Life!

I’m sitting in the hospital waiting, waiting and waiting for my baby boy to be born.  As I see my wife struggling and in pain during her contractions, God gave me a revelation.   Giving birth isn’t easy. There is so much emotion going on. There is  pain, tears, frustration, anticipation,expectation, disappointments  then relief, and then some more pain,tears, frustration and anticipation. A cycle that goes round and round. The best part is, when it’s all set and done, once you delivered and you crossed that hardship.  Life is born. Life is renewed. Life is given.  What has been birthed from inside you will be revealed.  Wow! Can’t wait for my baby to be born.

Have you been Called?

July 5, 2010 by The Gospel Writer

Do you ever think about this?  Does the thought ever cross your mind that God may have something bigger for you to do than what you may be doing right now?

• Is there a purpose? 
• Is there a plan?
• What I am here for?

I think most people (Christian and unbelievers alike) have asked themselves these questions.  Many adults that have degrees and careers still find themselves asking these questions. 

• We want to matter. 
• We want to belong.
•  We want to make an impact. 
• We want to leave a legacy. 
• We want the world to be a better place because we are in it. 

Sure, this is not lunch discussion material with classmates or work associates.  Most spouses do not even like to get this deep in their conversations.  These questions go to the core of who we are – the dreams that live within us.  We all want to know that we are not the byproduct of a cosmic mishap or just the next generation of the evolutionary process.  We want to know the answers to the questions and each of the questions seem to start with “Why”.

I want to take a brief look at the subject of the call of God in this message.  From reading the Bible, I believe that each of us were designed by God and purposed by God.  Our destinies are each different.  Our assignments are unique and our lives will go in a multitude of different directions.  God, however, has a plan for you.

We cannot be thorough or exhaustive on this subject, but we will be biblical on this subject.  Many men and women of God have tried to explain the plan and purpose of God to the body of Christ.  Saying that we know the plan and purpose of God for our lives is almost like saying that we have a map to the universe.  Our perception and plan will always be incomplete.  It does not mean that the portion that we know is incorrect; it simply means that there are many things as finite beings that we cannot know of the infinite God.

What is the will of God for your life?

Wow.  That is a big question isn’t it? 

I believe the will of God for our lives is the same.  God wants us to come to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, live a holy and righteous life and spend eternity with Him.

I believe the will of God in our lives in manifested uniquely.  Each of us is here for a reason.  There is only one you and one me.  I cannot fulfill the plan that God has for your life just as you cannot fulfill the plan that God has for my life. 

• Some say the key to finding your purpose is discovering that which unlocks your passion or unlocks your compassion.
• Some say that there is no way of knowing for sure that you must live the best you can and look for signs along with road.
• Some say you have no clear purpose and will only be judged by your intentions.

As I read the Bible I find men and women who received a specific call from God in their lives that clearly spelled out their purpose and destiny.

• Abraham
• Moses
• Samuel
• David
• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Ezekiel
• John the Baptist
• Simon Peter, Andrew , James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot) & Judas Iscariot
• Paul

There were also those who did great things for the Lord that we can find no grandiose moment that put them on the right path.

• Caleb
• Deborah
• Esther
• Josiah
• Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Luke
• Mark
• Timothy
• Priscilla & Aquila
• Apollos

Sometimes the heavens open, the voice of the Lord is heard and people are even knocked to the ground.  Sometimes prayer and fasting takes places and words of prophecy are spoken concerning the plan and purpose of God.  Sometimes a divine desire is deposited within your spirit by the Holy Spirit.  Each one of us is communicated to in a different manner.  God will speak to you in a way that you will know it is Him.

I know without a doubt that your life should be part of fulfilling the great commission.  There is not a believer on the planet that is exempt from this call.  It is uniform in its delivery to the body of Christ even though our roll in fulfilling it will vary.

Let’s refresh ourselves with the call of God:

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” (Mark 16:15-18)

You may be working in any profession known to man but if you are a member of the body of Christ the Great Commission is the will of God for your life. 

• Being an intercessor does not exempt you from sharing your faith with the lost
• Being a music minister, praise team member or choir member does not exempt you from sharing your faith with the lost
• Donating to foreign and domestic mission efforts does not exempt you from sharing your faith with the lost.

Whether we like it or not – there are people in your sphere of influence that you are uniquely positioned to reach with the love, life and message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  This, above all other things, is the will of God for your life.

Winning souls for Christ is at the heart of your divine purpose.

That purpose may be realized as a:

• Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor or Teacher
• Deacon, Elder, Bishop
• Coach or Teacher
• Professional Athlete
• Actor or Musician
• Accountant or Attorney
• Public or Civil Servant
• Sales Person
• Doctor, Dentist or Nurse
• Etc. 

