Word of the week - Relationship

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength;  the second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.  Mark 12:30-31

Relationships - The more I live the more I realize that the key to life is authentic and healthy relationship with God and others, especially those close to us.  There is nothing more fulfilling and challenging than relationships.  On one hand, the true joy of life is sharing in the journey with others and experiencing the ups and downs of life with those we love.  On the other hand, the deepest pain and challenges I have experienced in life are associated with relational challenges, generally with those closest to me.  This is such a dichotomy but also the way God set things up because people are what matter most on this earth and their souls last forever.  If we allow Him, God will use our relationship with Himself and others to refine us and mold us into His image, this is the process of sanctification.  “As iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another” Proverbs 27:17

Relationship with God – I believe the most important relationship in life is our personal relationship with Jesus.  Whereby we surrender our hearts to Jesus and connect with God by spending time with Him by getting to know Jesus.  Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you had known me, you would have known Him.” John 16: 6-7.  We make a decision to allow Jesus to be Lord, then we pursue our relationship with Him.  Our goal should be to get to know Him, who He is, what He loves and cares about, what He desires for us and from us etc., and be known by Him.  To be open and transparent with the Lord to share our deepest desires, fears, needs and wants with Him so He knows us and our hearts desire.  God desires to know us and be connected to us through our personal relationship with Jesus.  Daily abiding (connecting) with Jesus is how we connect with Him and get to know Him through His word, prayer, worship, fellowship with other believers etc.   Jesus said “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, but apart from me you can do nothing” John 15:5 

Relationship with Others  – We were not made to do this life alone and need relationship and community to live healthy and productive lives.  God set it up this way from the beginning and I am so grateful that He did.  In last week’s word of the week, I shared about the marriage relationship, see below.  God ordained as a special covenant relationship between one man and one woman.  Next to our relationship with God the marriage relationship is the most important earthly relationship.  That being said, if we want to flourish and live to our full God given potential, we need to have healthy relationships beyond our marriage and family.  This can include relationships with people in our work/business, church/ministry or just friends we enjoy spending time with doing things we enjoy.  The true richness and joy of life is experienced through personal relationships and doing life with others.  We learn and grow from being around others especially those that we have deeper and more intimate relationships with.  “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2  Relationship with others has a meaningful influence on who we are and our success in every aspect of life.  My friend John Maxwell says “show me your friends and I will show you your future”.  Who we desire to build relationship with really matters because they will influence who we become and visa/versa.   To grow in relationship with others we must simply desire to be in relationship and spend time getting to know the person and allowing them to get to know us.  The 3 most important things that make a relationship healthy and productive is Intimacy, Commitment and Communication.  Of course, trust is key and as we build relationships over time, we build trust which leads to deeper and more fulfilling relationships over time.  “Two are better than one, because they have good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his friend.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”  Ecclesiastes 4:9

Relationship with Family  – This is a pretty big topic that deserves to be a stand alone “word of the week”.  I will plan to share on this one next week.

Lord, thank you for the gift of relationships.  We are surely better together in relationship with God and others. 

-Duane

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

My wife Amy and I hosted our first Heritage Forum Couples event last week at Pursell Farms and it reminded me once again of the blessings of my marriage relationship with Amy.  This is the first time Amy and I have ever really done ministry together especially at this level.  Over the past 5 years since founding the Heritage Forum www.heritageforums.com, I have worked with a team of friends/leaders to minister to hundreds of high-capacity men in the area of building a godly Heritage to leave a lasting godly legacy.  This is something God put on my heart several years ago, which led me to start the Heritage Forum.  It has been an amazing blessing over the last five years to watch God do great work in many men and their families.  Being able to host a couple’s event with Amy this past week was an answer to many years of prayer and “immeasurably more than I could have hoped are imagined” Ephesians 3:20. This was truly a blessing from God that did not seem like a possibility just 6-12 months ago, but not for the amazing grace and healing power of the Lord.  We started the event by welcoming everyone and then together as a couple having Amy share our/her testimony with the 20 couples that were present.  God used it to do His great work like only He can do.  We experienced the joy and power that comes from ministering together as a married couple in unity in Christ.  It reminded me of the purpose and power of the sacrament of Marriage.

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 32 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.

If you would like to enhance your marriage especially as it relates to communicating with your spouse, I would highly suggest you watch this message from Jimmy Evans with your spouse if possible on Successful Communication in Marriage Jimmy Evans - Successful Communication in Marriage.  I have listened to this message 4-5 times since I first heard it back in the fall.  Amy also really valued the message and we have referenced it many times.

-Duane

Word of the Week - Worry

"Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:25-27

Worry is defined as the process of giving way to anxiety or unease; allowing one’s mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles.  A state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.  Words associated with worry include: agonize, fret, dwell on, panic, lose sleep, stew, sweat, stress etc….

Do not Worry - Jesus makes it very clear and simple, He simply tells us not to Worry about our life.  Just like most things of God, that does not seem to make sense to us.  We have all been conditioned to worry about things big and small, it is our human nature to worry and be concerned about the uncertainty of the future.  I love the fact that Jesus commands us not to worry and reminds us that there is no benefit to worry.  It is truly futile and not healthy. Instead, we should turn to the Lord in prayer and bring all of our concerns before Him in prayer and petition and His response will be peace of mind.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God, and the God of peace, which transcends understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:6-7. 

Recognize God’s Sovereignty - If we really think about it, we recognize that God is sovereign over all things and our fragile lives are in His hands.  He has a plan for our lives and already knows our divine destiny.  In knowing this, our main focus should be to pursue a daily connection with Him so we can be led by the Holy Spirit.  If we know God, then we will trust Him and “cast our cares” on the Lord and surrender our worry and anxiety to Him.  It is really a form of arrogance on our part to think we are in control of what happens.  God desires for us to humble ourselves by putting God in His proper place.  “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble”  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares of you”. 1 Peter 5:5-7  

Relinquish “control” and simply trust God who loves us and desires the best for us.  We live in a fallen and sin filled world and have an enemy of our soul who’s is trying to keep us from our destiny and purpose in Christ.  Fear, lies, intimidation and insecurity are some of his main tactics and they manifest in the symptoms of worry and anxiety.  This force is real and is coming at us every day, but God makes it very clear that He has already won, and we have victory in Christ; so no matter what circumstance we face we do not fret.  As son’s and daughters of the living God, we turn to our Lord and King and put our hope in Him by laying our fears and anxieties at His feet knowing that He is a good, good Father and He always has our back, yes even when we mess up.  In our human frailty God designed us to be dependent upon Him, so we will pursue Him and abide in Him daily to resupply our faith and receive our “daily bread” that He has for us each day. “Trust the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths and keep them straight”. Proverbs 3:5-6

So, “Don’t Worry” and enjoy the fruits of redirecting that energy towards payer and thanksgiving.  “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. 1Thessalonians 5:16-18.  This is how we tap into the true Joy of the Lord, and we find strength to overcome.

