Mark Conner's Space

Don't Give Me the Facts; What's Your Story?

True Story: Jake worked for a large technology company but was passionate about starting his own business some time in the near future. Through a mutual acquaintance, Jake met Alan, a wealthy investor. They talked over breakfast and by the time they were finished, Jake was convinced that he had found his financing. Alan promised to be in touch with him within a few days with a business proposal.

A few days went by and then a week. Jake hadn't heard anything from Alan, despite emailing him and calling his mobile phone multiple times. He was becoming increasingly angry. Then he bumped into the mutual friend who said that Alan was annoyed that he hadn't heard back from Jake, despite sending him a detailed business plan the day after they met.

What was going on? Jake quickly checked his Junk Email folder and found the email from Alan, written the very next day (the long attachment didn't make it through his company's firewall). At the end of the email, Alan explained that someone had stolen his phone right after they met, so he had to get a new phone number and a new email address. No wonder he wasn't answering any of Jake's calls and emails.

Jake made a judgment about Alan based on the facts. What he didn't recognise is that he chose to put the facts together to create a specific story. A fact is something that can be objectively verified by any person. It is irrefutable. A story, by contrast, is something we create to make sense of the facts. We do so because we are meaning-making creatures. The problem is that we often tell our stories so fast that we mistake them for the facts and then treat our stories as if they are true. We also have a tendency to create negative stories.

The apostle Paul was an inspiring person. Life and ministry were often tough for him. He was authentic and honest about the facts. Yet the story he told himself, and by which he lived, was a faith-filled one. How? Because he always included God in his story (click on the links here to read 2 Cor.4:8-19; 3:6-10; as examples). He looked beyond himself and other people, and the situation and circumstances he was facing, and considered God's perspective. By doing so, he was able to rise above negativity and discouragement, resulting in him being able to life a life of joy, faith and hope.

J. Francis Peak once said, “The major cause of discouragement is a temporary loss of perspective. Restore proper perspective, and you take new heart.” 

What story are you telling yourself today? What could you be missing (just like Jake in our story above)? What could God be up to in your story? Does your story need changing ... today?

Father, I pray that you will give us wisdom today. May we be able to see life from your perspective. We can't always control what is happening around us (the facts) but we do have control over the way we choose to respond (our stories). May our story include your story - a much bigger plan that you are working daily to accomplish. Amen.

[The true story mentioned above is from Tony Schwartz's new book Be Excellent at Anything, p.147f]

Developing Yourself

I am passionate about personal development. God's gift to us is our potential. Our gift back to him is what we do with it. Cemeteries are filled with undeveloped potential and dreams that never grew legs. Don't add to those statistics. Grab a hold of why you are here on the planet - your calling - then give yourself wholly to being the best you can be for God. The world will be a better place if you do.

Being your best is not about competing or comparing yourself with others. It's about being the best you can be in light of God's investment in you.

On this BLOG, I have written some practical and helpful articles on personal; development, including such topics as: life planning, stages of faith, increasing your energy, improving productivity, time management, seasons of life, daily habits, accountability, handling discouragement, managing your workload, and making wise decisions.

Click here to start reading today. Why not read an article or two each day during the coming week (there are 4 pages of BLOG posts for you to chose from).

All of heaven is cheering you on!

My Upcoming Sabbatical

This year is my 28th year on staff at CityLife Church and my 18th as Senior Minister. It's been quite a journey and I am thankful for all that God has done during this time and for the support of our congregation and leadership team. 

In discussion with the Elders and our senior staff, there was agreement that I would benefit from taking an extended sabbatical this year. A sabbatical isn't a holiday. It's a time of disengagement from the normal aspects and pressures of ministry life in order to spend time in replenishment, reflection and learning for the next stage of life and ministry. [Click here for more information about the concept of a sabbatical]

I will take a 12-week sabbatical from the beginning of March through to the middle of May (2 weeks of which will be annual leave for some holidays). During this time the church will be well looked after by our local leadership. Our teaching team will be speaking on the weekend, along with some excellent visiting ministry.  

What will I do on my Sabbatical?

The outcomes I desire are a replenishment of my spiritual and emotional world and a sharpening of my vision for the church and my own calling to ministry. The first half of my sabbatical will focus on my personal and spiritual well-being. It will include a combination of prayer, extended times with God, reflection, spiritual retreats, and time with some of my mentors. The second half of my sabbatical will focus on my ministerial development. I will make use of a study plan focused on topics such as Jesus and his mission, the church, leadership, contemporary culture, and preaching, as well as more extended time in prayer and the Scriptures. [Of course, if God wants to have me only do the first half stuff the entire time, then that's fine with me!]

For this to be most effective, I will be fully disengaged from church life (weekend meetings, staff meetings and email). Weekends and evenings will be times for me to sow back into my own family as well as my friendships. I will also take up some more recreational pursuits during these times - things I have little or no time for at the moment with weekends always being so full. 

What about the church? I have full confidence that the church will flourish during this time. In fact, it can be a maturing time for both the congregation and myself.

I would like to thank the Elders and senior staff for their kindness in releasing me for this time. Personally, I am really excited about this time and believe that it will be instrumental in ensuring that I continue to be full of God's vision and passion for our next season together. My desire is to return refreshed and with greater energy, with increased confidence, with deeper reservoirs from which to draw from, as well as an even greater sense of joy and delight in my calling.

Ministerial Sabbaticals (Pt.2)

In the foreword to Clergy Renewal, Roy M. Oswald lists the following six reasons for a church to encourage a pastor to take regular sabbaticals.

1. The very nature of being a pastor involves continual spiritual growth. Spiritual depth does not happen by accident; it takes hard, intentional work. Basically, it is a lifelong process involving big chunks of time set aside for reading, prayer, solitude and reflection ... A spiritual director can help a minister reflect on their own spiritual journey ... If ministers are to deliver deep and challenging sermons regularly, congregations will need to provide opportunities for their pastors to get away for extended periods of time dedicated to spiritual development.

2. Church ministry is changing rapidly. Congregations will experience neither numerical growth nor growth in spiritual depth and service unless they move with the changing times and develop fresh ways to reach new and younger generations. Meeting this challenge means ministers must periodically retreat from the congregation to retool or refocus their ministry approaches ... Visiting other congregations that are successfully reaching out to new people can help a pastor glean new insights to bring back to their own congregations. 

