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Archive for the ‘Motivational’ Category

Doing the Impossible

Posted in Formation, Hope, Motivational on September 28, 2009| Leave a Comment »

This Sunday night I will be preaching on “Doing Impossible Things.”  In thinking about the sermon, I am reminded of a story from Matthew, you can read it here.

At the end of a long day, the disciples were in a boat headed across the lake (Sea of Galilee).  It was after dark when Peter spotted a figure walking on the water a few yards away.  I can’t imagine why they were shocked – I am sure I would have been more mature (yeah right!).

Once the disciples figured out it was Jesus, Peter, being the bold one called out, “If it is you Jesus, call for me to come out there and join you.”  Jesus said, “Come on in, the water is fine” (or something to that effect).  Peter stepped out of the boat and on to the water.  He was doing fine until he took his eyes off of Jesus.  At that point, he began to sink.

Jesus has a knack for calling us out of our comfort zone and into something unknown – something impossible.  I heard a new song today on the radio. I did not catch the title, but a line in the song hit home, “Impossible is not a word, it is just a reason not to try.”

What impossible thing is Jesus asking you to do today?  Keep your focus on Jesus and trust enough today to get out of the boat.

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The Reason for These Ramblings

Posted in Community, Formation, Motivational on September 23, 2009| 5 Comments »

Today marks 100 posts to this blog.  In all honesty, when I started this back in April, I did not know where or even if it would go.  I just knew that I needed to be involved in this avenue of connecting with people.  So I began with honesty and transparency and have tried to stay true to that format.

The website is “Clay In The Hands.”  I chose that title because it describes all of us.  If you are a follower of the Jesus way, then you realize that all of us are in the process of being shaped and molded into the person God wants us to become just as clay is shaped by a sculptor.  If you are a skeptic of the Jesus way of life, then I hope you realize that you too are being shaped and molded as well – that is a reality of life.  The issue really is not whether or not we are being shaped and molded, but rather, who and what do we allow to mold us?

My prayer in all of this is that we all grow together, being molded into the likeness of Jesus.

This blog has served as a sort of journal of my progression or journey on this Jesus way.  My intention has been, and continues to be, to share with all who will stop by and read, what God is teaching me along this journey in hopes that God will use my musings and ramblings to inspire, encourage or touch someone else.  My prayer is that through this simple connection point, a new layer of community can be formed – a community of Jesus followers on the same path, all being molded similarly.

My commitment to you is that I will continue to share my thoughts, my struggles, my joys and the simple revelations God bestows on me.  My challenge to you is to join in the dialogue.  If you have never left a comment, that is ok – don’t feel pressure to do so.  But the sharing of life together is how relationships – true community – are formed so I encourage you to join in.  Share your thoughts and we all grow.

May God’s unfathomable grace fall on you today in a way unlike anything you have ever experienced.

Thanks for reading – I look forward to the growth we will all share in the next 100 posts!

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Cleansing Rain

Posted in Grace, Hope, Motivational on September 22, 2009| Leave a Comment »

This morning I awoke to the sound of rain dripping outside my window.  I just lay there for a while and listened and prayed.  As I listened to the rain I began to think about the cleansing it can bring – all the dust that has collected on things outside is rinsed off leaving things clean and fresh.

I am reminded that we all need that cleansing rain – forgiveness.  We get weighted down with the mess of life, the poor decisions we make and the things we do even though we know we shouldn’t.  But then God sends rain to remind us that there is forgiveness available.

So today, if you feel that you have gone beyond God’s forgiveness, let me assure you – you haven’t.  According to this passage, there is nothing you can do (or anyone else can do for that matter) to cause God to discontinue loving you.

God is there to forgive you.  So whatever it is today that you feel is holding you back or weighting you down, let the cleansing rain of God’s forgiveness wash over you and make you fresh and new.  I can promise you, it is a wonderful experience!

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God Can’t Be Contained in the Temple

Posted in Formation, Hope, Missions, Motivational on September 18, 2009| Leave a Comment »

I was listening to a sermon by Rob Bell the other day and he got me to thinking.  When Jesus gave up and breathed his last, Matthew 27:50-51 says the curtain in the temple was ripped from top to bottom – why not bottom to top?  To prove it was God breaking into our reality.

