Word Of The Week
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Word of the Week - Empowerment (Trust in the context of Leadership)
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
The greatest mission of all time from my perspective is the “Great Commission” outlined in the scripture above. Pretty amazing what has transpired over the past 2000 years from Jesus three-year ministry on earth and His empowering 11 of his followers to such a big vision and mission. He didn’t give lots of specific details to the plan or strategy, He simply empowered them with clear vision and equipped them with a few years of hands-on training. Other than the fact that He was God in the flesh, which is a factor we should surely consider in this example, I think there is much to learn from His servant leadership approach and the fact that He trusted generously about a mission with the highest stakes – the eternal destiny of all mankind.
Last week I shared my “WOW” on Trust, see below, and how God is calling us to trust Him with everything by faith and in doing so, learning how to extend trust to others so we can live to our full potential in Christ. Many times, we limit God and ourselves by not being able to trust generously. As I shared last week, this is an area I am often being challenged in. I recently listened to a podcast by Craig Groeschel titled – “The high Cost of not letting go” and found it to be insightful as it relates to trust and leadership. I would highly recommend you take 21 minutes of your time to watch or listen to the podcast by clicking Trust Podcast . I have outlined some of the key points from the podcast in my “WOW” below as it relates to Empowering others.
Empower to give authority or power to someone; to promote the self-actualization or influence of the person being empowered. Empowerment is the mechanism for trusting generously and releasing control.
In life there is a fine line between fully trusting and trying to control, and if we try to hold on too tight because we are just not sure if we can “let go” and trust generously, we limit our opportunity to grow and advance. If we hold on too tight, we may end up going backwards in our journey of growth in whatever we have been given authority or stewardship over. This principle applies to most areas of our lives including marriage/family, business, church, civic organizations etc. Anything where you are in a position of leadership with a goal of growing and developing people and the organization. If the Lord has put us in a place of leadership and authority, He is expecting us to develop and trust others. He has empowered us so we can empower others. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” Luke 12:48
Trouble letting go – Is it possible to care too much? Heck yes! I have 3 daughters who I love and care for deeply. They are thriving adults now producing lots of amazing grandkids, but when they were growing up, I had a really hard time letting go and trusting God and my daughters because I knew the risk were great and the stakes were high. I was blessed by the ministry of JH Ranch when my daughter and I attended an Outback then JH Ranch, and I was equipped with the “Journey of Transition” framework. This gave me a frame by which I could have an understanding for the timing in their maturation process to know how much freedom to entrust to them based on their age and ability to handle responsibilities. This was a game changer for me because it changed my mindset from a protective/defensive posture to a more trusting approach. I realized that if my daughters were walking with Jesus in an abiding relationship and hearing from Him, then I could trust He would lead them to the right place a the right time and would protect them from the dangers I knew existed. If we shared clarity of vision and values, I could trust them. The more I trusted God and my girls, the more they felt empowered and thrived towards the ultimate objective of becoming independent of us and fully dependent upon God, which is where the landed right on time. Thanks be to Jesus!
Our leadership in business is similar in many ways to what I shared above about parenting my daughters. As a Founder of the business I have been leading for 22 years, it is sometimes hard to understand the right timing and factors when it comes to trusting and empowering the team. This is a commonly diagnosed issue called the Founders Syndrome. I am doing my very best to not fall into this paradigm, which is why I continue to work at learning and growing in this area. As leaders we can all benefit from these principles.
In his podcast, Craig lists some of the Leadership Misconceptions that can really hinder the growth of an organization to include:
To grow bigger, we as leaders must do more
To lead better, you must get closer
To lead bigger, you have to know more
These misconceptions are common because they have some truth in them. Especially in the early days of an organization when it pays off to be close to the problems so you can get them fixed. What seems necessary early in the life of an organization will inevitably limit our leadership later. As a leader, there is a time to be hands-on, but there is more room to be hands-off. “What seems necessary early will inevitably limit your leadership later”. Craig Groeschel
If we are too controlling and don’t empower others at the right time, we may:
Limit the growth of our business and developing leaders – If we are too controlling, we miss the opportunity to raise strong leaders. Rember that control and growth can have a adversarial correlation. Too much control will limit growth. We must empower others by delegating authority. “When you delegate task you create followers, when you delegate authority you develop leaders.” Craig Groeschel
Limit the development of strong leaders – If you don’t let the best leaders lead then you will not maximize the organizations potential and you run the risk of losing great leaders. If you are wondering if you truly trust your leaders then you either have not developed them or you have the wrong leaders. Either way it is up to us to solve. “You can never grow big in a healthy way if you don’t trust deep” Craig Groeschel
Limit the impact of your organizational mission – If we don’t let go, we will become the greatest limiting force to our future impact. Trust is not always in agreement. We may have different views on how to achieve the mission but when we empower leaders, we must trust that they will accomplish the mission but may take different approaches and use different styles than we would. We must not get caught up as much in the “how” as long as their methods are in line with the organizational values and mission. “Trust is the currency of organizational progress” Craig Groeschel
We empower others by mentoring, training, equipping, and trusting them. We transfer our power and authority as we gain and build trust. In a similar way, God empowers us in His great mission through our discipleship, His written word, and the presence of the person of the Holy Spirit. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Have a great week.
Duane
Word of the Week -Trust
“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He direct your paths and make them straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust defined by Merrian-Webster as: firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something;
Biblical Trust is defined as complete surrender and reliance on God. Believe in the reliability and faithfulness of God and His Word; placing confidence in God’s character and acknowledging His promises
In life there is a fine line between fully trusting and trying to control, especially as it relates to our relationship with God and those closest to us. We all generally have a desire to control our environments to some degree for various reasons; the question is whether we are limiting our potential and those around us? I have struggled with this balancing act my entire life and continue to be challenged in this area. The good news is that I have grown a lot in this area but have much more opportunity for growth. I know that the Lord desires for us to overcome this through our walk of faith so that we can live to our full potential and help those around us do the same. Our Lord is trustworthy and deserving of our full trust and faith. He is our good Shepherd who intimately cares for us and desire the best for us. Faith = Trust!
The challenge: Letting go and fully trusting God and others when we don’t understand
The consequences of not fully trusting God and others: The Lord is continuing to show me that I cannot live to my full potential in Christ if I do not trust Him fully in all areas and aspects of my life. Not just the macro but also in the micro. Desiring control in the smaller things of life are indicators that we are not trusting God fully. How do we know if we are trusting fully or not? One good question is how we are making those around us feel? Is our worry and concern creating worry, angst, and anxiety. God’s word is very clear on this topic, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” Matthew 6:34 Don’t get me wrong, I believe whole heartedly that we must take ownership for our responsibilities but trying to control circumstances and people, especially at the micro level is not healthy or productive. God calls us to redirect our energy towards trusting Him and His word and reframing our mindset towards the healthy posture of God’s power and sovereignty, which gives us faith and love, and allows us to live our lives with sound mind and self-control. These are fruits of our connection to Jesus and our faith and trust in Him. “For God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity (lack of trust), but one of power, love and sound mind”
Trust God and others actively and generously “Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong”. Ephesians 3:17 Faith and trust are a funny thing in that the more we trust God by faith the more capacity we have for trusting God. As we trust God by exercising our faith in Him, He shows up and does miracles, which makes our faith grow and increases our ability to trust Him more. Somewhat of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Similarly with people, typically the more we trust people the more they become trustworthy, which allows them to grow, and us to grow in our relationship of trust. The one caveat is that people are not perfect and will let us down from time to time, but trusting generously will reap the most fruit over time vs. trying to manage and control our relationships. We must use our discretion and wisdom in the trust and responsibility quotient but to live to our full potential in Christ we must learn to trust God and others generously. “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” 2 Corinthians 9
Serenity Prayer
God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; And the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make things right If I surrender to His will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with Him Forever in the life to come.
Amen!!!!
Let’s make it a point this week to trust God and others generously and see how God blesses us!
Thanks,
Duane
Word of the Week - Salvation (Making it Attractive)
“Or do you show contempt for riches of His kindness, forbearance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance” Roman 2:4
Making our faith attractive is key to our effectiveness in sharing the “good news” of the gospel of Jesus. My wife and I recently returned from a trip to the Greek Isles where we were “Tracing the footsteps of the apostle Paul” with John and Margaret Maxwell and a group of friends. It was an amazing and memorable trip. One of the most impactful takeaways for me was watching John Maxwell do what John does so well. He is the best I have ever seen at authentically and persistently loving all people and sharing the gospel with them. It is like second nature to him to share the good news with people. He does it in such a loving and delightful way it is hard for people not to want to know God. He lives his life and portrays our God (Jesus) in a way that is so attractive that people are drawn to know Jesus. It is probably why he and his ministry have led almost 1.5 million people to professing faith in Jesus. It shows the true heart and kindness of God in a world that is full of people both believers and non-believers that are anything but kind.
