Word of the Week - Good Soil

“Still other seed fell on good soil.  It came up, grew, and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty and some a hundred times” Mark 4:8. 

The principal of Sowing and Reaping is one of key truths of life both on earth from a practical sense and in heaven from a spiritual sense.  Whether we like it or not, over the course of time, we will Reap what we Sow.  Just like many of God’s principals within His economy, this is a wonderful truth that can really be a blessing if we understand it and align our lives accordingly. 

Are we Sowing Good Seed into Good Soil - If you have lived any amount of life, you have a general understanding of how this works.  If we Sow good seeds that are life giving, we will generally Reap good fruit, like for like.  Of course life is not perfect and there are times when we may be Sowing good seed into bad soil or Sowing during seasons of drought that prevent the seed from sprouting and taking root.  We cannot control the outcome, but we surely can resolve to continually be Sowing good seeds and look for good soil to Sow into.  Since we only are given a limited amount of seed (time, resources, wisdom, influence, etc.), we need to make it our goal to find good fertile soil to sow our seed into.  This is the opportunity we have each day, and over time, the sum of our Sowing is what results in the fruit of our lives. 

3 Attributes of Good Soil – I read this morning in Church of the Highlands One Year Bible Devotional by Larry Stockstill  https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/bible.  In this scripture Paul is referring to the concept of training up the next generation to carry forward the mantle of leadership to continue to share the good news and expand God’s Kingdom.  In doing so he outlines 3 key virtues to look for as we are discerning if those we are investing in are “Good Soil”.

A Soldier who Endures Hardships – A faithful person is like a soldier, who will endure hardships as part of his calling.  Good soldiers do not get involved in things that distract them from following their commanders; no matter what, they maintain their focus.  In order to stay faithful to Jesus, our focus must be on fighting the battle of faith with Him, not getting distracted by pursing the things of this world. “No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer” 2 Timothy 2:4

An Athlete who Lives Pure – A faithful person is similar to an athlete who trains hard, maintains discipline, and follows the rules.  The image of the athlete reflects the need for character in the life of the Christian.  Only those who live pure lives with self-control and constraint will be qualified to lead and reproduce. “Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules” 2 Timothy 2:5

A Farmer who is Diligent, Patient and Hardworking - The last image of a faithful person is that of a farm who is diligent, patient and hardworking.  The seeds they sow into the soil will gradually grow into crops.  If the farmer wants to reap a harvest, he must work the ground, pray for rain, and not grow impatient.  Similarly, we must be patient with our growth ant that of others in the Lord.  Patiently we must wait for the harvest of Spiritual Growth.  “The hardworking farmer should be first to receive a share of the crops”. 2 Timothy 2:6

Let’s be good soil and look for good soil to sow into – Its starts with us becoming good soil that God can use to reproduce.  Do we have these attributes present in our own lives.  Are we living lives prioritized and focused on what matters most or are we distracted by the things of this world?  Are we living pure and holy lives are allowing ourselves to be exposed to things that are not pure?  Finally, are we diligently and patiently sowing seed on a consistent basis and looking for good soil to sow into.  The greatest opportunity we all have every day is to sow into others by using what God has given us to be a blessing to others. “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life”. 1 Timothy 6:19

Remember this:  Whoever sows spraining will also reap sparingly, and whoever Sows generously will also Reap generously. 2 Corinthians 9:6 

So, let’s be Good Soil, identify Good Soil, and Sow seed generously!!!!!!!!!!

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Family, Heritage, Legacy

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.”  Psalm 145:4

I am preparing to host our 10th Heritage Forum www.heritageforums.com, which begins tomorrow evening at 5pm.  As I pray and prepare, I am reflecting on what I have learned over the last five years since starting the Heritage Forum and how I am growing and maturing as a husband, father, grandfather and leader.   If there is anything I have learned in this journey, it is that as-long-as we are pursuing God and abiding in Him, He will continue to stretch us in the process of growing and maturing.  There are going to be seasons of pruning in life, which are quite painful while we are in them, but if we yield and remain connected, the process of pruning leads to new and exciting growth and blessing.  I have recently been through a season of pruning and am now entering a season of some exciting new growth that I pray will produce much fruit in my family, ministry and life. “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:3 In the context of family, Heritage and Legacy I wanted to take the opportunity to share a few things I am learning.

Definition and purpose of family: Family is the first institution God created for instilling values for the purpose of preserving culture to impact the world generationally.  As outlined in the verse above, God desires for every person to have a spiritual heritage.  The reality is that God instituted family so we can train and equip our children with godly values so they live to their full God potential and pass godly values on to their children, live multi-generationally. “Train them up in the way he/she should go, And when they are older they will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6   God imparted into all humans a innate desire to be part of something that will last.  “He has set eternity in the human heart” Ecclesiastes 3:11

Building healthy family communication and identity:  We serve a God of order, peace and continuity.  “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace”. 1 Corinthians 14:33 To understand how to build healthy families we must first become healthier people, especially in our family relationships.   It starts with us as leaders of our families having a personal intimate abiding relationship with Christ so He can impart His wisdom into our hearts and minds.  We do live in a broken world and without God’s covering in our lives our families will be susceptible to the reality of generational curse with the sins of the fathers flowing down to the next generation.  This is the way of the world and our culture at large.  So how do we break this cycle?  First and foremost, we submit ourselves and our families to God and put our faith and trust in Him.  I believe the Lord is the only one who can set us free from these generational curses.  Practically I am learning from my wife Amy and my adult children that we must build an environment within our families that allows our family to be safe enough to communicate wounds and issues.  The things of the past and present that create angst, especially associated with the dysfunction that has been passed down from our families of origin.  Many of these dysfunctions/curses are subconscious blind spots that we can’t even see, which is why we need others to help us.  This includes in-laws and outside advisors like counselors and family coaches who can bring a fresh and less biased perspective.  I am not personally a big fan of traditional therapy where we are going back in time to analyze and try to figure the why of our past, I think there is a place for this but it can lead to being stuck in the past.  On the other hand, I am a big fan of identifying the wounds and curses of our past that are influencing our thinking, behaviors and relationships and working to have our minds renewed in God’s truth, His Word, so we can be healed and transformed.  There are times in our journey of life when we need outside advisors both professional (therapist, counselors, coaches) and non-professional (friends, family, pastors etc.) to help us navigate through this process. 

Family values, vision and purpose:  I believe family identity is key to building a godly family Heritage.  Our families must have a strong understanding of who we are and what makes us the Donner’s or Smiths etc.  Family values define the moral and ethical principles of behavior for a family.  Values can be passed down from one generation to the next and this is the most important Heritage we can give our kids and descendants.  Many of our godly values are apparent from our families of origin, but some need to be discovered and can often times be revealed as we think about our past and some of the defining stories/events in our lives.  Our family went through a values exercise about 7-8 years ago and since then we have taken time each year to set aside time in family meetings to talk about our values and assess how we are living out these values.  Asking questions to determine if we are intentionally sharing and communicating these values with our kids and grandkids. Our families stated values include: Faith, Family/Heritage, Perseverance, Health and Generosity. 