3. Without such renewal leave, there is a stronger chance that ministers will, over time, demonstrate the key characteristics of burnout - namely, exhaustion, cynicism, disillusionment, and self-deprecation. Research proves that people in the helping professions tend to burn-out the fastest, in part because the constant intimate involvement with the emotional freight of other people's lives can be draining. Burned-out ministers are much more likely to leave church ministry and seek other employment ... costing a congregation years of progress. Sabbatical leave helps avoid such situations.

4. Another lethal effect of burnout is that it makes a pastor dull, hollow, and uninteresting. Such people are not the best vehicle for bringing the good news to people. Ministerial vitality is the greatest asset in building up a congregation. When church members feel their pastor is exciting and spiritually alive, they can't wait to bring their friends to church ... The paradox of congregational ministry is that pastors are constantly invited to overextend (there is always someone they should have called or something they should have given attention to) but doing so can torpedo the vitality that drives their ministry. Renewal leave can be a powerful antidote to this kind of debilitating burnout.

5. The pastoral role generally involves long, hard hours without weekends off, or even the occasional long weekend. Pastors are rarely afforded the luxury of having two consecutive days off every week that most people enjoy. Every weekend involves a major output of energy on Sunday. For many pastors, Friday and Saturday are often consumed by sermon preparation, wedding rehearsals and weddings, and so forth ... Congregations too often assume that ministers can remain vital and healthy and maintain sound family life with only one day off per week. 

6. We also need to examine the ways in which congregations can become overly dependent upon their ministers. Some feel they could never manage without their pastor for three months ... but they can and they will grow and mature in the process.

In summary, everyone wins when ministers are granted periodic chunks of renewal leave. It is in everyone's long-term best interests. Pastors remain vital and healthy while congregations receive the benefits of engaged, long-term pastorates, new ministry skills, and exciting opportunities for mission.

Oswald suggests a three month sabbatical for every four years ministry, while other churches and denominations grant sabbaticals every seven years or after an even longer time.

P.S. To read about my upcoming sabbatical, click here.

Ministerial Sabbaticals (Pt.1)

Church work is not necessarily more difficult than other work, but it is hard. Staying fresh, alive and creative week after week, year after year, in the midst of the stress, emotion, study, as well as the people and leadership tasks that are required, can be quite a challenge. As a result, a minister's levels of passion, enthusiasm, excitement and vision for the future may not be where they would like them to be or where the church deserves them to be from someone in such an influential role.

Sometimes a tiredness and fatigue settles in that normal holidays don't fix. Pastors and church workers need to heed these kinds of warning signs. To ignore them can lead to burnout, which can be very hard to bounce back from. When you are running near empty and your reserves are low, that's the time to do something about it. One option to consider is a ministerial sabbatical.  

What is a sabbatical?

A ministerial sabbatical is simply a period of rest. However, a sabbatical is much more than holiday. It is rest with a purpose. When people in ministry are depleted, a sabbatical time apart for recovery of spiritual and creative energies can be extremely helpful.

The idea of the Sabbath is rooted in the Old Testament - God resting on the seventh day after six days of work (Gen.2:1-3) and commanding his people to do the same (Ex.16:26. Lev.23:3. Deut.5:13), as well as the command to allow the land to rest every seventh year (Lev.25:1-5).

The sabbatical also has a history with the schools of higher education since the middle ages where an instructor may be granted a leave of absence every seven years so that they can renew their passion for their subject. It is within this context that the ministerial sabbatical was born. Click here to read an insightful article containing more detailed background to the concept of a sabbatical as well as the types of activities that can make up a sabbatical period.

Ministerial sabbaticals are designed to strengthen and develop the pastor’s ability to serve the church. A well-planned sabbatical has been proven to provide a pastor with spiritual renewal, new perspective, further education, as well as renewed passion and vision resulting in a return to ministry with a clearer sense of mission and the renewed energy to work toward accomplishing it.

For those interested in taking a sabbatical, the book Clergy Renewal by the Alban Institute has some very helpful suggestions for sabbatical planning. Also, click here to read an excellent sample Pastoral Sabbatical Program.

If you are a church worker or pastor, is it time for you to consider a sabbatical? Even people in the corporate world can do something similar (check out the book Reboot your Life: Energize Yoru Career and Life by Taking a Break which has a ton of great ideas). 

Some other books I would highly recommend related to this topic are: Mad Church Disease: Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic, Leading on Empty: Refilling Your Tank and Renewing Your Passion and Replenish: Leading from a Healthy Soul.

A sabbatical ... it could save your life, your family, your ministry and your future impact!

NEXT: Read Ministerial Sabbaticals (Pt.2). 

When You're Feeling Overwhelmed by Your Workload

Michael Hyatt has an excellent BLOG packed full of practical advice. Here is part of his recent post on what to do when you're feeling overwhelmed with your workload, which I'm sure we all experience from time totime.

MICHAEL: Here are six things you can do to cope. Trust me, I am preaching to myself!

1. Acknowledge you can’t do it all. The idea that you will eventually get caught up is a myth. It’s impossible. You have more work than you can reasonably expect to get done. And unfortunately, your workload is not static. Even now, while you are reading this post, your inbox is filling up with fresh new tasks.

2. Accept the fact some things won’t get done at all. This flows from the first item. You have to make peace with the fact that you must leave some things undone—for the sake of your own sanity.

3. Practice workload triage. On the battlefield, medics have to decide where to apply their limited resources. They can’t help everyone. According to Dictionary.com, triageis the process of sorting victims, as of a battle or disaster, to determine medical priority in order to increase the number of survivors.”

Some patients will survive without medical care. Some won’t survive even if they have medical care. Triage means ignoring these two groups and focusing on those that will only survive with medical care. You must know which things you can safely ignore and which things demand your intervention.

4. Categorize your tasks by priority. In my view, this is the one thing missing from David Allen’s system. It assumes all tasks are equal. Or to say it another way, you can only decide a task’s relative priority in the moment.This doesn’t work for me. I end up with scores of tasks I must review every day. My eyes glaze over, and I fall prey to what Charles Ummel calls the Tyranny of the Urgent.

Instead, I like the Franklin-Covey method of assigning a priority tag to each task:

A—urgent and important

B—important but not urgent

C—urgent but not important

D—not urgent or important

I personally categorize each task with one of these tags. At the beginning of each day, I focus on my A’s first. If I get those done, I move to the B’s, then the C’s.

