We Are Not All The Same

We are all one but yet we are different.

There will be times In our Christian Journey whereby we are tempted to walk, act, and speak like someone in the Faith that we admire.   How many times have you seen a mega church TV Pastor  do something profound in the Spirit and all of the sudden other Pastor's, Evangelist and Preachers are trying to emulate (copy) the exact same clothing style, speech pattern and movements so as to get the same results.  They seem clumsy and out of balance as they try to be someone God never intended them to be or reach an audience that God did not intend for them to reach.

This temptation to be someone else is very strong but the results are it slows the work of "Kingdom Building". Whether we know it or not EVERYONE has an appointment and spiritual assignment, audience and space to occupy in the Kingdom of God.  Some people have  been given assignments by God that have absolutely nothing to do with the pulpit or even working with church auxiliaries or committees. Their part in the Kingdom of God is to do wondrous works outside of the church so that both the saved and unsaved can see the Glorious work of God and in turn, build their Faith if they are saved or if not, they will ask; What Must I do to be saved?

As individuals assigned to work in the vineyard we may find ourselves in environments that look nothing like the church.  Some of the Greatest Soul Saving work has been done in brothels, bars, crack houses, in the midst of criminal activities.  I recently heard of a man in Memphis Tn who broke into the home of a 93 year old women and began to rob her.  She told the robber that if he killed her right then she knew where she would be the next instant.  But would he know where he would be going for eternity.  The robber left her unharmed and it is my hope that in that instant, God spoke to his heart and he decided to turn his life around for Christ.  How about the numerous suicide attempts where someone intervened right before the person jumped, pulled the trigger or kicked out the stool beneath them.  I am sure  you have heard that someone comes in and gives a word of hope and they decide to live yet another day.  This is the work that we do individually, yet we do it as one.  One body of believers exhorting each other to be what it is that God called them to be.  Not to copy someone elses ministry because we think this is the formula for success or we are looking for the praises and honors of men.

How many ministries are ineffective because they are trying to be what they were not called to be.  Can Chickens fly high like eagles?  Do minnows swim like sharks, yet each one has it's own divine purpose in God's design.  This is why we must counsel with God and seek to recognize our gifts and talents and get on with what God has designed us to do individually and then see how that connects with the broader context which may be the local church or some other body of believers connecting for the glory of God.   This is not work that can be done in our heads, it is formed in our hearts and is orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.   If we do this and stay committed in our efforts, we will soon see our lives transformed into a lively HOPE that helps a dying world and ushers in the presence of God.

My Hope for you the reader is that you fully embrace what it is that God has called you to be. And to embrace the truth imparted in John 10:10 which states: "The thief cometh not but to steal and to kill and to destroy. I (Jesus) am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

Amen

The Power of Stability

Stability

There is a power that we carelessly neglect in todays Hypermobile society.  This power is called stability and inherent in it are so many gifts and blessings that lead to a better life, an understanding of one's purpose in life, and opportunities to improve yourself and the communities in which we live.  Yesterday, I had a visit from a young artist whom I have admired over the years.  This person, who is very free spirited, just as I am, and creative left corporate America and one of the largest companies on the face of the earth, in order to pursue her dream to be an artist.  Having moved to New York city for a season she discovered the speed and pace of life there was frenetic to say the least.  Considering she was raised in a small rural southern town with a much slower pace, New York was an experience on the other side of the spectrum.  I listened intently as my young friend discussed the call to come back to her southern roots, not fully understanding why, since this is a place you grow up an get as far away from as possible after you reach adulthood.  The job opportunities are dismal, no starbucks or coffee shops, no art's community, no vegetarian restaurants, or bookstores.  Life in the rural south may be considered by some to be boring and unsophisticated.  So she pondered out loud, why would I be compelled to come back to such a place.  She expressed that she sought me out for guidance as I too made the voyage over 20 years ago from sophisticated urban dweller (Chicago) to southern rural living (Arkansas).  Didn't I question myself on such a radical move that may have been construed by some as stepping backwards?  My answers to her were as follows and these answers only came about in the passage of many years and conversations with God.

First, the greatest lessons from life come from stillness and the more you can embrace it the more fulfilling your life will be and the more impact you will have on others.  If you embrace a slower lifestyle you can hear the voice of God so much better and it is unencumbered with distractions, opinions and illusions that are associated with fast paced go go living in large urban cities.  You purpose and call in life becomes real and you have the ability to see progress so much clearer.

