Word of the Week - Testimony (God Story) - Part 3 - My Vocational/Business Testimony

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.  - Rev 12:11

Personal Testimony – In last week’s “Word of the Week”, see below, I shared my personal testimony (God Story).  This week I wanted to share how my personal walk with the Lord has impacted and influenced my vocation as a business owner/leader.  My walk with God has created chapters of my testimony related to certain key aspects of my life.  I started Founders Advisors in 2003 shortly after I came to faith.  The new Duane approached business in a totally different manner from the old one, which over the last 22 years has developed into something more than I have could have imagined, Ephesians 3:20.  I wanted to share a short overview of this chapter of my God story that I hope will encourage you to invite the Lord into every area of your life, especially your vocation.  If you are in business, I would encourage you to invite God into your business and see what He can do in you and through you!

Before I knew Jesus in a personal way, I saw my vocation in business as a means to an end, to achieve and get the things I desired for my family and myself.  I saw the people in business that worked for me and with me as resources to help me and the business achieve our goals.  I felt no real desire or responsibility to invest in people beyond the task and mission at hand.  I did understand that if people liked me and/or respected me they would likely produce more, so I worked to gain favor with others, but it was mostly out of selfish ambition.  As taught in business school while obtaining my MBA, I bought whole heartedly into the idea that the goal of a business should be to maximize profits and use whatever tactics needed, as long at legal and ethical, even if it meant pushing myself and others to unhealthy places.  I am not just talking about working hard or being challenged or stretched, which I still believe are important to a winning attitude and culture.  I am talking about trying to squeeze as much as I could out of myself and those around me to a point that was not healthy or sustainable.  I had a scarcity mentality, which translated into more of a zero-sum view of the world.  This drove me to operate more out of fear vs. faith.  This is the more secular worldly approach to business.  Operating in this way brought a small measure of success, but the cost and damage to me, my family and those around me was high.  This was not a life giving or sustainable path.  Deep down I knew there was a better way but I did not have a map or model to know how to change from the mode of operation that I had learned developed over the years.  The trauma and pain of my first entrepreneurial venture made me question many things about myself and life.  This put me on a path of seeking the things of God to answer these questions.

How my faith came alive in my vocation/business – As I shared last week, I had a life changing faith awakening at the age of 33 when I connected the dots of knowing my life purpose by knowing God and surrendering my life to Jesus.  A few weeks after having this life changing experience, I had lunch with Pastor Chris and shared what God had done in my heart and my life.  He encouraged me and asked me where God was leading me in this new paradigm of faith.  I told him I was thinking about going into full time ministry.  He asked me why, and I said “well I thought that is what you did when you were really serious and fired up about God”.  He laughed and said not necessarily!  He asked me what I did for a living, and I told him I was an investment banker who did M&A advisory.  He asked me if I enjoyed my job and if I felt like I was good at it.  I told him that I really loved my job/career and felt like I was pretty good at it and could be great at it one day, especially if I had Jesus with me. He encouraged me to continue to work in my current job/career and suggested that I could think about vocation as a platform for my life and ministry.  That I could minister to others in the marketplace and possibly reach people who would not come to “church”.  That doing business and making money was as holy a calling as being a church pastor.  That I could love and serve God from the marketplace as well as I could working full time for a church or ministry.  This was such a gift that encouraged me and gave me tremendous energy as I began to think and dream about how God could use me to live out my God purpose through the marketplace.  After my first entrepreneurial experience I had pretty much resolved that I would never own a business again.  My newfound faith, coupled with the perspective I gleaned from my conversation with PC, ignited a new vision within me for how I might walk out my God purpose in the marketplace.  A few years later I started Founders Advisors with a God vision and different heart motivation.  

How God has impacted my vocation/business over the past 22 years – First and foremost, my new perspective on life from a lens of faith and surrender, changed how I saw my vocation/job/business.  As I began to walk out my faith day to day, it had a huge impact on my attitude and behavior.  My perspective shifted to a mindset of stewardship and understanding that God was the owner of all things, and I was being given the opportunity to manage and steward the business and people under my leadership.  This changes everything, especially how we see and deal with people.  There is a much higher calling and purpose to what we are doing and God’s standard on how we deal with people is very high.  I began to have a mindset of abundance vs. scarcity and understood that in God’s economy win/win is the way.  Simply add value to others and there will be plenty to go around.  When I started Founders Advisors in 2003, I prayerfully navigated the process and felt like it was truly a divine set of circumstances that led to the opportunity.  This time around I was determined to do things differently.  I started by committing the business to the Lord and acknowledging before God and others that this was not my business, even though the company stock was in my name, it was God’s business, and I was simply assigned as the lead steward. 

Ove the past 22 years I have held the company with a loose grip, knowing that it is not my business, and ultimately, I am not in control.  I simply get to be a steward and leader.  Since the beginning, we have framed our vision, mission, and values upon scriptural truths that we felt aligned with our faith.  I have also remained committed to a daily abiding walk with the Lord to remain dependent and attuned to God’s leading.  I am committed to give the Lord my First Fruit (time, energy, attention, resource) each day, this has become my most valued daily life rhythm.  God has spoken to me in amazing ways over the years and directed many of our decisions.  I routinely spend the first part of my day in God’s word along with prayer and praise, seeking my daily bread and fresh manna. 

In the early years of Founders, my partners and team decided they wanted to join me in practicing First Fruits to see what God would do, and we would set aside 45 minutes each morning for a time of “First Fruits”.  This was a special time that God blessed and used in amazing ways over the years.  We have always started the week with a desire to connect with God and with each other.  To this day, we encourage our team on Monday mornings to pursue First Fruits by putting on praise music throughout the office for the first 45 minutes of the day.  During this time, my partners and I connect and pray together.  We then have a time of connecting in small groups within the firm to be begin our week with a relational connection before we just get going.  We begin these meetings with prayer.  We are mostly a firm of type A go-getters, so it would be easy and natural to just get to plowing on Monday morning.  We intentionally practice the discipline of “Order”.  Put first things first, God and people before tasks.  This reinforces the essence of our culture and firm purpose which is Servant Leadership.  Thinking about and putting people first.  Our stated Purpose “Be Servant Leaders who value relationships and results”. Both are equally important, but people come first in God’s economy.  These are just a few examples of how we invite the Lord into our business. 

Our business has grown and realized much success over the past 22 years, which I attribute to many factors including our amazing team members. God has blessed me and our firm immeasurably in ways well beyond business success.  We have seen young men and women come to know God in a personal way and watched endless numbers of our team members grow and flourish in life both personally and professionally.  I would say that the health of our team and business is better than it has ever been, and I am grateful to God for working in and through me and our leadership team.  Our focus as a leadership team is to build a healthy and sustainable business through our Servant Leadership culture.  Profit is an important consideration but should be evaluated as a function of health and sustainability longer term. We are positioned to grow and flourish, and I do believe that this is a result of God’s hand on our business.  We have a bold Vision, Mission and Purpose that has been inspired by the Lord, that I believe will allow us to reach goals in our business that would have not been possible but for God and His leading and blessing. I believe that we are just beginning, and the best is yet to come.

I wish I could share more about what God has done and what He is doing, but hopefully this gives you a glimpse of this amazing chapter of my God story.  If you are interested, you can glean more of this story by watching some of the videos we put together for our firm’s 20th Anniversary Celebration in 2023.  See below:

Servant Leadership - https://vimeo.com/1023064952

History –  https://vimeo.com/821045048

Culture – https://vimeo.com/user17937465/ourculture

Future –  https://vimeo.com/820959786

Word of the Week - Testimony (God Story) - Part 2 - My Personal Testimony

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.  - Rev 12:11

My Personal Testimony – In last week’s “Word of the Week”, see below, I shared a message on the power of our testimony (our God Story) and how it can and should be used to encourage others in their journey of faith.  In preparation for hosting our 15th Heritage Forum this week, I am once again reviewing and updating my personal testimony/God story. I begin the Heritage Forum with my testimony to give context and encourage participants in the Heritage process. The Heritage Forum is part of my God story that God is using to allow me to minister to high-capacity leaders to help equip them to live with a godly generational perspective.  Many of our lead team share parts of their testimony throughout the event to reinforce how God has and is impacting their lives, families, and businesses.  If we stay connected to the vine of Christ and allow Him to, God will continue to write new & exciting chapters of our God story until we go home to see Him.

In the context of this message, I felt led to share my personal testimony.  I hope it encourages you and increases your faith and hope in Jesus!

• Before I knew Jesus in a personal way my life from the outside looked somewhat normal, and most people who knew me back then would probably say I was good.  The truth is that I was deeply struggling on the inside.  I felt lost and without purpose. I lacked identity and thus I was terribly insecure.  I believed in God and knew that the answer to my identity and purpose crisis had something to do with God, but I didn’t know how to reconcile this, and I was fearful of what that might require of me.  I had a religious and performance-based view of God.  I lived with guilt & shame and felt like I was never good enough.  I had habitual sin in my life that I knew was not good or healthy, but I did not have the power to overcome it.  My thought life was not healthy.  I would try to escape my reality by dreaming and fantasizing about things that were not healthy and at the worst of times, not pure.  My key relationships (wife, children, family, friends) were ok but surely not thriving. I had several strained relationships on the verge of falling apart.  My basic view on life was how do I get through this life and my responsibilities in a way that is decent and admirable.  I lived with fear and anxiety.  I was chasing the things of the world (success, status, financial security) in my pursuit of happiness.  I did not really understand true joy or peace and surely was not experiencing it in my life.  

In pursuit of the American Dream, I underwent many trials in my late twenties and early thirties that rocked my world.  I started a business immediately following graduation from business school with lots of hope and enthusiasm.  Over a four-year period, the business nearly destroyed me and my family.  It cost me almost everything, but I was determined to succeed.  By brute force I poured everything I had and worked tirelessly to overcome the challenges I was facing.  To the world this was a noble pursuit but in hindsight it was terribly foolish and selfish.  It led to what I thought to be a near death experience.  At the ripe age of 29, I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance thinking I was having a heart attack to find out after an overnight stay and series of tests, I had an anxiety attack.  Financially, we had invested everything we had in the business and were on the verge of personal bankruptcy.  I had given everything to the business.  My life was a mess and empty.  It was even affecting my health in a major way.  “There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end leads to death” Proverbs 14:12 Fortunately, my dear wife Amy finally said enough is enough and gave me a clear ultimatum.  “She told me that I would either get out of the business or else it is over for us!” This began a long series of terribly painful events including having to ask my father-in-law to help me out of this situation, which was humbling for me due to my pride, insecurity, and fear of failure. This life experience impacted me in a way that made me question everything.  This painful experience led me to start asking the deeper questions of life and faith.

