A Shift in Thinking

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Let me share a lesson that I am learning and relearning regularly. In fact, I feel like I had to relearn this again today! Some of us need a shift in our thinking.

It is really easy to get caught up, focused on and frustrated with:
  • What I cannot change.
  • What I wish were different.
  • What I do not know.
  • What I cannot do.
  • What I am not hearing.
  • What I cannot figure out.
  • What I do not understand.
We are limited. You are finite. I am under development. We see dimly. Let's just accept that. It was not a part of the plan for us to be divine. If we get added into the divinity mix, there is no longer a trinity.
I think the Lord would want us to be more intentional about focusing our energy and attention on:
  • What we can change.
  • What I do know.
  • What is good.
  • What I can do.
  • What I am hearing what I can figure out.
  • What I do understand.
  • What I can offer.
God has built plenty into you. Use it. Focus on who you are and who you are not. What you have, not what you lack. What you can give, not what you need.

The Holidays are HERE!

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Last night, Davis and Tricia and I went and walked the Annapolis Mall. It is free fun (if you don't buy things). And there is a cool play area for Davis. Well, to our surprise, the Mall had Christmas decorations up! November 7th! And Starbucks has released their red cups! And Christmas carols were playing in the speakers. You know what this means? The Holidays are upon us. The temperatures are cold and we are now counting down in weeks.

The last 6 weeks of the year are my favorite time of the year. I am getting excited already. Great time for reflecting on old memories and making new ones, enjoying old traditions and starting new ones, family, food, festivities. Just a GREAT time of the year. And although it is early November, I am getting excited already!
Hope you are too. Commit to make this a joyful season and put the Lord, Jesus Christ at the head of it all.

Shootings at Ft. Hood

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I am saddened by the shootings at Ft. Hood. Just adds to the growing sense of unrest in the hearts of people in our land. Lives being taken and violence being expressed grieves God's heart. This morning, Tricia read me Mark 13:5-11. It spoke to us.

Today, the families and friends of the victims are having it sink in deeper than yesterday. Yesterday contained too much shock, denial and adrenaline. Pray for these folks today.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen

One Decision That Can Change Your Life!!

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I hesitated writing this, but I am going to! If you read this blog very often, you know that if I am going to error, it will be on the side of transparency, not secrecy.

I disobeyed the Lord for the last 10-12 years of my life. Period. He has been telling me in hundreds of different ways over the last 10 years that I need to get up in the early morning and be with him. I am driven, task oriented, busy and committed by nature. I go, go, go. Ever since I was a teenager, I have fit God into my days wherever I could. Or not. Many times not. I knew he lived in my heart, so I would justify not spending specific and dedicated time in his presence each day. Sometimes I did mornings. Sometimes afternoons. Sometimes evenings. Sometimes not at all. I heard him say over and over and over..."GET UP IN THE EARLY MORNING AND PUT ME FIRST! Then, you can go, go, go all day in MY strength and not your own."
Well, I began that June 1. 2009, the day that my Sabbatical started. And I ain't slowed down yet! Time with Jesus (1 to 2 hours) comes FIRST in my day!
Here is my theory...Take it or leave it. I think that there is one decision that has the power to drastically change your life. Are you ready? It is profound. Drum roll please....
GO TO BED!!!

Early enough to get up early enough to be with Jesus. Do it every day. Then, your life will never be the same again. One decision. Life changed. Period!
Do the math. Everyone's numbers and times will differ, but here's an example of the thought process:
Time needed to eat breakfast and get ready: 1 hour
Time needed to be with Jesus: 1 hour
Time needed to workout or other responsibility: 30 mins
Time needed for commute: 30 mins
Total time needed in the morning= 3 hours
Time expected at work= 8:30am
8:30am-3hours= 5:30am
Amount of sleep needed= 7.5 hours
Time I need to be asleep= 10:00pm
Time I need to go to bed= 9:45pm
If you think you are a "night person" and will not be able to go to bed that early, I dare you to try getting up at 5:30am for one week and see how tired you are at 9:45pm. Try it. You might be surprised.
Note: I have heard a thousand excuses about why this will not work. I used most of them myself. I buy few of them. The answer to a dedicated and consistent quiet time for the MAJORITY of people is in this blog post.

Pride or Insecurity?

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For quite some time now, I have been testing this theory. Things are not always as they seem. What looks and sounds like one thing could be something very different than you think.

Here is an example:


What seems like pride is often insecurity. And what seems like insecurity of often pride.


Pride: I may ACT like I got it all together and know it all to cover up for the fact that I do not know JACK and am insecure about it. I may come across arrogant. I may look like I am as confident as a lion, but I may actually struggle tremendously with a low self-image and live my every day deeply concerned about what people think of me!

