The Glory of GOD is Man Fully Alive
This weekend I had a wonderful time reconnected with family and friends at the Cozart Family Reunion. The Cozart family gathers together every summer around the last weekend in June at Possum Kingdom Lake—they’ve been doing so since 1971!
I love hanging out with these friends and family. It’s a time I look forward to each summer. I’ve only missed a couple of reunions in the twenty years I’ve been attending (and Dawnita has only missed two in her entire life!).
This weekend while thanking FATHER for these relationships and this time of family fun—I was reminded of how short life is—and, of the need to count as precious every moment we have together.
In James 4 we are compared to, “a wisp of fog, catching a bit of sun before disappearing.” This year I have experienced loss in ways that brings home the truth of this scripture in profound ways. Maybe you have experienced loss in similar ways. The bottom line is we are not guaranteed tomorrow.
We have this moment; we need to make the best use of each breath we are given!
The Speed Of Life
Sometimes life just happens around us. We don’t even realize we’re missing out on the beauty of blessings GOD has poured in to our lives. It’s not on purpose. It just happens. It’s almost like we are stumbling around, half-awake, not fully conscious enough to truly experience life. That’s no way to live!
The same is true spiritually. We are aware of spiritual things—just, not cognoscente of how these things impact our daily lives. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 says, “We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.” I believe this is in part the plan of the enemy; his attempt to keep us paralyzed in a fog of confusion.
GOD Intends More Than A Comatose Life For Us
JESUS said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). “Come to me to have life” (John 5:40). “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48). “In HIM was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:4). And, Acts 5:20 instructs, “Tell the people the full Message of this new life.”
It’s clear GOD offers us life through JESUS. HE intends for us to live fully alive. And, more… that we are to share the Message of this new, fully alive life with everyone we meet! We are to take full advantage of every moment, making the most of each.
Friend, don’t let another day slip by… each day is a precious commodity! Each moment is a treasure to be savored and enjoyed to its fullest.
I have made a commitment to never miss another family gathering if at all possible! I don’t want to take for granted these moments that are passing by—to assume I’ll have opportunity to see family at a later date! I want to make every second count—to enjoy each and every opportunity we have with family, friends, and dear loved ones.
If you feel the same, make this your prayer today: “JESUS, take away the fog and the clouds and the veil, and help me to see… give me eyes to really see! I want to make the most of every moment YOU have given me. I want to love and be loved, to enjoy deep spirited friendships, and truly belong to the rich community of friends, family, and loved ones YOU have given me.”
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Adventure Ahead!
Last weekend was a blast—full of activity and ministry! We had Worship Under the Big Top on Saturday evening followed up with Worship services at First Red Oak on Sunday morning. These events were special for a number of reasons. They provided opportunity to simply draw near to GOD and lead folks in worship of the MOST HIGH—always a treat! But also, we were surrounded and embraced by such a wonderful community!
I am so grateful for the community GOD has so blessed us with. A community composed of rich relationships and many deep spirited friends from over the years. And, our community is a continual work in progress. Even as we reconnect with old friends through our ministry opportunities, GOD continues to cultivate fresh new ministry friendships seemingly every day! I love the way GOD is knitting this tapestry of community into our lives.
An Authentic Biblical Community is at the center of the real CHURCH of GOD. People, who are alive in CHRIST, fully surrendered to HIS purposes and plans. Men and women, young and old alike, all surrendered, seeking to become fully developing followers of CHRIST.
ABC is realized when believers embrace the mission JESUS gave HIS CHURCH in Matthew 28. We find our beginnings—our purpose and meaning—in the Great Commission. By GOD’s authority and command, JESUS commissioned HIS CHURCH by saying, “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: FATHER, SON, and SPIRIT. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you.”
My future is rooted firmly in this commission. This is my mission… my purpose! To be wholly saturated in the work of my MASTER. To train everyone I meet, both far and near, in the way of this life!
