The Intentional Life

Life can be lived at a whim, doing whatever one wants at any moment in time. This seems intuitively to be the happiest way to live. In fact, it's really really stupid.

But here's  the crazy thing. Even though we know it's stupid to do "what I want, when I want;"we still have a hard time believing what we know to be true.

When I know it's wiser and smarter to go to bed in good time instead of staying up to watch television I am tempted to trick myself into believing what I know isn't true.

Only ruthless honesty with oneself and a commitment to a reflective and sincere life will keep us from the self-deception that is ultimately self-destructive.

For God's sake and our own, let's commit to reflective and sincere living, even (especially?) when it means delaying gratification in this moment for greater returns later on.

They are watching you

"Don't worry that your children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you." Robert Fulghum

Three things I want to mention about this quote:
1. What a great thought. Every moment we are examples to those around us, especially our children. Oh that we would live fully in ways that our children should emulate. Every decision, every thought and attitude, may we emulate our Father so that when our children emulate us we are pleased.
2. There are far too many people who have secret lives at home that their children have to keep secret too. If this is you, repent quickly, change while there is time. You and your kids deserve better. Get help, you will be glad you did.
3. One of the great gifts of communicators, thinkers and writers is the ability to shift us off of the wrong line of thinking and onto the right one. This quote is such a great example of that.
"Why don't my kids listen to me?" is the wrong line of thinking. The answer to the question won't likely help you because you are asking the wrong question. The whole issue is "framed" wrong. You need a paradigm shift. Oh for leaders and communicators that bring clarity into our muddy situations by re-framing them so that we are asking the right questions.

If it's really real...

(Wrote this blog on Sunday in the van on the way home...no, I was not driving while I was writing)

Just on my way home from a wonderful weekend with 50+ men who were seeking God's word and will together (and kicking some serious butt at table tennis etc.) and then from sharing in a church. Aside from more bills than I care to look at, I am feeling very full and rich (I haven't paid the bills yet) indeed.

This morning I preached on the importance of building a "rooted" relationship with Jesus. A relationship that is based in truth yet kept very personal and heartfelt. A relationship that is built intentionally and nourished by reflecting on and experiencing the overwhelming love of God.

One of the truths that struck me freshly this weekend was the thought that struck me when I first truly gave my heart fully to Christ. Either what the Bible says is actually true or it is not. But it is easy for me to live as if it is "sort of" true. You see, if it is actually true it has radical implications for me and my life that I am not always ready and willing to implement. If it is actually true that ....
1. God created me for a relationship with Him
2. That without engaging fully in and participating personally and experientially in that relationship I will be void of true meaning and joy (many other things can provide temporary or false experiences of meaning and joy)
3. That when I am engaged in a personal and powerful relationship with God my sense of satisfaction and joy overflow and I am able to give and bless those around me because "my cup is full". I can approach the people in my life (and my God) with a desire to love and bless and serve and without any selfish ambition because I am already as rich and blessed as imaginable.
4. That when I neglect my relationship with Jesus and lose my "first love" I begin to look in the wrong places for my satisfaction and joy. This causes me to use people and abuse God's good gifts that I was meant to enjoy freely instead of being in bondage to them.

If this is really true then I must engage intentionally and pursue wholeheartedly this relationship above all else. If it is not, then efforts about and with God are a waste of time. Too often I feel that  people live somewhere between it being really true and not.

James

A couple weeks ago my interest in reading God's Word for life and joy was renewed. This morning I came across a few verses which seemed very rich spiritual food.

Here they are:
"Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the Word planted in you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." Jam. 1:21,22

There is a society-saturating voice, filled with all kinds of garbage that I am not supposed to listen to. For me, this includes music, TV, news, and more that is simply full of evil. Instead of letting that voice flood into my soul, I am to invite the voice of God, through His word. Get it in me, accept it humbly, and do it. That simple...that complicated.

"But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it - He will be blessed in what he does." James 1:25

When I live according to the advice and voice of the world, my life tends to fall apart. My inner world tends to be filled with anxiety and not peace, with discouragement and not joy. My outer world bears the regret of sowing and reaping poor choices. But when I choose to fill my life with God's truth and live according to it continually, my life tends to reflect the blessing of God. My inner world tends more to life and peace and joy. My outer world reveals the blessing of good choices and God's hand.

Reminds me of Psalm 1

Developing Myself and Others

Here is one of the frameworks I have used for years in my own personal development and in developing leaders. I have found that it is easy to focus on one area of development to the neglect of others. I see these three areas as needing to stay in balance for healthy growth. We must grow in:

1. Knowledge. The increasing of truth and information in our lives. Much of learning and development happens here. If we neglect this area we end up in huge disasters. I call this area of development "HEAD".

