they are truly interested in seeing different results. They need a new horse!
Remember the words of the genius, insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting something different to happen. Just maybe we need to do something different today.
This was the experience that the fisherman, turned apostle, Peter, had early one morning. But that's for the next entry......hope to see you there.
Always in Pursuit!
"Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results is the definition of insanity" said my friend Wayne Howes in a Sunday school class discussion several years ago. I was fascinated with the statement and have hung on to it for a long time.
Several years later, I discovered that it was Albert Einstein who had first said these words. But when Wayne spoke those words, they went straight to my heart and they have been the inspiration for many times of re-evaluating things in my life that I've wanted to be different.
I was also introduced about the same time to the phrase, "thinking outside the box." I believe both the formula for different results and "thinking outside the box" are pretty much saying the same thing.
Here are some conclusions about boxes I have come to in the intervening years:
#1--before you can think outside the box, you have to realize you are in a box
#2--boxes can become caskets if we are not careful
#3--not all boxes are wrong
#4--all boxes have a life span of their own (I think Scripture refers to these times as seasons)
At a recent conference, I was reminded of the Dakota Indian tribal wisdom that said, "If the horse is dead, it might be time to get off."
I was also reminded of the temptation for some of us when we discover that the horse is dead, to yell louder at the horse, work harder at spurring the horse on. And some of us even pray for a resurrection of the horse instead of getting off, taking our saddle and search for a new ride.
I've had folks ask me why they weren't growing in their faith or why their marriage was getting better. It could be that something different needs to be done if they are truly interested in seeing different results. They need a new horse!
Remember the words of the genius, insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting something different to happen. Just maybe we need to do something different today.
This was the experience that the fisherman, turned apostle, Peter, had early one morning. But that's for the next entry......hope to see you there.
Always in Pursuit!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The Lion of the Senate Meets the Lion of the Tribe of Judah......
I love history plus I am old enough to be part of the "age of Aquarius" and have vivid memories of Camelot. I remember the assassinations of President John Kennedy and then later of presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy.
I've followed the lives of the Kennedy's through the newspapers and various media just like so many others have. It's a family that not only seems to have more than their "fair share" of wealthy but of tragedy and grief as well.
So it was with great fascination that I watched the many events surrounding the death of Senator Ted Kennedy.
I was intrigued with the long lines at his viewing at the Kennedy Presidential Library. The spontaneous interviews with "men on the street" describing their feelings towards the late Senator was interesting as were the remarks of the speakers at the Memorial Service and Funeral.
It was obvious that at some point there was a major "turn around" in his life. Many times over I listened how he would be present for important events in the lives of his many nephews or nieces. "Uncle Teddy" was always there for them with a word of encouragement or a word of advice to help them along in their lives.
After listening to all the testimonials you came away with the feeling that this was a very good man, not without faults, but someone who was genuinely trying to do what was right and perhaps trying to make up for his shortcomings, especially later on in his life.
The reminder for me though was that it takes more than being a good uncle, husband, pastor or senator. It takes being right with God, asking Him to come into our life, cleanse us of our sin (not just our shortcomings) and lift us out of the "miry clay" and put our feet on the solid rock, Jesus Christ.
May we never stray from the truth in Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
I hope the meeting went well........
Always in Pursuit!
I love history plus I am old enough to be part of the "age of Aquarius" and have vivid memories of Camelot. I remember the assassinations of President John Kennedy and then later of presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy.
I've followed the lives of the Kennedy's through the newspapers and various media just like so many others have. It's a family that not only seems to have more than their "fair share" of wealthy but of tragedy and grief as well.
So it was with great fascination that I watched the many events surrounding the death of Senator Ted Kennedy.
I was intrigued with the long lines at his viewing at the Kennedy Presidential Library. The spontaneous interviews with "men on the street" describing their feelings towards the late Senator was interesting as were the remarks of the speakers at the Memorial Service and Funeral.
It was obvious that at some point there was a major "turn around" in his life. Many times over I listened how he would be present for important events in the lives of his many nephews or nieces. "Uncle Teddy" was always there for them with a word of encouragement or a word of advice to help them along in their lives.
After listening to all the testimonials you came away with the feeling that this was a very good man, not without faults, but someone who was genuinely trying to do what was right and perhaps trying to make up for his shortcomings, especially later on in his life.
The reminder for me though was that it takes more than being a good uncle, husband, pastor or senator. It takes being right with God, asking Him to come into our life, cleanse us of our sin (not just our shortcomings) and lift us out of the "miry clay" and put our feet on the solid rock, Jesus Christ.
May we never stray from the truth in Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
I hope the meeting went well........
Always in Pursuit!
