I think I am stating the obvious when I say that we cannot do life alone. In fact, life was never intended to be done alone. Every successful season of my life has been because of a dedicated individual effort and the assistance of one or more people influencing me to be my best. I cannot imagine how limited I would be trying to accomplish great things for God in my life without the assistance of others. Simply put, I cannot succeed in life on my own.
This is true for all of us today, especially when life gets tough. Too often we get weary from shouldering burdens and problems in life by ourselves. We eventually collapse in exhaustion and emotional fatigue under the weight of it all. Could it be that the burden was not intended to be so heavy and the weight of life so pressing as it currently is? Could it be that you are carrying a weight meant for two in your limited individual strength?
Jesus tells us to come to him when we are weak and burdened down. To learn of him, for his yoke is easy and his burden is light. The audience understood this word picture, being familiar with oxen and the yoke. They knew that oxen only labored in pairs, never alone. They shared the burden and the weight together. No farmer would have ever tried to plow a field with a single ox shouldering a yoke that was meant for two.
Let me ask this question: Are you carrying a weight today in your own strength? Is the load getting heavy and the weight becoming increasingly unbearable? The weight of a troubled marriage, financial stress, physical limitations or sickness, relational or emotional pain? If so, then why not try it the way Jesus encourages us to. Come to him with all of the burdens of life and give them to him. Begin to learn of him and by all means take his yoke, the kind where he walks with you and shares the load, and discover that life can actually be much easier and our burdens lighter. Your will never be stronger than when you admit your weaknesses and confess your need for his help and assistance.
Without question, in life, two is better than one! Especially when the other one is Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
An "Orange Leaf" Attitude
One of my favorite things to do after a staff meeting is to join the team at one of the many Orange Leaf locations in Lexington. There is nothing that helps the team come together like healthy yogurt smothered in Snickers, Oreo's, candy sprinkles and hot fudge! In fact, the amazing toppings selection just increased to include crushed waffle cones. Get this, yogurt not in a waffle cone, but a waffle cone in yogurt! I would love to be on the team coming up with these idea's. Can you imagine a low fat chocolate yogurt over pieces of funnel cake and covered in Captain Crunch Peanut Butter cereal, with peanut butter drizzle?
The truth is 90% of the time I opt for the fat free, sugar free yogurt with fresh strawberries and granola. Take my word for it, guilt free and great stuff at the same time. Orange Leaf captures the best of so many worlds in my mind: great atmosphere, great staff and a great dessert with many healthy options. They do a few things that make the experience extra special, but one thing very well; they have great yogurt!
At the center of every great company, team or church is a group of people committed to being great at what they do and they know what that thing is. If you are football team with a great offensive unit, then you play to your strength, offense. If you are a tire company then you become the best at making and marketing quality tires. If you are a church leadership team, then know what God is calling you to be in your city or community and give yourselves to it.
Extra toppings are good, but they are just that, extras. Focus on being great at the main thing and treat everything else as extras. This applies to our family life, careers and churches. Spending some time at the toppings bar is fun, but when I go to Orange Leaf, it's all about the yogurt! The people at Orange Leaf get it and it's obvious when you stand in line at checkout.
We need to get an Orange Leaf attitude when it comes to life and purpose to keep the main things the main things in life. When we do, life is much more simple and the journey is much more sweet than we could ever imagine! I think I will drop by and grab some yogurt on the way home.
The truth is 90% of the time I opt for the fat free, sugar free yogurt with fresh strawberries and granola. Take my word for it, guilt free and great stuff at the same time. Orange Leaf captures the best of so many worlds in my mind: great atmosphere, great staff and a great dessert with many healthy options. They do a few things that make the experience extra special, but one thing very well; they have great yogurt!
At the center of every great company, team or church is a group of people committed to being great at what they do and they know what that thing is. If you are football team with a great offensive unit, then you play to your strength, offense. If you are a tire company then you become the best at making and marketing quality tires. If you are a church leadership team, then know what God is calling you to be in your city or community and give yourselves to it.
Extra toppings are good, but they are just that, extras. Focus on being great at the main thing and treat everything else as extras. This applies to our family life, careers and churches. Spending some time at the toppings bar is fun, but when I go to Orange Leaf, it's all about the yogurt! The people at Orange Leaf get it and it's obvious when you stand in line at checkout.
We need to get an Orange Leaf attitude when it comes to life and purpose to keep the main things the main things in life. When we do, life is much more simple and the journey is much more sweet than we could ever imagine! I think I will drop by and grab some yogurt on the way home.
