An app to inform your lifestyle of devotion.

A few weeks ago I talked about living a lifestyle of devotion vs. doing devotions. We had an amazing panel discussion that helped us to "flesh out" what that really means. Walt, one of the esteemed panelists, mentioned that he has an app on his iPhone that helps to remind him to keep Christ at the centre of his day and as promised, I'm sharing it with you!

We don't necessarily endorse this particular ministry but offer this up as a starting point to find tools that help you as you pursue a lifestyle of devotion.

App: Today: A Daily Bible Devotional

Happy hunting,
TD

One Thing

Do you think that most of us have too many things on the go? Do you ever get the feeling that you’re doing lots of stuff but not doing anything really well? If that’s the case, what is that doing to you? Does it leave you lacking a sense of accomplishment at anything? How did this happen? Is there something you can do about it? I believe there is.

If you’re my age or older you can remember the days before personal computers, high speed internet, cell phones, wireless organizers, cheap long distance phone calls and answering machines. These were all supposed to save us time and make our lives easier. Well guess what? With all of these innovations we now try to do more things in the same amount of time and then wonder why we’re so busy and stressed out. At the end of each day we ask often ourselves what we accomplished of any real importance and struggle to give a satisfying answer. And as a follower of Christ you can feel even more frustrated because deep down you know that God has created you for so much more, especially for God. I believe that you actually do have the potential to make every day a good day, one that adds quality to your life and to those around you.

This whole thing boils down to focus, the discipline of looking at everything you do with the same purpose in mind. And when that focus is on something beyond self-improvement and personal fulfillment to advancing God’s kingdom, you will be amazed how energized and productive you can become.

I’m intrigued by the apostle Paul who never did anything half-hearted. He constantly got the important things done and stayed unencumbered with other things that would have impeded his progress. How did he do that? In a word, focus. Paul was determined that he would commit his life to what God wanted him to do at all times. It was that simple for him. Regardless of the daily tasks and challenging circumstances, he kept his kingdom focus.

Paul’s words in Philippians 3:13b,14 reveal his unceasing discipline in this regard. “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Why not apply these words to your life? Remember, it’s about one thing: Living out God’s call daily. Sure, there will always be lots of details to deal with but it’s the focus on the one thing that will give value and purpose to everything you do, whether large or small.

Did the demands and pressures of life every tempt Paul to get side-tracked from staying focused? I’m sure they did, but the record of his life indicates that he kept reminding himself of the one thing that defined everything else he did. In doing so he simplified his life instead of complicating it, something that all of us can benefit from by doing the same.

My hope is that you will take some time to reflect on this insight as it relates to where you are today. Why not summarize the focus for your life in a sentence, describing the one thing that you live for? Put Christ at the centre of it and let everything else be evaluated by it. It’s then that you will have something to give as an answer to your question about what you accomplished by the end of each day.

DW

Kingdom Service

I offer here some further thoughts to the message from Sunday. If you listen to it online you will find that it is an interactive teaching with the congregation that is better experienced in person in order to hear the questions and comments put forth. However, I think you can get a good sense of the main point as you follow along.

The essence of the message is this: You have been created by God to serve. It’s that simple. When you choose to be a follower of Jesus you are responding to Christ’s call to a life of service in the work of God’s kingdom. This call is neither temporary nor occasional – it is full-time. It is a lifestyle of giving yourself to doing the things that Jesus did during his earthly ministry right in your own community and in the world at large.

Jesus did not consider serving optional. It matters to him that you understand that following him and his teachings requires living out the kingdom mission. When you say ‘Yes’ to Christ, you join him in his work. The passage we discussed in Luke 9:57-62 underscores this point. When you say to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go”, you are signing up for service every single day. In his conversation with potential followers, Jesus seems to be somewhat insensitive to any excuses for bowing out of doing your duty. I believe that his straightforward manner is designed to give full disclosure on what the life of his disciple involves. It requires focused attention to Christ and his mission. Anything less than that diminishes the returns of the serving and can eventually disqualify the server from authentic ministry. Jesus puts it this way: “No one who puts his hand on the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus is comparing his disciple doing kingdom work to a farmer plowing his field with an ox or other beast of burden. In order to keep a straight line from end to end in the furrow the farmer has to both keep his hand on the plow and look straight ahead to the destination point at the end of the row. Taking his eyes off the goal and looking around or behind would quickly become a problem for keeping the furrow straight. If continued, the line would be off centre and would ultimately miss the goal. For the disciple of Christ, Jesus is the destination point and kingdom service is the plowing. Taking your eyes off of Jesus and focusing on other things will greatly compromise and eventually minimize your attempts at serving Christ. What are the things that grab at you for your attention, things that require taking your eyes of faith off of Jesus? Whatever they are, don’t give in to them. Keep Jesus at the centre of everything in your life. In other words, whatever you do, do it with the objective of making Jesus look good.

If you find yourself today making excuses for not serving in the kingdom, you are not alone. A lot of sincere people ‘want to want to’ follow Jesus but are taken back by the expectations of Christ’s call. But having your hand on the plow of kingdom service is the evidence that you are following Jesus in his mission. So ask God to change the desires of your heart to want what he wants for your life. This requires your complete surrender to Jesus as Lord which will entail being available for his kingdom plan.

There is great potential for a life that’s fully devoted to advancing God’s work. Serving others for Christ puts you into the flow of what the Holy Spirit is doing. You will experience ongoing spiritual growth out of your dependence on God for everything you need as well as regular opportunities to invest in the lives of those you serve through mentoring and discipleship. You will discover that the biblical principle that you reap what you sow is true. Not only will you be increasingly blessed by God but you will understand more and more that you are part of something huge and eternal. Because you are part of Christ’s mission to rescue people from irrelevance in order to themselves positively impact others for Jesus, you will know in a deeper way why you exist.