As I have stated in past “Word of the week messages” Vision and purpose are key to Heritage living.  “Without vision the people perish” 29:18 I find it interesting that the prior verse is related to disciplining our children “Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire”. Proverbs 29:17   If you cannot see where you are going (Vision) and understand why you are going there (Purpose), it is hard to know what to do.  Lack of Vision and Purpose leads to wandering through life and leaves us lacking identity and much more susceptible to attacks from the enemy of our soul while purposeful living with vision towards something of eternal value is like medicine to our soul that gives us energy, health and protection.  This is the abundant life that Jesus speaks about in John 10:10 when He says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full”.  Live life on offense with Vision, Mission and Purposes and you will have life.  Amy and I went through a family Values and Vision workshop with Bill High and the folks from the Signatry https://thesignatry.com/who-we-are/our-history/ just over a year ago, and it was very powerful.  We refined our family vision and statement to “Lasting goldy Heritage for 10 Generations” with the mission to achieve this by “Abiding in Christ, Loving God, Serving Others and Living Generously”.

Married Adult Children and the next Generation:  One of the main things I have learned through this season of pruning is that we need to be careful in our efforts to share our Vision, Mission and Values that we don’t impose them on our married adult children and their families but use the process to help them develop their own family vision, mission and values.  If we have done a good job of communicating and living out our values, they will be reflected in the values of our children and grandchildren.  A second lesson learned is related to family meetings.   As a family we have reaped many benefits by consistently hosting family meetings over the past decade as my children have entered adulthood.  These are typically intentional times set aside over a weekend to communicate around important topics like family vision, mission, values, heritage, inheritance, estate planning etc. I have realized recently how critical it is to use 3rd party facilitators for these meetings.  Based on family history and dynamics, it is too difficult for a family member to be the primary facilitator and communicator.  It is much more effective to have outside advisors (financial advisors, family coaches, legal advisors etc.) who are familiar and have relationship with the family to facilitate key components of the meetings especially when it comes to more challenging and sensitive topics like money and family values.  If we are truly about godly Heritage and Legacy, we must understand that our role is to help equip the next generations to grow and mature into what God has for their family unit and Heritage.  Our goal and role should be to ensure that they have a meaningful voice and seat at the table so they can be heard. 

God promises us that if we live our lives with God’s values He will bless our descendants up to a thousand generations.  “Know therefore that the Lord God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9  What an amazing and powerful promise of God.  I hope this encourages you toward living on purpose with intentionality to plant seeds for Generational Blessing in your family.  The is the opportunity we have as followers of Christ and Kingdom builders.

Have a blessed week,

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Spiritual Warfare

"For God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity but a spirit of power, love and sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

Spiritual Warfare – I was reminded once again last week that we have a common enemy of our soul whose goal is to destroy us.  His name is satan and he is real and is also known as a thief and a great deceiver.  “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10  The “Good News” is that those of us who are in Christ are equipped with power and authority to reign victorious over this enemy.  To not fall prey to the schemes of this enemy, we must see ourselves as spiritual warriors and use the spiritual weapons that we have been given to battle in the spirit.  The following are some key spiritual weapons we have at our disposal.

The Armor of God – Knowing that we are in spiritual battle, God provides spiritual armor and equips us to take a stand when battles come our way, and they certainly will.  “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Ephesians 6:11-18

• Belt of Truth – Stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.” We must stand on “The truth”. Our enemy is a master of lies and will do everything possible to plant lies and deception. We need to seek the truth, speak the truth and advocate the truth in all things. Jesus said, “If you abide in my Word, then you will know the truth and the truth will set your free” John 8:31-32

• Breastplate of Righteousness – We must stand on the righteousness that is only found in Christ. He is our righteousness and give us solid ground to stand on no matter the circumstance. “The righteousness is given to us through faith in Jesus Christ, to al who believe.” Romans 3:22 There is power and authority in the name of Jesus and all things have to bow and flee at His name.

• Feet shod with the Gospel of peace – We stand on the rock of Christ and what He accomplished through His death and resurrection. This is the Gospel of Christ that gives us peace and confidence in the reality that Christ overcame death on our behalf so we can stand on the rock of the Gospel. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble” Psalm 46:1

• Take up the Shield of Faith – We must actively take hold of the shield of faith by remembering what God has done through the Word and in our own lives, and continuing to exercise our faith and trust in the Lord. That is why it is important to be in a community of believers so we can encourage and build each other up in faith through the power of our witness and testimony, especially during times of trials. Faith in Christ is our ultimate defensive weapon from the attacks of the enemy. “Be on guard, stand firm in the faith, live like men, be strong! Let everything that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13

• Put on the helmet of salvation – The assurance of eternal salvation through Christ is our impenetrable defense against anything the enemy throws at us. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both the soul and the body in hell”. Matthew 10:28 There is amazing power in our salvation “To live is Christ to die is gain” Philippians 1:21

• Take up the sword of the spirit – This is the word of God and it is our main weapon of offense. Jesus modeled for us how to use the Word of God in Matthew 4 when he was tempted by Satan after 40 days in the wilderness. Three times Satan tempted Jesus and on all occasions Jesus overcame by the quoting the word of God. “If you are the son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread. But Jesus told satan, “No! The scriptures say, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”” Matthew 4:4

Daily Warfare Prayer – Prayer is not only communion with God; it is also confrontation with the enemy.  When praying warfare prayers it is important that we pray lots of scripture and pray everything in “the name of Jesus”.  Speaking declarations over people and circumstances actually has power in the heavenly realm.  Declaring that we have authority as a child of the living God.  “The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.  We must commit ourselves to God and submit to His authority each day because under God’s covering, we have authority.  We protect ourselves and families by not opening doors that would allow the enemy to infiltrate our lives or the lives of those around us. We confront the enemy in prayer.  We confess our sins and pray for forgiveness.  We pray for the spirit of humility.  We pray to break generational curses and bondage.  We pray for unity in our marriages and families.  We pray for healing. This is warring in the spirit and taking ground in the name of Jesus.

As followers of Christ, we have been equipped with the offensive and defensive weapons to overcome the enemy of our soul.  Let’s stand as warriors in the spirit so we can live victorious in Christ Jesus.  Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Ephesians 6:13  And when we don’t know what to do, Stand on the Rock of Christ!!!!!! 

Have a great week.

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Empowered

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Ephesians 3:16

To Empower simply means to give someone the power or authority to do something.  I think it is important to be reminded that God almighty through His son Jesus and the Holy Spirit has empowered each of us.  As believers we have access to the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, WOW!!!!!  As we live day to day it is easy to forget that we are empowered by God through faith to do even greater things in the name of Jesus.  “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father will be glorified in the Son.  You may ask anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:12-14  I attended the Fellowship of Companies for Christ International (FCCI) annual conference https://www.fcciconf2022.com this week in Amelia Island, FL and the theme of the conference was “Empowered to Serve”.  I was reminded that God has empowered each of us for great purpose in Christ. 

Here are just a few ways that we are Empowered as Christ followers.

Empowered to be overcomers and live in victory

“Who is that who overcomes the world?  Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” 1 John 5:5  If you have lived any life you know that you will face adversity and challenges.  God in His divine wisdom created us to be in relationship with himself so we could access His divine power to be able to overcome the challenges we will face and live in victory.  This is the life of an empowered believer.  No matter how strong we are in our own abilities, we cannot live in victory without the power of the spirit of God living within us.  For believers we see the challenges of life as opportunities to see God’s power at work in our lives.  This is the process of sanctification and becoming more Christlike.  If we depend on Him, we will find victory through the trials as outlined in James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”.   