In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Salvation last week (see below), I wanted to share a recent message from Pastor Chris (PC), who was on the same trip to the Greek Isles. PC is one of the greatest evangelist I have ever known and has led hundreds of thousands of people to Christ; me being one of them. He shared a fantastic message on June 21st that outlines key factors for sharing our faith with others and representing God in a way that is kind, loving and thus attractive to those who are lost and in need of a Savior. This message convicted and challenged me in a big way. You can watch the message by clicking this link https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/07-21-2024 .
I have outlined the key components and takeaways from PC’s message below:
Why we Share our Faith:
Because God has called us to be His Ambassadors – As believers we are the hands and feet of God on this earth, and He has commissioned us as His representatives to share the “Good News” of the gospel of Jesus. In response to what God has done for us, we desire to share it with others. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting our sins against us. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf; Be reconciled to God (salvation).” 2 Corinthians 5: 17-20
Because People need the Lord – Heaven and hell are real, and eternity is forever. God desires for all to have salvation. “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” 2 Peter 3:9 We have the opportunity to influence the eternal destiny of those around us. We also have the opportunity to help others live a purpose filled abundant life in Christ during their time on earth. “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”. John 10:10
Because People want the Lord – Even though we all have a sin nature and enmity toward God, every human being is made in God’s image and longs for a connection with the Creator of heaven and earth. “Yet the God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end” Ecclesiastes 3:11 As long as sin is separating a person from God they will have a hole inside and are in need of God to fill the void. We can give them the answer to this longing and the hope of Christ.
Finally, we share our faith in loving response for what God has done for us. - We were all once lost, and someone shared their faith with us. We can never stop sharing the hope of Christ because God never stopped searching for us! “But God demonstrates His own lover for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. Romans 5:8
How we share our faith and hope- Make it Practical:
Live an attractive life – we are called to be salt and light to those around us. Our lives should be so attractive that people who know us but don’t know God will want to know God because they know us. The goal is not perfection but an authentic abiding relationship with Jesus that produces fruit in our lives that is so attractive that they start asking about it. Then we get to share our faith and point them to Jesus! “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses it saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5: 13-16
Value all People – Like the story of the Good Samaritan, every person we encounter can be seen as a victim to exploit, a problem to avoid, or a person to be loved. Sharing our faith and hope with others does not mean we have to compromise and become like them or agree with their values, politics or lifestyle choices, we are simply called to share the love and hope of our faith in Christ. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander”. 1 Peter 3:15-16
Enter their world and relate with them – Both the apostle Paul and Jesus created space for conversations in their interactions and built disarming bridges by asking questions. When we share our faith, we need to try to understand where people are coming from and relate with their perspective, especially when it is meaningfully different for ours. It is through relating that we begin to break through to connection. Sometimes this can take months or even years. “The lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing any should perish, but that all should reach repentance”. 2 Peter 3:9
Choose the right approach – The bible is clear. We need to approach lost people with love, the Good News, and positivity – not negativity. We need to be patient, not pressing, and show unconditional love. When we share the truth in love and work to connect before we correct. We are chosen people a royal priesthood, holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, we can show other the goodness of God, for He called us out of darkness into His wonderful light. “But you are a chosen people, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
Lord Jesus thank you for the gift of Salvation and for anointing us as your ambassadors. Lord give us passion for the lost. I pray we will do everything short of sin to reach the lost because everyone needs Jesus!
Duane
Word of the Week - Salvation
“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast” Ephesians 2:8
My Salvation Experience - The best day of my life to date, was the day I fully surrendered my heart to Jesus and experienced the gift of Salvation. This was the first time in my life at the age of 33 I knew at the depth of my soul that if I died, I would be with Jesus in heaven. The beginning of life as a believer is Salvation in and through Christ Jesus our Savior who according to God’s word came to earth to bring Salvation to mankind. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16
Since our life is a mere vapor compared to eternity, where we spend eternity is a big deal! Regardless of your faith or belief perspective, no one can argue the reality that we are all going to transition from life on earth to somewhere or something else at the end of our lives. There are a few things that are certain in life, and one of those is the fact that we are all going to physically die, it is just a matter of time. This is not a popular topic but it is a reality that we must all face in the journey of life. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens; a time to be born and a time to die” Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 That being said, the “Great News” of Jesus Christ is that He came to earth lived, was crucified by death on a cross and rose again with the primary mission of bringing Salvation to all. What is amazing is that He did the hard finishing work and sacrificed all for us, we simply have to believe and receive the “free gift” of Salvation. This is the gospel message, the Good News of our Christian faith.
Based on my experience, I believe the biggest challenge we face in the journey of salvation is our way of thinking. Since we live in a world where we work to produce and “earn our keep”, we tend to believe that God works in a similar way. This is surely what I believed for the first 33 years of my life. This is even how many world religions characterize Salvation, if your good works outweigh your sin then you will be accepted and have your reward. Like a good works/bad behavior continuum where we are just trying to do more good than bad. On the contrary, Jesus makes it very clear throughout His Word that our Salvation is about one thing, the person of Jesus and what He did on the cross. The truth is that we can never be good enough or do enough good works to earn Salvation, it is simply not possible because we are sinful and human. We are born into this world with sin. The amazing news of our faith is that we don’t have to be good enough, we simply have to accept and receive what Christ did for us on the cross and fully surrender and believe by faith and we will have eternal life. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
So, what about good works? As Christians aren’t we supposed to be salt and light to the world and produce fruit of the spirit? Yes, but this fruit is not produced by us it is produced by Christ at work within us. The fruit and good works of a believer are simply a biproduct of believing and knowing Christ. So the work of a believer is to pursue and know Christ through an abiding relationship and He takes care of the rest. “I am the vine and you are the branches, if you abide in me I will abide and you and you will produce much fruit but apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 The really cool thing is that the more we get to know the person of Christ the more we want to love Him by following His commands and loving others. So our motivation to do good works is born out of love and gratitude and not driven by fear, it is simply our response to God’s amazing grace.
Finally, when we trust God by believing in Jesus and become true followers of Christ, we are not just saved but we are fully justified and adopted as co-heirs with Christ. So we are actually part of God’s family and have access to the same powers and privileges of Christ. “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 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.[f] And by Him we cry, “Abba,[g] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” Romans 8:14-17. I know this is very hard to believe but it is what God’s word tells us.
I pray the Lord would draw us all to the fullness of Salvation and we would rejoice in our Salvation and share it with others.
Sincerely,
Duane
Word of the Week - Team
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will life up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him-a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Power and synergy of Relationships - I love how God created humanity with a focus on relationship with Him and others. This is the great commandment and the essence of our faith, to Love God and Love others. In His divine Wisdom God put certain principals into motion that are true and delightful such as the practical and divine synergy of Team. I think we all recognize that we are much better together as part of a Team or Body opposed to trying to do life solo. For some reason we all have a tendency towards independence and trying to do things in our own strength, this is human nature and somewhat the American way. Our country was pioneered and built with a spirit of rugged individualism, which definitely has some positive attributes. That being said, we can only go so far in life on our own strength and talents but can do so much more together as part of a Team, especially when we put together the right combination of talented people with a clear focus and mission. Even more powerful and fulfilling is a high powered Team that has the hand of God’s blessing on it; this divine blessing is the ultimate experience for a believer. To live on purpose in your gifting as part of a Team where your giftings are exponentially multiplied through the synergy of the Team, where 1 + 1 > 3. This is great but I believe if we have God’s favor and divine wisdom there is more synergy and blessing where 1+1+God >5!!!!
Joy and Protection in a Team - Not only do we have upside and synergy in Team but it is much more enjoyable to win with a team than solo. Life is simply more joyful when we are doing life with others. Even more important is the great protection we have when we are connected to a Team. No matter how strong and competent we are in our giftings and life situation, there will be times of adversity and discouragement when we will be knocked down by the circumstances of life. If we are running solo there is a meaningful chance that we will not have anyone there to lift a hand to help us up and out in times of need. Even in the times of victory and accomplishment, we can become vulnerable to pride and self-centeredness and need friends and Teammates to admonish us and protect us from self-destructing. “As iron sharpens iron, son one man sharpens another” Proverbs 27:17. There is an enemy of our soul that has one objective, which is to isolate us so that he can take us down and out, especially if we are living for God’s Kingdom. We must remain connected to our teammates in an honest and intimate way so we have their covering and visa-versa. In doing so we have the opportunity to provide the same covering and protection to them, which is an opportunity to minister to our Teammates. The bottom line is that life is much better together because this is how God our Creator designed it. “so that they may take hold of life that is truly life” 1 Timothy 6:19
We all have a place on God’s Team - Finally, we may not feel like part of a Team in certain areas of our lives but we must understand that we all have a place on God’s Team. The Kingdom is incomplete if we have not found our place and purpose. “As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, ...” 1 Cor 12:20-25 So make sure you do all that is necessary to Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Your Purpose and Make a Difference by serving on God’s Team using your unique gifts to do what God has created you to do with others.
“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results” – Andrew Carnegie
We are better together for the Glory of God!!!!