Serving Christ in his kingdom’s work has a tremendous upside for you and those whose lives you will impact. Jesus is calling you to follow him completely and to serve him full-time in every aspect of your life. Are you ready and willing to respond to him? I hope for the sake of the kingdom of God you say ‘Yes’.

DW

The Sustainable Sacrifice of the Soccer Mom (A Recap)

The recording of my message on Sunday had some technical difficulty (read: didn’t work) so here are some of the highlights of that message if you’re staying up to date.

I started off by talking about the big shift in my life over the last 10 years. I used to ask the question, “What do I want to do?” and when I found that unsatisfying I started to ask, “Who do I want to be?” This attitude, motive and heart shift has made a huge difference in my life. I believe that asking that question has allowed me to see beyond the external pressures that are on all of us (jobs, kids, family, relationships) to the core of the issues in my life. Though I am far from getting it right, I wanted to take some time to talk about how to live out the answer to the question of who I want to be… in other words, how do I make the Kingdom more present in my life when there are so many distractions?

The answer is so beautiful and simple and found in Matthew 6. In this passage, Jesus talks about giving (generously, not for show, not posturing in any way), he talks about praying (personally to our Father not pretentiously in front of others), he talks about fasting (spiritual disciplines being cultivated in our lives, not showing off our piety), he talks about our treasure (making God more important than anything else in life, especially money) and then he tells that there is no reason to worry. In fact, worrying is the same as being pagan, having no belief in God. So, if we call ourselves followers of Christ and are worrying, we have a knowledge of God but our faith isn’t real. Stings a bit, eh?

And in all of this there is a beautiful solution. Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and everything about daily living will be given to you as well. Everything that needs to line up (giving, prayer, fasting, money, faith) will line up when we seek Him first.

So clear, so simple but so difficult to live out day to day. Why? I suggested that it’s not the external pressures that we so often blame – the busyness, the schedules, the boss, the family conflict – it’s an issue of how we’ve set up our lives. We think that we need to get our ducks in a row before we really give ourselves to the Kingdom or we think that the Kingdom is about doing more volunteer hours at the church in addition to our schedules. This is the wrong angle, like asking what we should do instead of who we should be.

What would happen if your life was built around Kingdom things instead of trying to add church things into your life?

The truth is, the Kingdom of God is advancing and all the things that distract us and pull us away from pursuing a life with kingdom values have been taken care of in Matthew 6 by this simple principle. There’s nothing in your life that you need to figure out first before you focus on the Kingdom. Nothing. Seek Him first and all the rest of it will come together. Switch up the priorities and it will make sense practically, relationally, financially, emotionally and spiritually.

Could it be that we believe that Jesus can forgive our sins and give us eternal life but he can’t help us to order our lives in a godly way?

I know from my own life that if you determine who you want to be and what kind of family you want to be and make that the filter through which everything has to pass before it becomes a part of your life, you are free to give yourself to the Kingdom.

In my own family, we mark our days with Kingdom things that come first, CP1 on Wednesday nights, the School of Music on Thursday afternoons, Youth Group on Friday nights and of course, Sunday as the Sabbath and all of our activities have to fall around those things. The things that contribute to our spiritual lives and allow us to fuel ourselves for what God has for us are the first things that go on the calendar. It’s so freeing to have said YES to these things so that we know what we have to say no to along the way.

What I want you to hear me say today is that there is no excuse for having faith but not living a kingdom-focused life. The solution to whatever you’re up against is to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and then let Him add to your life what needs to be there.

It requires submission, it requires you to slow down so that you can hear Him and it require obedience to what He sets up for your life.

But there is not another life like it. The best part of my week is not watching my kids in their hip-hop class. It’s entertaining to say the least and they love it. But the best part of my week is taking a lasagna to a couple in our church who have had sustained sickness in their home or sometimes it’s when one of my piano students brings me their high school acceptance letter because they know I’ve been praying for them and their future or sometimes it’s when one of my kids asks me how they can hear God speak to them.

My prayer for you is that you would say yes to the kingdom and that that yes would be the filter for all that you do and that all that you do would come from the heart of who you are and who God is transforming you into being.

TD

Kingdom-Sized Hearts

If you have been around me lately you’ve noticed that I’ve been thinking and talking a lot about the kingdom of God. We don’t hear a lot about kingdoms these days because we don’t have a lot of kings who actually run anything anymore, especially nations. In North America, we like the concept of democracy where everybody gets to have a say about all things while the notion of one person making decisions for everyone seems outrageous. Don’t get me wrong – I am thankful for the benefits and freedoms that I have living in a country that places value on the individual and offers unlimited opportunities to pursue personal dreams and ambitions. But this system of rule by the people for the people makes it difficult for us to fully understand and embrace the concepts and ways of a kingdom.

This becomes a problem as a follower of Jesus because I am called to live like a kingdom person above all else. I am a citizen of the kingdom of God. Jesus spent much of his time teaching about the kingdom and how important it was to enter it, see it and help it grow. He taught that the very first thing I should do in all things is to seek the kingdom, that the kingdom holds good news for all to hear, that the kingdom is forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it, that the poor in spirit and the persecuted are candidates for the kingdom, that the greatest in the kingdom often look like the least, that you can’t enter or even understand the basics of the kingdom without spiritual rebirth and that all of creation is preparing for the invisible kingdom now present in the hearts of true believers to become visible for all eternity. And those are just some of the kingdom concepts that are important for me to live out in order to grow as a kingdom person. Talk about a kingdom-sized challenge!

