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Making men MEN again. The David Alliance will help you slay your giants.
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Thursday Aug 08, 2019
Thursday Aug 08, 2019
8-8-19 Thursday
A man in his 40’s finds a talking frog. The frog tells him that she is actually a woman trapped in the frogs body, and if he kisses the frog she will turn into a beautiful woman. He simply tucks the frog into his shirt pocket. The frog sticks its head out of the pocket and says If you kiss me I will surely turn into a beautiful woman and you can have your way with me… the man sighs and says “I’d rather have a talking frog”…
Where is the passion?
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Mens TDA conference October 25th and 26th at Solutions Church outside of Chicago.
Why do we as men lose the zest or passion for life?
There are quite a few reasons… but here are a couple that I specifically think apply to men.
- Loss of connection, increasing isolation and fragmented relationships fuels conflict and lack of passion in life.
Look at it this way… cracked relationships is where your passion drains out for life.
It can all start with
Falling into ruts, we get used to coming home and doing nothing, sitting in our cubicle at work and not connecting etc…
We get burned by people so we withdraw emotionally
We can be surrounded by people, but unless we make a conscious effort to continue to connect we get drained… even after getting burned by those we thought we could trust.
I have talked a 100 times about how the number one issue in a mans life is loneliness. So this shouldn’t be a shocker to anyone who listens to the TDA podcast.
secondly
- a mismatch of personal values and demands of life. Having to take short cuts, white lies or flat out lying, cheating, not giving your all… the cost is demoralizing to your emotional wellbeing and again leads to internal conflict and lack of passion for life.
Wether you realize it or not, when you live against your inner moral code or spiritual virtues you drain yourself. It is like a constant friction… it may not at first bother you but in time it will rub you raw zapping your joy and passion.
Its not about Passion to get things done - this is not the point, it is the passion that gives you the ability to get things done.
If you want to study the life of someone who absolutely falls into this category in the truest fashion… study the life of King Saul in the OT. Read through 1 and 2nd Samuel. You see in graphic detail a man who began to isolate himself and in turn start to live against his inner values and Gods values.
1 Samuel 15:17 Saul was little in his own eyes.
Todays challenge: Work backwards… begin to reconnect with Godly men, you be the one to call, connect and readjust your schedule in order to be with other men.
And secondly, draw a line in the sand today and announce to yourself and to God you will no longer live or make choices that go against your values and Gods word.
Put the passion back into your life!
Wednesday Aug 07, 2019
Wednesday Aug 07, 2019
8-7-19 Wednesday
Hey you… you know what… sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. If you don’t do it, people are gonna start to talk. They will start to talk about you not doing what you should have been doing all along. they will call you a no good no doer who don’t do it.
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Lets jump start today with a few verses
Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
*sometimes we give up before we even start.
James 4:17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
James is talking about procrastination… we know what to do, but we don’t do it…
Prov. 10:14 Lazy hands make for poverty,
but diligent hands bring wealth.
Lets talk about procrastination… maybe we should talk about it tomorrow…
I don’t for a second think we are born procrastinators. Ever see little kids playing? They do not hesitate for a second… run after this, after that, speak their mind… and ask a whole lot of questions.
So what happens to us to make us procrastinators?
I believe the number one thing is that we never learn how to get started…- the proverbial DUH!
Let me tell you a story.
When I was studying for my Masters in the last semester I had to write a 175 page dissertation. It seemed daunting, overwhelming and I was panicking when I first heard about it in my first year of the program… and it was still 2.5 years away. But the head of the program Dr. Joe said if we had a topic we could run it by him ahead of their and get a jump on this process. So I set up an appointment with him.
He ok’d my topic and then asked me a question that would seriously change my life. He said How are you going to write this paper? I had not idea, I began to talk and just come up with ideas off the top of my head. He stopped me and said that won’t work. He then taught me the best process for killing procrastination ever.
He said you have a goal - boom. Great start.
Now you have to write down all the ideas behind that topic.
Now put those ideas into a loose outline.
Next you have to study on those ideas and keep notes. Then use these notes to add more points to your outline. Keep reading and taking notes.
Then put together an organized detailed outline. Now read each point and write down ideas and thoughts behind each point.
Here is an example:
Roman numeral point V. Youth Leadership in the home
- The lack of youth in leadership
- How youth learn leadership at home
- The void of leadership in the home
- The best home environment for teaching leadership
- Current and past great leaders and their home life
Now under each one of these I would write other ideas and thoughts and things to study and research.
