Sunday, October 28, 2012

Swords.

I love a good swashbuckler film knights, pirates. I love the films where a son recovers his fathers sword or uses it to win the day in almost every movie that has swords and fathers and sons there is a passing of a sword from a father to a son in some way.

Robin Hood, Kingdom of Heaven, King Arthur, The Three Musketers it's a right of passage it's a symbol of manhood its a heritage of strength.

I have thought a lot about that passion why do I feel that way about an object and how do I make it come alive for me now. I don't have a sword and if I did I would just hang it on my wall, I dont have enemy hords at my front door, or dragons to slay. So sure if I had a sword I could pass it to my son but what meaning would it have?

In the time of history where a sword was used it meant a lot. It was practical and natural to have a sword and pass it on.

What legacy do I have to offer my son?
As he comes to an age what will be a symbol to him of manhood and a heritage of strength?
What will he look at and see battles fought against enemy's and victories over dragons?

My Bible.

It came to me that a Bible is that sword a Bible that has been used as it should will, like a well used sword, have some notches and look like it has been doubt with.

In this technological age I write this blog on my phone and read a bible off it too. Something can be lost when I loose "touch" with the word of God.

A while back I wrote about the Paige ceremony my friend has implemented for his sons there are two more ceremonies that follow.

The squire ceremony and the knight ceremony.

In preparation for sending our sons out into war I encourage you fathers to send them out armed with a well used sword that they can read notes and prayers and pass down and know where and when God blessed you and where and when you were broken and how you overcame.

In our lives there will be times when we are seeking the face of God our savior and we find him in his word make notes and date them not only will they help you but your sons as well bless them by giving them something more then just a symbol you will give them life and faith.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Passion.

I have thought and prayed about sharing this piece of my heart for a while.
The wellspring of life is your heart proverbs 4:23 so my heart must be seen if what is flowing from it can be seen for what it is.

This is my passion statement and from this I will engage men where they are to take them from a place of apathy to victory.

My Passion Statement.

I have a passion to see every man come into the fullness of what God has for them.

I believe everyman has a unique part to play in his family and only by his presents and participation can his family be released to be who they were made to be.

I believe every man has a unique call in his church and only by his action and devotion can he inspire other men to use there streanghth in service to the king.

I believe every man has a unique place in his community and only by his love and reaching out can he bring the kingdom of God to men who are desperate for fellowship.

The three areas mentioned home, church, community these are, as I see it, the areas where we fail to engage so with that in mind in one of these areas I will engage men once a week through this blog and in my daily walk with Christ.
I look forward to sharing this journey.

Every one has a passion it's a question of what it is not do I have one.
My prayer is that you would understand your part, your call, your place, and that man or woman that you would move toward it.
This week prayerfully seek what your passion is and see where you have been placed where you can be what no one else can be.
You only you can be you where you are right now and you are there for a reason.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Thermostat's and Thermometer's

I had an aha moment this week.

I had a conflict with my boss that left me feeling rather ticked.

I knew I didn't like how I was treated and knew it wasn't right.

Within two minutes I was doing the same thing to a co-worker under my supervision.

Wow how did that happen?

I was being a thermometer.

A thermometer is an instrument used to determin the tempature in room. I was being an instrument that was just reflecting the tempature.

That's not what Jesus called me to be.

As I said I had an aha moment.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me in that moment and I realized that I was letting outside input to determine my output instead of my output being determined by the Holy Spirit within me. My boss, who I see not being valued for his effort and care feels like he is treated poorly so I was treated and so I treated others.

That's not being who I am called to be.

I am called to be a thermostat.

A thermostat is an instrument that sets the temperature of the environment.

I'm called to set the temperature around me to change world by being in it.

This week think about how you are showing up at work, at home, wherever you are. Then ask yourself how's that working for me?

Are you being a thermometer, just an expression of what's going on around you.
Or are you a thermostat, a changer and shaper of your environment.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Ask not what your church needs.

What makes you come alive?

I am a doer. I love to be busy and do stuff in church if I see a need I fill it if I see lack I pick up the slack. I have hidden behind a cloud of "serving" and have lost myself and what I was made to do.

I ask again, "what makes you come alive?"

I made a difficult choice in January I stopped volunteering on a specific team at church regularly.

As a doer I have had a really hard time with this lack of action.

For me I discovered that I had lost my heart in all my doing, I had lost what I was moving toward.

About two years ago I wrote a passion statement. I wrote down what I felt is what I am to move toward.

I had no idea how to get there with the ministries I was involved in and with what was available for me to be apart of.

As I have been going through wild at heart again I saw a question that gave me words to this last nine months.

"Ask not what the world needs but what makes you come alive, because that is what the world needs. "
A question posed in the book and DVD.

I altered it to church from world and in asking myself this question I found that I came alive by doing this (writing) and by giving myself to helping men to find where their passion lay.

Ask yourself this question.
"What makes me come alive?"
and stopped asking what are the needs around me.

I believe you would find that you don't mind doing some of the things needing to get done because you are not trying to come alive in them.

Out of your passion will come the desire to serve and to give of yourself to areas around you that have needs.

You will have passion and purpose and from that place sacrificial giving becomes a withdrawal from a full and ever filling tank.

This week ask yourself not what your church needs but "what makes you come alive" and do that and see what happens.

What do you think of this?
I welcome your thoughts and opinions.