Yes, there’s a lot to learn about the kingdom. But rather than viewing that as being too overwhelming to wrap my head around, I am becoming more excited about exploring what all of this means for my present and my future life. As I go deeper into this I realize that my life can be all that it is designed to be only by developing a greater appetite for kingdom living. I am discovering that whatever I do is not ultimately about me or anyone or anything else – it is about being a kingdom-first person with a kingdom-sized heart. After all is said and done, that’s the only thing that really matters and lasts.

So, what are you doing with your life these days? What’s got your attention? Are you ready to experience life to the full as God intends for you? Why not join me in following the king of the kingdom, Jesus Christ and see how that focus transforms the rest of your life? How big do I want my heart and yours to become for Jesus? I hope they become kingdom-sized so that we don’t miss anything that God is doing in our community and around the world!

DW

Making Adjustments

Have you noticed that life is full of surprises that demand your attention when you have other things planned to do? Your daily routine can get interrupted on a regular basis and you realize that you can’t afford to ignore these interruptions. I’m not talking about being dominated by the tyranny of the urgent when you drop whatever you’re doing to respond to someone else’s demand. I’m referring to those occasions when you legitimately have to react to situations that arise with little warning and require careful and measured attention. Even though you have a course of action planned for the day that you are trying to stick to, there is something you need to effectively and regularly deal with the unexpected. What is it? Flexibility – the ability to make adjustments on the go and still finish what you start.

This reminds me of a day some years ago that Arlene and I decided to go for a run. It was a sunny afternoon in the middle of winter that turned out to be more pleasant when looking outside from our living room window than it was when we got outside on the road. The air was clear and refreshing, with the temperature well below freezing which we were dressed and prepared for. However, as we got into our run, things changed quickly. A strong northwest wind started blowing in our faces with gusts approaching 50 kilometers an hour. The sun disappeared and wet flurries began to cover our bodies. This was not close to how things were when we started out, but we were too far along to not consider finishing. We were seeing clear signs that a snow storm was well on its way which meant we would have to adjust how we were running to be successful. We no longer stood straight as we ran, but instead bent our heads and bodies into the oncoming wind in order to cut down on the resistance that was pushing hard against us. We also accepted the reality that our finish time would be much slower than normal. However, our flexibility paid off. By making some simple adjustments, we completed our course and felt exhilarated by the run which is really what we had set out to do.

This experience teaches a life lesson that can help you to finish what you start in spite of surprises that appear to stall you or push you back. For example if you are pursuing maturity as a Christian and growth as a leader, be advised that you will face winds of adversity from time to time. When these winds begin to blow, it sometimes means that a storm is coming your way that will test your resolve to reach your goal. Your best approach during those times is to make some adjustments to your plan in order to be successful. Flexibility does not mean changing your plan altogether, but rather adjusting some of the details in light of the adverse conditions. Don’t get downcast when things change. Instead, do what it takes to get yourself in a better position to finish what you start. Yes, it may take you a little longer than originally anticipated, but the taste of finishing can actually be more satisfying because of adversities faced and overcome.

I still prefer running the course when the weather is sunny and warm and the winds are gentle. However, there are some things that I can only learn when the conditions are not ideal and being forced to make adjustments as needed gives me the opportunities to develop this quality.

DW

The Kingdom

What a great way to start off a new year! This past Sunday I introduced Freedom’s theme for 2011 with an incredible sense that destiny is truly unfolding. For the past several months I have been growing in the conviction that The Kingdom is what God wants us to concentrate on this year and beyond. I believe that our lives have been created by God for something far greater than anything this world can ever offer to us. We have been designed by God to become part of his spiritual kingdom and give ourselves daily to helping it grow. However, how much attention do we actually give to this focus?

It is easy to overlook the importance of considering God’s kingdom for every aspect of our lives. And yet, Jesus teaches us that considering the kingdom is to be our first priority in everything we do. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) In essence, the secret to enjoying a balanced and prosperous life is seeking God and finding out what he wants you to do. Practically, this directive seems to be simple to understand and yet hard to do for most people. Most common for us is the tendency to go about life without giving any consideration to what God thinks is the best course of action to take. We easily get consumed with running after and worrying about material things wonder why we lack joy, peace and overall purpose. God has given us a better way to live.

If you will take the time to explore the New Testament you will discover that the Kingdom of God is at the centre of Jesus’ teaching and ministry. His very first message to his listeners was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17) Jesus spent his entire ministry life teaching about and demonstrating the reality of God’s Kingdom and instilling the Kingdom focus and agenda into his followers. In my message on January 2^nd I referred to some of the dozens of Bible passages that highlight the priority of being a part of and understanding the Kingdom of God. Listen to that teaching if you want a fuller context to what I am talking about.

My conviction is that many of you are interested in developing a Kingdom-consciousness that translates into a daily lifestyle centred on Christ. My hope is that you and I grow deeper this year in our understanding of and appreciation for the Kingdom. Every week we will be considering aspects of the nature of God’s Kingdom and the implications of those for our families, ministries, vocations and church.

On January 23^rd I will be starting a series of messages on The Lord’s Prayer. My goal is to dig deeper into the pattern and purpose of prayer that Jesus has taught us as citizens of God’s invisible, spiritual, powerful and eternal Kingdom. I hope that you join me in this adventure of faith that will take us to a place of unprecedented growth in the things that actually matter to God. May this truly be the year of The Kingdom.

Blessings!

DW

Just Breathe

I want to add a few more thoughts about our Christmas theme, Just Breathe.