On the flip side...


Insecurity: I may ACT insecure and unsure of myself or draw attention to my "issues" all the time because I really think that it's all about me! That is pride! If I live my life primarily focused on what everyone thinks of ME because I want to look good to everyone, I am actually self-focused and prideful.

So, remember that things are not always as they seem. People are complex. Issues can run deep. And it is our role as believers to be intuitive and sensitive into the real heart of a person, not just what we see and hear on the outside.

My Favorite iPhone Apps

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Every now and then, I enjoy sharing about things that I like/enjoy. It is no secret that I dig my iPhone. First of all, it's an Apple. Second, it has been exceedingly helpful for me to have everything in one device. It has helped me be loads more productive, efficient and organized. In this $199 device is my:

  • Phone
  • Bible
  • Calendar (syncing with Google Calendar online)
  • Task List
  • Email (linked to all my mail accounts)
  • Camera (3 mega pixel)
  • Notes (yellow stickies)
  • iPod
  • iTunes
  • Google Maps
  • GPS
  • Calculator
  • Weather
  • Alarm Clock
  • Stopwatch
  • Timer
  • Text Messaging (and MMS)
  • News Apps (ABC, USA Today, CNN, AP)
  • Facebook
  • Internet
  • YouTube
  • Skype
  • Twitter Apps
  • Compass
  • Voice recorder
  • Tip Calculator
  • Discovery Channel
  • Recipe Finder
  • Address Book
  • Loads of games
  • Google Earth
  • Metro Map
  • Carigslist Mobile
  • Photo Editing Program
  • Bank of America
  • Budget Tracker
  • Starbucks Mobile
  • Much, much, more...I will stop there though.
Here are my five favorite Apps:
  1. YouVersion Bible. Sweet Bible interface with many versions and other interactive tools. Free!
  2. Tweetie 2. Of all the twitter apps I tried, this is the best! And the sounds are so cool.
  3. Google Maps. Search for restaurants, addresses, map your trip, use it as GPS, study the map, etc. Sweet! We really loved it when we went cross country. And free.
  4. Facebook. Full Facebook functionality on the go. Free. Enough said.
  5. Shazam. Hear a song you like? Hold your iPhone up to the radio for 5-10 seconds and it tells you the name and artist. Click "buy now" and it starts downloading it to your phone through iTunes. Total process: 30 seconds. From anywhere anytime. Kinda cool.

Calculated Attacker

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"The Devil made me do it!" "The enemy is attacking me." These and other similar statements carry several different issues with them. They call the enemy out for the evildoer that he is. But, they also give him quick attention or credit and if we are not careful, can take the responsibility off of YOU and YOUR poor choices, and sin that Jesus wants out of your life. Because, In Christ, there is power over darkness.

That said, the longer I live and the more closely I walk with Christ, the more apparent the tactics and patterns of the enemy become. Just like demons related to and recognized Jesus, Jesus recognized and spoke to them too! That is deep...let me keep to my point...
I think that Satan is a calculated attacker. He is a precision attacker. He is strategic in where and how he tempts us and attacks us. Oh, and HE IS A LOSER! Here is what I am seeing recently:
  • If someone is strong physically and emotionally, he will attack and rob them spiritually.
  • If someone is growing spiritually, he may attack them emotionally or financially.
  • If someone is experiencing blessing financially, he may attack them relationally.
  • Or, like in my story...if someone is growing increasing spiritually, the enemy will attack them physically. Recently, I feel that my physical body has been under attack. In trying to do good, I hit the wall of aches, pains, and physical discouragement.
This reality just reinforces and drives home for me how badly I need to put on the WHOLE armor of God. The battles we fight are NOT against flesh and blood, people or backs, but they are against the forces of darkness that JESUS OVERCOMES!!!! Ephesians 6:10-20
There is victory in Jesus! Take that to the bank!
Looking for Jesus in all things,
Noah

Monday Download

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Here are a few randomly disconnected thoughts on my mind today:

  • I am thankful to see the sun out today. Oh, and it was great to have it get light earlier this morning. Made getting going a lot easier.
  • I have an issue with my spine. A bulging disc and a herniated disc. I try to ignore it, but it is boldly reminding me of it's existence recently. Today, it is killing me! Friday I start Physical Therapy. Welcome prayers for this.
  • I am looking to help a friend of mine find a decent car for under $2,000. Let me know if you are aware of one.
  • This Sunday morning, I'll be speaking at a Men's conference/event in DC. I will be spending some time this week finalizing that message. Praying that I say what God wants me to say. It is always a unique challenge when you don't really know your audience.
  • CCF'rs--This Sunday is the last Sunday to nominate candidates for the Executive Board 2010. Drop your suggestions in the box this Sunday.
  • I just have to give the Lord praise again for the great offerings that we have had recently! We exceeded budget for the month of October!!! Praise the Lord!
  • My heart and thoughts are heavily focused on God's plan for CCF for 2010. The next 8 weeks are going to be intentionally focused in that direction. I invite your prayers for wisdom and clarity.
Looking forward to a great week! I hope yours is!