For generations, the mentality of the people had been that the Temple was the center of their spiritual world.  It was the home of God – so much so that only one person could enter in to that place and only once per year.  Even then, the priest would have a rope tied to his ankle in the case that their sacrifice was not pleasing and God decided to strike the priest dead – they could then pull out the body.

When Jesus came, he broke into humanity – came and lived among us – experienced life just as we do.

When Jesus died, the curtain separating “God” from the world was torn from top to bottom.

What did this mean?  For starters, it meant that no longer was coming into God’s presence limited to one person a year.  No longer would man be hindered from coming to God.  No longer would man be kept out of God’s presence.

But here is another aspect to this event.  Not only was man no longer kept out of God’s presence, God was no longer kept in that place.  No longer should the temple be seen as the sacred dwelling place of God.

We know that the building is not the church, the people are the church.  We state that there is nothing particularly holy about the church building.  But do we understand that God is all around us?  Do we gather on Sundays in order to find God?  Do we expect to come into God’s presence?

Or is the point of gathering to listen and learn how to find God everywhere else?

This change in focus has the power to change everything!  God is not limited to a building.

Our lives should not be compartmentalized – we should not have our church life, our work life, our play life – etc.  Jesus should be in all parts of our lives.

Do you see Christ in everything?  Do you look for him in everyone?  Remember, Jesus said, “In as much as you have done it to the least of these, you have done it to me.”

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Lessons From a Flying Squirrel

Posted in Community, Formation, Grace, Hope, Motivational on September 16, 2009| 1 Comment »

I had the unique experience of participating for the last two and a half days with a great group of people in a leadership retreat.  Leadership Levelland began this past weekend.  We were bused to a Christian camp a couple of hours north of here where we had sessions on leadership, personality studies and various activities.  On Monday, we spent all day on the challenge course – all 26 of us.  We did all kinds of different things there but one of my favorite was called the Flying Squirrel.

In this element we had 12 people.  One person was hooked to one end of a long rope that extended up to a pulley 30 feet off the ground and then down to the other 11 who were hooked to the rope as well.  There were simple instructions:  “The squirrel (ie. me in this case) runs in one direction, and the team runs in the other direction.  When all the slack is taken out of the rope, the squirrel will be immediately carried 20 feet in the air.”

I was excited.  This was going to be a rush.  The facilitator counted off and on 3, I ran one way and the team ran the other.  I took off as fast as I could – the part I failed to remember is that I don’t run much.  I was trying so hard to make this work that I lost my balance and fell flat on my face, Superman style, in the dirt about 10 from where I started.  (Yes, in my mind I had envisioned this very differently).  Just as I was doing the chest crawl to try and get back up, the team hit the end of the slack in the rope and I shot 20 feet in the air.  It was still a rush!  The others watching said all they could see was me go down into the dirt, a big cloud of dust and then me shoot up out of the cloud – I am sure it was quite a sight.

Here are two of the things I took away from the flying squirrel experience.  One is that sometimes when we are trying new things and working our plan as best we can we still fall.  It doesn’t mean that we are a failure, it just means that we failed in that one thing – we have to get up and keep trying.

But the most important aspect to this experience was the reminder that when you have a team working for the same goal, they are there to pick you up.  We are all in this together.

So where are you today?  Have you fallen?  Get up, dust off and keep going.

Or, are you the person who should be helping someone else up after they have fallen?

As Christians, we are all on the same team, striving toward the same goal.  Reach down and pick someone up today.

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A Passionate Glow

Posted in Formation, Grace, Motivational on September 15, 2009| 1 Comment »

The other night I was sitting in front of the fire in the chimnea on the back deck.  The fire was dancing around inside the little fire box, casting interesting shadows on the wall and trees around me.  It was late and there was nothing going on so it was quiet and peaceful.  I had thrown a couple of pine cones into the fire and I began to watch them burn.

Have you ever watched a pine cone burn.  Once it begins to burn, the flame seems to come from within the core and come out through the leaves.  As it continues, the leaves begin to glow in an almost liquid heat.  It’s a beautiful sight.

As I sat there watching, I could not help but notice the similarity between the burning pine cone and our spiritual lives.  When the passion for Jesus begins to burn inside us, the glow should be evident on the outside.  Our lives should become a glowing light for those around us.

Is the passion for Jesus burning inside you or has it died down to a smolder?  What do you need to do today to allow Jesus to rekindle that passion?