Empowered to be salt and light to others

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”. Matthew 5:16  The Lord has put each of us on this earth at this time for a specific assignment and purpose.  He empowers us so that we can do what He has called us to do and play our unique part in building His kingdom.  As we walk out our faith day to day by the power of the Holy Spirit and do what God has called us to do, we become salt and light to those around us.  We have the opportunity and responsibility to be a positive influence on the world around us, our circle of influence.  This is especially true if we are in positions of leadership.  As we tap into God’s spirit and divine economy through our daily abiding walk with Christ, He empowers us through faith to make an eternal impact and do way more than we could ever imagine doing by our own talents and power.  This is one of my favorite verses because I see it happening and it is so encouraging.  God is doing way more than I could ever imagine by His power at work in my life.  “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask ore imagine, according to His power that is work within in us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Empowered to Serve

“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many” Matthew 20:28  God has empowered us through His son Jesus to love and serve others just as Jesus modeled for us.  Though there are amazing benefits to being empowered by God, He does not give us this power for ourselves.  He gives us this power so we can live out His great commandment “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all of your strength and with all your mind and Love your neighbor as yourself” Luke 10:26 And, so we can fulfill the great commission, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:18-20

God in His divine goodness empowers us to use all that He has given us including our gifts, talents, relationships, resources, businesses etc…for His purpose and mission.  He also encourages us to partner with others as a body of believers because we are much better together, not to mention it is much more fulfilling to do life in community with others.  I love 1 Timothy 6:17-19 as I believe it gives us clarity on why the Lord empowers us.  “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, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life”.  

Have a great week.

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Gratitude

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 
1 Thessalonians 5:18

Many believers and even non-believers often wonder and ask the question of what God’s will is for their life, this verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 makes it pretty clear, it is simply to “Give thanks to God in all circumstances” to live with a heart of Gratitude.  Developing a healthy God perspective and attitude of gratitude is a key to healthy living.  Researchers have found a correlation of gratitude to mental and physical health as reported in a 2018 “Mind and Body” article https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/is_gratitude_good_for_your_health.

We all know that living with a Heart of Gratitude and sincere appreciation is good and healthy, so how do we foster a heart of Gratitude and live with a spirit of Thankfulness even when our circumstances are not so rosy:

We Understand Who God is:

If we truly understand the truth of who God is: 1) Our Abba Father who loves us, 2) Our savior and redeemer who gave His life so we can have eternal fellowship with Him, 3) Our comforter who desires to walk in intimate fellowship with us each and every day as we navigate life.  Understanding and walking in a personal daily relationship with the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, gives us tremendous life and hope that will foster a heart of gratitude.

We Realize Who we are in Christ:

If we truly understand who we are in Christ, that we are adapted as His sons and daughters who have full access to His kingdom.  That we are co-heirs with Jesus to the Kingdom of God and all of the benefits.  That we will live in fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in heaven for eternity.  This is very exciting news that should fill our hearts with gratitude since we really did nothing to deserve this, we simply gave our hearts to God and trusted Him.  “For those who are lead by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children”.

We Recognize friends, family and others who have helped us along the way:

Thank God that He set things up for us to do life with others as a community of believers.  We are much better together as a body of Christ each with different and unique gifts and personalities.  None of us can do this life successfully without others.  It is important that we take time out to show our sincere appreciation by recognizing those who have helped us along the way.  “So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others”. Romans 12:5  

We Remember to Count our blessings Daily and show sincere appreciation for those who are in our lives:

We should make it a habit each day when we wake up in the morning and throughout the day, to simply thank God for the grace to be alive and to be able to have simple things like use of our arms, legs, ears and eyes if we have them.  We should not take for granted things like family and relationships and the ability to go out and enjoy the day and use our talents to influence the world and make a honest living.  As bad as things can seem at times, there is always a silver lining if we take time to look for it. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change”. James 1:17 

Have a great week.  

-Duane

Word of the Week - Celebration

“This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it”.  Psalm 118:24

Celebration is one of the most exciting aspects of our Christian heritage that I find most believers overlook.  It simply means to set time aside to remember and rejoice in what God has done.  It was common practice in the Old Testament.  The Jews were known for having multi-day festivals to celebrate and commemorate the work of God in their lives.  These celebrations were communal as well as theological.  In modern terms I would call this a party with a purpose, whereby we gather to recognize our blessings and give proper honor and thanks to the Lord and to those who have helped us along the way.  Taking time out to count our blessings as we walk through the journey of life.

Being from South Louisiana, I grew up in a culture that valued partying and probably took it a little too far.  It was “fun” but after the party was over there always seemed to be a feeling of emptiness.  As I have grown in my walk of faith, I have learned that our God is a God of celebration.  There are many examples throughout the old and New Testament of people coming together to enjoy life and celebrate together.  The big difference is that they are coming together to celebrate with a heart toward God and using the celebration as an opportunity to give thanks and honor to God.  I believe there is something holy and meaningful about taking the opportunity to set aside time and resources to celebrate what God has done and looking forward in faith to what He is going to do.  To take time out of our day-to-day schedule to celebrate victories and mark milestones in life. In our family we call this having a “Donner moment”.  This is one of the joys of life.  All too often we are so busy achieving we forget to take time out to celebrate. 

Heart of Gratitude

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances: for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  One of the keys to our walk with the Lord is to have a healthy perspective of God as our provider.  All things come from Him and it is good and healthy to continually count our blessings and give proper thanks to the Lord.  As noted in this verse, we should make this part of our daily communion with the Lord.  It is also important that we set aside time to celebrate special occasions such as big life victories, milestone birthday & anniversaries and the like. 

God’s principle of Sabbath

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His”. Hebrews 4:9-10  God is so good that He desires for us to enjoy this life and fruit of our labor so much so that He commands us to take time out to rest, rejoice and restore our souls.  Rest for our souls is at the core of Sabbath but it is also a time set aside to celebrate the goodness of God in fellowship with those we love and are close to us.  It is hard for most of us to relate with the reality that God is divine and Holy and to be feared but He is also loving and relational and desires for us to Rejoice in His goodness and celebrate.  To set aside time specifically to enjoy the fruits of this life and those who we are doing life with.

A Time for Everything

“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;.” Ecclesiastes 3:4  Celebrating life is part of our worship. We engage in celebration when we enjoy ourselves and our lives in conjunction with our faith in light of God’s greatness, beauty and goodness.  We see our lives as simply a part of God’s great plan.  Typically this means that we come together with others who know God to eat, drink and relate stories of God’s blessings and work within our lives.  To honor God and those who have shared the journey.  Holy delight and joy is the great antidote to despair and is a wellspring for genuine gratitude.

“A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their work.  This too, I see is from the hand of God.” Ecclesiastes 2:24

God is great so let’s celebrate and rejoice in His goodness!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Contentment

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and we can taking nothing out of it….But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.  1 Tim 6:6-12

Labor Day is an annual celebration of workers and their achievements, originated in the late 1800s during one of America’s most challenging chapters during the height of the Industrial Revolution.  There was much achieved by our young and ambitious country at the expense of many.  During that time the average American worked 12-hour days seven days a week to eke out a basic living.  Many of these folks had no choice because they were simply trying to survive and they had the grit to do whatever it took.  Today the pendulum has seemed to have swung the other way with a culture fraught with apathy and entitlement.  God put us on this earth first and foremost to know and love Him and each other (great commandment), and secondly to be productive and purposeful.  This is godly contentment.