Balancing Confidence and Humility

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If we struck a balance between a Godly confidence and a Godly Humility…learned to walk in both, it would be an absolutely powerful Jesus type of spirit! Confidence and humility are not opposites or contradictory, but rather hand in hand and a powerful combination for a high impact Christian!


Here are some more of my thoughts from this morning's message:


There is a difference between confidence and arrogance. And there is also a difference between being humble and being pitiful. Confidence and Humility…I have long desired to figure out the balance between these 2 things as a Christian:


In Psalm 51, David gives us a great example of the dance between confidence and humility. Click here to read the whole Psalm.


Basically, David writes this Psalm after committing adultery with Bathsheba. Kinda goes like this:


Humility: God, I messed up please forgive me. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit in me.


Confidence: I will teach people, they will respond, we will do this, we can do that…


Humility: But the only sacrifice that you desire is a broken and contrite heart.


Confidence: Make Zion prosper, rebuild the walls of Jerusalem...

My short version of the whole Psalm: I am not going to walk around BEATEN UP because I SCREWED UP, but I am going to MOVE UP to the place that you have for me…with a broken and contrite heart!

And then there is this key verse:


Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”


Confidence, when properly placed (through Christ) can really lead to incredible humility. Leonard Sweet calls this a Jesus Spirit….the bringing together of these 2 powerful dynamics! It is an emptying AND filling!!!

Remember, humility is NOT putting yourself down. And humility is NOT denying your strengths. It is honestly accepting your weaknesses. You strengths are gifts from the Lord, and to reject the gift is to reject the giver.


The key to a big head is a big heart. The solution to a big head is a Jesus Spirit!

Why I LIKE Halloween!

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I know that many Christians take a stand against Halloween. Today, I want to tell you why this Pastor LIKES Halloween. (Note: I am OK with you disagreeing with me on this. Really.)

There are plenty of things that I do NOT like about Halloween, especially as a Christ Follower. At our home, we don't celebrate Halloween. We celebrate "Costume and Candy Day"! No ghosts, demons, devils or evil costumes. Davis is going to be a cowboy. When I was a kid, I was Moses one year and Noah another. Original, huh?
Well, let me tell you what I do like about Halloween:
  1. It is fun to play dress up if you are a kid. Stretches the imagination and builds excitement. Why not?
  2. I like that generosity is expressed by so many on this day. Free candy! Win!
  3. What other time in the year do you get to walk up to 50+ of your neighbors doors, find them home, they open their door to you, and you get to make a connection in the name of kids? Powerful opportunity! This year, I plan to get some names, write them down in my iPhone as I walk away and call them by name next year.
  4. What other night of the year will 50+ kids come knocking on your door? We plan to make some connections and get to know our neighbors better tonight! Amazing opportunity! We are going to be giving every kid 2 nice pieces of candy taped to an invitation to CCF (our church)!!

Bottom line for me: To skip Halloween in the name of being a Christian is to skip one of the greatest opportunities to begin making a difference in your neighborhood for Christ! I'm not spiritual enough yet to miss that opportunity.

50+=Massive Potential

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Let me make this really plain. Recently, God has been strongly showing me the value of those in their later years! Our youth obsessed culture has impacted church culture. The truth is that we need all ages, all people, all perspectives to bring beauty and balance to the good work that the Holy Spirit wants to do among us. CCF is a church that celebrates our diversity. Our generational diversity is an added invaluable bonus to the DNA of this great church!

I mentioned this (rather boldly) in a recent message, but I LONG to see the elders and folks in their later years rise up, see their value, and be utilized for massive kingdom impact! Too many churches are one skin color and too many churches are one age group. Not CCF! We need to think this through and figure out to capitalize on the gifts that the Lord has given us.
Leviticus 19:32 says "Rise in the presence of the aged; show respect for the elderly and revere your God!"
  • Loads of wisdom.
  • Wealth of experience.
  • Discretionary time.
  • Depth of faith.
  • Discretionary resources.
  • Hunger for value.
  • Desire to feel needed.
  • Balance to youth.
  • Mentoring possibilities out the ears!
These are just some of the many reasons that we need to pay more attention to this ever important population of the body of Christ and see them fully engaged in mission.
Watch this! It is 9 minutes and worth it.

