Don’t Give Up!

Galatians 6:9 “Do not grow weary of doing good, for in due season you will reap if you do not GIVE UP.”

The easiest place to give up your resolve is when you are journeying through a wilderness experience. I know what its like to feel weary of doing good and want to give up. We all face circumstances and have feelings that make us feel like we have hit the wall and can’t go on. But it’s often during these valley experiences that our characters and future’s are most powerfully shaped.

The choices we make in a testing season determine everything about our future. We have got to be careful to not ‘throw the baby out with the bath water’, so to speak, and miss what God is trying to teach us through the test. If you respond Godward and not man-ward you will be given fresh resolve and renewed strength that you never had before…In other words you’ll be a better person for it.

We all feel like giving up at times and sometimes giving something up like a bad habit or a negative relationship is the healthiest thing for us but when it comes to what God is asking us to do and what He created us for, we are to never give that up. Be careful to not rely on your feelings alone & make sure you seek God’s guidance on what you are feeling. Seeking God’s guidance includes consulting wise counsel and getting their input. If you surround yourself with everyone who reinforces your perspective all the time, you set yourself up for a fall because your inner circle doesn’t own the market share on wisdom or knowledge. There are others who can help you significantly, including pastors, connect group leaders and other wise counsellors.

I have emerged out of my 2009 dark night of the soul with fresh resolve and greater strength. I am getting stronger in my walk with God by the day. I am becoming clearer in my ministry call and future direction each week and moment by moment I am learning to rest in God’s grace & strength that he so richly provides. If I had have given up I would not be experiencing the joy and love and life I now have. Fight On!

Lead the Change!

Just Say It!

Too many of us get too worried about what people around us are going to say about what we say. This hesitation comes from saying things in the past that either got us into hot water or hurt people’s feelings. It is un-Christ-like and inappropriate to deliberately go out of your way to hurt people’s feelings…I don’t recommend this BUT…

Sometimes people’s feelings are going to get hurt when you speak the truth, even in love and when what you say is true to Scripture. Too often we live in the shadows of life because we are worried about offending people’s feelings.

When I read about Jesus in the Gospels, I encounter the tension between showing grace and speaking truth. God never compromised truth, particularly to the scribes and pharisees, in order to extend grace to people. I think we need to develop a sound theology of grace in the church that translates to our society because it seems like some people are playing the grace card but not willing to take responsibility for their actions. We also need to appreciate Biblical truth more than we do because it is so essential to how we carry out our daily lives.

I know as a preacher what it’s like to say things that have not made me popular and I know what it’s like to hold back from saying what needs to be said because of being bruised in the past from people’s distaste of my perspective. There is wisdom in holding your tongue when you realise some battles are not worth fighting. But some battles are worth fighting and wisdom and the Spirit of God should help us discern when to speak and when not to speak.

My job as a preacher is to provoke spiritual transformation in people and sometimes this means I just have to say it. I am going to embrace this call with wisdom and pray that God will use what is said to ultimately help people (even if they don’t see it at the time) and if it sometimes means I’m controversial, then I’m probably following in the steps of Jesus…He was so controversial that the religious establishment killed him… Let’s hope this doesn’t happen to you or me.

We don’t just say it because we want to offend or be controversial (that’s pride) but because truth is needed in all of our lives. Too many marriages have been destroyed because of things left unsaid. Too many churches have split because leaders wouldn’t just say it. Too many people’s faith have been shipwrecked because someone wouldn’t just say it. Just say it… in love !

Lead the Change!

Slap the Weasel Within!

Romans 8:31 “If God is for us, who can be against us.”

I have had a major breakthrough today. I have felt like I have been running through a valley for the past 12 months and I’ve thought that I have just got to wait out this turbulent season. But the realization hit me like a sledgehammer that I actually am a partner to the process of God in my life and I have a responsibility to play my role in taking responsibility for my response to the issues I’ve been facing.

All of us at one point or another listen to the weasel inside, trying to convince us that we are victims of our circumstance and that we are not able to rise above them. But you have got to snap out of it and slap the weasel within. We shouldn’t be surprised by challenges, attacks and tribulations because Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”

I refuse to lose to Satan and the circumstances of this world. I refuse to become a statistic. I refuse to excuse myself out of the responsibility I have to lead my self, lead my family and my church. I refuse to allow people’s opinions of me to shape my self-image. I refuse to let oppression, depression or any other ‘ession’ shape my life and ministry.

What about you? Have you settled in your valley and become comfortable with your mediocre surroundings? Give your valley the bird (figuratively speaking) and slap the weasel within. Life is too precious and short for you to waste another day feeling sorry for yourself and frustrated at your circumstances. Learn what you’ve got to learn, believe where you’ve lost hope, surrender everything to God and never look back. God loves you, nothing can separate you from this fact and because he’s for you, no man, demonic being or circumstance can stop you. It’s time for a COMEBACK 2.0.