• How I came to receive Christ – After selling out of the business, I began focusing on getting my life back in order and somewhat healthy.  My life stabilized and got back to a more normal and sustainable pace but I was continually plagued with discontent and lack of identity and purpose.  Not to mention my wife Amy was enduring an intense battle with depression that was really challenging for us.  I felt God was calling me to a deeper relationship with Him.  My brother-in-law Hamp Green and my sister-in-law Colette had recently come to faith.  I had heard their testimonies and seen a major shift in their lives that got my attention.  They had joined a new church in Birmingham called Church of the Highlands.  They invited us to attend, and in the first service I attended I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me toward something new, but we were not ready to make that move.  I then started attending a men’s small group at Richard and Patty Ann Randalph’s house in Crestline where Pastor Chris Hodges (PC) was leading a group of young businessmen on a study of finding our “Life Purpose”.  I was dying to know my God given purpose.  PC made it so simple by saying “If you want to know your life purpose you must know the God, the one who created you for a specific purpose”.  He referred to Ephesians 2:10 and made it clear that God created every person for a specific and unique God ordained purpose.  To know our purpose, we have to know God in a personal way and surrender our lives to Him.  So that day in the fall of 2001 at the ripe age of 33, I surrendered my life to Jesus in Richard’s living room.  I have never been the same since!!!!!!  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, and the new is here.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

• After I surrendered my life to Jesus – I had always heard the term “Born again” but I never understood what that meant and was somewhat fearful of what that would mean if it happened to me.  Well, I learned what it meant to be “Born again”.  I know every salvation experience is different, but for me I experienced a miraculous and profound change in my life.  It was like I woke up the next day after surrendering my life to Jesus and my heart and brain had been reprogrammed.  I had a very new and different perspective on life, and I came alive in way I had never experienced.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that what is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again”. John 3:6-7 It was amazing and so encouraging for me.  I immediately began to know and experience my God purpose and for the first time in my 33 years of life, I felt true joy and peace.  I had true sense that God had forgiven me of all of my sins, and I was starting a “new life” with a new identity that was grounded in Christ.  It gave me so much joy and excitement and set me on a new path that I have been walking on now for 24 years.  I have experienced lots of trials and challenges in my life over the past 24 years since giving my life to Jesus, but I have found purpose and hope in all of these trials.  I see how God is using the trials of my life to sanctify me and do something great in me and through me for His glory and purpose.  I now find purpose and joy in my trials.

It is very hard to articulate the difference in my life from before and after knowing Jesus.  For me it is literally like two different lives.  Before Jesus, I lacked purpose and identity and lived in fear with a sort of survival got to attitude that made life difficult.  There was no eternal fruit being produced in my life that I can point to.  I will never know what would have been for my life and family if I would not have come to faith in Jesus, but it is likely I would not still be married and probably not leading Founders, to mention just a few.  Without knowing Jesus in a personal and intimate way and experiencing the hope that comes in knowing Him, I would likely not have had the conviction and internal strength to persevere through many challenges of life. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” Romans 5:1-8

I have lived the past 24 years with a God purpose and knowing my identity in Christ.  I live my life with excitement and anticipation to see what God will do next.  I am blessed beyond measure in every area of my life. Starting with my marriage and family.  Amy and I have been married for 34 years and have experienced many trials in our marriage.  By the grace of God, our relationship is better than it has ever been, and we are now doing marriage ministry together.  I have 3 amazing and healthy daughters who love and serve Jesus, two amazing sons by marriage and 8 awesome and healthy grandkids.  Our grandkids are being raised in godly families.  We have a godly heritage that we believe will endure for generations to come.  To my knowledge, I have no broken or strained relationships in my family or amongst my friends.  I have an amazing life filled with life giving relationships.  I get to be part of an amazing church and live in a flourishing community of believers.  God is using me, our family and our business for God’s Kingdom in ways I could have never imagined.  I have abundance flowing in every aspect of my life, which allows me the opportunity to be generous with my time, treasure, and talents!!!  This is the abundant life that Jesus talks about that is available to all of us if we surrender our hearts and lives to Him, make Him Lord of our lives and stay connected to the vine of Christ through abiding.  The primary difference between the before and after is my abiding relationship with Jesus!  Jesus said “I am the vine and you are the branch, if you abide in me (stay connected) then I will abide in you (give us His power) and you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”. John 15:5

Challenge Questions:  What is your personal testimony?  Do you have it written down?  If not, set aside time to write down your testimony and make plans to share it with someone.  You can let them know you are working on your testimony and want them to listen and give you feedback.

Next week I hope to share how our God Story can be integrated into every aspect of our lives to have impact and purpose, especially in our vocation/businesses.  God will use us and our story for His purpose and His glory in every area of our lives.

Word of the Week - Testimony (God Story)

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.  - Rev 12:11

In my March 2nd and March 9th “Word of the Weeks” I shared on “Sowing and Reaping” and “Ministry”, see below.  We serve a God of multiplication who desires for us to be force multipliers in reproducing what He has done in us.  This can sound big and overwhelming, but it’s fairly straight forward.  It comes down to us taking the blessing and gifts that God has given us and sharing them with others in the name of Jesus.  This is Ministry and how God uses us to multiply and build His Kingdom on earth.

Our Testimony is one of most important components of our ministry.  I had the opportunity to share my Testimony “God Story” last week at an FCCI event I co-hosted for a group of faith driven CEO’s / Business Owners at Pursell Farms, see pics attached.  We had a great time together and God did a good work in each of us who attended.  From this experience, I was once again reminded that sharing our Testimony is one of the most powerful ways we minister and sow seeds into God’s Kingdom.  Thus, I feel prompted to share this “Word of the Week” to challenge us all to look for opportunities to share our “God Story” (Testimony).

Testimony" is translated from the Greek word martyria, which means "evidence." But not just any evidence. To put it simply, your Testimony is your God story, which includes the pain you've been through on the way to where you are today.  Every believer has a Testimony and even though they can be very different from person to person, they all matter and should be used to testify to what God has done in our lives. 

Power of our Testimony – It is quite profound what God outlines in Revelations 12:1 for victory in life, the blood of Christ through the Cross and the word of our Testimony.  I love hearing personal Testimonies/stories because it renews and reinforces my faith and allows me to get to know the person sharing their testimony at a deeper level.  Sharing a personal Testimony typically gives you a look into the heart of a person and how God is working in their lives.  No matter how dramatic or simple an authentic Testimony it is always impactful because God is the star of the story.  Of course, most of us tend to think that our Testimony/story is not as exciting or interesting as others so we shy away from sharing it; or we may be sensitive to being politically correct and concerned that we may offend others by sharing our God story. This is a lie and plays right into the plan of the enemy, to keep us quiet and ineffective.  The bottom line is that God has anointed every believer with a personal Testimony, and we should look for every opportunity to tell people our God story. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect.”  1 Peter 3:15

Sharing our God Story – As followers of Christ, we are called to share our Testimony with others.  We are not necessarily called to convert people, that is really left up to God and the Holy Spirit.  Our part is to simply look for opportunities to share our God story with others in a loving and respectful way as noted in 1 Peter 3:15. It important to be authentic, humble and God honoring.  I can assure you that this pleases our Father in heaven and plants seeds of faith that will be harvested at the right time.  If others come to know Jesus through our Testimony is not up to us, but being willing to share our God Story is our choice.  In sharing we can certainly encourage others in their walk of faith and help in the journey towards faith in Christ.

The elements of a good Testimony/God Story – The primary objective of your Testimony is a clear presentation of your faith and what led you to faith in 3 basic pieces:

1. Before I knew Christ – What my life was like before I accepted Christ.  Use an attention getting first sentence.  Describe it in a way that communicates well to non-believers (don’t use religious terminology). What did my life revolve around? What did I get my security and happiness from?  How did those things let me down and come up empty?

2. How I came to know Christ – How and when did I realize that I was lost and had an issue of sin in my life?  How did I hear the good news in a way I could receive it?  What compelled me to faith?  What happened when I made my decision of faith and surrendered my lift to Jesus?

3. After I received Christ – What are the specific things that have changed in my life such as attitudes, actions, and relationships, since I became a Christ follower.  Try to include personal and relatable illustrations and examples such as how it impacted your marriage, family, and/or business. Share how understanding God’s grace and forgiveness impacted your perspective on your life and others.  Why I am motivated differently.  How my faith has served me in every area of my life and the encouraging journey I have been on through the ups and downs of life and why it matters.

Note: It is best to have 3 versions of your testimony: 1) A five minute elevator version that can be given in a short exchange, 2) A 10-15 minutes version that is bit more expansive but still short and to the point, 3) A 30-45 minute version that incorporates more detail and tangible examples of how God has worked and is working in your life. 

We benefit from sharing our Testimony - Whether you are a business leader, pastor, mom, or student, there is tremendous power in your testimony and when you share it with others it not only blesses the Lord and others but it has many benefits to you such as: 1) Connecting you in a deeper relationship with others, 2) reminding you of your past and keeping you aware of where you came from and accountable to not falling back into the sins of the past, and 3) building our faith and giving us hope for the future.  We are reminded of how much God loves us and what He has done and is doing in our lives.  It blesses us and others when we share our personal God story with others.

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me” 2 Timothy 1:8-12

Challenge Questions:  When was the last time you shared your testimony with someone?  Do you look for opportunities to share your Testimony with others?  Have you spent time thinking through your testimony and are you ready to share it with others on short notice?  I challenge you to pray for who God is leading you to share your testimony with and commit to sharing it with them this week!!!

Let’s sow the good seed of our Testimony into others this week in the name of Jesus and see the what God does!

Word of the Week - Generosity

“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” - 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Generosity defined by Marriam Webster as liberal in giving: openhanded; marked by abundance or ample proportion.  I love the spirit of Generosity because it is truly the spirit of the Lord.  Our God is an amazing and abundant giver of “all that we need”.  He desires to bless us so that we can be a generous blessing to others.

God our Provider – “And my God will supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:19  One of God’s name’s is Jehovah Jireh, which means God our provider.  If we truly believe God is the creator of all things and our provider then we can understand that all things come from God and He can give us whatever we need and much, much more.  Our God is a God of more and He desires to bless abundantly in every way, so that we can be a blessing and share the love of Christ and expand His Kingdom during our short time here on earth.  First and foremost, He provides us with security in in our eternal destiny (salvation).  He could stop here and that would be more than enough, but He goes much further in His provision by blessing us with the richness of our gifts/talents, resources, and relationships so we can be generous toward God and others.   

Heart of Gratitude – “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give”. Matthew 10:8 It begins with understanding what God has done for us through His son Jesus.  If we really receive the amazing gift of grace and immeasurable Generosity that God showed to us through the Cross and all its benefits/blessings, then we cannot help but want to respond by giving and sharing what we have been given.  This is a heart of gratitude that leads to a life of generosity.  Our response to God’s amazing generosity towards us should be a desire to give, especially if we realize all that we have is a gift from God. As we begin to understand this reality, we hold things loosely and become more generous toward God and others.