After Dr. Joe showed me this he then said “now write a goal to write 1 page per roman numeral, 2 pages per point and 1 page per points a. b. c. etc…
You do the math and you see that I have just written 30 pages on one roman numeral point. I can easily write a 150 page paper… and in fact I wrote almost a 200 page paper…and got an A.
So what am I saying… when you think of something to do: Mow the lawn, read and pray, learn Spanish, Clean out the garage or take your daughter to the mall to shop.
You simply break it down into steps in your head… but break it down into micro steps.
I gotta mow the lawn…
Step one get off the couch
Step two walk out into the garage
Step three check the mower for gas
See what I am saying?
What we typically do is picture a freshly mowed lawn in our minds… and that is just to overwhelming sometimes.
The secret is that once we make a plan it energizes us and we take the first step… and that energizes us to take the second step etc…
Now here is your back up plan… you make a plan and you still don’t act on it… I will now plant something in your mind that will motivate you to get started, and that is this: once you know what to do (wether you made a plan or not) you start a mental countdown of how far you would have been if you had acted immediately. Like our first example: I should mow the lawn… I stay sitting on the couch… after the first quarter of the game I ask myself “how far would I be” Probably done with the front lawn… a few minutes lates I ask myself how far would I have been now? and in a few minutes again… now that you know you will do this it will be a constant haunting reminder to start immediately.
Look even God broke down creating the earth. Each day had it’s own assignment.
Now trust me this works… in fact it is how I wrote 13 books oh and power washed the deck this week (which was actually harder)
Tuesday Aug 06, 2019
Tuesday Aug 06, 2019
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8-6-19 Tuesday
There are 54 negative emotions listed in psychology books, but they are all tied to one cause, anger, whether inward or outward, people say is good to express your anger (anger management – juggling hand grenades) but ask yourself do you like what anger does to you? Whether you bury it or express it is bad for you. PEMSS. You can pin point your negative emotions and eliminate them.
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Gods perspective on sinners, the lost and the instigators.
When someone lashes out at someone…
- It usually is more about what is going on inside that person than meets the eye.
My Dad used to say be careful what you preach hardest on… you are probably dealing with it yourself.
Jimmy Swaggart back in the 80’s used to rail on sex and drugs and rockn’roll - and then we found out he was neck deep into this lifestyle.
Our negative emotions are like that chip in our windshield…
If we don’t deal with those emotions the chip turns into a crack and then finally spreads out over the entire windshield and we see everything cracked.
Everyone looks skewed and flawed when your windshield is broke…
What causes those chips in our windshield?
We overreact due to fear
Lack of power in our own lives
Low self esteem (we push others down to try to make ourselves feel built up)
- They typically see God the way they respond to others.
But how should we act?
We find our clues from how God acts!
Eph. 2:7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Titus 3:4, 6 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Neh. 9:17 "They refused to listen, And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them; So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt But You are a God of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness; And You did not forsake them.
Romans 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
Our angry outbursts lead others to repentance… uh no!
His loving kindness leads us to repentance.
I would love to challenge you today to remember who you were before you gave your life to Christ.
What were you guilty of…
Did you ever sleep around?
Did you ever lust?
Did you ever have hate in your heart for someone?
Did you ever cheat, steal, lie or gossip?
And yet God forgave you
What is todays challenge?
Take a hard look at your windshield and ask God to show you the chips and cracks you have in it… and ask him to forgive you and ask for his healing touch to give you a new windshield.
Monday Aug 05, 2019
Monday Aug 05, 2019
8-5-19 Monday
Ever have one of those moments where you feel like you just can’t go on… you just can’t make it… and then it happens. Your friends show up and your inner man explodes with whatever you need: confidence, energy, hope, strength, character to make the right decision.
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What is your mental motivation in serving God and becoming the man of God you are called to be?
Who is on your sidelines? Your mental sidelines.
When you need a push… who do you look to internally to push you.
In one of my last powerlifting meets I had two amazing experiences. First was after my second squat attempt (the first one I blew because I was not on the stage and had to run up there- out of breath and bottomed out) But going into my 3rd attempt I had Shawn Frankl (the strongest pound for pound powerlifter ever at the time) come up to me and give me some advice and then tell me “you got this, you could easily do 900”. His simple sideline encouragement blew my mind and made the 3rd attempt doable. It wasn’t 900, but it was the best squat I had ever done up to that time.
