Francis Chan, Pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, California, offered some direction to men at the 2007 Catalyst Conference. We viewed that message on a DVD at the July 2008 CCV Men - Breakfast.
He referenced 1 Corinthians 16:13 which follows where Paul was offering direction to the Corinthians:
Be on your guard
Stand firm in the faith
Be men of courage
Be strong
Francis boiled it down to 'Act like Men' and suck it up. Don't whine or complain. Jesus gave his life for us and He didn't whine.
I believe we need to heed, apply and remind others of this message.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Taming a Lion
If you were in a cage with a lion what would you do?
In the book ‘The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader’ John Maxwell talks about taming a lion in the chapter on Focus.
‘Experienced animal tamers take a stool with them when they step into a cage with a lion. Why a stool? It tames a lion better than anything – except maybe a tranquilizer gun. When the trainer holds the stool with the legs extended toward the lion’s face, the animal tries to focus on all four legs at once. And that paralyzes him. Divided focus always works against you.’
Are you focusing on too many things at once?
In the book ‘The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader’ John Maxwell talks about taming a lion in the chapter on Focus.
‘Experienced animal tamers take a stool with them when they step into a cage with a lion. Why a stool? It tames a lion better than anything – except maybe a tranquilizer gun. When the trainer holds the stool with the legs extended toward the lion’s face, the animal tries to focus on all four legs at once. And that paralyzes him. Divided focus always works against you.’
Are you focusing on too many things at once?
Do you believe your eyes?
Gregg Easterbrook, of the Brookings Institution, in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal compares the media perception of America with the perception of individual Americans. His article is titled, ‘Life is good, so why do we feel so bad?’
‘The relentlessly negative impressions of American life presented by the media, including the entertainment media, explain something otherwise puzzling that shows up in psychological data. When asked about the country’s economy, schools, health care or community spirit, American’s tell pollsters the situation is dreadful. But when asked about their own jobs, schools, doctors, and communities, people tell pollsters the situation is good. Our impressions of ourselves, and our neighbors come from personal experience. Our impressions of the nation as a whole come from the media and from political blather, which both exaggerate the negative.’
‘The latter has never been thicker. Democrats insist Republicans are ruining domestic policy. Republicans insist Democrats are ruining foreign policy. Neither claim is true, but both reflect what we’ve been conditioned to believe: that America is in much worse circumstances than it actually is.’
Being able to extrapolate the truth by obtaining information from multiple trustworthy sources is important. It takes time to identify and develop those sources.
Although freedom of the press is guaranteed there is no requirement for fairness, accuracy or objectivity.
‘The relentlessly negative impressions of American life presented by the media, including the entertainment media, explain something otherwise puzzling that shows up in psychological data. When asked about the country’s economy, schools, health care or community spirit, American’s tell pollsters the situation is dreadful. But when asked about their own jobs, schools, doctors, and communities, people tell pollsters the situation is good. Our impressions of ourselves, and our neighbors come from personal experience. Our impressions of the nation as a whole come from the media and from political blather, which both exaggerate the negative.’
‘The latter has never been thicker. Democrats insist Republicans are ruining domestic policy. Republicans insist Democrats are ruining foreign policy. Neither claim is true, but both reflect what we’ve been conditioned to believe: that America is in much worse circumstances than it actually is.’
Being able to extrapolate the truth by obtaining information from multiple trustworthy sources is important. It takes time to identify and develop those sources.
Although freedom of the press is guaranteed there is no requirement for fairness, accuracy or objectivity.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
One View of Success
In an address at Regent University titled ‘How to be a Real Success’ John Maxwell, author and leadership expert, offered his insights on success. Following is an outline of what he discussed.
Success is:
1 – Knowing your purpose in life
To discover your purpose
Discover your passion
Find your strength
2 – Growing to your maximum potential
3 – Seeking to benefit others (add value)
Four things successful people do:
1 – Get along with people
2 – They equip (train and develop) people
3 - They have an attitude that is different from other people
4 – They have learned how to influence people
Notice there is no mention of money or material goods to determine success. It revolves around using your talents and abilities, improving yourself and being a positive influence in the lives of others. Is there something here you can learn benefit from?
I think these principles apply in life, business, church, family or any other area you may be involved in.
To get a better understanding of Maxwell’s thoughts see the whole article at: http://www.regent.edu/publications/keynote/pdf/vol3_no1-2008.pdf
Just do it
How many times have you thought about doing something and then didn't do it because you didn't think your efforts would make much of a difference?
I want you to watch the following video and then take some action on something you have been putting off. It is easy to doubt or question. It takes a little more courage to stand up and do something.
Following is the intro I received for this video by e-mail.
I want you to watch the following video and then take some action on something you have been putting off. It is easy to doubt or question. It takes a little more courage to stand up and do something.