Have a great week!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Pace

“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths and keep them straight” Proverbs 3:5-6

Pace defined – The speed at which someone or something moves, or with which something happens or changes: Rate of movement or rate of progress.

Personal Experience – I learned early in life that being efficient and productive was valuable.  So much so, that in my formidable years, being productive became one of my top goals and values.  Early in my career, I worked around people and leaders that could get a lot done.  I saw them work at an amazingly fast and intense pace, many times literally running through the day to get things done.  There was something exhilarating about a fast and intense pace that I gravitated towards. Through this process, I started to associate a fast pace with being more efficient and productive.  Over time my mode of operating became fast paced, especially as I took on more responsibility in life and business.  As I have aged and matured in my walk of faith, I realize the importance of a healthy and sustainable pace.  It is not healthy or desirable to sprint through life.  If you have ever run a marathon or a long-distance race, you quickly realize the importance of setting the right pace if you want to stay healthy, perform well and finish the race. 

Just a little over 10 years ago, I was close to burning out.  I was living life at an unsustainable pace and realized I needed to adjust my pace, or I might end up in a bad place.  I was encouraged to take a 6-week Sabbatical to reset my pace and it was very helpful.  Over the past 10 years, I have worked intentionally to live my life at a more healthy and sustainable pace seeking the Lord to find my divine pace.  I have come a long way, but I am still not where I want to be.  I have learned a lot about pace and wanted to share a few things that may be helpful to my friends and family on this topic, especially for type A personalities.

Hurry: the great enemy of divine pace – I recently read a book titled “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Ortberg.  How to stay emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world.  His thesis is that hurry (fast pace) and love are not compatible.  I could really relate to this in my own life as most of our worst moments as a husband, father, friend and leader, even as a human being, are when I am in a hurry – late for an appointment, behind on my unrealistic to-do list, trying to cram too much into my day.  In my fast pace, I carry anger, tension and frustration with me, which is the antithesis of love.  Hurry and love are oil and water, they simply do not mix.  In fact, in 1 Corinthians 13, the verse that defines love, it starts with “Love is patient, Love is kind”.  It is nearly impossible to be patient and kind when you are in a hurry.  The scripture refers to walking with God and not running with Him, because God is love and He wants to walk with us.  God walks slowly because He is love.  Like most things of God our value system is turned on its head.  The world says slower paced is bad and faster paced is good.  But in God’s value system slowing down is better because Jesus is what love looks like in the flesh and blood.  Jesus was never in a hurry but he was always on pace with His God ordained purpose. 

God’s answer is Sabbath – This is where we find room to adjust our pace to a healthy and holy level.  Sabbath is simply a discipline of us trusting God “with all of our heart, mind and strength” to be God and provide us with what we need.  It is a discipline of starting our week with faith, trust and resting in God.  We all need space between us and our work or else we run the risk of burnout, not to mention the fact that we are more productive and creative when we take time away to recreate and recharge. This is the principal and gift of Sabbath.  To cease from our work to simply rest in knowing God.  To honor God by putting our faith in action by demonstrating we trust God and desire to set apart one day a week, typically the first day, to refocus your energy and attention on Him and those closest to us. “And He said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath”. Mark 2:27 

Pruning is one way that God helps us adjust our pace - As a type A goal-oriented achiever, I am always striving to do more and accomplish more.  This makes it challenging for me to stay in a divine pace.  God recently took me through a season of pruning.  In this season I was forced to slow down and evaluate all the things in my life to determine what things in my life needed to be pruned away to give me more room in my life to live a more healthy pace and focus on the things that matter most.  As life goes on, I have tended to take on more and more until I find myself in an unhealthy place running at an unsustainable pace.  This typically impacts those around me more than anything, especially those closest to me.  God loves us so much that He will do whatever is necessary to get our attention.  If we are abiding in Christ He will take us through the process of pruning, which is painful but necessary.  It is not about doing more it is about doing the things that really matter most, especially eternal things.  “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

Challenge Questions:  Is your pace healthy and sustainable?  Are you living at a pace that allows you to be the best version of you, especially with those closest to you.  Do you find yourself frustrated or impatient with people?  If so, you may want to look at adjustments to your life to find a more divine pace. 

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” ” Psalm 37:4

-Duane

Word of the Week - The Gift of Life

"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.  Life is fragile and can be taken in an instant, so count each day as a blessing and a gift.  This in itself is enough, but God is so good that he blesses us with so much more such as our family, friends and the opportunities to live and enjoy life through relationship with Him and others in our ministry, life work and recreation. 

Count your blessings - I am celebrating my 55th year on earth this week and as I reflect on my life this morning, I am almost overwhelmed by the amazing blessings I have been given from God.  From a heart of gratitude with thanksgiving to the Lord, I would like to acknowledge just a few of my blessing to include:  My dear wife Amy who I am growing deeper in love with after 32 years of marriage, we are more excited about our future and growing old together.  My 3 amazing daughters Mary Kathryn, Saige and Isabella who love God and are walking with Him.  My six precious grandkids Selah, John Michael, Lilly and Hazel, Neriah and Kyle with another one on the way and due in March, who are the joy of my heart like sunshine on a clear spring morning.  My two 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 still active at 84 years old along with my wonderful sister Leslie and brother Mike and their families, who I love dearly and treasure spending time with.  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 22 years ago and is a spiritual father to me.  Our growing business Founders Advisors that will be celebrating its 20th 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 “We only live once but if we live well, once is enough”.  I believe that this is true if we live our lives in Christ and ask for His wisdom to direct us in our daily lives.  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 55 years on this earth, I can truly say that the most precious blessing I have experienced to date was coming to know Jesus in a personal way almost 22 years ago.  It was truly a game changer that has allowed me to grow and flourish in every area of my life.  I was truly born of the spirit and my eyes were opened to whole new way, God’s way.  I cannot properly articulate 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!” 

Pruning is Part of the Process of Growth and Maturity – During my 55th year of life I was reminded that if we truly desire to be all God has called us to be then we must be willing to embrace the principle of cutting and pruning.  “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 This is not necessarily a fun process and surely not a refrigerator scripture for most of us, but it is part of the refining process of our walk of faith and maturity in Christ.  Pruning is how God answers our prayers when we pray for God’s abundant blessings and that He will make us more like Jesus.  When we are praying that our lives will please Him more and have a greater impact for eternity.  In desiring to grow and go deeper in the things of God, if we choose and allow Him, God our gardener cuts and prunes to remove things that are dead and not productive from our lives to make room for sunlight and nutrience to get to all fruit-bearing branches;  to increase the quality and quantity of the fruit; and to encourage new fruit to develop.  This is the path to abundance, we must all be cut and pruned from time to time.  He must first cut away parts of our lives that drain precious time and energy from what is truly important.  To allow the sunlight and nutriance to flow to the most fruitful areas of our lives so we can live in our highest and best use.  Live to our full potential in Christ.  His plan for pruning is not random – He works in each of our lives uniquely to find what needs to but pruned so that we might bear our best fruit.  If we understand that this is part of the process then we can “Count it pure joy” as outlined in James 1:2-4 “whenever you face trials of many kinds (cutting/pruning), because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

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!!!!!!