Now, to be sure, much of my life has been devoted to these things already. BUT, over the last few months GOD has been revealing a greater sense of this call on my life—a deeper understanding of the things HE has purposed my life to be about. I’m excited to see how GOD continues to shape my life as HE step-by-step reveals HIS plans for the future.
Adventure Awaits
When was the last time you stepped out on a new adventure with GOD? And, I’m talking about a real adventure! The kind where success relies entirely on GOD accomplishing it?! If it’s been a while—or, if never—let me encourage you to prayerfully seek the adventure GOD wants to lead you on! Begin it today by prayerfully embracing the commission JESUS has already given you!
I’ll further invite you to come along and partner with me in this adventure! Together, in community, we’ll face the adversities and celebrate the victories of the adventure GOD has purposed and planned for our lives!
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Good Business… or, New god?
Have you ever noticed there are a great many churches "in business" today?! I stress those words in business because for many, the true focus of their collective efforts is on being successful in their church-business enterprise.
What is success anyway? And, how does one go about measuring the success of a church? Success should be measured in the real production of healthy, SPIRIT-led followers of CHRIST. But, to be honest… that’s a pretty difficult thing to tangibly measure.
That’s where many church leaders get tripped up—this idea of tangibly measuring results. Many leaders begin to define success in ways more measureable… like, say… with finances. Once the focus becomes finances, a church leader can justify just about any failure as long as financially the church tithes and offerings received are greater than the weekly budgeted needs.
Success in ministry becomes financial stability. Leadership becomes less concerned about mission, vision, or the leading of the SPIRIT, than they are on achieving success financially.
In this model, the means to achieving success relies on the smarts of the leaders in charge. As a result, you typically find individuals in elder/deacon roles that have proven themselves successful in the market place. They are not necessarily spiritually mature... but, they typically do have lots of money.
These leaders—spiritually blind—turn ministry into little more than a good marketing scheme. The demand for having or acquiring the nicest facilities becomes a high priority. Staff is tasked with providing programs which will attract and keep membership plugged-in and happy. And, the need for a dynamic lead pastor capable of delivering the goods with regards to the financial equation is an absolute necessity.
There is a church like this in every town… and probably more than one! These churches are little more than social clubs. Little ministry of any value is accomplished. And, anything of eternal consequence that does occur often does so in spite of the efforts and programs of “the club.”
Word of warning to the financially driven…
You have chosen a dog and pony show and financial stability over freedom and faith in GOD. Money is your god. And, no doubt, your business of religion will produce the measure of success you so singularly desire. But in exchange for financial gain you have welcomed death and oppression in to your homes.
In short order, you'll come to despise and mourn the decisions you've made. In the same fashion that Judas despised the silver pieces he obtained in exchange for selling JESUS—you’ll despise what you become as the result of your own compromise.
In 1 Timothy 6, Paul says, "If you have leaders who refuse the solid words of our MASTER JESUS, tag them for what they are: ignorant windbags who infect the air with germs of envy, controversy, bad-mouthing, and suspicious rumors. They cause an epidemic of backstabbing. Truth becomes but a distant memory under their leadership. They are out to use religion to make a fast buck.”
What does this sort of leader sound like? They say things like, "...god will get your tithe—either you'll give your money to the church, or you'll get cancer and end up paying the doctors."
These guys are ignorant windbags interested only in twisting truth to manipulate money out of your pocket! If you find yourself here, Paul says, "Run for your life!"
For the church focused on worshipping money, “will cause some to lose their footing in the faith altogether. And, all who make money their god will live to regret it bitterly ever after.”
Run hard and fast in the faith
Be sure, “a devout life does bring wealth; but, it's the rich simplicity of being able to be yourself before GOD! Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough.”
Avoid the business of religion. "Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, and courtesy. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to!"
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The Motives of the Heart Matter
In 1984 I suffered an accidental gunshot would to my heart. I almost died. Technically speaking… I did die, several times! Earlier this week, I identified a number of key individuals whose motivations and actions (regarding the efforts to save my life) were absolutely selfless!