Contentment

So what is contentment?  The world generally defines contentment as a quality or state of being satisfied with your portion and condition in life.  This definition is mostly geared towards the physical or material state of being.  The biblical definition of contentment goes beyond the physical realm and focuses on our internal condition and perspective.  Godly contentment is much more focused on the condition of our heart and soul.  Are we at peace with God and our eternal condition? 

Contentment in all Circumstances

Saint Paul spoke clearly about his amazing contentment in the face of many external trials and challenges in Philippians 4:11-12 “For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want“.  I am convinced that if we receive the gift of internal contentment through our hope and trust in God, it will permeate into our external lives allowing us to find contentment in all things and situations, which is truly a blessing that we all desire.  That being said, our Western values and self-focused culture of materialism and social media makes it very easy for us to get sucked into the swamp of envy and discontentment, which at its core leads to discontentment.  It is clear that God has called His people to a life marked by contentment.  So how do we gain godly contentment and extricate ourselves from the pervasive appeals of our materialistic culture?  We seek godly purpose and contentment!!!

Godly Contentment vs. Worldly Ambition

“Better one handful with tranquility than two hands full with toil and chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 4:6 This has always been an interesting and challenging topic for me.  On one hand, I love the ideal of the American Dream and grew up believing that personal ambition was a very good characteristic that gave me the drive to pursue and achieve my dreams.  I learned early in my life/career that too much ambition if not tempered with godliness and contentment can lead to destruction.  I almost lost everything (wife, family, health) during my mid to late 20’s because I was so ambitious and insecure.  Through the pain of this experience, called the school of hard knocks and by the grace of God, I discovered the amazing gift of godliness with contentment in my early 30’s and it has been life changing.  It is a beautiful thing when we come to the realization that God is our provider and He is truly the one that we should be striving to honor and please.  Most importantly that He has a plan and purpose for our lives that is way bigger and better than our own, and if we submit and align to His plan for our lives, we can live with godly contentment that Paul describes in Philippians 4 above.  This is an amazing sweet-spot where we are living to our full potential by using our gifts and talents to the full while at the same time keeping our lives in good and healthy order.  This does not mean that it is easy and we don’t give it our full effort, it simply means we are doing what God created us to do.  In this place, we can sustain high performance for long periods because we are working from our gifting.  If we “Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness” Matthew 6:33, then we find godly contentment and will flourish.  Divine order leads to divine blessing which produces godly contentment.

“Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil – this is a gift from God”.  Ecclesiastes 5:19

Have a great Labor Day…..

-Duane

Word of the Week - Renewing our minds to be transformed (Old beliefs vs. New Beliefs)

“Do not conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”.  Romans 12:2

As I have walked through a season of pruning and maturing in all areas of my life, I have been reminded that even though we are a new creation in Christ, we must continue to renew our minds so we can continue being transformed into the image of Christ.  I also realize that remnants of our old nature and identity remain in our soul and body.  It all starts in our mind as we buy into false beliefs even though we know the truth of God’s word.  As followers of Christ, we have a new “power source” – Christ living within us.  However, some of the old automatic feelings and responses remain.  The battle, which is being fought in the mind, is ours to win or lose according to the choices we make.  Bringing this to the forefront equips us to fight the good fight and win the battle in the mind.  Even though it is a bit deep, I wanted to share some of what I am learning and practicing from a new spiritual mentor and a workbook I am studying titled “Old Beliefs vs. New Beliefs (Be transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind)” by Anne Trippe.

The Problem:  Since the fall of Adam, our human nature is that of sin.  Everyone inherited sin and spiritual death from the fall.  “For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God” Romans 3:23 This death through sin is simply separation from connection and fellowship with God.  Although our natural man’s spirit is dead to God, it is very alive to sin and the power that drives our independence from God.  As a result, we are born empty and needy; therefore, it is our nature to try to regain what was lost;  to have our needs met and be “filled” so we can find the basic human needs of love, contentment, security and a sense of value.  Before the new birth and being made alive in Christ, we think we are alive, be we are truly striving in our will and emotions to regain what was lost and become whole and healthy, but we are not equipped without our spirit coming alive.

Patterns:  Unfortunately, in our fallen nature and while under the power of sin before we know the truth, we look to those around us (family, friends and our culture) the ways of this world (possessions, power and prestige) to try to fill the void.  In doing this we develop false beliefs about how we can manage and live emotionally, fill our emptiness and find acceptance.  We bring into our our daily situations and relationships both conscious and unconscious beliefs about how we should approach life to satisfy our emotional and spiritual insufficiency.  Behaviors such as control, performance-based acceptance, insecurity, self-reliance etc.  Over time these beliefs are reinforced in our minds and basically hardwired into our beliefs and thought patterns. Our neuropathways continue to be reinforced with patterns of lies and bad thinking.  Even St. Paul struggled with this battle.  “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.  I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do, I do not do.  But what I hate, I do.” Romans 7:14-15   

The Solution:  The Word of God tells those of us who have been born again in the spirit and become new creations that all of our needs are supplied by Christ.  But for many, this may not be our experience.  However, because of our new birth, we have been empowered by God’s Spirit and are able to choose to focus on Truth and change our false mindset about how our needs are to be met.  As a result, our old ineffective patterns of trying to find peace and fulfillment can be changed.  Romans 12:2 refers to this change as being transformed by the “renewing of our mind”.  As Christ followers born anew in the spirit, our transformation does not happen by behavior modification, it happens by learning to walk in the spirit rather than in the flesh allowing Christ’s life to be lived out through us.  “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the spirit desires” Romans 8:5 It is a daily process of setting our minds on the things of the spirit.

Renewing our Mind:  As believers, we must continue to renew our minds in the Truth of God’s word and promises. As we face life’s situations and difficulties, we can identify our old beliefs and replace them with God’s Truth.  For example, instead of believing that I must be strong and independent to survive, which is old false belief I have subscribed to throughout my life, we replace this lie with God’s truth that “Christ’s strength is made perfect in my weakness” 2 Corinthians 12:9. We can learn to receive the trials we are facing as God’s instrument to break our hold on old patterns of thinking and behaving.  This involves our humbling ourselves in order to surrender our fleshly life to find God’s divine life.  This is when we find freedom from our striving and our fears.  When this happens, we can begin to experience contentment, peace, joy and righteousness of Christ as we live life and relate in a more healthy way with others. We become more secure in our relationship with Christ.  This is transformational!!

I pray that we make a choice each day to submit our minds and hearts to Christ so we can be renewed and transformed by the power of Christ living within us so we live as overcomers.  “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me” Galatians 2:20

Have a great week!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Joy

May the God of hope fill you with all Joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13

I was reminded this morning as I was reading the one-year bible of the power of Joy, and the fact that if we have Joy in the Lord, we are strengthened.  So, I spent some time meditating on several scriptures related to Joy pulled up this Word of the Week.  This is a repeat I shared awhile back but I don’t think we can ever hear enough about pursuing Joy in the Lord.

Joy defined by Merriam-Webster is the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires: Delight: The state of happiness or felicity:  a source or cause of delight: (verb) to experience great pleasure or delight: rejoice:

Joy vs. Happiness - Even though it is similar to the concept of happiness, Joy is much deeper because it is an attitude and condition of our soul.  Happiness tends to be more short term and based upon circumstances and driven by our feelings, whereas Joy is more foundational and based upon a deeper inner condition that can withstand the waves of feelings and circumstances that we all face in our day to day lives. 