Generous Living – It truly is “More blessed to give than to receive” Acts 20:25  Generosity is a state of the heart, not necessarily of your wallet.  It encompasses all areas of our lives and resources including time, talents and treasures.  As followers of Christ, I think we should always be asking ourselves if we are generous and open handed with the blessings that we have been given regardless of the measure of what we possess.  Generous living is truly having a posture of “giving” out of what God has given to us.  Some examples include giving your time to disciple or mentor others, taking time to understand the needs of others and connect them to people and resources that can bless them or giving financial resources to support Kingdom ministries.  You should consider this is above and beyond the tithe, which is the minimum threshold of 10%.  The tithe is a biblical model God gave us to build and sustain the local church, which is the foundation for expanding God’s Kingdom on earth.  We must be discerning and pray for wisdom in the process because we cannot say yes to everything but we should be open to be lead by God’s spirit towards what are the right things to invest in. 

The Blessing – “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others in the name of Jesus will be refreshed” Proverbs 11:25.  Just like all matters of faith, we must step out in faith and trust God by His word to experience the blessing.  I am continuing to grow in my journey of Generosity, but I can testify by personal experience over the past 24 years that God is true to His word.  There is an amazing blessing in living Generously and the spirit of giving.  It is an antidote to the spirt of fear, pride, scarcity, and greed.  When we recognize God as the provider of all things and live in Generously, we are blessed beyond measure.  The Lord truly loves a “Cheerful giver” and will bless those that “Sow Generously”.  Despite the challenges and difficulties in life, if we are Generous, we will experience His abundant life as described in Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ever ask or imagine, according to His power at work within us”. 

Challenge Questions:  Are we living Generous lives in how we love, serve and give to God and others?  Are we at peace, and confident in trusting God as our true provider?  Do we believe and trust that God knows what we need? 

Let’s step into all that God has for us by trusting Him as our Generous Father who wants to bless us with “life that is truly life” 1 Timothy 6:17-18 in Christ Jesus. “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasures for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life”  

Let’s live our lives with abundant Generosity and experience the abundant life “life that is truly life”!!!!

Word of the Week - Integrity

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out” - Proverbs 10:9

What is Integrity?  It is defined as “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness; the state of being whole and undivided”.  I think of integrity as being true to God, myself, and others with God at the center of it all.  I think we have all heard the concept of Integrity as what we do when no one is looking. “Not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Ephesians 6:6 As followers of Christ, we are called to live our lives with high integrity.

Integrity allows us to live free before God and man – One of the most powerful blessings of Christ is that He came to give us true freedom through the Cross.  By overcoming the sin of the world, He gave us the gift of eternal life and the ability to access that same power to overcome our sin and curse of this world.  When we are born of the spirit of God, we are redeemed into wholeness in Christ and through this process we become what God intended us to be in Him, our unique person in Christ.  There is tremendous security and freedom that is found in realizing that we are created uniquely perfect in God’s image as His sons and daughters and His purpose for us is to live to the fullness of who He called us to be in Him.  “Be the best me I can be” and let God take care of the rest.  In my own personal walk of life, prior to my spirit being enlivened in Christ at the age of 33, it seemed I was not satisfied with who I was; I was always trying to become something or be like someone else.  This made me insecure, incomplete, and mostly frustrated.  In this state I lacked integrity and wholeness.  When I truly surrendered my life to Jesus, almost instantaneously and miraculously my identity was made complete in Him and I started living secure and free, with wholeness/integrity to Christ, myself. and others.  As a son of the living God, my identity became solidified in Christ.  What an amazing and powerful gift.  “For creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into freedom and glory of the children of God”. Romans 8: 20-21

Integrity protects us from sin and death – If a man walks with Integrity before God and man then he will be a man of virtue, pleasing to God.  The bottom line is that being a person of Integrity is foundational to being a person of truth and trust.  If we have a tendency to compromise, then how will we know if we are trustworthy.  Of course, the enemy is crafty and looks for our vulnerabilities, and as humans we all have weaknesses.  That being said if we desire to be men and women of Integrity before God, we will seek the Lord and ask that our hearts be pure and our ways be blameless.  The power to walk in Integrity comes from God the author and perfecter of our faith who modeled integrity for us.  Jesus lived with full Integrity, blameless and without sin.  Walking in Integrity brings life and protection to every aspect of our lives.   “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:10-12

Christ centered Integrity brings order and begets blessing – If we place the Lord at the center of our lives and make Him our first and preeminent priority, then every area of our lives will be Integrated in and through Christ and we will live with divine order and blessing.  The alternative, which is very common to the ways of this world, is to compartmentalize our lives into different silos. This is a very challenging way to live because we are always fretting over how to order our time and priorities, and we generally live with strife and disorder.  When we put Christ at the center of our lives and invite Him into every aspect of our lives, then we can live with much more order, which produces greater harmony, peace, and fulfillment in our lives. “Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters”.  Colossians 3:23 As place Christ at the center of our lives (surrendering our lives to Him), we become more Christ-like and He begins to produce spiritual fruit in all areas of our lives.  Christ at the center means that He is connected to every area of our lives, and He is the source, which brings us back to a key concept I talk about often, abiding in Christ. “I am the vine, you are the branches, if you abide in me, I will abide in you, and you will bear much fruit.  Apart from me you can do nothing”.  John 15:3 This is the life blood of our walk of faith and living a life of Integrity.   

See illustration below from my friend Ken Boa www.kenboa.org of Compartmentalized Life vs. Christ Centered (Integrous) Lif

As followers of Christ living with Integrity, there should be no sacred/secular dichotomy.  Our lives should be Integrated in all things.  We should be the same person at Church on Sunday, at work on Monday-Friday, on the golf course or at the hunting camp on the weekends, and especially at home with our families.  This is the evidence and blessing of Christ at work within us.  It is all connected and integrated together , so that you live in light of eternity and become all that Christ has in store for you to become in Him.   

Challenge Questions:  Are you living a life of full Integrity before the Lord.  Do you have the same character at church, work, home and on the golf course?  Are you the same person when no one is watching?  Is your life compartmentalized or fully integrated with Christ at the center of it all?

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity”. Proverbs 11:3

Word of the Week - Ministry

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as a precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” - Acts 20:24

In last week’s “Word of the Week” I shared on one of my favorite principles “sowing and reaping”, see below.  We serve a God of multiplication who desires for us to be force multipliers in reproducing what He has done in us.  This can sound big and overwhelming, but it’s simple.  It comes down to us taking the blessing and gifts that God has given us and sharing them with others in the name of Jesus.  This is ministry and as followers of Jesus, He calls us all to be ministers and share His goodness with others.

Ministry defined – Ministry is from the Greek word diakoneo, meaning “to serve”.  In the New Testament, ministry is seen as service to God and to other people in His name.  Jesus showed us what it looked like to minister to others.  He came, not to receive service, but to give to others.  “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” Matthew 20:28 As followers of Jesus, one of the fruits of our abiding relationship with the Lord is a desire to serve others with love and humility and share what God has done in us.  We minister to others out of our love and devotion to the Lord as a response to His amazing grace and love for us.  We all have an innate (God given) desire to love and serve others, it just needs to be activated.

Ministry of all Believers – Ministry is often thought of from a vocational ministry perspective as we call pastors and priests to full time service.  I am grateful for all who are called to full-time ministry, and they are rightly designated as ministers.  That being said, pastors and priests are not the only ones called to ministry.  As followers of Jesus, we are all called to be ministers.  This starts with the fact that as the Church, we are part of a body of believers, and all have a part to play.  

1. Our ministry starts by being plugged into a healthy local church, so we have connection and covering.  This is the proper order of things and how we grow and are fed as part of the community of believers.  “They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.  All the believers were together and had everything in common.” Acts 2:42-43 Within our church, we are given opportunities to be part of the team effort to serve others within our church family and those within the community who may not have a church family.  We are surely better together as a body of believers and God uses the collective gifts and resources of all believers to spread the good news of Jesus and literally “change the world”.  I am very fortunate to be part of an amazing church where I have been able to serve for over 20 years.  I am awe struck when I reflect on how God has used our church in building His Kingdom by “ministering to others” in the name of Jesus.  For example, since our founding in 2001 we have seen nearly 250,000 documented salvations through our church.  It is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my life to be part of such an amazing ministry.  We get to play a part in His Church while we grow and mature in our faith and ministry.  Ephesians 4:12-13 says we are  “to equip His people for the works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ”.

Unique calling and gifting – God created us all with unique interests, passions and giftings and He desires for us to use these things in ministry.  This was one of the most exciting things I discovered when I came into a personal relationship with Jesus and started walking out my faith by using my gifts to minister to others.  I was so excited about my newfound faith that I considered going into full time vocational ministry, which felt a little awkward, especially for my wife Amy who was not feeling it.  I shared this with my pastor over lunch one day and he asked me why I was thinking about going into full time ministry and I told him that I thought that was what you were supposed to do if you got serious about your faith.  He laughed and encouraged me to simply pray about how God might use me in my current vocation of business.  He then said something profound that I had never really considered, He said “Duane you can minister to people from your business platform that we may never be able to reach from the church”.  That was one of the best days of my life, as I realized that God could use me if I was simply willing to be used.  Well, that was 24 years ago and all I can say is praise God and “wow”.  “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly; if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shoes mercy, with cheerfulness.” Romans 12:6-8

Just Do it!!!!  Minister from where you are with what you have and watch God do His great work in you and through you - I continue to be amazed with what I get to do and how God allows me to be part of what He is doing through so many amazing ministries.  Just in the past few weeks I have been part of ministering (serving, sharing my faith, equipping, encouraging, admonishing, loving, giving etc.) to hundreds of people using my simple but unique gifts and passions through several ministries that I get to be part of that include: Church of the Highlands COH, Highlands College Highlands College, Fellowship of Companies for Christ FCCI, and Heritage Forum Heritage Forum.   

Each of us has a unique set of skills, gifts, interest, and passions that God wants to use to minister to others both within and outside of the body of believers.  He can use each of us right where we are if we are simply willing to be used and remain connected to the vine of Christ, John 15:5.  By the way, Christian ministry is as practical as it is spiritual.  We do not have to be overly spiritual, evangelistic or bible scholars, it simply requires a heart to love and serve God and others.  To simply share what God has shown us and what He is doing in our lives.  Ministry can and should simply ministering to the needs (physical, emotional, mental, vocational, financial etc.) of others in the name of Jesus, just like Jesus did.  He simply fed people because they were hungry.  He met them and loved them where they were.  This is ministry, and I have found it to truly be the joy of our faith.  God created us for this purpose to love Him and love and serve others.

Challenge Questions:  Are you plugged into and serving at and through your local church?  Are you using your gifts and passions to serve others in the name of Jesus?  Do you feel like God is using you and your platform of life to make a difference for eternity?  If not, today is the day to begin!!!!

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but I all of them and in everyone the same God at work” ” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

So be encouraged, God wants to use each of us to minister to others what the Lord has ministered to us!