The Second experience was right after I got my 3 white lights on that squat at the judges table was sitting Donny Thompson, the first man ever to complete a 3000 lb total. He waved me over and said “Brother that was a great squat, way to grind it out”.
So when you don’t have tangible people around you to encourage you… what do you do? Lets read…
Hebrews
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
12 Message Bible
1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it.
So who do you put on your sidelines when you need the push to keep going after God. Making the right decisions, making Godly choices???
My cloud of witnesses in my head are simple:
I see first my father… I would hate to ever disappoint him
My wife who has put so much faith in me
My boys who I hear yelling from the stage when I am competing…
I see so many of my friends growing up who didn’t finish the race… I hear them saying, finish for us, we messed up- don’t be like us
I see mentors from my past… Tom, Joe, Shane, Roger, Tom, Brian
One of my favorite professors Rick…
The apostle Paul… knowing all he went through… How could I quit
Jesus… He is not only watching, but he is in me!
I just watched the football hall of fame enshrinement… the men got up and thanked 100’s of people.
It made me think of this… Don’t you want others to name you in their mental sidelines?
That is the ultimate goal, not just to make it, but to make it in such a way that you become a part of the great cloud of witnesses.
Friday Aug 02, 2019
Friday Aug 02, 2019
8-2-19 Friday
We all have a desire to be wanted, needed maybe even chosen is a better word. But what do we do when the people closest to us don’t even choose us, want us or need us…
Friday - 48 hours to get people to church…
Take your bibles to church- not just your phone, but your bible, your notebook your pen and encourage your pastor with your note taking… and throw in an amen once and awhile!
1 Samuel 16
King Saul is a bag of cats on crack… his behavior is so bad that God leaves him… now God wants a new king so he sends out the most holy and powerful Prophet Samuel. When he shows up in the town of Bethlehem the elders of the town come out and ask sheepishly… are you here in peace? Thats the power Samuel had! So he calls on Davids Father to bring him his sons… one by one…all seven walk by Samuel… God says no.
So hold the phone… before we see Samuel anoint David as the next King…
Not only did Davids father not choose him, but the prophet of God didn’t even think David was the one. He was ready to choose the oldest, then the next and next and next and next… They didn’t even think of David.
So Dad doesn’t think Davids got a shot
The man of God doesn’t think he has a shot
But all that matters is that God chose David… he didn’t need his fathers approval or the prophets approval…. he had more than that, he had Father Gods approval. God chose David.
So how does David even find his way into a position to where he gains any attention? So he’s chosen… now what?
The next few verses show just how God can do anything… King Saul needs a guitarist who can play anointed music and make the evil spirits leave. A servant says I know a kid who
is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.”
She doesn’t even mention his guitar playing… because when God has chosen you, all that matters is that HE has chosen you.
You don’t need Dad’s approval you don’t need Dad to choose you. You are chosen by God.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Eph.1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,
John 15:16 "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit,
2 Thess. 2:13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you
It would be great if every person had their fathers blessing, love and approval… but we live in a sinful world and not everyone has that experience. But here are 2 things you can do.
- Forgive your dad for not meeting the needs you had as a boy, young man and now man. Ask God to help you forgive and love him.
- Consider the source. What I mean by that is what I say many times… if all the kids in the neighborhood say you have a horrible turn around jump shot… but one day LeBron James stops in his Mercedes and steps out and says “young man you have an amazing jump shot…It is one of the best I have ever seen- you got it kid!” You realize immediately for whatever reason the kids are wrong and you are amazing.
God is the source - he is the one who chose you. He has a great future for you and you can move boldly in him as his beloved son. It doesn’t matter what the neighborhood kids say… or your Dad.
Thursday Aug 01, 2019
Thursday Aug 01, 2019
8-1-19 Thursday
God is consistent- but unpredictable. there is absolutely no security in what God is doing, only in who he is!
Hemorrhoid sweat gland.. TMI and the TDA
If you are ordering stuff off of our website… email me at TDA…
What a great week. I had the opportunity to pray for a woman at the gym and her leg was healed, she told her friend who the next day asked me to pray for her back… I told her where…
and I am excited to go and preach in a few more places coming up and excited to see what God will do!
Isaiah 55:8, 9
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Not trusting can create a lot of pain internally and emotionally… we think we should have the right to understand Gods ways.
But sometimes guilt sneaks in… we should not feel this way, at least not as a Christian… so we become passive.