The Upside of Discomfort?

Long distance runner, Dean Karnezes, recently said,

"Western culture has things a little backwards right now. We think that if we had every comfort available to us, we’d be happy. We equate comfort with happiness. And now we’re so comfortable we’re miserable. There’s no struggle in our lives. No sense of adventure. We get in a car, we get in an elevator, it all comes easy. What I’ve found is that I’m never more alive than when I’m pushing and I’m in pain, and I’m struggling for high achievement, and in that struggle I think there’s a magic."

Popular blogger, Michael Hyatt, picks this theme up and suggest three insights:

1. Comfort is overrated. It doesn’t lead to happiness. It makes us lazy — and forgetful. It often leads to self-absorption, boredom, and discontent.
2. Discomfort can be a catalyst for growth. It makes us yearn for something more. It forces us to change, stretch, and adapt.
3. Discomfort is often a sign we’re making progress. You’ve heard the expression, “no pain, no gain.” It’s true! When you push yourself to grow, you will experience discomfort.

Yes, we want to be on guard against burnout, but let's not forget the dangers of being too comfortable either.

Food for thought.

Read Michael's full article here.

GROW - Understanding Stages of Faith

This year as a church community we have sensed a need to go deeper and to focus more on our relationship with Jesus and our life as disciples. Our FOCUS for 2011 has been simply: Following Jesus. So far, we have looked at four aspects of following Jesus: SURRENDER, GO, LOVE and DISCOVER. This weekend we began our final teaching series and it is entitled GROW.

Kingdom Growth. God’s kingdom is often described in an organic way and is seen as growing larger and stronger (Mark 4:26-29. Lk.13:18-19). The church is also seen as growing and maturing (Eph.4:15-16). Individual followers of Christ are also called to grow in their relationship to God (Col.1:9-10; 2:6-7). Personal and spiritual growth occurs over a period of time and always involves a process that is very much like a journey. Many people find it helpful to have a roadmap or at least a loose guide for their journey of faith. In their insightful book, The Critical Journey, authors Robert Guelich and Janet Hagberg, propose the following six stages:

Stages in the Life of Faith

1. Recognition of God. This is where we all begin our journey of faith. The experience of faith at this stage is the discovery and recognition of God. It is accepting the fact of the reality of God in our lives. Someone bigger than us really exists and He truly loves us. This may occur in childhood or later in life as adults. For some people this is a very identifiable experience, like a moment in time where everything changes. For others, there is a gradual realisation, with no certainty as to just where or when the experience began. Either way, we simply ‘know’ that God is there. Factors contributing to this experience can be either a sense of awe or a sense of need in our lives.

2. Life of Discipleship. This stage is about learning and belonging. We begin to learn, explore, absorb and put into place our set of beliefs or faith principles. In this stage we learn the most about God by association with others we respect and trust. We are apprentices. We need others because we are relatively unsure and insecure at first in our growth and what we believe. The group also provides a sense of belonging, which helps to alleviate some of our feelings of fear and even inadequacy that accompany the excitement of new learning. The group begins to give us a sense of identity and security. We start to feel at home, with family. We are loved and accepted, despite our struggles. It’s not always easy but we are with our kind of people. We have a sense of security and comfort in our faith.

Reflections on the Parable of the Talents

Jesus came to earth as the long-awaited Messiah to die on the cross for our salvation and for the redemption of humanity. He also came to establish the kingdom of God on the earth, which he saw as beginning small and somewhat unimpressive, like a mustard seed, but eventually blossoming to cover the entire earth. When teaching, Jesus often used indirect forms of communication that appealed to the imagination of people and provoked further thought. As a result, he often left his hearers puzzling and pondering over the implications of his message.

After entering Jerusalem the final time (Mt.21:1-11) and weeping over the city of Jerusalem for their refusal to accept him and his kingdom message (Mt.23:37-39), Jesus gave some final instructions to his disciples for the days ahead of them (24:1–25:46). Through a series of parables, Jesus warned them to be watchful, prepared, faithful and productive during this time. One of these parables was The Parable of the Talents or The Parable of the Three Servants.

The Parable of the Three Servants (Matthew 25:14-30)

This story moves along with a rhythm that creates a sense of expectation. But there is a twist at the end. The decreasing quantities of talents given (a ‘talent’ was a large amount of money) simple serve to build the story to a climax. Surely the one given the least would have the easiest time of all making good use of it. But, no! This third servant is not only severely reprimanded by the master; what he has is taken away and given to another. In many ways this story is a tragedy.

The parable raises many questions. Who is this ‘wicked and lazy servant?’ It is a disciple or not? ^[1] What is Jesus trying to say to his disciples … and to us? Is the end of life like a big final exam? Aren’t we saved by grace not by works? We know that God is loving and kind, but is he also hard and stern at times too? What does the parable tell us about God?

No doubt, the master is this story represents God and the servants represent various types of people and their response and relationship to God. In most parables, Jesus is endeavouring to teach his listeners a number of lessons. Let’s look at a few of them together.

CityLife Church Resources

CityLife Church is committed to resourcing its own congregation and others outside the church in their personal and spiritual growth. To help achieve this, we have a variety of free resources available on our web site.

1. Free audio messages. Most weekend messages from our English-speaking congregations are available by the following Tuesday and there is a large library of messages available from the last few years. Click hear to access this. [One message is available each week via iTunes also - click here]

2. Free sermon summaries and small group discussion questions. These are available for most of our major series of messages and there is a library of notes for quite a few years back now. Click here to access these notes.

3. Free video messages. We launched this just a few weeks ago. One of our weekend messages is available to watch on-line each week. Click here to access this. 

I hope that this will be an encouragement and inspiration to you and your friends.

Spread the news!

A Rabbit on the Swim Team

Once upon a time, the animals decided they would do something meaningful to meet the problems of the new world. So they organized a school. They adopted an activity curriculum of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.

The duck was excellent in swimming; in fact, better than his instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying, and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to drop swimming and stay after school to practice running. This caused his web feet to be badly worn, so that he was only average in swimming. But average was quite acceptable, so nobody worried about that - except the duck.

The rabbit started at the top of his class in running, but developed a nervous twitch in his leg muscles because of so much make-up work in swimming.

The squirrel was excellent in climbing, but he encountered constant frustration in flying class because his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. He developed cramps from overexertion, and so only got a C in climbing and a D in running. 

