If

Image from http://www.hermitagemuseum.org

My close friend Danny V. loaned me the book The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming by Henri J.M. Nouwen. While reading this morning these couple of paragraphs jumped off the page, thought I should share them.

At issue here is the question: "To whom do I belong? God or to the world?" Many of my daily preoccupations suggest that I belong more to the world than to God. A little criticism makes me angry, and a little rejection makes me depressed. A little praise raises my spirits, and a little success excites me. It takes very little to raise me up or thrust me down. Often I am like a small boat on the ocean, completely at the mercy of its waves. All the time and energy I spend in keeping some kind of balance and preventing myself from being tipped over and drowning shows that my life is mostly a struggle for survival: not a holy struggle, but an anxious struggle resulting from the mistaken idea that it is the world that defines me.

As long as I keep running about asking: "Do you love me? Do you really love me?" I give all power to the voices of the world and put myself in bondage because the world is filled with "ifs." The world says: "Yes, I love you if you are good-looking, intelligent, and wealthy. I love you if you have a good education, a good job, and good connections. I love you if you produce much, sell much, and buy much." There are endless "ifs" hidden in the world's love. These "ifs" enslave me, since it is impossible to respond adequately to all of them. The world's love is and always will be conditional. As long as I keep looking for my true self in the world of conditional love, I will remain "hooked" to the world-trying, failing,and trying again. It is a world that fosters addictions because what it offers cannot satisfy the deepest craving of my heart.

What would happen today if we stopped turning to the world for validation? What would happen today if we listened to the small voice inside instead of letting the world drown it out? What would happen today if we opened ourselves up to God's love? What would happen today if we stood together as men of God and pushed back the darkness of the world?

What would happen today...?

1 Kings 19:11-12

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

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Thanks

This morning while I was drinking coffee and mapping out my day I wanted to check the weather on a local television stations website. When the page loaded I looked at the forecast and checked out a couple of the news stories. Then I noticed a link - The trapped Chilean miners are being rescued now! Click here for LIVE streaming coverage. So I clicked on it and sure enough it was a live feed from Chile. I watched for a few minutes as a few guys were standing around the hole where the capsule was being raised by a cable and crane. When the capsule emerged from the ground the workers helped the miner out and cheered because he was safe. After removing the safety equipment he walked over to his wife and hugged her and held her for a long time. But what he did next was what got me, he fell to his knees and prayed.

What would happen today if we had the faith of these men? What would happen today if we had the persistence of the rescuers? What would happen today if we had the faith of the families? What would happen today if we fell to our knees and thanked God for our rescue?

What would happen today...?

Isaiah 12:3-5 (NIV)

³ With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. ⁴ In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. ⁵ Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.

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Hero

video from the CBS Early Show

"I thank God that He put me here to help out that little girl that's for sure."

What would happen today if we followed where God is leading us to help someone? What would happen today if we overcame fear and did the right thing? What would happen today if we defeated the indifference the enemy plants in our minds? What would happen today if we were humble in our victories and gave the glory to God?

What would happen today...?

1 Samuel 17:49

Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

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Mentor

In the book The Mentor Leader author Tony Dungy, former head coach of the Super Bowl winning Indianapolis Colts, tells about an opportunity he had to mentor a young man who had put himself into a situation that landed him in prison. That man is Micheal Vick. Vick was a raising star in the NFL playing quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. He was known for his speed and athleticism which gave him the reputation as a game breaker. At the top of his game in 2007 Vick was arrested and plead guilty to felony dog-fighting charges (animal cruelty) and served 21 months in federal prison.

Dungy writes:

To all appearances, Michael Vick was wildly successful-wealthy, at the top of his profession, and in the public eye. But as we all learned, there was more to the story. For all his worldly success, was he building a life of significances?-

- Before his time in prison, I'm sure there were times when Micheal thought about the great opportunity God had given him. I know he thought about his family, his teammates, and the fans all over the country who looked up to him. But I don't think he ever contemplated the responsibility that goes along with a leadership position, whether in leading his family or his team, or being a role model for so many other young men.