Passivity is a great way to neutralize pain but a lousy way to maximize ones potential! Acknowledge your pain, acknowledge your lack of understanding and take it to the cross and leave it for Jesus. Then Jesus becomes your potential!
God does not owe us any explanation for any thing that happens in our life…why? Because he is mean, vindictive? No, because he has everything under his control and he wants us to understand we don’t have to understand in order to trust him.
It takes a step of humility to relinquish our control and realize we are not God… we do not understand the way God does. We do not have the right to play God.
I was sitting in a meeting with a few other pastors yesterday and we all have struggling churches. We all have financial needs and pressures, we all are trying to serve God and the community and reach out to the cities we live in and we all have churches that seem a little less than committed to the cause of Christ. AND NONE OF US UNDERSTAND WHY. I can tell you honestly we are all doing our best and serving God with all our hearts. We are all good preachers and we all seek God and pray… but nothing is happening.
We all have come to the conclusion, that Gods ways are not our ways. And maybe its more about what is done in me then what is done in the church… and maybe not - but that’s up to God and He may never tell me why… and I am ok with that.
When you look at things that just don’t make sense in scripture:
Jesus was born in a manger, full and overflowing with animals. No room for guests let alone their animals. Manure abounded and into this a child was born. Born into a world of manure… indicative of what he was truly born in to.
He is raised without a father most of his life.
His brothers and sisters reject him.
He picks out the most oddball disciples you could ever imagine.
He chooses the one who will betray him… oh yea and he puts him (a thief) in charge of the money.
He breaks cultural rules, social rules… i.e. He talks to women and even teaches them. He talks to the tax collector and befriends him… like Billy Graham befriending the head of the mafia.
He works on the sabbath and even encourages his disciples to do also.
He accepts prostitutes and children over the elite religious people of the day.
He tells people to follow him…and then when he casts out the demons from the man in the tombs the man begs to follow him and he says no… stay here and tell everyone about me.
Jesus is the most unpredictable, unsafe, and yet secure and loving God we could ever serve.
I could make a whole other list of oddities in the life of Paul, Peter, John… just about every person in the bible.
Now take a look at your life: what does not seem to make sense?
I encourage you to let it go. Don’t try to figure it out.
If you see obvious things that you need to change then by all means change.
But if there are things that you just don’t understand and often question God about regarding work, children, marriage, circumstances etc… trust that God’s ways are beyond your ways!
I will close up with one of my favorite lines from C.S. Lewis book The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Wednesday Jul 31, 2019
Wednesday Jul 31, 2019
7-31-19 Wednesday
He never got the credit he deserved. He didn’t stand out, he was not a phenom… People overlooked him and even dismissed him. He seemed irrelevant, un-notable…
But ahhh yes, looks can be deceiving.
Can you relate?
Michael Lewis of the New York Times Magazine wrote an article on Shane Battier who played for the Houston Rockets. The article basically showed Battier’s career as a pretty lack luster average at best basket ball life in the pro’s. He was not a great ball handler, seldom took shots and grabbed few rebounds, he was slow and lacked any type of “game”. His scoring was unimpressive. If you watched him play in his career you would not even recognize him as a great player and even dismiss him in any conversation as a truly exceptional ball player… and yet. He guarded people like no one else. He wasn’t fast, he didn’t steal the ball, he didn’t block shots… he was (as one person put it) like a 6 foot 8 inch mosquito who just aggravated you.
What people didn’t know is that Shane was a studier of people. Whomever he would go up against he would spend hours looking at film and picking out the smallest of weaknesses and learn how to exploit them. His team was much more likely to win with him on the floor then if he wasn’t- not because he scored, not because he stole the ball or blocked shots… but because he exploited others weaknesses. Fact is, when he played in the league Kobe Bryant was the best player at the time, and whenever Battier guarded him Kobe
the laker team actually scored less than if Kobe had not even played. You understand what I am saying? If Battier was guarding Kobe, the Lakers would score more points if you just took Kobe out of the game.
But here is the crazy thing… no one really even picked up on this until the end of Battier’s career.
God is watching… don’t worry about what others see and don’t see in your walk with him. Don’t strive to get credit for being a Christian… definitely do the right thing… but if you live a life that seems like no one notices just how much you do for your family, friends, kids, church etc… God notices.
I am not talking about simply living for the praise of men… but something deeper. Many of us men feel like we do the right thing and all it gets us is spinning our wheels. You know the old saying “nice guys finish last”… well that may be true or at least feel that way… but here is the good news YOU FINISHED. Most men who call themselves a Christian don’t finish the race… they sputter out. They phone it in, they get older and colder rather then older and bolder.
