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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 as we sit on the tarmac at airports watching our time wasted by circumstances outside our control. More significantly, we are impatient with other people, often sinfully so. This is a major struggle in my own life, as I am often guilty of the sin of impatience about short-term things. Bible reveals that the concern for patience is more often about the long-term endurance of a servant leader, willing and ready to bear the burdens of leadership and influence over a long time.

Consider Dr. W. A. Criswell.
Criswell had become pastor at First Baptist Church in 1944, following the death of the legendary George W. Truett. When I sat in the sanctuary on that day, Criswell had already been pastor there for over forty years. At the conclusion of the service, Dr. Criswell stood before the congregation and welcomed new members who had recently been baptized. One of them was a boy who was about twelve or thirteen years old. Criswell warmly embraced him and then faced the congregation and asked the boy’s parents and paternal grandparents to come forward and stand with the boy. Then Criswell said something amazing. He introduced the boy’s father, saying, “I baptized him many years ago.” Then he introduced the grandfather and said, “And I baptized him even years before that.”

This pastor had remained at his post long enough to have baptized three generations of men in a pastorate that spanned decades, and he wasn’t done yet.

R. Albert Mohler Jr, The Conviction to Lead (Bethany House Publishers, 2012), pages 154-156

Free Photo via Lightstock

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 gladly received by communities across the African continent.

The PlayPumps would cost four times what a regular water pump would and Aid workers would soon discover that they broke and were very difficult to fix.

Nevertheless, the idea of this innovative, fun and creative venture seemed to be the beginning of a new day, a more creative and technologically savvy way to deliver safe and clean drinking water to many communities throughout Africa.

Across the board, project managers, supporters, donors and the communities all agree that this was a great idea.

Unfortunately, what the project managers did not take into consideration was the fact that kids would have to abandon classes, stop doing their school work and homework for at least 27 hours a day to meet the target of delivering water to 2,500 people per pump.

It is fun to play, but who wants to play that long?

Reading the story and how it unfolds, there are four things I learn from Tom’s article on how the Case Foundation handle the situation. Five ways you can take your projects from failure to fruition. Let me bundle the first three:

Test it, shelve it or scale it
No matter how cool it might be, test it before you launch it. Expand the vetting process to people outside of your inner circle. If it doesn’t work, you have the option of shelving or improving on it. If it does work than give it wings and let it fly. But don’t launch it without testing it. Don’t shelve it without improving on it. Don’t scale it without being absolutely sure it will succeed.

Denial is not your best friend
In case it doesn’t work, that is not the end of the world. Acknowledge that there is a problem. Be candid, frank, honest and transparent with yourself about the project’s flaws. Than, take responsibility in addressing every problem. You cannot afford to be defensive, closed minded and inflexible. Set your ego aside and look for what’s best by listening to criticism and acknowledging the problem.

Monitor regularly
Keep your eyes open. Be proactive not reactive. Anticipate problems. When you do, you stand a better chance of effectively dealing with the problem. Set in place a system to maintain and improve on your projects. Remind yourself constantly why you are doing what you are doing. Keep it simple, and let your goal be the motivating factor. If there are things that hinder you from reaching those goals, don’t hesitate to cut them, not matter how cool, innovative or technologically savvy they are.

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 good person is saved from much trouble; a bad person runs straight into it.

Seek the peace and prosperity of the city you live in
When it goes well for good people, the whole town cheers; when it goes badly for bad people, the town celebrates.
When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time.

Remember the Modesto Manifesto and keep it holy
Mean-spirited slander is heartless; quiet discretion accompanies good sense. The loose tongue of the godless spreads destruction; the common sense of the godly preserves them. A gadabout gossip can’t be trusted with a secret, but someone of integrity won’t violate a confidence.

Apply caution, discernment, lots of prayer, and godly counsel before you make decisions
Whoever makes deals with strangers is sure to get burned; if you keep a cool head, you’ll avoid rash bargains.

