Follow that same line of thinking here.  And Mr. Atheist and Mrs. Irreligious, there is still a principle for you as well, roll with it.  When God asks you to do something, it’s not always because He’s interested in the “point B.”  He’s interested in how you drive, your thought process.  Even in the atheist’s life, life isn’t full of Point A to B travels.  Not every idea or plan or prompting has a destination rather a process.

Take this way of thinking and respond to it with confident action.  When God asks you to do something, He’s FAR more interested in your obedience rather than the outcome. It’s in your obedience – the process – that God tests your ability and true willingness to handle more.  Answer that phone call.  Return that email. Give that quarter to the homeless dude.  Ask her out. Ask the hard question.  Humbly correct your friend.  Help that neighbor.

God is always building character for a bigger assignment.
(yes, even for Mr. Atheist – call it Karma or luck or fate, names don’t matter)

This question rocks me.  We act, speak, pray and aimlessly live as if there is no “next” – from atheists to Christians.  The disbelief in “next” doesn’t disprove that there indeed IS a “next.”  Whether it’s “nothingness” or reincarnation or eternity with or apart from Jesus, “next” is coming.

What if preparations and prayers centered on purposes rather than plans?
What if our speech initiated life, love and hope rather than fleeting instantaneous pleasure or pain?
What if generosity flowed through and out of us in the realization that “next” won’t need money or stuff?

What if you prayed, prepared and participated in this life as if you were terminal?

… DANG!

Ever been there?  I was a part of an organization that was doing right. Something politically incorrect came up and a couple started whining. I mean whining – gossiping like middle-schoolers, real good whining.  I did the adult thing (also politically incorrect) and showed up on their doorstep one afternoon to confront them (the biblical way – I took another person).  Even face to face the “man” I met with refused to hear me, refused to correct himself, admitted he was wrong but preferred that over what was right.

That same month I sat in a meeting one afternoon for 6 hours.  Some of the “king’s men” were there.  A meeting that started out as informative and expected to last 45 minutes turned into a whine-fest and 6 hours of torture.  Convenient self-service was the enemy and these “king’s men” were also friends with the whining couple.  Only 4 of the 8 people survived the meeting and continue to be a positive influence among the organization and community.

The other 4 and the whining couple all became casualties of ignorance and arrogance.  In their slow deaths they infected many more people and the temperature of the fire really did get hotter.  Myself, my leader, and some others were thrown into a fire that seemed uncomfortable and inconvenient.  Only after being thrown in did we see Jesus and the awesome blessings to come.  Relationships were finally built on trust and love.  People once held back because of cliques and territorial arguments came out to serve and build community. I learned plenty about trust and loyalty and respect and honor.  I found out first hand what it means to honor your leader above the sadly mistaken selfish Pharisees who claim to partner with you.

It looks hot and uncomfortable from the outside but only from inside of the fire do you walk with Jesus and experience a miracle.

The biggest motivation that drives the majority of my decisions is relationships.
My job choice came from that. – I wanted to be around people.  I see over 1000 people a day and work with up to 30 a day.
My decision to stay at such a “good” job came from that.  I’ve built relationships with great people at work who need to know their Creator and who I can serve in some way.
How I handle our family’s finances comes from that.  In our most “broke” times, Loren and I will still offer to take a couple to dinner or buy a troubled friend a cup of coffee.
All other motivations stem from that and are byproducts of wise (or unwise) relational decisions.

What is your chief motivation?

Many people – and I’ve been one of them – make decisions about the future based on the crap from the past.  While  the “crap” can be the catalyst for change, it can never the foundation for growth.

• Are you working a job now because the last one was bad?  Are your standards for this position dictated by you unhappiness of the past?
• Are you in a relationship now that’s “better” than the last one?  Are you comparing beauty, talent and affection with the shortfalls of the last person?  Have you decided to man up and tell your current girl she’s just the measuring stick to your past inadequacies.  (ouch, that was painfully forward)
• Are you attending a church now that’s more “inclusive” or “more biblical” than the last one?  Perhaps this church doesn’t ask you to serve, tithe, be excellent, stop gossiping, stop slandering and expect you to act like an adult.  Do you measure your current happiness against your authority issues of the past?

