Ever wonder why are you so creative, why you got the creative gift from God? Obviously it's so you can innovate and create, right? Or maybe your finances are surprisingly strong in this weak economy, you excel in money manners, you've always been blessed to be an entrepreneur. Possibly you have the leadership gift and people just seem to follow you and believe in your vision.
Why? Why does God give us these gifts, these blessings? We know to advance and help us, right? But you need to realize this...It's not just for you.
God tells Abraham in Genesis 12:2 " I will bless you...and you will be a blessing." God blesses, then we bless others. We are blessed to be a blessing to others...
Your creativity...is not just for you.
Your finances, your entrepreneurship...is not just for you.
The leadership God has blessed you with...is not just for you.
What has God blessed you with that you can blessed other with?
You are blessed to be a blessing to others...
If you want to be challenged more regarding this topic I recommend a book my friend Andy Martin gifted to me on missions and subject...Unveiled at Last by Bob Sjogren
Friday, February 11, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Blessings and Gifts
When is the last time you were blessed by God? I mean really, really BLESSED. Warning, I'm setting you up. I'm very guilty of this myself, so it's not just you. I saw a tweet post about being incredibly blessed the other day by someone who had received something. Maybe it was just the wording, but it hit me like a ton of bricks. I know nothing of the situation they were talking about, but it got me thinking. I tend to only think about God's blessings when it is in connection with something I want. I have a hunch I'm not alone in this.
God doesn't simply give us the things we want or think we need. God gives us what He knows we need. Sometimes His gifts and our wants/needs line up, sometimes they don't. When they line up we say, we are blessed. When they don't line up, we tend to overlook the blessing. Think about the gifts God gives. James 1:17 tells us He only gives the good and perfect gifts. We see those as blessings, funny thing though, they aren't called blessings…they are called gifts.
I got to thinking about the blessings mentioned in Matthew 5:2-12. I'm not simply blessed because I receive something from God, but I'm blessed, when my motives are pure. When I have a pure heart I get to see God! Talk about being incredibly blessed! And that's just one of the many blessings talked about in the scriptures.
The final thought I had was this, we all want to be blessed. Right? So look at a text like Matthew 5:2-12 and realize that we can be blessed by living for God, not just by receiving from God.
all about Christ,
David
God doesn't simply give us the things we want or think we need. God gives us what He knows we need. Sometimes His gifts and our wants/needs line up, sometimes they don't. When they line up we say, we are blessed. When they don't line up, we tend to overlook the blessing. Think about the gifts God gives. James 1:17 tells us He only gives the good and perfect gifts. We see those as blessings, funny thing though, they aren't called blessings…they are called gifts.
I got to thinking about the blessings mentioned in Matthew 5:2-12. I'm not simply blessed because I receive something from God, but I'm blessed, when my motives are pure. When I have a pure heart I get to see God! Talk about being incredibly blessed! And that's just one of the many blessings talked about in the scriptures.
The final thought I had was this, we all want to be blessed. Right? So look at a text like Matthew 5:2-12 and realize that we can be blessed by living for God, not just by receiving from God.
all about Christ,
David
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The best movie I saw in 2010...
The best movie I saw in 2010 was Inception by Christopher Nolan. I love watching movies just to watch and join in the story. But I also love to watch and see how we can find redemptive themes movies, leveraging culture for the Kingdom. As I watched Inception, I thought it was interesting in the movie that each character carries a "totem" a marker or reminder to reality to mark what is real and what is a dream. Cobb carries the famous spinning top, Ariadne a golden chess piece, Arthur a weighted die and Eames a poker chip.
For the Christian, everyday is filled with totems that point directly to God and to truth. From the sunrise this morning to the star lit sky tonight, from the simplest to the most complex, people in and around our lives, to moments and experiences, all totems reminding us of God. Psalm 19:1-4 tells us even creation reminds us, without speaking a word.
Maybe it's time we "wake up"...and see the totems all around us.
What’s your choice for the best movie of 2010? Click on comments to share…
Monday, January 31, 2011
I Love Her!
I love her. Shhh. It’s not my wife…well, I love her too, after all, she is a big part of my new love. Last week we welcomed home our first daughter. To be honest, I am still scared to death as to what that means. Please join me in my prayers (and I’m sure the prayers of every dad out there) that long dresses and turtle necks will come back in style before she reaches the teenage years!
In all seriousness, I love my daughter and she has done NOTHING to deserve that. In fact she has cost me sleep (my wife more than me). Speaking of costs, do you realize how much it costs to have a child. And that is before you get them home. She has, in just a few days time, gone through an entire box of diapers. She can’t talk or walk so she is completely dependent on my wife and I. She has gotten louder as her lungs have gotten stronger. We have to lug her around everywhere we go, if we go anywhere because in some ways she keeps us chained to the house. But I love her. I love every moment with her. She is beautiful. Even that belly button thing that is about to fall off. So to recap, I love her not because of anything she has done, in fact she’s pretty needy. I love her because she is mine.
That is how God’s love works for us. It is not based on what we do or don’t do. God loves us unconditionally. He loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). God loves us regardless of the mess we make (Romans 5:8-10). And let’s face it, we make some pretty big messes with our sin. Don’t we? And the good news is there is nothing we can do to change His love for us (Romans 8:38-39).
