Recently I've been thinking and praying about blessings. I fully believe that Michelle and I are going to be seeing abundant blessings from God in the next few years. I believe that with all my heart! It started with a challenge from a friend/mentor to do a 5-year Plan for my life. I prayed about the plan before I started writing a word because I really didn't know where to start. But a few hours later, when it was done, and especially in the days that followed, I remember feeling guilty. I felt I had over asked what I should. I KNEW I had over asked what I deserved! So where in that plan did I over step the line at "enough?"
"Enough" is a word that we use in both a positive and negative connotation. In the positive, we may say, "I have enough," meaning that there is nothing else I need. in the negative, especially if angry, the use more often than not moves to the past tense, "I have had enough!" We may raise our voices when using the word in this context trying to get the point across that we're not going to take anymore of __________ from someone else. Still a third, actually, is at a point of resignation to pressure from others. "Ok. Enough. I'll do it." The list isn't exhaustive, but I think it's "enough" to get my point across.
To say that I've seen an outpouring of God on our lives since writing that plan on July 30, of last year would be a gross understatement! There's no magic in the outline; no hokus-pokus in even a plan. The fuel that drives the whole thing is an understanding of God's will/plan for my life, a surrender to that will/plan, and a sincere belief to the point of constant expectation that God will complete what He has obviously started! And oh, what a ride it has been already! And I'm only eight months into the plan!
So I began asking God if I was selfish. I'd asked this question before with an unmistakable response to the negative, but I just have a hard time believing what God is up to, so I felt the unnecessary need to ask again. It was in this questioning just last week that Michelle and I (along with another friend) started a 6 week journey of a Bible study by Priscilla Shirer on the life of Gideon in the Old Testament. The first night of "homework" and personal study gripped me and I started to see the answer of God unfold before my very eyes. Don't you LOVE it when God answers the cry of your heart in unmistakable ways?!?
In order to show you what I mean, I must first lead you on a very brief journey of where I've been in scripture. Click on the following scripture reference and read Deuteronomy 7:1-2. In this passage, God's people are on the threshold of the Promised Land! They've been led out of Egypt by Moses. Most recently, they've been led here by Joshua. The words, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" are already in Joshua's thoughts and not far from reaching the ears of God's people. God has said He will deliver these armies who are stronger in number and strength into the hands of His people. All they have to do to win the battle, practically, is SHOW UP!!! Then the land could change in name from "Promised Land" to "Delivered Land."
But what happens instead? To find out, let's skip ahead a little ways and read it as it happened. Click on the following links to verses from Judges 1. I think you'll get the idea.
Judges 1:19, 21
Judges 1:27-28
Judges 1:29-32
Judges 1:33
Are you getting the picture? Can you see the similarity in each one? Epic FAIL!!!
Each one of these failures that Judges chapter 1 outlines cost the people of God DEARLY!!! As a matter of fact, those very people that were not conquered, though God was going to deliver them into the hands of His people, are the ancestors of the people who give Israel a fit even to this very day. It is why we have the tension between Israel and Palestine and battles over the Gaza Strip. The thorn in the flesh has never gone away! All because God promised a blessing, gave it to His people, His people saw iron chariots and higher numbered armies and decided that a little Promised Land was better than no Promised Land. So they settled for about half.
Now in today's logic, half might make sense! After all, we want to be kind to our fellow man. Charity is a good thing! Why take all even if instructed to do so by God, when half seems to be comfortable? Half is good. Stir crap, it stinks, right?!? Let sleeping dogs sleep and go about your own business of enjoying some freedom! But God saw what was to come. He knew the hearts of those whom Israel didn't fully wipe out. This is why in Deuteronomy, He said to "show no mercy." He knew that in time, there would be no mercy shown for His people in return! God is not a God that is bound by common sense or reason. His ways and thoughts are higher than that. He sees all of time at a glance. That's not logical or even imaginable to the human mind! Click on this verse and read it, 1 Corinthians 1:27. See? Sometimes He just likes to use the most unusable person to accomplish the most difficult of tasks.
Our enemy, the devil, fooled the people of God into thinking that "some" was better than "all." Even though God had both promised all and commanded all. What about those questions you wrestle with all the time? You know what I'm talking about! It's the things that you know God is telling you to do; leading you to do, and so you do "enough." Christians today are all about "enough!" What is "enough" service as a volunteer in my church? What is "enough" time with my kids? What is "enough" money spent on my spouse for a birthday gift? What is "enough" to give as a tithe to my church? How much is "enough" forgiveness for that person that hurt me? How many good deeds is "enough" to outweigh the bad ones? Our church building is big "enough." I've done "enough." I've had "enough." Just "ENOUGH!!!"