The eagle was a problem child and was severely disciplined for being non-conformist. In climbing classes he beat all the others to the top of the tree, but insisted on using his own way to get there...

We all know that animals aren't that dumb. But us humans? 

The moral of the story is that each one of us has unique own capabilities. If we DISCOVER and use them, then we will naturally excel. If we don't, we end up trying to be somebody else, which results in frustration, discouragement, guilt, and mediocrity.

Nobody else is exactly like you. Don't compare yourself with others. Be who God has made YOU to be and appreciate others. 

After all, there’s plenty of room in the forest.

DISCOVER!

As a child, I am sure someone asked you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” We each had ideas about what our future might one day become. Sometimes those dreams become reality while at other times our very desires change. However, one thing we all want to be is useful.  None of us want to be useless! Deep inside of us there is a longing to make a contribution and to leave the world a better place than we found it.

God’s Purpose

To understand our purpose, we need to begin with God, not ourselves. God is our Creator (Ps.139:14-16. Col.1:16). Our purpose is not something we decide; it is something we discover. God made everything for a purpose (Prov.16:4). Like in the natural, you could use your life for a variety of purposes but you will be most effective and most joyful when you live for the purpose for which God created you. God knew you even before you were born (Jer.1:5) and he planned you for a purpose, including the very time and place you would live (Acts 17:26).

As followers of Jesus, we have been “saved” and “called” with a holy calling (2 Tim.1:9). We weren’t saved just to go to heaven when we die but also to contribute to God’s purpose on the earth right here during our lifetime. Although we are not saved by our own works, we were created to do certain “good works” that God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph.2:8-10). We are God’s masterpiece – or work of art  - and he is committed to finishing the work he has begun in our lives (Phil.1:6).

In many ways, you were born pre-packaged. God looked at your entire life, determined your assignment, and gave you the tools to do the job. What has God put in your suitcase? Have you taken time to discover what he has already invested in you? God has fully equipped you for your unique purpose. The apostle Paul tells us, “Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants (Eph.5:17. MB)” then, “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that (Gal.6:4. MB).”

An Excellent Study Opportunity in Australia

I am commited to life-long learning and have thoroughly enjoyed the formal studies I have done over the years (an MA in Theology with Ridley College and a Doctor of Ministry degree with Fuller Theological Seminary). 

There are many excellent training colleges in Australia including the Australian College of Ministries (ACOM) has a partnership with Fuller Theological Seminary where students can do the course while staying in Australia with only one two-week trip to the USA.  Students then learn in the context of their own ministry, with course work from the likes of Dallas Willard, Arch Hart, Mark Conner, Keith Farmer, Kim Zovak, Richard Blackaby and many more. This is a fantastic program that practically equips Christian leaders to wrestle well with issues of leadership, culture and mission, all with a strong theological foundation.

Upcoming classes in Australia include:

     2011

     Empowering Leaders through Coaching, Kim Zovak, October 24-28th

     2012

     Homiletic Development, Allan Demond, March 19-23rd

     Spiritual Leadership, Richard Blackaby, August 13-17th

     Character Shaped Leadership, Keith Farmer October 2-4th

     The Dynamics of Leading a Contemporary Church, Mark Conner, October 23-25th

Plus the National Youth Ministry Convention, Hillsong and Willow Creek Global Leadership Summits can all be used for independent units.

Please note, that if you would like to enrol in the class “Homiletic Development” March 19-23, 2012, you would need to have completed your D Min course application by Aug 10, 2010.

To discover more about this course, please visit the ACOM website here or contact Stephen Parker on 1800 672 692 or sparker@acom.edu.au. 

Feeling the Weight of it All

In 2007, the World Health Organisation (WHO) found that 67.4% of Australian adults are overweight. Obesity is becoming as great a threat to health worldwide as hunger.

When you are overweight, you tax your body and vital organs. The strain tires you out and causes fatigue. Feeling overweight can also be emotionally depressing. 

Over the last six months or so, I have managed to lose 10 kilograms. It was hard work ... but I feel so much better and have so much more energy. As I was carrying in the groceries the other day, Nicole pointed out that the bag of oranges I was carrying was 3 kilograms. I was shocked to realize that I had been carrying around the equivalent to 3 of these bags every day. No wonder I was more tired then.  

Losing weight starts with a decision of the will (what you tolerate you will never change) but it takes much more than that. Willpower alone is not enough to change strong ingrained habits.

Human energy expert, Tony Schwarz says, “Will and discipline are wildly over-rated. Even when the need for change is obvious and our intentions are strong, we often fall short. Making change that lasts requires building positive rituals – highly specific behaviours that become automatic over time and no longer require conscious attention ... We are creatures of habit. 98% of our behaviour occur automatically, unconsciously or in reaction to an eternal demand … resistance to making change is built into the process, and long-term success requires addressing the reasons we don’t want to make any given change.” [This quote and some of the statistics and tips below are from his recent book Change Anything]

• 98% of people fail to keep resolutions to change their bad habits. 
• Americans spent forty billion dollars a year on diets, but 19 out of 20 people lose nothing but their money.
• Only 1 in 20 dieters with a history of obesity are able to lose weight and keep it off for 1 or more years.
• A group of Stanford scholars examined the four most popular weight-loss programs in the USA to see what works and what doesn’t. They discovered that ALL of the programs worked, IF people used them … but people rarely used them. ALL popular diets work  - but only for people who stick with them, and pretty much nobody does. ANY approach that causes you to eat less and exercise more will lead to weight loss and improved fitness. They work only if you keep them up.

We need some practical strategies. Here are a few that I have found helpful:

Solving the Personal Energy Crisis (Pt.4)

3. Renewing Your Spiritual Energy.

Physical health and emotional health are both vital. However, spiritual health is probably the most important and it can have a positive affect on our every area of our life. The Gospel writers tell us that Jesus was "full" of the Spirit (Luke 4:1)!

How do we increase our spiritual energy? Let’s look at a few of the most important practices

a. Meditate on God’s Word.

The words that God speaks are like food to our spirit. While Jesus was fasting for a period of 40 days, the devil tempted him to turn stones into bread to satisfy his natural hunger. His answer? “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God (Matt.4:4).” God speaking to you is like life and energy to your spirit. Establish a practice of feeding on God’s Word daily, asking God to speak to you by His Spirit. You can even get the Bible on audio now and listen as someone else reads it to you, if that is helpful. The main thing is to ask God to speak to you by his Spirit. 

b.  Pray in the Spirit.