If you have a few minutes check this video out that deals with this love. The song starts at about 50 seconds but the intro is fun so enjoy.
all about Christ,
David
In all seriousness, I love my daughter and she has done NOTHING to deserve that. In fact she has cost me sleep (my wife more than me). Speaking of costs, do you realize how much it costs to have a child. And that is before you get them home. She has, in just a few days time, gone through an entire box of diapers. She can’t talk or walk so she is completely dependent on my wife and I. She has gotten louder as her lungs have gotten stronger. We have to lug her around everywhere we go, if we go anywhere because in some ways she keeps us chained to the house. But I love her. I love every moment with her. She is beautiful. Even that belly button thing that is about to fall off. So to recap, I love her not because of anything she has done, in fact she’s pretty needy. I love her because she is mine.
That is how God’s love works for us. It is not based on what we do or don’t do. God loves us unconditionally. He loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). God loves us regardless of the mess we make (Romans 5:8-10). And let’s face it, we make some pretty big messes with our sin. Don’t we? And the good news is there is nothing we can do to change His love for us (Romans 8:38-39).
If you have a few minutes check this video out that deals with this love. The song starts at about 50 seconds but the intro is fun so enjoy.
all about Christ,
David
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Martin Luther King, Jr.
A little late on getting this post up. Brian and I had talked about paying tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr on our blog, but we also, as always, wanted to spur you on.
"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent."
"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and
conscientious stupidity."
These quotes are attributed to Martin Luther King, Jr. There are a few things I have learned about him I want to pass on to you (I found these on the Twitter stream of @ShaunKing). We know Martin Luther King, Jr is a larger than life legend, but in truth, he was only 5' 5". Shorter than the average man. In school, at Morehouse College, he was an average student, not an academic elite.
Martin Luther King, Jr was just 39 when he shot. So he lived a relatively short life, at least by American standards. He was 26 when he LED the Montgemory Bus Boycott! TWENTY-SIX!!! He was only 34 (I'm 32) when he gave his most famous speech, a speech that has been heard around the world, "I Have a Dream".
The most inspiring thing, to me, about Martin Luther King, Jr was that he let God use him. You don't have to be a giant, an academic elite, wait till you are older. No, in fact, it can all start RIGHT NOW if you let God use you. Then you too will have a dream.
Let me close with one of the more painful (spurring) quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr.
"If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live."
Have you discovered something you are willing to die for?
all about Christ,
David
Monday, January 10, 2011
Why Hope?
A friend asked the other day why is the New Year is so full of HOPE when circumstances for most have not changed? I've thought about that for a while now. I think I understand, at least from a Christian leadership perspective.
HOPE is the catalyst for changing circumstances. It's a starting point. It's a beginning. HOPE gives us the ability to look past the frustrations we may find ourselves immersed in. We all want frustrations to end. We all want to see perseverance. The problem is HOPE, at face value, is not enough. It's a power chord that needs to an outlet.
HOPE begins as a dream or a vision of what could be. Dreams and visions are not meant to stay in your head. They will never be achieved if they stay in your head. HOPE must be grounded in active FAITH. FAITH requires action on our part. Maybe another way to say it is FAITH is HOPE lived out. HOPE must be grounded in thought out BELIEF. How can I achieve "X"...well I need to do "A" and "B"...and probably need to do "C" and "D" as well. I was once told, if you believe it, you can achieve it. While that is a little "pie-in-the-sky", the truth is every HOPE needs a plan, which means it is achievable, maybe not easy, but achievable.
Take your HOPE and live it to the full, share it with others without reserve and know that it can be done.
all about Christ,
HOPE is the catalyst for changing circumstances. It's a starting point. It's a beginning. HOPE gives us the ability to look past the frustrations we may find ourselves immersed in. We all want frustrations to end. We all want to see perseverance. The problem is HOPE, at face value, is not enough. It's a power chord that needs to an outlet.
HOPE begins as a dream or a vision of what could be. Dreams and visions are not meant to stay in your head. They will never be achieved if they stay in your head. HOPE must be grounded in active FAITH. FAITH requires action on our part. Maybe another way to say it is FAITH is HOPE lived out. HOPE must be grounded in thought out BELIEF. How can I achieve "X"...well I need to do "A" and "B"...and probably need to do "C" and "D" as well. I was once told, if you believe it, you can achieve it. While that is a little "pie-in-the-sky", the truth is every HOPE needs a plan, which means it is achievable, maybe not easy, but achievable.
Take your HOPE and live it to the full, share it with others without reserve and know that it can be done.
all about Christ,
David
Monday, January 3, 2011
THINK
I'm done with New Year's Resolutions...and here is why...
They focus on self...most of the time the focus is always on guess who? Me...
They don't work...I look the last few I have made and they didn't work. I read this week that University of Minnesota reported 80% of people give up their resolutions within the first 60 days...
They bring guilt...when you don't meet your goals or purpose guilt moves in.
They don't matter eternally...weight loss, organization, learning to play the guitar are great things but they are not going to matter eternally.
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