Look in the news lately I have seen reports of Christians walking away from the faith… I am sorry, but I don’t believe most of them actually had a faith to begin with. I believe many of them were living for the wrong motive and when it didn’t materialize they blamed their magic wand called Christianity. When in fact they never really knew Christ to begin with.
Proverbs 15:3 - The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
My word for you today men is simply this: Do not lose heart in doing good in time your reward will be great.
(Galatians 6:9)
You don’t care if others see your efforts… what you care about it knowing that God sees your efforts!
Push forward, carry on, live for God and when it gets hard, cry out to him and he will answer you.
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
7-30-19 Tuesday
Cat videos
a 2015 study published in computers in human behavior, a journal exploring computer use from a psychological perspective, researchers wondered who watches online cat videos. why, and to what effect? A survey of nearly 7000 internet users showed that consuming kitty videos boosts mood and energy. Participants pounced on the opportunity to watch feline footage at work, but they didn’t feel guilty because the positive procrastination left them refreshed and ready to tackle tough assignments actually upping their moods and productivity.
A new video will be posted on TDA facebook and youtube tomorrow. Watch for it.
also… the TDA mens conference outside Chicago at Solutions church October 25, 26th
I need a cat video!
Boost your mood
1 Peter 5:6-7 - Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Humble yourself: admit that you will have moments, days, weeks maybe even seasons where things get hard. You are not above your emotions or circumstances. The old saying “God never promised you a rose garden is maybe somewhat true… but even if he did- it’s got thorns.”
Now some might say: all this positive mantra stuff is just pure BS… not really- the bible actually speaks of it in detail.
verse 8. finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praise worthy, think about such things.
Reminds me of a joke about a young man in the army back in the day. His rifle broke and he didn’t know what to do. An old colonel said son I will tell you a secret. If you just go out there and with all your might, think and believe you have a gun you can shoot the enemy dead. Just go out there and shout gun gun gun gun and point your finger at them. Well sure enough it worked… to a point. Along came another man from the enemy camp straight at him… the young soldier yelled gun gun gun but he just kept coming… until finally he just stomped all over the young man breaking all the bones in his body… and the whole time yelling tank tank tank tank…
Set your mind on things above.
Set your mind on the great stories you will tell.
Set your mind on what God has done in others!
Set your mind on the testimony of others.
Set your mind on what he has done in the past
Set your mind on all the Characteristics of God
Philippians 4:6-7 - do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I like to thank God for the big boost.
Thank him for miracles, healing, financial breakthroughs, ministry opportunities, people led to Christ, people healed, family, friends, fun memories etc… and Then I remind myself it will all work out, it always does- God has got this.
This is why I love journaling. I have one journal just full of miracles,
I have an awesome jar
I have prayer journals
I have thank you notes on my computer
I have prophecies from others on my iPhone
Finally remember Christ crucifixion handled a few things for us.
His beating and bruising and shed blood was for our healing,
His death and blood on the cross was for our salvation.
But he also spilt blood in the garden of Gethsemane while in prayer due to his intense mental anguish.
So his blood covered our physical health, our spiritual health and yes our mental health.
I plead the blood of Jesus on my mental health. I do not have to be moody, depressed, downtrodden because of the work Christ has already done for me in the garden.
Monday Jul 29, 2019
Monday Jul 29, 2019
7-29-19 Monday
TODAY I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT… THE ABILITY TO
Looking stupid asking stupid questions
Be willing to answer the awkward and deep questions in life
Admitting mistakes before being asked to
Listen beyond the impulse to defend yourself
Tap into deeply Feeling what the other person is saying
Be willing to look foolish
Ask people to call you on your stuff when you come across as a know it all
Do things that you are bad at with other men
…you know - all the things we suck at as men!
T shirt order - Lonnie you get yours today! But if you ordered or want to order- just shoot me an email or FB me.
Shout out to Brian in AZ
Today let’s talk about vulnerability.
NOT ACCOUNTABILITY…
I have been in accountability groups that were stupid and a waste of time because no one was vulnerable.
I got spoiled in my first accountability group with Tom and Joe.
Mark 8:26-28
Jesus was vulnerable when he asked the disciples who do men say I am.
AND THEN… EVEN MORE INTIMATE AND VULNERABLE…
who do you think I am?
Jesus would know if they were lying!