Word of the Week - Sowing and Reaping

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  Galatians 6:7-8

In last week’s “Word of the Week” I shared on 100x soil in the context of being a force multiplier, see below.  We serve a God of multiplication who desires for us to be force multipliers in reproducing what He has done in us.  This is the essence of discipleship. “Therefor go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20 One of the greatest privileges and opportunities we have as Christ followers, especially as we grow and mature in our faith is to share what God has done in our lives with other believers.  After walking with the Lord for the last 24 years, I am at a stage where I am seeing God do multiplication on much of the seed I have sown over the past 24 years.  I am enjoying this phase of life more than any I have experienced to date, and I believe the best days are ahead. I am excited as I have ever been about my opportunity to sow seed to see what God will do.  Much of my life and ministry is simply sowing seeds into others.  Based on my experience with God, I now know that I know that He will “do immeasurably more than I could ever imagine by His power at work” Ephesians 3:20.  This is why I love sharing on the topic of Sowing and Reaping!!

The principal of Sowing and Reaping is one of key biblical truths of life both on earth from a practical sense and in heaven from a spiritual sense.  Whether we like it or not, got set this principle in place such that we will Reap what we Sow over the course of time.  Just like many of God’s principals within His divine economy, this is a wonderful truth that can really be a blessing if we understand it and align our lives accordingly as noted in my opening remarks.  The potential impact of our lives can be immeasurable if we steadily sow good seed over the course of our lives, especially if we are sowing seed into good soil.  

Like for Like - If you have lived any amount of life, you have a general understanding of how this works, we reap what we sow.  If we Sow seeds from the tree of life (Jesus), we will Reap good seeds, like for like.  Of course, if we sow seeds of death (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) we will reap the same. This is why the most important part of this process is to make sure our hearts are right before God, and we are filled with the spirit of the living God.  You cannot share and reproduce what you don’t have; we will reproduce who we are.  To reproduce the abundant life of Jesus we must be born of the spirit of God by surrendering our lives to Jesus then foster our relationship with Jesus by abiding in Him.  He then transforms us into His likness, and then He begins to produce much (reproductive/multiplicative) fruit in our lives.  This fruit is simply the biproduct of our intimate connection to the vine of Christ.  “I am the vine, you are the branches, if you abide in me, I will abide in you and you will bear much fruit, but apart from me you can do nothing”. John 15:5

God controls the outcome – Our job is simply keep sowing Good Seed into Good soil - Life is not perfect and there are times when we may be Sowing good seed into what we believe to be good soil, but we are not seeing fruit. We cannot control the outcome, but we surely can resolve to continue Sowing good seeds and look for good soil to Sow into.  This is the opportunity we have each day, and over time, the sum total of our Sowing is what results in the fruit of our lives.  On the contrary, if we Sow bad seed then we can expect Reap the same.  For example, good healthy life disciplines such as eating well, exercising regularly, getting good sleep/rest and building healthy relationships generally will result in a healthy person with good relationships, whereas lack of discipline such as poor eating, neglecting health, not exercising, bad habits such as excessive drinking or use of drugs and neglecting or mistreating family and others will lead to destruction, brokenness and ultimately death.   I think we have all witnessed this to some degree or another in our lives or in the lives of those around us.

Kingdom Sowing - The Lord makes it very clear that when we Sow seeds into His Kingdom through prayer, worship, giving, serving, loving, sharing the Gospel with others, and disciple making, and we do it with pure motives, then we can expect to Reap a harvest both on earth and in heaven.  Moreover, God’s is so awesome that He multiplies the harvest.  “So let us not grow weary of doing good (sowing good seed), for in due season we will reap, if we don’t give up.  So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10

Integrated Living - It is important as Christ followers that we live integrated lives.  We don’t try to separate our “Christian ministry” from our “Secular life” these things are not mutually exclusive. I think some believe that we can only Sow one dimensionally in life.  We are either Sowing into our vocations/business or into our faith through religious church activities.  This is a lie from the enemy.  God never intended for us to separate these things.  As believes, our identity is first and foremost in who we are in Christ.  We should invite Jesus into every area of our lives, especially as we are sowing our seeds. One of the most exciting truths I ever discovered was the fact that God desires for us to integrate these things together.  We have the opportunity every day to get a twofer.  We can serve people in our vocations whether it be customers or employees both practically and spiritually.  We don’t have to separate the two, we can Sow seeds of life/faith by practically serving them with excellence while at the same time building a personal relationship that would allow us to minister to them as they navigate the challenges of life.  “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving”.  Colossians 3:23 Living a fully integrated life is how we walk out the Gospel of Jesus in our day to day lives – this is our ministry.

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9

Let’s continue sowing good seed into good soil and see what Gid will do;  He promises us an amazing harvest both here on earth and for eternity in heaven!!!!!!!!

Word of the Week - 100x Soil (Force Multipliers)

“Listen!  A farmer went out to sow seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil.  It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.  Still other seed fell on good soil.  It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”  Mark 4:3-8

Highlands College – 100x case study - As faithful followers of Jesus, we have the opportunity to leverage our gifts and resources to be 100x force multipliers for God’s Kingdom.  This is the highest honor and opportunity for us as believers.  God promises to give us eternal rewards for doing this.  Amy and I just returned from Cabo San Lucus where we helped host a fund-raising event for Highlands College (HC).  I serve on the board of Highlands College and love the vision and mission of HC with all of my heart.  It is one of the greatest honors of my life to serve and invest my talents and treasure into HC. Over the last 3 days we have been able to reflect and see what God has done and is doing through Highlands College.  This Christian Leadership College (Academy) is the first of its kind and is already making a huge impact in God’s Kingdom. In its very short existence since being founded in 2011, HC has trained and sent over 1300 leaders into full time ministry around the globe to fulfill the great commission.  These amazing young leaders who are called by God and equipped by Highlands College are 100x leaders that will be force multipliers for God’s Kingdom.  There is a compounding impact as they go out and plant more seeds of impact and reproduce.  There are generational crops of kingdom leaders that we are equipping and sending out into the harvest fields.  The Impact over time is almost hard to comprehend as it is truly immeasurable.  We are planting good seed into good soil and watching God do what He does, supernaturally multiply it.  What a privilege and an honor it is for us to be part of such an amazing Impact Ministry.  This is 100,000,000,000,000x soil!!!! 

Rocky Shallow Soil – “As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.  Other, like seed sown in rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.  But since they have no root, they last only a short time.  When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away” Mark 4:15-17.  The issue of our hearts and souls being rocky shallow soil is probably more prevalent today than ever before, due to our culture of instant gratification fueled by our virtual reality.  God requires us to be all in not half-hearted and lukewarm.  Faith in God is both real and deep, it is not a surface thing.  We must be touched by God at the depths of our souls and transformed by the renewing of our mind and spirit.  We need to really get to know God if we want our faith to take root and endure the test of time and persecution.   

Thorny Competing soil -  “Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful” Mark 4:18-19.  I see this as the biggest threat, especially at my stage of life.  There are so many things competing for our attention especially as we realize success in life, we end up having lots of stuff, responsibilities and options on how to spend our time, energy and money.  How do we sort through all of this and keep our relationship with God as our priority?  We all have an enemy of our soul whose job is to steal, kill and destroy to keep us from our God destiny and he is a master at using good things to distract us and keep us from God’s best. Solid believers with the best of intentions are at risk in this category. The things of life can sneak up on us and begin to compete for our heart and attention.  I am convinced that the primary antidote to this is simply making God “The Priority” in our lives.  First in every category including our time, attention, finances etc. God desires to be first and will not settle for any other position in our lives.  “Seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness and all things will be added unto you”.  Matthew 6:33

Good Fertile Soil - “Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop – some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown”. Mark 4:20  This is what God desires for us as His sons and daughters, that we simply accept/receive His love and make it the highest priority in our lives.  That we allow God to water us daily as we remain connected to Him through the vine of Christ and receive the water and nutrients so we can be fruitful and multiply by God doing His work in us and through us.  This is Jesus promise to us in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches, if you remain/abide in me, I will remain/abide in you and you will bear much fruit.  Apart from Me you can do nothing”.  

Force Multiplier 100x soil - “Man and woman are to serve as His image, to be fruitful, to multiply, and to be about His work.” Genesis 1:26  First and foremost, we can be 100x fruit bearers by ensuring we are investing in our families to reproduce.  God literally instituted family to be the primary way that we multiply physically and spiritually.  This is our greatest opportunity and biggest responsibility.  To be 100x Force Multipliers we must understand that we are called to have generational impact.  Yes, what we do in our lives will impact future generations.  We can either be proactive and pass on a heritage of godliness and generational blessing or miss the opportunity Deuteronomy 30:15-16.  If we are not proactive in this area we may be allowing curses to pass from one generation to the next.  This is the primary reason I founded the Heritage Forum www.heritageforums.com, to help men/families understand that God desires for us to engage intentionally in our families and passing on a godly heritage.  Even though it is as much caught than taught, we must be intentional.  The average family will have approximately 250 decendents after 5 generations and 2500 after 10 generations.  How we lead our families in the ways of faith, values and heritage are huge.  If we want to be 100x fruit bearers, I believe we must stay connected to the vine of Christ, intentionally steward our families and be generous sowers to those in our centers of influence.  “For he who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, but he who sows generously will reap generously.” 2 Corinthians 9:6

As a business minded person, I love the idea of getting the best Return on Investment (ROI).  As a follower of Jesus, I get even more excited about Eternal Return on Investment (EROI); ROI is temporary, but EROI is eternal.  I hope this message encourages you to want to become good fertile soil that God can use to produce 100x crop.  God’s promise is that He will produce abundant fruit if we are faithful and use/invest what He has given us for His Kingdom.  This is so well expressed in one of my favorite verses in the bible Ephesians 3:20.  “For He is able to do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine by His power at work within us, for His glory”.

Let’s be 100x soil and experience the miracle of multiplication together!!!!!!!

Word of the Week - Life Rhythms (Habits)

"Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly”.  Matthew 11: 29-30 (msg) 

In last weeks “Word of the Week” I shared about the amazing power of “Order” in our lives especially in our relationship with the Lord, see below for reference.  So how do we have Order in our day to day lives?  Well, it is simple but not easy.  We must be intentional in building daily disciplines/structures into our day to day lives that become rhythms or habits.  Over time these intentional “disciplines” become heart “desires” unforced rhythms of grace.  This is how God does His amazing and transformative work in our lives, families, and businesses.  The power of our faith comes alive through our daily actions, which leads to the abundant life Jesus talks about “Immeasurably More than you can ask or imagine”.  Ephesians 3:20

Life Rhythms (habits) are acquired modes of behavior that become almost involuntary.  Typically these patterns are acquired by frequent repetition or by being around others who engage in similar repetitive activities.  Most of our life rhythms and routines are either good and healthy or negative and unhealthy.  Some rhythms can be more neutral but either way, our routines and rhythms have a meaningful impact on our life and the impact or lack of impact we have on the world around us, so they are significantly important and thus should be intentional.    

