On Wednesday night I had the joy of taking Matthew and Tyler to get their first “big boy” bike. When entering the store Tyler only wanted a toy…a small toy, much easier on the wallet. Matthew however found exactly what he wanted within seconds. It was a Spiderman bicycle. For those of you who know Matthew, he is planning on growing up to be Spiderman. Very exciting for a father to know his son is going to grow up and rid the world of villains.
After putting the bike together we quickly realized that the wheel was bent and it was going to have to be returned. Also the bike may have been just a little too big for him, but I was so excited that he found the bike he wanted.
The moment came when I had too tell Matthew that we needed to get him another bike. Instantly the little tears began to roll down his cheek because he was no longer going to have his Spiderman bike. It was if Batman had to drive an old Jetta instead of the Bat Mobile. He continued to cry with a few screams thrown in for dramatic effect.
Here’s where it gets cool. On the way to the store I told Matthew that sometimes what we want is not always what God wants. That maybe God had something better than a Spiderman bike for him. Little did I know but He did. As Matthew walked into the store he immediately saw one of those x-games bikes. He was so excited…it fit his frame and he was able to peddle it all around the store.
As we were walking out of the store Matthew said, “Daddy you were right, God did have something better for me.” How profound that a four year would understand the very principles that as adults is so hard for us to grasp. The idea that God has something better for us is not hard to understand, but to actually believe it is a huge principle to grasp.
In the Bible were told that God knows the plans he wants for our life, plans to prosper us not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future. How cool is it that God is concerned with us and wants the absolute best for us. How cool is it that God wants to take us from being those who are hurt to those who become wounded healers?
Wouldn’t it be great to have the faith of a four year old and truly trust that God does have something better for us? It may not be at time we want it or what we thought was best, but ultimately who would know what’s best for our lives…us, or the one who created us.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Tough Questions
Anybody who knows me knows what a huge sports nut I am. This past week I couldn’t help but see the effect choices have on our lives. No matter what station you put on they are all covering the same thing, Michael Vick. Once considered the most dangerous quarterback (that’s the guy who throws the ball) in the NFL is now left dealing with the fall out of his choices. How could someone with so much talent, money & power turn so quickly from what is right to what is now? Immediate satisfaction of his love for dog fighting has now left him fighting for the freedom in his own life. How? Choices. Choices in the friends that Vick had have now left him with a lot of questions.
The Bible says that a friend sticks closer than a brother…yet all of Vick’s “friends” took a plea bargain against Vick to serve less time. I’m reminded that you don’t truly know who your friends are. They can appear to be loyal and faithful and yet at the same time have their own agenda. For Vick’s “friends’ it was the lure of power and money that drew them close to Vick. We are told that everything happens for a reason and yet many times that reason goes unanswered. It is just a spot on a wall that cannot be answered how it got there and better yet how it will be removed.
Jesus had those who were close to Him, those that He poured His life into, and yet they, even those who walked and talked with Him, turned their backs on Him for what? Power, money and perhaps titles. Jesus in the midst of the pain of losing friends close to him remains faithful and focused and in the end all things worked out. Maybe the key is for us to be more patient and not expect things to be rectified immediately, but over time through faithfulness and staying focused, we too can experience what it means to finish strong.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer never has made much sense to me. Our typical reaction is to shun our enemies in fear of being hurt…what happens when it is our friends that hurt us as well? The key is to do what the Bible says and “guard our hearts”. Protect our hearts, not to the point of never having friends, but guard our hearts in knowing that at the end, pain can and sometimes will occur. But through seeing Jesus, friends and my own life as an example…I would rather put myself out there and be hurt by a few, than to never put myself out there and miss out on the love and prayers and friendship of so many.
I challenge you to think about whom you associate yourself with and whom do you call your “friends”. Remember, one bad choice can change a legacy of a lifetime. To steal an old sports cliché, it’s not always how you start but how you finish that matters. Stay focused on your relationship with God and in turn your friendship with God and others will grow.
The Bible says that a friend sticks closer than a brother…yet all of Vick’s “friends” took a plea bargain against Vick to serve less time. I’m reminded that you don’t truly know who your friends are. They can appear to be loyal and faithful and yet at the same time have their own agenda. For Vick’s “friends’ it was the lure of power and money that drew them close to Vick. We are told that everything happens for a reason and yet many times that reason goes unanswered. It is just a spot on a wall that cannot be answered how it got there and better yet how it will be removed.
Jesus had those who were close to Him, those that He poured His life into, and yet they, even those who walked and talked with Him, turned their backs on Him for what? Power, money and perhaps titles. Jesus in the midst of the pain of losing friends close to him remains faithful and focused and in the end all things worked out. Maybe the key is for us to be more patient and not expect things to be rectified immediately, but over time through faithfulness and staying focused, we too can experience what it means to finish strong.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer never has made much sense to me. Our typical reaction is to shun our enemies in fear of being hurt…what happens when it is our friends that hurt us as well? The key is to do what the Bible says and “guard our hearts”. Protect our hearts, not to the point of never having friends, but guard our hearts in knowing that at the end, pain can and sometimes will occur. But through seeing Jesus, friends and my own life as an example…I would rather put myself out there and be hurt by a few, than to never put myself out there and miss out on the love and prayers and friendship of so many.
