Author: admin_dftv_dms

Windshield Wipers on the Roof?

I had occasion to be sitting in Washington Dulles Airport this past week in the middle of a snowstorm. Just before take-off we taxied over to get de-iced. As I was looking outside toward this unique rig they were using, I noticed the truck, which had a guy suspended above it in a bucket with a hose, had a big glass window in the roof with big windshield wipers. And it dawned on me. How odd. I never really thought about clearing the way of things that obstruct the roof.

Windshield wipers on the windshield make sense because I always need to see where I am going. Here’s what this seemed to say to me. We oftentimes look around us to see where we’re going. Too much of the time, we are confused and not really certain. Psychologists then tell us to look within us, and we’re confused to see the way. But how many times in a single day do we choose to look up above us, to look through the clear ceiling to what God may have to say?

When we look up, we get divine wisdom. When we look within, we get old, recycled feelings, hurts and emotions. When we look out, we get dazed and confused. If you don’t look up very often and the weather’s been bad, maybe the way is obscured. Maybe the windshield wipers on the roof aren’t a bad idea after all.

Maybe what you need to do today is turn them on. Clear away whatever is obstructing your vision from above. Maybe it’s divine wisdom that you need, divine guidance that you seek.

Every single day when I get up I do two things.

1. I submit my life to God’s devastating love, a love far greater than anything I can ever imagine. I know that God loves me and He loves this day and He put us together for a purpose. What ever happens to me will get to me through His love.

2. I also surrender to His divine providence, which means God has a way of doing things in His own time, and that timing is perfect. All of us know that a good thing can be a bad thing if done at the wrong time. Ask any guy who has bought his wife roses the day after their anniversary. The right thing, in the right place, at the right time is a God-thing and that’s called providence.

If you haven’t looked up for a while, or if you’ve looked up and the way is obscure, turn on those windshield wipers. They’re there. And clear away whatever is obstructing your view of a God who already has His face turned toward you.

How Do You Define a Winner?

Everyone I know wants to be a winner, but not everyone is. In order to define what a winner is, I think we also have to define what a loser is. A loser is a person who succeeds in everyway that doesn’t matter. Think about it.

We live in a day in time when we have more than ever before. We work more, we go more, we vacation more, we own larger homes, we’re in greater debt, and we have more technology at our disposal. But somehow we feel something is terribly wrong.

Something’s missing because winning at life is not just about getting more toys, or having the best score at the end of the game. There’s more to winning than that. As a matter of fact, Jesus said that someone who gains the whole world and loses his soul is the ultimate loser.

So what is a winner? Let me suggest this definition. It certainly helps me. A winner is someone who gives what he loves and cannot keep for something he loves more and cannot lose.

That’s exactly what Jesus did. He gave what He loved – His life; something He could not keep, for something He loved more – me and you. And because of His redemption, because of His sacrifice, He will never lose us. As a matter of fact we can never be lost because we are His. And because of His sacrifice, He is building a Kingdom. God’s will is being done on the earth. Redemption is moving forward; the revolution that is the good news of Jesus Christ that’s converting the human heart all over the world.

Jesus is the ultimate example of a winner. And that example can be summed up in one word – sacrifice. To sacrifice is to give what you love and cannot keep for something you love more and cannot lose. That makes sacrifice a positive thing.

Winners know how to sacrifice. Losers make life all about them. That’s why they lose.

7 Reasons We Live Upside-Down

If you take following Jesus Christ seriously, you’re going to be forced to exert the courage to live life upside-down. Jesus was counter-cultural. He was a renegade. He had a different view of life. He said that the way up is down, the way to get is to give, and the way to be great is to serve. To be able to truly influence people at home, at work, in your career, wherever you are, you become a servant.

We’re told in the Scriptures to serve the Lord with gladness. Jesus said that whoever wants to be great must be a servant. In God’s way of life, anyone who wants to become a leader must become a servant. That’s true at work, for the people who work with or the people who work for you. A servant’s heart is what truly wins the day. When you serve, life becomes exactly what God intended because that’s what He’s made you and me to do. We know that, but sometimes we need to remember the reasons why we serve. This applies at home, at work, any environment, any team — football, basketball, baseball, soccer — any environment where you work with people, these reasons will work. Use them to inspire yourself, but use them to inspire your team as well. Here they are, Seven Reasons. To help you remember, we’ll use the word, REASONS as a memory device.