Second, the lives you impact with your gifts will be so rich and rewarding to you.  My friend agreed as she expressed with great enthusiasm how edified she was this summer when she participated in the Freedom Schools that are lifting so many of our young people and giving them a sense of hope from and connection to the struggles of the civil rights movement.  As an artist this experience showed her how artistry can be expanded with the fresh perspective derived from meeting and shaking hands with iconic figures such as Marian Wright Edelman, John Lewis and Andrew Young.  She would most likely not have had these experiences in the larger noisier confines of the city.  She retreated at the Alex Haley Home House in rural Tennessee and allowed his spirit and stories to speak to her heart.  She could now breathe and grasp the gift so freely given by our Lord and that is inspiration.  This gift of inspiration is what allows us to bless others and find strength to take our calling higher and higher.  To reach more and more people throughout our community.

Stability at it's core is something we should all embrace in our lives.  We must shake off the false notions about run here run there, be a part of the latest craze, move from here and run to there, over and over again as if living on a treadmill.  Jump from one idea to the next without allowing any of them to marinate and settle in the stable soils of life to germinate and grow as an old oak tree.

Sometime's we just need to be still and "Know that he is God" and through the blessings of stability, he will give us a full life with many blessings and benefits.

Peace!

Changing Relationships

My oldest son has been close by my side even from his earliest days when I would let him ride in the truck with me to work doing construction. He would put on his work clothes, grab a hammer and just have a good time banging on pieces of wood.  As he grew older he would take on larger projects such as sheet rocking walls, painting and building sheds.  After college, he came to work with me as a construction manager for building projects that I had developed.   One noteworthy project was a very large multi-million dollar project where he gained a deeper level of understanding of commercial building and real estate development.

Soon after this project ended and because of large government budget cutbacks, we had to layoff staff and my son was one of the persons affected.  We did a few side projects together to make ends meet but at some point the desire to work together began to disappear and while we didn't know it at the time, this was God's way of preparing us both for a Paradigm Shift.  God brought new people into his life and he brought new people into my life and we both charted new and exciting courses leading us into new opportunities to prosper. 

My son moved to a large vibrant metropolis and took on a corporate job and i began to have new people coming into my work  life with seasoned skill to help me expand my business enterprises.

Looking back, if we had not yielded to the move of God, both our lives would have been limited, slowed or unfulfilled because we were not in synch with the plan of God.  We would have been stuck in a rut and our attitudes toward each other would have deteriorated while our service to God would have fallen short. 

So now we are both feeling energized by our new and evolving assignments.  The expansion of resources, fresh ideas and new discoveries about ourselves makes for a life of satisfaction.  Even the challenges seem small because our energies have been renewed.

If you feel uncomfortable in your present situation you really need to see if God is using this to move you away from people and into a new expansive and prosperous role.  God is a God of Paradigm Shifts and Changes.  It is made clear when we observe the natural seasons Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring.  And each season has it's unique cast of characters.

May you embrace the power of God to have a fulfilled life.

Everything Matters

In this journey called life it is important to understand the signs of life; both spiritual and natural. In spiritual language it is called wisdom and discernment. In the natural the understanding may be called knowledge. Nevertheless, it is very important because it will inform us on when to make a move, when to be still, what to endure, and what to eliminate in our journey.
 
 As part of a bonding ritual with my two sons, I taught them how to play chess at an early age.  I recall how I would beat them regularly and how I would celebrate.  I would see their disappointment and hurt because their emerging male ego had been smashed in defeat.  One day, I was soundly defeated by one of my sons in a 3 move checkmate.  Now the tables had turned and I was the one with the bruised ego and both of my sons celebrated the defeat to their dad with a deadly 3 move checkmate.  You see all the victories didn't teach me a whole lot.  I didn't take the time to understand that this might not last long and that I may have awaken a fighting spirit in my sons to eventually defeat me in chess.   In fact, I got comfortable and careless, but that defeat taught me something.  I don't even remember many of my victories, but I totally remember that defeat which took place 15 years ago. I pondered it because I knew it mattered.  I realized that I needed to be alert, tighten up my game and that my opponent was getting stronger. 

So goes life, we must understand that Everything Matters.  The celebrations matter, but also the defeats because the defeats can teach us how to be alert and aware of the 3 move checkmates.

Painting Walls; Are You Serious?

Are you feeling the weight of your problems depressing you?  Do you feel trapped in situations that seem to constrain you.   Then I have a suggestion for you today.    Take a few steps back, give yourself the benefit of this distance, and then just do Something different.

Some people may think that this is weird and that you should throw all your mental weight and energies to your troubles, but I disagree with this.  Pushing yourself too hard can have devastating effects on your body, soul and mind. It can lead to a nervous breakdown and other physical problems.