I would love to hear your thoughts.

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5 Things I’ve Learned in My 44 Years

Posted in Formation, Motivational on September 11, 2009| 4 Comments »

As I was reflecting this morning on my last 44 years, I began to think about things I have learned through those years.  This list is not all-inclusive and as I continue to think about it, it may not even include the most important lessons I have learned.  But here is what is on my mind today:

  1. Trust God in all things
  2. Life is not about me – its about God
  3. Don’t think less of myself, just think of myself less
  4. Live fully – always engaged and with no regrets
  5. Love with all you’ve got

There it is – some things I have learned thus far on my journey.  Hopefully there will be many more years and many more lessons.

What are some things you have learned on your journey?

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Out of Context

Posted in Formation, Hope, Motivational on September 10, 2009| 3 Comments »

A couple of years ago I was at a conference for church leaders. I was walking toward one of my sessions when I met up with a familiar face. Have you ever seen someone and thought, “I know I should know this person” but you could not remember their name nor how you know them? This happens to me all the time.

We shared cordial conversation consisting of questions like, “how are you enjoying the conference?” and “tell me where you are from?” It was at that point that things got interesting. As it turns out, the person was from right here in town.  At that point, I was really confused.  I had assumed the person was there from another church.  I finally had to ask, “How do we know each other?”  At that point the person said, “I am your pharmacist.”

Then it clicked.  I had assumed she was there at the same conference I was attending for church leaders but she was in the same convention center attending a conference for pharmacists!

The point to this story is this – in a white lab coat, behind the counter at the pharmacy, I would have had no problem recognizing this person.  But out of that context, 300 miles from home, I could not place her.

How often do we miss God in action because we have a preconceived idea of the context in which we will see God.  God is at work today, at every turn.  Remember that we must be sensitive to see God and recognize God’s work in even the most unlikely places and times.

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Do Impossible Things

Posted in Formation, Grace, Motivational on September 4, 2009| 1 Comment »

IMG_0066This past summer, our family was blessed to spend a day or two at Huntington Beach, CA.  It just so happened that the US Open of Surfing was going on at the time.  In addition to the fantastic surfing, there were “side-shows” set up on the beach.  We got to sit and watch some of these guys show off their skills on bicycles.  They could do some amazing things – things that would be impossible for me (and most likely, deadly).

Yesterday I wrote about the importance of giving it our all.  For us to truly live the life worthy of the name of Christian, we must be committed to living everyday in service to God.  That takes many forms but at the root of it all will be the way we love others and show grace and compassion to others.  You may be thinking, “That sounds good on paper but you don’t know the people I know and there is no way I can show some people love, grace and compassion – it’s impossible.”

My answer to you – “Yep, you’re right!”  It is not humanly possible to love everyone unconditionally.  But according to this passage, God can work in and through us to do incredible things – God is able if we are willing.

So here is your challenge – this weekend do a little dreaming.  What is God nudging you to do that would be impossible without God’s help?  Then set your mind about doing just that.

Have a great holiday weekend!

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Leave It All on the Court

Posted in Formation, Motivational on September 3, 2009| 1 Comment »

If you read these ramblings long enough, you find out a lot of facts about me you may not have otherwise known.  One of the things you may have figured out by now is that I love music.  All kinds of music (must admit – not a big country fan – but even that has its place – just not on my iPod) – I even have some rap on the old pocket juke box.  I was listening to a Christian rapper this morning who does an incredible job.  He is fairly new to the mainline stream although he has been around for a number of years.

@Lecrae does an incredible job of putting meaningful lyrics together in a way that will make you stop and think.  The rap this morning that caught my ear was “Go Hard or Go Home.”  The entire song speaks to the fact that as Christians, we have to be on fire for Christ.  While the words of this rap are pretty “in your face,” the point he makes is that if we aren’t living every day for Jesus with all we’ve got then why are we even alive.

He uses a basketball illustration in the rap (which is probably another reason I like him) and says:

Take me out the game coach
I don’t wanna play no mo
If I can’t give it all I got and leave it out there on the court

In other words, I don’t want to live any longer if I am not giving it all I’ve got.  So here is the question:  Are you giving Jesus all you’ve got everyday?

Or put another way, Are you leaving it all out on the court at the end of the day?  Give it all or go home is what Lecrae would say, and I’m with him.

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