Joy is powerful - It is pretty amazing how both James and Paul talk about the power of Joy at work in our lives and how it can produce within us an inner fortitude that can supply us the strength to live in victory no matter what circumstances we are facing.  “Consider it pure Joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” James 1:2-3.  James is reminding us of a key concept as it relates to Joy, if we trust God and know that He is using us for His plans, then we understand that there is purpose in the pain and we can find the Joy of the process of being sanctified in Christ Jesus.  This gives us hope, peace and strength, which are all foundational to having Joy.  Jesus our savior modeled this for us as He was sacrificing His life for us on the cross.  “So we fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.  For the Joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2. 

Joy is a choice and a gift - Most importantly I think we need to realize and remember that Joy is a choice.  We receive Joy by faith when we decide to trust God by surrendering our lives to Him and choose to abide daily in Christ through His word and truth, which gives us deep security in our eternal destiny.  Joy is a fruit of God’s spirit that is a byproduct of abiding in Christ. We know that as sons and daughters of the living God our names are written in the Lambs book of life, this is a Joyous reality.  We are co-heirs with Christ Jesus in God’s Kingdom.  If we believe God’s truth then you cannot help but be overjoyed by the reality of what God has so graciously done for us.  “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to test you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s suffering, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy”. 1 Peter4:12-13

I think it is pretty amazing how our God so deeply desires us to experience the Joy of the Lord, so much so that He uses the word Joy over 200 times in the bible and encourages us to “Rejoice, always (experience Joy over and over continually), pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I pray that “The Joy of the Lord will be your strength” Nehemiah 8:10 

Have a Joy filled week…

-Duane

Word of the Week - Humility

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11

Humility – In January of this year I shared a word of the week on Humility, see below.  Since then, I have personally learned more about humility as I am navigating through a season of pruning.  As I reflect over the past few months, I realize that being humbled is a large part of the pruning process and likely why it is so painful.  Realizing that we have limitations in life and from time-to-time certain things need to be trimmed or removed from our lives is a humbling process.  “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2 Even though I think the Word I shared back in January is good and accurate, I have learned more on this virtue that I would like to share.   

Humility is not weakness perse’ but it is a mindset of brokenness and surrender – Jesus was meek but not weak.  He had all the power of the universe at his disposal but chose to be sacrificed as a lamb led to the slaughter.  There were times that he showed his strength and power, like when He entered the temple and flipped over the money changer tables because people were not honoring the house of God, but for the most part He lived a life of surrender and total dependance on God the Father.  God has reinforced in me that humility comes when we are surrendered (realized we are not in control) and dependent (out of the mode of self-reliance).  Outside of my walk with the Lord this is somewhat of a foreign concept for me.  I have been trained most of my life to pull up my bootstraps, take charge and make it happen.  This approach has worked well for me in many aspects of my life.  As followers of Christ this approach is flawed and surely not humble.  First of all, God is our provider and has given us all that we possess so even when He allows us to accomplish things it is because of how He has gifted us.   Secondly and most importantly, we really don’t control anything except maybe our attitude.  Thus, we lack humility if we really believe that we are calling the shots and forget that God is our provider, and we are and have nothing apart from Him.  “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  Acknowledge Him in all things and He will direct your paths and keep them straight”. Proverbs 3:5-6

Humble yourself or you will be humbled – Ultimately, I don’t think humility is optional for those who are in Christ,.  I truly believe that if we stay the course in our walk with the Lord, we will have to humble ourselves or God will humble us.  I would go as far as to say all of God’s children are humbled along the path of maturing as a believer.  There are lots of stories in the bible of great men of God being humbled, King David and Saint Peter come to mind.  I believe this is part of process of being sanctified.  Like all things in God’s economy, there are surely degrees of humility, and I am not sure any of us ever achieve humility in its fullness this side of heaven. That being said, there are lots of ways that Jesus demonstrated humility and we can surely learn from Him. 

The following are a few ways that I am learning about how we can humble ourselves:

• Being willing to share weaknesses and be transparent, even in my failures

• Obeying out of a love motive, because I desire to not because I have to

• Looking to the Lord to fulfill me rather than trying to be fulfilled by people, performance, and accomplishments

• Willing to receive my trials as God’s instrument to perfect me

• Willing to not be defensive or to justify myself, willing to be misunderstood and be ok

• Relinquishing control and being comfortable with others fixing and directing

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up”. James 4:10

Have a great week.

-Duane

Word of the Week - Willing Spirit

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." Psalm 51:12

What is a Willing Spirit?  When it comes to our walk with the Lord, I believe a Willing Spirit means we have a posture of “yes”.  God is always leading us towards growth and maturity and for us to be able to receive what He has for us we must have a Willing Spirit, or we may not receive the best things that God has for us. 

Trusting God by His Word – By knowing the Lord and walking with Him, we grow in our trust and confidence in Him, which produces a more Willing Spirit .  Knowing that God loves us and has our best interest at heart gives us the reassurance we need to trust and be willing to say yes.  “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, do not lean on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths and keep them straight” Proverbs 3:5-6

Renewing our Minds in God’s truth – The renewing of our minds through God’s word is key to maintaining a Willing Spirt.  We must stay grounded in the truth so that we can be transformed.  “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

God alone is our source – Knowing that God is the source of all life, and everything we need comes from Him gives us a posture of dependance.  King David, a man after God’s own heart, knew that his posture towards the Lord was key to his blessing from the Lord.  A Willing Spirit positions our hearts and minds to receive what God has for us and to be open and willing vessels, with the “Yes Lord” on the inside.  David gives us the key to having a Willing Spirit in verses 10 and 11 leading up to verse 12.  To have a Willing Spirit we need a pure heart and the Holy Spirit leading us. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.”  Psalm 51:10-11.  This shows David’s dependence upon the Lord and his deep desire for God’s presence in his life, knowing he could not even trust his own motives but needed God’s spirit to lead and guide Him.

A Willing Spirit sustains us – God promises us that if we keep a Willing Spirit, He will be there for us.  “If you seek me you will find me if you seek me with all of your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13  Jesus also promises us that “if we abide in Him He will abide in us and we will bear much fruit but apart from Him we can do nothing.” John 15:5  

I pray that we would have a Willing Spirt toward God so we can receive all that God has for us; for He has great things in store for each of us.  Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Have a great week.

-Duane

Word of the Week - Servant Leadership Continued

"Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." Matthew 20:26

Servant Leadership – As I noted a few weeks ago, I am in a season of reflection and pruning whereby I believe the Lord is calling me to a new level of serving as a husband, father, friend, and leader in business and ministry.  This is surely a process of dying to self and is counter to many of the typical mindsets of our world and culture.  As part of this process, I am studying a book titled “Servant Leadership in Action – How you can achieve great relationships and results” by Ken Blanchard and Renee Broadwell.  It is a great book that compiles principles in short chapters from over forty world class leaders who are leading organizations using the Servant Leadership model.  It has been insightful for me to understand what it really looks like to be a Servant Leader and how to practically implement this at a new level into my life and business.  The following is a short excerpt from one of the chapters that I found especially insightful and worthy of sharing.

