Attack
Christmas. A time to be with family. A time to reflect on the incredible gift of our Savior. A time to get away from work and the worries of the world for a few days of peace.
A time of war.
War? You bet. The thief and his demons are on full alert over the holidays. What better time to launch a counter attack than on the day we celebrate the birth of the Liberator?
I left Thursday afternoon for 2 days in Atlanta with my wife's family. That morning, I had a run in with a client. This disagreement had been brewing for a week or so and it culminated on Friday morning. The client emailed me and said, "Thanks for the fruit you sent. I'm sorry for our misunderstanding but we don't feel like you give us enough of your time. I've felt that way a long time and I think my wife does too. I may be wrong but I don't think so. Merry Christmas."
It completely blew me away. Totally. Where on earth did this come from? I've spent a great deal of time with this client and his wife over the past 3 months. We had a misunderstanding because I got put in beween my client and his wife. He told me one thing, she another. When I acted on what I was told, he told me I had misunderstood. I thought we had worked it out, then...this. On the Friday before Christmas as I was in Atlanta with in-laws, he pulls the plug on the grenade and drops it in my lap..."you don't spend enough time with us..."
I blew up. It took me out and I had a real battle on my hands for 24 hours fighting the demons as they attacked. Where did this come from?
Why now? Why here 2-3 days before Christmas right when I am shifting out of work mode and into family mode? Why now?
It was an attack - pure and simple. What better way to destroy a family but to launch an attack right as the holiday is starting?
I wonder how many faced similar incidents over the past week? Where does this come from? The enemy. The thief. He comes to destroy.
Thankfully, even though it really upset me, I recognized it for what it was. Rather than centering on my client, I centered on the enemy as the culprit. I called on the Savior to crawl out of His manger and save me. The more we work to recognize the battle, the more clearly we see the magnificence of that gift 2000 years ago.
Soar!
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Friday, December 15, 2006
Where is the servant?
I saw an interview with Barbara Walters with Joel Osteen - listed as one of the 10 most fascinating people of 2006. No doubt, Joel has an incredibly "successful" church - it is the largest in the US, has a $75 million budget and an 18,000 seat church. Early on, I watched him and I liked what I heard. It made me feel good. He is attractive and polished and his wife looks like a model. But, after a while, something didn't sit right with me. His message week after week seemed to be the same - "Prosperity...God wants us to be prosperous". It seemed that was the only message I heard from him ... it was all about feeling good and being prosperous. The Walter's interview spoke of Osteen's booming personal wealth (his book has been a #1 best seller). When pressed on this issue, Walters asked him, "You talk a lot about money (shows a clip of him praying for the Lord to bless the audience with bonuses, raises, promotions) - do you think God wants us to be wealthy?" Osteen replied, "God wants to bless us in many ways and certainly wealth is one of those ways." Then Walters says, "You avoid the controversy in your preaching about prosperity - you refuse to address the issues of gay marriage, abortion, etc." That was it - he is avoiding anything that is controversial. It is "feel good" Christianity. He isn't challenging our lifestyle choices. It is all about prosperity - ours and his.
Earlier this month, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about a watchdog group that audits ministries to make sure they are spending God's money where they say they are. The group found discrepancies in the ministry of Joyce Meyer in St. Louis. They dug up that her ministry has bought 5 houses, a private jet worth $6.5 million and expensive art work for her and her ministry and family to use. Ms. Meyer is unapologetic about the riches she has acquired. She spins a mix of down-home frankness and unabashed exuberance for wealth building. Her latest book is entitled, "Look great, feel great" (is that what Jesus talked about?). In 2005, her ministry had revenues of $109 million. No doubt her ministry does some great things in missionary work and in feeding the homeless and they have responded to the inquiries by selling off the houses. She cut her salary from $750,000 a year to $250,000 but changed the set up for the royalties from her books and tapes. Now these royalties run through a private company she owns. "It is kind of ironic" she says, "I am financially better off doing it this way. It is a blessing."
I am better off....(??)
Where is the servant? What are these ministries about? Enriching the pastor/ceo? Building wealth? Looking great, feeling great? Where is the servant?
I don't mean to be critical but there is a pattern here. It seems many of our "leading" pastors have abandoned what the Gospel says and are promoting ways to build a better life. They have tried to tie their message into wealth - to somehow proves God's pleasure in us by His blessing us with wealth. The more "pleasing" the message, the larger the flock grows. The larger the flock grows, the bigger the pastor's paycheck grows, the bigger the worship centers can grow...
Is that what Jesus did? Did he preach "pleasing" messages? Did he stand in the pulpit and pray for God to bless the flock with material possessions? Did he jet around the country in a private jet hawking books, CDs, DVDs just to have all the royalties run through his private company?