I challenge you to think about whom you associate yourself with and whom do you call your “friends”. Remember, one bad choice can change a legacy of a lifetime. To steal an old sports cliché, it’s not always how you start but how you finish that matters. Stay focused on your relationship with God and in turn your friendship with God and others will grow.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Wet Paint
Does wet paint amaze you? It does me. It amazes me how a fresh coat of wet paint can cover over almost any imperfection. This week I have spent my time transforming Fellowship's sanctuary into a new youth room. On each white wall there were fingerprints and stains that showed years of wear and tear and imperfections. However with a fresh coat of paint it covers over all those stains and makes all things new.
Grace has only five letters but it is overwhelming for us to understand. Grace is like a fresh coat of new paint. Through all the imperfections and flaws in our lives that represent sin and just the everyday junk God's grace covers all those imperfections and transforms our hearts and makes all things new. It amazes me that God who is Awesome and Holy and Powerful chooses to use someone like me who is weak and who has so many imperfections.
It says in Ephesians chapter 3, And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my ehad, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in this the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along.
And so, may we remember that God's grace is always enough to give us a fresh coat of paint to cover over those imperfections in our lives and to make us new. Even in the midst of our imperfections we are children of the King. We are to "Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God."
So in the midst of everything you may be dealing with...take time to enjoy the wet paint.
Grace has only five letters but it is overwhelming for us to understand. Grace is like a fresh coat of new paint. Through all the imperfections and flaws in our lives that represent sin and just the everyday junk God's grace covers all those imperfections and transforms our hearts and makes all things new. It amazes me that God who is Awesome and Holy and Powerful chooses to use someone like me who is weak and who has so many imperfections.
It says in Ephesians chapter 3, And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my ehad, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in this the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along.
And so, may we remember that God's grace is always enough to give us a fresh coat of paint to cover over those imperfections in our lives and to make us new. Even in the midst of our imperfections we are children of the King. We are to "Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God."
So in the midst of everything you may be dealing with...take time to enjoy the wet paint.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Tough Choices
What a blessing it was today to be able to go to The Leadership Summit sponsored by Willow Creek with a couple men from our church. I went with the mentality of...what can I learn about leading? What I didn't know is how the conference would change my entire perspective and consequently future actions.
During the second session Carly Fiorina who was the president and cheif executive officer of HP for 6 years while landing herself on the cover of magazines being called America's most powerful woman, spoke directly to my heart. Carly wrote a book entitled, Tough Choices that is on Bill Hybel's top ten best leadership books and in the book she describes the ups and downs of being at the top.
Here are a few things that she wrote that challenged my though process:
Character Counts...Integrity Matters...Authenticity is everything! Do what your passionate about. Management and leadership are different. Management tells people what to do where as leadership inspires, encourages, challenges, it is about seeing & unlocking potential in others. There is a passion in what we do and there should be a dispassion in us as well. Being able to seperate ourselves enough from the issues of life to step back and see the truth. How true that proves to be in life. Knowing the answer is less important than asking the right questions. Motivation is key to success. People are afraid to try new things. It is key to give people a vision that is more compelling than their fears. All very important thoughts that she expressed today.
Three little words that were said convicted and shook me to my core. "NO MATTER WHAT!" Three simple words with so much meaning. For each one of us they mean something different. To remain true to ourselves, to remain true to God, to our spouse and our kids.
The higher up you go in leadership sometimes the lonelier it gets. It's great when you can work with a team that inspires and challenges you on a daily basis, but even in the midst of an incredible team you can sometimes still feel incredibly lonliness. When I am alone in my house I hear all the noises in the house and there is a fear that takes over. The same when you feel alone in life you hear all the noises around you as well but sometimes they come in the form of complaints, concerns, ridicules, questions and lies. What I have learned from great men around me is that staying silent is the greatest defense to your character. There is no sense in defending yourself or something, when there is no truth in it to begin with.
One final thought that God impressed upon my heart was, don't let other peoples' smaller view of you define who you are. In life we will disapoint, fail and not live up to other's expectations. We all face those moments when others will do the same to us. The key is to remember that no matter what, we are created in His image, for His purpose, and for His plan. Ultimately it does not matter what people think or say about us as long as we stay true to ourselves in Christ. Each one of us is faced with tough choices, those moments where we can compromise our character and integrity by choosing poorly, or we can be authentic and the "truth will set us free", becuase we chose "NO MATTER WHAT!"
During the second session Carly Fiorina who was the president and cheif executive officer of HP for 6 years while landing herself on the cover of magazines being called America's most powerful woman, spoke directly to my heart. Carly wrote a book entitled, Tough Choices that is on Bill Hybel's top ten best leadership books and in the book she describes the ups and downs of being at the top.