Lead the Change!

Spiritual Arrogance!

I recently read a Rick Warren quote saying, “Criticizing other ministries is sinful arrogance.” To be honest I find this challenging because if I was honest with myself, I would acknowledge that too many times I have criticized other churches and ministries without really knowing the full story or being justified in my perspective.

I don’t know about you but if we were all honest with ourselves we would have to acknowledge that at times we have said way too much about others when we should have prayed for them or just not said anything at all.

In Luke 9:49 the disciples said to Jesus (paraphrased) “Master we tried to stop him because he isn’t part of OUR group.” This sounds so much like us at times. We think that because someone leads or attends another church different to ours or smaller or bigger than ours that they mustn’t be God’s chosen vessels but Jesus response tells us what he thinks about other ministries not being in our tribe… Jesus said, “Do not stop them, for the one who is not against you is for you.”

 My mother used to say to me all the time, “The Church is the only army that shoots its own wounded.” Tight but I’ve observed it to be right at times. How can we ever move forward together as a Body of Christ if we find it so easy to criticize each other.

Yes, there are differences between styles & philosophies of leadership, worship, ministry and connecting with culture but at the end of the day, if someone is in a different tribe and is not against me, i should see them as an ally and rejoice that someone else is moving the kingdom forward.

We pastors and leaders can be some of the most insecure people on the planet, driving our own wheel barrows up the proverbial hill trying to make our mark. We would do well to remind ourselves, we don’t have it all together either and every stream is doing their bit to move the ball down the field according to the revelation God has given to them to work with.

Lets be a little more gracious with each other and not imbibe of the attitude of spiritual arrogance. Who knows we may actually learn something from each other…?

Lead the Change!

Dealing with Discontentment!

1 Timothy 6:6 “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment.”

In my own life journey I have struggled with discontentment from time to time. I’m sure someone out there can identify with this struggle as well. I think some of my struggle has to do with my wiring as a choleric, sanguine, highly directive and influential seeking personality…I know, I know… Recipe for disaster…

I also think discontentment is a key issue in our culture because of the saturation of media and information that tells us we need more of this and more of that. We are bombarded everyday with messages about our body shape, our houses, our cars, our clothing, our possessions, our social life, our sex life, our fame and fortune… and the list goes on.

If we don’t guard our hearts we can be always living in desperation, seeking after the next elusive experience or encounter that will bring a measure of satisfaction to us. I’ve discovered that holy discontentment for personal growth and development in order to see souls saved and make a difference in the world is good but continual discontentment for the wrong things can have a negative effect in every area of our lives.

I can wake up some days just feeling overwhelmed by feelings of discontentment with where things are at but i have to put it all in perspective of God’s truth and God’s plan for my life. I have to get my mind onto what life is all about – God’s glory and the service of others not my glory and people serving my needs or wants… I’m suggesting you will have to do the same as well.

There is a place in God where you can live each day with great contentment in the knowledge that God’s grace, love and power is sufficient for each day. Whenever you feel lack surfacing in your life remind yourself that godliness with contentment has great gain in every area of your life.

Lead the Change!

Which Bride Do You Belong To?

Bride of Frankenstein

Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her…”

For many years now I have observed a growing trend of people being disgruntled with the church to the point of leaving it or redefining a whole new expression of Christian community. This is no recent phenomenon as people have questioned the role of the church in society for 2000 years.

There isn’t anything wrong with questions. Good questions should hopefully lead to good answers. I do think though that some of the redefining of what Christian community looks like in the current landscape flows from a negative perspective of the Bride of Christ as a whole.

It appears like criticising the church is the ‘in thing’ to do. Finding what’s wrong with the church has become a universal pastime and it seems like many of us feel like it’s our God-given right to do so.

How we view the church is a result of our worldview. Everyone of us have a worldview (the way we see the world) and when our worldview has been affected by a negative experience or a paradigm contrary to ours, we tend to form an opinion or a conviction that leads to us looking at the world in a certain way.

When it comes to some people’s worldview of the church, you would think that they belonged to the BRIDE of FRANKENSTEIN not the BRIDE of CHRIST! I think this is largely a matter of attitude, perspective and worldview. If you look hard enough at the church through a negative worldview, you are going to find problems… The church has always had problems within it and always will because there are people in it and we are the problem.

However, if you look at the church for what is right about it, you will discover that there are so many things going for it and the role that it plays in the world is not only critical but very needed. 