Get a mentor, a coach, seek advice, stop acting like you know it all
Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.

Commit to excellence in whatever you do
Bad work gets paid with a bad check;
good work gets solid pay.

Stop church hopping… Find a church and be faithful there
Take your stand with God’s loyal community and live, or chase after phantoms of evil and die.

Love God and what He loves
God can’t stand deceivers, but oh how he relishes integrity.

Stay Confident… With God you will always triumph
Count on this: The wicked won’t get off scot-free, and God’s loyal people will triumph.

Value discretion far above beauty and rubies
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful face on an empty head.

Always check your motives to see if it’s pure
The desires of good people lead straight to the best, but wicked ambition ends in angry frustration.

Enlarge your tent by a life of generosity
The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. When you’re kind to others, you help yourself; when you’re cruel to others, you hurt yourself.

Put others first – this is consistent with the golden rule
The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.

Play fair and square
Curses on those who drive a hard bargain! Blessings on all who play fair and square!

Be a student of what is good that is exactly what God is
The one who seeks good finds delight; the student of evil becomes evil.

In all your pursuits – be devoted to the pursuit of God
A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.

Live according to wisdom with your family
Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air; common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live. A woman of gentle grace gets respect, but men of rough violence grab for loot. Husbands love your wives; wives respect your husbands. Husbands live according to wisdom because she is a weaker vessel. Wives live with humility because you are smarter than they are.

Bear fruit in keeping with repentance… Others will notice and be blessed
A good life is a fruit-bearing tree; a violent life destroys souls.

Keep an eye on eternity and determine where you want to spend it
If good people barely make it,
what’s in store for the bad!

Heading of each verse is mine
Proverbs 11 The Message

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 him to greatness.

Integrity
Too often we sell ourselves too short of greatness. Instead of fleeing sin we indulge ourselves. Every little compromise decreases our chances for the big game. Integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin. Those famous words of Joseph still ring strong throughout the centuries – ” how can I do such a wicked thing in the sight of The Lord.” His integrity lifted him to greatness.

Tenacity
In order to reach our destiny we must develop the quality of being able to grip something firmly. We must develop spiritual stamina, an enduring determination to persevere amidst adversity. Joseph had a lot. From the hatred of his brothers, to being sold, he persevered. From the lies of a desperate house wife to jail, he endured hard times. His tenacity lifted him to greatness.

Intensity
Passion, without it nothing significant ever happens. passion is not an enthusiastic evening and a melancholy morning. It is not a temporary thing. It is a constant flow of energy that is driven by deep seated convictions. Joseph had a lot of it. A quality that did not only set him apart, but also set him up for greatness.

Reliability
Can you be trusted? Can God entrust with anything? Too often we wait for the big things the most important things in life before we can prove that we are reliable. But God usually tests us with the little things to see if we have what it takes to handle the big things. Joseph was completely reliable. His family, Potiphar, the Warden and Pharaoh could count on him. That alone lifted him to greatness.

Loyalty
Loyalty speaks volumes about a man’s character. It is in of of itself a natural currency for promotion. A truly loyal person will have no difficulty in his or her allegiance to God. Joseph had a lot of it. To his family, to Potiphar, the warden and to the Pharaoh. His exclusive loyalty to the people he served and his loyalty to God lifted him to greatness.

Mercy
One of the reasons why God favored and richly blessed Joseph was because of his merciful heart. God knew it was in him. After all the horrible things he went through we never find him complaining or vengeful. On the contrary, we find him giving unconditional forgiveness and mercy. Blessed are the merciful.

These timeless principles have worked throughout the times and still do today. We can all tap into them and they will lift us to greatness.

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 throwing in the towel. Get behind me Satan!

In your discouragement and against all odds today, I encourage you to press on and not give up. Be like Nehemiah who said, “I will not come down, for I am doing a great work.” See Nehemiah 6.