The power of life Rhythms – I recently listened to a podcast by Craig Groeschel titled “High Impact Habits for Successful Leaders” Habits and leadership.  I am a big believer in the power of our life habits and rhythms and how they impact every area of our lives.  Since our lives are really the sum total of what we do, what we do each day really matters, especially over time.  If we understand this truth, then we can begin to work toward developing good and godly habits and purging ourselves of habits that are keeping us from being all that we are called to be in Christ.  This is the process of sanctification in Christ over the course of our lives.  Rhythms can also be equated to disciplines. When we surrender our lives to Christ and are born of the spirit of God, He gives us a new perspective, which should lead to new life rhythms and disciplines.  “Do not continue to conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve God’s will, His good, perfect and pleasing will”. Romans 12:2.  Our daily Rhythms and disciplines become transformative to our lives, we become a new person in Christ through these daily disciplines.  I love this quote by my friend John Maxwell, “I can predict the long-term outcome of your success if you show me your daily habits.”

Life transformation through daily rhythms – The real question is not what do, but who I want to become.  Over time our daily rythyms along with the people we spend time with, shape us into who we are.  For example, in my own personal walk of faith, I started a new journey a little over 24 years ago when I surrendered my life to Christ.  I began reading God’s word every morning, and making it a top priority in my life (first fruit).  This became a daily rhythm for me and now I have read the bible over 23 times from cover to cover.  In doing so, I have come to really know God through His word and even more importantly, I have come to know my true identity in Christ (who He says I am as His son).  This daily rhythm has really shaped me into a new creation in Christ.  The essence of who I am has been transformed over the years as I have grown in my relationship with Jesus.  There are many other Habits/disciplines related to my walk of faith and relationship with God that played a part in my transformation and sanctification, which are ongoing. What we do and who we spend our time with really impacts who we become.  Prior to this meaningful experience, I desired to know God and more about my faith and beliefs, but my daily Habits and actions were not aligned with this desire.  The most amazing part of this truth is that we find freedom and life in the daily rhythms and disciplines of walking with Jesus.  It is not a burden, it brings energy and vision to our life, it is life giving. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yolk is easy and my burden is light”. Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

Daily Rhythms motivated in Love in Relationships are the winning combination – Even though our rhythms and routines are very important in who we become and how effective we are in life, they cannot produce fruit without love and relationship.  We are not robots, we are triune beings that have a spirit, heart/soul and body and we were made for relationship.  Relationships can be greatly complimented by good habits because what we do really impacts our relationships.  For example, I can say and do all the right things with my wife by taking her on dates, routinely giving her flowers and telling her the right things, but if she doesn’t know and feel my connection to her through love and relationship, we are destined for failure.  That being said, I can love my wife and have all the best intentions but if I don’t set aside frequent quality time to spend with her and make that a priority, then our relationship will suffer and not be healthy and flourish.  Love is action and taking action shows love but action alone is not love.  This reminds me of the somewhat controversial topic if faith and works outlined in James 2:14-16 “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save them?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead”

As we move deeper into 2025, I would encourage you to evaluate our daily/weekly/monthly/Annual rhythms and disciplines to determine which of them you may want to start and stop.  Small habits compounded over time can be game changers in life. 

Let’s live with intentionality every day!!!!! 

Word of the Week - Order

“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.  But all things should be done decently and in order”. - 1 Corinthians 14:33,40 

What is Order – Order is the organized arrangement of things with an emphasis on prioritizing things by putting first things first.  When things are ordered there is more clarity and peace.  When things are out of order (disordered), there is typically more confusion and strife.  All aspects of life are simply better and more productive when things are in good order.  Order increases productivity and success and disorder typically causes inefficiency and hinders success and progress.  It is a very simple concept that many struggle to grasp and most struggle to live day to day.  For some reason, many of us gravitate towards disorder. 

Our God is a God of Order – Throughout the Bible, we see how much God values order.  Within the wonder and mystery of creation is order.  God has a master plan that is ordered.  Our salvation through the blood of Jesus was pre-planned by God.  1 Peter 1:20 tells us that “Jesus was chosen before creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for our sake”.  Before the prophet Jeremiah was even born, God had a plan for his life.  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 We see order throughout the scripture with Noah’s instructions to build the ark to Solomons amazing temple construction to how Jesus ordered and prioritized His days.  Our God is a God of order, and we can greatly benefit by taking notice and organizing our lives in order.

Why should we increase Order in our lives - First and foremost is the reality that we will spend our time and energy on what we prioritize.  The big rock principle is key to living a purposeful life and fulfilling our God given potential.  We must take time to determine what we believe to be the most important things in our lives and allocate the proper amount of time and energy to those things relative to other things.  If we are not intentional then we will not have order and not prioritize the big rocks.  Stephen Covey calls this “Putting First things First”.  In the digital age of smart phones if you do not have clarity on your priorities, you can easily waste your time and possibly your life on things that don’t have meaning or significance. Secondly, order brings success both personally and professionally.  Order puts things in the proper place and eliminates wasting time.  Order increases wealth, favor, success, happiness, self-esteem, self-worth, productivity and promotes excellence.  Order simply creates an environment for us to be healthy and flourish.

With Divine Order comes Diving Blessing – If we prioritize God and make Him our “First Fruit”, we will live in His blessing.  He makes it clear that He desires to be the First in every area of our lives.  The first commandment says “You shall have no other gods before me”. Exodus 20:3  And God promises us that if we make Him the priority then He will bless us.  “But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 I love this principal because it is very simple and easy to understand.  I call it a “Boudreaux” principle.  God simply desires to be the first Priority in our lives.  I am fully convinced based on my life’s experience that if we put God first and make Him the highest priority, we will be blessed and enjoy the fruits of His spirit.  There is no doubt that order begets blessing both in the spiritual and in the natural. 

And there are even more benefits to living with Order – “My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands (order for living); For length of days and long life and peace will add to you” Proverbs 3:1-2

• Length of Days – Each of us have exactly the same length of a day (24 hours or 1440 minutes or 86,400 seconds) so why does this verse say God will increase the length of your days?  When your life is in order, you increase your efficiency and productivity, which gives you more time, margin, and better quality of life.

• Long Life – By following God’s laws, you increase your time on earth.  And orderly and disciplined approach to life and health will improve our quality and quantity of life.  Things like exercise, healthy eating, good sleep and adequate rest will typically allow us to live longer.

• Peace – An increase in order will decrease stress and increase peace, contentment, and tranquility. Life is simply better when things are in order.

• Overcoming – There are many problems and challenges in life much of what are out of our control.  Order minimizes self-imposed challenges so we can use our energy to deal with the challenges we will face in life.  This is referred to in the bible as being an overcomer.

• Financial success – An ordered life attracts and increase financial success.  We must put things in order to be good stewards and when we are, we are blessed and entrusted with more.  This typically creates an opportunity to be more generous in all areas of life, which also begets more blessing. 

• Order brings relational capacity and increases our influence.

I pray we will seek the Lord and ask Him to order our lives in a way that will make the biggest impact for His Kingdom.

Have a great week!!  

Word of the Week - Life is a Gift

“Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16

Life is a gift  - “Life – A precious gift from God” Psalm 139:14.  Every day that we have on this earth is a gift from God and having that perspective is truly a blessing.  This is the principal of a “Heart of Gratitude” and it is a godly perspective that brings life.  If we really think about it, the fact that we are alive and breathing is a gift from God and we should rejoice and be thankful.  The older I get, the more I understand the fragility of Life and the reality that our life on this earth is brief.  Therefore, I count each day as a blessing and a gift and desire to make the most of my Life and time here on earth.  Life is a blessing, and it is made rich and enjoyable by the amazing and generous blessings of family, friends and the opportunities to live and enjoy life through relationship with Him and others in our ministry, work and recreation. 

Count your blessings – As I quicky approach completing my 57th year on this earth and as I reflect on my life, I am almost overwhelmed by the amazing blessings from God.  With a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving to the Lord, I would like to acknowledge just a few of my blessing to include:  My dear wife Amy who I cherish and find myself growing deeper in love with after 34 years of marriage, we are more excited than ever about what God has in store for our future together.  Our 3 amazing daughters Mary Kathryn, Saige and Isabella who love God and are walking with Him.  Our eight precious grandkids Selah, John Michael, Lily, Hazel, Neriah, Kyle, Elouise and David, who are the joy of my life like sunshine on a clear spring morning.  My two amazing and godly sons-in-law JD and Blake who are great husbands, fathers and providers for our daughters and grandkids, and my favorite duck hunting padnahs. My loving and supportive dad who is 86 years old along with my wonderful sister Leslie and brother Mike and their families, who I love dearly and treasure spending time with.  My in-laws Bill and Kay Dore’ who have been like parents to me over all these years.  My band of brothers/close friends, too many to name, who have stood with me through the challenges of life and whom I have shared many great times, laughing, and enjoying life together, especially at Heritage Farms. My church family lead by my friend and pastor Chris Hodges who led me to Christ 24 years ago and is a spiritual father to me.  My ministry team and partners for Heritage Forum and Fellowship of Companies for Christ.  Our growing business Founders Advisors that will be celebrating its 22nd anniversary this spring, co-led with my two great and godly partners, Wesley Legg and Zane Tarence along with an amazing team I feel privileged to lead.  And the list goes on and on.  I surely don’t deserve any of this but I am tremendously grateful for every blessing and want to make the most if it for God’s kingdom and glory.

Making the most of life  - “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 There is a saying I heard at JH Ranch from Bruce Johnston that says “We only live once but if we live well, once is enough”.  More and more I am experiencing this truth in my own life.  I believe the key to living this way is understanding that our lives and our blessings are a gift from God that we get to steward while we are on this earth.  This godly perspective is a game changer that gives us a more eternal God perspective.  The paradox of giving to receive “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses life for me will find it”. Matthew 16:25  The way we make the most of life and get our lives ordered towards God’s priorities is through abiding in Christ.  His spirit leads us and directs us along the way.  “I am the vine and you are the branches, if you abide in me I will abide in you and your will bear much fruit.  Apart from me you can do nothing”.  John 15:5 

Living the abundant life in Christ – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10.  Out of all the abundant blessings I have experienced in my nearly 57 years on this earth, I can truly say that the most treasured blessing I have experienced to date was coming to know Jesus in a personal way almost 24 years ago.  It was truly a game changer that has allowed me to grow and flourish in every area of my life.  I was born of the spirit, and my eyes were opened to whole new way, God’s way.  It is hard to describe in in words what I experienced but I can relate with the blind man in John 9:25 “He replied, “whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know.  One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see!” 

Life is a gift so let’s live life to the full by being renewed in Christ day by day.  This is the abundant life that Jesus desires for each of us!!!!!!

Word of the Week - Community

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching” Hebrews 10:24-25

Community - The definition is simply to have common unity with others.  When people come together under common values and beliefs with shared identity, purpose, interest, passions and objectives.  God created us for relationship, first and foremost with Himself and secondly and as important with each other.  It is impossible to live to our full potential without being in Community with others. “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12: 4-5  As a body of Christ, we do life with others in healthy interdependent relationship that allow the body of Christ to function in fullness. 

