Friday, July 29, 2011
BOARD ROOM METRICS
I was a gardener providing water and other nourishment to our top 750 people. Of course, I had to pull out some weeds, too ~ Jack Welch #CEO
I ALLOW NOTHING TO SEPARATE ME FROM MY FATHER!
More Than Conquerors
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j]
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j]
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
A WORD FROM THE LORD
This morning I was in our daily devotion when these words rang in my spirit:
“IT HAS BEGUN”
Then I began to see images of what had begun in the earth and around us.
Then, about thirty minutes later the Lord spoke,
Thus saith the Lord:
Those things that have been set in motion have begun to manifest in the natural. For your own mouths have caused that which is not God’s plan or purpose for your lives to begin.
Like Pharoah of old, his own words caused his judgment, so too your own words will cause your judgment. Or, our own words will cause your salvation and deliverance.
Whatever the seed of words you have sown, whatever you have cast into the wind, it returns to you a thousand times.
Be of good comfort when you sow according to the will and purpose of God, be of good cheer for the Lord your God is your deliverer. But woe to those that have sown discord and calamity for your own reward is at hand.
“IT HAS BEGUN”
Then I began to see images of what had begun in the earth and around us.
Then, about thirty minutes later the Lord spoke,
Thus saith the Lord:
Those things that have been set in motion have begun to manifest in the natural. For your own mouths have caused that which is not God’s plan or purpose for your lives to begin.
Like Pharoah of old, his own words caused his judgment, so too your own words will cause your judgment. Or, our own words will cause your salvation and deliverance.
Whatever the seed of words you have sown, whatever you have cast into the wind, it returns to you a thousand times.
Be of good comfort when you sow according to the will and purpose of God, be of good cheer for the Lord your God is your deliverer. But woe to those that have sown discord and calamity for your own reward is at hand.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
A MAN'S NAIVETY IN MINISTRY - Learning What Not To Do!
NAIVETY / SIMPLE
Being innocent or simply "SIMPLE" to the thoughts and ways of the world is a challenge to many. Someone, many years ago said to me, "you are so simple." I am now not so sure if that statement was an affirmation of something good and positive or a recognition of a naive approach to many things.
REVELATION AND SPIRITUAL INSIGHT
Over the last few years we have come to know the way of Christ and power of His resurrection. We have come to know the intimacy of Christ in prayer, the power of the blood in administration of healing and the strengh and courage of the Spirit through walking with Him.
But I must say, I am and probably will remain naive to many things that we have never embraced, experienced nor has anyone ever shared with us until last night. My wife and I were having a conversation and she began to share the perspective of a woman's psyche that I had never heard before.
I believe to be innocent to some things is important but this one element of ministers and their relationship with the opposite sex is paramount.
SINGLENESS
Being single was a determined position that I took for many years, I decided that I would not let a natural relationship come between God and I and also for some theological questions about marriage and remarriage that the Lord had not yet answered.
I had dated very little in my early life, found one woman, married that one woman and never had intimate interaction with females other than my wife. When we parted it was a choice then to remain celibate and purposed to fulfill God's call.
So I remained naive to many things, I didn't know the tell tale messages of "interest."
I was oblivious to the signals of attempts at relationships (sometimes I believe I would see it but quickly dismiss it as my imagination).
Clearly, living in "my world" was so, absolutely different that many - not even me - realized the emotions and connections that were being formed between different ones with whom I interacted. It was just last night, Saturday, July 10, 2011 that it hit me like a ton of bricks as my wife shared the wisdom of female relationships, expectations and actions.
Maybe there are books written on the subject, I have never come across one, and maybe if I did I would not have really been interested in reading it. But this is a significant handicap in knowledge to men who serve in ministry and walk in naivety toward the opposite sex.
SOME SIGNALS
What does a hug mean?
What does your interest in a woman's children mean?
What does a smile, a touch, a phone call mean?
What does receiving a gift, or a meal mean?
What does being kind and benevolent mean?
