The Practice Field - repost

I think one of the most helpful things we can do for the next generation of leaders is to allow them to express their sense of what God is doing in their lives and to practice what they have learned from scripture.

I am finding that people, especially young people, are not interested in what you have to say until they are sure they have said- or will be able to say - what they want to say. It's a by-product of a generation that, for the most part as children of the Boomers, has been indulged or over-indulged.

I know this: God expects a lot from them. So much has been given (Luke 12:48).

In giving them a place to practice what they know, we provide an opportunity to succeed. A place where the principles that scripture is instilling in them get tested and pass, building faith and confidence in the character of God.

And practice isn't the same as observing. They have far too many opportunities to just be an observer. Practice means walking in the place where THEY are responsible for recognizing what God wants to do AT THAT MOMENT.

Dr. TL Osborn once told me that most of what we call the "anointing" comes from having experienced God's Presence in a similar way or circumstance. The more we see God move through us, the more sensitive we are to recognize what He is doing and what He wants to do next. That prepares us for expecting the miraculous on a regular basis. You know where He's going because you've been there before. That confidence comes from seeing Him move and looks like spiritual insight.

Are you in position to encourage a young person out of their comfort zone and into a place where they can learn to recognize how God moves - in and through them? You are in position to shape the next generation.

Team-Building

Jesus built quite a team. These 11 (and later Paul and others) had a variety of strengths.

Many times we see organizations develop based on "like-kindedness", but "like-mindedness" is a better environment for success.

Lead with your strengths. And develop them.

Team up with people who have what you lack in terms of strength, but have what you have in terms of vision.

That way everyone wins at the expense of no one. Every joint supplies.

^{Ephesians 4:11} "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."

He's still building His team.

What Do These Stones Mean to You?

When Israel crossed the Jordan under Joshua (Joshua 3) it was a significant landmark for the people of God.

To remind them of this event, God instructed Joshua to have one man from each tribe take a stone from the Jordan and bring it to where they were lodging, with the instruction,

"...when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” (Joshua 4:6b-7).

When they came up from the Jordan and the waters returned to where the ground had been dry, they set the stones in Gilgal as a memorial.

What have you "set" in your life as a memorial to the victories God has attained in and through you?

For years I carried a matchbox car in my pocket to remind me that He accepted me as His son.

Then I began carrying a leaf from a silk tree to remind me of how Zacchaeus came down from the tree, out of hiding, and that He had also called me by name.

In the noise, hurry and crowds of our life we must remember what God has done for us.

In Gilgal, speaking about this memorial, Joshua said to the people,

“When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ ²² then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; ²³ for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, ²⁴ that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.” (Joshua 4:21b-24)

Set a memorial marker in your life today.

Secrets 3

For 20+ years my wife and I have operated under a marriage strategy that we call "The B.E.S.T. Strategy". As with some of the other strategies that have become second-nature to us, we don't remember from whom or from where this strategy emerged. We just know it works.

Here's the skinny...

"B" stands for "Blessing". We make a point to bless each other, which means to say good things to and about each other. I cringe when I hear husbands refer to their wives as the "old lady" or the "ball-and-chain". She is a gift from God and, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD" (Proverbs 18:22).

"E" stands for "Edifying". Again, our speech plays a role here. We lift each other up with encouraging words. We believe in each other and have confidence that God is working - on many levels - to develop and mature each other and we would rather partner with Him in edifying than partner with the enemy in bringing discouragement.

"S" stands for "Sharing". There is not a part of my life, a conversation, a plan, or a dream that I hold that my wife is not aware of. We share with each other. Everything. Especially communications with the opposite sex. We recognize that our marriage is not either one of us; it is both of us. The two really did become one, and it would be a mistake to keep half of us in the dark and it is such an honor to have someone willing to listen to everything I have to say!

"T" stands for "Touching". We touch. It's good for us. It confirms what we feel for each other and, even when in disagreement over something, we touch to remind each other that we are still one.

This acronym gives us a score card to turn to every once in awhile to make sure that some basics are in place. I am far from perfect. My sarcastic upbringings make the "Blessing" part a particular challenge but my wife has seen me make progress over the years.

I hope this helps.

Win-Win

In our hyper-competitive society it seems there is a leaning towards every-day transactions becoming a battle, or at least a contest, that will result in a winner and a loser.

I see it over parking spaces, cash register lines, rights-of-way, government, purchases and, perhaps most tragic of all, discussions between believers.

This most essential community fabric - the family of God - needs to be preserved in one piece.

The concept of win-win must be held high here.

Consensus can be prized, not at the expense of what is right, but at the expense of one's own selfish desires. And consensus can be reached in a God-honored setting that acknowledges the worth of each person in the transaction.

The disciples disputed over their own greatness and were rebuked by the Lord (Mark 9:33-37). Instead of hearing their argument He set a child in their midst, endorsing the least to deflate the notion of the great.

The expression, "When we lift one another up we make progress at the expense of no one", is nowhere more true than in the family of God.

Take the time to lay down your self, your opinion, your preference, in favor of the glorious God-favored family.