I get it, crap happens and motivates us to make decisions.  I’m just asking … what are you missing in the future by competing with the past?

1. It’s lonely to lead
2. It’s dangerous to succeed
3. It’s hardest at home
4. It’s essential to be real
5. It’s painful to obey
6. Brokenness and failure are necessary
7. My attitude is more important than my actions
8. Integrity eclipses image
9. God’s way is always better than my way
10. Christlikeness begins and ends with humility

It’s almost comical how much crap Adam and Eve get for “the fall.”  It’s mentioned in sermons, in movies and all over Twitter.  What’s funny is Adam and Eve had NO other perspective to learn from.  They had no parents to learn from.  They didn’t have that rebel sibling who always got in trouble.  They didn’t have Desperate Housewives to live their lives though.  They didn’t even have the amazing wisdom of The CW.

Sure, it’s stupid they listened to a snake.  But how much more ignorant are we with thousands upon thousands of years of experience and perspective?  How much more ignorant are we with BILLIONS of lives lived before us?  Should we pay more attention?  Or should we wisely invest that attention into our future instead of merely watching?

Watch and learn about marriage, finances, parenting.  Watch and learn what porn does, lust, adultery, bitterness, anger, slander, greed, laziness, and apathy.  Watch and learn from poverty, indifference, selfishness, and idolatry.

Watch and learn. It’s not what your older brother says before he shows you how to pick up chicks.  It’s what you need to do to grow.

Last night I sat with my 3 best friends and we all educated one another about one another.  It was insightful.  I thought I was the threating-w/o-follow-up guy.  Nope, apparently I feel responsible or reason/remind/nag people.  What do you think?

My point isn’t so much about how you respond to difficult people.  I’m more interested in whether or not you TRULY allow other people to give you perspective on how they view you, how you really come across to others, and how you react to those you interact with.

I’m blessed to have men in my life to speak life, love, and hope into me.  If you don’t have people like this then you’re not complete, not growing, and not healthy.  Consider a new perspective.

BUT . . .
Henry Wallace was one of President Truman’s vice presidents.  Henry Wallace used his power as VP to create a station in Mexico whose sole purpose was to somehow create hybridized corn and wheat for arid climates.  Henry Wallace took the initiative and asked Norman Bourlag to run that station.  Henry Wallace’s initiative saved 2 BILLION people.

BUT . . .
George Washington Carver was a 19 year old student at Iowa State University.  He had a dairy sciences professor who allowed his little 6 year old son to go on botanical expeditions with GWC.  George Washington Carver poured his life into that 6 year old boy and gave little Henry Wallace a vision about what he could do with his life to impact humanity.  George Washington Carver’s relationship and discipleship saved 2 BILLION people.

BUT . . .
Moses, a farmer in Diamond, MO had a wife named Susan and lived in slave territory, although he opposed slavery.  One night Quantrill’s Raiders attacked in white sheets and hoods.  They burned barns, shot people, and dragged off slaves.  One slave was Mary Washington who refused to let go of her infant son, George.  Susan and Mary were best friends so Moses set out to try and rescue them.  He set up a meeting with the raiders and on a cold January night he road several hours north.  The Raiders threw Moses a burlap bag in exchange for his only horse.  In the bag was an almost dead baby boy whose mother had already been killed.  Moses walked that boy all the way home.  Moses and Susan Carver committed to honor that boy, care for him, and educate him.  Moses and Susan Carver saved the life of little George Washington Carver.  Their selflessness saved 2 BILLION people.

DANG!

Your choices and actions reach further than your eyesight or hearing.  You never know what impact you’ll have on humanity.  Pour your life into a student.  Stand up for injustice.  Try something hard yet necessary.  The lives of BILLIONS depend on you.  YOU MATTER TO HUMANITY!

No, I don’t yell and scream at them about “repenting” or things like that.  No, I don’t ask them “If you died tonight would you go to heaven?”  I just engage them in conversation and serve them as best I can.  I’m not responsible for the outcome in the future.  I’m responsible for obedience in the present.