When Micheal's succssful career was brought to a halt and he had time to think about it, he came to the conclusion that he hadn't done his part as a leader. God had blessed him with uncommon talent, and Micheal had used it to rise to the top of his profession. Unfortunately, he realized he hadn't helped the people around him as much as he could have. And he wanted to do that-starting with his family, and then, he hoped, with another football team, if he were given the opportunity. But he also wanted to reach to all the young boys who looked up to him, who wore his jersey, and who wrote him letters while he was in prison asking why he wasn't playing anymore. Could he still do those things? Could he still have that impact for good?

That's why I chose to work with Micheal Vick. That's why I got involved in his life. I saw a young man in need, and I had an opportunity to do something. But more than that, I accepted the responsibility to perhaps provide a moment of significance in his life-a moment that would help him get his life back on track. I did what so many others had done for me- the things that have helped me become more the person I am and the person I want to be than I ever could have done on my own. You never know how these things will turn out, but you've got to be willing to try.

There are several elements of this story that I believe to be significant. First, I think the fact that Vick owned up to his mistake and plead guilty to the charges and served his time, shows integrity. Most men in that position would have plead innocent and had gone to trail hoping to be found not guilty or to lesson the punishment. Second, while in prison he repented of his sin and asked for forgiveness (even though it is not mentioned, it is implied). Third, because of the repentance God put Dungy in his life, to help him become the man that He had intended him to be from the beginning. Lastly, the fact the Dungy was willing to follow the prompting that God had led him. Dungy poured himself into the life of a man who needed the help that only by the grace of God he could provide.

What would happen today if we followed the prompting that God is leading us to? What would happen today if we took a stand against the enemy who has brought down so many good men? What would happen today if we mentored someone in trouble, poured ourselves into him and helped him with his walk like so many others have done for us? What would happen today if we banded together to mentor each other as brothers in Christ?

What would happen today...?

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

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Preparation

I was flipping through the channels the other night and something caught my attention, the New York Philharmonic on PBS. I'm really not much of a symphony kind of guy but there was something about this program that made me stop and watch the entire show. The music was amazing, but that's not what held my interest, it was the precision and complexity of the performance. Being a musician myself I know how much time is spent preparing for a concert. To play an instrument at this caliper one would spend thousands of hours of individual practice to hone the gift God has given them to share with the world. Then there are hundreds of hours spent practicing the music for the performance. Add in the many hours of rehearsals with the full orchestra and you have a lifetime devoted to this one moment in time, opening night.

What would happen today if we spent thousands of hours honing the gifts that God has given us to share with the world? What would happen today if we spent hundreds of hours practicing for the performance? What would happen today if we rallied together as men of God to collectively prepare ourselves for that one moment in time, the day Jesus returns?

What would happen today...?

1 Peter 1:13

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

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Incredible

Last week a friend and I made trip to the hospital to visit a woman and her husband who are very active members of our church. They have been instrumental with the set up and operation of the first multi-site location that our congregation has attempted, it has been a great success. They're a good christian family that home schools their 8 children. They own a very successful small business and are loved by their peers. They're the kind of people that you like the first time you meet them.

Earlier this year she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery and several weeks of chemo treatments she was released with a clean bill of health. But a few weeks ago she came down with headaches that where unbearable. She went back to the hospital and found that she had a very aggressive brain tumor.

We made our visit on Tuesday knowing that she was in a coma and could pass at anytime. We went there to support her husband. Our intent was to talk with him, console and be there for him. But what we witnessed was an incredible declaration of faith. Here he was facing the death of his wife yet he put his faith and trust in the Lord. He had come to peace with the fact that she would pass soon. He was ready to let her go.

She passed on Thursday.

What would happen today if we trusted the Lord? What would happen today if we were able to have peace about the awful things that life throws at us? What would happen today if our faith was stronger than our pain? What would happen today if our devotion was more than reading prayers in a book everyday?

What would happen today...?