You may work as a customer service representative in a call center.  You may be a construction worker.  You may be a police officer.  You may drive a truck from coast to coast.  God can and will use you where you are today.

Does this mean that you will remain where you are?  Only God knows this answer.

The key to fulfilling the call of God in your life is surrendering to His will.  Surrender may also be said like this:

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)

You will find that many times the things that God asks you to do involve surrender or involve the cross.  You don’t wake up one day and decide to be an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher any more than you woke up one morning and decided to become a Christian.  God alone calls us and makes us into what He wants us to be.

You have been called.  You have been called to follow Jesus Christ.  If you have answered the call to follow Jesus Christ then you have also been called to share the love, life and message of Jesus Christ with others.  The manner in which God will have you do that is unknown to me.

The call of God will be manifested in your life as you obey Him.  Your study of the Word, your prayer life, your service to others and your willingness to surrender more of your life to Him will determine how quickly His will, plan and purpose develop in your life.

Many preachers have used this example but it bears repeating.  The children of Israel died in the wilderness and never inherited the Promised Land because they did not obey the Lord.  Scholars tell us that journey should have taken them less than one month and yet they spent 40 years circling Mt. Sinai.  Our willingness to surrender determines whether we are going to cross the Jordan and if we have to take another lap.

You have been called.  God has a plan for you and it is unique to you.

• John the Baptist had a 6 month ministry that began at age 30
• Jesus Christ had a 3 ½ year ministry that began at age 30
• Moses had a 40 year ministry that began at age 80
• Esther’s impact on society happened in one conversation with her husband the king.
• Ezra & Nehemiah oversaw building projects
• Ezekiel was charged with divine performance art
• Hosea was asked to marry a prostitute
• David was a songwriting warrior

Men and women of God throughout the scriptures came from all arenas of life:

• Peter was a fisherman
• Matthew was a tax collector
• Luke was a doctor
• Paul was a scholar
• Lydia was a fashion designer
• Joshua was an executive assistant
• Daniel was a genius
• Amos was a shepherd
• Nicodemus was in public office
• Priscilla & Aquila were tent makers
• Jesus was a carpenter

It does not matter what you are at this moment.  God wants to use you for His kingdom.  My question to you is, “are you willing?”

You may have a ministry that spans decades or a moment in time that changes the course of a life or nation.  Your life is important to God.  Please surrender your will to His so that He may use you to establish His kingdom in the earth today.

Prayer

Prayer is not getting what you want; it’s about coming to a place where you want what God wants. What are you praying for?

Hypocracy (proof read)

I know I promised that the next time I post something, I would have written something about myself. Lol Here is the situation. I always tell my wife that she should always spell check and proof read anything she writes, well according to my last post on blogging, IT MADE NO SENSE. Maybe, I should practice what I preach.

Blogging

So, this is my first time blogging and hope up doing a great job.  I kind of have writers block on what I want to say about myself.   It’s so much easier to tell someone face to face what you do, but to put write it down in black and white is tough.  I feel like I’m writing a resume for my own blog..lol.  Next time you read something from me, I will have it done.  Until next time. God bless

Caught in His awesome grip,                                                                               

Serg.

Turning Ideas into reality Pt. 2

Organization Not Optional

Once an idea is recorded, we are now getting into territory where personal preference becomes more of a factor than before. Getting your ideas down isn’t optional. The process you use to organize them is. Ultimately, go with whatever you’re comfortable with and understand. If you can’t use your system, there’s no point in having it.

My own preference is using a spreadsheet with multiple tabs covering different categories and platforms of communication (e.g. blog ideas, sermon illustrations, leadership teaching, staff meeting teachings). Once a week I sit down with my assistants and list every idea I’ve had over the past week with the main idea, any scriptures I want to use with it, and the category or platform it belongs in. Each idea is then listed chronologically within its assigned category. This way, I can see all of the resources I have within a particular area and have access to the freshest concepts within it.

Whatever method you go with, keep in mind that your organizational preference is optional. Being organized isn’t. Many pastors use the excuse that they’re not naturally organized. Translated, that means, “I’m too lazy to take the time to make my ideas more accessible.“ When God has given you inspiration, there is no excuse for mishandling it. Even if it doesn’t come naturally for you. Do the hard work. If nothing else, find someone who is more organized and empower them to do it for you according to your preferred design.

Execution Matters Most

Ideas are overrated. Execution is what really matters. Ideas become reality because of something you do. Not because they are written down. So it’s essential that you have some kind of a system to make sure your thoughts are being filtered into your sermons, blogs, staff teachings, and any other place where you have a platform. If not, all you have done is buried them in a document rather than in your memory.