Be a great team player and have a great week…
Duane
Word of the Week - Freedom (Independence Day)
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17
Greetings from Athens Greece! Amy and I are on a trip in Greece with some friends to “Discover Greece through the footsteps of Paul”. We visited the Acropolis Museum this morning, see pics attached. Being out of the USA in a foreign country is great, but it always helps me appreciate our homeland of the United States of America and more specifically good ole Birmingham, Alabama!!!
July 4th – also known as Independence Day – is a time to celebrate America. The holiday marks the day in 1776 when the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, signaling the official separation of the 13 original colonies from Great Britain amid the Revolutionary War. Even amidst so much turmoil and division in our country as of late, we must recognize that we still live in the most amazing nation on earth and rejoice in God’s blessing over the United States of America over the past 247 years. We have much to be thankful as we celebrate our Independence.
The price and value of Freedom: I think it is most important to reflect on the true blessings and responsibilities of Freedom. In a practical sense, we are truly blessed to live in a country that values Freedom and Independence for its citizens. The United States of America was founded by men of faith on the premise that we must value and protect individual rights and hold these things sacred as outlined in the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”. It is easy to take this for granted because we are so accustomed to this reality that we really cannot fathom not having these Freedoms and individual rights. Besides bar-b-que, fireworks and time on the water with family and friends, the purpose of the July 4th Holiday is to set aside a day to recognize the high price that has been paid over the past 250 years to gain and defend this amazing gift of Freedom and to never take it lightly or for granted. To remember the cost of Freedom and the blood and sacrifice that was poured out to attain our Freedom as a nation.
Responsibility of Freedom: As American citizens and believers (citizens of the Kingdom of God), I think it is most important that we take on the mantle and responsibility that comes with the gift of Freedom. Ronald Reagan said “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” It is our responsibility as Americans to value, protect and steward our Freedom. Similarly, but more importantly, Christ Jesus was crucified, died and rose again so that we could overcome death and have the ultimate Freedom that comes with salvation through Christ. His blood gives us the power to find true Freedom from the wrath of God and the sin and strife of this world. “It is for Freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1. It is interesting that the Freedom of Christ is received not through a spirit of independence but by a spirit of dependence whereby we live our lives depending on God through an abiding relationship that He describes in John 15:5. By living connected to the vine of Christ He blesses us with Freedom so that we can do His good work and produce godly fruit in our lives for His glory and purpose. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13
Lord, we thank you for our many Freedoms to include: 1) Freedom of religion and individual belief, 2) Freedom to worship, 3) Freedom of prayer and 4) Freedom of speech to name just a few. We are grateful that we live in a nation that that values Freedom and want to remember and honor all of those who have sacrificed and died to make this a reality for us by exercising our Freedoms in a healthy, respectful and honoring manner. Lord, most of all, we thank you for the fact that while we were still sinners you died for us so that we can be Free from the wages of sin and live with you in Eternal Freedom.
In celebration of July 4th, I pray that we would remember the cost of Freedom, rejoice in the reality of our Freedom, and come together as a nation and body of believers in unity to acknowledge and honor the sacrifice of our veterans and American Heroes who paid a very high price for our Freedom. Additionally, that we would rejoice in the goodness of the Lord and the sacrifice He made on the cross for our eternal salvation/freedom. This is something to truly celebrate and unite over.
God Bless you and God Bless America, the land of the Free!!!
Duane
Amy and I in Athens, Greece.
The Parthenon in Greece.
Word of the Week - Today
“This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
As I get older it seems like time moves faster. The days, weeks, months, and years fly by. I often reflect on my life and how I invest the precious and finite time I am given here on this earth. As the days and years pass, I value my time more and more. I often quote a saying I heard at JH Ranch many years ago by Bruce Johnston, “we only get one life, but if lived well, one life is enough”. Like most of us, I desire to make the most of my life. I am finishing a book titled “Living Life Backward” by David Gibson. The premise of the book is that we can only live our best life if we face our mortality and live life on earth in light of eternity by “living with the end in mind”. There is only one thing that is certain for all of us: we have limited time on this earth. Accepting death is our first step in learning to live. This encourages us to live in the present of “today” recognizing that we truly don’t know if there will be a tomorrow or what tomorrow might hold for us. This perspective allows us to live life well and to the full because we don’t take things for granted. The bible is filled with scriptures about our lives in the context of eternity. This can make us feel quite insignificant if we are not in a personal relationship with God. On the other hand, if we are in a personal relationship with Jesus and know the love of God, our God purpose/mission, and eternal destiny, we can live “today” with peace, confidence, and “enjoyment”, knowing that this life is meaningful but not where it ends. There is something much better awaiting us on the other side. This is how we live present in today, regardless of our circumstances. “Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” Psalm 39:4
Today – “Yesterday is gone, Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin” Mother Teresa I love this quote and believe it brings clarity to life. The key is that we live in the present and be present where we are. My good friend Chuck Scott reminds me every day to embrace grace “today”! This is not always easy for me as I have a tendency to think forward and desire to live with a plan/agenda. That being said, the bible encourages us to reflect and plan and this is a good and wise practice. The key is that we don’t try to live in from the past or in the future, but we live in the here and now of “Today”.
Here are a few things that I have found keep me grounded in the presence of “Today”:
Make it a priority each day to connect with Jesus First – Jesus modeled this for us while He was here on earth. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed”. Mark 1:35 Even Jesus made connecting with His father the highest priority each day by “Seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” Matthew 6:33. When we enter into the presence of God and connect with the Father through Jesus and the Holy spirit, all the things of this world that concern ourselves with begin to fade as God and His plan and purpose for our lives come into focus. This grounds us in the things of God and allows us to find peace and comfort in who we are in Christ and His plan and purpose for our lives in the Today. This allows us to enter our day centered in our connection to God, which helps us to be more present and focused on the here and now. To trust that God has something good for us to do that matters for eternity. When we are fully present and engaged in “today”, God can use us and produce His fruit in us and through us. “Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear?’ For the pagans seek after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Mathew 6:31-34
Make people a priority each day – Other than our connection to Jesus, there is no higher calling or better investment of our time than in building and nurturing relationships with others. God makes it very clear that the only thing that will last is God and people. Thus, He gives us the great commandment to “Love God with our all and Love others as we love ourselves” Matthew 23:37-39 As we connect and abide in Christ, hopefully we are filled with God’s goodness and spirit so much so that we want to share His goodness with others. This is the essence of ministry. Whatever our agenda, loving others should always be a priority that we pursue in today. It is very hard to love others well if we are not present in the here and now. Investing our time in others is one of the most meaningful investments we can make in God’s economy. There are different degrees of this, but as followers of Christ it is our highest calling to be on mission every day to reach the lost, minister to the hurting, and disciple and encourage fellow believers in the body. “Therefore go an make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 This is the great co-mission that Jesus gave us before He departed earth. Living on assignment gives us purpose in each day as we walk in our calling. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
Live each Day with a clarity of your Purpose and Values – “The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you found out why” Mark Twain.
For me, the day I surrendered my life to Jesus was the most meaningful day of my life to date, and in doing so, I found my purpose and began to live on purpose. In fact, desiring to know my purpose was what compelled me to surrender my life. God created each of us with a unique purpose in mind as outlined in Ephesians 2:10. “We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus, to do good works that He prepared in advance for us to walk in”. When we know our purpose, and begin to live in our God purpose, we realize the significance of each day and have a desire to embrace each day and make the most of it. Prior to knowing my God purpose, I found myself trying to get through the day and living forward. Always trying to find something to look forward to like my weekend or next adventure/trip. I still enjoy lots of adventures and trips, but I don’t live my life looking forward, I simply enjoy the day and time I have in the here and now and do my very best to make the most of it. I believe this is a secret to being present and living the abundant life that Jesus spoke of, “the life that is truly life”!
I believe that having clarity of our values is key to living present and in today. When we know who we are and what we value it is much easier to be present and at peace with ourselves and others. “Priorities shift every day; values once defined, stay the same.” John C. Maxwell If you have not done so already, it is powerful to do a values exercise to clearly identify your personal values similar to what we do in our businesses. This is also a wonderful exercise for you to do with your spouse and family. “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are your and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8
Challenge Questions: Are you living in the present? Or, are you preoccupied with the past or living in the future? Is connecting with Jesus each day your first and highest priority? Do you make investing in others a priority each day? Do you know your God purpose? Do you have your values written down?
This is one of my favorite prayers because is emphasizes “Today”.
Serenity Prayer
God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; And the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make things right If I surrender to His will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with Him Forever in the life to come.
Amen!!!!
Enjoy Today !!!!!!!