If you’ve been at church for a Sunday service in December you know that we have been talking a lot about finding peace in the midst of chaos. Is there a better time of the year to be reminded about this possibility? The words Christmas and peace don’t seem to go together very well when you consider all of the extra activities and expectations added on to already maxed out schedules. By the time all of the festivities are over at the end of the month, exhaustion is the word that comes to mind, not peace.

That’s why we chose “Just Breathe” as our focus this year. We know that a lot of people are out of breath, and not just physically but spiritually and emotionally as well. You can tell if that’s your present condition if you feel like you’re running on a daily treadmill of responsibilities and routines and not only aren’t getting any further ahead but falling behind. On top of that you’d like to get out of the trap you’re in but you can’t see any way out. You are stressed out to the point of panic and you don’t know where to turn.

The Christmas message is for you, as strange as that may sound at this moment. I’m not referring to the festivities that we have grown accustomed to and feel obligated to participate in that often add to our predicament. I have in mind a simplified approach to this season that centres on the actual reason for all the fuss. Christmas is actually a good news story for you, your family and every person alive today. It is a message full of hope and joy and favour for all who will listen to it and accept it.

What is the message? A Saviour has been born for you, someone who is able to rescue you from your predicament and give you a completely new lease on life. That Saviour is Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to earth two thousand years ago for you and everyone else who would believe in him. If you put your faith in Jesus, you give yourself the opportunity to breathe again. You will undergo a transformation of renewal in your thinking and emotions. You will experience peace deep within regardless of the circumstances you find yourself going through.

I see Christmas as a regular reminder to keep things simple, to focus on what this annual celebration is supposed to be about. Jesus Christ came to earth to save people from the consequences of sin. He gave his life so that you could truly live. I hope that you believe that and have prayed and asked Jesus to be your Saviour. If you have, take a moment to thank him for rescuing you and giving you peace and hope. If you haven’t, take a deep breath and give it some serious thought. I hope that you like me will find the real joy of Christmas by putting your faith in Jesus.

Merry Christmas!

DW

Don't Waste Your Life - Some Further Thoughts...

This past Sunday I spoke a message about not wasting your life but making your life count instead. The inspiration for the sermon theme was the book of the same title written by John Piper several years ago. I recommend that you read the book if you really want to be further challenged about spending your life well while you still can.

(Click here to check it out on Amazon.)

I gave some pretty inspiring examples of people who are making a difference in our world with what they have. We spent time looking at the parable of the rich fool that God condemned for wasting his life by spending it on himself and losing all that he had accumulated overnight because he failed at the most important thing in life. His fatal flaw was not being rich towards God with his stuff. As a result he lost everything he had worked so hard to gain including any eternal reward from God as an inheritance.

The challenge is the same for every one of us. We have been given so much by God already and it’s up to us to use everything we have for the growing of God’s kingdom. In fact, one day each of us will stand before God and give an account of what we have done with all that we have been given. Whatever we’ve done for ourselves will be lost and whatever we’ve done for Christ will be acknowledged and rewarded. While material possessions are an obvious focus here, it is important to surrender everything to the Lord for his use including our time, talent and treasure. Giving quality time to God’s work, using our abilities to serve others for God and sowing our money into God’s mission are ways to spend our lives well and not waste it.

To me there is nothing sadder than seeing someone waste his or her life. It’s sad because they don’t have to. They have every opportunity to make their lives count by being generous to God with everything they have but this is usually easier said than done. It is so tempting to hold on to things instead of holding onto God, to think that possessions can satisfy your inner longings and to assume that you have lots of time left to get it right. Unfortunately acting on those beliefs will rob you of getting the most out of life for now and for eternity.

When you are wasting your life you usually don’t recognize it. You develop daily living patterns that are self-centred and self-serving and leave serving God and others out of the picture and you don’t give it a second thought. The result is that you develop deep spiritual and emotional longings that go unsatisfied and leave you vulnerable to wasting your time trying to create an environment for yourself that serves your wants and wishes. Living this way is never fulfilling because it sows seed into the wrong place. It is true that you reap what you sow. What you give to God and his purposes will last forever and grow into an eternal inheritance for you while what you keep for yourself will rust, wear out and disappear over time and not have any lasting impact for the kingdom of God or yourself.

So, are you spending your life wisely? Are you generous towards God with everything that you have? Will you commit your time, talent and treasure every day to God for him to use to build his kingdom here on earth? Will you make daily deposits in God’s work with everything you have and by so doing lay up treasure in heaven? There is no better way to make eternal investments.

It’s entirely up to you how you spend your life. Be sure to spend it well. Don’t waste it but make it count for Christ at every opportunity.

DW

Respect Yourself

Integrity is the foundation on which you can build respect for yourself. It is also the quality that you find in others that gives you increased confidence to trust them. When your word is your bond, you greatly influence others to believe in you and follow your example because your dealings with them will be predictably positive. As a bonus, you will experience personal satisfaction as you consistently show yourself to be honest and true.

The world is desperate for men and women of integrity, people with bottom-line values that can’t be bought - politicians to lead us, news people to inform us, bankers to advise us, justices to judge us, friends to sharpen us – all with uncompromising commitment to honesty and incorruptibility. But life isn’t always like that, is it? In their book, The Day America Told the Truth, authors Jim Patterson and Peter Kim uncovered survey results from interviews with ordinary people that underscore the integrity crisis. They found that 74% would steal from those who wouldn’t really miss it, 64% would lie when it suited them as long as it didn’t cause any real damage and 50% would do absolutely nothing about one full day in every five at work because it is accepted operating procedure. And then, if the price was right, integrity could be bought. For ten million dollars, 25% would abandon their entire family, 23% would become prostitutes, and 10% would withhold testimony and free a murderer. Not very encouraging.

