Preparations

How much energy do you spend getting ready for the Christmas holiday?

The list includes (but is not limited to): decorations, food, gifts, cards, vacations, family, housework, wardrobe, traditions, that little sign that says, "He's the Reason for the Season."  There's so much to do.

I guess what I'm wondering is, how much energy and planning do I give to my relationship with the One I am celebrating on the 25th?

Events require energy, and I'm not saying that's bad.  I'm just thinking about how I turn my world upside down for events and have a hard time finding the energy to invest in my walk with God.

If I were to have lunch with you and ask you, "What 5 things you're doing to be ready for Christmas?" how quickly could you spill them out?  If I were to have lunch with you and ask you, "What are 5 things you're doing right now to grow in the Lord?" how would you respond?

In fact, I'll just ask it - "What are 5 things you're doing right now to grow in the Lord?"

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Dave

Listening

"Lord, I've tried to listen for you this week.  Sometimes I remembered to remember and sometimes I forgot to remember.  My days are kind of like that.

I heard you through the voice of a broken person that didn't know what to do.  You pull a soul close to you through the storm but, it's hard to feel your hands when it seems like we're sinking.  We stood in faith that you were there.

I heard you in the soft whisper as I listened to your Word as I went for a walk.  You surgically extracted a few words and sowed them into a gap in my spirit.  I like when you anoint old words and find new ways apply them to me.

I heard you when I went for a drive and turned the music off so we could have a quite ride together.

I heard you when I had meetings to go to that were hard.  During them you reminded me of how blessed I am and how much I love the church I attend.  I drove back to my town thankful.

I heard you when I dangled my feet over the cliff called Overwhelmed.  You called me away from the cliff and gave me freedom and empowerment.  Freedom to not go beyond my filling and empowerment to use my filling up.

I heard you in the celebration of good news from a doctor.

I heard you when you provided enough at just the right time.

I heard you when I read.

And in between all those times I knew you were there even if I was to busy to include you on purpose.

Lord, I have a lot of friends who need to hear from you too.  Thanks for talking with them.  Thanks for drawing them a little closer this week so that they can hear you anew this weekend.  Thanks for not giving up on us when we're too distracted to hear you.  Thanks for being with the ones that can't hear you yet, and the ones who are too afraid to listen.  Thanks for your voice.

Listening,

Servant Dave    

Ministry Lessons part 2

Last month I started to address lessons from 25ish years of ministry.  I did a “part one” but remembered I didn’t give you the second half. 

Reminder from last month:
1. People are different.  There’s no room for a “one-size-fits-all” ministry.
2. It’s not mine.  I participate in the call, I don’t own it.
3. I’m not an island.  Healthy relationships are crucial.
4. What matters needs to matter.  Too much energy is give to what doesn’t really matter.
5.  Learning never stops.  I still feel like a rookie.

The rest:
6. Baggage doesn’t eliminate me 
The past haunts people in the pews and people in the pulpit.  When I read through the Bible and scan through history there is an interesting pattern of God using broken people with a lot of baggage.  God doesn’t count someone out who has baggage, but He won’t let us pretend we don’t have it or treat it as if it’s no big deal.  

7. It’s a lot easier without baggage 
I so rejoice in the choices I could have made and didn’t.  It’s a lot easier to not pick baggage up than it is to put it down.  Choices matter.  The choices I’m making right now could be tomorrow’s baggage or today’s victory.  We can choose to live in such a way that stops baggage from accumulating.     

8. Humility counts
There’s way too much “meism” in ministry.  It’s my vision.  I am the leader.  I call the shots.  I deserve….  Arrogance doesn’t stop being a sin when you’re in ministry.  In fact, it’s uglier in ministry.  The voice of authority and the voice arrogance will not sing a duet.  God gives one and sin gives the other.  One builds on a rock, the other builds on sand.  Humility counts.    

9. The issue is fruit 
You can be so talented and gifted that it leaks out of your ears, but the issue to God is fruit.  A right heart will be used by God to produce right fruit.  The church of America does entirely too much whining about the culture and not enough ministering to the culture.  Both actions produce fruit, it’s just that one of them produces rotten fruit.  Finish this sentence, “To God the obvious fruit of my life/ministry is___________.”  

10.  The Word
I am a student of the Word of God.  Not just my favorite sections that speak to my hot spots - all of it.  The story of the message of Christ involves all of the Word, and so should my own story.  People don’t need me, they need the God who is writing my story and longs for them to see His role in theirs.  For me looking to the Word with fresh eyes and open ears is two steps beyond crucial.  

Still Learning,

Pastor Dave