2. Power. The finding and forming of inner motivation  and strength in our lives. In Christian terms, this is being full of the Holy Spirit and leaning on the strength of God in our lives. It is the experiential, emotional side of development. If we neglect this area we end up passionless, powerless, useless. I call this area of development "HEART"

3. Action. This is learning by doing. At some point we have to take the knowledge and power we are given and put them into practice. We have to put feet to our faith. To grow as a leader we need to be leading something. To grow in our walk with God we need to not just know the truth (HEAD) and believe the truth (HEART) but we also must obey the truth. I call this area of development HANDS.

So there it it.
HEAD, HEART, HANDS.

Learn the truth, love the truth, live the truth.
Know Jesus, love Jesus, serve Jesus.
Learn leadership principles, develop a leader's heart, and do something with your leadership.

HEAD
This includes reading, studying, questioning, discussing, memorizing, re-learning, listening.
Developing a framework of truths and principles from which to work.

HEART
This includes developing a heart of love, a passion or motivation, forgiveness, joy, a servant's heart, humility, experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit.

HANDS
This includes obedience to God's word, applying the principles in action, executing on things that you know need to be done. This is practical application in the real world.

All head and heart and no hands? Hypocrisy. Zero effectiveness. Nothing actually happens. Just a dreamer.
All head and hands and no heart? Cold. Unloving, dispassionate. No real power to transform. Does more damage than good, destructive.
All heart and hands and no head? Crazy. Poor decisions, naive, deceived, dangerous.

All three together? Accomplishment. Forward motion.

Try using this framework for holiness, for leadership, for managing a company, for evaluating your family life (a healthy family is healthy and growing in these 3 areas in a balanced way), for your church, your ministry.

Grace and Truth

A friend recently sent me a link to an outspoken and aggressive commentator on the subject of Muslims in Europe. I listened to a few minutes of it. It seemed to me to be mostly correct in its content, but absolutely terrible in other respects. Let me explain.

There are those concerned with truth. Facts and ideas are their weapons. In this respect I usually agree with the more conservative/fundamentalist folks, though I am far less sure about the facts than these folks often are. But what bothers me is not the content, but the "spirit" in which they communicate their truth. Often the attitude that is portrayed is one of arrogance, self-assurance, disdain, and hostility. Folks on the other side often seem so sweet and nice and winsome, but wrong when it comes to the truth.

Wouldn't it be nice if, for once, we could have both love and truth? It seems to me that these fundamentalists (whom I tend to agree with ideologically) are really only speaking to their own kind. If they ever wanted to convince someone who had different views, I would think more winsomeness would be necessary.

Maybe this explains why atheists, homosexuals and people of other religions sometimes feel hated by Christians. Maybe we could continue to be just as concerned about the truth but add to it some love and grace. This is not about watering down the truth. It is about presenting the truth in love.

Growing Spiritually

What is good for your soul? You are not just a physical being. I knew this as a child looking in a mirror at my physical body. I knew there was more to me inside that what I saw on the outside. In fact, you are more soul (or spirit) than you are a body at all. You live in a body but you are far more than your body.

How is the state of your spiritual life? What is the state of your heart? If we could do a spiritual heart exam, I wonder what it would reveal?

Things left to themselves tend to become chaotic and die. Our souls can fill up on junkfood and fill up with weeds; we need to tend to them or they will get sick.

What does the soul need to be healthy? I could tell you to read great books, or even the Bible. I could tell you to spend time in solitude, prayer or with great friends. I could tell you to go to church or to listen to great music and worship or to spend time in nature. But as true as all of those things are, they are skirting the real issue. They are all means to an end. What does my soul really need?

The Living Bread, the Living Water. In a word, JESUS. I know it sounds simplistic. But it's true. Not the idea of Jesus, not belief in Jesus, not the inclusion of Jesus into our already overcrowded lives...but Jesus the person. Jesus known and loved. Jesus encountered personally. Do you know Him? When was the last time you feasted your soul on Him?

The Wisdom of Listening

A lot of wisdom can be gleaned from those who have had more experience than we have. Many lessons can be learned without learning the hard way. One of the best ways to respect those older than us is to listen to them carefully and learn from them.

Living in Moose Jaw where there are a lot of seniors is a wonderful opportunity to glean wisdom from all around us.

I recently read a column from a gal who has learned a lot and is willing to share. Here is some of what she said,

"My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:


1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
13. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
14. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
15. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
17. Forgive everyone everything.
18. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
19. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. Believe in miracles.
22. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
23. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
24. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
25. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."


Well, there is some great wisdom. Why not pick one of those axioms for today and remind yourself of it all day long? Let's listen to the wisdom of experience.

Proverbs 4:10 "Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many."