Great leaders Serve – This chapter written by Mark Miller https://tmarkmiller.com/about/, who was an early employee at Chick-fil-a and served on their leadership team for over 40 years.  Over twenty years ago, Mark and his team began a project to accelerate leadership development across the Chick-fil-a organization.  One of the main goals of the project was to develop a common definition for leadership.  They knew the stakes were high to get this right because it would drive countless hours of leadership development and millions of dollars of investment and would shape the caliber of their leaders and the organization for decades to come.  Well, we all know what has transpired with Chick-fil-a over the past 20 years as they have become the “gold standard” in the fast casual food industry among other categories.  They were just recognized as America’s favorite restaurant for the 8th year in a row by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).  I would suggest that their success has been driven by the investment Mark and their leadership team defined and committed to over two decades ago.  This process resulted in a book that Mark co-authored with leadership guru Ken Blanchard titled The Secret: What Great Leaders know and do. 

The following is a quick overview of five strategic ways Great leaders SERVE from the book: 

• Great Leaders See and Shape the future – Leadership begins with a picture of the future and being able to paint a picture of a preferred future. When the vision is clear and compelling it will create life, energy and momentum. Our people want to know where they are going, what we are trying to accomplish, what we are trying to become and why it matters.

• Great leaders engage and develop others – Engagement is about creating context for people to thrive. It is incumbent upon leaders to proactively develop team members to help them grow and realize their full potential. Our job as leaders is to engage our people in the process and aligning dreams and goals.

• Value results and relationships – This is the tenet that generates the most angst for many leaders. Most leaders have a default bias towards one or the other. The best leaders value both!!! There is a tension here and our challenge as leaders is to manage the tension.

• Embody the values – People always watch the leader – whether we want them to or not! They are trying to determine if the leader is trustworthy. If a leader says something is important, people expect that person to live like it is important. Leaders must do everything humanly possible to walk the talk!

• Reinvent Continuously – If you do what you you’ve always done, you’ll get what you have always got. To make progress, to move forward, to accomplish bigger and better, something has to change. This includes Self: How are you reinventing yourself? Systems: Which work processes need to be changed to create better results? Structure: What structural changes could you make to better enable the accomplishment of your goal?

Are you ready to become a servant leader?  It is not a strategy or shortcut to success.  However, if we are willing to begin the long journey of adding value to others, putting their interests ahead of our own, helping others win, and mastering the five fundamentals we just reviewed, we will enjoy new levels of success, satisfaction and impact.  Most importantly we will develop other Servant Leaders that will reproduce and multiply.  This is not only the right thing to do but it is a huge opportunity to walk out the gospel in our day to day lives while adding and creating value for others.

Have a great week.

-Duane

Word of the Week - Service

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many” Mark 10:45

Service is defined as someone providing help and assistance to those being served.  I would suggest that Service should always involve adding value to the person or organization being served.  I believe that Service is as much an attitude and perspective as the specific Service being provided.  The majority of us work everyday Serving others to make our living by providing something that is of value such as food, repair, maintenance, computer or financial advisory services.  We have the opportunity to be both providers and recipients of Services and typically have a sense for what constitutes bad, average and good Service.  Service is typically evaluated and measured relative to our comparable Service experiences.  For instance we compare our experience eating at one restaurant vs. another restaurant and would typically not compare a fine dining experience to a fast food experience.  Service makes the world go round and creates a tremendous opportunity to influence others and make an impact in this world.  This is what we see with companies like Chick-fil-a who have taken service to entirely new level and set the gold standard for the restaurant industry.

Heart of Service – I believe the single most important key to providing great Service is ensuring that we have the right heart attitude, which begins on the inside.  Understanding that it is truly a blessing and privilege to be able to Serve others.  Not seeing it as a burden but as a blessing. “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus himself said; ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive”. Acts 20:35  With the right perspective we realize that there is true joy in the act of Serving and giving of ourselves, especially when it is done with pure motives.  This is really the essence of the Gospel, that Jesus “Gave His all for us” to model what it looks like to be a follower of Christ.  As believers, we exist to Serve others by showing God’s love in practical ways through meeting the needs within our communities, families and spheres of influence.  Simple acts of personal kindness can open hearts to the love of Jesus for both those being served and those serving. 

Going the Extra Mile  – “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two” Matthew 5:41  Having a willing spirit to go the extra mile is one of the things that differentiates typical Service from exceptional Service.  When we are willing to go way past what is expected or the minimum threshold, we typically make a meaningful impression and engender goodwill with those we are Serving.  It is important to keep a pure heart and not do it so that person “owes you” but do it out of the desire Serve them well.  This is the true heart of ministry Service and what the Lord has done for each of us who call upon His name.  That being said, these principals work well in any and all areas of life, especially in business.  If you want to differentiate yourself in business and build strong and loyal client/customer relationships then go the “extra mile” by going well beyond what is “expected” and you will win clients and friends for life.  Moreover, the person who Serves selflessly, lovingly, without complaint, and without seeking recognition is highly regarded in the Kingdom of God.   Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4

Serving others – One of our values at Founders Advisors is Service.  We value serving our clients, our team, and our community/others.  As a firm/team, we take the opportunity a few times a year (on MLK day and one day during the summer) to Serve our community.  This gives us the opportunity to walk out this value in a tangible way Yesterday, in conjunction with Church of the Highlands Serve Day, we had approximately 25 of our team members invest their Saturday morning serving at Restoration Academy https://www.restorationacademy.org/ .  It was a great opportunity to Serve an organization that is making a difference.  There is truly something special about coming together as a group and serving others, especially in the name of Jesus.  I am grateful to the Lord Jesus for living a life of service and making that the example for us as Christ followers. 

Have a great week,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Grace

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works." Ephesians 2:8-9

God’s Amazing Grace is the essence of our Christian faith, but we have such a hard time receiving and believing this because it is so counter to the way things work in the world, especially our merit based Westernized society.  This is especially hard for those of us who come from a religious background where we are taught that we needed to do certain things or be a certain way to be accepted by God and the church. 

Even though our cultural and social tendency is towards conforming to a worldly pattern to gain acceptance and success, the gospel is very clear on the fact that we literally receive our salvation as a free gift from the Lord by simply believing on Him and being in relationship with Him.  “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” Romans 10:9-10  Outside of pursuing a relationship with Jesus, we cannot do anything to earn our salvation, which is why Jesus makes it crystal clear that there is only one way to the Father and it is through His work of the Cross.  “I am the way the truth and the life, no one can come to the father except through me” John 14:6  What is more amazing is the fact that in the process of receiving salvation we become part of God’s family as co-heirs to His Kingdom. 

Once saved, God desires for us to give our hearts and lives to Him and remain connected to Him through a daily abiding relationship, so we can receive His protection, benefits and power, and so we can fulfill the purpose He has for us while we are here on earth.  If we receive His amazing grace of salvation and walk in an abiding relationship with the Him, we will have a grateful heart and desire to serve Him and thus we will do “good works” that He has already destined for us as part of His divine plan. Ephesians 2:10. 

So, rejoice in God’s amazing grace and receive the full benefits of our faith and live the abundant life of the redeemed in Christ.

Have a great week and enjoy the fully sufficient grace of the Lord.   

-Duane

Word of the Week - Freedom (Independence Day Word)

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 

Independence Day - I hope you are celebrating this day of Independence with family and friends.  This is a special day set aside to commemorate one of the most significant events in our Nation’s history.  July 4th – also known as Independence Day – is a time to celebrate America. The holiday marks the day in 1776 when the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, signaling the official separation of the 13 original colonies from Great Britain amid the Revolutionary War.  Even in the midst of so much turmoil and division in our country as of late, we must recognize that we still live in the most amazing nation on earth and rejoice in God’s blessing over the United States of America over the past 245 years.  We have much to be thankful as we celebrate this day of Independence. 