You are a blessing to me,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Legacy of a life well lived

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

Sue Sterne Mitchell – On Tuesday I attended a funeral service for Sue Mitchell.  Sue died tragically in a car accident on January19th, just over two weeks ago.  I know Sue’s husband Mr. Bobby Mitchell and her 3 sons Bobby Jr., Lee and Chris primary through an organization called Fellowship of Companies for Christ International FCCI.  Bobby and Sue Mitchell were founding members of FCCI.  The mission of FCCI is “To equip and encourage Christian business leaders to operate their businesses and conduct their personal lives in accordance with Biblical principles”. I have been involved with FCCI over the past few years and have recently joined the board.  I knew Sue from a few interactions with her and her family at recent FCCI annual conferences I attended, but I did not know her that well.  In just spending a little time around her I got a sense that she was an amazing woman of God.  Well, my intuitions were right and this past week at her visitation and Life Celebration service I got a clear view of who Sue was and the amazing impact her life had on so many people, starting with her family.  I was impressed by what I experienced in interacting with her family and friends and hearing from her 3 sons at her funeral service.  I would encourage you to watch some of the service, especially her 3 sons sharing, by clicking on this link Sue Mitchell Celebration Service.  I wanted to take the opportunity to share a few thoughts from Sue’s life and legacy that I think can benefit us all.

A life well lived in Christ:  Sue was born on July 1, 1947, and married Bobby in 1968.  She and her husband Bobby both had a life changing experience of faith shortly after they were married, which transformed their lives.  As a result of their faith experience, they both made Christ and His great commandment “To love God and love people”, their primary focus.  The following is an excerpt from Sue’s epitaph in her Celebration Service program.  “Sue was a faithful conduit of love to all around her and encouraged others in a quiet and unassuming way.  Her warm smile and humble demeanor conveyed others importance and her deep care for them.  She was a peacemaker, a selfless helper, and a faithful prayer warrior.  Sue shined light in dark places and deeply desired for others to experience the love of Jesus.  For over 40 years, she and her husband Bobby together served the Fellowship of Companies for Christ International, encouraging their peers and mentoring a younger generation of business leaders.  As a parent at the Lovett School in Atlanta, she faithfully prayed and served the students and community.  For decades she woke up early every Thursday morning to prepare and serve breakfast for the weekly FCA breakfasts.  Sue and Bobby also served as committee chairs for Atlanta Young Life and passionately championed sharing the gospel with teenagers.  In her local church, she mentored many young mothers through “Mom to Mom” and then served the children of the church in Vacation Bible School.” At the funeral service, Sue’s 3 sons each shared about their mom, and the impact she had on them along with so many people.  I was so encouraged and convicted by how God used Sue through her faith and obedience that she walked out in her day-to-day life as a willing servant.  There were numerous stories of how Sue’s influence through service and prayer led so many people to Christ. 

Godly Heritage – A Heritage refers to the spiritual riches and deep-seated treasures of character that we leave to our kids, grandkids, and future generations.  This is the greatest gift we can give our family and all too often we miss the mark on this because we are focused on the wrong things.  There is no doubt that Sue’s life manifested in building a solid godly heritage for her children, grandchildren, and generations to come. Here is another excerpt from Sue’s Celebration of Life program.  “Sue, or Gram, as she was known by her 10 grandchildren, loved no one more than her family.  She poured her life into them and served them with a joyful spirit, constant encouragement, and wisdom.  Sue passed on her love for scripture and prayer, teaching her children and grandchildren that God alone gives us all we need for this life.  She modeled what it means to love and put others ahead of herself.  Her commitment and marriage of 54 years to Bobby were a beautiful example of a life shared together”. 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  Sue’s life was an amazing example a life devoted to building a godly Heritage.    

What most impressed me about Sue was how God used her so powerfully right where she was.  In her quiet and unassuming personality many times behind the scenes, God did an amazing and powerful work in so many.  Her life had a major Impact for eternity.  She was a faithful and committed servant who lived intentionally with a heart towards God and people.  God promises us that if we make God’s values our priority, He will bless our lives and 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.

I hope this excerpt from Sue’s life inspires you like it inspired me.  Please keep the Mitchell family in your thoughts and prayers as they grieve their loss, Sue will be deeply missed by so many.  There was no doubt by anyone who knew Sue or who was present at the service of her eternal destination.  Praise God for the assurance of salvation for those who are in Christ.  “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Sue Sterne Mitchell

JULY 1, 1947 – JANUARY 19, 2023

-Duane

Word of the Week - Authority

"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” Luke 10:19

As followers of Christ, we have divine Authority over the enemy of our soul whose primary goal is to “steal, kill and destroy” John 10:10.  Our enemy is not an imaginary, mythical character, but a spirit being whose objective is to keep us away from God’s plan and purpose for our lives.  He uses all types of tactics including temptation, confusion, lies, pain, relational strife, fear, anxiety and much, much more to keep us from God’s best.  The good news is that through the cross and by the blood of Jesus, we have been given Authority over the enemy, but we must expose the enemy and exercise our Authority if we are to overcome.  God has provided everything we need to walk in victory over the enemy and his schemes.  2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of sound mind”.

Satan is our enemy and he knows our weaknesses.  He is watching for opportunities to catch us off guard so he can slip into our lives and create havoc.  He is the great deceiver and desires for us to put blame elsewhere opposed to seeing the truth, he loves confusion.  As a subtle manipulator of circumstances, the enemy works to deceive us by blaming events, people or even God for the destructive things he does.  Make no mistake about it; your spouse, parents, children, pastor, employer, friends, foes, God – none of these are the real enemy.  “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  Ephesians 6:12.  Satan is the real enemy.

As followers of Christ, we should be aware and on guard but not intimidated, because we have been given the Authority to overcome!  That being said, we must exercise our Authority to win the battle.  By recognizing and exposing the attacks, resisting the enemy, taking an offensive posture by praying scripture and standing firm in faith, we have victory over the enemy and his schemes.  God has given us all the Authority we need to defeat the enemy and his works.  We have spiritual armor but we must have the discipline to put it on daily.  “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” Ephesians 6:10-13.  “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all of the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:14-17

Our ultimate Authority is the name of Jesus!  “Therefore, God also as highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth” Philippians 2:9-10.  When we use Jesus’ name, the enemy’s strongholds cannot stand, they must flee!!!!

So lets expose the enemy and use our Authority to fight for victory over the enemy in the name of Jesus!!!!

