Winston Churchill Quotes

January 27, 2012 in Great Quotations with 0 Comments

Here’s just a new quotations from one of the most amazing men who’s ever lived, Sir Winston Churchill. If you’d like to know more about him you can start here, all quotes taken from here.

A joke is a very serious thing.

A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.

A prisoner of war is a man who tries to kill you and fails, and then asks you not to kill him.

All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.

Although prepared for martyrdom, I preferred that it be postponed.

Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general, the more he contributes in maneuver, the less he demands in slaughter.

Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.

Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities… because it is the quality which guarantees all others.

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.

Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things

January 26, 2012 in Discipleship, Great Quotations with 0 Comments

It is the strange fate of man, that even in the greatest of evils the fear of the worst continues to haunt him.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I found this quote to be interesting and instructive as well. If you want to know more about Goethe go here.

You might find it strange that I quote from him, but I love to search far and wide for wise quotes, and have often found them in the strangest places.

Besides, Goethe is right! Human nature seems to be always looking ahead for something worse, even if the worst is already happening to or around us! If you don’t believe just look at all the post apocalyptic fiction being written today. It’s become a genre complete unto itself, and more is being cranked out daily.  Or listen to the many voices warning us of the complete collapse of our monetary system that’s just around the corner!

For all I know those voices may be right, but that’s not the point. My point is simple, fear lives inside each one of us, and no matter how bad things may actually be, we often are more afraid of a hypothetical future horror than one we are living through now!

That’s very odd when you stop to think about it. People get into trouble by over estimating themselves (nowadays they are calling that tendency the “optimism bias,” and it does have a nice ring to it doesn’t it?), and then respond the disaster they created by fearing something even worse is right around the corner!

Where does this come from? I don’t know, but here’s my little theory. I wonder if it doesn’t come straight from our original parents, Adam and Eve. When they were kicked out of the Garden because of their sin what were they afraid of? Everything right? They’d never been out there on their own, and now suddenly there they were. Every new turn of the road could hide unknown horrors for them to face. And all that without the close relationship with God they were used too.

Makes me wonder if that wasn’t branded into the human soul, and we still have to deal with that original fear today?

I don’t know. But I do know that Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow but to focus on today. So, deal with what’s really on your plate now, don’t waste time and energy on what you might find there tomorrow!

Starting Over As A Life Measurement

January 25, 2012 in Discipleship, Personal with 0 Comments

We use a lot of different ways to measure our lives. I suppose the most basic is our birthday. Each year marks not only a passage through time, but also (in theory at least) a season of growth and added maturity. That’s why those pesky zero years can be so intimidating. I am staring at the BIG 6-0 at the end of this year, so I know all about that one.

We measure our lives through school, jobs, promotions, births, deaths, moves, and other major changes. Each one becomes a mile stone along the path as we move through life.

I want to suggest a measurement that I think most of us use, but just don’t think about very often. It’s part of many of the other markers, yet stands alone. Sometimes it’s the result of good, even great, things that happen in our lives. Other times it’s the exact opposite as it stems from death or failure or catastrophe. Regardless of its roots, this measurement marks the way, and isn’t effected at all by what gives it birth.

I speak of starting over.  Life is constantly giving us opportunities to begin again, in ways both great and small. Thus the tradition of New Years Resolutions. When you think about your progression through life from the vantage point of starting over, you can see an almost endless string of opportunities to begin again.

When you first go to school, you start over. When you move from the lower grades to higher ones, you start over. When you graduate from High School and enter college, once again you are starting over. No one in college is much impressed by your little High School achievements. When you enter the work force once again you start over. Straight A’s don’t mean a thing in the work world.

Marriage is starting over. Each child born a chance to begin again. Every new job you take, town you live in, church you attend, ministry you get involved with; all offer you that wonderful gift of a new beginning. When loved ones die, part of you at the very least has to start over. When you are fired, or rejected by those you love, or are stabbed in the back by trusted coworkers and are disgraced, you too have a chance to start over.

There’s one absolutely vital fact you must remember about all these chances. they are morally and spiritually neutral. They are forks in the road, nothing more. You can chose to become worse as easily as chose to become better. In fact, choosing to become worse is almost always easier in the short term.

Why do you think the world is filled with so many bitter people? It’s the cheap and easy way to respond to death and betrayal. Easy that is until it ruins your life, soul and all your remaining relationships. And even in that moment, when you realize what a fool you’ve been and how you’ve poisoned both yourself and everyone around you; God offers you yet another chance to begin again.

The real challenge isn’t to start over, but to start over in a way that makes you more like Jesus then you were before. When you do that, in even the smallest measure, then you know you’ve done the right thing, and are in fact a true success.

Back In The Saddle Again

January 24, 2012 in Personal, Teaching MInistry with 0 Comments

No, I’m not Gene Autry and this isn’t 1939, but the title applies never-the-less. I had a blast Sunday night at the area Singspiration over at Valley Christian Church, and a huge surprise as well!