The price and value of Freedom:  I think it is most important to reflect on the true blessings and responsibilities of Freedom.  In a practical sense, we are truly blessed to live in a country that values Freedom and Independence for its citizens.  The United States of America was founded by men of faith on the premise that we must value and protect individual rights and hold these things sacred as outlined in the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”.  It is easy to take this for granted because we are so accustomed to this reality that we really cannot fathom not having these Freedoms and individual rights.  Besides bar-b-que, fireworks and time on the water with family and friends, the purpose of the July 4th Holiday is to set aside a day to recognize the high price that has been paid over the past 250 years to gain and defend this amazing gift of Freedom and to never take it lightly or for granted.  To remember the cost of Freedom and the blood and sacrifice that was poured out to attain our Freedom as a nation.

Responsibility of Freedom:  As American citizens and believers (citizens of the Kingdom of God), I think it is most important that we take on the mantle and responsibility that comes with the gift of Freedom.  Ronald Reagan said “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”  It is our responsibility as Americans to value, protect and steward our Freedom.  Similarly, but more importantly, Christ Jesus was crucified, died and rose again so that we could overcome death and have the ultimate Freedom that comes with salvation through Christ.  His blood gives us the power to find true Freedom from the wrath of God and the sin and strife of this world.  “It is for Freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1.  It is interesting that the Freedom of Christ is received not through a spirit of independence but by a spirit of dependence whereby we live our lives depending on God through an abiding relationship that He describes in John 15:5.  By living connected to the vine of Christ He blesses us with Freedom so that we can do His good work and produce godly fruit in our lives for His glory and purpose.  “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”  Galatians 5:13

Lord we thank you for our many Freedoms to include 1) Freedom of religion and individual belief, 2) Freedom to worship, 3) Freedom of prayer and 4) Freedom of speech to name just a few.  We are grateful that we live in a nation that that values Freedom and want to remember and honor all of those who have sacrificed and died to make this a reality for us by exercising our Freedoms in a healthy, respectful and honoring manner.  Lord, most of all, we thank you for the fact that while we were still sinners you died for us so that we can be Free from the wages of sin and live with you in Eternal Freedom.

On this day I pray that we would remember the cost of Freedom, rejoice in the reality of our Freedom and come together as a nation and body of believers in unity to acknowledge and honor the sacrifice of our veterans and American Heroes who have paid the price for our Freedom.  Additionally, that we would rejoice in the goodness of the Lord and the sacrifice He made on the cross for our eternal salvation/freedom.  This is something to truly celebrate and unite together over.

I hope you are having a great summer.  God Bless you and God Bless America, the land of the Free,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Servant Leadership

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many” Mark 10:45 

Servant Leadership Context – As I mentioned in my “Word of the Week” last week, I am currently reading/studying a book called “Servant Leadership in Action” – How you can Achieve Great Relationships and Results.  Conventional wisdom may suggest that these two things are not fully aligned, but the truth as modeled by Jesus is when we put people ahead of our goals there is amazing fruit and benefits, especially over time.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4.  I sincerely believe this is the truth and there are lots of case studies that prove it to be true.  The following are a few insights I am gaining from this book and process that I thought would be good to share with you my family, friends, and colleagues.

Servant Leadership is a leadership philosophy whereby the leader is a servant first,  Thinking about people and their needs ahead of stated goals and objectives.  It begins with a conviction that one wants to serve first and lead second.  This is counter to most traditional leadership philosophies.  So how do we know if we are truly living as Servant Leaders?  The best litmus test are the following questions:

• Are the people I am serving growing holistically (emotionally, relationally, intellectually, spiritually etc)?

• Are they becoming healthier, wiser, freer and more autonomous?

• Are they themselves becoming Servant Leaders?

Key Characteristics of Servant Leadership according to Robert K. Greenleaf one of the most renowned experts on Servant Leadership

• Listening - Leaders traditionally have been valued for their communication and decision-making skills. Although important skills for a any leader; listening, coupled with periods of reflection, is essential to the growth and effectiveness of a Servant Leader.

• Empathy – The Servant Leader strives to understand and empathize with those he/she is leading. The most successful Servant Leaders are those who become skilled empathetic listeners. Working hard to relate with the other persons perspective.

• Healing – The healing of relationships is a powerful force for transformation. Most people have broken spirits and have suffered from a variety of emotional woundedness. One of the greatest strengths of a Servant Leader is being an agent for healing. Starting with ourselves, our relationship with others and helping others walk through process of relational healing.

• Awareness – General awareness and especially self-awareness strengthens the Servant Leader. Awareness helps gain understanding and lends itself to allowing us to view situations from a more integrated holistic perspective.

• Persuasion – Effective Servant Leaders rely on their ability to influence those they are leading by persuasion to gain buy-in and trust verses using positional authority. Servant Leaders seek to convince others rather than coerce compliance.

• Conceptualization – Servant Leaders seek and nurture their abilities to dream great dreams. They must be able to rise above the day to day and see the bigger perspective. It is also important to be able to share and communicate the vision with inspiration.

• Foresight – Related to conceptualization, the ability to foresee the likely outcome of an initiative. Foresight enables the Servant Leader to understand the lessons from the past, the realities of the present, and likely consequences of decision on the future.

• Stewardship – This is the idea that as leaders we are responsible by holding something in the trust of others. Understanding that we are taking care of people and the organization on behalf of others. It is not about us but about others.

• Commitment to Growth of People – Servant Leaders truly believe that people have intrinsic value beyond their tangible contributions as workers. As such, Servant Leaders are deeply committed to the growth of each individual within their organization.

• Building Community – Servant Leaders seek to identify means for building authentic community among those on their teams. Finding ways to help team members realize they are a part of building something special for a purpose larger than themselves. All team members have a unique and important role in the organizational family.

I find it interesting that all of these characteristics are clearly seen and demonstrated in the person of Jesus.  By walking out our leadership with a Servant Leadership philosophy, we become more Christlike allowing us to live out the gospel message.  I believe this is the abundant life that Jesus talks about in John 10:10.  

I pray that the Lord would give me the wisdom, power and grace to be a Servant Leader in all areas of my life.  

Happy Father’s Day to all of you dads. 

-Duane

Word of the Week - Servant Leadership

“Not so with you (my followers).  Instead (of the way of this world), whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever want to be first must be your slave – 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.” 

I am on vacation with my wife Amy in Northern California at a wonderful place called Scott River Lodge www.scottriverlodge.com , see pic attached.  We are having a wonderful and meaningful time together as we retreat and are renewed in our mind, body, and spirit.  Even though it is a long way from our home in Birmingham, AL, I highly recommend it if you are looking for a get-away to enrich your relationship with the Lord and your spouse.  