Think in YEARS!

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I have no problem admitting that I have had a lot of growing up to do over the past years. Still got some ways to go. But, the older I get, the easier it becomes to recognize maturity for what it is. I think that it is healthy to recognize when you're growing up and then thank God for the wisdom he gives. Well, God has been slowly building this into me...

Living with long term perspective drastically impacts short term results and changes how you lead/live.
For too long, I thought in terms of days, weeks or months. Maybe it's something I want to work on at home. Or a new ministry I want to launch at the church. Or a goal I wish to attain. There are few things in life of any real value that are attained in days, weeks or even months.
I think that we need to train ourselves to begin thinking in years more often:
  • 1 Year
  • 3Years
  • 5 Years
  • 10 Years
Chill out and give yourself the permission to think in years! It is powerful. It allows you to lead and live more incrementally, strategically and patiently.
Possible hypothetical examples:
  • We plan to launch a Men's ministry within the next several years.
  • We hope to get out of debt within 2 years.
  • I want to lose 2 pounds a month for the next 3 years.
  • I hope to gain more trust and relational equity at the church over the next 3-4 years.
  • I long to disciple him/her over the next several years.
I really believe that it builds maturity and character when we learn that REAL GOOD STUFF does not happen fast.
So, the word for today is to chill out and think in years!
(Note to self: Come back and read this the next time I am stressing and rushing.)

Making up for lost time

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Do you ever wonder why you go through so much junk? Last week a friend of mine posted their Facebook status update like this: "...Is wondering how to define enough?"

You know, God is full of grace; grace that we won't ever fully understand. This morning, as I was reading some Psalms, one particular verse jumped off the page for me. I felt like I needed to share it with you. It is for someone today:
Psalm 90:15- "Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good."
  • You ever feel like you have had enough? God can and will replace your former misery with gladness. Wait on him. It's coming.
  • And check this out: my favorite three words of this verse are, "...in proportion to..."!! Have you had lots of misery? God wants to give you lots of gladness. Hang in there. Maybe the rule is: the more your misery now, the more your gladness later.
  • You ever feel like you wasted years on "evil"? Are you still living with any past regret? This verse is an encouragement that God has the power over your past. He can REPLACE the evil years with good ones. Trust him for that today.
No one knows how to make up for lost time like God does!

Move Ahead (Repost)

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At the beginning of this year, the Lord gave this word to us through our Bishop, Glenn. The Lord reminded me to reflect on it again today. I am seeing it come to fruition more and more. I know more of the truth of this word TODAY than I did in January. Here it is...re-blogged:


At the end of the service [January] this past Sunday, our Bishop Glenn approached Pastor Nelson and I and shared what he believed to be a prophetic word for us. It was powerful and I have been thinking and praying into it all week.

Here is the thumbnail sketch:
  • God is bringing an increased anointing onto us.
  • God is developing increased character in us.
  • The things that we see happening at CCF are merely a fractional sign of what is coming.
  • We need to actively rest in what God is about to do. (Not passively rest.)

Then, here is the part that has been shaping me most:

In this season of economic and societal "pulling back", there will be abundant fruitfulness for those whomove forward into God's purposes! We should not faithlessly hoard and retreat, but rather faithfully move ahead into the future that God has for us. The economy of God is not the economy of the world! Move forward, don't pull back. But, move forward in a confident humility and a resting in the fact that God may want to be revealing himself most in a time where people can depend on stuff the least!

Did you know that the Australian seal has an Emu and a Kangaroo in it? Neither of these animals can move backwards. It speaks to their desire as a land to be always moving ahead...


Keep working in us Lord!

A BIG day!

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We've been waiting for this day for 7 years! 7 years ago today, our dear friend Rich was incarcerated for poor choices that cost him 7 years of his life and a lot of pain. There was a day that I wondered if he would ever breathe the same air as us. After a transformational forgiveness journey, our relationship is renewed and strong!

This morning at 8:00am, he will be released from Jail! At his request, and our joy, Tricia and I will be there with his Mom and Stepdad in about an hour.
There are loads of lessons that Rich has learned and he wants other people to learn from his own experiences as well. As time goes by, he hopes to use his story to make a difference in other lives.
We are rejoicing this morning, with a tinge of nervousness. We have seen amazing growth in him over the years! We believe that God is full of grace and redemption and he loves restoring people. It's one of his favorite things to do! And Tricia and I are honored to play a part in it.
Today will be exciting. Lots of firsts for Rich that I cannot wait to experience with him:
  • First time in a restaurant in 7 years!
  • First time to ever touch an iPod!
  • First time to see the neighborhood and area that he has lived in for 7 years!
  • First road trip in 7 years.
  • First time that he will have walked the streets with full honesty and disclosure of who he is and what he has experienced. Something freeing about that.
He already told us that the first step is McDonald's....of all places. ;-)
Pray with us for this day and Rich's journey ahead. Prayer works!!