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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Focus

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary one of the definitions of focus is: directed attention.

In my last post I said that I've been a little sidetracked lately and I have. Do to a series of events I've lost focus on some of the things that are important to me, like this blog. I've let my attention be directed by a weakness that has plaque me for years. Even though I've spent a lot of time working through this lust the enemy knows how to use it against me. I was being led down a path that I knew was not good for me, but I went along anyway. This is nobody's fault but mine. Fortunately because of my awareness of this weakness , the years of lessons learned, and the support of a close friend I've been able to take the proper steps to curtail the repeat of old unwanted behaviors that obstruct God's blessings for me.

In my last post I also stated that this obsession was not necessarily unhealthy, that was denial. I thought it was no big deal and that I could handle it on my own, I was wrong. The enemy knows how to play games with the mind, even though I knew what was happening I let it go on much longer than I should have.

I apologize for my loss of focus and letting you and myself down. Helping men through the struggles of life has been my mission for some time now and I intend to continue to do so. The good news is that out of this experience I have a heightened awareness of the enemy's ploys and I can use this in the future to help other men through a similar struggle.

What would happen today if we were so in-tuned to the enemy's games that we could resist his distractions? What would happen today if we set up clear boundaries and adhered to them at all costs? What would happen today if we talked through our struggles with each other as men in the brotherhood of God? What would happen today if we followed our hearts instead of our lusts?

What would happen today...?

Romans 7:18-20 (NIV)

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature ( my flesh). For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Sidetracked

Image From: http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE62U19V20100331

For the past couple of weeks I've been a little sidetracked. My mind has been on a journey that is far from where I believe God wants me to be. Not that I've been obsessed with things that are unhealthy for me, but I've not been focused on bettering myself or helping others. Much like the train pictured above I think we go through life on a clear straight path and then something comes along that catches our attention and sends us off that path. We may still be headed north but we're distracted, confused, or just plain clueless. But unlike the train there is no yardmaster to switch the tracks for us. We have free will, and that free will is what gets us off line sometimes.

What would happen today if we stayed focused on God's desire for us? What would happen today if we recognized that we are getting off track before we waste a lot of time wandering around aimlessly? What would happen today if we asked God for direction each and every day? What would happen today if we followed His direction in every area of our lives?

What would happen today...?

Talent

Brett Banasiewicz is a 15 year old BMX phenom from my home town of South Bend Indiana. This kid is awesome, they call him Mad Dog! He is the youngest person to win a competition on the Dew Tour and this weekend he will be competing in the finals at X-Games 16 in Los Angeles.



It's obvious that God has blessed this young man with an incredible talent. But what I find interesting is that he has found that talent and developed it at a very young age. For some of us the gifts are found early like with Brett. For others it takes years to find our God given talents, and for a few they may never be found at all. God has equipped each of us with various abilities that are unique to who He has made us to be. But in order to use them we must seek them out, search for them, find them and develop them into something great.

In our society we spend way too much time trying to fix our shortcomings, our inadequacies, our insufficiencies. If there is an area where we are weak we are taught to concentrate all of our efforts into transforming that weakness into a strength. But what happens is that we get frustrated and give up. What we should be doing is concentrating all that effort into developing our talents.

What would happen today if we sought out our God given talents? What would happen today if we found them, developed them and used them the way God had intended? What would happen today if we stopped trying to fix our weaknesses and exercised our strengths? What would happen today if we asked God to join us together as His men to use our unique gifts collectively to advance His Kingdom?

What would happen today...?

For more information on this subject I recommend the book "Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Marcus Buckingham. (only buy this book new, there is an access code inside to a web based evaluation assessment that will help you find your strengths, it can only be used once)

More

In the song More of You by my friends Pure Star Movement there is a line that says;

I need more of You...and less of me.

What would happen today if we admitted to ourselves that we need more of the Lord in our lives? What would happen today if we let Him into our hearts more and more every day? What would happen today if we put His desires for us before our own? What would happen today if we relied more on Him and less on ourselves?

What would happen today?