If anything in America, do we need to hear one more word about money? Is that America's problem...that we don't have enough money? Or, is it that we are way too focused on it?
Jesus spoke a lot about money but he didn't talk about how we can get more of it. He warned repeatedly about man's love/lust for money and the ruin it can create. We need to be very careful to what we listen to and the package it is wrapped in.
Soar!
I saw an interview with Barbara Walters with Joel Osteen - listed as one of the 10 most fascinating people of 2006. No doubt, Joel has an incredibly "successful" church - it is the largest in the US, has a $75 million budget and an 18,000 seat church. Early on, I watched him and I liked what I heard. It made me feel good. He is attractive and polished and his wife looks like a model. But, after a while, something didn't sit right with me. His message week after week seemed to be the same - "Prosperity...God wants us to be prosperous". It seemed that was the only message I heard from him ... it was all about feeling good and being prosperous. The Walter's interview spoke of Osteen's booming personal wealth (his book has been a #1 best seller). When pressed on this issue, Walters asked him, "You talk a lot about money (shows a clip of him praying for the Lord to bless the audience with bonuses, raises, promotions) - do you think God wants us to be wealthy?" Osteen replied, "God wants to bless us in many ways and certainly wealth is one of those ways." Then Walters says, "You avoid the controversy in your preaching about prosperity - you refuse to address the issues of gay marriage, abortion, etc." That was it - he is avoiding anything that is controversial. It is "feel good" Christianity. He isn't challenging our lifestyle choices. It is all about prosperity - ours and his.
Earlier this month, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about a watchdog group that audits ministries to make sure they are spending God's money where they say they are. The group found discrepancies in the ministry of Joyce Meyer in St. Louis. They dug up that her ministry has bought 5 houses, a private jet worth $6.5 million and expensive art work for her and her ministry and family to use. Ms. Meyer is unapologetic about the riches she has acquired. She spins a mix of down-home frankness and unabashed exuberance for wealth building. Her latest book is entitled, "Look great, feel great" (is that what Jesus talked about?). In 2005, her ministry had revenues of $109 million. No doubt her ministry does some great things in missionary work and in feeding the homeless and they have responded to the inquiries by selling off the houses. She cut her salary from $750,000 a year to $250,000 but changed the set up for the royalties from her books and tapes. Now these royalties run through a private company she owns. "It is kind of ironic" she says, "I am financially better off doing it this way. It is a blessing."
I am better off....(??)
Where is the servant? What are these ministries about? Enriching the pastor/ceo? Building wealth? Looking great, feeling great? Where is the servant?
I don't mean to be critical but there is a pattern here. It seems many of our "leading" pastors have abandoned what the Gospel says and are promoting ways to build a better life. They have tried to tie their message into wealth - to somehow proves God's pleasure in us by His blessing us with wealth. The more "pleasing" the message, the larger the flock grows. The larger the flock grows, the bigger the pastor's paycheck grows, the bigger the worship centers can grow...
Is that what Jesus did? Did he preach "pleasing" messages? Did he stand in the pulpit and pray for God to bless the flock with material possessions? Did he jet around the country in a private jet hawking books, CDs, DVDs just to have all the royalties run through his private company?
If anything in America, do we need to hear one more word about money? Is that America's problem...that we don't have enough money? Or, is it that we are way too focused on it?
Jesus spoke a lot about money but he didn't talk about how we can get more of it. He warned repeatedly about man's love/lust for money and the ruin it can create. We need to be very careful to what we listen to and the package it is wrapped in.
Soar!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
And the world wonders "Why?"
There is an interesting book review in today's Wall Street Journal on the book "Unprotected" which is about the observations of a campus physician. For 200 pages, she tells of the suffering of young college women. She says cardiologists warn us about fatty foods, pediatricians encourage healthy snacks, helmets and discussion of drugs and alcohol. Everyone condemns smoking and tanning beds. Unfortunately, professionals refuse to address perhaps the most damaging activity a young woman chooses to engage in - sexual choices.
A girl, Heather, speaks about her intense bout of depression. The doctor presses her for a possible cause - she can't think of any and then she says, "Well, I can think of one thing: since Thanksgiving, I've had a 'friend with benefits'" (friend with benefits is the new lingo for someone you have sex with) Heather laments that she wants to spend time with this boy shopping and going to movies and says "that would make it a friendship for me." But the boy says "no" to all that because that would mean they are in a "relationship" and he wants none of that. Heather says, "I'm confused because it seems like I am not getting the friendship but he is getting the benefits."