Community is Life Giving – Life Giving Community should lift us up and bring out the best in us as we help bring out the best in others by using our God given gifts to love, relate and serve others.  I love the quote from John Maxwell that says “show me your friends and I will show you your future”.  The bottom line is that we become who we commune with; life begets life and but bad company corrupts good character.  It is very important that we develop Community with people who are like minded and share our core values, especially as it relates to our faith.  We need to pursue Community with godly people who desire to grow and live to their full God given potential.  People who are authentic and speak the truth in love.  Friends that will challenge us and love us enough to admonish us and call us out if we are headed down the wrong path.  Friends that we enjoy spending time with and have our best interest at heart and visa-versa.  Friends that will be there for us in the good times and especially through the storms and challenges of life.

Community is Covering and Protection  – Part of the reality of life is that we will all face trials and adversities in life.  “In this life you will have trouble.  But take heart, I have overcome the world”  John 16:33.  One of the keys to going through tough times and persevering through the trials is to have a strong Community support system around us to provide encouragement and protection as we endure the trials of life.  We were not created to do life alone and we all need help and encouragement to navigate the challenges of life.  We can comfort one another with words, physical presence and prayer.  “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” Galatians 6:2.  We can encourage each other in the process and always point to the hope of the Lord and his promises, helping each other keep an eternal perspective.  We often are inclined to give up too early but with good Community of believers “band of brothers” we can be encouraged to hang in there through the pain to get to the other  side so we can experience God’s best for us.  “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all”.  1 Thessalonians 5:14

Community is Health - Research has proven that that being actively involved in Community has positive effects on our mental health and emotional wellbeing.  Community involvement provides a sense of belonging and connection that is vital to staying healthy.  Man was made for relationship and Community and was not made to do life alone in isolation.  The abundant life that God promises is one of Community with others.  I have truly found that the most joyous experiences in life come through being connected to others through Christ.  It can be hard for some of us to commit to Community, especially if we’re guarded due to past wounds or simply more introverted and prefer solitude.  Community is God’s desire and design for us and a sign of mature faith.  At the end of the day, when we grow in our relationship with other through authentic and vulnerable Community with others, we are growing in our relationship with God.  We really are better together!!!! “Carry each other burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” Galatians 6:2

We can find and have Community in many ways to include social clubs, sports teams, workplace, neighborhoods to name of few.  These are all good, but they are not complete without having a spiritual Community.   If you are not connected to Community of believers (local church), I encourage you to make that a priority.  This is God’s plan for us, to be connected to God and others through the local church where we can be part of a community of believers.  “So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” Romans 12:5

One of the greatest joys of life is living in Community especially in fellowship with other believers! 

Word of the Week - Vision

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” - Proverbs 29:18

Vision is the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination, creativity, and wisdom.  Vision allows us to see a picture of a preferred future, which infuses us with energy, enthusiasm and passion for life.  It can truly be the difference maker in our lives that determines if we are flourishing or simply surviving.  Unfortunately, statistics tell us that most people live with very little personal vision and thus don’t really experience the fullness of the life that God intended. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Vision – As we prepare to commemorate Dr. King’s life, I was reflecting on the amazing impact he had on our world and was reminded of the power of his God vision.  We are all familiar with Dr. King’s “I have a Dream Speech”, and the amazing impact his vision has had on our nation.  I believe this is the power of a God inspired vision!!!  “With Man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”  Matthew 19:26

Our Vision is a function of our God Purpose:  If you are alive and breathing then you have a God purpose for being on this earth that I believe can only be discovered and revealed through a personal relationship with our Creator through the person of Jesus.  Ephesians 2:10 tells us “We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance for us to do”.  The first step is to acknowledge this reality through a personal and intimate relationship with Christ by surrendering our hearts and life to Him.  This is an amazing and life transforming step that is the eternal difference maker.  As amazing as this is for us, this is just the beginning of our eternal journey, there is actually much more that God has for each of us.  God’s plan for us during our time on earth is that we live and grow to our full potential in Christ so that we can realize our God purpose and experience the abundant life.  I first received a vision for my life purpose shortly after I surrendered my heart to Christ over 20 years ago at the age of 33, over the past 23 years I have lived with a sense of purpose and passion for life that I had never imagined prior to going all in with the Lord.  This is truly God’s heart desire for each of us!!!

Having a God Vision is the difference between surviving and thriving: “For I know the plans I have for you, “says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 I know this sounds great and most everyone desires to have hope and a good future but how do we find our purpose and get a clear Vision for our lives.  First we have to understand that we have an enemy of our soul that is working overtime to keep us from God’s best for our lives and he will use anything he can to distract us from our God purpose because this is where we are most effective. Accepting the status quo of good keeps us from getting to God’s best for us.  The main way the enemy keeps us from our purpose is through our pursuit and conforming to the customs of our culture/world.  We are typically so caught up in our day to day lives that we lose track of what is most important or we are constantly playing the comparison game trying to keep up with the Joneses.  “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy but I have come so that you may have life, and have it to the full”.  John 10:10.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit living within us, we can overcome the enemy of our soul and live with God Vision and purpose.

How do we develop our God Vision:  We must intentionally seek after God and pursue Him to know our God purpose and Vision by asking God to reveal it to us.  We should also take time to reflect on our lives so we can discern our God given gifts, talents, passions and values; those innate things that we were born with, because our design reveals our destiny (Vision being lived).  We should also take time to get feedback from those that are closest to us who may be able to see things in us that we cannot see in ourselves.  Self-assessment tools like disc or the Enneagram can really be helpful.   Studying God’s word and knowing His heart will also reveal Vision and purpose in our lives because we are made in His image and thus our life vision and purpose should be aligned with His word and will.  We should also look for opportunities and doors that are being opened for us that lead us toward our God purpose.  Finally we should abide in Christ daily and pray to hear from God directly through a personal encounter with the almighty and be willing to step out in faith when we hear from Him, even if what He tells us does not make sense.  Our faith is activated when we step out of our comfort zone and walk in faith and trust by God’s spirit.  This is how we access the the abundant life in Christ.

How do we know if it is God?  We can confirm if we are hearing from God or something else by testing what we are a hearing against a few simple litmus tests.  Does our Vison and purpose align with God’s word.  Are we being motivated by fear or faith, a godly Vision promotes faith rather than fear.  A godly Vision motivates people to action and requires risk-taking.  A godly Vision glorifies God, not us.  As with everything we do in our lives, we must stay connected to the vine of Christ and keep our eyes focused on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. 

As we begin this new year, I pray God will give us fresh vision and purpose, so we can live out our God given destiny in Christ.  This is the abundant life, “the life that is truly life”!!!!

Have a blessed MLK Day!!!

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today." - Martin Luther King Jr. (1963)

Word of the Week - First Fruits

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the First fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” - Revelation 21:5

In follow up to my “Word of the Week” from last week on “Everything New in 2025” see below for reference, I want to share what I believe to be one of the biggest opportunities we have followers of Christ in the new year!  Putting God First – “First Fruits”

I love the principle of First Fruits because it is so clear and easy to understand.  There are many things about God and our walk of faith that are mystical, and often times hard to understand and know how to apply to day-to-day life. 

The principal of First Fruits is very straightforward, God simply wants to be the priority in our lives.  He desires us to honor Him by giving Him our First and best.  He loves us so much that He is jealous for our love and attention and does not want to compete for the top position in our lives.  He will not settle for second.  This concept is emphasized throughout scripture beginning with the 1st Commandment that states “You shall have no other gods before me”, He simply wants us to put Him First above all things.  With divine order comes diving blessing, this is God’s economy.  So other than His will for us, why should we put God first in our lives and make Him our First Fruits?

Because He is our Creator and the God of the universe, not to mention our eternal Savior, our Provider, our Healer, our Righteousness, our Victory…..Based on this reality, He truly deserves our “first and best” and to be revered and honored for who He really is and the authority and power He possesses.  I personally love this principal of First Fruits because it is a tangible way to love and honor the Lord.  This principal not only pertains to our money/resources, which often reflects the truth of our heart towards God, but to every aspect of our lives, He desires the first in every aspect of our lives including: our time, our thoughts, and our pursuits.  He wants to be the first in our day, week, month, and year.  For God, order is the priority over quality and quantity.  There is amazing power, both blessings and protection, in the simple daily act of placing God First.  

Because there is truly a blessing in putting God First (First Fruits).  I started truly walking out the principle of First Fruits about 20 years ago when Bruce Johnston (Founder of JH Ranch) personally challenged me in this area.  It has been life changing for me and my family!!  Up until that time, God was at the top of my list but not always “First”.  I can honestly say that since I began practicing “First Fruits” by prioritizing God as the “First” priority in my life, I have truly lived in abundance in most every area of my life to include my finances, family, ministry, business, and relationships.  It does not mean that everything has been perfect, and I don’t have problems or challenges, but my barns are overflowing and I am rich in God, relationships and resources that give me the capacity to work through and overcome the big challenges in my life. 

Callenge/Reflection:  How are you putting God First in your life?  Aer you prioritizing Jesus by making Him the first focus of your time, energy, giving, thoughts etc? One of the best ways to do this is evaluate time (day, week, year), your finances/giving, your energy, your relationships etc. and honestly assess if you are giving your first and best to Jesus!!

As we begin 2025, I encourage you to test the Lord in the principal of First Fruits.  Put the Lord First and watch your time and resources multiply and overflow.  “Seek “First” the Kingdom and His righteousness and just see what all things will be added unto you” in this New Year!   Matthew 6:33.

Check out this short but powerful video by actor Denzel Washington on “Putting God First” https://youtu.be/8xPftFQNGbc?si=Wnc5POMMor9Xr9AR

Our Salvation is a free gift available to everyone who is willing to repent and receive the gift, but God’s blessings while here on earth typically come with a price to receive the promise.  If you abide, seek, honor….you will receive the abundant blessings!!!!

I pray God’s abundant blessings over you, your family, and your business in 2025. 

Word of the Week - “Everything New” in 2025

"He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”  Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” - Revelation 21:5

As we begin 2025, we have the opportunity to start fresh and begin a “New” chapter of our lives, especially in our walk of faith.  I love this about God and our faith as Christians; as foundational as God is in the fact that He has been around since the beginning of time, He is the same today as He was in the beginning, but He is a God who loves to make everything New.  He desires for us to be born anew in His spirit so that we can experience the abundant life He promises us.  He also desires for us to be renewed and refreshed so we can continue to experience the fresh life of God and have the capacity to minister this hope to others.  In the Spirit of God there is always life and Newness and He calls us to pursue New things in Christ so we can flourish and rejoice in this truth.   

New Life in Christ, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 The New life in Christ, which is the abundant life that He speaks about in John 10:10, comes to us when we surrender our hearts and lives to Christ and are born afresh of His spirit.  In order to experience the New things of God, we have to get ourselves out of the way and allow Him to do His work in each of us.  This is where salvation and New life begins, and we literally become New in Christ.  I experienced this at the age of 33 and literally it changed the way I see God, myself, and the world; I have not been the same since.  I was given a New identity in Christ, and it awakened in me a New perspective that has truly been the biggest blessing of my life and made me a New person with New priorities, values, interest, disciplines, hopes, and dreams.

