Check up from the neck up

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

TDAgiantslayer@gmail.com 

 

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Robin Sharma a few months back shot out an email about taking careful analysis of our talent and how to keep an eye out for things that may rob it. It got me thinking about how our spiritual lives can erode over time and become less effective or on fire for God… And its tricky because we can become more fervent for the things of God and less on fire for God - yea thats right, we can become more in love with Gods attributes than with God himself. Or we can become more in love with his… shall we say “causes” then again with God himself. So I wanted to take a look at these 7 things Robin shared but in a spiritual light.

 

7 Threats to world class performance and success

The threat of talent erosion

The threat of energetic diversion

The threat of lifestyle complexity

The threat of success fed hubris

The threat of reaching good enough

The threat of reputation deterioration

The threat of human mortality 

 

Now lets look at them if we were talking about threats to our Spiritual walk with God.

 

7 Threats to world class intimacy and power

The threat of talent erosion

If you quit pushing yourself to be used by God, you will lose that ability more and more. I have seen some pretty cool miracles in my life and from my hands… but still praying for some to come back to life, to have full health even though their body is wracked with cancer… I will not let my spiritual intimacy erode by lack of trying. 

 

The threat of energetic diversion

If I focus my energy on other things, I will have little if any energy left for pursuing greater intimacy with God. When I was planting a church and having to work at a roofing company to pay the bills I knew that for the church to have the right foundation I had to keep my quiet time with Jesus #1, so I had to do it first thing in the morning at 5am. 

 

The threat of lifestyle complexity

Don’t try to do everything, but rather find your gift, talent and abilities and focus growing spiritually in those. The more busy you are, the more hobbies you  have the more you travel, speak, socialize etc… the more complex your life becomes. I am pretty simple - and I like that. Because I want to focus on Gods priorities first.

 

The threat of success fed hubris

How many big name pastors, or just pastors of successful churches have let their success eat them alive. Sex, money, arrogance, - you name it. My success is my greatest threat to my intimacy with Jesus. The sooner you understand that, the sooner you can keep it in check. 

 

The threat of reaching good enough

You go to church more than most, you pray some times, you have read your bible and somewhat habitually - you even attend a bible study and are involved in a ministry… you are good… the problem is if you think you are good enough. Jesus said be ye perfect even as I am perfect…. uh, I guess there is room for growth. 

 

The threat of reputation deterioration

Franklin D Roosevelt said “judge me by the enemies I have made”. You can lose your reputation to the world… thats ok. Jesus said “remember they will hate you, but they hated me first”.

But if you lose your reputation to the church… in time it will resonate so loudly that your walk will be hindered… and might I add I mean the church that still believes in the word of God and the power of his word and spirit. If you feel like people are starting to question your reputation… maybe check on your time with Jesus and your intimacy. 

 

 

The threat of human mortality 

We all get old. I am thankful after all this body has been through I still have lots of energy. I am up at 5am, I go to bed at 11 and I pretty much try to kill it every day. I eat right, I exercise daily, I drink coffee by the gallon… ok, Im not perfect. But I know now is the time to make hay, to do more for God…. because the truth is that I am getting older, I am getting slower, I am getting a little more dull mentally… it just happens. I can’t seek God if I am falling asleep during my quiet time. At the same time age is no excuse - push in and get older and bolder, not older and colder. 

 

 

What was your GPA in high school and college? Whatever it was, you can’t change it now… but that doesn’t mean you still can’t get smarter, and more knowledgeable - now what is your GPA in your spiritual life? The goal is to be able to answer that honestly… every day and then push harder! (Garth Heckman)