LifeLines #7

Feeling depressed, anxious or stressed?  

LifeLines offers biblical wisdom as a source of HOPE for today and tomorrow.

 

 

Do not worry about your life...But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  -  Matthew 6:25,33

To say that we live in uncertain times would be an understatement!   Whether it's an election campaign that has huge national consequences, economic instability that leaves your family feeling vulnerable, or serious illness that challenges your own mortality; there seems to be plenty to be worried about.  While acknowledging this reality, Pastor Dan Lian made an insightful observation about Jesus words:  "Worry, stress or anxiety is not fundamentally a fear issue but a focus issue."  When we focus on all that is wrong in the world or in our lives, it can consume or cripple us.  But when we "seek first (God's) kingdom" our focus shifts from what we cannot control onto the One who is ultimately in control. Shifting our focus onto God's kingdom provides us with a vision of a different reality and gives us confidence to pursue it in the here and now.

The Gift of ETERNAL LIFE

One of the extraordinary opportunities of the Christmas season is to engage in public worship and witness through the playing and singing of Christmas Carols.  Have you ever thought of Christmas Carolling in that way - as public worship and witness?  Look closely at the words of the well known carol 'Hark The Herald Angel Sing':

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

This carol begins with words of worship!

Light and life to all He brings

Ris'n with healing in His wings

Mild He lays His glory by

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth

This carol then gives witness to what Christ has done.

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

This carol ends with worship.

As expressed at the beginning of this carol, “Light and life to all He brings” is the real hope of the Christmas message that witnesses to the gift of ETERNAL LIFE found in Jesus Christ both in the present and future.  Eternal life starts today and keeps on giving as we move from this life into the life that is to come.  Jesus was born for no other reason than to break the curse of sin and death and restore life to humankind!  Jesus himself affirmed this in John 10:10…

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

This is also the message that Jesus gave the woman at the well as He journeyed through Samaria.

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?  Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” (John 4:10-14)

The water in this encounter provides a powerful metaphor for the “gift of God” Jesus spoke of, as we all understand what it means to thirst and we all experience the continual need to quench that thirst.  Drinking water is not a one off action but a continual reality as long as we live.  If you don’t drink, you die!

The woman came to the well to draw water that gave her life for a moment.

Similarly, we receive and give gifts at Christmas that bring temporary joy.  We exchange a form of hope that does little to change the trajectory of a person’s life.

I’m not for a moment wanting to devalue the giving of Christmas gifts, but to remind us that we have something so much greater to give at Christmas time!  I love to give my children gifts, I love the joy we bring to underprivileged people in our community through our Christmas cheer giving, and I love the global impact we can have through giving the ‘gifts that keep on giving’ through Just Salvos. 

However...

Jesus came to the well and offered water that gave the woman life for eternity.

Therefore, we can receive and give a gift this Christmas that brings eternal joy.  We can exchange a form of hope that can radically transform a person’s life.

Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.”  Jesus offers a gift that keeps on giving, that is, the gift of ETERNAL LIFE!

While I enjoy and engage in many of our cultural expressions of Christmas, I grow increasingly frustrated by our consumer expectations of Christmas that create an endless pursuit of something that ultimately leaves us unsatisfied.  In fact, if we are honest, often our attempts to have and give a “good Christmas” leaves most of us exhausted, some with a credit card debt, many  with a few extra kilograms that require a New Year’s resolution to lose, and others with rekindled family tensions!  I’m not sure that is the gift of Christmas that Christ intended. 

Do you look for LIFE through the scourge of endless spending in the commercialism of Christmas?  Or, will you find LIFE through the source of endless supply in the Christ of Christmas?

EphesiansFour12 in Words

Don't Live Without Passion

I saw this quote posted on Facebook today and couldn't help to see how well it applies to the theme of my blog and the way I endeavour to live my life:  Pursuing a passion for the LORD, the LOST, LIFE and LEADERSHIP!

Don't let sin rob you from a passion for the LORD!

Don't let missed opportunities to share your faith rob you from a passion for the LOST!

Don't let bad choices rob you from a passion for LIFE!

Don't let failed strategies rob you from a passion for LEADERSHIP!