How do you see the church? Do you see it as the Bride of Frankenstein or the Bride of Christ? It all depends on the lens through which you are looking at it. Jesus loves the Church, warts and all, and he gave himself up for her. Jesus is coming back for a pure & spotless bride and we can choose to become part of the solution or part of the problem. It all comes back to our worldview.

Don’t let offense and the issues of others shape your worldview of the church. It doesn’t matter what challenges a church faces, everything is redeemable because Jesus is still the head of the church and he is sovereign over it all.

Lead the Change!

Crossing Over!

In Mark 4:35-5:2 there is the story of Jesus calming a storm on the Sea of Galilee as the disciples were trying to get across to the other side to the country of the Gerasenes. In this passage I see several insight that can help you cross over to the other side in 2010. If you like, have a quick read (Mark 4:35-5:2) to orientate yourself with the story and the context.

(4:35) “Let us go over to the other side.” Jesus calls his disciples to the other side and he is still calling you and I to the other side of what he has for us in our lives. The other side can be whatever it is that God is asking you to step out in faith on or obey him in that seems risky or challenging.

(4:36) “Leaving the crowd.” Going to the other side requires you to leave the crowd behind. Mediocrity travels in packs but excellence is found one person at a time. The crowd places peer pressure on you to conform but if you are going to cross over to the other side you must be willing to not conform to the negative peer pressure. Leave the crowd and head for the other side of what God has for you.

(4:37) “A great windstorm arose.” Don’t be surprised if you encounter a storm as you cross over to the other side. Be it a storm of criticism, financial challenges, relational conflict or sickness. Storms aren’t always a bad thing, they could be an indication that you are on the right track. Some scholars think that Satan is the initiator of the storm, trying to stop Jesus heading to the country of the Gerasenes to deliver a man of a stronghold of demons and set the region free of demonic influence. Satan doesn’t want you to get to the other side and he’ll try everything to stop you from getting there.

(4:38) “But Jesus was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.” Jesus isn’t moved by the things we get moved by. He is always in control and at rest. Often what i think is a disaster, Jesus is sleeping through. Jesus is as there in your storm but he’s asleep. Just wake him up in prayer and let him comfort you while the waves rage around you.”

(4:39) “Peace! Be still!” Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.” When you are in a storm be still before Jesus and rest in his peace. When the winds and waves cease there will be a great calm.

(4:40) “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” It’s not as bad as it seems. Assume the posture of faith. Be assured, God is sufficient for the storm you face and never, ever let your storm distract you from getting to the other side. The devil wants to get you afraid by the storm because he knows the only thing that will stop you from getting to the other side is your fear. Fear is the opposite of faith and faith in God will get you through the storm to the other side.

(5:1) “They came to the other side.” Remember the other side is what you are heading towards. There is ministry on the other side. There’s influence and deliverance on the other side. Yes you might have to face the enemy himself on the other side but you would have prepared by the storm you encountered along the way.

Lead the Change!

Handling Criticism!

1 Peter 2:22-23 “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”

Handling criticism in a gracious way is a challenging issue for anyone. I don’t know one person who enjoys being criticised but the reality is all of us at one point or another will face criticism. The issue is what are we being criticised for and how do we handle criticism in an effective way?

In 1 Peter 2 we read that Jesus Christ was reviled and suffered for being who he was, the messiah! But Jesus did not revile in return or threaten when he suffered persecution for his claims, his teaching and his role as the Son of God. I find Jesus example challenging and sobering. Unfortunately, I have had to ask God for forgiveness many times for not following in Jesus footsteps.

I had some advice given to me once by a faithful man of God. Concerning criticism he said, “If you want influence, be prepared for criticism. Influence and criticism go hand in hand. The more influence you get, the more criticism you’ll receive.” I have definitely found this to be true personally and have observed it in action directed at influential men and women in the kingdom of God.

In Australia we suffer from “Tall Poppie Syndrome”. We just can’t handle anyone showing us up or excelling at something above the rest of the crowd and so like crabs in a bucket, we do all we can to pull down the person who is scaling up the bucket wall. When I was in America I noticed the difference in attitude towards people who excel compared to Australia. In America, success is celebrated. In Australia, success is criticised. Probably the only place where we celebrate success more than anything else is on the sporting field. The Church arena is definitely off limits in terms of growth, advancement and influence… Be prepared to cop it if you show any growth or fruit in Church world.

Criticism will come your way. The question is why is it coming your way? If we keep on doing dumb things morally or ortherwise, we most definitely will come under fire. But if you or I receive criticism for being a person of influence who makes a difference for the extension of God’s kingdom, we can handle that and must be OK with it.

Some people cannot handle Christian leaders or preachers having influence at all and so conclude, “They must be doing something wrong… unbiblical, ear-ticklers, moral compromisers, greedy…” What a cynical attitude! The reality is the gospel still works like it did 2000 years ago and when godly men and women preach it, live it and lead with it… it gets results and bears fruit… in lots of different ways… It influences people around us.