Jesus, the Son of God, came to serve and give his life for others. Yet one of his habits was to regularly pull aside from the crowds of people and from the busyness of ministry to spend time alone with his Father. Jesus knew what it was to work hard but he also knew what it was to stop working and get aside with his Father (Lk.5:15-16). If anyone  could have avoided prayer and just kept going without ever getting to empty, it was Jesus. Surely he could have just kept going, talking to himself now and then – after all, he was God! But, NO – he stopped, he left the hustle and bustle of all the people around him, and he found a place where he could be alone and talk with his Father. If Jesus needed this, how much more do you and I!

Often when we’re starting to burnout, it can be linked back to a drift in our time alone with God. Like Martha, we’ve become so busy working for God or doing life that we have neglected our time just sitting and being with Jesus like Mary did (see Luke 10:38-42).

Prayer is not a formula or a ritual but rather it is a conversation with a relational God. Talk to him about your life and His will. The very acting of speaking with God through prayer has energising power to it, especially when our prayer is prompted by the Holy Spirit who lives within us (Rom.8:26-28).

Solving the Personal Energy Crisis (Pt.3)

2. Renewing Your Emotional Energy

Physical health is very important as is renewing our physical energy. However, just as important is what is happening in our inner world. Unfortunately, this is often one of the most neglected areas of our lives.

Our SOUL is made up of our MIND (our thoughts), our WILL (our decisions) and our EMOTIONS (our feelings). Generally speaking, most people don’t invest time in the health of their soul. Our ‘emotional gauges’ are often the ones we least observe. Those with leadership responsibility are often the ones who are most vulnerable, because they can become so busy looking after others that they neglect their own “soul care.”

How do we increase our emotional energy? There are many things. Let’s look at a few of the most important.

a. Deal with your internal stress.

Every one of us faces certain external stresses unique to our own life. For those of us in who work in a church environment, the work is never done, there are no boundaries, success creates more pressure, not everyone likes you, and sometimes you face the pressures of high visibility. But of greater danger is what we could call "internal stress." Internal stress comes from unrealistic expectations (about God, other people and ourselves, often resulting in disappointment), unresolved offences and negative emotions.

Do you best, with God's help to keep your internal stress as low as possible so you have all the energy you need to keep up with the demands of life, that are often beyond your control. Resolve conflicts as quickly as possible. Confront problems and issues – they usually don’t goo away; in fact, they get bigger. Renew your mind - often it's not what's happening to us that is the major issue but what we are thinking about it. Talk with someone - a safe person who can assist you to process what is happening in your inner world (James 5:16).

Solving the Personal Energy Crisis (Pt.2)

1. Renewing our Physical Energy

How do we increase our physical energy? God made our physical bodies – one of the most amazing of his creations. It has been designed for optimum performance IF we look after it and ensure that we take time to renew our physical energy on a regular basis.

When we are sick or unhealthy it is hard to have the energy we need to do what God has called us to. That’s why looking after our physical health must be a priority for us.

Jesus also, in all his busyness of ministry, took time to look after his physical health. Jesus, though completely God, was fully human. He experienced our physical limitations and he had to look after his physical body. This meant adequate sleep, healthy eating and proper exercise.

a. Get a good night’s sleep

Jesus got adequate sleep. When he was tired, he rested. He even took a power nap from time to time. Interestingly, in the Hebrew worldview, the day starts in the evening – “the evening and the morning were the first day.” God intends for us to rest and sleep in order to fill our energy for the coming day of work. We are to work from a place of rest and fullness of energy.

Human energy expert, Tony Schwartz says this, “Sleep is the foundation of physical energy. No single behaviour more fundamentally influences our effectiveness in waking life. Sleep deprivation takes a powerful toll on our health, our emotional well being, and our cognitive functioning … 95% of us require 7-8 hours of sleep a night to be fully rested yet the average person sleeps 6-6.5 hours per night … Sleep is one of the first behaviours we’re willing to sacrifice in order to attempt to get more done. However, numerous studies of great performers suggest that they sleep more not less, than average.” 

We need all the sleep we can get. In the old days, people used to go to bed when the sun went down and get up when the sun rises. We do damage when we try to burn the candle both ends of the day. Get a good comfortable mattress, create a dark quiet room, wind down a bit (30-45 minutes) and don’t get to bed too late. What a difference that can make …

Solving the Personal Energy Crisis (Pt.1)

It's half way through the year. How is life going for you? 

A few weeks back I came across this statement from the apostle Paul in one of his prayers ...

Oh, the utter extravagance of God’s work in us who trust him — endless energy, boundless strength! All this energy issues from Christ. [Eph.1:19-20. Message Bible] 

What an amazing promise for us! God has “endless energy and boundless strength” that he wants to impart to us. This is confirmed all through the biblical writings (Ps.23. Is.40:28-31. Matt.11:28-30).Yes, God has a purpose and a plan for each one of our lives – a contribution He wants each of us to make to his work in the world. But, God also wants each of us to have all the energy and strength that we need to live out the calling he has for us.

Maybe you're feeling full of God's energy and strength right now or maybe you're not. Maybe you are only half full - conserving your energy a bit by pacing yourself so you don’t run out. Or possible you are even running on empty - feeling tired, drained, worn out, exhausted, overwhelming or even on the verge of burnout.

Let’s face it: the pace of life is increasing. The expectations we put on ourselves and that other people put on us are being lifted all the time. Many of us live with a relentless urgency. Some workplaces are trying to get more done with less people (because of layoffs). Life’s challenges are becoming more complex, and the problems just don’t seem to go away. Many of us live with very little ‘margin’ in our lives and it doesn’t take much to push us over the edge. Most of us expend more energy than we adequately renew. People talk today about a “global energy crisis.” I’d like to suggest that in our generation we are facing a “personal energy crisis” – and, yes, it’s taxing us!

What about you? 

Some Productivity Insights

A recent article in the Harvard Business Review (May 2011) unpacked the idea of Being More Productive.They interviewed two leading experts, David Allen and Tony Schwartz, to discuss whether the secret to effectiveness is the right system or the right state of mind. Here are a few of their insights:

From David Allen, best-selling author of Getting Things Done:

• Your head is for having ideas, not holding them. Dumping everything out into a list can have a significant effect. Uncover the strategic value of clear space.
• Achieve freedom by taking immediate, concrete steps: down-load all your commitments and projects into lists, focus on "next actions," and think about the context in which the work needs to be done (office, phone or computer). You don't need to change who you are. You just need some simply but very powerful techniques. 
• Think about things once. Capture, clarify, organise and build in a regular review system that you trust. 
• Only do one thing at a time. Multi-tasking is over-rated and ineffective. 