In my case, I have an assistant who regularly goes through my spreadsheet and makes sure the strongest ideas are being implemented in their respective areas. For example, when it comes time to plan out our sermons for the year, he has access to every single series idea I’ve envisioned up to that point. If we want to do a series on giving, everything I need on that topic is put in front of me.

You might not have the luxury of having a paid staff member to help you do all of this. But don’t let this stop you. Find a volunteer. Or set aside a set time in your calendar every week and do it yourself. The dividends it pays far outweigh the time and energy you will ever put into it.

And remember that it’s not ultimately about efficiency. This is about learning to harness the infinite sum of knowledge and inspiration that is at our disposal because of the God we serve.

Considering the fact that we have a God who is constantly at work to reveal Himself, there should not be another group on the planet that is coming up with better ideas than the people he has chosen to use as his instruments of revelation. Let’s not waste what we have at our disposal

Turning Ideas into reality Pt. 1

I told you I would be giving you access to my system for recording, cataloging, and implementing my ideas. After writing it out, I’ve decided it’s much too long for one blog post. I don’t want to shortchange you by reducing it, so I’ve divided it in two. The second half will be posted tomorrow. Here is the first half of the process:

The Birth of the Idea 

The genesis of any system for getting your ideas from your mind to reality starts with the initial moment of inspiration. I’ve found that these moments occur in two different ways.

Sometimes they will appear out of nowhere. I’ll be doing something that requires zero creativity, yet one of the most creative ideas I’ve ever had will come to me. You’ll find that your subconscious is often working harder than your conscious mind ever will. Collecting random bits of information and making connections you never would. When God decides to use it to present you with something fresh, be ready.Others come through learned observation. What I mean is that you have to train yourself to become aware of everything around you and its illustrative and revelatory potential. The books I read are no longer just for my own personal edification. They are goldmines for ideas. Every conversation I have, my favorite memories from family vacations, everything has the potential to birth an idea inside of me. Because God has created the world, everything around us possesses the possibility of more fully revealing the One who created it. Or giving us insight into the way His creation is designed to work. So keep your eyes open.

The first source of inspiration requires little to no work. The second may require intensive examination and reflection. Both are required if you want to maximize your mind’s full potential.

Get it Down.The next step is crucial. It’s the one most pastors never get to and why most ideas never see the light of day. Ingrain this instruction in your head: write everything down.Record every creative impulse. Every good idea. Every bad idea. Every possible vision initiative. Every potential illustration. When you’re reading, if the author says something in a fresh way that could illustrate one of your own concepts, record it immediately. Don’t highlight the sentence and hope you remember to flip back and find it later. You won’t.Write it on a napkin. Record it on your phone. Write it on your iPad. Tatoo it on your arm if you have to. Whatever you have to do, just get it down. Some of your best sermon ideas were never preached because they weren’t written down.  You thought you’d remember.  You didn’t.I write most of my thoughts in a Moleskin. But I’ll also do whatever it takes. I’ve called my own voicemail before and left a message just so I wouldn’t lose an idea.However I end up recording it, I follow up and transfer it to either my computer or my iPad to make the second half of the process more efficient. We’ll pick up there tomorrow.For now, keep your eyes open for every little piece of inspiration God gives you. And have a pen ready

The Tomb of Collective genius

I once heard somewhere that there is a greater wealth of master symphonies, brilliant novels, and revolutionary ideas in a graveyard than anywhere else in the world. In other words, there is a greater mass of ideas that never left the heads of men and women than that actually saw the light of day and had an opportunity to make an impact.

Unfortunately, pastors are sometimes the greatest contributors to this tomb of collective genius. How many illustrations have been lost that could have unlocked and explained a biblical passage for someone like never before because the pastor failed to write it down? How many leadership teachings have been lost that could have taken ministry staffs to a whole new level because the pastor didn’t take the time to catalog and deliver them?

One of the greatest responsibilities of stewardship a pastor carries is the stewardship of the mind. If you have the calling and honor of preaching the Word of God, your mind and every God-given thought and idea that comes from it are among the most valuable assets you have. They are gifts from God…and therefore you are responsible for them.

Almost every pastor would agree with this. If they have been to seminary, it has been forcibly pressed into their psyche. Yet many pastors struggle with actually exercising good, practical stewardship of the insights and inspirations that are given to them by God. I don’t think it’s because they lack the intention or desire. Many pastors think of great ideas and mean to write them down and use them, but never get around to it. They can’t remember it later. And the idea is lost.

Although no system fits every personality, I want to give pastors some practical ways to be better stewards of the gifts he has given them. Tomorrow I’m going to give you private access to my system for writing, cataloging, and implementing my ideas for every platform I communicate from. It will not be a fix all. You might only take a few aspects.

Whatever it inspires you to do, commit with me never to lose another idea. The calling and honor of preaching is too great to waste any more of God’s resources.

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