At the end of the day as John the Baptist said, “A man cannot receive even one thing unless it is given to him from heaven.” God is the author of promotion and success in a person’s life (Ps 75). God gives and God takes away. My advice to you is to examine what the criticism is and weigh the criticiser in your life. If they have credibility in your life and are a trusted voice into your life, then examine the criticism more seriously but if they are shooting from the gallery and just want to unsettle you and air their opinion of you, then don’t let it bother you.

Take Jesus example and follow in his footsteps. It’s a hard thing to swallow at times but definitely the best way to go. Don’t revile when reviled and don’t threaten when persecuted because God has the final say. Entrust yourself to God who judges justly. Repent if you have sinned and remember, no one ever remembers a critic… but people do remember those who actually made the effort to get on the playing field and have a go. Don’t apologise for success or justify your influence. Just keep your head down, eyes straight ahead and keep doing what God has called you to do and let him work it out.

1 Peter 3:9 “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”

Lead the Change!

The Best I Have is Yours!

I attended a kids birthday party recently and I was fascinated by how hard little kids go at the different activities and games they participate in. Kids were literally throwing themselves at the ball and smashing into other party goers and not even thinking twice about it. Kids were running as hard and fast as they could to win. Each kid was giving their absolute best to whatever it was they were doing at the time.

Do you remember a time in your life when you were so excited about what you were doing that you were throwing yourself into it with everything within you? Unfortunately for some of us we gave up the notion of ‘giving our best’ a long time ago because we have allowed the disappointments of life and ministry steal our passion for giving our very best.

I was on holidays last year reflecting on my early years of ministry and how I would give my absolute best to sermon preparation and devotions and prayer and fasting and witnessing. Over a period of time I reflected that my best had started to wane. I’m not talking about perfection but I am talking about each and every day giving your best to what God has called you to do. As I reflected on this I realised that I had allowed criticism, disappointments, setbacks and painful experiences to cause me to settle down… and I hated where all of this could end up.

I don’t want to spend my life celebrating mediocrity. I don’t want to become a pastor who ends up being a professional explainer of why nothing happens in their ministry. I want to spend my days giving my best to the cause of Jesus Christ and what’s most important to God. The truth is we all give our best to something. For some of us, we give our best to hobbies, relationships, careers and education but our best is to be reserved for God!

Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” In the context of this verse (11:33ff) Paul is saying, “In light of whom God is (inexhaustible, centre of creation), the only reasonable and rational thing to do is give our best to God… We are to present our entire lives as a living sacrifice for God for this is worship that is pleasing and acceptable to God.”

God wants your best, not your scraps and I am so glad that when we needed rescuing from our sin, God didn’t give us his scraps but he gave us his very best – His Son… “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, so that whosoever should believe in him would not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16).”

Lead the Change!

Leveraging Your Past!

As a preacher I have often told people to ‘let go of the past’ and ‘don’t let the past dictate your future’. These are important statements and need to be heeded but there is also another side of the coin that we need to consider. Our past provides us with both rich and painful experiences that if we leverage can influence our future in a powerful way.

Our past has provided for us significant stories and testimonies of God’s grace and favour in our lives. Too many of us forget too easily what God has done for us and through us in the past. Your past can actually be a great source of encouragement and inspiration both to you and to people around you but you must recall to mind what God has actually done in your life.

Our past has provided us with plenty of lessons learnt. All of us have made mistakes in the past that we can learn from. Don’t make the same mistake twice but grow in wisdom. Don’t let the pain of regret steal your future but let wisdom forged through painful experience become the catalyst for growth and expansion in the future.

Our past gives us memories of victories and achievements. We have all been victorious in something, however small or big. Each of these victories and achievements have left us insights in how to achieve success the next time. It also gives us tips to help other people when they need our advice or have come to a stalemate in their own success journey.

Our past has left scars of painful experiences. Most of us would see this as a negative but in the midst of our brokenness we’re reminded of God’s love to heal the pain in our hearts from the words, actions and intentions of others that have hurt us deeply. These scars remind us to be gracious and loving with others because of what we ourselves have gone through. What the devil has meant for evil in our lives, God can turn around for our good.

Our past has prepared us for our future. Whether you realise it or not, your past is the exact preparation you need to step into your future. God is sovereign and he makes all things work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. God has predesigned you and your past to prepare you for what he has called you to walk in. If you choose to partner with God you can see the seeds of your past bear fruit in your future.

Don’t despise your past, no matter how challenging or painful but leverage it to influence your future. Your life is made up of your past and your future is your response to your past. Respond Godward and watch what God does with your future.

Lead the Change!