Here’s why:

It takes a little courage, and a little self — control. And some grim determination, If you want to reach the goal. It takes a deal of striving, and a firm and stern-set chin. No matter what the battle, If you really want to win. There’s no easy path to glory, There’s no road to fame. Life, however we may view it, Is no simple parlor game; But it’s prizes call for fighting, For endurance and for grit; For a rugged disposition and don’t know when to quit.

Yeah, a rugged disposition doesn’t know when to quit!

Integrity is not a Cantaloupe, it’s a Grapefruit?

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Integrity – what is it? Some times we say things like, integrity is being truthful, holy, pure, obedient to God, trustworthy, who you are and who you are supposed to be when no on is looking. But the word Integrity is from the latin “integer” and it means “unity.” What that means is, a person of integrity does not live a divided life. There is no difference between who you are Monday through Friday and what you are on Sunday. There is no difference between who you are on the job and who you are at home. Integrity must invade every part of your life.

In most of the circles today, I often hear a lot of people say, “you either have integrity or you don’t.” How true is that assessment? Could that statement be misleading? Is there a better way to explain integrity?

According to Fred Smith, the author of Leading with Integrity, integrity can be compared to a Cantaloupe and a grapefruit. You can have it in one area of your life, but it doesn’t mean you have it in all areas of life.

To him, integrity is not a cantaloupe (one whole area of life), it’s a grapefruit (each individual slice/ part of life). Fred came to this conclusion after observing the lifestyle of some of his co-workers. When it came to financial integrity they were flawless. But when they were out on the road, they were sexually promiscuous.

So he concluded that a person can have 100% integrity in one area of their life and 0% in other areas. They can be very good stewards for example, but at the same time they can be very angry and abusive. In this case, Integrity is not a cantaloupe, it’s an individual slice of a grapefruit.

The grapefruit illustrates the fact that there are different areas in one’s life and it is our calling to live a life of integrity in each area. On the company computer – integrity, on the computer in the privacy of your home – integrity. You don’t pay your tithe faithfully and cheat on your taxes. Or rob God of your tithe and be faithful to Uncle Sam. Integrity must invade every individual slice of your life.

So it is safe to say that having integrity in one area of life is not enough. We must embrace the grapefruit model which allows us to take the word of God and allow it to invade, permeate, shape and impact every part of our lives.

It is not enough to have 100% integrity in just one area of our lives and 0% in other areas. Our faith, finances, values, attitude, priorities, thinking, relationships and commitments – every area of life – must all be influenced by the word of God before we can actually claim to being people of integrity.

How integrated or segregated is your life in terms of integrity? Do you think integrity is a cantaloupe? Why? Do you think integrity is a grapefruit? Why?

Choosing to Live life on purpose

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One of the reasons why I decided to start a blog and actually give it the title “where are you… Where are you going?”, can actually be summarized in a very few words. I want my life to really count. And if I can inspire somebody to think the way I do, and do the things I do to make my life count, than at least in this small portion of my life I have succeeded big time.

At the end if my life, I want my wife and kids, my friends and loved ones to say that I was the husband, the father and the man that I was created to be. That I lived my life exceptionally well and left this earth with no regrets. I want to leave a legacy that generations after me will not easily forget.

I want to go out with a deep satisfaction that I did my best to serve God and my family. I want to leave this place knowing that I was able to discover God’s purpose for my life and align myself with his highest and best usage of it.

Unfortunately, not too many men dream this way.

At the end of his life. Mark Twain wrote about the saddest and most unfortunate unfolding a life lived without purpose. He writes,

A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle;…they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages over each other; age creeps upon them; infirmities follow; …those they love are taken from them, and the joy of life is turned to aching grief. It (the release) comes at last–the only unpoisoned gift earth ever had for them–and they vanish from a world where they were of no consequence,…a world which will lament them a day and forget them forever.

What a tragedy!

Nobody should go out that way. That is why finding purpose is so so important. It changes everything. Everything rises and everything fall with or without it. It will change you.