From Tony Schwartz, best-selling author of The Power of Full Engagement:

• Effectiveness is about managing energy more skilfully in order to get more work done in less time. That requires a new way of working - one that balances periods of high focus and intermittent renewal. 
• Consider your energy levels in four areas: physical, emotional mental and spiritual. Develop a life rhythm of spending energy then renewing it. Work intensely for 90 minutes then have a break to recover. 
• Create positive rituals or deliberate practices that will help you break out of your bad habits and addictions. 
• Leaders need to be the "Chief Energy Officer" of their work team. Mobilise, focus, direct, inspire and regularly recharge those who you lead. Do your best to ensure that your people have full tanks of energy. 
• Do your most important task first thing in the morning, when you are most rested and least distracted. 

How's your productivity? What could you do or change to be more effective beginning today?

For further thoughts on this and related topics, see these previous BLOG posts: Time Management, Time Traps, Organise, Simplify and How to Say No Without Feeling Guilty.

Renewing Your Energy

At our staff prayer meeting last week, I shared a few thoughts about ENERGY.

In Psalm 23, we learn that God desires to "renew our strength" or "restore our soul." 

Energy is one of our most valuable resources (not just 'time'). When someone brings 'energy' to a meeting, appointment or interaction, what does it look like? We agreed that it includes creativity, enthusiasm, attentiveness, focus, ideas and future movement. When someone lacks 'energy' it shows through things such as apathy, tiredness, and disinterest.

Energy is a resource that needs constant renewing, due to continual depletion, just like petrol in our cars. We need to create a balance of activity and rest in our lives and ministries.

How do you renew your energy? What things help you to refuel? Make sure that you engage in these on a regular basis so that you can bring all the energy you need to your ministry times.

Energy renewal is not automatic nor does it always involve a supernatural 'zap.' We benefit tremendously from engaging in regular habits of energy renewal (such as prayer, the Scriptures, solitude, fun, laughter, sleep, recreation, exercise, etc) and sometimes we simply have to choose to BE energetic, with feelings often following our choices.

I trust you have an enjoyable and energetic day!

Remember Your Death

The following is a transcript of part of a speech by Steve Jobs at the Stanford University Commencement in 2005 (click here for the full text). As Moses said, may God teach us to number our days rightly so we may present to him a heart of wisdom (Ps.90:12).

Steve Jobs

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer ... The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months ... Later that evening I had a biopsy ... I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept: No one wants to die.

Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away.

Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life ...

The Importance of A Life Plan

The first quarter of the year is history. Easter will soon be upon us and time continues to move forward, whether we like it or not. I am enjoying still being FORTY --- nine ... but not for long. I turn 50 in October this year. In fact, many of my friends have turned 50 recently. I hear that 50 is the new 40, so I am counting on that! Life does seem to go faster as you get older but maybe that's because more and more of your life is behind you rather than in front of you. 

Moses lived to the ripe old age of 120 yet he still prayed, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Ps.90:12. NIV)." None of us knows the future nor can we predict where our life will go. However, we know that God has plans for our lives (Jer.29:11) and if we take time to pray and reflect, we can discover ... them then live them out. 

Unfortunately, many people spend more time planning their next holiday or house renovation than they do planning their life. I have personally benefited from investing regular time into thinking about my life, about God's calling, about my future, as well as about my personal and ministry development. I enjoy reading books and reflecting on life leadership. [I have made numerous posts about this subject which you can view under the 'Personal Development' category available on the right side of this BLOG]

Recently, I came across a succinct tool called "Creating Your Personal Life Plan" by Michael Hyatt, the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers in the USA. You can acquire a copy of it here and I highly recommend you do so. Set aside some time to follow the process and steps that he outlines. I think that your life will be richer for the investment. After all, you only have one life to live ... and the clock is ticking ... so make it the best life you can ... for the advancement of God's cause on the earth and to the glory of God. 

Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Pt.9)

Putting it all Together

Progress is step by step. One grade at a time. One town at a time. You never just arrive - you must take the journey. It's part of the process and just as important as the destination. Go for consistency - doing well for the long haul. Not just quick bursts of enthusiasm. Growth takes time and continued effort.

If we are faithful with what we have (looking after it well), God will give us more. Are you ruling well over the little you have? Are you faithful with what you've got? Looking for more without dealing well with what you've got is immaturity. God looks at how well we handle what we have to determine what we can receive (read Luke 12:48). God rewards faithfulness. Note Jesus' parables - "Well done, good and faithful servant.”

To the unsuccessful person, time doesn’t matter. Life moves according to chance. What comes, comes. What doesn’t, doesn’t. To the successful person, time is not to be wasted. Time gives motivation for setting goals, planning carefully and setting priorities.

Moses saw the need for using time wisely. 

Ps 90:12. So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. NKJV 

How many days do you have left? Take some time to ponder this …

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening it deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. 

What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!!! 

Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME.

Every morning, it credits us with 86,400 seconds.

Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose.

It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.

Each day it opens a new account for you.

Each night it burns the remains of the day.

If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours.

There is no going back.

There is no drawing against “tomorrow.”

You must live in the present on today’s deposits.

Invest it so as to get from it the utmost.

The clock is running.

Make the most of today.

Conclusion

God’s gift to you is your potential. Your gift back to Him is what you do with it (see Matt.25:14-30). Get ready for another cycle of the seasons. Start thinking about your next harvest. When you see the returns of your labour, you want to start dreaming again and the cycle of the seasons commences once again. Move to an even greater harvest and more diverse crops. Become a better farmer. May you live a fruitful life that brings honour and glory to God! 

Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Pt.8)

Season #4 – Autumn (or Fall) 

Autumn is a time for harvest. This is when the crops are brought in. It is a time for celebration, satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. [Of course, different crops are harvested at different seasons throughout the year, but for our purposes we are focusing on Autumn representing harvest time] 

For some people, autumn is a time for dreading another winter, for watching the trees lose their leaves and feeling a sense of loss, and the passing of time. It can be a time for wishing things might have been different. Autumn can bring in a harvest of regret.

