Year: 2013

That will shoot a good dose of Spiritual Adrenalin into your soul

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Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! Hebrews 12:1-3 (The Message) Let’s go over the story again – item by item 1. He never lost sight of where he was headed… Too many times we let distractions and attractions woo us away from a single-minded devotion to Christ and away from our goals and dreams. …

Not because the bus stops, you should get on it

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My destination was Hayward, but my transit stop was Oakland. I decided to take Greyhound to Oakland, than the train to Hayward because I didn’t want to drive. After waiting for at least two hours, I stepped toward the side door of the bus and handed my ticket to the driver. He ushered me on the bus barely glancing at my ticket. I got in my seat, put my earphones over my ears, closed my eyes, and three hours later I was in Reno. I was furiously boiling inside, to fine myself in Reno and not Oakland, but kept my cool. The bus driver apologized for not looking intently at my ticket and offered a six hours drive on another bus heading to San Francisco. It was a drive that would take me from Reno, back through Sacramento en route to San Francisco. I promptly declined and asked for a bus back to Roseville, Sacramento, where I left my car. My money was reimbursed, and I got a free ticket with priority boarding back home. …

Call & response: A Spiritual Dialogue

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A call to Hear Hear this, you elders; give ear, all inhabitants of the land! This a call for the elderly and for the young – every man, woman, boy, and girl. He doesn’t want any to be left out. He is calling Hindus, Buddhist, and Muslims. He is calling the entire world to hear what He has to say through His Son Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:1 says, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” If you hear His voice don’t harden your heart! A call to Awake Awake, you drunkards, A spiritual slumber has swept over the nations. The eyes of many Christians are heavy. Jesus is calling the church to come alive. He wants to bring revival. He wants to raise up those dry bones and breathe life into them so that they can live again.  Ephesians 5:14 says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Are you asleep? Could you not …

Patience is more about long-term endurance than it is about short- term

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I finished reading Mohler’s “Conviction to lead” yesterday. It is a great read jam packed with lots of substance. I immensely enjoyed the chapter on the “passion to lead”, and “the leader understands worldview.” But I was more impressed with chapter 23 – Leadership that Endures. The following paragraphs are from chapter 23. The title above each paragraph is not in the book. Here are three things I want you to consider over this weekend: Consider Patience Patience is a virtue that is highly honored by Christians.The Bible reveals patience to be one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul prayed that the church would be “strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (Colossians 1:11). Evidently, patience and endurance and joy belong together. Paul also told Timothy to preach “with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). Consider long-term not short-term. We often think of patience as a short-term issue. We are impatient in a checkout line, impatient in traffic, and horribly impatient …

How to learn from your mistakes when PlayingPumps don’t work

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I came across a very interesting story a few days ago that I would like to share with you today. Tom Murphy is the man behind the story and it reminded me of how too often, we come up with very good ideas that seem innovative and fun, but at the end of the day, these ideas do not really deliver the results we really were looking for. How do you learn, and recover from mistakes you’ve made and take your business, projects and dreams into right direction that will produce desired results? That’s what this story is about. Here is how it goes: A few people got together and came up with the idea of a merry-go-round that will connect with a water pump. Since kids love playing on merry- go-rounds their playful, fun loving activities would be the power source by which water is pumped to the town’s reservoir making water available for the entire community. This innovative technologically savvy project was supported and praised by Laura Bush and AOL co-founder Steve Case and …

Without good direction, people lose their way

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Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances. Here are a few nuggets from Proverbs 11 to help guard us in the right direction: Lead a life of honesty God hates cheating in the marketplace; he loves it when business is aboveboard. Practice humility The stuck-up fall flat on their faces, but down-to-earth people stand firm. Use integrity as a guardrail The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin. Place more value on faith, hope and a principled life than on riches A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a principled life can stand up to the worst. Leave a good name and a good reputation everywhere you go Moral character makes for smooth traveling; an evil life is a hard life. Good character is the best insurance; crooks get trapped in their sinful lust. Seek to leave a lasting legacy When the wicked die, that’s it—the story’s over, end of hope. A …

From Prison to Prime Minister: 7 principles for divine favor

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When we read the bible, especially ancient stories like that of Joseph, the first question that comes to mind is – is this applicable in my life, is this relevant for our time? The answer to those questions is very simple. God made sure that what is recorded in the scripture will transcend time and minister to subsequent generations. If it worked for them, it will work for us. So “Yes”, God can raise you up from nothing. He can elevate you beyond your qualifications. He can promote you and cause you to be more influential than your peers. Let me share with you 7 Principles about how that can come about: Destiny Destiny is not necessarily where we can take ourselves but where God can take us. It is the prophetic promise on our live. It is his dream not ours. However we need to embrace his plan and align our lives with it. Joseph held dearly unto every revelation God gave to him. He wrapped his entire life around it and it lifted …

A Rugged Disposition doesn’t know when to quit

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A Rugged Disposition doesn’t know when to quit Just a few before service pics from the weekend. I preached at TAG Church. We are in the second week of a sermon series entitled “Momentum.” Momentum is often described by the force that can stop it. This weekend we talked about the forces that can stop your momentum. Some times it is as simple and dangerous as discouragement in the face of opposition. The temptation to give up and throw in the towel. In Nehemiah chapter 6 we highlighted about seven forces that can stop your momentum as he said NO to a proposal to meet with Sanballet and friends in the land of ONO. But in this post we would like to emphasize the temptation to get discourage and give up pressing on in your momentum. Have you ever noticed? When we are doing great in life ministry and mission, that’s when he shows up to get us off track? Tell him – Oh No! I am doing a great work and I am not …