Friday, August 19, 2011
The Under And Over Principle
I am currently learning the need in my life for better boundaries, guidelines and an intense approach to personal discipline. Great intentions do not equal great performance or success. In fact, great intentions never usually make it to the phase of application, which is the real key to change in the first place.
The real enemy toward our advancing from a life of great intentions to a life of great success and fulfillment is over commitment. The old adage of being a mile wide and an inch deep describes too many of our lives. Doing a lot of things but not doing a lot of things well. This leads to a deep sense of frustration and eventually a lack of desire in life, a place we call burnout.
Though bad habits are hard go break, they can be broken. One of the most intentional things you will ever do is address the issue of over commitment and a life spinning out of control. A good first step is the "Under and Over Principle." A simple shift in the way you commit and what you commit to. Try this, the next time you are about to make a promise or commit to something, under promise and over deliver.
Can you imagine the diminished level of stress in your life if you apply this strategy? Simply be careful when you choose to make a commitment and be sure to over deliver when you do commit or make a promise. Get the job done earlier, go the extra mile on the project, bring five idea's to the meeting instead of the required three. Strategic things like arriving ten minutes early, staying ten minutes late and helping when everyone else is eager to leave. Leave a trail at the end of the day of a job well done by the Under and Over Principle.
You can do this and you will be better for it. You will have an opportunity within the next twenty four hours, under promise and over deliver!
The real enemy toward our advancing from a life of great intentions to a life of great success and fulfillment is over commitment. The old adage of being a mile wide and an inch deep describes too many of our lives. Doing a lot of things but not doing a lot of things well. This leads to a deep sense of frustration and eventually a lack of desire in life, a place we call burnout.
Though bad habits are hard go break, they can be broken. One of the most intentional things you will ever do is address the issue of over commitment and a life spinning out of control. A good first step is the "Under and Over Principle." A simple shift in the way you commit and what you commit to. Try this, the next time you are about to make a promise or commit to something, under promise and over deliver.
Can you imagine the diminished level of stress in your life if you apply this strategy? Simply be careful when you choose to make a commitment and be sure to over deliver when you do commit or make a promise. Get the job done earlier, go the extra mile on the project, bring five idea's to the meeting instead of the required three. Strategic things like arriving ten minutes early, staying ten minutes late and helping when everyone else is eager to leave. Leave a trail at the end of the day of a job well done by the Under and Over Principle.
You can do this and you will be better for it. You will have an opportunity within the next twenty four hours, under promise and over deliver!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Our Code
What principles govern your life? What would say are foundational truths that set the agenda for the bigger decisions you make in life? At some point in life it’s vital that you are able to define what you are about and begin to make choices that align with that discovery. It’s to easy to be something in theory and not in reality. So with that in mind, I wanted to share what defines bridgeCHURCH and the Code that drives us into what we are called to do in this city!
We are all about the Experience. This is a place where passionate worship and His word bring people into an experience with God.
We are called to bring Hope. We are seeking those in our city who are lost and far from God.
We will Grow. Growth is a sign of health in both the believer and the Body of Christ.
Our hearts beat with Compassion. True compassion moves us beyond just feelings and emotions, and compels us to action through love for others.
We are defined by how we Serve. It is through simple acts of serving, even to the least of these, that we humbly make Christ known in this city.
This is a place to Connect. We are marked by kindness and authenticity. Simply put, people matter to us.
We Give because He first gave. We invest generously, sow bountifully, and spend ourselves for the sake of God and people.
Respect is in our DNA. We show value toward God and others in the way we express honor and respect in both our language and attitude.
We are all about the Experience. This is a place where passionate worship and His word bring people into an experience with God.
We are called to bring Hope. We are seeking those in our city who are lost and far from God.
We will Grow. Growth is a sign of health in both the believer and the Body of Christ.
Our hearts beat with Compassion. True compassion moves us beyond just feelings and emotions, and compels us to action through love for others.
We are defined by how we Serve. It is through simple acts of serving, even to the least of these, that we humbly make Christ known in this city.
This is a place to Connect. We are marked by kindness and authenticity. Simply put, people matter to us.
We Give because He first gave. We invest generously, sow bountifully, and spend ourselves for the sake of God and people.
Respect is in our DNA. We show value toward God and others in the way we express honor and respect in both our language and attitude.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Hands and Feet
What opportunities will come your way today to show the love of Jesus to someone? Every day is a brand new gift from God to influence someone by the way you love, serve and live. At the office, on the job, during lunch, in the department store or simply talking with your neighbor. Simple day to day moments that become amazing opportunities to share Christ with others. The Gospel of Jesus is not complex, his way of life is not burdensome or heavy. “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30
Let’s help lift the load of someone today and become the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need. Jesus is still the answer and we have the hope of Christ living in us…let’s share that hope today!