Have a great week…

-Duane

Word of the Week - Commitment

"The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully Committed to Him” 1 Chronicles 16:9

We will never get the best of God for our lives without being fully Committed.  I think we would all agree that the first step in beginning anything of value is making a decision and a Commitment.  Whether it be a new exercise routine, job, friendship, business venture or spiritual discipline, any new pursuit towards something meaningful begins with a decision to do something then a Commitment to follow through.  In todays digital age of instant gratification and having more flexibility/options available coupled with an emphasis “feeling” good and pursuing happiness, there seems to be a resistance toward Commitment.  It is almost as if Commitment is a negative word.  The truth is that the best things in life come out of making Commitments and being Committed.  One of the best examples is the Marriage relationship.  This is a legal covenant relationship before God, which is the highest form of Commitment.  Even though marriage can tough and is one of the most challenging things I have experienced in life, I have never heard anyone say they regret staying married.  I have heard numerous people who have been through divorce say that it was a terrible experience and if they had to do it over again they would have tried to work it out.  I am not condemning divorce, I am simply making the case for being Committed through the good times and the bad.  There are certain situations that make it nearly impossible to stay married because ultimately you cannot control your spouses decisions or behaviors but you can remain Committed nonetheless.

God is fully Committed to us, “God shows His love (Commitment) to us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” Romans 5:8 This verse says it all in that God loves us so much that He came to earth as a man and died for us while we still rejected Him.  This is the utmost form of love and Commitment that God gave His life for us before we accepted Him.  If we grasp this reality and its implications, we are compelled to respond by receiving this truth and loving God by fully Committing/devoting our lives to Him and making Him a priority.  How we live our lives really demonstrates what we are Committed to.  Does your life and how you live express Commitment to God?

God wants us to be fully Committed to Him so He can bless us, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this;  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:4  Since God is the source of all good things, the best things of God come through our relationship with Him.  The foundation of relationship is trust and Commitment.  The response to trust is Commitment.  We must trust and Commit to get all the good things God has for us.  Some of the best things in life come through delayed gratification and God’s ways typically involve perseverance and “waiting upon the Lord”.  Commitment over time is truly the test of our hearts and demonstrate the degree of our love.

Being fully Committed is the only way we realize our full potential, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding.  Acknowledge Him in all things and He will direct your path and keep them straight” Proverbs 3:5-6  According to this passage we only get the best things of God if we are fully Committed to Him.  As a child of God He has an awesome plan and assignment for each of us individually (Ephesians 2:10), which is our full potential in Christ.  We can only know and realize this potential if we are Committed to Him and making Him the highest priority “first fruits” in our lives.  We show our Commitment by how we live and pursue God.  Putting God first in our thoughts, conversations, actions, daily/weekly routines, finances is how we demonstrate our Commitment to Him.  This also demonstrates to others our love for God and we become a light for Christ in a dark and broken world.  “In this same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven”. Matthew 5:16

As we begin 2023, I encourage us to decide and Commit ourselves to God and watch what He does.  “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act” Psalm 37:5

Have a great week…..

-Duane

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. 

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 hope and a good future but the biggest life question is 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.  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:  With this in mind, 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 we will come to see more clearly our personal God Vision so we can live out our God given destiny in Christ.

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 - Fasting

“Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.” Acts 14:23

Fasting is a powerful discipline of our faith that many believers overlook.  Most professing Christians believe in the practice of praying on a regular basis and have the discipline of prayer integrated into their lives in some form, but rarely do I find believers that value and practice Fasting on a regular basis.  The word of God is full of many scriptures that reveal the power of Fasting especially if combined with focused prayer.  Jesus told His disciples that there were certain spirits that were only cast out by “Prayer and Fasting”.  “However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting;” Mathew 17:21. Even Jesus, God in the flesh, went out into the desert to fast and pray for 40 days and 40 nights Luke 4:2-4.  There is no doubt that as disciples of Christ we are called to fast and pray if we desire to realize all that God has for us:

What is Fasting, Fasting is essentially giving up food or other things that you desire, need or enjoy for a designated period of time in order to focus your thoughts, attention and prayers on God.  Fasting is most powerful if combined with prayer, worship and scripture.  In Fasting we are simply working to intensify our spiritual connection with God by seeking connection to the spirit of God by feeding the things of the spirit and depriving the things of the soul and flesh.  As I shared in my “word of the week” on January 12, 2020, see below, we are Triune beings comprised of body, soul and spirit and these 3 dimension of our being are in constant competition with one another.  By Fasting we are willfully and intentionally making our spirit the highest priority and thus our flesh and soul man tends to decrease and our spirit man comes more alive, which gives us heightened connection to God that results in increases spiritual awareness and power.  “Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded” James 4:8 Fasting is simply a way to intentionally live out James 4:8 and draw closer to God.

What does it look like, Since Fasting is a personal and spiritual practice, there is no right or wrong way to Fast but there are some best practices that are helpful.  Most Fast involve giving up some or all food for a period of time.  Of course, our body must have food and water or it will die so Fasting needs to be well advised to ensure we are not doing something that is dangerous to our health.  That being said, we can go many days without food if we are drinking water or juices.  There are many different food related fast that include short term total fast whereby you give up eating for 24 hours or for 2-3 days; or more extended selective food fast where you may give up meats, sweets and breads and only do fruits and vegetables for 21 days.  This is referred to as the Daniel Fast. You can also Fast certain meals each day for a period of time.  You can reference the following link for more detail on various types of fast  https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/fasting.  You can also starve your soul by fasting certain hobbies or activities that you enjoy.  Minimizing media and social media intake is also a great way to quiet our emotions of the soul and feed become more attuned to the voice of God. The key is that you are giving up things that feed the body and soul and focusing your heart, mind and body on God and the things of the spirit. 

Benefits of fasting, The goal and most exciting benefit in Fasting is getting closer to God and that should be enough, but God is so good and loving that He gives us many more benefits.  Since our spirit is heightened and in deeper connection with God, we often can experience major breakthroughs and miracles in our lives through prayer and Fasting such as physical or mental healing and deliverance from strongholds or addictions that have plagued us or loved ones.  We can also experience revelation and gain clarity for our lives, especially if we are in seasons of trying to find direction or make big life decisions.  During times of fasting it is not uncommon to have revelation on new ideas and new vision that can profound and life changing.  Physically our bodies benefit from Fasting and typically become more healthy by ridding ourselves of toxins and other things that are purged out of our bodies through the process.  Most people lose weight and simply become more healthy and just feel better.  The act of Fasting by depriving our soul and flesh helps to cleanse and purify our hearts, minds and bodies.  God ways are so amazing because He truly knows what is best for us and there are always practical benefits to doing things the way God intended. 