Duane
Word of the Week - High-Road Leadership
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each you to the interest of others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:3-5
I am currently reading a book by my friend John Maxwell titled “High Road Leadership – Bringing people together in a world that divides”. John shared on this topic at the Impact Leadership Conference back in December, see notes below, and has recently released his book. This is very timely given the state of our nation and the division we are experiencing in our country especially as we move towards the November elections. It is sad, concerning, and disheartening to see the state of our country and the poor leadership we have in both parties and the many examples of “Low Road” leadership we are witnessing day to day. Statistics reveal that most Americans are feeling the same way with 63% of Americans saying they have little confidence in elected officials. So, what do we do about it? As John advocates in his book, I believe that being a High Road person/leader is the solution and surely an antidote to the crisis we are facing. As followers of Christ, we are called to live this way and to model this approach, so we can be beacons of hope and light to those around us for good and God’s glory. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” Matthew 5: 14-16
High-Road People are people who intentionally give first without worrying about receiving anything back. They value every person and treat everyone well irrespective of the other persons beliefs, posture, or position. They don’t worry about getting their share because they approach life and people with a perspective of abundance vs. scarcity and believe there is plenty to go around. When I ponder this concept, Jesus is the first thing that comes to mind. He was the ultimate High Road leader and an amazing model for us to follow. Jesus surely challenged conventional wisdom with statements like this: “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:35
The problem - At the core is the root of all evil, we are sinners who live in a fallen and broken world. We should not be surprised by the ways of the world and the lack of High Road leadership. If you are born again in Christ, you are likely lost, insecure and fearful, and revert to basic human instincts “fight or flight”, which is what we are seeing. When leaders don’t possess good values and the conviction to walk them out, they will take the low road and use people to get what they want. This typically is achieved by dividing people and making it about “us vs them”. The propensity is to fight, disrespect and virtually demonize your opponent and assume they have evil motives; opposed to simply being able to respectfully disagree. High Road leaders possess strong collaboration bias and are able to bring people together to increase understanding and broaden their perspective without feeling threatened. The truth is that we need each other and are much better together, especially when we have different views. Our side doesn’t have all the answers. Believing we do is arrogant and dangerous. You lose the best way when you must always have your own way. We can’t divide people and expect to accomplish positive results. “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” Ephesians 4:2-3
The 3 Roads we can take:
High-Road People – see above
Middle-Road People are most common and prevalent. These are people who value fairness and are open to give-and take to keep things fair and what we perceive as even. They are willing to compromise, as long as they are getting at least as much as they are giving, and they would prefer if they get their share first. This sounds good and can work in life, but it is a mindset that limits us and is very transactional. On the negative side, when people have this philosophy, they typically have a mindset of revenge when they get hurt or taken advantage of, which is going to happen. They have an “an eye for an eye and tooth for tooth” old testament approach to people. This is not a life-giving approach and certainly not the abundant life that Jesus desires for us. It is hard to retain healthy long-term relationships with this mindset.
Low-Road People Where people on the middle road strive for fairness, people on the low road think only of themselves. We are all selfish by nature, but low road people take from others and don’t even think about giving anything back. Why? Because they believe taking is the only way they can get what they want. If they don’t do whatever it takes to get what they desire, they believe they will be left out or get left behind. Many low-road people are wounded and see themselves as victims. So, when they take from others, they believe they are settling a score or making the world fair for themselves.
Three road characteristic comparison side by side:
High Road Leaders
Middle Road Leaders
Low Road Leaders
Value Others
Seek Value from Others
Devalue Others
Bring People Together
Move back and forth
Divide People
Close the Gap btw People
Live with the Gap btw People
Widen the Gap btw People
Give more than they receive
Give equal to what they receive
Take more than they give
Give first
Don’t keep score – giver
Give back
Keep score – quid pro quo
Give nothing
Don’t keep score – take
Want others to win
Want us to win
Want me to win
Treat others better than themselves
Treat others the same as themselves
Treat themselves at others expense
High-Road Leadership – Though I often fall short, I deeply desire to be a high-road leader and pray for the wisdom, strength, and courage to walk this out in every area of my life, especially around those who have different values than me. My main motivation is my love and relationship with Jesus and my desire to be more godly, and Christ like. Even though our greatest reward will come in heaven, I also have found that living life with a high-road approach and mindset produces tremendous fruit. This is the amazing blessing of God and His ways. Our walk with Jesus is paradoxical in that as we “lose our life and give ourselves away, we receive something much greater”, we experience the “life that is truly life”, which is the abundant life of Christ. True fulfillment and significance is a path of helping others and making the world better by “loving others” first. As John Maxwell says, “I believe if you make the first move by placing others ahead of yourself and add value to them, you will be blessed and feel fulfilled”. Not only is this true, but it is how we have the most impact and influence. I believe this is truly the way we can affect change and begin to move things in a more positive direction. Most people model what they see, so we must model this for others and encourage others to do the same. How do we change our culture, it starts with us. Let’s make it our desire and focus to be High-Road leaders love and live like Jesus! “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps not record of wrongs” 1 Corinthians 13:4-5. They will know we are Christians by our love!!!!
Let’s purpose to be high-road leaders today in Christ!!!!!
Have a great week!!!
Duane
Duane and the Grandkids!
Popsicles with the Grandkids.
Word of the Week - Father
“Our Father in Heaven” ~Mathew 6:9
“A father is neither an anchor to hold us back nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way” – A wise father
The power of the Father relationship? A Father's Influence is paramount in the development of faith. Here are some interesting statistics from the aforementioned article/link: “Father’s Influence – Part 1”: When a child is first to find faith in Christ, about 5% of the time the family follows. When a mother is first to find faith in Christ, 22% of the time the family follows. However, when a father is first to find faith in Christ, 93% of the time the family follows. It is in the family environment led by a Christian dad that God does an incredible work.
The Father relationship has the power to shape our view of God and ourselves at the deepest level. A Father has many critical roles in life to include provider, protector, teacher, modeler, encourager, exemplar and much, much more. These are all very important roles to meet the very real needs of a child, growing adolescent and young adult. As important as all these characteristics are in our development, what matters most is that we experience and know the unconditional love of our Father. Love is the key, because “love overcomes a multitude of sins” 1 Peter 4:8.
Unconditional Love of our Abba Father: I am blessed with a wonderful dad. I never ever doubted my dad’s deep and unconditional love for me. This reality along with Jesus’ healing hand has been the catalyst for me receiving and knowing the love of God our Father. Now as a Father of 3 wonderful daughters, 2 sons by marriage and 7 awesome Grandkids (see attached recent pics of our family with all 7 grandkids along with a fun moment with my older grandkids, it is true that Grandkids are a great blessing from God 😊), I have the amazing responsibility and privilege to be a Father to my children and grandchildren, and I can say it is the most meaningful, joyful and fulfilling role of my life to date. Just like my dad, I am doing my very best, but I have made many mistakes along the way and unintentionally hurt my children. That being said, I am so very grateful to God our Father in Heaven who gives us the perfect example of how to be a loving Father, our Abba Father. “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast (unconditional) love” Psalm 103:8. With this love and example from God our Father through His son Jesus along with great examples from our parents and others, we are equipped to be godly Fathers who sow blessings and life into our kids for many generations to come as stated in Psalm 127:3 “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.”
Heavenly Father: Finally, no matter what your situation and relationship or lack thereof with your earthly Father, God is our eternal Father and He loves us and deeply desires to redeem and restore us to wholeness through the power of His unconditional and everlasting love. This is available for all His children (us) no matter your circumstance or experience with your earthly Father, through the Lord Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Our Abba Father God is a Good, Good, Father…..He will gladly leave the 99 to find the one lost sheep, that is how much He loves us….“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;” Psalm 103:13
“And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers” Malachi 4:6.
Happy Father’s Day…..
Duane
Duane and the Grandkids!
Popsicles with the Grandkids.
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
I am just returning from a vacation/extended sabbath with my entire family. Amy and I spent a week down in Dauphin Island enjoying a slower pace with our kids, grandkids, and some friends. The days were very long as I would get up at 4:30am every day to head out for some early morning fishing (I have loved fishing for specks and redfish on the coast since I was a young boy) and end the day with a sunset cruise and maybe a few more casts to try catch one more fish 😊! It took me a few days to wind down, but towards the end of the trip I had entered a different mode and pace. It is refreshing for me to get to that place so I can recalibrate to find a more-healthy baseline, which is what I am planning to do coming off of this trip. I was reminded of the importance of our pace of life and decided to share a “WOW” from about February of 2023 – see below. It was helpful for me, and I am hoping it will help you as you begin the summer. I love summer because it is a time when it seems like the pace of things slow down a bit and we have permission to adjust our pace and take sabbath/vacation. God created sabbath for us because He knows how important it is for us to live at a healthy and sustainable pace of life. What an amazing God we love and serve.
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
Sincerely,
Duane
Word of the Week - Spiritual Gifts
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelist, the pastors and the teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we 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” Ephesians 4:11-13
Spiritual Gifts – God created us all with unique giftings that are aligned with His purpose and plan for humanity. As followers of Christ, each of us has been given a God given gift that He is calling us to use for His glory and our maturity. We only begin to experience the abundant life that Jesus calls us to, when we are connected with Him and living in our spiritual gifts and God purpose. This was one of the most amazing and powerful discoveries in my journey of faith. The best day of my life was when I surrendered my heart to Jesus and my spirit we enlivened, which opened my heart and soul to the second-best day of my life; when I realized I have a spiritual gifts and a unique God given purpose and co-mission with Jesus, and I started living in relationship with Him and discovering spiritual gifts and understanding my God purpose. I came alive in a way like never before. It was only then that I understood the “abundant life” in Christ! Pastor Chris shared a message on this a few weeks ago in our Disciple Series Spiritual Gifts and it really stirred me to share this “Word of the Week”.