Scary to say but this is the world we live in - the world our little girls are growing up in. And the world wonders why there are these terrible side-effects of this behavior. The author sees girls who can't sleep, who mutilate themselves and exhibit every symptom of psychic distress. Often, they have no idea why. "As these girls see it, they are acting like sensible, responsible adults: They practice 'safe sex' and limit their partners to 2-3 a year. They are following the best advice modern psychology can offer. They are enjoying their sexual freedom, experimenting and discovering themselves. They can't understand what might be wrong. And yet, something is wrong (amen to that). Sexually active teenage girls were more than three times as likely to be depressed, and nearly three times as likely to have had a suicide attempt, than girls who were not sexually active."
You see the lie in the world's "advice" on sex - "experiment, try many partners, find yourself and enjoy your freedom." Sounds a lot like Satan's advice to Eve in the garden - "experiment, try that fruit, free yourself from God's rules..." It is a lie. He is a liar. Unfortunately the "bright" minds of our world have embraced that "advice" and are spreading it and wreaking untold destruction on legions of young girls.
There are consequences of our sin. The bible is clear on that. Yes, God can and will forgive us but He does not take away the earthly consequences of our sin. Many times, that sin impacts others besides ourselves. These girls face real consequences for falling in under the lie. They face current health issues, suicidal thoughts and depression. Longer-term, they can be real consequences in their marriages.
God knows what He is talking about. "Flee from sexual immorality". Don't talk about it, don't negotiate about it, don't rationalize it...flee from it. Otherwise, there can be hell to pay.
There is an interesting book review in today's Wall Street Journal on the book "Unprotected" which is about the observations of a campus physician. For 200 pages, she tells of the suffering of young college women. She says cardiologists warn us about fatty foods, pediatricians encourage healthy snacks, helmets and discussion of drugs and alcohol. Everyone condemns smoking and tanning beds. Unfortunately, professionals refuse to address perhaps the most damaging activity a young woman chooses to engage in - sexual choices.
A girl, Heather, speaks about her intense bout of depression. The doctor presses her for a possible cause - she can't think of any and then she says, "Well, I can think of one thing: since Thanksgiving, I've had a 'friend with benefits'" (friend with benefits is the new lingo for someone you have sex with) Heather laments that she wants to spend time with this boy shopping and going to movies and says "that would make it a friendship for me." But the boy says "no" to all that because that would mean they are in a "relationship" and he wants none of that. Heather says, "I'm confused because it seems like I am not getting the friendship but he is getting the benefits."
Scary to say but this is the world we live in - the world our little girls are growing up in. And the world wonders why there are these terrible side-effects of this behavior. The author sees girls who can't sleep, who mutilate themselves and exhibit every symptom of psychic distress. Often, they have no idea why. "As these girls see it, they are acting like sensible, responsible adults: They practice 'safe sex' and limit their partners to 2-3 a year. They are following the best advice modern psychology can offer. They are enjoying their sexual freedom, experimenting and discovering themselves. They can't understand what might be wrong. And yet, something is wrong (amen to that). Sexually active teenage girls were more than three times as likely to be depressed, and nearly three times as likely to have had a suicide attempt, than girls who were not sexually active."
You see the lie in the world's "advice" on sex - "experiment, try many partners, find yourself and enjoy your freedom." Sounds a lot like Satan's advice to Eve in the garden - "experiment, try that fruit, free yourself from God's rules..." It is a lie. He is a liar. Unfortunately the "bright" minds of our world have embraced that "advice" and are spreading it and wreaking untold destruction on legions of young girls.
There are consequences of our sin. The bible is clear on that. Yes, God can and will forgive us but He does not take away the earthly consequences of our sin. Many times, that sin impacts others besides ourselves. These girls face real consequences for falling in under the lie. They face current health issues, suicidal thoughts and depression. Longer-term, they can be real consequences in their marriages.
God knows what He is talking about. "Flee from sexual immorality". Don't talk about it, don't negotiate about it, don't rationalize it...flee from it. Otherwise, there can be hell to pay.
Monday, December 11, 2006
The Perfect Dad
We all dream (or dreamed) for the perfect Dad. Men, women, boys and girls ... all have a deep need for a father. I can't speak for women too well but I see it in my wife. I see how even at 42, she still longs for her father. She needs her Dad to see her beauty, to marvel at her wonderful skills as a mother, to take her out for coffee and a talk, to take a real interest in her life and her kids - she needs a Daddy.
I see it in my daughters. There is something about a Daddy/daughter relationship that is very special. I am there and involved in my girl's lives. I am a presence in their lives. At a school play, church or at a basketball game, they will peer up into the crowd just to make sure Dad is there. Once we've made eye contact - they are fine. No need to look back again. Dad is there, just like always..."I can count on Dad. He is here for me."
Don't get me wrong, I'm not perfect but I am around enough to see it. I see their need for a father.
I see it in the grown men around me (and especially in myself). We all long for our Dad. Someone to talk to about our life. Someone to listen as we recount our struggles in work, or with our wives, or with our kids. Someone to listen and say, "I know son, I know...".