 I have found different things to help me relax.  One of them is painting.    No, not on canvas, but on walls in houses.  I go to Wal Mart or Home Depot and find paint that has been mixed wrong and I purchase it very cheap.   Sometimes I turn on classical music or Jazz, find a distressed looking wall, and I go at it.  Something about seeing an immediate change in the wall that encourages my Spirit.  It gives me a sense that I can control the images I see.  That I am participating in making something that may help others feel good and peaceful when they sit and allow the colors to speak beauty.   My troubles seem to melt away as I focus my attention on the wall versus my problems.  No matter how bad the problem is, I get a sense of accomplishment as the walls speak to me with excitement just like a child with a brand new set of clothes for Easter Sunday.  I can come back to it whenever I want and I can see that I created something of beauty and no matter how many mistakes I make out there in the world, I know that I created beauty on these walls and within these walls I have peace.  

You see these walls are not critical, they don't argue over the colors or the texture of paint.  They stand still and allow me to be all creative in making my selections.  They seemed thrilled to get some attention and to receive a new color to display to the world.  They welcome every paint stroke I make and realize that when its all said and done no matter what the critic says, the walls say I am new.

 Maybe you think I am making too much out of merely  painting a wall, but if you had the experience of obtaining peace and creating beauty all at the same time you too may be drawn to the art of painting walls.  

For I have learned that it's the simple things that usher in solutions to big problems and puts your mind at ease.  Happy Painting  :-)

Every Challenge Can Be Overcome

Yesterday, I gained a deeper insight on how God used me to accomplish something quite significant against overwhelming odd's and at a time when the whole world staggered as if she had taken a severe blow to her head.  This in large part was due to one of the harshest global recession in history being visited upon the earth.  In biblical terms it would be called a great famine.

About 20 years ago I  had a vision to establish a company that would serve the people while at the same time make noticeable changes in the way the community looked.  This would come from a varied approach such as creating jobs, removing blighted housing and creating new homes for low income families.  The broad term for this type of work is called economic development.  I had a vision for CHANGE but what I lacked was the blueprint to achieve it.  About 10 years was spent moving around the southern part of the country, particularly, the Black Belt states that included the Carolinas, Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.  I recorded in my mind the conditions that the poor lived in and the huge disparities in wealth.  Plantation homes on one side of town and shacks on the other side.  This was the fuel that I needed to bring my passion for Change to an inferno.  And that is just the type of fire you need to do what it is you are called to do.  But passion alone is not enough and the human condition is so weak that it is very hard for us to endure the many hardships that will befall us as we strive to reach our goals.  That's why as a people we suffer.  It is our inability to sustain that Passion when the winds, the storms and the heat of the day afflicts our plans.  Too many give up and give out.

However, I was blessed to discover a method that would sustain my passion and also knock down every hardship.  That method came right out of my King James Bible and it said this:
Hebrews 11:6
New King James Version (NKJV)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

This short bible verse is so powerful that it can destroy every doubt and hindrance to your plan.  It tells you that the key element is Faith that the key person is God and the ultimate blessing is Reward.  But the glue that holds all of this together is "diligently".  That means day in and day out you must practice seeking God and in this search you will build up your Faith and this strong tower called Faith will give you insights that you never had, resources that you never saw and access to God that you did not know existed.

Define Me Not

The first thought on my mind this morning was on how controlling others people's definition of us is, if we allow it.  My thoughts went to how stubborn I have been throughout my life in not accepting the various tags people have attempted to label me with.   Not that they were all bad, but they were not accurate and if I would have accepted those definitions then I would have missed my assignment and my calling and would have become something other than i was created to be.

Giving in to others definition of who you are submits you to their thoughts, their notions, and their agenda for your life.  It places you on the stage of their fantasy theatre and you are made to be the character that their mind frames up for you.  And guess what?  You have to perform according to their script.  I refuse to live on someones stage.  I purpose to live out my own realities.  My script is divinely inspired  and connected to an abundance of resources designed to lift me and direct me to every goal designed for my life.

Why let someones definition of you reign supreme when they have no real resources to support you in your achievements.  Of course they can applaud you when you read the lines of the script they have written and when your performance conforms to their story lines.  But that is such a weak resource because it only last until their fantasy is satisfied.  But what about you?  Is your soul satisfied?  Are your life goals being met and is that inner gift of yours being polished and presented to the world in its fine fashion.

My hope is that you will never be subjected to someones definition of who you are and that you spend the time building your stage,  writing your script and acting as the main character in your own production.  Why, because at the end ...your life needs to be yours and your legacy remains while all else perishes.