I got there and Pastor Malcom got me a table to put my books and information on. Then I went up front to find out what was happening since I knew they were about to start, and he asked me a question, “What instrument do you play?” I laughed and told him I only played my voice, that I had played drums ages ago, but I didn’t see any.

Till I looked to my left that is. A full set of Ludwig drums no less, just like I used to play. His wife got me some bundle sticks (they didn’t exist when I played, but are used now to play quietly) and I sat down behind the drums. I took a moment to position myself and try out the sticks just a bit, and then they just started to play! Did I know the songs? Not really. Had I had any practice? Nope. It was go time so I went.

Where I ended up is arguable! I hadn’t played drums since Bible College! About 38 years ago give or take a few!  How did I do? Well let’s just say I’m glad they were auditioning me, because I would have bombed out for sure! It took me a bit but I started to get back some of the rhythm in my arms, but trying to coordinate my feet and arms, well that’s tricky and it never did come together in the shot time I played (about 3 or 4 songs, I’m still too traumatized to clearly remember!).

I wish my friend Rick, who is a great drummer and played in Nexus, the group I was in a few ago, could have been there. You would have laughed your butt off buddy! For those of you who doubt – here’s the proof:

I also got to preach a short message that evening, the first time I’ve preached in over six months! I was nervous but think it went pretty well and the message was well received. I forgot to announce that the message I preached was a version of chapter one of Getting Real, but oh well you can’t have everything!

I had a blast, and it reminded me of just how much I miss preaching and teaching. I’m about a month away from my trip to SE Asia, and I can’t wait!

Afterwards I talked to a lot of people, sold more books than I expected too and signed a few too. That still feels weird to me!

A good evening, and I’m hoping and praying some regular supporters might come from it.

Thanks to all who were there for being so kind and supportive!

 

Sermon Take Away

January 23, 2012 in Discipleship, Personal with 0 Comments

I heard an excellent sermon yesterday morning at the church I’m now attending, Canyon Community Church. The story of my learning how to be a part of the congregation and listen every Sunday is still being written, but I am getting better at it. Yesterday Pastor Kent preached an excellent message, his best yet in my opinion.

He said a lot of good things, but the one that stood out to me was when he pointed out how as the Apostle Paul grew spiritually the less he thought of himself and the more he thought of Christ.

Check these verses out:

For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (ESV)

To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, Ephesians 3:8 (ESV)

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 1 Timothy 1:15 (ESV)

1st Corinthians was written around 55 A.D., Ephesians was written around 60-62 A.D. and 1st Timothy was written around 63 A.D. I grant you that what Paul wrote was aimed at specific situations he was dealing with, and maybe, just maybe, if you had asked him in 55r A.D. if he was the foremost sinner he would have said yes.

Maybe, but we don’t know that. What we do know is that by the time his ministry was drawing near to it’s end and he was working hard to prepare Timothy to carry on after he was gone, Paul was focused on Jesus not himself.

This struck me because I’ve been thinking about writing at least one post on how this is exactly the opposite of what we are hearing in most of the American Church today. Today most people think that more spiritual mature you are the better you feel about yourself, and as I may show you tomorrow there’s a lot of very prominent Pastors who’ll tell you that.

The only problem with that is it’s exactly wrong! In the New Testament the closer to Christ you became the more focused on Him you became, and the less you thought about yourself.

These three little passages from Paul are a great way to measure and remember that fact, and to set your spiritual course accordingly.

 

Short Rounds #215

January 20, 2012 in Short Rounds with 0 Comments

Welcome the first edition of Short Rounds for 2012, but it’s an edition with a difference. I’ve decided that since I’m posting a lot of wacky stuff straight to FaceBook and Twitter now, good old SR is going to morph into a kind of Friday Fun kind of thing. Sometimes links, sometimes videos or music or…well who knows? You’ll just have to tune in to find out!

This week I’m going to feature some videos of one of my favorite artists from the ’80′s and beyond – Patty Smyth. For those of you who don’t know her, Patty came to fame as lead singer of Scandal and went on to do solo work as well. She continues to tour with Scandal to this day. She’ll turn 55 this year, and she can still rock as you’ll see below. One of the videos here was recorded live in 2009, and she’s great! Compare her live, unfiltered voice with Madonna or most other ’80 rock queens and you’ll see what I mean.

Ladies & Gentlemen, Patty Smyth!

 

FaceBook Update

January 19, 2012 in Personal with 0 Comments

Hello everyone on FaceBook. I don’t know what’s going on with FB, but I can’t send messages or update my status on my page. Anyone else dealing with this?

So I’m writing this on my blog as it still seems to be able to post to FB. I tried typing this directly into a status update on my FB page, and it would not post.

Very strange and it raises my FB annoyance even higher!

Sigh.

When You’re Having A Bad Day (Week, Month, Year, Decade)

January 19, 2012 in Discipleship with 0 Comments

Everybody has bad days. We usually say everyone has bad days now and then, although sometimes it seems like some of us have a whole lot of them lined up back to back from here to the horizon!