1. Serving RE-CENTERS my life. In other words, it brings me back to what’s important. I tend to drift. I tend to think that life is all about me. But the day you become convinced that life is not about you is the day you’ll be happy. The day you live outside yourself, focused on a hurt that you can heal, a wrong that you can right, or a dream that you can support is the day you’ll lose the obsession of your own petty worries and begin to live a larger life. It always re-centers your life.

2. I serve because it ENCOURAGES others. When people see you serving, when people see you going the extra mile, picking up trash, straightening up, staying late, getting to work on time, defending a co-worker, it encourages others to do the same. Oftentimes all we need is someone bold enough to step up and do the right thing, and it gives us the courage to do the same.

3. I serve because it’s A CURE for loneliness. The more you get outside yourself and get involved in missions and tasks worth doing, the more friends you’ll have, the more people will be attracted to you and the less lonely you’ll feel at the end of the day.

4. Serving SHARPENS my skills. God tells us that all of us have special abilities, but it’s only when we use them helping others that they really develop and take us to the next level. Some of you are stuck at the same level in your company simply because you’re waiting for someone to serve you. You’re becoming passive, stuck in self-doubt. Truth of the matter is, your skills sharpen as you use them in the act of service of other people. Then other people notice and that leads to number 5.

5. Serving OPENS up new possibilities. You see, the more you’re serving, the more you’re around other people. The more you’re helping other people, the more people begin to see you in action and recognize what your potential is. When they have a need, or promotion, or a new job, or a new idea, they automatically think of you because you’re the go-getter. You’re the “yes, can-do” person. You’re the one that’s serving. You’re the one that’s bowing. You’re the one who’s willing to lead by example. New opportunities and possibilities do not come to people who are passive, who whine, gripe, and moan about the way things are. They come to the ones who bow their knee to serve. Remember, we remember those who serve us.

6. Serving NEVER goes unrewarded. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you have one master donor. You serve before an audience of one. You recognize that if you work for the Lord, or work like the Lord, you can expect that your reward will come from the Lord. The Scriptures promise us that there is nothing that we ever do as an act of honor to another person that God doesn’t recognize and reward.

7. Serving shows I’m SERIOUS. At the end of the day, talk is cheap. It’s when you begin to serve people that they really understand that you’re a serious person, that you are a high-capacity leader. You can take more responsibility. You’re a thinker, you’re intelligent, and you’re smart enough to realize that living life upside-down is the way to really get ahead at the end of the day. You’ll be happy and a winner, and everyone else around you will be better for it.

As Mother Teresa said, “The fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is peace.”

Commitment in the Concrete

Last weekend at The Gathering we talked about the importance commitment. Basically the things we commit to define our lives. But once we make a commitment, that commitment makes us, for to fail to commit is indeed to commit to fail. The problem I believe, in our culture, is not that we fear commitment, it is that we commit to too many things, too many things that are good, but not the best. The truth of the matter is, our lives are cluttered with lesser commitments. We are constantly pulled in many different directions. We have many things that we care about but few things that we truly love or are willing to lay down our lives for.

For example, as a Christian who says, “I’ve committed my life to Jesus Christ,” that commitment has been made by millions and millions of well-meaning people. Let’s be honest, if we were all committed to following Jesus Christ, committed to the principles that He taught and the life that He lived, if we lived like Jesus lived and love like Jesus loved, driven by the power of our commitment, wouldn’t the world be better than it is? I submit it’s not the fact that we aren’t committed, it’s that we’re committed in the abstract. In other words, when I go to church on Sunday and have an amazing experience of worship, an environment of love and acceptance, and where I hear a relevant message, how do I make that commitment practical? In other words, how do I move from a commitment in the abstract to a commitment in the concrete?

Let me give you four practical ways to move to commitment in the concrete. In other words actually living out the heart of the relationship that Christ-followers have, an intimacy, that ability to cast all our cares on Him, to ask anything in His name knowing that we shall have it, knowing that all things that come to us (good or bad) are being worked together in concert for our good. Of all these amazing promises, one of the most amazing is when the Scriptures say, “Commit whatever you do to the Lord and your plans will succeed.” What a promise! How do you make that commitment concrete?