When did "enough" become "enough" to God when it comes to blessing His people? When He talks about blessing us, He speaks in terms of windows being poured out so that we won't have room to receive it! He talks about cups running over! He mentions an eternal heavenly inheritance! He uses words like "whoever," and "whatever." There is a promise to the seeking, asking, and knocking. And not one time do you ever hear turn into a holy personification of the Seinfeld TV show character, The Soup Nazi, and scream at you, "No blessing for you!" There's not a "Full" on God's gauge! It doesn't even have an "ENOUGH" about halfway up!
What God does, Himself, is the only time we can ever say that enough has been done. His creation was enough. His plan was enough. His Son, Jesus, was/is enough. Heaven will be enough. But then, in all of this, He gave all He had. There was nothing more to give.
What is it that you have walked away from too soon because you saw something that scared you? You saw the iron chariots too and they looked quite daunting! You thought there was no way to complete the task because of the opposition. Or there were ALL THOSE PEOPLE who said you couldn't do it, or that you shouldn't do it, and you gave up because of some form of "reality check" that you got duped into believing. DON'T STOP!!! DON'T QUIT!!! The Promised Land is just that . . . PROMISED!!! If God said it's yours, then HOLD HIM TO HIS WORD and TAKE IT!!!
But Kevin, how do I KNOW that the promise is from God?!? Here's how I check it. If it fails any ONE of these, I know that I'm to walk away and that I'm being deceived by the enemy.
1. Does it go against any part of scripture in any way? If no, you're good here.
2. Does it bring glory to God? If yes, you're golden on this one.
3. Does it have the good of others at heart? If yes, keep going.
4. Does it fall into any area of my weaknesses to sin & temptation? If no, good.
5. Is any part of it born from selfish motivation? If no, go on.
6. Would it put God in a position to show off? If yes, yippee!!!
7. When I tell Jesus about it face to face, will it make Him smile? If yes, it's a keeper!!!
I leave you with this. Part of obedience is in realizing there are no parts to obedience! It's all or nothing. But so is the reward. The fullness of our blessing depends on the completeness of our obedience. Be blessed, my friends, as you claim His promise.
Don't forget to use the social media just below here to share to your Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ accounts directly. I welcome your comments! PLEASE leave one!!! Here's how:
1. Click on the words "No Comment" or " (#) Comment" (whichever is listed just to the right of the posting time directly below this paragraph)
2. Write your comment in the box provided.
3. You must also choose a selection from the COMMENT AS drop down list. If you have a Google+ ID, AIM, or other you wish to use, choose that. Most of you should choose the NAME/URL option and leave your name in the space provided. You do NOT need to leave a URL unless you wish.
4. Click the PUBLISH button. THAT'S IT!!!
THANK YOU for stopping by! Till next time...
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Friday, January 31, 2014
Time and Timing
I live in a town where, maybe more so than most places, "time is money." Though Nashville is known as Music City, USA, the music industry comes in at #2! The leading industry here being health care with over 300 health care companies located here. Some of the other leading industries are insurance, finance, publishing, and the automotive industry following Nissan's move of their headquarters from California to Nashville in 2006. If goals aren't met on time, deadlines met, if you can't play a song perfect in the first or maybe second pass, in this town, you need to find a new way of life, or take some time to refine your craft! And in many cases, deadlines are a matter of life and death! Time is a precious commodity in ANY market; any facet of life. Time is important with your family. Time certainly is important as well to earn an income with blocks being spent at work.
Just as important as time is timing. I see it in my own life constantly! I'm in the right place at the right time. Or you see someone involved in a tragedy and they're described as being "in the wrong place at the wrong time." The timing in which we act defines the success of our future as much as being on time with our goals, deadlines, and schedules.
An examination, or a reflection, of time and timing can give clarity to a series of events. Just watch crime dramas on TV, whether real or not, and in every case, one of the first goals in the case is to establish a timeline. Investigators want to know exactly what time the accident happened, what time the murder occurred, what time the person was last seen or heard from; all of which will help put certain people in certain places to help solve the case. Business leaders look back on the timing of product releases and schedules to better plan the coming year's timelines and to streamline productivity. When planning out vacations, one may choose to plan times to see certain attractions at their destinations, or schedules that allow them to make sure there is time to "get it all in."