Our lives and the choices we make have an impact. The motives that drive our decisions tip the scales one way or another resulting in either positive or negative impacts. Not only in our own lives and in the lives of our friends and loved ones... but also in the lives of people we may never even have the chance to know personally!
The people identified: my friend’s parents, the EMT’s, doctors, nurses, and the care flight crew... all acted selflessly. Each motivated by the single desire to do what they could, contributing to the efforts to save my life!
But, what if my friend’s parents, instead of acknowledging the severity of the situation, had simply broken out the first aid kit and treated my gunshot wound with ointment and a band-aid? Or, embarrassed at having an accident of this sort happen at their home… what if they had waited just 10 more minutes in making the decision to call for help?
What if the EMT studying to become an ER doctor had bought into the lie that he was just too old to go back to school? Or, a low self esteem had convinced him he just wasn’t smart enough to be a doctor? What dire consequences to me could have resulted if he had put off returning to college and training by even one semester? What if he had decided the attempt to save my life just too risky to gamble his future on?
What if hearing me complain of chest pains and not wanting to be bothered with the stress of a gunshot wound, the team in Roosevelt had given me antacid and waited to see if that worked? Or, the care flight crew, learning I’d never flown in a helicopter before, opted to take me sightseeing instead of straight to the hospital and open heart surgery in Salt Lake City?
All along that path any number of choices motivated by varying conflicts of self interest could have led to a drastically different outcome for me. Had even one person in that team of people been motivated by self interest and consequently made a selfish choice, I likely would not be here today pondering, writing… alive!
I am very thankful to GOD!
GOD orchestrated these events and I’m so thankful for each individual who contributed to giving me the opportunity to survive my accident. GOD used the hands and feet of these selfless individuals to give me a second chance at life.
What an awesome thing to be used of GOD in such miraculous ways!
When is the last time GOD used you to be a miracle in someone else’s life? Our motives have great bearing on our decisions... and in turn, the ability or inability for GOD to use us in HIS work! HE has invited us to be participants… but, we have to submit to doing it HIS way.
Oh, we can (and do) try to force participation via means of our own making! Any number of "things" can drive our lives and our decisions. Sometimes, even being driven by bad motive, we can accomplish seemingly great things. BUT, apart from CHRIST, we can have no part in the FATHER’s work. The end product cannot and does not justify the means.
Either you are fully surrendered to the FATHER, motivated and moved by HIS love alone—or you are not, and whatever fruit produced is not of HIS doing or power.
JESUS is our example. In all things, HE lived a totally surrendered life to the FATHER. There were no actions HE took without first the FATHER directing it. We are called to that same life. JESUS has made the way possible for us to be dead to our old self-centered nature and fully alive in HIM.
And, JESUS wants to live HIS life in you, through you, AS YOU! But, we must surrender our life before HE can give HIS life for us to live it.
A great resource for discovering this truth more deeply is the book The Rest of the Gospel by Dan Stone and David Gregory.
How are you doing?
We all must continually check the motives of the heart. It's easy to be motivated by self-centeredness and selfish gain. And, once thusly motivated, we easily find ways to justify our self-centeredness.
Take some time with FATHER today to do a bit of diagnosis! Is your life and ministry motivated by anything other than FATHER’s love? Are you busy doing anything FATHER has not directed you to be doing? Are miracles a common occurrence in and around you… or, are they few and far between—or worse, only stories that you've heard about in others lives?
Whatever you discover, talk it over with FATHER. Commit anew to the surrendering of the old nature to the grave—and to allowing JESUS to inhabit you fully and in every area and corner of your life.
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Living… Leading… Fully Surrendered to JESUS
Henry Ford is credited with saying, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
We really are a people created for community. The Ford model demonstrates well that where we are able to come together in harmony, there is no end to what can be accomplished! Doing life and co-laboring together within the framework of team divides our tasks and multiplies our successes!