A big reason for this unfortunate situation is the great number of worldviews that are not founded in absolute truth. Fewer people are basing their convictions on the truth of God’s Word and more are relying on the opinions of man to formulate what they believe. People in positions of influence and power are making their decisions based on opinion polls. Our world is floundering morally as it looks for leaders who say what they mean and mean what they say.

What an advantage it is for the follower of God to learn and live in truth as revealed in the Bible. The one who lives by God’s principles will be respected by others who may even disagree and express opposition. The upside of being a person of integrity is that over time you will be known as someone people can count on.

Committing yourself to being a person of integrity won’t be easy but it will build your self respect as you confidently engage the opportunities of your life. Over time, you will make a positive impression for truth wherever you go in a world that needs it.

DW

A few more words on redemption...

On Sunday, one of the "Top Ten Words That Change Your Life" I talked about was redemption. I described was redemption is and how it is powerful for us today. I didn't have time then but I wanted to show you an awesome parallel, a real-life picture that we're given in the Bible to even further illustrate redemption.

The book of Ruth tells the story of Boaz becoming the kinsmen-redeemer for Naomi and Ruth and rescuing them from a bleak future. The historical significance of Ruth & Boaz's marriage is obvious - they are part of the lineage of Jesus. But the story of redemption knitted into this historical tale, the story of provision and God's faithfulness to rescue is more than significant, it is powerful.

It would be definitely worthwhile to read through the short book of Ruth and compare it to what we know about redemption. God's story of grace and love is woven through every page of scripture, BC or AD!

I found a great explanation of this story on the web - use this for a launching point:

One of the most beautiful passages where the word Goel is found is in the life of Naomi in the book of Ruth. The book of Ruth is a story about Naomi's Goel. Naomi was the poorest person in Israel, but her kinsman was the richest man in Israel. Because of the death of her husband and two sons, she and her daughter-in-laws lost all income and their homestead. Naomi was living in a foreign land and sensed the loss of her homeland and relatives. She became bitter. The secret of all her daughter-in-law Ruth had was in union with Boaz. The nearer kinsman had the first right to the property and Boaz came next after him. If Ruth’s closer relative would not redeem or purchase it, Boaz was prepared to do so. The man who was nearest of kin agreed to redeem the piece of land until he found out there was a young widow involved. He graciously backed out! That left Boaz as the rightful nearest of kin who had the privilege of redeeming her land and her with it. The Moabitess and the Jew became one. Boaz was nearest of kin to her deceased husband (Ruth 2:1). He was able to redeem by paying the price of redemption (2:1), and he was willing to redeem the land (4:4). That is what makes this epic so beautiful.

Four things were required in order for a kinsman to redeem:

• He must be near of kin. (Leviticus 25:48; 25:25 Ruth 3:12–13)
• He must be able to redeem (Ruth 4:4–6). He must be free of any calamity or need of redemption himself.
• He must be willing to redeem (Ruth 4:6ff)
• Redemption was completed when the price was completely paid (Leviticus 25:27; Ruth 4:7-11).

(Source: http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/lev25v25.html)

TD

Distractions

Does this sound familiar? You have good intentions, a solid life or ministry plan; you’re off to a great start and experiencing some momentum. Then, before you know it, you’re off course. You are still technically in the game but you know that you are not performing at your best. You’re feeling frustrated with yourself because this isn’t the first time it’s gone like this. What happened? How is it that you can you go from making initial gains in your pursuit to losing ground in what seems like minutes? One word – distractions.

In the last Transformation Insight I challenged you to keep pace with Jesus in your life’s calling in order to finish strong. But if you have been around for a reasonable length of time you know that finishing what you start takes full-time effort. Athletes in a race know they have to train themselves to not get their eyes off of the main thing, which is crossing the finish line first. Looking around even slightly at other contestants or objects while competing has proven to be disastrous for more than one runner. You can quickly get thrown off of your race plan by losing focus. How the racer handles distractions can be the difference between winning and losing.

Your commitment to life and ministry will often be challenged by distractions, things that try to move your mind off of the main thing, your calling and purpose. There’s no question that life can be complicated at times, full of twists and turns that seem to appear out of nowhere. So the question is, are you preparing your mind to stay focused on your purpose when challenging days do arrive? What about when your business starts going through a downturn or your health is failing or your children are struggling or a friend lets you down? And then what about those things that you like to do that aren’t bad things but do keep you occupied and unable to be fully engaged in your commitment to your mission? Distractions can come on every side - are you prepared to keep your head in the game and pursue your goal when they do appear?

I remind you again that the key to sticking to your game plan is to keep the leader of your life in your sights at all times. Hebrews 12:2-3 says “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith….consider him…” To fix your eyes on Jesus means to give your undivided attention to him every step you take. To consider Jesus means to think about him constantly and visualize how he would handle your situation if he were in your place. This is good advice because Jesus has set you the perfect example of how to look ahead to the joy of completing the goal while enduring the overwhelming challenges of getting to the finish line. He knew how to stay single-minded in his pursuits in order to be totally successful. Jesus stayed committed to his eternal mission in spite of the numerous distractions he faced on a regular basis.