Scripture gives us some valuable insight into time and timing that I just want you to see so that the coming days, weeks, and months might be better spent for you and those about whom you care most. There are a number of verses to which we could look, but for now, let's just look at Ephesians 5:15-17 (click on the scripture reference and the verse will open for you).
I once read a book by Pastor/Leader/Author, Andy Stanley, titled THE BEST QUESTION EVER. I highly recommend it! There is much more to the book than the revelation of the question, but he leads the reader to conclude that the best question ever (based on the above scripture passage in Ephesians) is, "In light of my past experiences, my present circumstances, and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do?" If we're wise about our past, present, and future, those three will line up with God's will for our lives. And it is His desire that we know His will! It says so in the above scripture! So wise decisions involve knowing God's will, having a vision for your future based on that will, and acting accordingly in a manner that you can accomplish that will!
Every day there should be something that we learn that we didn't already know. There should be a book, a YouTube video, a conversation, a blog (like this one! :-) ), a periodical, a class with which we engage on a regular basis that takes our knowledge just a little farther or deeper than it was before. The very moment we stop learning, our potential of our effectiveness in this world is over. The ways in which God can use us become immediately limited not for our lack of ability, but because of our lack of caring. We are never too old, too young, too rich, too poor, too dumb, or too smart to learn. There's never "enough."
We have taken "enough" and "content" and made them interchangeable. I don't believe God ever designed them to be. Yet we have said that we will be content when we have enough. We will know we have enough when we are content. God desires for us to be content with what He has given without being covetous for what He has not. But to say that He has an "enough" line on His blessing for our lives, or that our hearts have a line that reads "don't fill over this point" doesn't describe the Heavenly Father I've come to know who withholds nothing, not even the very life of His only Son, from those whom He loves and love Him in return.
And in Christian circles, we rightfully teach that God desires for us to experience contentment over happiness. Happiness is fleeting; it's here today and gone tomorrow. Contentment can be permanent and can result in happiness more than the continued pursuit of the latter. Temporal happiness can't result in sustained contentment, but sustained contentment can produce repeated periods of true happiness. It is possible to be content, yet not have enough.
We make time for what we want. Show me your calendar, I'll show you your personal priorities. Don't have time to read or take a class? Don't have time to get healthy and exercise? Don't have time to serve your church in some capacity or even go to church? Don't have time to play with your kids? In every case, SURE you do! You've got 24 hours in a day just like everyone else. You just 1) don't manage your time well, or 2) don't make time because it's not a priority to you and you just don't care. One or the other is true. Maybe both.
But even if you know the plan and you're doing the best to schedule it out, timing is JUST as important as making the time. Read 1 Samuel 8:4-22 (click on the scripture reference and the verse will open for you). Israel wanted a king in order to be like other nations. Until this point, they'd only had a "judge" of whom Samuel was one. Judges were the voice of God to His people, Israel, for a certain period time (crisis, trial, decisions, etc) and would then return to the way of life once the messages had been delivered or the season had passed. A king would be permanent and the lineage would be passed down to future generations. God planned on a king. That king was David, of whose lineage Jesus would one day be born. But the timing wasn't yet. And so Israel asked and received their king before the time God had ordained. His name was Saul. He was a coward, disobedient, and fulfilled every one of the warnings that we just read which Samuel had delivered. Timing is everything.
If the enemy can't disrupt the plans, he will try to disrupt the timing with which they are to be carried out. Normally, this is in the form of rushing rather than waiting too long. Israel rushed on receiving a king. Churches rush into building buildings too soon without proper resources. Companies rush to be the first to get certain products on the market and they fail due to not taking the time to properly test them. Right now in the news we see where child "stars" fall to addictions and other troubles due to not having the time to mature and develop properly on the front end prior to having that depth of responsibility.
Seven months ago, I was challenged to do a five year plan for my life. I had no clue where to start! It had been over 15 years since the last one! So I prayed and God began to reveal some things that He wanted to do in me over the next five years. To say I'm excited is an understatement!!! But if I had time to list what God had done (and there's NO WAY I could have done this one my own - not talking coincidence!) in these last seven months, it would BLOW YOUR MIND!!!