Here are four ways to move to commitment in the concrete:

1. Giving God the first thoughts of everyday. When you open your eyes in the morning, what’s the first thing that floods your heart: fear or faith? Thoughts of how good it is to be alive and how good God is going to be in that day, or thoughts of lack, scarcity, and worry? Fill your first thoughts every day with thoughts about God.

2. Giving God the first day of each week. We were made to rest on one day and in that day to worship God. Find someplace that stirs your heart, pulls you in, sets you free, and makes you want to be the man or woman you know God wants you to be.

3. Giving God the first part of all my wealth. That wealth isn’t just money, but it’s my time, skill, talent. The standard in the Old Testament was the tithe. The standard in the New Testament is joyful giving, based on the tithe, which means my money, my time, my talent all need to be tithed and dedicated in practical ways to God each week.

4. Giving God the first consideration in every decision. God wants to lead you. He said, “Commit whatever you do to the Lord and your plans will succeed.” He said, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you all the desires of your heart.”

Claim these promises. Make your commitments in the concrete this week, right now. It will change your life.

What I Learned at My Book-signing Last Night

Last evening my publisher sponsored a book-signing for my newest book. It was held at Davis Kidd Booksellers here in Nashville. It’s a brand new store located in one of the premier malls here in the city. On the lower level, they’ve built a beautiful area for writers to come and speak and sign their books.

After so many years of having book-signings all over the place and doing interviews, you’d think I’d get used to them. But this night was special. This past year I have gone through a lot of controversy. A lot of public attention has been directed my way, none of which I’ve wanted nor could have ever anticipated.

I started out many years ago wanting to be a peacemaker, a proclaimer of good news, a healer, someone who brought people together. And yet it’s always been my calling for some strange reason to be a renegade, particularly when it comes to standing up against organized religion. That’s why this latest book, “A Renegade’s Guide to God,” has meant so much to me. It’s incredibly gratifying to know how well it’s being received across the country. Emails and responses have been overwhelming. I’ve realized that there is a little renegade in all of us that too often we put aside because we don’t want to face controversy, disagreement, and conflict.

That having been said, I was anxious to see if anyone would show up especially after reading newspaper articles and TV interviews. Having received requests during the day for TV stations and news outlets to come and cover the event and denying them all, I really wondered if there would actually be anyone there. But to my surprise, when I walked in the bottom level of the store was almost filled with happy, smiling people ready to hear me speak and to get their own copy of “Renegade.”

What an awesome night! What a great gift it was to me from God; a reminder that God is in control of my life and that there are people who love me and support me and stand with me.

What did I learn last night at my book-signing? That if you dedicate your life to serving God and serving people, bringing good news, particularly in my line of work, standing against rule-based religion, people who are into control and manipulation, people who want to exclude, people who want power; if you stand against those to help set people free, to introduce them to a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ; if you preach about it, write about it, share it, live it, love it, no matter who comes against you, ultimately God will get the victory because these are the things He cares about.

So if you’re facing opposition and conflict because you stand for things that bring out the worst in mean, mad, or messed-up people, continue to stand. God will stand with you. And you’ll be surprised. He’ll come alongside. There’s a little bit of renegade in all of us. Not rebel, but renegade. A renegade is someone who wants to live free, have fun, and change the world.

When you get up everyday, repeat that mantra, “Live free, have fun, change the world,” and you just might do it.

When In Doubt, Cast It Out

Without question, one of the greatest challenges any of us face is not from without, but from within. It’s self-doubt. Not a day goes by that I don’t sit across from someone in deep pain and sorrow, struggling with the loss of a job, the loss of a relationship, some challenge – financial, professional. It ultimately all boils down to self-doubt. If Satan can cause you to descend into self-doubt, he’s got you. Because at the end of the day, as my old friend Dave Ramsey says, “You are your own secret weapon.” You’re the one who has to make the choices to turn toward the problem and take positive and affirmative action.

So the beginning of the solution is: when there is doubt, cast it out. You must claim the promises of the Scriptures. For example, in Romans 8 it says that those of us are Christ-followers are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. My wife’s favorite verse is “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Romans 8:1 says, “There is no condemnation awaiting those who are in Christ Jesus.”

