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!

12 Months of EphesiansFour12

Today marks the 1st anniversary of blogging under the title of EphesiansFour12.  This has been an extraordinary journey fulfilling my Passion for the LORD, the LOST, LIFE and LEADERSHIP by sharing what God has been speaking into my life through his Spirit, Word, and other passionate leaders.  

Through this blog I have sought to compliment my calling as a Salvation Army Officer to "equip the people of God for the work of the ministry by building up the body of Christ" through written reflections that demonstrate passionate faith, holy living, inspiring leadership and Christ-centred mission.

Pursuing a passion for the LORD has taken me deep into God's Word, inviting Holy Spirit to "reveal great and unsearchable things I do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).  It has challenged me to pursue holy living that reflects the character of Jesus and to engage in a passionate prayer life that connects with the heart of the Father.

Pursuing a passion for the LOST has broken my heart for the things that break God's heart.  It has ignited a fire within my spirit for the "Saved to Save" mission of The Salvation Army, fueled an intolerance for injustice and formed a holy discontent for mission that is devoid of good news or denies the power of Jesus Christ.

Pursuing a passion for LIFE has been a celebration of a physical and spiritual transformation that has brought into alignment a commitment to nurture a healthy body, mind and spirit.  It has allowed me to explore and explain the motivation that led and sustained me on the pathway towards life transformation and develop "The Cycle of Motivation" as a tool to empower others in their life journey.

Pursuing a passion for LEADERSHIP has been an exciting journey of discovery from a variety of leadership interactions with people of like mind and spirit.  It is a journey that has exposed me to the teaching of successful church, business and political leaders - both past and present, in person and from the pages of books.  It has taught me how to be an equipping and empowering leader.

What I have learned and shared over the past twelve months through EphesiansFour12 has awakened apostolic and prophetic gifts that have taken me to places as a leader I would have never imagined.  Therefore, I can't wait to experience what God has in store for the next twelve months as I continue to Pursue a Passion for the LORD, the LOST, LIFE and LEADERSHIP.

Thank you for sharing the journey!

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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!

Passion With Power & Purpose

I seem to be writing a lot about passion lately - A Passionate Life, Zealous For The Lord, A Passionate Resolution, Balanced People Don't Change The World.  One only has to look at the structure of my blog to see that I am a passionate person with a passion for my life to reflect the character of Christ and make a difference in the lives of others.

Tonight, I was blessed by the ministry of respected leaders and friends Majors Len and Marney Turner, two of the most passionate, Spirit-filled leaders I know.  They were the guest leaders at a new event we have commenced in our church called EQUIP, which is all about "Unleashing a Passion for the LORD, the LOST, LIFE and LEADERSHIP" in the lives of the leaders of our church.

Marney captured this theme well when she said,  "If ever there is a need for godly passionate men and women of God to lead, it is now!"

While we indeed need leaders with passion, passion alone is like a flame without fuel and passion astray is like a flame without direction.  History is full of leaders who have either lost or misdirected their passion.  However, leaders who are grounded in Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit have passion with power and purpose! 

Erwin McManus writes in his book Uprising, "Our quest is to have God’s character formed in us that His passions might burn in us.”  Lord, raise up a generation of leaders who have the character of Jesus Christ and a Holy Spirit passion burning deep within their souls!

Balanced People Don't Change The World!

As a student of leadership I find myself at times on a conflicting journey of self improvement.  My eagerness to learn and develop myself stumbles into my enthusiasm to lead and develop others.  My integrated approach to life and ministry defies a compartmentalized view of leadership.  While I am open and receptive to sound leadership principles and coaching, I instinctively resist a pull towards a more "balanced" approach to life and leadership.  In fact, I have developed a real aversion to even the word, let alone the idea of "balance."  Why?  Because balanced people don't change the world!

Consider the following biblical, historical and modern heroes of the faith:

The letter to the Hebrews outlines a list of extraordinary biblical leaders who were far from balanced -  "Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.  Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.   Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.  Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.  Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.  Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.  He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.  He left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible." (Hebrews 11)

St. Francis of Assisi abandoned a life of privilege adopting a life of voluntary poverty.  He founded the Franciscan Order of "lesser brothers" who preached on the streets and ministered to the poor, expanding their mission throughout Italy and beyond.