The bottom line is that Fasting is a powerful discipline and tool for us as believers and when combined with prayer can really be the difference maker in our lives and walk with the Lord, especially when it comes to breaking through strongholds as noted in Matthew 17:21.  I have been practicing this discipline for the past 22 years since I came to faith and it has had a tremendous impact on my life.  Our church does an annual 21 days of prayer and fasting in January each year, which we are starting today.  We come together each morning at 6am for one hour to worship, get a short word from scripture and pray both individually and collectively as a church body.  We typically have thousands of people praying together each morning.  It is powerful!!!  I encourage you to visit in person at one of our 24 campuses or check it out online at  https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/.  Fasting is the act of humbling ourselves before God and declaring that we are dependent upon God as our provider and sustainer.  “Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life”.  Proverbs 22:4 

“So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He answered our prayer.” Ezra 8:23

 -Duane

Word of the Week - everything "New" in 2023

"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 2023, 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 persons in Christ.  I experienced this at the age of 33 and literally it changed the way I see God, myself and the world and 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, 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.  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 talking with Him about life and our challenges (prayer), receiving guidance and instruction from Him (reading His word), and telling Him how much we love Him while gaining love and encouragement from Him (praise and worship), 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 2023…

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Christmas

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6

Have you ever taken time to think about the impact that Christ birth had on our world?  Beginning with the celebration of Christ birth on December 25th, which has culminated in the holiday of Christmas that is recognized and celebrated by most everyone around the world.  It is by far the most celebrated holiday in the western world and has an unrivaled impact on our world both economically, relationally and spiritually.  Further, our entire world calendar is based upon this event!!!  We actually measure time BC (Before Christ) and AD (After Death) by this single event.  This was obviously a major historical event that changed the world forever but yet it was such a simple and humble happening; a child being born in a stable amongst a handful of people.  The most amazing part of the Christmas story is that God sent Jesus “Unto us” you and me, as the gift of all gifts.  This is truly the reason for the season of Christmas, to celebrate the amazing gift of Christ unto us, all of humanity.  Anyone who wants to receive the gift has access, through a relationship with the person of Jesus.  Jesus came as God in the flesh and He is known as the great “I am” everything we need He is for us.  Jesus is both awesome and magnificent but personal and intimate, which makes Him our God, our friend, our comforter.  740 years before Christ, Isaiah prophesied the birth of Christ and some of the characteristics of Christ:

Wonderful and Mighty  – In His awesome and eternal power, Jesus is King of all the heavens and the earth.  He is beyond our ability to understand, which makes Him our wonderful and magnificent God almighty.  His power is endless; He has been given authority over all things and literally sits at the right hand of God our Father and intercedes (advocates) for us.  We will ultimately stand before Him and He will have the final say as it relates to our eternal destiny.  If we “know Him” then we will enjoy eternity with Him.  “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22-23  He will ultimately return to earth in His second coming as a mighty King with a legion of angels with a mission to reconcile the world. Whether we choose relationship with Jesus or not, ultimately we will acknowledge who He is. “It is written, “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God” Romans 14:11

Everlasting Father – We all desire to have a loving and caring Father in our lives to be there for us in the ups and downs of life.  There is nothing like the presence of a loving father when we are struggling and need strength and encouragement.  It is also a blessing to have a father who can share in our victories and success in life and who has our back no matter what the circumstance.  This is who Jesus is for us, He gives us access to Father God through the trinity and desires to be our loving “Abba” father in all circumstances of life.  Regardless of the status of our earthly Fathers, who are also a very important to us and our wellbeing, Jesus is there to be our connection to our Everlasting Heavenly Father. “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."”

Counselor and Prince of Peace – As our Counselor, the Lord desires to be our friend and confidant in times of need. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14  The death and resurrection of Jesus gave us access to the Holy Spirit who comes as the great Comforter to give us what we need in times of trouble.  As the Prince of Peace, the Lord offers us the ability to stand in peace even during the most trying times of life.  One of the names of Christ is Jehovah Shalom, the giver of Peace.  We all desire to have peace in our lives but it is not something we can produce in our own strength but we can surely find peace in Christ our Prince of Peace.  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

I pray that the Lord’s grace over each of us to receive the true blessings of Christmas in Christ and remember the reason for this holiday season.  “For unto us (you & me) a Child is Born”.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Solitude and Reflection

“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 overlook the importance of solitude and reflection.  We can all learn from Jesus’ example of taking time to retreat from the crowds and day to day activity to go away to a place of quiet and solitude to pray, reflect and listen for the still small 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 often 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 to solitude is how Jesus began His ministry, how He made important decisions and dealt with troubling emotions like grief.  How we 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 life purpose (why am I here and what has God uniquely called me to do), vision (picture of a preferable future), Mission (how I live and structure my life to realize my vision), values (what defines who I am and want to become), and goals (what I hope to accomplish in the future 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 as a resource.  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):

• 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 (1-2 hours 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 year – analyze how you spent your time and if you invested time in the areas of priority

• Spend time thinking about your calendar for 2023 and how you want to prioritize

• Review special memories – I just started doing this.  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.  Helps with framing your memory of the year, counting your blessings and fostering a heart of gratitude.

• 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…

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Certainties - Impact Leadership Conference

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

Our firm, Founders Advisors, was honored once again this year to serve as the Title Sponsor of the Impact Conference 2022 on behalf of Highlands College .  Highlands College is a biblical higher education institution that exists to supply the Church with leaders of competence, character, and spiritual maturity, holistically trained to lead lives of eternal impact by fulfilling the Great Commission.  I personally love the Vision and Mission of Highlands College that addresses the challenge in Luke 10:2 “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few”.    

It was an amazing day with Dr. John Maxwell, Pastor Chris Hodges, and Jamie Kern Lima.  I was encouraged, inspired, and equipped by all of these leaders.  If you were not able to attend in person or virtually, I would highly recommend that you take some time to listen to the talks from the Impact Conference by clicking the following link Impact Leadership Conference Talks .

My friend Dr. John Maxwell, who recently turned 75, shared some wisdom and insight from his perspective looking back over his life.  He said you can gain great insights by learning from those who have gone before you, especially as they reflect and look back over the ground they have travelled.  He shared that as he gets older there are lots of things in the world that seem more complicated and uncertain, but there are a few things that grow more assured and certain.  The 13 certainties of life and leadershp that John shared resonated with me, so I wanted to share them with you.  You can get more insights by watching Johns 50-minute talk by clicking here John Maxwell - 13 Life Certainties .   

John Maxwell’s 13 Certainties of Leadership:

1. Attitude is the difference maker

   • Attitude is not everything, but it is the main thing

   • Attitude can’t make up for incompetence, but experience + attitude the winning combination

   • Attitude is a choice – choose a positive life stance everyday

2. Adding value to others adds value back to me

   • Zig Ziglar: put others at the top of your agenda and you’ll get where YOU want to go

   • Judge the success of your day by how much seed you sow – harvest is automatic

   • Giving (unconditional) vs swapping (expecting something in return)

3. Personal growth is the only way to guarantee tomorrow is better than today – be INTENTIONAL

   • Aging is inevitable, but growth is optional

   • There is no finish line: if you cross the finish line, you are DONE

   • Focus on growing in areas you are strong in

4. Everyone needs forgiveness, so forgive everyone – KEEP SHORT ACCOUNTS

   • Giving and forgiving requires a generous lifestyle and unconditional love

   • Forgiving is not forgetting, but acknowledging what was done and forgiving anyway