Try it. Pray FIRST! Start with next week. Then this month. Then break the next six months down with monthly goals for each one. Then one six month block for the final six of this year. After that, do six month blocks for next year, or maybe the next two years. Finally, use year long blocks to round out your five year plan. God gives us our dreams and He wants to see them realized in even bigger ways that we can imagine ourselves. His thoughts and ways are higher for us, remember?
A realistic view of where you are must precede a look into where you are going in your dream! This is the only way we can fulfill our verses from Ephesians and make wise choices about our lives. But once you have established that reality check (and I went so far as to list where I am on paper before writing down where I wanted to go), then I believe if God is in your dream (and your five year plan to start realizing it), this is what your DREAM should look like:
D - Destinations: Note that this is plural. Mile markers measure successes.
R - Resources: God doesn't do handouts. He gave you abilities to attain it.
E - Enterprise: God expects initiative and self motivation. MAKE TIME!
A - Aspirations: "Enough" doesn't exist. LEARN consistently!
M - Ministry: Serve others. God won't give to you what He can't get through you!
If you would like help with your five year plan, contact me using the form on this page (the form doesn't show on mobile devices). I will be glad to help any way I can. But I can't do it for you. Neither will I send you mine. I will, however, answer your specific questions and do my best to help guide you in the right direction on how to do the plan. What the details are of the plan is completely up to you and God!
Don't forget to use the social media just below here to share to your Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ accounts directly. I welcome your comments! PLEASE leave one!!! Here's how:
1. Click on the words "No Comment" or " (#) Comment" (whichever is listed just to the right of the posting time directly below this paragraph)
2. Write your comment in the box provided.
3. You must also choose a selection from the COMMENT AS drop down list. If you have a Google+ ID, AIM, or other you wish to use, choose that. Most of you should choose the NAME/URL option and leave your name in the space provided. You do NOT need to leave a URL unless you wish.
4. Click the PUBLISH button. THAT'S IT!!!
THANK YOU for stopping by! Till next time...
Just as important as time is timing. I see it in my own life constantly! I'm in the right place at the right time. Or you see someone involved in a tragedy and they're described as being "in the wrong place at the wrong time." The timing in which we act defines the success of our future as much as being on time with our goals, deadlines, and schedules.
An examination, or a reflection, of time and timing can give clarity to a series of events. Just watch crime dramas on TV, whether real or not, and in every case, one of the first goals in the case is to establish a timeline. Investigators want to know exactly what time the accident happened, what time the murder occurred, what time the person was last seen or heard from; all of which will help put certain people in certain places to help solve the case. Business leaders look back on the timing of product releases and schedules to better plan the coming year's timelines and to streamline productivity. When planning out vacations, one may choose to plan times to see certain attractions at their destinations, or schedules that allow them to make sure there is time to "get it all in."
Scripture gives us some valuable insight into time and timing that I just want you to see so that the coming days, weeks, and months might be better spent for you and those about whom you care most. There are a number of verses to which we could look, but for now, let's just look at Ephesians 5:15-17 (click on the scripture reference and the verse will open for you).
I once read a book by Pastor/Leader/Author, Andy Stanley, titled THE BEST QUESTION EVER. I highly recommend it! There is much more to the book than the revelation of the question, but he leads the reader to conclude that the best question ever (based on the above scripture passage in Ephesians) is, "In light of my past experiences, my present circumstances, and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do?" If we're wise about our past, present, and future, those three will line up with God's will for our lives. And it is His desire that we know His will! It says so in the above scripture! So wise decisions involve knowing God's will, having a vision for your future based on that will, and acting accordingly in a manner that you can accomplish that will!
Every day there should be something that we learn that we didn't already know. There should be a book, a YouTube video, a conversation, a blog (like this one! :-) ), a periodical, a class with which we engage on a regular basis that takes our knowledge just a little farther or deeper than it was before. The very moment we stop learning, our potential of our effectiveness in this world is over. The ways in which God can use us become immediately limited not for our lack of ability, but because of our lack of caring. We are never too old, too young, too rich, too poor, too dumb, or too smart to learn. There's never "enough."
We have taken "enough" and "content" and made them interchangeable. I don't believe God ever designed them to be. Yet we have said that we will be content when we have enough. We will know we have enough when we are content. God desires for us to be content with what He has given without being covetous for what He has not. But to say that He has an "enough" line on His blessing for our lives, or that our hearts have a line that reads "don't fill over this point" doesn't describe the Heavenly Father I've come to know who withholds nothing, not even the very life of His only Son, from those whom He loves and love Him in return.