The Cross gave us direct access to God through Jesus – Through the Cross we have gained access to God through Jesus our Savior and mediator. This relationship is where we find power and purpose by the Holy Spirit. The bible makes not distinction between clergy and laity. As believers, we are all baptized and ordained in Christ to be priests and ministers of the gospel of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit. We are God’s chosen people and the hands an feet of Christ and His church. We simply have different gifts, roles and positions within the body of believers. “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His light” 1 Peter 2:9
3 Truths we have access to:
God has called each person to be minister to those around us – We all have a place in God’s plan and a sphere of influence. God is calling us to minister those in our sphere of influence (family, friends, colleagues etc.) through the gifts He has given us. “Now to each one the spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:7
Every gift God has given us is unique and important – We all have different and unique gifts and they are all useful and meaningful to fulfilling God’s plan. Our tendency is to think that others gifts are more impactful than ours, but this is not true. God created each of us in His perfect image and equipped us with the perfect gift for His purpose. “To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith, to another healing….All of these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines.” 1 Corinthians 12:8-11
Our God given gifts show us who we are in Christ – Our design reveals our destiny in Christ. As we live life and grow in our walk of faith, we begin to discover our God given gifts and talents. As we step into these gifts and see God use us it increases our faith and encourages us to step out further. We begin to live and walk by faith and see God do amazing things. This is the supernatural abundant life of Christ. “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:12-24
How to maximize our Spiritual Gifts:
Discover my spiritual gifts – We were all created by our Creator (God) with unique gifts. As we grow and experience life, we start to understand how God wired us and our areas of giftings. We are typically gifted in areas that we have natural abilities and passions in. God calls us to discover our gifts and help others in the process, especially our kids. By the way, there are great tools available like Disc, Enneagram, Myers/Briggs etc. to help us in the process. One of the greatest blessings of my life was when I realized that I had God given gifts and God was calling me to be on His team for a divine purpose. This is when I began to truly live the “life that is truly life”. “It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and go our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.” Ephesians 1:11-12
Develop my spiritual gifts – Once we discover and begin to understand our strengths, giftings and passions we can then step into our God given purpose and calling by honing our gifts. The way we develop anything is through pursuit and practice. We step out in faith and simply start using the gifts that God has given us. We can also learn from others by being taught, mentored, and coached. This is the unique thing about the body of Christ, as a community of believers we are called to mentor and model for others on the journey. Church of the Highlands has a 3-step growth track that helps our members through this process. The key is to step forward by faith and allow God to begin to use you. “All of you together are the one body of Christ, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27
Use my spiritual gifts – I have found the greatest sustained joy in my life is using my spiritual gifts and knowing I am part of God’s eternal plan. Living each day with a God purpose. I believe that God created everyone on earth for this purpose (Ephesians 2:10), and until we connect with Him and discover our purpose, we cannot find true joy. For the first 33 years of my life, I was in pursuit of accomplishing what I thought to be my life goals, objectives and purposes by using my gifts to serve me and my family. This came up empty! Over the past 23 years, since surrendering my life to Jesus and discovering my spiritual gifts and purpose, I have lived my life with a focus on something much greater, God’s plan. I now get to use my God given gifts and blessings to love and serve God and others in my own unique way, leadership/admin (initiating, organizing and helping others in the process), (hospitality (hosting groups/events/parties, cooking good food!!!!), generosity (giving my time, money, resources, adding value to others etc.). It is truly fulfilling, meaningful and exciting in a way I could have never understood before. This is the abundant life that Jesus desires for all of us in Him. “God has given gifts to each of you from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you.” 1 peter 4:10
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19
So, let’s discover, develop, and deploy our Spiritual Gifts and live the “Life that is Truly Life”!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Duane
Word of the Week - Memorial Day - Remember
“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 13:12-13
Memorial Day weekend we celebrate something that I think is sometimes hard for us to comprehend: the ultimate act of love – to lay down one’s life down for others. This sacrifice of our fallen service men and women who paid this ultimate sacrifice for the sake of our freedom. In recent years I've heard many conflicted views on this matter. I think it would be a mistake to see these brave men and women as merely victims. While each fallen soldier has a unique story, each soldier is a hero who gave their lives for a greater cause. I think part of our struggle to understand the fallen soldier comes with our difficulty in accepting sacrifice, especially when a sacrifice seems so final and appears to hold no obvious reward. The idea that someone could give up everything - for people they don’t even know - is hard to process. We spend so much of life trying to gain, to acquire, to win. Our country is home to the American Dream, the land of opportunity. So remembering the fallen solider can feel uncomfortable, but it is most important to remember the Sacrifice. This is the only way we will be willing to do what is necessary to protect our freedom as a nation. May we never forget!!!!
On this Memorial Day we remember the 1.2 million men and women who made the ultimate Sacrifice by giving their lives in service of our Country, I am reminded of the sobering reality of the true price of freedom, and how fortunate we are to live in the United States of America, “the land of the free” because of the price others paid for our freedom. I am very grateful and humbled by this amazing reality. Click the following link to watch a short 5-minute video “Path of the Warrior” tribute to remembering the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for me and you Memorial Day Tribute .
In a similar frame, I am even more grateful for the fact that God freely chose to come down to earth in the flesh as Jesus our Messiah and was crucified for our sins, so we can have eternal freedom (salvation) and live with God forever. “For it is for Freedom that Christ set us free” Galatians 5:1. “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love” Galatians 5:13. Let us remember who God is and what He has done for us through the Cross and let this be our motivation to live the great commandment to “Love God and Love others” by serving God and others in Love. Lord, I pray that we would remember and understand the reality of what others have done for us as Americans and even more amazingly what you have done for us as Christians and never forget the suffering you endured for our benefit. Let us receive the fullness of your love and Sacrifice.
Sincerely,
Duane
Jesus our Messiah who died to give us life and freedom, both now and for eternity—the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you, Jesus.
Word of the Week - Family Relationship
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity. Psalm 133:1
Our family had a special day today at Highlands College (HC) celebrating what God has and is doing! I serve on the board of HC and our family has had the privilege to come alongside Pastor Chris, Pastor Mark, Kay Hargrave, and the team at HC over the past ten plus years and watch God do a miracle. Today we had a special and intimate family ceremony with some of the HC Leadership team and a few students to rejoice and worship God for what He has done, see pics attached. I was overwhelmed with joy and emotion having our family (children and grandchildren) there to experience this special time together that included a time of worship and prayer along with a word from PC, Pastor Mark and Kay sharing the vision from the beginning, and what God has done. It is truly Ephesians 3:20 “Immeasurably more than we could have ever asked or imagined”. I believe we are just getting started and the best is yet to come! This prompted me to reflect on the blessing of family, so I decided to share a past “Word of the Week” on family relationship.
Family Relationships - God created the family as the primary unit for procreation, support and development for all mankind. When you think about it, our family of origin is the likely the most important influence on our lives and who we become. Thus, our family is a big deal! None of us get to choose our family. Since we live in a fallen world, this can make family relationships complicated and not always ideal. The good news is that we have a heavenly Father that loves us and desires the best for each of us and our family. When it comes to our relationship with God, we do have a choice. We can choose to accept Him as our heavenly Father and trust in Him to bring healing and harmony to our family relationships. Or we can try to go it alone and do it our way. Of course, there are all types of families, great ones, more normal ones and terribly broken ones. Whether you come from a great family or a broken family, all families have some degree of dysfunction and need God’s healing hand upon them. This is part of the sanctification process, that despite our issues and dysfunction, we learn to live together in unity and harmony through the power of God working in us and through us. I am convinced that the only way our families can live in peace and harmony is by the power of the Holy Spirit working in each family member. “Bear with each other and forgive one another, if any of you has grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13
Characteristics of a healthy family – The following is a list of some of what I believe to be the characteristics of a healthy and functional family:
Caring deeply for each family member – unconditional love
Providing support and encouragement
Providing security and a sense of belonging
Having a deep commitment to one another and making time together a top priority
Making each person within the family feel important, valued, respected and esteemed
Looking out for one another and covering each back
Resolving conflict quickly and promptly
Having fun and enjoying time together
Sharing values and beliefs
Divine order fosters blessing in our families. I am convinced that order is one of the most important principles of life, especially when it comes to God’s economy and family relationships. Even with the best of intentions it is easy to get things out of order since our family is always in transition. We start life as a child within our family then transition to adulthood and ultimately to building our own families. If we are not clear on our role and responsibilities within these different phases of life, we can easily get things out of order and create dysfunction, disharmony and relational damage.
God first - When it comes to proper order of relationships, as believers I think we would all agree that our relationship with God should be our highest priority. If we are not connected and secure in our relationship with God, it is very difficult to have healthy and harmonistic relationship with others, especially family members. Knowing who we are in Christ allows us to love, forgive and accept others even when they hurt us, which will happen in family relationships. Connecting and Abiding in Jesus daily gives us what we need to bring health and life to our families at every level.