During my time here the Lord is continuing to do a deep work on my heart through the Holy Spirit as I remain in the season of being pruned and experience a sort of reset in my life.  I am realizing more and more that I have walls that have been built up over time through the reality of life that need to be deconstructed piece by piece to allow me to realize the full potential of what God has for me, my marriage, family, ministry.  The theme continues to be humility and love.  Learning how to go to a new level in all areas of my life in all my relationships.  Making Love, 1 Corinthians 13, the key force that underpins my day-to-day actions.  Being more focused on loving and serving others ahead of being driven by results.  Caring for others first before driving towards achieving goals and objectives.  This is totally what Jesus modeled for us and what He expects of us as His followers, especially as we grow and mature in our walk of faith.  I feel like the Lord is leading me to a new level of this in every area of my life.  This is challenging for me, so I am spending time with the Lord asking Him to transform my heart and mind.  I am currently reading/studying a book called “Servant Leadership in Action” – How you can Achieve Great Relationships and Results.  Many would believe that these two things are in competition, but the truth as modeled by Jesus is when we put people ahead of our goals there is amazing fruit and benefits, especially over time.  I truly believe this is the truth and there are lots of case studies that prove this to be true. 

Due to my vacation, I am a bit off schedule, so I will be sending my “Word of the Week” when I get it put together, which will probably be later this evening or tomorrow.  Over the next few weeks, I would like to share with you some of the truths I am learning from my study on Servant Leadership.  

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Be Still and know I am God

Be still and know I am God;  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.  Psalm 46 

For me, Being Still is one of my bigger challenges.  I seem to be built for doing; therefore, I am either in the middle of doing something or thinking about what I need or want to do next.  That being said, God is clear about the fact that there is something powerful in simply being still by bringing our body and soul (mind, will, and emotions) to a place of stillness and quiet.  This is really where we become conscious of the here and now and fully present to connect with God and receive what He has for us.  To fully experience and know God, we must sit before Him undistracted, which is the power of learning how to be still.  This is not my strong suit but I have developed some disciplines that help me in this area.  I am in a season of life where I have made this my primary focus. “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act.  Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes” Psalm 37:7

The following are a few biblical principles/truths I am focused on at this time:

• Finding a quiet place – Our environment and the ambiance can either set the stage for stillness or be very distracting. Every one of us is different but when we find or create a space that allows us to quiet our mind we can begin to experience the power of being still before God. Whether your truck, basement, closet, chapel, library, cabin in the woods or back porch try to find a place where you can mentally and physically retreat from the noise of life and the worries of the world. “The Lord is in His holy Temple. All the earth – be quiet in His presence” Habakkuk 2:20

• Slowing Down – There is something about our daily pace that I am learning really matters when it comes to hearing from God. If we go through life too fast and busy, which is more typical today than ever before due to technology, we miss many of the biggest blessings of life. Slowing down to a more intentional pace allows us to be more conscious and available to notice others, see people and hear form the living God. “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, those who seek Him”. Lamentations 3:25

• Sabbath – The principal of Sabbath is for this purpose, to set aside time and space each week for “being” with the Lord and enjoying His presence in a state of rest. Giving ourselves permission to stop doing and producing by trusting God as our provider is very powerful and can lead to experiencing relationship with God at a deeper level. “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even over the Sabbath” Mark 2:27

• Taking thoughts captive – The 3 disciplines noted above can really help quiet our minds but we may still have thoughts that are trying to sabotage us, in this case we can take captive the thoughts by acknowledging them mentally or by writing them down so we can release them to the Lord. So when thoughts come that are not welcomed we can “take them captive and make them obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

When it comes to relationship, I believe the key is to be connected at a deeper level.  I am not sure we can connect with God or people at a deep level if we are moving to fast and trying to do too much.  Being still before the Lord allows us to connect with God and know Him at a deeper level.  I am in a season of learning how to slow down to a sacred pace so I can “be still” before the Lord and go deeper.  Making it a priority in my daily and weekly walk with God so I can experience His amazing power and presence to the full.  This is well demonstrated in the story of Martha and Mary in the Gospel of Luke, “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”  “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:38-42

Lord I pray we can learn to be more like Mary and “Be still in knowing you are our God and Abba Father”. 

Have a great week…..

-Duane 

Word of the Week - Remember

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 13:12-13 

Memorial Day weekend we celebrate something that I think is sometimes hard for us to comprehend:  the ultimate act of love – to lay down one’s life down for others.  This sacrifice of our fallen service men and women who paid this ultimate sacrifice for the sake of our freedom. In recent years I've heard many conflicted views on this matter. But I think it would be a mistake to see these brave men and women as merely victims. While each fallen soldier has a unique story, each soldier is a hero who gave their lives for a greater cause.  I think part of our struggle to understand the fallen soldier comes with our difficulty in accepting sacrifice, especially when a sacrifice seems so final and appears to hold no obvious reward. The idea that someone could give up everything - for people they don’t even know - is hard to process. We spend so much of life trying to gain, to acquire, to win. Our country is home to the American Dream, the land of opportunity. So remembering the fallen solider can feel uncomfortable but it is most important to remember the Sacrifice.  This is the only way we will be willing to do what is necessary to protect our freedom as a nation.  May we never forget!!!!

On this Memorial Day we remember the 1.2 million men and women who have made the ultimate Sacrifice by giving their lives in service of our Country, I am reminded of the sobering reality of the true price of freedom, and how fortunate we are to live in the United States of America, “the land of the free” because of the price others paid for our freedom.  I am very grateful and humbled by this amazing reality.  Click the following link to watch a short 5-minute video “Path of the Warrior” tribute to remembering the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for me and you Memorial Day Tribute .  

In a similar frame, I am even more grateful for the fact that God freely chose to come down to earth in the flesh as Jesus our Messiah and was crucified for our sins, so we can have eternal freedom (salvation) and live with God forever.  “For it is for Freedom that Christ set us free”Galatians 5:1.  “You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love” Galatians 5:13.  Let us remember who God is and what He has done for us through the Cross and let this be our motivation to live the great commandment to “Love God and Love others” by serving God and others in Love.  Lord, I pray that we would remember and understand the reality of what others have done for us as Americans and even more amazingly what you have done for us as Christians and never forget the suffering you endured for our benefit.  Let us receive the fullness of your love and Sacrifice. 

Jesus our Messiah who Died to give us Life and Freedom both now and for Eternity, the ultimate Sacrifice.  

I hope you have a blessed Memorial Day.

-Duane

Word of the Week - Love

 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 in the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8.  

This is where God has led me during this season of pruning.  I have been meditating on this verse for 4 weeks and will stay here until I sense God releasing me.  This is so, so good.  I desire to know and receive this love at the deepest level so I may have the capacity to love this way.  I surely have a long way to go.

Below is my “Word of the Week” from January 2018 that speaks to this verse and the amazing Love of God our Father. 

Of all the gifts that the Lord has given us He makes it clear that Love is the “why” that underpins everything He has done for us.  The concept of Love can be so misconstrued and has been perverted in many ways by the world and our culture.  God’s Love is so deep and has so many dimensions that it is really a mystery and hard to comprehend in its fullness.  That is why I cherish this verse because it clearly defines Love and describes practically what Love looks like.  It does not make reference to Love being a feeling, which is many times how we tend to describe Love.  No, God makes it clear that Love is a decision put into action.  As I grow in my walk with the Lord and get to know Him more, I better understand the fullness of God’s Love and how He extravagantly displayed His Love for us in the person of Jesus Christ.  And yes, He calls us to Love others like He has loved us.  “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is Love.”  Love is one of the spiritual fruits produced by abiding in Christ.  I rejoice today in the reality that I am Loved by the Lord Jesus; as we receive God’s unconditional love we grow in our capacity to Love like Jesus. 

Love never fails……

-Duane