And in Christian circles, we rightfully teach that God desires for us to experience contentment over happiness. Happiness is fleeting; it's here today and gone tomorrow. Contentment can be permanent and can result in happiness more than the continued pursuit of the latter. Temporal happiness can't result in sustained contentment, but sustained contentment can produce repeated periods of true happiness. It is possible to be content, yet not have enough.
We make time for what we want. Show me your calendar, I'll show you your personal priorities. Don't have time to read or take a class? Don't have time to get healthy and exercise? Don't have time to serve your church in some capacity or even go to church? Don't have time to play with your kids? In every case, SURE you do! You've got 24 hours in a day just like everyone else. You just 1) don't manage your time well, or 2) don't make time because it's not a priority to you and you just don't care. One or the other is true. Maybe both.
But even if you know the plan and you're doing the best to schedule it out, timing is JUST as important as making the time. Read 1 Samuel 8:4-22 (click on the scripture reference and the verse will open for you). Israel wanted a king in order to be like other nations. Until this point, they'd only had a "judge" of whom Samuel was one. Judges were the voice of God to His people, Israel, for a certain period time (crisis, trial, decisions, etc) and would then return to the way of life once the messages had been delivered or the season had passed. A king would be permanent and the lineage would be passed down to future generations. God planned on a king. That king was David, of whose lineage Jesus would one day be born. But the timing wasn't yet. And so Israel asked and received their king before the time God had ordained. His name was Saul. He was a coward, disobedient, and fulfilled every one of the warnings that we just read which Samuel had delivered. Timing is everything.
If the enemy can't disrupt the plans, he will try to disrupt the timing with which they are to be carried out. Normally, this is in the form of rushing rather than waiting too long. Israel rushed on receiving a king. Churches rush into building buildings too soon without proper resources. Companies rush to be the first to get certain products on the market and they fail due to not taking the time to properly test them. Right now in the news we see where child "stars" fall to addictions and other troubles due to not having the time to mature and develop properly on the front end prior to having that depth of responsibility.
Seven months ago, I was challenged to do a five year plan for my life. I had no clue where to start! It had been over 15 years since the last one! So I prayed and God began to reveal some things that He wanted to do in me over the next five years. To say I'm excited is an understatement!!! But if I had time to list what God had done (and there's NO WAY I could have done this one my own - not talking coincidence!) in these last seven months, it would BLOW YOUR MIND!!!
Try it. Pray FIRST! Start with next week. Then this month. Then break the next six months down with monthly goals for each one. Then one six month block for the final six of this year. After that, do six month blocks for next year, or maybe the next two years. Finally, use year long blocks to round out your five year plan. God gives us our dreams and He wants to see them realized in even bigger ways that we can imagine ourselves. His thoughts and ways are higher for us, remember?
A realistic view of where you are must precede a look into where you are going in your dream! This is the only way we can fulfill our verses from Ephesians and make wise choices about our lives. But once you have established that reality check (and I went so far as to list where I am on paper before writing down where I wanted to go), then I believe if God is in your dream (and your five year plan to start realizing it), this is what your DREAM should look like:
D - Destinations: Note that this is plural. Mile markers measure successes.
R - Resources: God doesn't do handouts. He gave you abilities to attain it.
E - Enterprise: God expects initiative and self motivation. MAKE TIME!
A - Aspirations: "Enough" doesn't exist. LEARN consistently!
M - Ministry: Serve others. God won't give to you what He can't get through you!
If you would like help with your five year plan, contact me using the form on this page (the form doesn't show on mobile devices). I will be glad to help any way I can. But I can't do it for you. Neither will I send you mine. I will, however, answer your specific questions and do my best to help guide you in the right direction on how to do the plan. What the details are of the plan is completely up to you and God!
Don't forget to use the social media just below here to share to your Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ accounts directly. I welcome your comments! PLEASE leave one!!! Here's how:
1. Click on the words "No Comment" or " (#) Comment" (whichever is listed just to the right of the posting time directly below this paragraph)
2. Write your comment in the box provided.
3. You must also choose a selection from the COMMENT AS drop down list. If you have a Google+ ID, AIM, or other you wish to use, choose that. Most of you should choose the NAME/URL option and leave your name in the space provided. You do NOT need to leave a URL unless you wish.
4. Click the PUBLISH button. THAT'S IT!!!
THANK YOU for stopping by! Till next time...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)