It’s a clear universal truth that we have good times and bad times, no doubt about that. As Disciples of Jesus, if we know our Bibles, then we know why. We live in a fallen world, and we are all fallen creatures. Even those of us who are redeemed struggle to overcome our old nature, let our new nature become mature so that we can deal with life in a way the pleases God and blesses others.

So, what do we need when we have a bad day? There’s a huge clue in a word I used above. That word is Disciple.

I have come to prefer Disciple to Christian because in our day and age the word Christian has taken on so many shades of meaning that are just plain wrong. When you say Christian many people think about politics, or moralist posturing, etc. Neither of those have anything to do with being a Disciple of Jesus.

But note that the English word disciple clearly has a relationship to another word – discipline.

And that’s exactly what we need when we are having a bad day, week, month, year, decade, etc. We need to be disciplined in the way we live. We need to app0roach following Jesus in a way the precludes our ever changing emotions from causing us to stumble or quit.

All the things we are commanded to do, from prayer to loving others to forgiving our enemies, all these things must be addressed whether I feel like it or not! Jesus told us to do them, he didn’t say to do them when we felt like it.

What gets you through bad times is discipline. All the great men and women of God developed this quality in their lives. And God is calling each one of us to do the same.

So if you’re having a bad day today, or when (not if) you have one down the road, find the disciple to keep on keeping on regardless of your emotions, and see what an incredible harvest of spiritual growth you’ll see in your lives, and the lives of those around you.

Organic Vs.Obligatory Vision

January 18, 2012 in Cultural Issues, Discipleship, Teaching MInistry with 0 Comments

In the two Ministry Presentations I did last week one of things I shared with everyone was something I called my “Vision Statement.”

That term is probably familiar to you if you have been involved in leadership in just about any type of organization. Coming out of the ’80′s we say a trickle of leadership books begin. That trickle turned into a flood in the ’90′s and beyond. All kinds of things were being told to us. One of the “principles” that just about every leadership or organizational book or seminar said was that your organization had to have a vision statement.

Some said you needed both a vision and purpose statement, others just settled for one or the other. But everyone agreed you needed to have one if you wanted to be successful. This was as true for a bar as it was for a church. So you know what happened of course. All over America churches turned too and in no time at all they produced a vision statement! Sure, it was usually just a copy of some Mega Church’s statement, but who cares they had it! Now growth would ensure, right?

Yeah, right. Most churches saw absolutely nothing change from their “bold” vision statements. Why? There’s lots of answers to that question, like it’s not enough to have a statement, you actually have to change your organization so that you can do it!

But behind all that is the fact that when you do something because you think it’s obligatory, or that’s what everyone else is doing so you’d better go along, you aren’t going to see much of anything happen. That why most church vision statements are just another useless form of telling ourselves how cool we are but in the end they only end up gathering dust. They are largely unknown in most churches, and that’s what they deserve too!

What I called my vision statement didn’t start life as a vision statement. I was writing text for the video introduction I wanted to use, and found the words just flowing out of my. You can see those original words in the video today. Since then I’ve slightly modified them, and stand ready to modify them again as God leads me.

My point is this: Things have power because they are real and flow from real passion. Just doing something to fit in, or be cool, or because so-and-so says you have too isn’t going to get you anywhere!

Let your vision be organic and flow from your heart. If you don’t have a “vision statement” or whatever, don’t sweat it. Stay open to God and keep growing. When you need one he’ll give it to you.  Just in case you are wondering, mine if below:

“Go anywhere at anytime,
to teach anyone God’s Word
& Empower Disciples”

Tough Love & Saving Time

January 17, 2012 in Discipleship, Personal, Teaching MInistry with 0 Comments

People like to talk about tough love and how vital it is, etc. We tend to love it a lot less when we actually have to apply that talk and do some tough love in our lives. Let’s be frank here and admit we almost always hate it when we find tough love being applied to ourselves by others too!

So seems to be a week for tough love in my life at least. You should notice that you can no longer post comments here. I’m sorry to have to take this step, but it’s necessary. I don’t get many comments, but enjoy it when on of you takes the time to leave one. However, I do get tons of spam comments everyday. They have to be marked as spam, then I have to go to spam and delete them.

It’s a huge hassle and with my new traveling schedule it’s just not workable. So as of now, no more comments here. If you want to comment you can go to my FaceBook page, where all my blog posts are also posted, and leave one there. Sorry but that’s the best I can do for now, due to all the automated spam comment programs out there.

I also had to apply some more tough love by changing my phone number so that a certain person can’t call me anymore. They refused to stop, so after over sx months of trying to be reasonable, I dropped the hammer. If you are reading this and didn’t get my new number please e-mail me and I’ll let you know.

I don’t like having to do these things, but the Christian Life and Ministry in general is all about tough love. We have to be focused like Paul and remove all the junk that keeps us from pursuing Jesus and doing what He’s called us to do:

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Philippians 3:12-15 (NIV)

 I’ll post more tomorrow if I can. God bless everyone and be sure to hang tough!

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