And here’s another suggestion. Keep in mind that you are not running the race by yourself. You have company. There are many others just like you that are heading in the same direction and some of them have got some solid experience at doing so. The apostle Paul was one in his day who was ready to help keep others on the right track. He says “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1. Why not find one or more veterans of the faith and learn from them how to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

So if you are being distracted today from pursing your life’s goal, start thinking about Jesus, the greatest leader of all times who fully finished what he started against incredible odds. Consider Jesus right now and get back on track which is the best way to keep distractions on the sidelines where they belong. And while you’re at it, get in the shadow of someone you know who has been running a strong spiritual race for some time and let them show you how to do what it takes to run and win.

DW

Keeping Pace

How do you know if you are making progress in your life’s pursuits or falling behind? Have you ever felt frustrated at not really knowing if have recently taken two steps forward or three steps back in accomplishing your goals? Do you ever get the urge to double your efforts to make the world a better place only to feel pangs of guilt that you should already be where you’re trying to get? Does your life consist of a lot of starts and stops? Do you wonder whether or not you have what it takes to follow through and finish what you say you want to do?

It’s important to think of your life in terms of a long-term process. You are where you are but not where you will be at future points in time. Running has taught me a lot of practical lessons about making overall progress in a plan. I am still a relative novice at the sport but I enjoy doing it and have every intention of getting better at it over time. I remember when I started a few years ago that my goal was to be able to run five kilometers a few times a week and improve my time gradually. You may not think that’s a big deal but it was for a guy who up to that point couldn’t run to the street corner and back without being totally spent. As I stuck with the program I noticed that there was an important element to my training that helped me to make steady gains as time went on. The key was to keep a constant pace that built up my endurance enabling me to finish strong.

I began running regularly with Arlene, my wife, who got me started in the sport. She set the pace for our runs and if I kept in step with her I knew that I would complete the course because she always did. She looked effortless in her stride to me although she tells me that looks can be deceiving as she exerts a lot of energy to stay with it. Most of the time I ran along beside her or just behind her because she set a comfortable pace for me to follow. And just like her, I usually had a little extra to give heading for the finish line which gave me a sense of accomplishment.

Now the problem came when I ended up at times running on my own. I learned that I have the tendency to get ahead of myself early on and wind up running out of fuel for the final stretch. Sure, it seemed like I was going to really improve on my time at the start because I was going faster but in the end I often finished slower because I was out of breath and in discomfort. So what did I do? I got back to having someone set the pace for me and kept it simple. The result was that after a while, I developed the ability to pace myself and eventually became a pace-setter for others. And now, regardless of my level of ability, I look for others to set the pace that I want to develop and at the same time let myself set the pace for others who want to follow me.

In your life’s pursuits, don’t go it alone. Someone has made himself available for you to follow, one who is setting the pace for you that will enable you to finish what you start and finish strong. Who is that pace-setter? It’s Jesus. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith....so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2,3) Stay focused on Jesus who never goes too quickly or too slowly. He will teach you how to run your race of life well and finish strong. And as you do that, you will discover that others are watching and following you and learning how to develop a good and healthy pace.

DW

Landmark: Reaching Across the World

Late in the spring, our youth group (Landmark) took on the challenge to bring in just a few dollars each so that they could sponsor a child through Child Care Plus. Not only did they do it, they did it twice over and are now the proud sponsors of of Samuel Sisay and Bethlehem Israel in Adama, Ethiopia.

I found this YouTube video that reminded me of the "everyday philanthropy" that our youth are involved in. Take a look, Landmark, and thanks for what you're doing!



TD

Cliff-Jumping

Perhaps you know people who are into extreme sports. They look for ways to get their adrenalin pumping by attempting physical feats that average people consider dangerous and risky. One such activity is strapping on parachutes and jumping off of very high cliffs to fall freely for as long as they dare before pulling the ripcords and landing safely on the ground below. Often the jumpers can’t see the bottom as they approach the edge of the escarpment, but they throw themselves into flight anyway because they are confident of success. They know that to experience the thrill of jumping off a cliff and being able to tell about it after, they actually have to take the plunge.

Life can sometimes challenge us to consider taking extreme measures in order to fix a problem. In his book Inside Out, Dr. Larry Crabb tells the true story of a woman who confronted the pain and dysfunction she experienced from being sexually and emotionally abused earlier in her life. Through godly counsel, Dr. Crabb helped her to take responsibility not for her abuser’s sins, but for her own need to move towards freedom and wholeness. This required her to confront the unforgiving attitudes in her own heart and trust God for the grace and strength she would need to learn to live in freedom with confidence and hope. Faced with the opportunity to break out of the darkness of her damaged life and step into the light of healing and renewal, she compared the steps that she needed to take to forgive and release the offenses against her to jumping over a cliff unable to see the bottom, hoping that God would be there to catch her. She chose to take the plunge and found that the parachute of God’s grace and strength provided to her was more than enough to land her firmly and safely in His freedom from fear and hopelessness.

Now that’s extreme! Experiencing God’s abundant provision like that is never possible by merely thinking about it. You have to trust that the Lord is going to be true to His word and take the plunge into what you believe God is asking you to do. It’s then that you get to tell about what He has done on your behalf. It has been that way in my life many times. I have had faith activated in me when I made a decision to trust God in an unusual way. Things would begin to fall into place and confirmations would unfold that never would have if I had not taken the initial step of faith.

You can be faced with opportunities to succeed in God’s best that look more like challenges without answers. Moving forward by faith will require a new way of thinking, based on putting your trust in God. At those strategic times it can feel a lot like you are standing on the edge of a cliff wondering if you will land safely below when you jump. However, it’s when you take the plunge that you experience God’s covering and provision in a deeper dimension than if you hadn’t. And then you get to tell others about how God really does deliver on his promises.