Let’s help lift the load of someone today and become the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need. Jesus is still the answer and we have the hope of Christ living in us…let’s share that hope today!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Signs
One of the most difficult topics to engage our culture in is the topic of end time events. There are moments of peaked interest only to be met with much skepticism and doubt. How could a sober, rational and educated person ever believe there are series of events that are currently unfolding on this planet that point to the return of Jesus? Haven’t we heard this before and haven’t we outgrown all the emphasis on prophetic events yet to come? After all, we are finally better focused on teaching believers how to live and make a difference in the here and now. It just feels better to have graduated people to the reality of a gospel that is meant to make an impact on the current world we live in and stop focusing on the sweet bye and bye.
It’s true that we struggle in the Christian world to balance both worlds. No matter how much we resist looking into the reality of end time events for fear of returning to a day of being so heavenly minded we are of no earthly good, we must. We must because Jesus had so much to say about it and so did the apostles. After all, there is so much going on in the world around us to turn a blind eye and pretend it’s not all happening. Just because a confused man on the west coast makes false predictions that become fodder for late night comedians concerning the return of Christ, doesn’t mean that Jesus was wrong or the Bible is untrue. The wise person would simply revisit scripture and see what the Bible reveals to us about the signs of our times and live with a renewed level of awareness and alertness in this present age. I know it’s old school but true nonetheless, Jesus will come again. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:3
It’s true that we struggle in the Christian world to balance both worlds. No matter how much we resist looking into the reality of end time events for fear of returning to a day of being so heavenly minded we are of no earthly good, we must. We must because Jesus had so much to say about it and so did the apostles. After all, there is so much going on in the world around us to turn a blind eye and pretend it’s not all happening. Just because a confused man on the west coast makes false predictions that become fodder for late night comedians concerning the return of Christ, doesn’t mean that Jesus was wrong or the Bible is untrue. The wise person would simply revisit scripture and see what the Bible reveals to us about the signs of our times and live with a renewed level of awareness and alertness in this present age. I know it’s old school but true nonetheless, Jesus will come again. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:3
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Free Men
What does Saving Private Ryan, Gladiator, The Patriot, We Were Soldiers, Tombstone and Braveheart have in common? Simply a list of the greatest movies ever made! At least in my opinion they are and Braveheart being the best of them all. The classic true story of a single common man whose bravery led to the freedom of Scotland from British tyranny.
There are so many incredible moments in the storyline of the movie but Wallace’s speech to an intimidated army ready to run is still my favorite. He realizes that he has only a brief moment to convince his outnumbered army to stand and fight for the cause that he was willing to give his life for. A cause that would eventually cost him his life.
You've come to fight as free men... and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom, Wallace cries. What a powerful question to pose to a group of men who were ready to relinquish their freedom for fear of failure and defeat. What will you do with that freedom? As we pause and reflect on the precious gift of freedom that we all share in America and the many sacrifices that have made it all possible, there is a deep sense of responsibility with the free gift given to us. As free men and women we should live in a way that honors those who gave so much for us to experience that freedom.
In John 8:36 we read that, “If the Son makes you free, you are free indeed.” By the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ we can experience freedom from all sin and bondage. This is the good news of the Gospel and what good news it is. However, with the wonderful freedom we have in Christ comes the real life responsibility to live in such a way that makes Jesus visible to the world around us. To live in such a way that others who are slaves to sin will see the freedom we walk in and thirst for that very same freedom in their lives. A simple question for everyone who is truly free to consider today…what will you do with that freedom?
There are so many incredible moments in the storyline of the movie but Wallace’s speech to an intimidated army ready to run is still my favorite. He realizes that he has only a brief moment to convince his outnumbered army to stand and fight for the cause that he was willing to give his life for. A cause that would eventually cost him his life.
You've come to fight as free men... and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom, Wallace cries. What a powerful question to pose to a group of men who were ready to relinquish their freedom for fear of failure and defeat. What will you do with that freedom? As we pause and reflect on the precious gift of freedom that we all share in America and the many sacrifices that have made it all possible, there is a deep sense of responsibility with the free gift given to us. As free men and women we should live in a way that honors those who gave so much for us to experience that freedom.
In John 8:36 we read that, “If the Son makes you free, you are free indeed.” By the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ we can experience freedom from all sin and bondage. This is the good news of the Gospel and what good news it is. However, with the wonderful freedom we have in Christ comes the real life responsibility to live in such a way that makes Jesus visible to the world around us. To live in such a way that others who are slaves to sin will see the freedom we walk in and thirst for that very same freedom in their lives. A simple question for everyone who is truly free to consider today…what will you do with that freedom?
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