Jesus's Last Words

If the last words of the crucified Jesus, “It is finished” was the end of the story on Good Friday, then I’m not sure why anybody would consider Christianity? But Friday was not the end of the story. Sunday was still to come!

The last words of the resurrected Jesus, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” give us every reason to consider Christianity, because Jesus is alive and gives us the promise of eternal life that begins the moment we acknowledge His presence in our lives.

 

The simple, yet profound truth of the Easter story is that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

 

TGIF

I'm sitting at my computer between my usual Friday evening activities reading the jubilant TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) posts that appear this time every week on Facebook.  Maybe I've forgotten what it is like to work in a mundane job where I live for the weekend or maybe I just have a different perspective on life?  

The way I see it, every day is a gift!  

Every day is an opportunity to impact our small corner of the world.  Every day is an opportunity to live, to love and to leave a legacy.  We can never get yesterday back and there is no promise of tomorrow.  Today is our chance to make it count, whether it be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.

I am reminded in Scripture that "This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24).  So let us embrace the gift of EVERY DAY and TGIT - Thank God It's Today!

Nelson Mandela On Life & Leadership

The passing of former South African President and human rights campaigner Nelson Mandela today has the international community mourning the loss of an extraordinary leader.  While we mourn his death, we also celebrate his life, which had a profound impact not only on his nation South Africa in their fight against apartheid, but the rest of the world in our pursuit of justice and freedom for the oppressed.  Nelson Mandela is arguably one of the most quoted leaders of all time speaking wisdom and truth that will inspire generations to come.  

Here are some of my favourite quotes by Mandela on life and leadership that inspire my life and leadership:

Nelson Mandela's Passion for LIFE...

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."

"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."

"To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity."

"Where globalization means, as it so often does, that the rich and powerful now have new means to further enrich and empower themselves at the cost of the poorer and weaker, we have a responsibility to protest in the name of universal freedom."

"What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead."

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."

"Poverty is not an accident.  Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings."

"Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future."

"One of the most difficult things is not to change society - but to change yourself."


Nelson Mandela's Passion for LEADERSHIP...

"It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership."

"A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination."

"It always seems impossible until it’s done."

"A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger. You don't have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial, and uninformed."

"I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances."

"I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of you, the people."

"There are times when a leader must move out ahead of the flock, go off in a new direction, confident that he is leading his people the right way."

"Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again."

Le Tour Lessons

As we approach the final stage of what has been an exciting year at the Tour de France, there are many life lessons that can be learned from these extraordinary athletes. I've sat up and watched each stage into the early hours of the morning marveling at the physical endurance, mental toughness and team tactics of cyclists putting everything on the line for a podium finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Amidst the phenomenal efforts by these professional cyclists at the top of their sport have been suspicion of doping, horrific crashes, over zealous fans and controversial tactics.  While it would be tempting to allow these distractions to overshadow the achievements of this event, they do provide some challenging insights worth considering.

1. Suspicion of Doping - It is a tragedy that the actions of drug cheats in any sport robs spectators and sporting heroes of the joy of simply enjoying a victory, without being suspected of cheating.  Chris Froome hit out at reporters who questioned his amazing acceleration on Mont Ventoux saying, "To compare me with Lance is wrong - Lance cheated, but I'm not cheating. End of story."  If only it was that simple!  The reality is we do not live in isolation of other people's actions.  It is naive to think that we can live our lives, our way, without consequence to the lives of others.  Maybe if we took more notice of the classroom discipline method of punishing the whole class for the behaviour of one student society would be less individualistic and hold a greater value for community accountability.

2. Horrific Crashes - When you ride at high speeds within inches of the rider in front of you, accidents are inevitable.  Pushing limits and taking risks are a necessary part of the equation of winning.  No cyclists who have played it safe have ever won the Tour de France, just as no person who has lived a risk free life has ever accomplished anything of significance.  To see cyclists get back on their bikes and continue to race with injuries is inspiring and challenges us to never give up, no matter how hard we fall.