A COMPLEX PROCESS
It is, I believe an incredibly complex web of thoughts, passion and action that make up the psyche of women and I had no idea of its implications. In retrospect I must say that there were unusual (I now consider them so) behaviour exhibited by women around me over the years, but I most of the time attributed it to God's love and compasison, zeal and everything good. Then on the other hand, I loved my people, I loved everyone and tried to equally display my affection on all because of our heart towards those that God has made a part of our lives.
I believe we should have classes in Seminary and Colleges to share this knowledge. I now see how men and women both have innocently gotten involved in relationships without seeing what was coming. Where one or the other come to a place of expecting something that the other has not considered - all beacause of our naievety.
FAITH AND RELATIONSHIPS
But where does Christian maturity come in? Where does God's impartation of His Spirit and then the attendant fruit come to bear on our psyche? Is it ever possible to live in the earth and be totally objective and understanding of the male / female psyche in relationships? This is a topic that challenges me because i have never given any real thought to it, Lord help us understand. ..
A bit more later ...
Being innocent or simply "SIMPLE" to the thoughts and ways of the world is a challenge to many. Someone, many years ago said to me, "you are so simple." I am now not so sure if that statement was an affirmation of something good and positive or a recognition of a naive approach to many things.
REVELATION AND SPIRITUAL INSIGHT
Over the last few years we have come to know the way of Christ and power of His resurrection. We have come to know the intimacy of Christ in prayer, the power of the blood in administration of healing and the strengh and courage of the Spirit through walking with Him.
But I must say, I am and probably will remain naive to many things that we have never embraced, experienced nor has anyone ever shared with us until last night. My wife and I were having a conversation and she began to share the perspective of a woman's psyche that I had never heard before.
I believe to be innocent to some things is important but this one element of ministers and their relationship with the opposite sex is paramount.
SINGLENESS
Being single was a determined position that I took for many years, I decided that I would not let a natural relationship come between God and I and also for some theological questions about marriage and remarriage that the Lord had not yet answered.
I had dated very little in my early life, found one woman, married that one woman and never had intimate interaction with females other than my wife. When we parted it was a choice then to remain celibate and purposed to fulfill God's call.
So I remained naive to many things, I didn't know the tell tale messages of "interest."
I was oblivious to the signals of attempts at relationships (sometimes I believe I would see it but quickly dismiss it as my imagination).
Clearly, living in "my world" was so, absolutely different that many - not even me - realized the emotions and connections that were being formed between different ones with whom I interacted. It was just last night, Saturday, July 10, 2011 that it hit me like a ton of bricks as my wife shared the wisdom of female relationships, expectations and actions.
Maybe there are books written on the subject, I have never come across one, and maybe if I did I would not have really been interested in reading it. But this is a significant handicap in knowledge to men who serve in ministry and walk in naivety toward the opposite sex.
SOME SIGNALS
What does a hug mean?
What does your interest in a woman's children mean?
What does a smile, a touch, a phone call mean?
What does receiving a gift, or a meal mean?
What does being kind and benevolent mean?
A COMPLEX PROCESS
It is, I believe an incredibly complex web of thoughts, passion and action that make up the psyche of women and I had no idea of its implications. In retrospect I must say that there were unusual (I now consider them so) behaviour exhibited by women around me over the years, but I most of the time attributed it to God's love and compasison, zeal and everything good. Then on the other hand, I loved my people, I loved everyone and tried to equally display my affection on all because of our heart towards those that God has made a part of our lives.
I believe we should have classes in Seminary and Colleges to share this knowledge. I now see how men and women both have innocently gotten involved in relationships without seeing what was coming. Where one or the other come to a place of expecting something that the other has not considered - all beacause of our naievety.
FAITH AND RELATIONSHIPS
But where does Christian maturity come in? Where does God's impartation of His Spirit and then the attendant fruit come to bear on our psyche? Is it ever possible to live in the earth and be totally objective and understanding of the male / female psyche in relationships? This is a topic that challenges me because i have never given any real thought to it, Lord help us understand. ..
A bit more later ...
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