John Wesley sustained an insane ministry schedule becoming an influential preacher, prolific writer, generous benefactor, supporter of the abolition of slavery, making a significant contribution to theology and the holiness movement, and sowing the seeds for modern Methodism.

William Wilberforce used his social and political influence to lobby parliament for the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.  He fought relentlessly for 20 years against repeated defeats before 'An Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade' received royal assent.

William Booth pursued a uncompromising passion to reach the most disadvantaged in the east end of London, abandoning a lay preaching ministry with the Methodist church to advance an audacious vision for the salvation of the whole world through The Salvation Army.

Bill Hybels, when he received a vision of a prevailing church while in college, left his fathers business and together with a group of passionate like-minded Christ followers invested everything they had to build a church "to turn irreligious people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ."

These heroes of the faith did not become influential leaders who literally changed the course of history by opting for a work-life balance.  They were passionate, risk-taking, faith-driven leaders who had the audacity to believe in a God who could do extraordinary things through ordinary people.  They were discontent with the status quo and possessed an unshakeable vision for a better future.  They dared to believe in a God who could, even when they couldn't.  They refused to settle for mediocrity and strove for excellence.  They were driven by a Holy Spirit fervour that could not be quenched by a humanistic ideology.

Balance is a myth that anesthetizes passion, risk and faith in leaders.  Balanced people are unlikely to leave the security of a well paid job, uproot their family and abandon all that is familiar for the uncertainty of a local or global mission.  Balanced people don't change the world!

In her book "Chaotic Order" Major Danielle Strickland from Canada challenges this balance myth - “Exposing the balance myth is important for leaders in chaotic environments because it frees us from the restraint and constant fear that we are somehow losing ground by being passionately committed to people. Rejecting the balance myth is key to leading out of relationships that can feel chaotic. Being available, open, honest, transparent, real, and needy isn’t easy.”

Whether I live to 100 or die at 50, I don't want to waste a minute of my life giving anything less than the totality of my entire being to fulfilling God's calling.  In the word's of the old chorus, "All my days and all my hours, all my will and all my powers, all the passion of my soul, not a fragment but the whole.  Shall be thine, dear Lord." 

Why?  Because balanced people don't change the world!

 

A Passionate Resolution

This morning, on this penultimate day of 2012, we finished the year the same way we commenced it at the Noarlunga Salvation Army by revisiting my New Years Day message I preached at the beginning of the year - Pursuing a Passion for the LORD, the LOST, LIFE and LEADERSHIP.

I commenced the year by putting out each of these passions as resolutions for our congregation to pursue during 2012.  Today, we took time to reflect on the same passions and review their intensity and impact throughout the year.

Pursue a passion for the LORD
Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."  (Matthew 22:37)

How has your relationship with Jesus deepened over the past twelve months?

Pursue a passion for the LOST
Jesus said, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."  (Luke 19:10)

Who have you led to salvation or helped progress along their faith journey this year?

Pursue a passion for LIFE
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  (John 10:10)

When have you made time in your schedule to invest in your own well being?

Pursue a passion for LEADERSHIP
"To prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."  (Ephesians 4:12)

What training or development opportunities have you engaged in to equip you for ministry?

For you and the church to effectively participate in God's redemptive plan and fulfill His vision for our lives we need to be a people who are...

• Passionately pursuing a relationship with Jesus Christ
• Passionately seeking those who are not-yet-saved
• Passionately living to the full the life God intended for us
• Passionately committed to developing and utilising our spiritual gifts

As we reflect on the year past and look to the year ahead, let us resolve to continue pursuing a passion for the LORD, the LOST, LIFE and LEADERSHIP in 2013!

Even The Poor Are To Give To God

40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life
Day 6 - Even the Poor are to Give to God From What They Have

"In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity...Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people."  (2 Corinthians 8:2-4)     

The extraordinary example of the Macedonian churches illustrates that our ability to give is not dependent upon how much we have, but upon a heart and willingness to share from what we have.  When we are passionately in love with Jesus and His Church, nothing, not even poverty, will stop us from wanting to give to God's work!