I want to leave a scripture with you that you can hold onto as your parachute when you are confronting a challenge that requires throwing yourself into territory that’s intimidating and new to you. “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Aren’t you glad that God knows what He’s doing with you? Are you encouraged by the fact that he has everything you need ready to give you right when you need it? So don’t be timid or afraid to move ahead in God’s next step for your life as he directs you. He’s got some amazing things for you to yet experience as you put your trust in him. Cliff-jumping anyone?

DW

Building for Eternity

“But each one should be careful how he builds.” (1 Corinthians 3:10b)

Have you thought of yourself as a builder? By that I am not referring to a contractor who constructs houses or assembles machines but someone who builds the kingdom of God. Does your life mission look beyond your ongoing activities and plans to consider their potential impact for eternity? They can, as amazing as that sounds, but only if you build upon the right foundation.

My wife, Arlene, and I enjoyed a day cruise to the Bahamas one winter during a vacation in Florida. It turned out to be an ideal day to travel on the ocean in the sunshine and relatively calm waters. On my way I pictured an island full of busy resorts, packed beaches and overcrowded markets. What we saw instead when we arrived caught me off guard. The entire island had been devastated by one of the major hurricanes that hit the entire region just months earlier. As we drove to the business area with other passengers from the ship we saw building after building boarded up because of the storm damage to them. As a result, tourists were staying away from the island and the economy was in a major downturn. At the same time however, it was interesting to note that the large resorts were operating normally appearing to be untouched by the natural disaster. Business was booming. What was the difference? I believe that the way the different buildings had been constructed determined which ones stood secure during the storm. The solid foundation of the structure was the key to its stability and ability to endure.

That’s a good metaphor for building your life. What are you basing your dreams and plans on? Do you have the eternal goal in sight? For if you are not careful how you build you could wind up losing everything you’ve worked for when it is eventually evaluated by God on judgment day. You could wind up with nothing to show for your efforts if you do what you do for the wrong reasons which in essence, is building on a faulty foundation.

How can you keep your priorities straight? What will assure you that your foundation is the one that is eternally secure? The answer is found in a person. “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11) It is clear that everything you do must centre on Christ who is your solid foundation.

There are other foundations that you may be tempted to build on instead of Christ:

1. The foundation of the material - what you give for Christ

2. The foundation of the ministry – what you do for Christ

3. The foundation of the method – how you work for Christ

4. The foundation of the message – what you say for Christ

5. The foundation of the man – who you follow for Christ

It is obvious that these can be good things, but none of them are to be the thing that you build your life upon. If you do, you risk losing everything you thought would last. Jesus is the only foundation that is eternal and fully trustworthy. Whatever you do for his kingdom purposes will stand the test of time no matter what may happen to you. Always be sure that the mission of your life is about him and you will be going in the right direction.

I encourage you to check your foundation today. What are you building on? Is Jesus the focus and motivation for everything you do? Are there things that you have come to rely on more than Christ for your eternal security? If so, it’s time to replace them with trusting Jesus as your solid rock and firm foundation in all things. Be sure that Christ is the centre of every thought and decision. When you do, you can have confidence that what you do build with your life will last far beyond your days on earth.

Pray this with me to further clarify your life mission:

“Lord, it is tempting to build my life and ministry on things that are temporal. Help me to focus on those things that are eternal. My desire is to trust you with all that I am becoming and will be. I want to hear the words “Well done” from you on that final accounting day because I have built with eternity in mind and Christ at the centre. I acknowledge that this is only possible by your daily grace for which I thank you. Amen.”

DW

Seeing the big picture.

Recently I received advertising from the Daytimers company that showed an inscription on one of their products that said, "It's all about you, Del Wells!" It’s all about me? Is it really? What’s the implied message? It’s that I am so important that I have this company’s undivided attention and they will take great care of me. Yes, I do know that this marketing tool is very common in our consumer-first society, trying to make me respond positively to their sales pitch. But does this statement have any truth to it as it relates to the way I see the world around me? And if it does, is there anything wrong with thinking about myself first as I make my plans? What is the grid that I use to help me make choices? Do I have an overall goal for my life and who does it benefit? These are great questions.

My last LT insight encouraged you to create a personal mission statement to guide your life decisions with the overall goal of finishing strong at the end of your days. Let's look now at some of the benefits of having an overall purpose for your life and how to develop one.

A few years ago my wife Arlene and I went into a Sears store close to where we lived and she asked me if I had read the store's mission statement. Displayed prominently on the wall at eye level as we rode the escalator to the second floor, the sign stated, "Our mission is to be the centre of shopping for Lambton County". To the people and employees in that store, the company openly declared in writing why they existed. So whether or not Sears ever did become the county's main shopping centre, it did give every employee the measure the business was using to make decisions as they reached for their goals.

So what's the mission for your life? Overall, why do you think you are alive today? What is your long-term game plan? Is it all about you or are you giving yourself to a cause that is infinitely greater than that? Be honest. Do your personal ambitions drive your life purpose or does your mission shape your ambitions?

Often someone's life mission is unwritten but still obvious because it is the thing that influences every choice they make. Maybe it's to feel good about yourself or to be really well liked by others. Perhaps it's finding a fulfilling job or becoming independently wealthy or gaining the power to control any situation. These are fairly common pursuits but in the end are they worth giving your entire life to?

The Bible is helpful because it lets you to see the big picture for your life. You learn that meaning and purpose come through knowing why you do what you do. Your first priority is to turn from being inward-focused to becoming outward-focused. It is summed up in these words: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31)

Talk about an all-encompassing purpose! "Whatever you do" includes everything. Every single part of your life is to count for God above all else. That is the perspective you are to use as you decide how to live well at home, work, school and play. Ask God and he will show you how every aspect of your life can be arranged to fit into this overall purpose. Why not take the time to get clear direction so that you can truly make your life count?