Self - I would suggest that the next most important relationship is our relationship with self. If we don’t have a healthy view or ourselves it is very difficult to love and accept others in their humanity, especially those closest to us in our family. God tells us in His great commandment “Love your neighbor as yourself” Matthew 22:39 This means that if we are to love others unconditionally, we will need to love ourselves that way too!” This is one that is easy to overlook because it is counter to our belief that being a Christ follower means we are selfless. The truth is that to be selfless, we must have a healthy view of ourselves, so we can be less focused on our own needs and insecurities.
Spouse – The husband/wife relationship is the core of the family. Thus, for the family to flourish and realize its full potential, the marriage relationship should be the priority. This can really be challenging at different stages of life when kids are demanding so much attention and it is easy to prioritize the kids above the marriage relationship. Later in life as our parents and relatives age it can also be easy to get things out of order. There are many studies that confirm that in families where the parents have a healthy and prioritized relationship the family flourishes. Make your spouse the top priority. For more insight, see message below on Marriage from March 2023. “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
Children / Grandchildren – Of course as parents it is our responsibility to “Raise up your children in the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6 There are many things that our kids need at different stages of their development through life, and it is not always easy to discern. See word of week message below from 2018 on Children and attached “Journey of Transition” for more details on parenting through transition from toddler to teen. Our children don’t come with an instruction manual, but we do know that unconditional love trumps everything and they surely need to be loved unconditionally. As far as grandchildren, they are an amazing blessing! We have the opportunity to enjoy them and influence them in a huge way without the day-to-day responsibility. Lord, thank you for the gift of grandchildren. “Children’s children are a crown of the aged, and parents are the pride of their children” Proverbs 17:6
Extended Family – This includes parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and beyond. If healthy this can be an amazing gift to have the love and support of our extended family. Often, there is brokenness and strained relationships withing extended family. If this is the case, I would like to emphasize the importance of reconciliation and healing. If there is brokenness and lack of relationship whether a parent, sibling or distant cousin, we should pray for our relatives and do whatever we can to restore the relationship while maintaining healthy order and boundaries with our immediate family. “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen cannot love God whom they have not seen”. 1 John 4:20 We serve a God of healing and restoration, and He desires to heal our family. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:2-3
“And He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” Malachi 4:5-6
Lord, thank you for the gift of family. I pray your Holy Spirit will lead us as we love and lead our families.
Sincerely,
Duane
Word of the Week - Mothers
“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem”. Isaiah 66:13
Love of a mother – Have you ever contemplated the amazing innate love of a mother? How a mother’s love is so natural and pure that it is hard to put into words. There is something so very special about the love of a mother. There is no doubt that God designed woman with an amazing motherly instinct. It has been scientifically proven that a woman’s body and brain change when they get pregnant and become mothers. There is no love greater than a mother’s love except the love of God. A mother’s “Love is patient and kind. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres” 1 Corinthians 13:4&7
Motherly love is yet Another way God shows His love for us – I think God’s design for life and family is so amazing and perfect. There are so many different ways He could have brought human beings into this world and developed them into adults, but He chose to deliver us into the world through our mothers. As we all know, life is formed as a man and woman come together to sow the seed of life through a pretty amazing process, which is made holy and sacred through the sacrament of marriage. The process of a mom getting pregnant, and a baby being formed inside a mother is really a miracle in and of itself. Then the mother has a 9 month period of pregnancy where she carries the baby in her womb until the baby is born. I have 3 daughters and witnessed all of them being born and it was definitely the most special experiences of my life, a true miracle. I can only imagine what it must feel like to carry and birth the baby, but as am man I will never know. What an amazing privilege and sacrifice for moms. After going through such an intense process, it is no-wonder why they are so attached and connected to their babies/children. I think we would all agree that a mother’s love for her children is an amazing godly blessing that is yet another way that God shows His unconditional love for us. He is the One who designed this perfect process. “For You formed my innermost parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14
Unconditional and all-consuming love – It is apparent to me that most mothers possess deep unconditional love for their children no matter the circumstances. Children don’t have to earn maternal love it just comes naturally and it is always there. As the number of children increases, a mother has amazing ability to show and give love to all of her children and make them all feel uniquely loved. There is a special feeling of love and security that comes from a mother that we can only get from mothers and God. Motherly instinct is so critical as it is what is needed to give a baby what it needs to survive and thrive as it comes into this big world needy and defenseless. Maternal love is of divine nature and something we should deeply cherish and all value. Only God’s love emulates this special dimension of love. I have personally experienced this with my own mother Lillie who was always there for me, even when I was being an unkind and disrespectful know it all teenage boy. I lost my mom just over 20 years ago and there are very few days that go by that I don’t think about her and how much I love and miss her, see picture of my mom below with my eldest daughter Mary Kathryn from over 30 years ago. I am so grateful for my mom who loved me so well, she had an amazing influence on me becoming the person I am today. I have also witnessed my wife Amy’s unconditional and all-consuming love for our 3 daughters over the years and have always been amazed at the depth of her love and connection with all 3 of our daughters. It is truly a beautiful thing that I deeply value but don’t fully understand as a man. Now I am watching my two eldest daughters Mary Kathryn and Saige birth, raise and mother our 7 grandkids 😊, and it is truly amazing to see the depth of their love and sacrifice towards their children, our amazing grandchildren. This is a view from another angle that helps me see an appreciate the love and significance of mothers and their roles in our lives.
I have often heard it said that a mother has one of the most significant jobs on earth and I think we would all agree that there are few roles more important than that of a mother. Billy Graham once said “Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in molding of character in her children”
Happy Mother’s Day to you mom, Mamie, Amy, Mary Kathryn and Saige and to all you mother’s. We are so thankful for you and all you do!!!!!
Blessings on Mother’s Day,
Duane
Word of the Week - Good Soil
“Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew, and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty and some a hundred times” -Mark 4:8.
The principal of Sowing and Reaping is one of key truths of life both on earth from a practical sense and in heaven from a spiritual sense. Whether we like it or not, over the course of time, we will Reap what we Sow. Just like many of God’s principals within His economy, this is a wonderful truth that can really be a blessing if we understand it and align our lives accordingly.
Are we Sowing Good Seed into Good Soil - If you have lived any amount of life, you have a general understanding of how this works. If we Sow good seeds that are life giving, we will generally Reap good fruit, like for like. Of course life is not perfect and there are times when we may be Sowing good seed into bad soil or Sowing during seasons of drought that prevent the seed from sprouting and taking root. We cannot control the outcome, but we surely can resolve to continually be Sowing good seeds and look for good soil to Sow into. Since we only are given a limited amount of seed (time, resources, wisdom, influence, etc.), we need to make it our goal to find good fertile soil to sow our seed into. This is the opportunity we have each day, and over time, the sum of our Sowing is what results in the fruit of our lives.
3 Attributes of Good Soil:
Tender Heart – A softened heart is a key to receiving what God has for us. If our hearts are hard, it is very challenging to receive what God has for us. A tender heart is fertile for impartation and growth. Sometimes it takes pain to break through the shell of a hard heart to get to this place. “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” Ephesians 4:18
Teachable Spirit – No matter how old, experienced, or seasoned we are, we are all in the process of growth and sanctification. God has something new for everyone one of us to learn. Having a humble, hungry, and teachable spirit is key to being fertile soil. We must remain teachable and willing if we want the best God has for us and be 100x people. “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:12
Faith & Trust – In order for God to do His good work in us and through us, we must have faith in God and take Him at His word. The things of the spirit are born by us stepping out in faith and believing in something we cannot see. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen” Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the main ingredient for spiritual growth. It is the fertilizer that makes the soil most fertile. “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” Hebews 11:6
Let’s be good soil and look for good soil to sow into – Its starts with us becoming good soil that God can use to reproduce. Do we have these attributes present in our own lives. Do we have pure and tender hearts that are open to receive what God has for us? Are we humble, hungry and teachable? Are we willing to listen and learn, or do we think we know everything? Finally, are we full of faith (God’s kryptonite for His sons and daughters), and willing to trust God with all of our heart and not lean on our own understanding? The greatest opportunity we all have every day is to sow into others by using what God has sown into us to be a blessing to others. I think this is called ministry and living the abundant life, the life that is truly life!!!
“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life”. 1 Timothy 6:19
Remember this: Whoever sows spraining will also reap sparingly, and whoever Sows generously will also Reap generously. 2 Corinthians 9:6
So, let’s be Good Soil, identify Good Soil, and Sow seed generously!!!!!!!!!!
Duane
Heritage Forum - Spring 2024
Founders recently hosted its spring Heritage Forum at the beautiful Pursell Farms in Sylacauga, Alabama. The 48-hour retreat is a unique opportunity for high-capacity leaders to engage in teaching sessions, small group discussions, fireside chats, recreation (golf and shooting), and 5-star meals all centered around the theme of: living a purposeful life of significance to build an intentional Heritage that produces a godly legacy.