3. Over Zealous Fans - Throughout the Tour I have been frustrated and at times angry at the way spectators have been in the face of the competitors.  They have ran alongside them screaming and yelling, put obstacles in their way, risking their own safety and the safety of the riders.  Yet, despite the obvious aggravation by some competitors, they have remained focused on their goal and have not allowed themselves to be distracted.  The paradox is that I admire the raw passion of the crowd, even when it is idiotic, and I respect the determination of the riders that is unshaken by the crowd.  Passionate people inspire greatness not only in the Tour de France, but in every arena of life!

4. Controversial Tactics - The desire and pressure to win can drive teams to adopt questionable tactics that can seriously damage the reputation of riders and the sport. Riding across the line of another cyclist in a sprint or taking on food after the exclusion zone on a hill climb may win short term gains, but diminishes the value of the advantage at best or results in penalties at worst.  Either way, when the character of a rider or team takes a hit, the focus on their competence becomes blurred.  Many successful sporting stars, executives or politicians are remembered for all the wrong reasons because they allowed winning at all costs to compromise their integrity.

Beyond the insights gained from these distractions, the real appeal of the Tour de France is the pinnacle of human achievement that pushes through pain barriers over three weeks of grueling riding through the stunning countryside of France.  Vive le Tour!

Making A Difference!

Dr. Frank Napier: "The truth is that for all your talking, all your 'Crazy Joe' routine, what have you ever done? Nothing. You're nothing but an insignificant man. It's like you were never born. Your life hasn't made one bit of difference, and neither has mine. Wanna take that to the grave?"

The above quote is taken from an exchange between the city's school superintendent Dr Frank Napier and a school principal Joe Clark in the 1989 movie Lean On Me.  Dr. Napier challenges Joe Clark to accept a job as principal at a failing high school to help turn their test scores around before the state takes over the school.  This is an inspiring film about what can happen when a person dares to believe they really can make a difference.

I wonder how others will evaluate my life when I go to the grave?  What difference will my life have made?  When I accepted God's call upon my life to become a Salvation Army Officer I pursued a life of significance and dared to believe that by God's help I really could make a difference.  I refused to settle for a life of mediocrity and just accept the world as it is.  I took Jesus commission to "go into the world and make disiples of all nations" seriously and had the audacity to believe that what happened at Pentecost could actually happen today!  

While not everybody is called to full time ministry in The Salvation Army, I do believe that everybody is called to a life of significance.  I do believe that everybody can make a difference when they commit their lives to God's purposes.  I do believe that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things in His name.  You and I have the power to write our epitaph today by the life we choose to live so that our lives may be remembered for the difference they have made in the lives of others.  What ever you choose to do with your life, don't settle for a life of a lesser purpose!

Doing Life Together

Tonight, we said good-bye to an extraordinary group of people with whom we have formed a small community we call a "Life Group" in our church.  We are four families at a similar stage of life, with kids around the same age and a mutual desire to encourage each other in our faith journey.  Over the past four years we have met in each others homes every fortnight for a meal, fellowship, discussion, study of the Word, pastoral support and prayer.

Our Life Group has provided an evironment for us to engage in authentic relationships with other like-minded people who really enjoy doing life together.  We have laughed, cried, debated and shared an intimacy as friends that I have never before experienced as a Corps Officer (Pastor).  This group has allowed us to build a foundation of trust that has taken the relationship with our Life Group members far deeper than a traditional Officer (Pastor) - Soldier (Parishioner) relationship.  As a result, we have grown as much as the other members of the group; we have experienced love and care as much as the other members; and we have experienced something akin to what I imagine the Acts 2 church to be like (Acts 2:42-47).

I cannot imagine settling for anything less than an experience of church that involves doing life together with a small group of Christ followers who have "devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42) and where "All the believers [are] together and [have] everything in common" (Acts 2:44).

Transformed Lives

On a night like this when there is little of interest on television, I default to our ever growing DVD library where I find myself gravitating to movies with a common theme of life transformation, reflecting one of my many passions.  There is something incredibly inspiring about movies where a teacher or a coach take a group of troubled kids and radically transform their lives.  When noone else believes, they have faith; when everyone else see overwhelming problems, they see unrealised potential; when everyone else has given up, they stay committed.

I think what attracts me to these movies is that they align with my faith perspective that no life is too broken that it can't be restored.  I passionately believe in a God who is in the business of transforming lives.  This God went to extraordinary lengths to provide a pathway to restoration through the life of Jesus Christ.  Jesus affirmed this life transforming mission when he said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10, NIV)  The fullness of life that comes through Jesus is both a present transformation and a promise of what is yet to come!