We go off into the woods, the lake or to the golf course in search of Dad. Someone to show a geniune interest in us. Someone to show us how a gun works, how to call up a turkey, how to find the bass lurking in the lake, how to be patient to wait for the big buck. Someone to walk beside us down the dirt road into the pine forest or down the fairway with his arm around our back saying, "I am well-pleased with you." Men long for a father to call them and say, "I am thinking about this business opportunity and I want you to come into it with me."
It is a very basic human desire to long for a father. God installed that desire in us. All those things we long for in a humanly father are there for the taking with the Holy Father. No, He can't show you how to shoot a free-throw or load a bolt-action rifle but He can walk with you into the woods. He can commune with you. He will listen to your struggles and He will say, "I know son, I know." He will say, "In you, I am well-pleased."
We all long for a father and The Father waits with open arms.
Soar!
We all dream (or dreamed) for the perfect Dad. Men, women, boys and girls ... all have a deep need for a father. I can't speak for women too well but I see it in my wife. I see how even at 42, she still longs for her father. She needs her Dad to see her beauty, to marvel at her wonderful skills as a mother, to take her out for coffee and a talk, to take a real interest in her life and her kids - she needs a Daddy.
I see it in my daughters. There is something about a Daddy/daughter relationship that is very special. I am there and involved in my girl's lives. I am a presence in their lives. At a school play, church or at a basketball game, they will peer up into the crowd just to make sure Dad is there. Once we've made eye contact - they are fine. No need to look back again. Dad is there, just like always..."I can count on Dad. He is here for me."
Don't get me wrong, I'm not perfect but I am around enough to see it. I see their need for a father.
I see it in the grown men around me (and especially in myself). We all long for our Dad. Someone to talk to about our life. Someone to listen as we recount our struggles in work, or with our wives, or with our kids. Someone to listen and say, "I know son, I know...".
We go off into the woods, the lake or to the golf course in search of Dad. Someone to show a geniune interest in us. Someone to show us how a gun works, how to call up a turkey, how to find the bass lurking in the lake, how to be patient to wait for the big buck. Someone to walk beside us down the dirt road into the pine forest or down the fairway with his arm around our back saying, "I am well-pleased with you." Men long for a father to call them and say, "I am thinking about this business opportunity and I want you to come into it with me."
It is a very basic human desire to long for a father. God installed that desire in us. All those things we long for in a humanly father are there for the taking with the Holy Father. No, He can't show you how to shoot a free-throw or load a bolt-action rifle but He can walk with you into the woods. He can commune with you. He will listen to your struggles and He will say, "I know son, I know." He will say, "In you, I am well-pleased."
We all long for a father and The Father waits with open arms.
Soar!
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Secular view on what I've been discussing...
Warren Buffett once said, "Life tends to snap you at your weakest link. So it isn't the strongest link you're looking for among the individuals in the room. It isn't even the average strength of the chain. It is the weakest link that causes the problem. It may be alcohol, it may be gambling, it may be a lot of things. When I look at our managers, I'm looking for people that function very, very well. And that means not having any weak links. The two biggest weak links in my experience: I've seen more people fail because of liquor and leverage. Donald Trump failed because of leverage. He simply got infatuated with how much money he could borrow, and did not give enough thought to how much money he could pay back."
So it is our weakest link that Satan looks to snap. Where are you weakest? Is it another woman? Is it pornography? Is it alcohol? Is it lust for power or money?
Find your weakest link and do what you can to shore it up. The Bible is clear on sex - "flee from sexual immorality". Jesus also spoke a great deal about our lust for money and things being the ruin of many a man.
Guard your flank. Look for your weaknesses and shore that area of your life up. If you can't do it alone, get some help from men you trust.
Soar!
Warren Buffett once said, "Life tends to snap you at your weakest link. So it isn't the strongest link you're looking for among the individuals in the room. It isn't even the average strength of the chain. It is the weakest link that causes the problem. It may be alcohol, it may be gambling, it may be a lot of things. When I look at our managers, I'm looking for people that function very, very well. And that means not having any weak links. The two biggest weak links in my experience: I've seen more people fail because of liquor and leverage. Donald Trump failed because of leverage. He simply got infatuated with how much money he could borrow, and did not give enough thought to how much money he could pay back."
So it is our weakest link that Satan looks to snap. Where are you weakest? Is it another woman? Is it pornography? Is it alcohol? Is it lust for power or money?
Find your weakest link and do what you can to shore it up. The Bible is clear on sex - "flee from sexual immorality". Jesus also spoke a great deal about our lust for money and things being the ruin of many a man.
Guard your flank. Look for your weaknesses and shore that area of your life up. If you can't do it alone, get some help from men you trust.
Soar!
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