   • Travel life without the emotional baggage of unforgiveness

5. Everything rises and falls on leadership

   • Good skills + good values = leading well

   • Your team deserves to be led well

   • How well you lead determines how well you succeed

6. Intentional living maximizes life

   • Good intentions are worthless unless you move good intentions to good actions

   • Someday vs today – dreaming vs doing – Love/give/serve TODAY

   • Small deeds are better than great intentions – traction requires action

7. One is too small a number to achieve greatness – TEAM

   • “I want to make a difference with people that want to make a difference”

   • If you are self-made, then you haven’t made much

   • We need others to achieve our full potential – we are better together

8. Your perspective becomes your world

   • How you view things is how you do things / what you see is what you get

   • Choose others over yourself / gratitude over complaining

   • Choose faith over fear, gratitude over entitlement, generosity over stinginess

9. Consistency compounds

   • It’s not sexy and no rewards the first week

   • When you can afford to quit is the point when you really can’t afford to quit, this is where compounding kicks in

   • Sowing and reaping principle

10. Keep success and failure together – win and lose each day

    • When you are on a roll, failure will give you humility

    • When you bomb out, failure will give you resiliency

11. Success is having those that know you the best, love and respect you the most

    • If people that don’t know you well like you better than people that do know you well, watch out

    • Social media – a lot of people fake it until they make it

    • Be bigger on the inside than you are on the outside – if you have good values on the inside, you need less validation on the outside

12. Significance satisfies

    • Success is about having stuff but significance is about serving others

    • Once you have tasted significance, success will never satisfy

    • Life of significance = my life is not my own

13. Faith works – it gives us true identity and purpose, which drives everything else

            “Now faith is the substance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we cannot see” Hebrews 11:1

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

Have a great week…

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Spiritual Growth

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  2 Peter 1:5-8

Spiritual Growth is the process of growing over time as we mature in our walk with the Lord.  I love how Peter challenges us in this verse to grow in our godliness and outlines 8 specific virtues for us to evaluate in our journey of spiritual growth. He says that “if we possess these qualities in increasing measure, we will be effective and productive” disciples in our calling as followers of Christ.  I think it is edifying to dig into scriptures like this one so we can reflect and self-evaluate to determine if we are growing in these areas.

Virtues of Spiritual Growth outlined in 2 Peter 1:

• Faith – It begins with faith. Faith is the “the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen” Hebrews 11:1 Throughout scripture we are reminded that faith is the key to our relationship with God.  We must truly believe in our hearts if we are to experience the power and fruit of our faith.  At the same time, Faith is a gift and is not something we can’t just muster up in our own strength.  This is challenging, but as we pursue God and seek to know Him our faith will increase.  We can also pray for our faith to increase. I have found that the more I know and experience a walk with God the more my faith increases. 

• Goodness – Goodness is love in action; the state or quality of being good.  Moral excellence; virtue, kindly feeling; kindness; generosity; excellence of quality; it’s not something we do only for the sake of being virtuous but is more about our heart motivations as we serve and interact with others.  If we do something good out of obligation or just for the sake of being seen as virtuous it is good, but if we do it from a place of love motivated by the love of God in our hearts it is godly goodness.  I believe this is the goodness that Peter is referring to in this scripture.  This is one of the fruits of the spirit listed in Galatians 5 that flows from abiding in Christ.  “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” Mathew 5:16     

• Knowledge – Is to become familiar, educated or experienced on a particular topic, person, or subject.  From a biblical perspective it is to become familiar with the person of God the Father, Son and Holy spirit through the Word of God, His commandments, and our experiences with Him.  Knowing God helps us understand His essence and heart, so we can know Him and be in communion and relationship with God and His church.  Just like many things of the spirit, it is one thing to have intellectual knowledge of God and an entirely different thing to have heart experiential knowledge.  “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out”. Proverbs 15:14

• Self-control – Is defined as the ability to control oneself, in particular one’s emotions and desires or the expression of them in one’s behavior, especially in difficult situations.  From a biblical perspective it is defined as a virtue that allows us to resist the temptations of our flesh and avoid conforming to the things of this world.  It is one of the 8 fruits of the spirit outlined in Galatians 5 and is surely one of the hardest things to master without the power of the Holy Spirit.  I have found that it is very hard to control my impulses and behaviors by simply desiring or willing to do so, especially in the middle of trials or stressful situations.  We are surely creatures of habit and many of the behaviors we don’t want to do are not even conscious to us.  This is why we submit our lives and personal will to the Lord and pray for self-control.  I am pretty sure we cannot attain self-control in our own strength.  Even with the power of God, self-control can be challenging at times, but it is God’s desire for us to overcome by His spirit living within us.  “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline”.  2 Timothy 1:7

• Perseverance – Is defined as persistence in doing something despite difficulty or adversity in circumstances that delay achieving the desired outcome.  Is also referred to as long-suffering.  This is the virtue of having the internal strength, commitment, and fortitude to continue to do the right things for the right reasons despite how we feel.  Perseverance produces proof that our faith is real and thus produces hope, which increases our faith.  It is part of what we sign up for as followers of Christ in that we must be willing to suffer with Christ to become Christlike and godly. “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”  James 1:3-4

• Godliness – Is the quality or practice of conforming to the ways of God; devoutness and moral uprightness.  Reflecting the nature of the kingdom of God in the course of our everyday lives.  Someone who has a healthy fear and reverence for God and delights in His commandments.  Other characteristics that demonstrate a godly person include someone who loves God and loves others and lives out the great commandment.  They put others before themselves and live a life thinking beyond themselves.  They are gracious, forgiving and full of compassion.  A person who is godly will live life with a deep respect and obedience to God’s word and use God’s word as their path towards character development.  They are also mind of dependence and live a surrendered life trusting God completely.  “But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” 1 Timothy 6:6-7

• Mutual Affection – Is used in some translations as brotherly kindness and it simply connotes a tender affection to all our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  This suggests a selfless attitude that makes it easier for us to put the interest of others before our own.  It carries a sense of reciprocity or having to do with give and take, the back and forth of human relationships.  Graciousness towards one another in the effort to achieve unity and harmony.  It is also demonstrated by showing hospitality towards others and making them feel welcomed and at home.  “Be devoted to one another in love.  Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality.” Romans 12: 10-13

• Love –  “My command is this; Love each other as I have loved you.  Great love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”. John 15:12 God is love and He demonstrated His love by His amazing sacrifice of dying on the cross so we can have the gift of eternal life.  This is the ultimate act of love.  Of all the commands and all these virtues, Love preempts them all.  In fact, love is the foundation of all of the virtues above.  It is the heart of the matter.  God defines Love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “Love is patient, love is kind, 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, always perseveres.  Lover never fails.”  “And now these three remain; faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 13:12

We are in a great season for reflection as we move into the year end Holiday Season.  I would challenge us each to take a little time to assess ourselves in each of these areas.  If we are really brave, we can ask our spouses for input 😊!!!!  No better time to ask the Lord to help us grow in any or all of these virtues!!!

Have a great week…

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Thanksgiving

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:1,8-9

Thanksgiving defined by Webster is the act of giving thanks; a prayer expressing gratitude; a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness.  I love Thanksgiving and the fact that we as a nation set aside a day to give thanks and acknowledge our blessings both individually, as a family and as a country.  It is by far my favorite holiday, a time to slow down to “express gratitude and acknowledge and celebrate God’s divine goodness”. 