"But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him." (Philippians 3:20-21, The Message)

Your Pursuit Of God And A Generous Life Will Give You A Fuller & Richer Life

40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life
Day 31 - Your Pursuit Of God And A Generous Life Will Give You A Fuller & Richer Life
 

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers."  (3 John 2-3)    
 

One of the paradoxes of giving is that the giver is often more blessed than the receiver.  There have been so many times in my life where I have been blessed beyond measure when I have extended God's generosity to me and my family to others.  In fact, whenever we have been on mission trips, for example, we have always come away feeling as though we have gained more than we have given and are richer for the experience.

Don't Live For This Life, But For Your Heavenly Home

40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life
Day 14 - Don't Live For This Life, But For Your Heavenly Home

"For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven."  (Hebrews 13:14) 

When we realise that this earth is not our home and that we are on an eternal pilgrimage, it helps us to hold lightly to temporal blessings and pursue kingdom purposes.  It is liberating not to be over concerned with material possessions, as it releases us to fully engage our time, talents and treasures in fulfilling God's mission on earth.  This is one of the dimensions I love about Salvation Army Officership!

 

Who Are You Listening To?

As I engage in a variety of coaching, mentoring and pastoral relationships I observe a concerning pattern in how people navigate through challenging life issues.  When life gets tough there is a tendency to take the path of least resistance by withdrawing from people who will confront and gravitating towards people who will comfort.  In other words, we look for people who will tell us what we want to hear rather than those who will tell us what we need to hear!  This is a pattern that I see manifested in almost every area of life:

A couple going through a marriage crisis withdraws from mutual friends who see both sides of the relationship and gravitates towards people who will affirm their respective points of view.

A Christian who is struggling with faith withdraws from the fellowship of the Church and gravitates towards people who offer a more humanistic worldview.

A leader overwhelmed by the demands and expectations of leadership withdraws from positive networks and gravitates towards other disillusioned leaders.

While I don't pretend to understand the psychology of this pattern of behaviour, it is indicative of a 'fear of conflict' and 'avoidance of accountability' that seems so prevalent in our society.  This is not just an external observation, but one that comes from self-awareness of similar patterns I've wrestled with in my own life.  It is a strange paradox how human beings will withdraw from the very people who will contribute to our growth and gravitate towards people who will perpetuate our struggle.

In my discipleship and leadership journey I have learned the value of pursuing relationships with people who are further along their journey than me.  If I want to develop as a leader, then I need to align myself with leaders who are more experienced than I am.  If I want to seek marriage advice, then I need to interact with couples who have a strong and healthy relationship.  If I want to grow spiritually, then I need to worship and fellowship with the body of Christ.  For these relationships to really impact my life there needs to be a level of vulnerability and accountability where I am not afraid to engage in tough conversations and hear the things I don't want to hear.  It has been my experience that this is usually the point where people disengage.

We all like to be comforted during challenging times, but it is the willingness to engage in the conflict, in the context of accountable relationships, that we will grow through these challenges.

A Passionate Life

“To be apathetic is literally to be without passion.”

Erwin Raphael McManus

I was once told that I am too passionate and intense as a leader!  Rather than being offended by this feedback, that was meant as a criticism, I embraced it as a badge of honour - not for my glory, but for the glory of the Holy Spirit who has ignited an unquenchable passion within my spirit.

According to McManus the antithesis of passion is apathy, which can be described as a state of indifference that suppresses concern, excitement, motivation and passion.  I couldn't imagine anything more contrary to the nature of the Spirit who came upon the disciples at Pentecost with such power that the people observing this spiritual encounter thought the disciples were drunk!  

I believe one of the greatest threats to Christian faith is apathy or indifference which robs the Church of the very life that is given by the Spirit.  Without the Spirit of life we are subject to the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).  In contrast, life according to the Spirit is a passionate response to the love of Jesus Christ who sets us free from an apathetic existence.  A Spirit-filled life cannot be constrained nor should it be criticised as being too passionate, for a life without passion will not change the world!