Here’s something you can pray right now to better see the big picture for your life:

"Dear Lord,
I acknowledge that you are the Creator and Sustainer of my life. I am reminded today and do affirm that you have a significant purpose for me, and that is to bring you glory. I thank you that I know you personally through faith in Jesus Christ. I pledge myself to keep growing in my knowledge of you by studying your word and praying continually. I ask your Holy Spirit to reveal to me and remind me of the destiny that you have marked out for me when I need to know it. I thank you that you have already given me everything I need to fulfill the purpose for my life. I commit to keeping my eyes on the big picture of what you are doing and how I can be a part. In everything that I say and do, may you be glorified. Amen"

DW

Some more about "Shadow Mission"

No, we're really not here to sell anything, but as I was getting my message ready, I realized that it wasn't my intention to plagiarize all of John Ortberg's ideas, to spend my time with you recapping his book or to really talk all about shadow missions. What I wanted to do was use the idea to launch some devotional thoughts for mother's about their missions. But, the stuff in this book was too good to not share so here's more about "Overcoming Your Shadow Mission" by John Ortberg if you want to jump on that train and take a ride. It will be worth your time.

Here are some quotes I found helpful from the book...
"[The story of Esther] tells us that our shadow missions have enormous destructive potential. The mission we devote ourselves to will shape us. Our unplanned, involuntary thoughts and wishes will spring out of it. Noble missions will give rise to noble thoughts, but shadow missions will produce an inner life of hidden darkness and destructive discontent. Shadow missions always destroy at least one person - the one who lives for them." (p.35)

"Our shadow mission leads us just five or ten degrees of our true path in the direction of selfishness or comfort or arrogance. But those few degrees, over time, become the difference between light and shadow."(p. 36)

"In the absence of good character, the giftedness of people will not be used well. The more gifted we are, the more arrogant and destructive we are apt to be." (p.43)

"Character formation is absolutely fundamental to our well-being, but it's not glamorous. So often - in our work, in our lives, even in our churches - we think, "Man, there's so much going on, we can't take the time to work on 'character'." The question really is: Who do we want to be? We can do really impressive-looking things, but what we take into eternity is who we become." (p.52)

"Character comes as a by-product of the pursuit of God and the kingdom of God." (p.53)

"While it's important to build your character and identify your shadow mission, in truth you need only one thing. Without this one thing you can name your shadow mission and claim it and battle it - and still lose. That one essential thing is a vision of God and the reality of His kingdom." (p.91)

[Overcoming Your Shadow Mission, John Ortberg, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2008.]

Enjoy the next step in your journey,
TD


Want to buy this book? Check it out on Amazon.ca:
http://www.amazon.ca/Leadership-Library-Overcoming-Shadow-Mission/dp/031028760X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272901167&sr=8-1


John does a bit of Q & A after his session at the 2007 LEAD Summit about shadow missions.

What's the plan?

So, what are you planning to do with the rest of your life?

Good question. I had been asking that of myself over recent years and the fact is that I didn't have a real good answer. It wasn't that I didn't have anything to do or I wasn't taking on and finishing projects of various sizes - that seemed to be the norm. Lack of busyness was not the problem because it seemed there was never enough time to do all that could have been done. Passion to excel at something significant was never in short supply for me. Needs to be met were always evident and growing by the day. The desire to please God through knowing, loving and serving him faithfully was ever present in my life. Yet I kept getting the sense that there was something else that I had been created and prepared by God to do, something defining to spend the rest of my life doing.

Have you ever felt that way? You enjoy what you do but you are not convinced that you are yet in full stride as you pursue your life's purpose? Perhaps you’re going ahead, but you still a little unsure of the ultimate goal? Many men and women have talked with me over time about whether or not their lives have made any difference in this world. They wonder, ‘Have I accomplished anything of real significance that will outlast me?’ I can relate to what they are asking because I've asked the same thing.

Not so long ago it came to me to consider not so much what I've done to this point but about how I want to finish. In some ways I wish I had thought of this when I was much younger, when I had my whole life ahead of me. To those of you in your early years, realize that it's not too soon to think about this and learn from the experiences of people you know that are farther along life’s path. Whatever your stage in life, it is well worth your while to ask the hard questions about your ultimate purpose so that you can finish your life strong with few regrets about what might have been.

So, where do you start? Several years ago I developed a personal purpose statement that was to be the overall measure and guide for what I did. Recently I went back to that statement and looked at what I had originally set out to do and asked myself if I had been successful or not with its mandate. To be honest, I was amazed at how much my life was reflected in this simple statement. It was actually encouraging to revisit the mission for my life and see the results of leaving a mark where I had been on purpose. Rather than feeling unfulfilled by giving myself to aimless pursuits, I felt a deep satisfaction that comes from completing something worthwhile. Without that mission statement I would not have had a credible reference tool to evaluate my progress.

I have recently updated my life mission statement to reflect what I hope to accomplish in the big scheme of things. When I get to the end, how will I finish? The questions that I’m asking are life-defining. What things will I leave behind me when I'm gone that will make an eternal impression? What things am I willing to give my life to that will influence others to spend their lives wisely and productively for Christ? Answer those questions and you will have a good foundation to build your own mission statement.

I hope that this insight has inspired you to consider the potential of your life to make a difference in the real world in which you live. I trust that you will ask God the tough questions and listen to his answers. I encourage you to develop a personal life mission that sets its sights on making an eternal impression for Christ in your everyday world from now to the moment you finish the journey.

DW