JESUS in Mark 6 sent the disciples out in pairs—to do the work of ministry in community. JESUS spent three years pouring in to HIS team of 12. The idea of doing work together in community was tremendously important to JESUS. The FATHER, SON, and SPIRIT live in community as one.
But, in every area of life (work, school, parenting, even in many marriages!) there are those who stubbornly deny the need for partnership and refuse to embrace the benefits of working together in community as team.
Why do so many leaders ignore the benefits of partnership and team? The answer is that many leaders are motivated by self interest—a self-centeredness that poisons the soul and corrupts the heart. Self-centeredness is the first, and perhaps most important hurdle to clear for the would-be leader.
Failure is often experienced due to the self-centeredness of leadership.
Godly leaders are ones who have learned the daily art of dying to self and surrendering their whole selves to GOD. This means tuning ones heart and ear to hear the voice of the SPIRIT; seeking HIS will, HIS agenda… rather than focusing on manipulating the world around to further ones own little kingdom objectives!
A godly leader is one who is a fully developing follower of CHRIST, fully surrendered. It is an individual who has fully embraced the instruction JESUS gave to the rich young ruler.
In Luke 18:18-23, a rich man inquired of JESUS, “How can I obtain the life?”
This was a guy already doing everything outwardly required of him by religion—yet, he was still empty… still had no life! He was doing all the “right” things. But, a leader can do all the right things and still be dead, self-centered and agenda driven.
JESUS is the LIFE. We only experience the life in HIM. It’s not an imitation of JESUS—but rather, JESUS inhabiting us! HIS life in me, through me, AS ME! Its life that can only happen after one has fully surrendered to JESUS. Dead to self is requisite.
“Sell everything you own and give it all away to the poor,” JESUS said. “Then come, follow me.”
JESUS cut to the heart of the matter. “In order to live MY life, you have to surrender yours—including everything that is precious to you—surrender your wealth.”
Self-centeredness destroys life. Results in failed leadership. Kills team!
WARNING!! Understand this clearly: a self-centered leader might be able to accomplish some great things in their life and ministry. BUT, those accomplishments will be entirely the results of human effort… NOT the work of the FATHER!
What has JESUS asked you to surrender?
Is there anything that currently stands in the way of your ability to truly live fully surrendered to HIS purposes?
If there is, JESUS would still cut to the heart of the matter with us today. “Abandon your wealth, your plans, your little kingdoms… Surrender your whole life to ME—including everything that is precious to you—giving yourself away with no regard to how you might benefit. Then come, follow me.”
It’s only after we’ve surrendered everything to FATHER that we are able to come, follow JESUS. Any variation on that order results in failure.
The only true way to lead healthy teams is to truly be healthy yourself! Choose you this day… to live and to lead from a life fully surrendered to JESUS!
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- Anyone tried Atomic Sports Grill at Fielder & Park Row yet? Just curious if it's any good?!
- Well, Colts Homecoming not going so swell—20 to 42, 11 minutes to go in the 4th—can't help but feel they're calling wrong defensive package!
- Incredible day... love the cool temps, overcast skies! :) http://twitpic.com/2kulm1
- What we believe is what leads our hopes... our hearts... our lives.
- Woohoo!! Colts win!! :) Great job Colts!! And Aaron (@aaronelson) looked awesome!! :)
- 4 minutes left, Colts 17, Cowboys 13... Colts are on O!! Let's go boys!
- Oh shoot!! Cowboys are up by 2 now... 10 minutes left in the 4th. We gotta have some offense! Come on let's go Colts!!
- Halftime, Cowboys Stadium, Colts up by 7! Proud of my boy (@aaronelson), he's rocking the center—good snaps, blocks, and opening big holes!
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- Tired... been a long, hot day. I'm ready for a change of clothes and scenery—gonna spend the rest of this day and evening w/my bride! :)