Monday, September 21, 2009
A Matter of Perspective……
One of the good habits I’ve started during this time of transition is to walk for an hour or two each afternoon. I realize it doesn’t sound like much but for someone who has been pretty sedentary for several years and overweight, it’s a big step. After about five or six weeks of walking three to four miles per day, I can finally tell a difference in how I feel.One park I walk in has a path that is “0.8” miles. Each tenth of a mile is marked in big yellow numbers on the right side of the path starting at “0.0.” But I never found the “0.1” marker. It appeared to me that the path was marked “0.0” then jumped to “0.2.” As I walked, I felt I knew where the “0.1” marker should be but when I walked by, I never saw it. One day though, I got this wild hair of an idea. Instead of walking the path so the numbers ascended, I decided to go the opposite way, starting at “0.8.” (Pretty wild life I lead these days, isn’t it?)So here I am, walking on a side of the path that I never walked on. I usually try to stick to the right side of the path so I don’t get in the way of the joggers and bike riders. Wouldn’t you know it? Right where I thought it should be was the “0.1” marker but it was on the opposite side of the path. I never saw it until I decided to change direction and consequently, my perspective of the path. Now I see it no matter which direction I’m walking. It’s there and always was. It never changed, but I needed to change, in order to see it.Immediately after that happened, I began to wonder how many things I’ve missed in life because of my perspective. How many things from friends or family or worse yet, from God, had I missed because I was going about life the same way I’ve always done. I wonder what I would have heard or seen if my perspective had changed a bit.Lord, help me not to become so controlled by my habits that I miss out on the things you have for me!
Always in Pursuit!
One of the good habits I’ve started during this time of transition is to walk for an hour or two each afternoon. I realize it doesn’t sound like much but for someone who has been pretty sedentary for several years and overweight, it’s a big step. After about five or six weeks of walking three to four miles per day, I can finally tell a difference in how I feel.One park I walk in has a path that is “0.8” miles. Each tenth of a mile is marked in big yellow numbers on the right side of the path starting at “0.0.” But I never found the “0.1” marker. It appeared to me that the path was marked “0.0” then jumped to “0.2.” As I walked, I felt I knew where the “0.1” marker should be but when I walked by, I never saw it. One day though, I got this wild hair of an idea. Instead of walking the path so the numbers ascended, I decided to go the opposite way, starting at “0.8.” (Pretty wild life I lead these days, isn’t it?)So here I am, walking on a side of the path that I never walked on. I usually try to stick to the right side of the path so I don’t get in the way of the joggers and bike riders. Wouldn’t you know it? Right where I thought it should be was the “0.1” marker but it was on the opposite side of the path. I never saw it until I decided to change direction and consequently, my perspective of the path. Now I see it no matter which direction I’m walking. It’s there and always was. It never changed, but I needed to change, in order to see it.Immediately after that happened, I began to wonder how many things I’ve missed in life because of my perspective. How many things from friends or family or worse yet, from God, had I missed because I was going about life the same way I’ve always done. I wonder what I would have heard or seen if my perspective had changed a bit.Lord, help me not to become so controlled by my habits that I miss out on the things you have for me!
Always in Pursuit!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
When Things Don't Go as Planned.......
When the decision to leave First Assembly was made, I knew we had started on a path that we had never walked before as a family. However, I never dreamed that seven months after the decision had been made we would still be in a place of not knowing what the next step for us would be.
On the flip side, I didn't expect red carpets across the country to be rolled out for us. I knew it would be a process and I knew that it might not happen as quickly as I would want it to. But to be honest, it's gone way past the time frame I thought it would take.
We've looked in the mirror, prayed, reviewed our resume, adjusted the resume, talked with friends and checked web sites for open churches only to come up with no answers.
I've gone through the emotions of frustration, disappointment, anger, embarrassment and perhaps a few others as well. And some days, I've experienced these emotions numerous times throughout the day.
I've felt guilty for these feelings and thoughts but then I think about some of David's laments and lay them at God's feet, asking Him to take those feelings and give me a heart of flesh towards Him and His Spirit.
I've learned a few things over the past few weeks since we resigned from the church in Cedar Rapids. Here are some of the lessons:
When the decision to leave First Assembly was made, I knew we had started on a path that we had never walked before as a family. However, I never dreamed that seven months after the decision had been made we would still be in a place of not knowing what the next step for us would be.
On the flip side, I didn't expect red carpets across the country to be rolled out for us. I knew it would be a process and I knew that it might not happen as quickly as I would want it to. But to be honest, it's gone way past the time frame I thought it would take.
We've looked in the mirror, prayed, reviewed our resume, adjusted the resume, talked with friends and checked web sites for open churches only to come up with no answers.
I've gone through the emotions of frustration, disappointment, anger, embarrassment and perhaps a few others as well. And some days, I've experienced these emotions numerous times throughout the day.
I've felt guilty for these feelings and thoughts but then I think about some of David's laments and lay them at God's feet, asking Him to take those feelings and give me a heart of flesh towards Him and His Spirit.
I've learned a few things over the past few weeks since we resigned from the church in Cedar Rapids. Here are some of the lessons:
- Just because the first step was easy, doesn't mean the second one will be
- Our timing and God's timing are seldom ever the same
- God provides in ways that you never thought about before
- There are times when God doesn't feel near
- Our emotions can often run wild
- You can't allow the actions or lack of action by others affect you
- You have to keep your eyes on God, it's about Him, not me
- While a little introspection is a good thing, too much of it can be destructive
- You can't allow other people's dysfunctions affect you or become yours
- God has given me a great family that love me and support me in all things
- Any feeling I have that is not godly is not something to be entertained
- There will be more lessons to be learned
I've also been made aware of others who are going through similar things in their own lives. I pray for them often because I know what a roller coaster all of this can be.
We've never looked back to second guess ourselves. What we did was right, perhaps even overdue. Now it is up to God for what's next.
Our family stays united and committed to the things of God and in spite of all the things happening (or not happening) around us, we look forward to God's plan blossoming in our lives as we continue to trust Him and walk with Him step by step.
Always in Pursuit!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)