Have you ever asked your wife “how am I doing as a husband?”
Vulnerability is really a test of trust. When you can build trust you can build intimacy, when you build intimacy you can really get things done… in a marriage, work, your faith walk… everywhere.
And ultimately things get done in YOU!
Vulnerability has it’s advantages:
Greater personal Cooperation
Greater team work and accomplishment
Better creativity and problem solving
Greater sense of accomplishment
Tap into more gifts and strengths of others
Greater group think
Deep seated loyalty
*how would you like these at work?
*how would you like these in your marriage or relationships?
*how would you like these with your kids?
I would dare you to read the gospels and watch how Jesus interacted with the disciples to bring about these qualities, and how they continued in them through out their life and ministry after Christ resurrected.
You have to ask questions and be willing to answer questions honestly.
So… Are you willing to change your life? Are you willing to become vulnerable?
Go ask your wife “how am I doing as your husband?”
How am I doing as a father?
How am I doing as a provider?
Be willing to tell her “I have always felt I need to work on_______________.
If you are not married tell a significant other or close friend… one thing that worries me about getting married is?
OR tell them “I seem to somewhat sabotage relationships with my tendency to________________.
Tell someone you love deeply “I continue to feel Gods conviction in the area of_______________.
Ask your boss: How am I doing as an employee?
How can I improve in my work performance?
How do others see me here at work?
Be willing to tell him “I need to improve in this area_________________.
Ask your pastor or strong Christian brother How am I doing as a follower of Christ?
Where am I failing as a part of the body of Christ?
What should I work on that you see that I might not see?
Attached to todays podcast is a set of 36 questions from social psychology researcher Arthur Aron of the Interpersonal Relationships Lab at Stony Brook University in New York.
1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, who would you want as a dinner guest?
2. Would you like to be famous? In what way?
3. Before making a phone call, do you ever rehearse what you're going to say? Why?
4. What would constitute a perfect day for you?
5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?
6. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you choose?
7. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?
8. Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common.
9. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
10. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?
11. Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.
12. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained one quality or ability, what would it be?
13. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?
14. Is there something that you've dreamt of doing for a long time? Why haven't you done it?
15. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?
16. What do you value most in a friendship?
17. What is your most treasured memory?
18. What is your most terrible memory?
19. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?
20. What does friendship mean to you?
21. What roles do love and affection play in your life?
22. Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner. Share a total of five items.
23. How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people's?
24. How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?
25. Make three true "we" statements each. For instance, "we are both in this room feeling..."
26. Complete this sentence "I wish I had someone with whom I could share..."
27. If you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know.
28. Tell your partner what you like about them. Be honest this time, saying things that you might not say to someone you've just met.
29. Share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life.
30. When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself?
31. Tell your partner something that you like about them already.
32. What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?
33. If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven't you told them yet?
34. Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?
35. Of all the people in your family, whose death would you find most disturbing? Why?
36. Share a personal problem and ask your partner's advice on how he or she might handle it. Also, ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have chosen.
Friday Jul 26, 2019
Friday Jul 26, 2019
7-26-19 Friday
When I think of logic I automatically think of Dr. Spock from the original Star Trek series. He had some great quotes on that show… my favorite was when he would say “When you die, on your death bed you will receive total consciousness… so I got that going for me… which is nice”.
48 hours to get someone to church!
Logic - Catch a fish
Matthew 17:27 "But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
When you look at the stories of the bible, You have to hand it to God… he almost never goes in a linear fashion.
*For someone who has all power and authority he still seems to go the awkward way… there seems to be no logic to it.
What does logic say in this situation: You need money for taxes so get a job, or sell something.
Jesus says go fishing… Peter was used to fishing for mass amounts of fish… so just one fish didn’t even make sense to Peter.
Understand all the thinking and planning that Peter would have had to put into this if he had followed logic. Jesus says don’t follow logic- that’s the hard and detailed way. Just do what I say.
Logic doesn’t glorify God- Faith!
Why did Jesus set it up this way? I believe specifically because it went against everything in Peter. It went against his mindset, his skill set and his heart set.
I am sure Peter was talking in his head… like “what, are you kidding me?” I am going to have make this happen… Catch a fish and look in its mouth??? I have caught a million fish and never had a coin in the mouth.
Do you ever think you hear God speak to you… but you don’t follow the voice because it doesn’t make sense? It is not logical? Maybe it’s God testing you.
What is todays challenge:
Change your mindset… don’t look for logic, look for obedience.