At our recent forum, we hosted a group of 25 high-capacity leaders who were equipped and challenged to develop a Heritage Vision©. The Heritage Vision includes assessing major aspects of one’s personal and professional life related to their purpose and legacy. Interactive sessions were facilitated by a team of experienced leaders who specialize in their respective areas of expertise including topics such as “Beginning with the End in Mind”, “Life Purpose”, “Family Vision, Mission and Values”, “Unity and Harmony with your Spouse”, “Living Generously” and “Family meetings”. The forum culminated with a trip up to the mountain to “the secret place” for a word from David Pursell, Founder and CEO of Pursell Farms, along with a time for reflection.
The Heritage Forum is an invite only event designed for high-capacity leaders who desire to live to their full potential and lead their families toward an intentional godly Heritage and Legacy. “You only live once, but if you do it right (intentionally), once is enough” Mae West
If you would like to learn more or are interested in attending our next Heritage Forum, visit Heritage Forum and/or contact Duane Donner for more information.
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8
Word of the Week - Family, Heritage, Legacy
“One generation shall commend your works to another and shall declare your mighty acts.” —Psalm 145:4
I am returning from a trip to my hometown of Lafayette, LA where I spent the last 3 days enjoying time with family to include my 84-year old dad, my two siblings and their families, and 2 of my 3 daughters along with all 7 of our grandkids (see picture attached). It was a special time together with 4 generations of our family present. We did what most good Cajuns do when they get together, we cooked and ate to the “full”. Of course the menu included boiled crawfish and crabs. Like my grandpa Lee would say, “we passed a good time” and even told a few Boudreaux jokes. I was reminded of the blessing of family and how God in His goodness created the institution of family for each of us to belong to. As we all know, family is a blessing, but it can also be challenging. The following are some insights and learnings about family, Heritage and Legacy I wanted to share.
Definition and purpose of family: Family is the first institution God created for instilling values for the purpose of preserving culture to impact the world generationally. As outlined in the verse above, God desires for every person to have a spiritual heritage. The reality is that God instituted family so we can train and equip our children with godly values so they live to their full God potential and pass godly values on to their children, live multi-generationally. “Train them up in the way he/she should go, And when they are older they will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6 God imparted into all humans a innate desire to be part of something that will last. “He has set eternity in the human heart” Ecclesiastes 3:11
Building healthy family communication and identity: We serve a God of order, peace and continuity. “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace”. 1 Corinthians 14:33 To understand how to build healthy families we must first become healthier people, especially in our family relationships. It starts with us as leaders of our families having a personal intimate abiding relationship with Christ, so He can impart His wisdom into our hearts and minds. We do live in a broken world and without God’s covering in our lives our families will be susceptible to the reality of generational curse with the sins of the fathers flowing down to the next generation. This is the way of the world and our culture at large. So how do we break this cycle? First and foremost, we submit ourselves and our families to God and put our faith and trust in Him. I believe the Lord is the only one who can set us free from these generational curses.
Practically I am learning from my wife Amy and my adult children that we should work towards building an environment within our families that allows our family to feel safe enough to communicate wounds and issues. The things of the past and present that create angst, especially associated with the dysfunction that has been passed down from our families of origin. Many of these dysfunctions/curses are subconscious blind spots that we can’t even see, which is why we need others to help us. This includes in-laws and outside advisors like counselors and family coaches who can bring a fresh and less biased perspective. I believe it is critical to our family’s health to work in identifying wounds and curses of our past that are influencing our thinking, behaviors, and relationships and work to have our minds renewed in God’s truth, His Word, so we can be healed and transformed. There are times in our journey of life when we need outside advisors both professional (therapist, counselors, coaches) and non-professional (friends, family, pastors etc.) to help us navigate through this process.
Family values, vision and purpose: I believe family identity is key to building a godly family Heritage. Our families must have a strong understanding of who we are and what makes us the Donner’s or Smiths etc. Family values define the moral and ethical principles of behavior for a family. Values are passed down from one generation to the next and this is the most important Heritage we can give our kids and descendants. Many of our values are apparent from our families of origin, but some need to be discovered and can often times be revealed as we think about our past and some of the defining stories/events in our lives. Our family went through a values exercise about 8-9 years ago and since then we have taken time out, from time to time, to talk about our values and assess how we are living out these values. Asking questions to determine if we are intentionally sharing and communicating these values with our kids and grandkids. Our families stated values include: Faith, Family/Heritage, Perseverance, Health and Generosity.
Legacy - Adult Children and the next Generation: One of the main things I have learned is that we need to be careful in our efforts to share our Vision, Mission and Values that we don’t impose them on our married adult children and their families but should use the process to help them develop their own family vision, mission and values. If we have done a good job of communicating and living out our values, they will be reflected in the values of our children and grandchildren. A second lesson learned related to family meetings is that it is best to use 3rd party facilitators to help plan and host these meetings. Based on family history and dynamics, it is too difficult for a family member to be the primary facilitator and communicator. It is much more effective to have outside advisors (financial advisors, family coaches, legal advisors etc.) who are familiar and have relationship with the family to facilitate key components of the meetings especially when it comes to more challenging and sensitive topics like money and family values. If we are truly about godly Heritage and Legacy, we must understand that our role is to help equip the next generations to grow and mature into what God has for their family unit and Heritage. Our goal and role should be to ensure that they have a meaningful voice and seat at the table so they can be heard.
God promises us that if we live our lives with God’s values, He will bless our descendants up to a thousand generations. “Know therefore that the Lord God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9 What an amazing and powerful promise of God. I hope this encourages you toward living on purpose with intentionality to plant seeds for Generational Blessing in your family. The is the opportunity we have as followers of Christ.
It is surely not easy, but it is worth it!!!
Blessings,
Duane
Word of the Week - Abiding (First Fruits)
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” -John 15: 3-5
Second only to knowing Jesus through a personal relationship (Salvation), I believe “Abiding (remaining)” in Christ, is the most important and fruitful aspect of the Christian life. Over the past few weeks, God has again shown afresh how powerful and fruitful this truth has been in my own life. I attended an abiding retreat with some of our Heritage Forum leadership team a few weeks ago at my good friend Ed Kobel’s plantation in South Georgia. You can learn more about their abiding ministry by visiting Abide Now. During this abiding retreat, our team was convicted to refocus the Heritage Forum on this key teaching. God showed me clearly that if the only Heritage I built, and legacy I left was a life-long abiding relationship with Jesus, transferring this deep conviction/value would be the greatest gift for my kids, grandkids, and future generations.
Well, we hosted our 13th Heritage Forum this week and our team used it as an opportunity to share this conviction through personal testimonies from our leadership team of the fruit God has and is producing through our abiding connection to the vine of Christ. At the end of the Heritage Forum, we challenged all of our participants to take a 6-week abiding challenge, so they can personally experience the power of an ongoing connection with Jesus, especially if we make Him the priority in our daily lives by giving Him our First Fruits. If you are currently not abiding daily (spending focused time with God in His word, praying and worshipping Him), I would challenge you to the 6-week challenge. Get an accountability partner and get started and watch what God does in your life.
The great paradox – I think this is one of the biggest deceptions of religion and the wisdom of the world, doing more is better. As a type A personality who grew up under the ideal of the “American Dream”, I learned that success is about being proactive to do and achieve more. This is somewhat the definition of success in our culture and it is typically very useful in producing worldly success. I personally find great satisfaction in producing and achieving, this is how God wired me. I don’t think it is a bad or negative thing to be driven to produce, unless it is “the thing” that drives us and defines our identity. The truth is that no matter how much I produce in my own strength, if it is not “fruit of God’s spirit” then it will not be lasting and it will not bring true fulfillment, especially as a follower of Christ who desires to grow in Christ. In our walk with God as followers of Christ, we must realize that it is God who produces His fruit through us as a bi-product of our connection to Him – through the vine of Christ. We cannot produce this in our own strength and efforts because it is of divine nature not of mere human efforts. So God doesn’t want us to do more for Him. He wants us to do more with Him. In this context our works are simply an outflow of our abiding love for Christ. We are not working to earn His love and approval but working out of a heart of gratitude in response to His love for us.
Abiding – “If you remain in me (Abide) and I in you, you will bear much fruit:” John 15:5 Abiding is an imperative from Jesus with a promise. He makes it very clear to us that in the case of Abiding that He wants us to be the pursuer and initiate. To abide, we must act, it is not a passive concept. So even though abiding is not about doing more for God, it is about actively pursuing Him-and typically this does not come naturally or easily. We have an enemy of our soul that is working 24/7 to keep us from this very powerful connection with Christ. We have the opportunity to make God our daily priority. Any of us who are married can probably relate to this concept in relationship with our spouses. My wife Amy appreciates me doing things for her and our family but what she desires most is connection and me pursuing connection with her. When I get too focused on doing and producing (performance), which is my nature, then our relationship suffers and is not most fruitful, but when I simply focus my energy on connecting with her by pursuing deeper and more intimate relationship, this is where the stars align and abundant fruit is produced. In the same way but at a much greater scale, this is how our relationship with God flourishes, the fruit is a bi-product of the abiding connection with the Lord Jesus. The power is from Him and thus apart from Him we can “do nothing” of eternal significance.