Finding purpose in life is a motivating factor.

Finding purpose in life helps you to focus on the most important things and set priorities.

Finding purpose in life will create a spiritual, emotional and psychological balance in you.

Finding purpose will strengthen your faith and bring you a sense of well being and fulfillment.

Finding your purpose in life will teach you that life is not only about you, but also about others.

Finding your purpose will help you discern the difference between significance and success.

Funding your purpose in life will position you to affect lives now and generations to come.

In all thy getting, get purpose!

7 reminders to help take frustration in ministry to level zero

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If you’ve been in the ministry any length of time, I am sure you have come to understand that it is glorious but sometimes very difficult. This is  an across the board experience for both highly successful leaders and not so highly successful leaders. It also doesn’t really matter where you are or how long you’ve been in the ministry, we have all experienced frustration one way or the other.

I certainly don’t think this little post is going to stop all the frustration that ministry can bring – fact is, some of that stuff is very good for you. They come highly recommended. But at least, I think this little post  can point out some common mistakes leaders make and shine some light  on how to avoid them.

Let’s share with you a few:

It is simply dumb to compare yourself with others

Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. (2 Corinthians 10:12 ESV)

Even though the verse is more a rebuke to those leaders who recommend each other by comparing their abilities, spiritual gifts and experiences, it also speaks to the fact that my call is different from your call. We all have different gifts.  Your style is different from the leader down the street, so is his. We need to avoid sizing each other up to see who’s got it better than thee other. That is simply dumb. To hope that you were more like the other guy down the street is just a recipe for frustration. You will never be like anyone else – so, be yourself.

Avoid measuring your success by how successful others are and seek to do your best within your sphere of influence

Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. (2 Corinthians 10:11, 13 ESV)

We live in a culture that is too obsessed with the idea of  “the next big thing, the next big name.” We should avoid putting christian leaders on a pedestal. There is no place in the kingdom of God to look for the next big name – the next Billy Graham, the next David Crowder. That is a bit too carnal for kingdom life. Unfortunately, this kind of lifestyle has corrupted the heart and minds of too many leaders to the point that all they dream about is how they can become the next big name. Safe yourself from the frustration – you will never be the next Billy Graham. Seek to do your best within your sphere of influence.

Celebrate your gift it is not insignificant. It is a big deal

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? (1 Corinthians 12:29, 30 ESV)

The body is a very unique example of how important your gift is. There is no such thing as lesser gifts. Stop belittling your gift. celebrate your gift. Love the gift God gave you, not the one you wish you had. See it as significant. Use it and don’t think it is not special. God wouldn’t give it to you if it were not special.

Make peace with the fact that your assignment will not be as visible as that of others

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12:3 ESV)

The sooner your make peace with this fact, you will save yourself from a lot of frustration. Notoriety does not necessarily mean  special. Celebrity status does not mean favor above the rest. You are special and favored right where you are out of the lime light. Don’t let that mess you up.

You may be out of sight, but your are never out of His mind

saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. (Luke 19:30 ESV)

Don’t ever think because you are not well known by everyone your are not known by God. You may not be noticed by anyone or you may serve in a role that is not in the limelight, but never forget that he called you, he knows you, and he knows exactly where you are.

Nothing you do for Him is ever in vain

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV)

Jesus made this very clear. A cup of water, a coat for the homeless, company with a prisoner will never be in vain. You will be blessed if not in this life, certainly in the life to come. Your service, sacrifice and sorrow for the kingdom of God will never go unnoticed by the Lord.

He who began a good work in you will bring it perfection

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6 ESV)

I know some days it seems like it would be easier to just let go. Your skies may be dim and gray, but you need to know that your break through is not far away. So hold on, you’ve come too far to give up. Remember that it was the Lord who called you and assigned to the work you are doing now. Let this promise stay fresh in your mind – that he who began a good work in you will bring it to perfection.