"The Church of Facebook"

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Last Monday, I saw that this book was just published; "The Church of Facebook" by Jesse Rice. I asked Tricia to order it for me (ordering things online is one of my least favorite things to do). It arrived Thursday. I finished it this morning.

Overall opinion of the book: Not my favorite. It was a pretty big let down. If you are a Facebook hater, then you would love it. But, if you, like me, see Facebook's redemptive and endless possibilities for impact, you won't love this book.
  • Rice spends the lion share of the book talking about the negative impact of Facebook on humanity, and vice versa.
  • Contrary to the misleading title, he never discusses anything regarding how Facebook and the church can work together.
  • The majority of the book is really about how Facebook makes the individual relationally inapt.
I am NOT saying that some of his points did not have value. They did. I learned stuff, for sure. And was even convicted a few times. I AM saying that I did not think that he brought a balanced perspective. He basically believes that:
  • Facebook is where people create false pictures of who they are, essentially deceiving others.
  • We are hyper-connected making relationships very weak and meaningless.
  • The rapid fire Facebook updates are negatively forming our communication approach.
  • Friendship=private sharing and growth. Public friendship is an oxymoron.
  • Facebook addiction is leading to CPA (continuous partial attention). This is different from multi-tasking. When we multi-task, we are motivated by a desire to be more efficient and productive. In the case of CPA, we are motivated by a desire not to miss anything.
  • The mix of public and private stuff that is found on Facebook makes things blurry for people more often than they realize.
  • Rice addressed how FB negatively impacts our privacy, authority, romances, jobs, peers, time management, personal identity, and future.
  • The "tethered self" refers to people that are addicted to mobile technology and are "always on." (like me, if I am not careful)
  • The "always on" tendencies prevent us from being fully present in the moment. We can ignore the here and now for the people "out there." Do not ignore "what's new" for "what's now"!
He did have some profound insights as well:
  • The vision of Facebook: to turn Facebook into the planet's standardized communication (and marketing) platform...build one worldwide platform where you can just type in anyone's name, find the person you are looking for and communicate with them.
  • In the first quarter of 2009, 5 million people joined Facebook ever week.
  • Facebook's membership doubled in the last year, from 100 million to 200 million.
  • Facebook's founder, Mark Zuckerberg has a vision and not even $15 Billion dollars would deter him.
  • The author makes a compelling case that we are made for connection! But, there is a difference between community and connection. We can find connection on Facebook. Community requires a whole lot of other dynamics that we cannot get on a computer screen.
  • Older population is joining Facebook at massive rates.
  • Beware to never live in response to a thousand imagined voices instead of your own heart.
In a very short period of time (5 years), a very large population (several hundred million and counting) has been synchronized (pulled into the orbit of a single web platform called Facebook). And what kind of gravity is capable of accomplishing such a feat? The human need for home!
Facebook offers a sense of "Home" for many:
  1. Home is where we keep all the stuff that matters most to us. (pictures, videos, beliefs, memories, friends, family, opinions, likes, dislikes...we can decorate our wall however we want)
  2. Home is wherever we find family. (instantly and globally get the family all on one page!)
  3. Home is where we feel safe because we can control the environment. (we can confirm and ignore our way to comfort)
  4. Home is where we can "just be ourselves."
My wife told me to write another book with a similar title to explore the positives of Facebook, to bring balance to this one. I'm tempted.

Resting in PA

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I've been back in the saddle at the church for a little over 2 months now, after 75 days away. Confession: I am pretty tired already. I do not think that's a sign of my lack of stamina, but more a sign of the intensity of ministry over the last few months. A lot weighing on me recently both seen and unseen. Good stuff though, and God has been super faithful!

So...I am actually really, really excited to spend the weekend at a campground up here in Lancaster County, PA. You can read more about why we are here by reading my earlier blog post, HERE!
Plan to REST, enjoy my babies, play games, sip coffee, and grow closer to the 15 people that are here with us. It is rainy, but the leaves are prettier up here then down in MD.
My hope is that....the sun will come out, tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun...
When is the last time that you took 2-3 days of rest? When is the next time that you will? It is important. Plan it!