Priority “First Fruits” – If we understand and believe what Jesus is saying in John 15:1-5 about the importance and power of Abiding in Christ, then we should recognize that this is the most important thing; it trumps everything else. If it is the most important thing in our walk with Christ then we should make it the highest priority. If it is the highest priority then it should be the “first” priority that we focus on each and every day. This is the principle of “First Fruits”, making the Lord and our relationship with Him the “First” and highest priority. God tells us through scripture that He wants to be first. The first of the ten commandments tells us that “He wants us to make Him the priority and not put anything before Him” in our lives. In Matthew 6:33 He tells us to “Seek first the Kingdom (God) and His righteousness, and then all things will be added unto you”. In other words, Boudreaux translation of the scripture “Put God first and He will take care of da rest”. Over the last 20 plus years since surrendering my heart to Jesus, I have made this my highest daily priority and goal and I can honesty say that God has done “Immeasurably more than I could have ever asked or imagined by His power at work in me” Ephesians 3:20. I have a long way to go and will never achieve complete sanctification this side of heaven, but I can honestly say that God has done an amazing work in me and through me as a result (biproduct) of my relentless and at times vigilant pursuit of connecting with Him and making Him a priority in my life. He is clear when He tells us that “If we seek Him first and make God our priority then we will find Him and live fruitful lives”.
We are born of the spirit of God by accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, this is salvation. We only become fruitful and fulfilled followers of Christ by making our relationship with Him a daily priority through Abiding in Christ. I believe this to be the most important pursuit of a follower of Christ that will lead to the abundant life that Jesus talked about, the life that is truly life.
As another confirmation to my recent conviction to share on this topic; my pastor shared an excellent message on abiding last Sunday titled Daily Time with God . You can click the link to watch the message, I highly recommend it.
Have a great week abiding in Christ!!!!!!!
Blessings,
Duane
Word of the Week - Self-Control
“For the Spirit God Gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and Self-control” -2 Timothy 1:7
Self-Control defined by Merrian-Webster as: restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, emotions, or desires; the ability to manage your actions and feelings. Self-control is one factor that separates humans from animals, although there seems to be a growing idea in our culture today towards the idea that we should pursue whatever makes us feel good and the idea of self-control limits us from being happy.
In last week’s “WOW” (see below) I shared on our multi-dimensional complexity as human beings. That God created humanity in His image as Triune beings comprised of a Body, Soul, and Spirit. From this reality/perspective it is very challenging to have Self-control over our soul and flesh if our Spirit is not connected to God.
The challenge: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate to do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do-this I keep doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:15-20. As Paul shares in this scripture, there seems to be something at work within us that is contrary to the concept of Self-control. Paul identifies this as our sinful nature. There are lots of references to the idea of Self-control in God’s word. In fact most of the old testament is basically the story of man’s inability to have enough Self-control to meet God’s standard of perfect holiness. The idea of Self-control is very interesting because it implies that we as humans have the ability to control ourselves and our environment, which as Paul shares in the above scripture does not seem to be achievable, at least in our own strength.
The consequences: “There is a way that seems right to a man that leads to death.” Proverbs 14:12 Don’t get me wrong, I believe whole heartedly that we are responsible for our actions and we will be held accountable for the consequences of poor decisions and sin; what we do and how we live during our short journey on early really matters for eternity. The truth is that our sin nature combined with the fallen nature of this world draws us down a path of death. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” Romans 3:23
The Hope and Good News: “For God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten son Jesus so that we may have eternal life” John 3;16 Even the strongest willed among us remain humanly imperfect and lack Self-control over the soul and flesh, which leads to sin and death. This is the reason that God sent His son Jesus to establish a new covenant whereby we overcome sin and judgement through the power of the blood of the lamb that was slain to cover our sins and give us access to overcoming power through Christ. “The spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you”. Romans 8:11
We are made holy and righteous by what He did and not through our ability to achieve perfection. Therefore, by surrendering our lives fully to Christ we receive His power to overcome the soul and flesh and gain Self-Control by His Spirit being alive within us. Through our daily surrender of self and connection to the vine of Christ, we receive the gift of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and Self-control. These are the fruits of God’s spirit that are only produced in us as a biproduct of our abiding connection with Christ John 15:5. We cannot sufficiently produce these things in our own strength no matter how hard we try but must depend on the Lord to give us what we need to overcome the enemy of our soul and our self. This is the life that is truly life, in Christ alone.
Have a great week.
Blessings,
Duane
Word of the Week - Triune Being
"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Thes 5:23
God created humanity in His image as a Triune being comprised of a Body, Soul, and Spirit. This makes us eternal beings unlike animals and other living things. God also gave us free will, which allows us to choose whether we want to walk with God in spirit and live in connection with Him or simply follow our soulful and fleshly instincts in the carnal ways of our world. Left up to ourselves, without a connection to God through our spirit, we are destined toward flesh, which leads to death in the spirt. “For there is a way that seems right to a man but in the end leads to death” Proverbs 14:12 So why did God create us with these 3 dimensions and what does that mean for us in our walk of faith?
Body/Flesh, “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” Romans 8:5 God made us with a physical body that houses our soul and spirit man. Our body is comprised of our 5 senses to include smell, touch, hearing, seeing, and tasting. Our bodies are made by God to have natural needs, wants and desires very similar to animals. In fact, our fleshly desires are very instinctual and animalistic and thus if not restrained by our soul and spirit can run ramped and create much chaos in our lives. We have probably all experienced this at some level. We all have many fleshly needs and desires. If we allow our flesh to dominate our being, our flesh will be calling the shots, which typically leads to a less than optimal outcome. If allowed to go unchecked our fleshly desires will typically lead us to a place of self-destruction. The enemy of our soul, the great deceiver, operates very effectively in the realm of the flesh and is characterized as the “god of the earth”. Some godly practices in keeping our flesh in order include fasting, exercising, and spending time in healthy and life-giving environments that encourage healthy living.
Soul/Mind, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that is by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is the good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 Our soul is comprised of our mind, will and emotions. This gives us the ability to think and feel and have relationship. This dimension of our being allows us to experience life and interact with the world, it goes beyond our bodily senses to our inner thoughts, desires, dreams, and emotions. As we all have experienced, this is what drives most of us day to day and gets us out of bed to do whatever we do. We don’t necessarily control our thoughts and emotions, but we surely have tremendous influence over these things and must recognize that what we feed our minds and emotions is directly correlated to what we think, feel, and do, who we really are as a person. The principal of garbage in equals garbage out applies as does the principal of life and growth. This is why it is most important to feed our minds and souls things that are good, healthy and life giving. We should be very aware of what we are feeding our souls in terms of what consume through books and media along with the people we spend time with and the environments we spend time in. Godly practices in keeping our soul/mind healthy include being intentional about how we choose our friends and community, who we spend our time with, the content we feed our mind and soul, and being intentional about our thought life. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 We must be wise about what we feed our soul and guard our hearts and minds in Christ.
Spirit/God within us, “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Galatians 5:17-18 Our Spirit man is the part of us that allows us to be in connection with God through the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). This is the part of our being that is eternal either with God our away from Him. This is the part of our being that is awakened when we are born of the Spirit in Christ and are saved through surrendering our hearts to God through salvation. Interestingly, the process of being born of the Spirit typically involves us dying to our soul and flesh so that the Spirit can come alive in us and be regenerated in Christ. Only after we are born of the Spirit do we truly begin to live as a complete being, which is why the experience is so powerful especially for people who have lived a large portion of their life without their Spirit being alive. I know this to be true because I personally experienced this at the age of 33 and it was the most profound experience of my life to date. When we are born of the Spirit, we then have the ability to tap into God’s supernatural power through the Holy Spirit. This allows us to live as overcomers in Christ. Godly disciplines for keeping our Spirit healthy and enlivened include prioritizing our relationship with God by staying connected to the vine of Christ Jesus through a daily abiding relationship. Our dependance on God through abiding is key to living a fruitful life free from the bondage of the soul and flesh. Jesus said “I am the vine and your are the branches, if you abide in me, I will abide in you, and you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”! John 15:5
Living in the Spirt from the Inside out, Our tendency and natural inclination is to live from the outside-in as we go through life day to day focused on our bodily senses, thoughts and feelings leaving little if any room for our Spirit to be fed and grow. I believe the key to life in Christ, the abundant life that Jesus speaks about in John 10:10, is to live from the inside-out. If we make it our daily pursuit and priority “First Fruit” to feed our Spirit by abiding/connecting with the Lord through praise, prayer, reading scripture, fellowship with believers and other spiritual disciplines, we will experience life and our Spirit will flourish allowing us to be Spirit led and have dominion over our soul and flesh. The result/biproduct of living in the Spirit is that we will produce Spiritual fruit. This is the true goal of a believer and follower of Christ, that our lives would be fruitful. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
I pray we will experience the fullness of life in Spirit, Soul, and Body as you live from the Inside-out in Christ…
Blessings,
Duane