New daily perspective, disciplines and rhythms, “Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17  The truth is that no matter how much we love God, life has a way of taking a toll on us as the years pass and we experience the challenges, pain and disappointments that we will all experience since we live in a fallen and broken sin filled world.  According to this passage in God’s word, the key to living a healthy life is that we allow God to renew us each day by connecting to the vine of Christ (John 15:5), which provides the sustenance that we need to stay strong and faithful within our inner spirit man.  This is what gives us the strength to press on through the challenges of life with strength, faith, and hope in love.  To maintain a healthy perspective, we must have daily disciplines and rhythms that keep us in connection with the Lord.  Investing focused time each day with the Lord by receiving guidance and instruction from Him (reading His word), telling Him how much we love Him while gaining love and encouragement from Him (praise and worship), and talking with Him about life and our challenges (prayer).  These are some of the basic disciplines and rhythms of our faith that are key to having intimacy with the Lord and experiencing New things in Christ.

As we begin this New Year, I pray we will take inventory and make adjustments to our lives so we can experience the Newness and Goodness of God.  My friend John Maxwell says “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily.  The secret to your success is found in your daily routine”  Like any relationship, our relationship with the Lord is something that requires daily focus and attention.  Since it is the most important relationship in our lives, I would submit that it requires the most focus and attention. 

I pray you experience God in a New and Fresh way in 2025…

Word of the Week - Marriage

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” - Ephesians 5:31

I hope you and your family had a blessed Christmas and are enjoying some quality time together during this holiday season as we prepare to bring in the New Year!!

Amy and I are away on a short trip celebrating our 34th wedding anniversary.  Yesterday for our anniversary, we enjoyed a nice evening together in front of the fireplace reflecting over our 34 years of marriage and the good work that God has done in each of us through our marriage.  We are still growing and maturing in our relationship with the Lord and one another but have come a long way over the years and we find ourselves in a great and exciting place.  As I have shared in the past and Amy would agree, being in a marriage relationship for 34 years has been the single most challenging and rewarding thing of our lives.  There have been some extremely challenging seasons in our marriage journey along with many periods of joy and fulfillment.  As we reflect on our years together, we are most thankful that we stayed committed to one another and persevered through the difficult seasons.  Like most things in life much of the reward/harvest comes after long seasons of planting and plowing.  God’s principle of sowing and reaping is a reality in most areas of life including marriage and family.  We are grateful that at this stage of life we are reaping blessings with 3 amazing godly daughters, 2 awesome sons by marriage and 8 beautiful grandchildren that are truly the joy of our lives.  Our relationship is better than it has ever been, truly by the sanctifying grace of Jesus at work in us and our marriage.  We are dreaming about the future and excited as we move into our 35th year of marriage. We believe that our best years are ahead and can’t wait to see what God has in store for us and our family. This time of celebration and reflection reminded me of the purpose and power of the sacrament of Marriage some of which I have outlined below:

The sacrament of Marriage is a beautiful gift from God; whereby one man and one woman become united as one through the sacrament of holy matrimony.  For followers of Christ, this union is the only life-long covenant relationship before God (spirit) and man (law).  God established the sacrament of marriage to mirror Christs relationship with His bride, us the Church.  “Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!  For the wedding of the lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.  Fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Revelation 19:7-8

Our most refining relationship – The marriage relationship has many benefits and has the potential to produce our greatest blessings in life such as children/family, deep companionship and unconditional love.  It also has the potential to produce the most pain and strife if not submitted to the Lordship of Christ.  Since it is a God ordained covenant relationship, when we get married we are signing up for a lifetime commitment (covenant) regardless of the circumstances that life throws at us, “until death do us part”.  This is pretty intense when you really stop to think about it.  I am not sure I really understood this on my wedding day.  There is no doubt that God knew exactly what He was doing when He instituted the sacrament of Marriage, where two people from different families of origin come together to become one, which in itself can be a major challenge.  No matter how much we love our spouse, there is always going to be friction as we die to ourselves to become one, and navigate the blessings and challenges of life.  This is truly a refining and sanctifying process that either breaks us, or if we allow the spirit of God to work in us, it helps us conform to the image of Christ.  I can honestly say that after 34 years of marriage, there is nothing on earth that has challenged and refined me as much as my marriage relationship with my wife Amy.  I know that God has used my marriage to make me a better person in every area of my life, thank you Lord Jesus!!!!  Ephesians 5 is one of the most beautiful books in the bible as it describes our relationship with Christ in the context of the marriage relationship; “and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:2. Paul goes on in Ephesians 5 to give us instructions on our roles in the marriage, first and foremost that we die to ourselves by submitting to Christ and one another, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” Ephesians 5:21.  Specific instruction for wives “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything” Ephesians 5:24, then to husbands, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Ephesians 5:25  I think the Lord makes it pretty straightforward for us but are we willing to trust Him by His word?

Marriage prepares us for our eternal union with Christ  - God is so good that He designed marriage for our benefit to enjoy the beautiful blessing of covenant companionship and the process of reproducing and building our families so we can have a heritage and legacy that we can pass to future generations, which is a wonderful blessing.  That being said, I think His greatest purpose in the sacrament of Marriage is to prepare us for our union with Him as the bride of Christ.  He gave us a tangible way to experience a small glimpse of what we have to look forward to for eternity and to help prepare us for our great wedding banquet with Christ.  I have found over the years of marriage that the most important key to having a good marriage is to stay connected to your spouse.  This requires intentional daily pursuit, we have to continue to put logs on the fire to keep the fire burning strong.  In other words, we have to make our spouses a top priority to keep a healthy and growing relationship.  Our marriage begins with a great ceremony exchanging vows before God and man but only thrives if we stay connected over a lifetime, which is easier said than done.  I believe our marriage relationship resembles our walk with God through our relationship with Jesus.  It begins with the day we surrender our hearts to Jesus and commit our lives to Christ, but it only survives and thrives if we stay connected to the vine of Christ through our daily abiding walk with Him. In fact Jesus said we can do nothing of the Spirit unless we are connected to the vine of Christ.   “I am the vine and you are the branch, if you abide in me I will abide in you, and you will bare much fruit.  Apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

As we grow in marriage and unity with our spouse we must depend upon God to give us what is needed to become a godly spouse and as we abide/connect with Christ, we become more Christ like in preparation for our eternal union with Christ.  These things work together to help us become who God called us to be in Him.  What an amazing God we serve.

Married Couples Ministry - God is so good that He often uses the areas of our struggle as our opportunity for ministry to others.  Amy and I are stepping into this by co-hosting a marriage enrichment event as an extension of Heritage Forum.  The next Heritage Married Couples event is scheduled for February 25-27th at the beautiful Pursell Farms.  You can learn more by visiting Heritage Married Couples Retreat.  We have limited space but still have a few spots open.  If you are interested in learning more, please email me and I will get you more details about registration.

I pray blessings over your marriage and family as we close out 2024 and look forward to the New Year!!!!

Word of the Week - Love (Christmas Message)

“A new command I give you:  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:34-35

As I was reflecting this past week during my year-end solo and this morning during my abiding time with the Lord, I realized that I have been in a place of frustration that is hindering my ability to Love others well, especially those closest to me.  As I was praying to understand the root of my discontentment, I realized it is mostly rooted in my desire to perform and achieve.  As a type-A kingdom leader, I feel compelled to grow and be stretched and to encourage those around me to do the same.  This is a good thing to the extent it is tempered by the Holy Spirit, and I am living with contentment in Christ and not striving in my fleshly ambitions.  I have found this to be a delicate balance that can easily get skewed. This morning as I compose this message and prepare for a family gathering to celebrate Christmas, I have a repentant heart and pray the Holy Spirit would allow me to surrender once again to whatever drives me this way.  I pray especially during this Christmas season that I can receive the fullness of God’s love and grace, so I can have the capacity to Love those around me like Christ loves me!

Love like Jesus:  The longer I live, the more I realize that Love is the most important aspect of life.  At the end of the day, when it is all said and done, what will matter most is how well we loved God and others while we were here on earth.  So, what does Love really look like in our day to day lives?  I would submit that Jesus is the best model of love in all of history, and as followers of Jesus, we can learn how to Love by knowing and pursuing Jesus.  Jesus is love.  Our goal as believers should be to conform to the image of Jesus by being faithful and obedient to God.  Jesus was pure in every way, and He loved selflessly and commanded us His disciples to love the same way He loves us. 

Love is defined in 1 Corinthians 13 as “Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.  Love never fails.”  Wow, what a high bar that Jesus sets for us.  I pray I can Love like this by the power of the Holy Spirit at work within me!!!!

My main goal during this Christmas season is to Love like Jesus as defined in 1 Corinthians 13 above.  I encourage you to consider joining me in this heartfelt pursuit.  It may be the best Christmas ever!!!!

“And now these three things remain: faith, hope and Love.  But the greatest of these is LOVE!!!!! 1 Corinthians 13:13

I love you and pray that you and your family have a blessed Christmas and Holiday filled with the Love of Christ!!!!!

Word of the Week - Solitude and Reflection (Solo Retreats)

“After Jesus had dismissed the crowds, He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.  When the evening came, he was still there alone” Matthew 14:23

In the busyness of our day to day lives and our desire to be more productive and “do more” for God and others, we can easily miss the importance of solitude and personal reflection.  We can learn from Jesus’ example of taking time to retreat from the crowds and day to day activity to go away to a quiet, solitary place to pray, reflect and listen for the voice of God.  It is easy to miss some of the most important things God is trying to tell us if we don’t take time to get in a quiet environment to posture ourselves to hear from God.

Jesus withdrew from people, daily life activities and the demands of His ministry to be alone with the Father and pray.  His solitude and silence are prevalent throughout the Gospels.  His ongoing, intimate relationship with His Abba father was the source of His compassion, wisdom, and power.  Withdrawing in solitude is how Jesus began His ministry, how He made important decisions and dealt with troubling emotions like grief.  How He dealt with the constant demands of ministry and cared for His soul.  It is even how He prepared for His death on the cross.

I started doing 24-hour solos over 20 years ago and it has become a meaningful part of my life and faith journey.  God has revealed some amazing things to me over the years through my solo retreats.  This is on my mind today as I am preparing to take a year-end solo this week, and I am looking forward to hearing what God might have to share with me. 

For me, this is a day when I retreat away to a quiet place to reflect on my life as it relates to the bigger picture:

1) Life purpose (why am I here and what has God uniquely called me to do), 2) Vision (gaining clarity in my picture of a preferable future), 3) Mission (how I live day to day, and structure my life to realize my vision), 4) Values (what defines who I am and want to become), and 5) Goals (what I hope to accomplish in the future (weeks/months/years) to live out my God purpose and vision).  I try to do this several times a year but always at the end of the year.  I believe in it so much that we make it a mandatory paid day away for our team members at Founders, see attached Founders Solo guide with personal Values exercise.  If we want to grow and mature to realize our life potential in Christ, I believe it is paramount that we all take time out to examine our lives and hear from God. “A life not examined is not worth living”. Socrates

Here are a few practical tips for your solo (this is what I do):

• Set aside time on your calendar – Do your best to plan at least 24 hours of uninterrupted time away.  Let your family and team know you are taking a day of solitude.