Give thanks in all circumstances - Life can be very difficult at times.  In fact Jesus tells us this in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But Take heart!  I have overcome the world”.  The real question is how we will respond to the challenges and disappointments we face.  Will we focus and dwell on the negative or will be decide to focus on our blessings?  The tendency of the world is to focus on the negative, which is our natural inclination. This is not God’s will for us and does not lead us to the abundant life Jesus desires for us.  By focusing on the challenging issues of life, which will always be here this side of heaven, we often lose perspective on the blessings of life and God’s goodness towards us, which can easily lead to the trap of negativity, despair, bitterness, envy, depression etc, this is bad thinking.  Or, we can choose the Lord’s way, which is to “Give Thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16.  This approach leads to peace, hope, joy, encouragement etc., a life giving perspective.

A few benefits of a grateful heart:  

• It gets our eyes off ourselves, and helps us to focus back on God.

• It reminds us we're not in control, but that we serve a Mighty God who is.

• It takes our attention off of our problems and helps us instead to reflect on, to remember, the goodness of His many blessings.

• A grateful heart reminds us that ultimately God is our Provider, that all blessings and gifts are graciously given to us by His hand.

• A heart of gratitude leaves no room for complaining. For it is impossible to be truly thankful and filled with negativity and ungratefulness at the same time.

• It makes the enemy flee. The forces of darkness can't stand to be around hearts that give thanks and honor to God. Our praise and thanksgiving will make them flee.

• It opens up the door for continued blessings. It invites His presence. Our spirits are refreshed and renewed in Him. 

Count your blessings each day and give Thanks to God - This is a simple and powerful spiritual principle.  There is no question that we will reap what we sow in this very important area of life.  Therefore, I challenge us this week to begin each day (First Fruits/Priority) by acknowledging God’s goodness by counting our blessings and giving thanks to Him.  Before we put your feet on the floor each morning think of something we are grateful for and give Thanks.  No matter how bad things are we can always find something to be Thankful for.  God loves it when we enter His presence with praise and thanksgiving, it blesses Him but it also really blesses Us.  “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name” Psalm 100:4

I am thankful for each of you and pray you and your family had a blessed Thanksgiving.

 -Duane

Word of the Week - godly Wisdom

For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.  Proverbs 8:11

As I seek to grow in godly Wisdom, the truth of Proverb 8:11 becomes more profound; godly Wisdom is defined as “supernatural skills for day to day living”.  Our world/culture seems to be moving further away from pursuing godly wisdom and more towards the ways of this world.  The bible tells us that there are two kinds of Wisdom “Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from Wisdom.  But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.  For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3 14-16

6 Attributes of godly wisdom outlined in James 3:

• The wise are pure hearted – We must make it one of our highest priorities to keep our hearts pure. When we see things within our lives that are not good and pure, we should ask God to remove it from our hearts and deeply desire to “not be that way”. Most importantly we should guard our hearts from the being contaminated by the things of this world. This includes what we take into our hearts and souls through media, social media and hanging around with the wrong crowd. We know that “friendship with the world becomes enmity with God” James 4:4 We must be vigilant in choosing to guard our hearts and minds from the things of this world that are not pure and of God. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” Matthew 5:8

• The wise are peace loving – The spirit of God is a spirit of love, unity, peace and harmony not of disunity. There is definitely going to be conflict in this world and we will be tested by situations where we are unjustly attacked. That being said, human anger and strife does not produce good. This is quite apparent in the current strife of our culture. All we see is one side pitted against the other in a spirt of anger, strife and disunity. It only sows seeds of discourse and that is of the enemy not of God. Our goal as followers of Christ should be to sow seeds of love, peace and unity. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone”. Romans 12:18

• The wise are considerate and gentle – To be considerate is to think of others and how we can love and serve them. A wise person practices gentle courtesy and always considers the needs, desires, and feelings of others. Part of the fruit of God’s spirit that comes from abiding in Christ is the capacity to be others focused. We can only love others if we are secure in Christ and take time to understand the needs, wants and desires of others. As Christians we should be others focused because that is the focus of the Lord Jesus. “Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself”. Romans 15:2-3

• The wise willing to yield and submit – Our willingness to yield our will to the overall good of family, community, or our local church is a mark of godly Wisdom. We must be willing to admit that we are human and don’t know everything. We must be willing to admit when we are wrong. We must be willing to submit to authority. We must seek to understand and be reasonable (reason able). “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice”. Proverbs 12:15

• The wise minimize the mistakes of others – A wise person will demonstrate charity and forgiveness toward those who have offended him. It is much more profitable, and life giving, to be full of grace and mercy rather than to prosecute to the full extent even with justification. If we realize what God has done for us and the amazing grace and mercy He has shown us, we begin to grasp this concept. “While we were still sinners Christ died for us” Romans 5:8 We will be judged by the same standard in which we judge others; therefore, “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement” James 2:12-13

• The wise are real and authentic – We should value people above status and reputation. All people really matter and God desires for all to come to know Him. God made each of us in His image for a special and unique purpose, including you. There is not another you and thus we should celebrate our uniqueness by being true to who God made us to be. Being authentic allows us to live our lives with integrity, our goal should be to become the best version of ourselves in and through Christ. We don’t put on fronts to try to be someone we aren’t, we are uniquely ourselves. “What you see is what you get” in Christ. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance for us” Ephesians 2:10

So, let’s pursue godly Wisdom to be salt and light to a hurting world and reap the amazing benefits because “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness” James 3:18

Have a great Thanksgiving week, we surely have much to be Thankful for in Christ Jesus!!!!! 2 Corinthians 9:15

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Tree of Life

“He who has an ear, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God” Rev 2:7

The Story from Genesis – Among all the tree in the Garden of Eden, God identified two special trees: of life, and the knowledge of good in evil. “And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.  The Tree of Life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil”.  Genesis 2:9  God allowed Adam and Eve to eat from all the trees except the tree of knowledge of good and evil, warning them that death would result.  “The Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” Genesis 2:16-17 After being tempted by the serpent, Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in disobedience to God.  “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.  Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.  And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” Genesis 3:7 After eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – in part to become “wise” Adam now possessed the knowledge of good and evil like God does, as well as the knowledge of their nakedness.

Living from the Tree of Life vs. Knowledge of Good and Evil – We have this same decision today except with the benefits of the Cross of Jesus and His amazing grace.  Do we submit our lives to the Lordship of Christ and trust God or do we go by the ways of world and trust the knowledge and wisdom of this world.  Do we live from the judgmental and condemning spirit of the law and religion trying to determine if we are good enough, or do we live from the life-giving spirit of grace and relationship with Jesus.  Are we motivated internally in response to the love of God or are we being driven by external obligations to try to be good enough.  I call it moving from the “got to” to the “get to”.  Moving from the head (knowledge) to the heart (relationship).  I have eaten from both of these trees through my life journey and can personally attest to the fact that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil brings death but the tree of life brings the life that is truly life.  For the first 33 years of my life, I was eating out of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and pursuing the things of this world (success, the approval of man, financial security, status etc.) by trying to accomplish.  The last 21 years since submitting to Jesus as my Lord through a personal relationship with Him, I have simply made God my first and greatest life priority and have truly experienced the abundant life that Jesus speaks about in the Gospel of John 10:10.  “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full (abundance)”.