For others, autumn is a time for reaping the rewards of sowing in earlier seasons. It is the season for enjoying the fullness of life – partaking of the harvest, sharing it with others, and reinvesting and saving portions of the harvest for yet another season of growth. It is a time for feeling a sense of accomplishment, for recognising that life must be enjoyed to be lived.

Autumn is also a season of reflection and change. It is a time of great beauty and colour.

Autumn is a time for harvesting. What you sow, you will reap if you don’t give up! If it’s God’s dream and the seed is His, it will produce a harvest. God’s Word will not return to him empty (Isaiah 55:10-11). He is a promise-keeping, covenant-keeping God. If we do our part, He will surely do His. In His time he makes all things beautiful (Ecc.3:11). We plough the ground, plant, sow and water the seed, but God makes it grow. Our harvest could be a growth in character, relationships, ministry fruitfulness, or financial blessing. 

Autumn is a time for rejoicing. It is to celebrate the goodness and the faithfulness of God. Do this at the end of each season and along the way on a daily basis. God rejoiced daily as He was creating the world. Enjoy the process, not just the end result. Get rid of “destination disease” (“Someday …”). Draw maximum joy from each moment. Enjoy the journey. Joy is knowing you have a purpose for being alive and that you are fulfilling it. 

Autumn is also a time for sharing. The harvest needs to be allocated wisely. Some is to be given away - to God (our first fruits) and others. God gives seed to the sower (not to everyone!). God can only bless the seed you sow, not the seed you eat or hold on to. Don’t eat your seed for sowing. Give honour and glory to God. Give thanks and appreciation to those who have helped you along the way. No one “makes it” alone. Applaud your friends and partners. Acknowledge those who have sown seeds into your life. Your reward is to be shared with them.

There is also a portion to enjoy now. Eat the fruit of your labours and rejoice. You always benefit from the harvest God brings into your life. There are portions to save and to reinvest.

Enjoy your harvest season!

Tomorrow ... a few final thoughts. 

Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Pt.7)

Season #3 - Summer 

In many ways, most summers are marked by long, hot, tedious days. Many people endure summer but do not enjoy it. It is easy to simply mark time, walking through one long day to the next, seeking relief and relaxing during the holidays. For the farmer, summer is a season for watering the seeds that have been planted and for fertilising. Growth begins to take place. Feedback and evaluation are essential, along with appropriate adjustments. Weeds and pests need attention too. 

This applies directly to our personal lives. No dream is achieved without a long hot summer of hard work and maximum effort.

Summer is the time to really put in the work. Work has no substitute. It is the prime ingredient for success and God’s blessing. Summer is the time for working not watching, doing not dozing.

God is a worker! He worked for six days (on His creation project), then rested from his work on the seventh day (Gen.2:2-3). God created man to work. After all, we were created in His image. Work is not a part of the curse! Before the fall, humans were to tend and keep the garden God had made, as well as name the animals (Gen. 2:5,15, 20). After the fall, humans were  to continue to work the ground but with the added curse of thorns and thistles, as well as the sweat of human effort (Gen. 3:19,23). Work can bring frustration apart from God and His purpose (see Ecc.4:4). The Old Testament praises hard work, while it condemns and ridicules laziness. Daily hard work leads to long-term profit (1 Thess. 4:11-12. 2 Thess. 3:6-14). Work is part of our God-given purpose - doing some useful task or being involved in a profitable occupation.

Summer is also a time for evaluation. A good farmer monitors his field. What does it need? How is it growing? Are predators or harmful insects invading? Are the plants healthy? When should I water next? What fertiliser will help?

New Year's Resolutions

We are already one week into the new year - 2011. Did you make any new year's resolutions?

ABC NEWS ran a story explaining why many people fail to keep their resolutions. The Barna Group recently conducted an extensive research project about Americans and their new year's resolutions. Read the full report here. It explains who makes resolutions, how many keep them, and the kinds of things people resolve to do and change.

I think that any type of resolution is a good thing - if it leads to positive change. After all, we reap what we sow and our decisions, not our conditions, determine our future. Lasting change requires commitment and character - which is the ability to follow through a decision, long after the emotion in which the decision was made has padded. 

Of course, as followers of Christ, we understand that we rely on God's strength and grace. I like what the apostle Paul said: "I can do all things (that's confidence!) ... through Christ who strengthens me (that's dependence!).

I pray that this year is a fruitful one for you - and that you live of life of progress, going from strength to strength in your journey with God.   

Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Pt.6)

Spring is a Season to Stop Procrastinating

The book of Exodus records the intriguing encounter of Moses with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. The entire land was filled with frogs and Pharaoh had had enough. He asked Moses to get rid of the frogs. Moses gave Pharaoh the option for determining the time for the frogs to be gone. Pharaoh replied, “Tomorrow." He was willing to spend one more night with those frogs!

Ex.8:8-10. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.” Moses said to Pharaoh, “I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile.” “Tomorrow,” Pharaoh said. Moses replied, “It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the LORD our God. The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials and your people; they will remain only in the Nile.” 

One of our greatest enemies and biggest time wasters is the habit of procrastination. We tend to put off until “tomorrow” those difficult tasks or problems we may be facing. By conquering the procrastination habit, we can use our time more effectively. In fact you might even “Steal One Hour a Day”. This idea comes from Chuck Swindoll, an incredibly busy seminary president and popular speaker. He states that no matter how busy we are, all of us are capable of "stealing" one hour each day. You can do it by getting up a little earlier, taking a shorter lunch, working an extra hour at home after the kids are in bed, etc. This habit will give you 260 extra work hours a year -- in other words, six weeks!

What kind of things do you tend to procrastinate? Why? What will you do about it TODAY? Don’t Delay – Do it TODAY! Some people are convinced that procrastination is just part of their personality. But Dr. Don Carruth, a management professor at East Texas State University, disagrees. "Procrastination is simply a bad habit," he says. "It can be corrected by substituting a good habit -- the habit of action." To replace your current work method with one that is more effective -- and much less stressful – take the following steps:

Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Pt.5)

Season #2 - Spring

After a long winter, you wonder if things will ever change. The first day of spring is a wonderful time – flowers and colors appear, birds sing, clouds clear, gentle breezes blow and the sun begins to shine. It is a time of refreshing and encouraging renewal. New life emerges.