Following is the intro I received for this video by e-mail.
******************************************************
Please watch the following video clip -- it is a story of Johnny, the grocery store bagger. It is very short, but it will remind you of why and how we make an impact in what we do. You may even want to share it with others, and I hope you will. It's amazing how one young Down's Syndrome bagger made such a wonderful impact on those customers lucky enough to have Johnny bag their groceries!
http://www.stservicemovie.com/
http://www.stservicemovie.com/
Sunday, June 1, 2008
What I saw
The mother of the woman we built a house for in Juarez, Mexico, came over for the dedication of that house on a Wednesday evening. She lived next door and her grandson, Jonathan, who would be living in the new house with his mother, had helped us in building his mother’s house.
His grandmother was short, about four feet tall. Her skin was tanned, wrinkled and appeared leathery. She wore a scarf over her head and wore a long dress and she carried her Bible.
She smiled during the dedication service and read some scripture in Spanish when given the opportunity. At the end of the simple proceedings there were many hugs but more tears as the house was presented to the new owner.
I didn’t think much more about the grandmother as we went to the dedication of the second house just a few hundred yards up a dirt road where we encountered another family that was truly thankful. Again many hugs and more tears.
Thirty four of us had traveled from the Philadelphia area to El Paso, Texas, where we boarded four vans. In El Paso we had stayed in a church on Sunday, Thursday and Friday nights where we slept on the floor, on pews or on chairs.
On Monday morning we went to the offices of Casas por Cristo to meet up with our project managers, Scott and Jason. After we got some tools and made plans we added two pickup trucks to the caravan and headed to Juarez, Mexico. Juarez has had a lot of crime recently and the US State Department had issued a warning to Americans traveling there.
Casas has a fairly new community center they had built in the area where we would be working. We would be sleeping on the concrete floor of this center and making and cooking our food here from Monday to Thursday.
This area of Juarez is on top of an old dump with dirt roads, run down shacks, lots of stray dogs, empty plastic bags and plastic bottles everywhere and lots of dust. There were dust storms and hot sun every afternoon.
Interestingly there were used tires everywhere and many appeared on roofs apparently holding roof coverings secure.
Casas has been a presence in this area of one million plus people since 1993, I believe. They have had such a positive influence that whenever people, whether adults or children, saw our caravan they waved and smiled.
As we loaded into the four vans on Wednesday evening to leave the second dedication we drove down the road toward the first house we had built. Up to this time I had not been moved emotionally by this experience. I was glad that I came and glad that we could do a little to help these people in such difficult circumstances.
As we passed the first house we had built, I noticed the grandmother stepping into the doorway of her house next door. I watched her as she looked at our van and clapped her hands for us – she was applauding us. She then raised her right hand high over her head and gave us a thumbs up sign.
The only thing that came to my mind was ‘what you do for the least of these you do for me’. I know it isn’t the exact scripture but I think it captures the meaning. You can check it at Matthew 25:40.
For me that was the reason we had come.
His grandmother was short, about four feet tall. Her skin was tanned, wrinkled and appeared leathery. She wore a scarf over her head and wore a long dress and she carried her Bible.
She smiled during the dedication service and read some scripture in Spanish when given the opportunity. At the end of the simple proceedings there were many hugs but more tears as the house was presented to the new owner.
I didn’t think much more about the grandmother as we went to the dedication of the second house just a few hundred yards up a dirt road where we encountered another family that was truly thankful. Again many hugs and more tears.
Thirty four of us had traveled from the Philadelphia area to El Paso, Texas, where we boarded four vans. In El Paso we had stayed in a church on Sunday, Thursday and Friday nights where we slept on the floor, on pews or on chairs.
On Monday morning we went to the offices of Casas por Cristo to meet up with our project managers, Scott and Jason. After we got some tools and made plans we added two pickup trucks to the caravan and headed to Juarez, Mexico. Juarez has had a lot of crime recently and the US State Department had issued a warning to Americans traveling there.
Casas has a fairly new community center they had built in the area where we would be working. We would be sleeping on the concrete floor of this center and making and cooking our food here from Monday to Thursday.
This area of Juarez is on top of an old dump with dirt roads, run down shacks, lots of stray dogs, empty plastic bags and plastic bottles everywhere and lots of dust. There were dust storms and hot sun every afternoon.
Interestingly there were used tires everywhere and many appeared on roofs apparently holding roof coverings secure.
Casas has been a presence in this area of one million plus people since 1993, I believe. They have had such a positive influence that whenever people, whether adults or children, saw our caravan they waved and smiled.
As we loaded into the four vans on Wednesday evening to leave the second dedication we drove down the road toward the first house we had built. Up to this time I had not been moved emotionally by this experience. I was glad that I came and glad that we could do a little to help these people in such difficult circumstances.