As a Christ-follower there are three affirmations I need to make everyday: “I am who God says I am, I have what God says I have, and I can do what God says I can do.” Let that run over in your mind over and over again. Because anytime you allow fear and worry to crowd out the God-factor in every challenge you face, the more you’ll descend into self-doubt.

It was A. W. Tozer who said, “Anything God has ever done, He can do now. Anything God has ever done anywhere, He can do here. And anything God has ever done for anyone, He can do for you.”

That’s God’s word for you today. When in doubt, cast it out. Begin to affirm the words of Scripture. The words you say to yourself are incredibly important. When you’re in trouble and you feel there is no answer, you use very definite words like: “This is over.” “This is life or death.” “I’ll never recover.” “I’ll never have another chance.” And none of those things are true, but you can talk yourself into believing them.

So when there is doubt, cast it out. How? Say this to yourself over and over again: “I am who God says I am, I have what God says I have, and I can do what God says I can do.” You are more than a conqueror through Him who loves us. And if you don’t know that victory, you can.

6 Certain Facts About Faith

In the Scriptures we read this basic principle, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Each one of us faces the challenge to start from mere belief, to faith. Belief can be passive but faith is always active. The Scriptures define faith as being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. We were created to live by faith, to enjoy life by faith, to excel by faith. Each and every day we get up and face a decision. Will this day be dominated by fear or will it be motivated by faith? That being true, here are six facts about the kind of faith that works in the real world.

1. Believing is seeing. You’ve heard like I have the old saying, I’ll believe it when I see it. But faith is the exact opposite. It’s trusting that what we truly hope for is waiting for us at the end even though we can’t see it. It’s in the ideas of dreaming. Isn’t it fitting that we’re just celebrating the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.? What do we remember when we think about him? A man who had a dream. Faith reaps dreams and visions and hopes in the heart and the mind and then sees them through to completion. It’s much like a blueprint of a building. Who would think of building any large structure without a blueprint? Faith has the ability to create in our mind a blueprint of what God wants to create through us in reality.

2. Willing is winning. God never promises that whenever we race we won’t fail and stumble many times. God doesn’t judge us by the score, the number of medals, or how much we have at the end. He judges the willingness of the heart. Faith is what makes you willing. Some people see something and say, “I’d like to do that.” Others look at it and say, “I ought to do that.” Others look at the same thing and say, “Someone should do that.” Someone with a willing heart, motivated by faith says, “I must do it and I will.”

3. Little is much. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds.” What a beautiful sight. No farmer in the world would take one single seed of corn and plant it for the return of one more or even two. He plants one seed for the return of multiple seeds. You and I can see how many seeds are in an apple, but only God can see how many apples are in one seed. With God, little is much.

4. Getting is giving. Again when you get this into your head, the best way to get what really matters in life is to give. The Scriptures teach that if you want friends, you must be friendly. If you want to have joy, you must give joy. If you want to have peace and happiness, you must promote peace and happiness. If you want hatred, then be hateful and you’ll attract it. If you want forgiveness, be forgiving and you’ll attract it. Give what you want and it will come back to you many times over. This is the law of faith and it cannot be broken.

5. Small is large. The Scriptures tell us not to despise the day of small beginnings. It also tells us that at times our visions are small but we are to nurse them and wait for the proper time and they’ll grow. Remember, only man judges things by weight, volume, and distance run. God judges the small things done with great love. As a matter of fact that’s what Mother Teresa said, “There are no great things, only small things done with great love.”

6. Now is then. This principle of faith basically says what you have to do now what you want to have then. The life you are living today is a result of the seeds you have sown in the past. So if you want a different future, you begin now to start planning that future. You plant today. You get up today. You move today. You do the next right thing today. You do today’s work today. Live in this moment. Plant the seeds. Volunteer. Do more than is expected. Get to work early. Stay a little later than everyone else. Do more than you’re paid for today and tomorrow you’ll be paid for more than you’re doing. Now is the time to start to prepare for what’s up ahead.

I am going to challenge you this week to enjoy the walk of faith. And remember, we walk by faith, not by sight.