Live Smarter

I'm getting old.  Up until three years ago I could operate on 4-5 hours of sleep as long as one or two nights of each month I was able to crash for 12-14 hours.  That 4-5 has turned into 6-7 with a desire to crash one night a week for 8-9 hours.  The good news is that I have learned to live and work smarter (albeit, I have much more to learn).  What does living and working smarter look like for me?

I pray more.  Five years ago, I considered any prayer longer than a couple minutes a waste of time. I am now learning the value of communication with God. Prayer renders my actions/work more effective and efficient. Prayer accomplishes things I could never do on my own. Prayer places me in submission to God. Prayer brings me closer to God.

I read the Word more.  I have often fallen into the trap of thinking that Scripture's sole purpose is to provide good doctrine (solid answers to questions about who God is, who man is, and how the two relate).   While systematic theology is a great thing, the Word provides so much more. Through Scripture I am able to hear God speak with crystal clarity.  His Word is engaged by His Spirit and it transforms my head and heart's understanding.  The more I read the Word, the less I am concerned about having perfect answers and the more I am concerned about hearing and knowing God.  In other words, the focus of my reading isn't the text, but hearing and knowing the author of the text.

I see my life differently.  My shared values with the world are becoming less. In a culture that is very much time and production oriented, I am finding myself less concerned about efficiencies and worldly success.  I evaluate my success more on obedience than production. I value the process just as much as the result.  The way this lives out in my life is through relating to people.  It's very easy to rank people based on their ability to help me achieve my objectives. Those that can't help me are written off and those that can are used.  I am more convinced today than ever that God cares more about the grace I extend to others than what they can extend to me.  I can leave production up to Him and work on faithfulness in the moment.  This is perhaps my biggest challenge.  I am a slow work in progress.

I spend more time with less people.  Instead of running around trying to help everyone or be friends with everyone, I am learning to become more focused with my time.  In regards to our Church this plays out in an area the business world calls 'leadership development', but perhaps we can call it what it really is, 'discipleship'.  I'm learning a more complete version of discipleship.  We often stop discipling people once we feel they are pretty stable in their faith and they've stopped doing certain sins.  However, we shouldn't stop discipling someone until they do what we do (reach and disciple others) and until they do it better.  It's the truth behind the old Chinese proverb, "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime."  It's what Jesus did with the disciples.  It's what the apostles did with their disciples.  In the short-term production goes down, but in the long-term it will be awesome.

I am still a rookie in these areas, but feel I've taken some good first steps.  I also have many other areas to grow in as well.  I'm embarrassed that it's taken me this long to begin putting these values into action.  I guess it's better late than never.  I hope that I continue to grow in living and working smarter.  I hope to hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Encouraging Sunday

I was really encouraged after Sunday's service.  I went 10 minutes late (sorry Sunday School teachers and helpers) and still over half of our church family stayed for a least an additional 20-30 minutes.  There seemed to be a more genuine friendship and discussion than usual and that gets me really excited.  I also had some really positive discussions with a number of people about taking a new step of faith to grow up!  A number of people also purchased the book by Barry Buzza called Life Purpose to work through... plus two couples have decided to start a home group that will go through the book and workbook together.  I love it when we open ourselves to follow Jesus!

We Grow Up By Growing Down

Over the next few months you'll be hearing this phrase a lot... "we grow up by growing down".

It's a simple principle in the plant world that a plant's health is only as good as its roots.  If you take out the roots, you take out the plant.  If you have a plant that doesn't have good roots, it won't make it through the rough seasons and it definitely won't grow to its potential.

That same principle is just as true to us as a followers of Christ and as His Church.  If we want to grow up to the potential we were created for then we need to ensure that we first concentrate on growing down (growing our roots).  The depth of our character, heart, and faith will determine the amount we grow above the surface.  We may temporarily focus on the surface and do impressive things there for all to see, but it will never last.  Storms and droughts will come and we will die.

This Sunday we will begin looking at the prayer life of a follower of Christ.  If we want to grow up then we better grow down by getting on our knees.

2010 is in Sight!

2009 was a really weird year for me and many others I know.  Challenges came in all shapes and sizes and the result was a year of tough growth.  But then again, does true growth come any other way?

I know people that have lost jobs, changed careers/roles, faced financial challenges, journeyed through spiritual struggles, endured hardships, and experienced loss.  Some have come through tired and weary.  Others have been able to adjust and their resolve is stronger than ever.  Finally, a few are still facing significant challenges.

My hope is we will continue to look to Jesus for strength, guidance, and hope.  My challenge is that we as the church would bring Jesus into these situations through prayer, help, encouragement, love, and support.

My overall read on our church is that 2010 will be more than just a change in the chronological clock of our family, bu that the lessons we learned through the winter of 2009 will bring about greater fruit in the year to come.  We will enter 2010 with greater wisdom because we will enter 2010 with greater humility.  More than ever our challenges teach us of our need for Jesus and His presence in our lives.  We learn to lean on Him more, trust in Him more, and hope in Him more!

My prayer for 2010 is that we as a church would see God's goodness even in the dark times so that in the good times we may maintain perspective and our dependency on Jesus.  That we wouldn't hoard the fruit of our labour but that we would give it away (because it's all really His anyways).  That we would take great joy in coming together under Jesus' name and working together to bring God's love and goodness (through the person and presence of Jesus Christ) to our community.  That we would be people who are Spirit-filled (empowered by His Holy Spirit to be His presence on earth)... relying on the Spirit to illuminate the Scripture so that we may live healthier lives that will bring glory to God.

I am excited to continue following Jesus in this New Year, confident that as we obey Him, He will continue to prove His faithfulness, goodness, and power to save and transform!