As we passed the first house we had built, I noticed the grandmother stepping into the doorway of her house next door. I watched her as she looked at our van and clapped her hands for us – she was applauding us. She then raised her right hand high over her head and gave us a thumbs up sign.
The only thing that came to my mind was ‘what you do for the least of these you do for me’. I know it isn’t the exact scripture but I think it captures the meaning. You can check it at Matthew 25:40.
For me that was the reason we had come.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Helping us see
Martin Luther King in his ‘I have a Dream Speech’ said: ‘I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character’.
How difficult is that for many of us to accept, or more so, for us to live that way?
Every month for the CCV Men - Breakfast Meeting I try to remember to ask God to bring the men that He wants to attend and I also ask Him to bring the words that He wants spoken.
I also try to remember to ask Him on the way to church on Sunday morning to bring the men to me or lead me to the men he wants me to talk with.
There was a time when I was younger that I would be concerned about talking with people due to their age, background, color, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual preference or any other distinction that wasn’t in agreement with my beliefs. And because of this I would avoid talking with or being seen with any of these people.
Today I did remember to ask God about the men He wanted me to talk with at Church. I was a little more relaxed after church and tried to be more accessible by standing in an area for a little longer than I normally would. My normal habit is to walk around and to search out some of the man I know.
Near the coffee cart, I saw a man I had not seen in awhile and he passed on greetings to me from a man who had attended our church but had moved out of the area some time ago. We talked about cars, gas prices, holiday activities and some other things.
After talking with him for awhile and trying to get to know him better he and his friend left and another man came up to me. This man, who was at the last Breakfast meeting, and I have talked on occasion for several years but I don’t think we developed any closeness.
After talking with the second man he told me things were ok but he missed his family who lived out of state and I sensed there were some other things going on in his life. He reached to hug me as we were saying our goodbyes and I hugged him in return. I then felt a prompting to say to him that he seemed somewhat stressed and I asked if there was anything I could pray for.
He then shared some struggles he was going through. When we completed our discussion he again reached to hug me and we did and this time he told me he loved me.
I was very appreciative that he was comfortable enough to share his struggles and his emotions with me as well as his love. This was the love of Christ.
God has brought me a long way and has helped me to be able to get beyond many things that were formerly roadblocks and prejudices. I have asked God to show me what He wants me to see and I believe He is doing that.
These two men belong to a different race than I do and they felt comfortable talking with me. One felt comfortable enough to hug me. I am thankful to God for this and I hope that I am becoming more of the person that God wants me to be.
By this occurrence and others I think that God wants me to see the hearts of people and not the things that make us different.
How difficult is that for many of us to accept, or more so, for us to live that way?
Every month for the CCV Men - Breakfast Meeting I try to remember to ask God to bring the men that He wants to attend and I also ask Him to bring the words that He wants spoken.
I also try to remember to ask Him on the way to church on Sunday morning to bring the men to me or lead me to the men he wants me to talk with.
There was a time when I was younger that I would be concerned about talking with people due to their age, background, color, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual preference or any other distinction that wasn’t in agreement with my beliefs. And because of this I would avoid talking with or being seen with any of these people.
Today I did remember to ask God about the men He wanted me to talk with at Church. I was a little more relaxed after church and tried to be more accessible by standing in an area for a little longer than I normally would. My normal habit is to walk around and to search out some of the man I know.
Near the coffee cart, I saw a man I had not seen in awhile and he passed on greetings to me from a man who had attended our church but had moved out of the area some time ago. We talked about cars, gas prices, holiday activities and some other things.
After talking with him for awhile and trying to get to know him better he and his friend left and another man came up to me. This man, who was at the last Breakfast meeting, and I have talked on occasion for several years but I don’t think we developed any closeness.
After talking with the second man he told me things were ok but he missed his family who lived out of state and I sensed there were some other things going on in his life. He reached to hug me as we were saying our goodbyes and I hugged him in return. I then felt a prompting to say to him that he seemed somewhat stressed and I asked if there was anything I could pray for.
He then shared some struggles he was going through. When we completed our discussion he again reached to hug me and we did and this time he told me he loved me.
I was very appreciative that he was comfortable enough to share his struggles and his emotions with me as well as his love. This was the love of Christ.
God has brought me a long way and has helped me to be able to get beyond many things that were formerly roadblocks and prejudices. I have asked God to show me what He wants me to see and I believe He is doing that.
These two men belong to a different race than I do and they felt comfortable talking with me. One felt comfortable enough to hug me. I am thankful to God for this and I hope that I am becoming more of the person that God wants me to be.
By this occurrence and others I think that God wants me to see the hearts of people and not the things that make us different.
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