For some, Spring is a time for daydreams, play and an escape from reality. For the farmer, Spring is a time for ploughing and planting. The winter’s plans give impetus to responsibility, motivation and enthusiastic activity. It’s time to get to work to make those God-given dreams a reality. Break ground. Plant some seeds for a future harvest. Focus your motivation into action.

Effective people not only have dreams, goals and plans. They are willing to work hard and to take responsibility for turning their plans into energy, perspiration and effort. They don’t sit back and wait for someone else to turn their plan into action. They take charge of executing their own plan. You have to take responsibility for your own harvest. Others can help, but you are responsible for what you eventually reap.

We are called to be "doers" of God’s word and of God’s will. God desires us to be people of action. After all, a vision or a dream becomes effective only when it is translated into action. We need a balanced perspective between God's sovereignty and human responsibility. God works, but we must work too (Phil. 2:12-13). God will not do it all for us. Things don't just happen as we sit around. On the other hand, we can't accomplish God's will just through our own effort alone. There is a balance. We must live one day at a time, yet we must live with the future in mind.

Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Pt.4)

After dreaming, the farmer begins to formulate a plan for his work in the soon coming season of spring. Without a plan and goals, dreams remain abstract and we coast along without any sense of progress of achievement. 

God is the great time manager. He is also a great planner and goal setter. He has a plan, a design and a purpose He is working to accomplish. He established this before the world began.

Most people spend more time planning their holidays or a party than they do their life. Plan your year and your use of time wisely. Think ahead. Look beyond today and your next step. Think about how you’ll achieve your dreams.

The New Year is filled with potential. Will you look back on 2011 and see 12 months of worthwhile goals accomplished, fulfilling activities completed and time well managed? Or will your year be one of busyness, clutter, and fractured focus? Focus your time and energy on God’s will for your life.

Ephesians 5:15-17. Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

According to the apostle Paul, the wise person:

• Understands what God’s will is (a dream and a vision).
• Makes the most of opportunities.
• Uses their time wisely (a goal and a plan).

You have one life to live. There are 100’s of things you could do with your life but you only have time for so much. Every person has exactly 168 hours in each week and so many hours and minutes per day. Scientists can’t invent more minutes. The rich can’t buy more hours.

What is your priority? What were you made for?

Tomorrow ... Spring.

Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Pt.3)

Season #1 - Winter 

In the natural, the winter season is a time of cold, rain and frost. It's a time to be inside keeping warm. It’s wet, cold and windy outside. In many parts of the world, winter is accompanied by snow and ice.

We can also go through personal seasons of winter. Everything feels cold and grey. The sun isn't shining and we feel no warmth. God may seem a long ways away. Everything seems barren. Nothing is growing. 

What do we do in winter? Do we just hibernate and hope for sunnier days? I would like to suggest that winter can be a time for dreaming and planning. 

During winter, the farmer begins to think about the coming change of seasons – a time to plant again for a future harvest. He sees or imagines in his mind’s eye what the next harvest will look like – the kind of seed he’ll plant and the size of the return. He sees it all before it actually happens and he begins to prepare for it. He thinks of the possibilities and the opportunities ahead, not the problems and the disasters that might come.

In the same way, we need to allow the Holy Spirit within us to impart a fresh sense of purpose and direction for our life. Without a revelation from God, we live unmotivated and undisciplined lives (Prov.29:18). One of the signs of the Spirit's work is the prophetic impartation of visions and dreams (Acts 2:17) ... and let's never forget that God is "... able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (dream of), according to his power that is at work within us."

Everything begins with a dream – within our heart and mind. It is first conceived in the spiritual realm then it becomes a reality in the natural realm. A dream is a mental picture or vision of a future reality imparted by God. A true dream from God is more than a simple wish, a whim or a daydream.

Unfortunately, we can tend to see more problems than possibilities. We need to re-evaluate our opportunities. We need to dare to dream again. Opportunity blindness happens when we see each assignment as a stepping stone. Opportunities we hope to find in another place often already exist where we are now. Your current post has a wealth of potential. Be creative. Use your imagination and be committed to the future. Break new ground. Turn opportunities into achievements.

A person never achieves more than their dreams. Every significant achievement or ministry started as someone’s dream. Many Christians have stopped singing and quit dreaming. God wants to renew your ability to imagine, hope, anticipate and dream. Hope shapes the direction of our lives. All things are possible with God. When you have a dream, everyone around you benefits.

Martin Luther King’s famous speech began with the powerful statement, “I have a dream.” What's your dream? Ask God how He wants things to be rather than simply accepting the situation as inevitable. We see things the way they are and they way they used to be. God sees things the way they are and the way they could be.

Recognize the potential God sees in your situation right now. See it from God’s perspective. Get a new grip on your life. Seek for a fresh anointing and a new perspective. Sometimes we’re looking for new places rather than seeing through new eyes and dreaming new dreams right where we are. Unpack your bags, stop longing for greener pastures and assume responsibility for your where you are right now. Cultivate your field - even the richest soil has to be tilled faithfully and frequently. Many apparently unattractive and overgrown fields are rich in opportunity beyond our wildest imagination. A bumper crops awaits the person who cultivates the land and plants God’s seed. Deserts can bloom. Barren fields can produce.

Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Pt.2)

God has created principles, laws and systems by which the world runs. There are natural laws and spiritual laws. These are not formulas. They are principles that have general application in all cultures, times and situations (always with exceptions). They exist whether we know about them or not or whether we believe them or not. They are very real and they are unbreakable. If we work with them rather than against them, we will know the blessing of God.

The Principle of Seasons 

In nature, God changes the seasons four times each year (about every 3 months) on a recurring basis without fail – the colors change as does the temperature and the feel in the air (see Gen.1;14; 8:22. Psalm 74:17. Song 2:11). If you live in Melbourne, Australia, like I do, you frequently have the pleasure of experiencing the four seasons in one day. We often say to visitors, "If you don't like the weather ... wait an hour (or look out a different window)!"

God also uses the principle of seasons in the growth and development of our personal lives. There are “spiritual seasons” or “life cycles” we all experience throughout life. In fact our life is also made up of multiple seasons. There is variety, with peaks and valleys, change and colour. But the seasons all have a purpose – to bring about change and growth in our lives for the pleasure of God and the benefit of others.

Ps 1:3. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. (NIV)

Ecc.3:1. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. (NIV)

Dan 2:21. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. (NIV)

Gal 6:9. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time (in the right season) we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.