Choosing the Tree of Life –  “There is a way that seems right to a man but leads to death”. Proverbs 14:12. The way of the world seems right, natural, and good - the ways of God are supernatural, spiritual and can be hard to understand in our head. How we see God is most important.  Many see God as a scary and angry force that is upset with them because they have failed at being a good Christian.  They have this false idea that we have to become a certain way to win God’s approval!  The truth is that God loves each of us as His son or daughter and there is nothing we can do to earn His love or become good enough to win Him over.  He is already in love with each of us and simply wants to be in relationship with us.  He wants to bless us and our families.  He is for us not against us.  His Word and His commandments are not to keep us from enjoying life, they are truly there to help us through life and give us what is needed to live an abundant and flourishing life no matter our circumstances.  We must simply trust God by faith (believe even though we can’t see it or prove it), submit our lives to His authority and remain connected to the vine of Christ John 15:5, so He can use us to do His good work and bear fruit through our lives.  If we are eating from the tree of life, we will develop childlike faith and innocence.  Like a child trusts his/her parents this is how we should trust God.  “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:1-3.   

Jesus is the Tree of Life – The bottom line is that Jesus came to redeem all mankind back to the Father through His death on the cross.  Jesus declares that He is the bread of life.  “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35 If you eat of the tree of life you will be transformed into a new creation and operate with a new paradigm.  The tree of life produces a life-giving spirit that has amazing godly characteristics of its source, which is Jesus.  It is much different than the religious spirit of the law from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Instead of guilt, shame, and condemnation it produces security, trust and conviction.  It also produces the fruit of God’s spirit which is “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law”. Galatians 5:22-23.

Challenge Questions:  Are you eating from the tree of life or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (the ways of the world/culture)?  Do you see God as your loving Father and friend who wants the best for you or as a scary heavenly force who is disappointed in you?  Are you excited about sharing what God is doing in your life?  Do you feel secure in Christ?  If not, today is the day you can begin to eat from the tree of life by submitting your life the Lordship of Christ.  “Taste and See that the Lord is good, blessed are those who trust in Him” Psalm 34:8

“Do not love the world (tree of the knowledge of good and evil) or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father, but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17

Have a great week!

 -Duane

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

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.  Whether believer or unbeliever, we have a desire to love others the way God has loved us with an impartial and unconditional agape love, always seeking to help others as Jesus would. 

Ministry of all Believers – Ministry is often thought of from a vocational ministry perspective as we call pastors and priests to full time service.  There is certainly a group of believers that are called to full-time ministry, and they are rightly designated as ministers, but pastors and priests are not the only ones to be involved in 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.  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.  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, year to date 2022, we have had over 16,000 people come into a personal relationship with Jesus 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 can use me right where I am if I am simply willing to be used.  Well, that was 21 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 - As I shared in last week’s word in the spirit of gratitude and encouragement, I continue to be amazed with what I get to do and how God allows me to be part of 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, Highlands College, JH Outback, FCCI, and Heritage Forum.

I want to encourage us all that 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 physical, emotional, mental, vocational, and financial needs of others in the name of Jesus, just like Jesus did.  He simply fed people because they were physically 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!!!!

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons” ” Ephesians 3:20 but this only happens if you remain connected to the vine of Christ.

I apologize for the length of this “word of the week”, I am just a little fired up about this topic. 

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Abiding

“I am the vine you are the branches, 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 (Jesus)

I had the privilege of serving with my wife Amy and some great friends at the Birmingham Outback www.jhoutback.com this weekend.  JH Outback is an amazing family focused ministry that I love and highly recommend.  I was again reminded of what God has done in my life and my family over the past 21 years since I gave my life to Christ and began abiding.  For the first 33 years of my life, I was not abiding in Christ, and I cannot point to any spiritual fruit from that period of my life (nothing).  By the grace of God and being part of great ministries like JH Outback, Church of the Highlands, Heritage Forum, Highlands College and others, God has produced amazing spiritual fruit in my life, family, ministry, and business over the last 21 years.  There is no doubt in my mind that this is all God’s work and the byproduct abiding in the vine of Christ. 

Abiding in Christ - I truly believe that a daily abiding relationship with the Lord is the single most important thing we can do after we make a decision to follow Christ and receive the gift of salvation.  This is where our faith becomes active and we receive the power and benefits knowing God. The word Remain is used synonymously with Abide in several translations, simply put it means to stay connected and become one with the Lord.  What is interesting about this quote from Jesus, is how He makes it clear that there is a condition for us to stay connected to Him, we must go first and be the initiator/pursuer.  He says that if we Abide in Him, then He will Abide in us.  God wants to be our first priority. “Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness and all things will be added unto you” Matthew 6:33  I am convinced that abiding is an active process that manifest in daily actions of pursuing the Lord, which allow us to respond in love to what Jesus did for us on the cross.  Abiding is not just an idea or a nice thought or feeling, it is truly a passionate pursuit to connect with the Lord and remain in ongoing relationship with Him. 

What it looks like to Abide - So what does it mean to Abide in the Vine of Christ and how do we actively connect with an invisible God.  Similar to connecting with another person in relationship, there is no one right way to abide in Christ, the biggest thing is that we make it a priority and daily pursuit. Here are a few examples of how we can abide/connect with Jesus: 

1) Prayer - talking with the Lord daily and intimately,  2) God’s Word / Bible -  reading or listening to the book He gave us that tells us about His very nature and what He cares about, 3) Praise & Worship – letting Him know how great He is and how much we appreciate what He has done for us, 4) Ministry - making a point to care about what He cares about by loving and serving others, 5) Evangelism / Discipleship - telling people about Him and how great He is, 6) Fellowship of believers - encouraging each other in our walk of faith, and 7) simply thinking about Him and meditating on who He is and who you are in Him.    

Fruit of Abiding in Christ - The best part of all of this is that the Lord blesses us with amazing fruit/blessings when we stay connected to Him in an abiding relationship.  These are fruits/gifts that we cannot manufacture for ourselves, they are simply a byproduct of His very nature at work within us.  They include but are not limited to: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.  Who would not want these wonderful gifts that are the fruit of God’s spirit being produced in us so our lives become a blessing that produce Kingdom fruit.  “Therefor by your fruits you will know them”.  Matthew 7:20  The spiritual fruit of our lives is truly the evidence of God power at work within us. 

“God will do immeasurably more than you can ever ask or imagine, in and through you, by His power at work within you” Ephesians 3:20 but this only happens if you remain connected to the vine of Christ.

 -Duane