We can’t tell the future.  We can’t see the end result of our decisions.  We also can’t use this as an excuse not to serve.   Work 100% now.  Serve openly and humbly.  Give generously.  The results and impact are in His hands, not yours.

I’ll prove this tomorrow with one of the absolute coolest stories in this history of the world.

I’ve heard hundreds of times that being a pastor can be one of the loneliest jobs.  Great, then why are so many pastors set on accumulating more ministry contacts instead of connections?  I tell people all the time, “I want to be friends.”  I don’t care one little bit about what you think you know about church if I don’t first know your wife’s name, favorite football team, or favorite restaurant. If you and I can’t play golf together or snowboard together, don’t attempt to give me ministry advice (especially Mr. Generic 25 year old I-know-it-all church planter guy with a fresh seminary degree with passion and zero direction).

It’s been said that soldiers who served in combat together have a tighter bond than with many of their own family.  It wasn’t because they both shot the same type of rifle.  It wasn’t because they sat around in the trenches coming up with some formula for the next 4 years of war.  It’s because they were talking about their wives and girlfriends and kids and parents.  It’s because they knew each other intimately and knew what each soldier was fighting for. They fought for the friend next to them.

Don’t get this “brothers in Christ” line mixed up with ACTUAL relationship.

If you’re lacking friends, love; If you’re lacking purpose, serve;  If you’re lacking connections, influence.

Too often we rub the genie’s lamp of prayer and ask God to work in our plans.  That’s one of the most arrogant ways of thinking.  God DOES care about you. He DOES want to bless and prosper you.  He DOES care about what you care about.  But more importantly than all of that, He knows more and better than you do.

If your plans are bigger and more important than God then your plans are too small and boring.  God initiates the work, you need to take the initiative to jump into where He’s working.

For my atheist/agnostic friends, this thinking applies to you too.  Don’t get too wrapped up in thinking you’re big and bad.  The climate, the economy, the animal kingdom, and even your own imagination is bigger than you are.  Where’s the wave?  Find it and ride it as creatively and effectively as you can.  You didn’t create the wave but you can rip it up with your own flare.

Our lives are attacked everyday with fear – economy, terrorism, sickness, uncertainty.  Max brings a much needed change of perspective to the picture.  And that’s the key to living life fearless – perspective.  God is bigger than us and our fears.  He  never promised a life free from danger and uncertainty.  He promised we’d have power to overcome.

In a time when people are traveling less, taking more pills, worrying about everything, Fearless provides the insight to help right the ship.  Live life fearless!

What is in my head though:

• God provides in HIS timing, not mine.  And He’s proven in EVERY SINGLE DAY since we moved here -  in measurable ways.
• God’s purposes are better than my plans.
• People in Denver need to encounter their Creator and I’m engaged in conversation with plenty of them.
• Too many people start churches as a hobby.  And Denver seems to be the place where they start them.  I’m a little frustrated.  Perhaps they can read point #2 above.
• Headed to Dallas this weekend for a wedding and family time. Going to be a very long/quick trip.  Should be good!
• Suits are nice to wear and now that I lost 32 pounds, they sure do look better on me.  Wearing them while standing for 8 straight hours? Umm, that’s the part that blows!
• Blogging is still hard.  I just needed to update this thing.  I’ll see about knocking out some good ones on the road trip in a few days.

I’m baffled by how many news stories I hear about churches using Twitter.  Why?  I haven’t heard any about Coke using Twitter.  Or Nike.  Or Disney.  But a church using Twitter is all the rage.  Not only that but it’s as if it’s “new” news.  A church the other day was talking about how they’ve tapped into Twitters power “recently.”  Recently?  It’s a few years old.  Matter of fact, Twitter wasn’t too new last year either.

I guess I’m just wondering what’s the story.  Are they not doing stories about Disney using Twitter because they know Disney is always on the cutting edge?  Are they not discussing the new tactics of Nike because they’re culture CREATORS instead of imitators?

They Church generally (Yes, there are some who get “it”.) is always late to the party.  AND on top of that, the Church isn’t known much for creating culture but copying it (years later) and then saying, “Hey, we’re cool. We use Twitter.”

Perhaps we can change that.