• Quiet Place - Go to a place that is quiet and has limited distractions – farmhouse, cabin in the woods, lake home, retreat center, Pursell Farms etc.

• Limited Distractions - Put away your phone and technology and plan to disconnect for your time away – do not do work or take calls – enter into Sabbath rest (not trying to be productive just restful and reflective)

• Posture - Spend the first part of your time entering) “His courts with praise and Thanksgiving” – Turn on your favorite praise music and just worship and praise the Lord.  Thank Him for your blessings.  Count your blessings by writing down everything you can think of that you are thankful for. 

• Read some scripture that inspires you – I love reading John 15, Proverbs 3, Galatians 5, Ephesians

• Write down anything that stand out to you from the scripture

• Review and Reflection

• Review your personal Vision, Mission, Values, Purpose, goals, life plan etc. – if you don’t have one then you can start by developing a draft  

• Review your calendar for the past year – analyze how you spent your time and if you invested time in the areas of priority

• Spend time thinking about your calendar for the upcoming year and how you want to prioritize and adjust your daily/weekly/monthly/quarterly rhythms

• Review your photos and special memories from the past year – I go through my photo album on my phone for the year and reflect on all the special times I spent with friends and family.  This exercise helps me get my past year into perspective and also prompts me with remembering my blessings. This is a fun and enjoyable exercise. 

• It may prompt you to reach out to a friend or family member and share the memory/picture with them. 

• Review your personal financials - Where did you spend, invest, and give money.  Typically, we invest/spend/give money on things that we value.  This exercise helps us assess if we are living out our values in our finances.  As believers we are called to steward our resources and blessings in a way that aligns with God’s values.

• Look at daily, weekly, monthly rhythms and load them into your calendar - (first fruits time, date nights with spouse, recreation time, retreats, family time etc) If it is not on your calendar then it probably is not a priority

• Journal Review – if you keep a journal, it is great to review it and look for patterns and insights that may help you

• Listen and Dream

• Think about the possibilities for you and your family – Vision – Heritage Vision

• Take walks to pray and listen to hear what God has for you

• Listen for a theme or word from the Lord – I try to get a word for the year to focus on such as:  Gentleness, Graciousness, pruning etc. 

    “Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee.  And He went up on the mountain and sat down there.” Matthew 15:29

• Capture it - Write a one-page summary from your time away and file it somewhere where you can pull it out to review during the year and at your next solo

Be still and know that I am God.”  I will be exalted among the Nations; I will be exalted in the earth”.  Psalm 46:1

I hope this adds value to you and blesses you as much as it has blessed me over the years.

Have a great week as we enter the Holiday Season!!!!!

Duane

Word of the Week - Fear of God - Part 2

“Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12

Last week I shared a basic definition of the “Fear of God” and a few of the benefits of having a healthy “Fear of God”.  I realize that this scriptural truth is often misunderstood.  The truth is that I have struggled with this over the years.  I am just completing a book titled “The Awe of God” by John Bevere.  It is an amazing book that has really given me insight and clarity in this area.  I highly recommend the book, especially if you also struggle in this area.  In this week’s “WOW” I am sharing a few concepts from John’s book that have helped me to embrace and pursue a healthy “Fear of God”.  I hope it is helps you as much as it has helped me.

Old Testament (law) vs. New Testament (love/relationship)

Many Christians would argue that since Jesus came to fulfill the law by His death and resurrection, we have overcome the wages of sin and death and should not fear God.  In fact,1 John 4:18 says “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear”.  So, how do we discern this in a way that is what God intended for us.  Based on my study and understanding, I would say that it is both.  That Jesus overcame the grave by His death on the cross and through Him we have victory over sin and assurance of eternal life, which gives us the ability to connect with God in an intimate way through Jesus and face death without fear.  On the other hand, the new testament has many scriptures that warn us as believers who are saved by grace to live holy and reverent lives that honor and glorify Christ and serve as a solid example to others, especially non-believers.  In other words, just because we are born again and walking with Jesus our gracious Lord and Savior, we must never forget who God is and who we are.  That God is all powerful and mighty and as humans we are totally dependent upon Him for everything.  This is the reality of the “awe” or “fear” of God.  He is all powerful and mighty and we should never become casual in our relationship with God.  That being said, we can surely be comfortable and “Approach His throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive the mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”.  Hebrews 4:16

Holy Fear vs. being Scared of God

“Do not fear, for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin” Exodus 20:20.  At first glance it seems that Moses contradicts himself:  “Do not fear” because God has come “that His fear may be before you.” Is Moses speaking out of both sides of his mouth?  The answer is no.  Moses is merely differentiating between being “scared of God” and having “the fear of the Lord”.  Generally speaking, someone who is scared of God has something to hide.  Recall Adam and Eve in the garden after they had fallen to sin, they were afraid and hiding from God.  It is human nature to withdraw in fear if there is something to hide.  However, the person who has a healthy fear of God has nothing to hide.  He or she is simply fearful of being separated from God.  A healthy fear of God means that we know we cannot live without Him and must be connected to Him, which draws us to Him and away from sin, which separates us from God.  Therefore, the person who has a healthy fear of God does not desire to walk the line of sin to see how close they can get without falling in.  No, because they desire to be and stay connected to God through the Holy Spirit, and stay as far away from sin as they can.  This is a healthy “fear of God”!!  The psalmist writes, “The lord is a friend of those who fear Him” Psalm 25:14.  So rest assured, holy fear does not quench intimacy; it does just the opposite – it enhances our connection and interaction with God.

What is Holy Fear

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.  For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29 This scripture references reverence and godly fear and they are different.  Reverence is defined as profound adoration and awed respect.  Godly fear carries the meaning of “awe”.  Awe is defined as “fear inspired by something great and terrific, to strip with fear and reverence”.  In the case of our relationship with God, Holy Fear should have a drawing and not repulsive effect on us if we are not living in a sinful state.

Statements/definitions of a healthy fear of God:

• To fear God is to reverence and be in complete awe of Him

• To fear God is to hallow Him – to “respect Him greatly”

• To fear God is to esteem, respect, honor, venerate, and adore Him above anyone or anything else

• When we fear God, we take on His nature and heart.  We love what He loves, and hate what He hates

• To fear God is to hate sin, hate injustice and depart from evil

• To fear God is to walk in authentic humility before God and man

• To fear God is to give Him the praise, adoration, thanksgiving, and worship He deserves

• To fear God is to give Him all that belongs to Him

• To fear God is to tremble before Him in wonder and awe.  It is to give His Word and presence our full attention

• To fear God is to obey Him

• To fear God is to abstain from any form of complaining, murmuring, or grumbling

• To fear God is to respect, honor and submit to His direct and delegated authority

• To fear the Lord shapes our intentions, thoughts, words, and actions

Benefits of Holy Fear

• The fear of the Lord is the starting place for an intimate relationship with God.  We become His friend and His secrets are made known to us

• The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.  It gives us foresight and clear divine direction

• The fear of the Lord is how we mature in our salvation and are conformed to the image of Jesus

• The fear of the Lord is clean; it produces true holiness in our lives

• To abide in the fear of the Lord is to secure an eternal legacy

• The fear of the Lord produces confidence, fearlessness, and security.  It trumps all other fears, including the fear of man.

• The fear of the Lord gives us identity, makes us productive, and empowers us to multiply

• The fear of the Lord provides angelic assistance, fulfilled desires, enduring success, nobility, influence, longevity, productive days, enjoyment in life, happiness, pleasure in labor, healing for our body and so much more.

This https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=END3mS_3jBk is a great 35-minute message that John Bevere shared at Highlands College Chapel on “Having a Healthy Fear of God”.  I would highly recommend a listen.

The fear of the Lord endures forever and will never fade.  The fear of the Lord is a treasured gift from our heavenly Father!!!!

Have a great week.

Duane

Word of the Week - Fear of God

“The Lord favors those who fear Him.  Those who wait for His lovingkindness.”  Psalm 147: 11

Healthy Fear of God refers to fear in the context of respect, awe, and submission.  The fear of the Lord is a gift of the Holy spirit and does not imply that we are to be afraid or scared of God, since we know He is our heavenly Father who loves and forgives us.  Just like a good earthly father, God has our best interest in mind and He desires us to have a joyful awareness of His power and grandeur and a grateful realization that only in Him do our hearts find true peace, fulfillment and eternal life.  From a theological perspective, “fear of the Lord” is a convergence of awe, reverence, adoration, honor, worship, confidence, thankfulness, love and respect. 

Strength in Fear:

“Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will a refuge” Proverb 14:26.  Healthy Fear brings us strength.  It is the feeling that allows us to experience risk, trust, dependency, collaboration, and ultimately, wisdom because it helps us realize our need for help.  As we recognize our need for help, we find great opportunity.  Fear can motivate you to reach out for help, risk your heart with your need.  This can create a healthy degree of interdependence on God and others, which is truly the joy and purpose of life, to live in connection/dependence on Christ and community with others.  We were not designed to do this life alone.  Unfortunately, too many of us answer fear by silencing its voice.  We run from risk, eliminate trust hide our dependency and become anxious and controlling not peace filled and collaborative.   

Protection in Fear:

“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life turning a person from the snares of death” Proverb 14:27. Fear awakens us to danger.  It is a visceral reaction to physical threat, but more important, because we are creatures of the heart, fear alerts us to emotional and spiritual danger.  By listening to healthy fear, we recognize our value and prepare to prevent harm to ourselves and others.  This caution affords us discernment, which gives us a sense of other’s intentions and recognition of our own.  If our fear is grounded in God’s love it will serve us well as a healthy protections system as we navigate a fallen world and complex world with many emotional, spiritual, and emotional risk and dangers.   

Wisdom in Fear:

“The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” Proverb 9:10.  Wisdom begins its creation through fear.  Discernment that comes by listening to our fear in the context of God’s word, helps us choose the wisest course of action, one that takes into account our propensity to harm others, and values our potential to love.  Fear offers us the chance to decide or discern which direction to go.  When we move into life, we can risk truth and recognize potential harm.  Or as survivors we can hide by pretending fear isn’t happening or attacking the potential harm.  Seeing fear for what it is and acknowledging it offers new relational opportunities with God and people and initiates truth and Wisdom. 

Having a healthy and holy fear of God is a blessing because it helps us see God, others, and ourselves in the proper context.  From God’s perspective we as His sons and daughters are amazingly valued and tremendously vulnerable.  We need God and others to live healthy and purposeful lives.  We don’t have enough knowledge, wisdom, or power to succeed and thrive alone, yet we are completely responsible for our choices.  Healthy fear helps us recognize our need for connection with God and other believers. 

“Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him!” Psalm 33:8

Duane