Here are a few things that she wrote that challenged my though process:
Character Counts...Integrity Matters...Authenticity is everything! Do what your passionate about. Management and leadership are different. Management tells people what to do where as leadership inspires, encourages, challenges, it is about seeing & unlocking potential in others. There is a passion in what we do and there should be a dispassion in us as well. Being able to seperate ourselves enough from the issues of life to step back and see the truth. How true that proves to be in life. Knowing the answer is less important than asking the right questions. Motivation is key to success. People are afraid to try new things. It is key to give people a vision that is more compelling than their fears. All very important thoughts that she expressed today.
Three little words that were said convicted and shook me to my core. "NO MATTER WHAT!" Three simple words with so much meaning. For each one of us they mean something different. To remain true to ourselves, to remain true to God, to our spouse and our kids.
The higher up you go in leadership sometimes the lonelier it gets. It's great when you can work with a team that inspires and challenges you on a daily basis, but even in the midst of an incredible team you can sometimes still feel incredibly lonliness. When I am alone in my house I hear all the noises in the house and there is a fear that takes over. The same when you feel alone in life you hear all the noises around you as well but sometimes they come in the form of complaints, concerns, ridicules, questions and lies. What I have learned from great men around me is that staying silent is the greatest defense to your character. There is no sense in defending yourself or something, when there is no truth in it to begin with.
One final thought that God impressed upon my heart was, don't let other peoples' smaller view of you define who you are. In life we will disapoint, fail and not live up to other's expectations. We all face those moments when others will do the same to us. The key is to remember that no matter what, we are created in His image, for His purpose, and for His plan. Ultimately it does not matter what people think or say about us as long as we stay true to ourselves in Christ. Each one of us is faced with tough choices, those moments where we can compromise our character and integrity by choosing poorly, or we can be authentic and the "truth will set us free", becuase we chose "NO MATTER WHAT!"
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Changes
I was watching the X-Games this week and was reminded how quickly things can change. Jake Brown in the skateboard big air event went from doing a trick that had never been done on the 70ft ramp to taking a fall that no one should have walked away from. http://expn.go.com/expn/index You think of how Jesus was entering into town and was being honored to a few days later he was being crucified. It reminds me of how quickly things change in our own life, but ultimately God is in control. How exciting it is to know that the God who created us, knows us and cares about our lives intimately. "For I know the plans I have for declares the lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
The Journey
"Watch what God does, and then you do it,..." It starts out with that statement in Ephesians chapter 5. What an interesting concept, "watch what God does, and then you do it,..." It makes you wonder what would God do? I know the craze of W.W.J.D. has pretty much passed and as sweet of a marketing concept that it was, it missed the core value of, do what He would do. It's great to question, but it is even better to do it. So many times our legacies are marked with intentions instead of accomplishments. This week has been a journey and a lesson in life that I have learned very quickly. Reading in Ephesians chapter 5 it says "You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them-the usual variations of idolatry-will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God." Later it goes on to say, "Don't even hang out with people like that." What a lesson to learn. Sometimes I think you just have to move on from people and organizations like that, so you can stay focused on your own walk with Christ as well as your ministry.
I am blessed to have a group of men around me who keep my attitude and my actions in check. I am equally blessed to have a wife who knows me better than anyone and who is willing to stand with me to keep me from falling. I had a hero in the faith of mine call me last night and explain the importance of taking the "higher road". The higher road, what exactly is that? In our conversation he encouraged me that we will be remembered more for taking the higher road of integrity and honor rather than getting involved with every little battle. The higher road means that regardless of what is being said or done...you fight on...not for the defense of yourself, but for the defense of Christ. The Bible says no more stumbling around, get on with it! That is exactly what we need to do. John told us in a leadership meeting that anytime we go to a whole nother level, satan attacks us at a whole nother level.
So each challenge that comes our way is an opportunity. Each obstacle is an opportunity to grow. Each trial is God showing His love in His creation. The challenge is to let go and let God. Let Him be the one who issues justice and let us be the ones who live in His grace.
I am blessed to have a group of men around me who keep my attitude and my actions in check. I am equally blessed to have a wife who knows me better than anyone and who is willing to stand with me to keep me from falling. I had a hero in the faith of mine call me last night and explain the importance of taking the "higher road". The higher road, what exactly is that? In our conversation he encouraged me that we will be remembered more for taking the higher road of integrity and honor rather than getting involved with every little battle. The higher road means that regardless of what is being said or done...you fight on...not for the defense of yourself, but for the defense of Christ. The Bible says no more stumbling around, get on with it! That is exactly what we need to do. John told us in a leadership meeting that anytime we go to a whole nother level, satan attacks us at a whole nother level.
So each challenge that comes our way is an opportunity. Each obstacle is an opportunity to grow. Each trial is God showing His love in His creation. The challenge is to let go and let God. Let Him be the one who issues justice and let us be the ones who live in His grace.
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