Zealous For The Lord

About midway through my Officership, while undertaking a review process, I was described as being too passionate and intense and it was suggested that I may want to consider being a little less zealous in my ministry and leadership.  The suggestion of being any less passionate than how God has wired me is unthinkable in my mind and incompatable with my spirit!

John Maxwell, in his book “Put Your Dream to the Test,” articulates well what I feel about this perception of being too passionate, “I have never seen anyone anywhere at any time achieve anything of any value without the spark of passionate desire!  It provides the energy that makes dreams possible.”

I am a driven person and for a period of my training to be an Officer I was almost led to be convinced that this was somehow a negative quality.  But when I discovered that my drive was an Holy Spirit zeal to pursue God’s calling upon my life with every fibre of my being, I rejected that lie and embraced the person the Spirit had empowered me to be!

Zealous means enthusiastic, eager, passionate, intense.
Zealous means full of, characterized by, or due to zeal; ardently active, devoted, or diligent.

A person who is zealous passionately pursues that which they are devoted to!

In Matthew 22:37 Jesus told his disciples to “Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind.”  Fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ are zealous people!

The problem with zealous people is that they live in a largely apathetic world, where apathy is the antithesis of zeal. 

Apathy means a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern – indifference.
An apathetic person has an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical and/or physical life. 

What happens when zeal and apathy collides? 

As a person who has been “Zealous for the Lord” throughout my life since childhood, it has been my painful experience that the collision between zeal and apathy often brings opposition, misunderstanding and judgement from others.  It also creates a "Holy Discontent" within that remains dissatisfied with the status quo.

In Scripture, the prophet Elijah had been “Zealous for the Lord” in a familiar story about his confrontation with the prophets of Baal.  What was a monumental display of prophetic power in Elijah’s life (a legacy of his prophetic leadership), became a struggle with fear and depression as he faced a full-frontal attack against his leadership.  This mighty man of faith became crippled by fear.  Yet, beyond Elijah's encounter with God in the "gentle whisper" at the cave, it is what God spoke into Elijah's life that provides us with prophetic wisdom for those who experience opposition for being "Zealous for the Lord"

"And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  

He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” 

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.  After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave." (1 Kings 19:9-13)
 

1.  Remain in the PRESENCE OF THE LORD 

God’s COVENANT does not change during times of suffering and opposition.

“As I was with Moses so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  (Joshua 1:5)

Whenever human beings go through a period of conflict or struggle, there is a tendency to withdraw from the places where we draw strength and try to manage our circumstances on our own.  This is true for social connections with others as well as our spiritual connection with God.  Rather than withdrawing from God's presence in these times (if that is at all possible?), it is essential to remain in the PRESENCE OF THE LORD.  However, our desire or ability to remain in God's presence during conflict and opposition is dependent upon the patterns and habits that are in place when life is good.  If you don't have the pattern of prayer and being in the Word when the path is smooth, then the chances are you won't go there when the path is rugged!  

Jesus remained in the PRESENCE OF THE LORD in the Garden of Gethsemane which empowered him to face the pain and struggle of the cross.


"Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. 

When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram.  Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.  Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:14-18)



2.  Return to the PLACE OF ANOINTING 

God’s CALLING does not change during times of suffering and opposition. 

“Repent and do the things you did at first.”  (Revelation 2:5)

This tendency to withdraw during times of conflict also manifests itself in relation to pursuing God's calling or purpose.  I have seen way too many godly leaders abandon the pathway of duty when things get tough!  God's direction to Elijah to "go back the way you came" was a call to return to the PLACE OF ANOINTING to realign with God's purposes.  In difficult times it is easy to lose perspective and passion for what God has called you to do.  Returning to the PLACE OF ANOINTING restores our passion and renews our purpose to be ZEALOUS FOR THE LORD!  

In the PRESENCE OF THE LORD in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus returned to the PLACE OF ANOINTING and was able to say, "Yet not what I will, but what you will." (Mark 14:36)

 
“It is not incidental that the death of Jesus has come to be known as the Passion. The cross of Jesus Christ points to everything that God is passionate about. God the Son so passionately hates the destructive force of sin that He was willing to die to overcome it. And He so passionately loves humanity that He was willing to give even His own life on our behalf. You know what you are really passionate about when you are willing to lay you life down for it.” (Erwin Raphael McManus, “Uprising”)

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!