Here is a statement from the book Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge that really caught my attention.

“To wait on God successfully, we must come to derive more fulfillment by being with Him than by working for Him.”

Living for Jesus is important, but we are also meant to live our lives “with” Jesus.  I have a habit of running to God for the next task and getting frustrated when I feel there isn’t one.  But God has been teaching me lately that the Greatest task is to know Him.  The Bible is a giant reference book to God’s love of relationships.  It’s what He is all about.

So if you are having a difficult time figuring out what God has for you next, He may be waiting on you to realize that He is not just a boss, but a friend.

While you are in a period of waiting, enjoy God for who He is and not what He does.

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and you leave more confused than when it started?  Or have you ever try to tell someone something, only to have them stare blankly back at you?  It is important when communicating to someone to understand what is at stake.    Here are a few tips to help in communicating clearly:

1. Think about what you are about to say before you say it.
   • Although you may be an expert, your listener may not be so it is important to think through the conversation before it happens.
2. When having a conversation, Listen.
   • If you are the only one talking, the conversation is probably not going well.  If your listener is not responding, it may be because they have no clue to what you are talking about, thus wasting both of your time.
3. Speak clearly.
   • Sometimes we can be too polite because of a difficult issue, or speak to fast because of time restrains or nerves, or we mumble because of insecurity about the topic, but whatever the cause it is pointless to expect our listener to understand us if we do not speak clearly.
4. Lastly, If you don’t know, then don’ pretend like you do.
   • The phrase “If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bulls**t” may be hilarious, but it is not very good advice if you want to be taken seriously.  I run when I see the person who is constantly trumping everyone else’s conversation just to hear themselves talk.  Don’t be that person.

Communication is a vital resource.  The best ideas will never happen if they are not communicated correctly.

I have been reading through 1^st & 2^nd Samuel and I came across a passage that really blew me away.

This story is the aftermath of David’s affair with Bathsheba:

• ¹⁵ After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. ¹⁶David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. ¹⁷The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. ¹⁸ On the seventh day the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.” ¹⁹ David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. ”Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” ²⁰ Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. ~ 2 Samuel 12.15-20

Several things that jump out:

• David was desperate after God
  • Although this tragedy was a consequence of his sin, David immediately persued God.  If we are not careful, we allow our sin to drive a wedge between us and God. David knew that God was big enough to handle his junk.
• David got up
  • Once he has his answer, even one he didn’t want, David moved on.  He knew that to continue to pray was pointless, God had given him his answer and it was time to move.  We must be ready to move when God movies, even if we aren’t sure about the direction.
• David Worshiped
  • This part blows me away.  As a true man of faith, David knew that God still loved him.  Despite the tragedy of losing a child, David continued to worship God.  This is the reason God deemed David as a “man after his own heart” because despite the circumstances, David continued to worship the Father.  This is an important lesson for us. In the mist of our greatest heartaches and tragedies, God desires our worship.

Worship equals faith. If you are having trouble worshiping God, then you are having trouble trusting God.

• ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ~ Heb 12.2-3

In this age of instant communication, social sites like Twitter and Facebook are all the rage.  This is due, of course, to the short, quick, and to the point statements that force both writers and readers to think and interpret each other’s thoughts with less information.  I was thinking on this phenomenon and began to wonder if I haven’t seen this before… Then bam!! It hit me.  God has a set of tweets of His own; in a book called Proverbs.  Short, sweet, to the point, but still full of incredible wisdom.  I’ll call them “God Tweets.”

Here are my thoughts on one of them…

Proverbs 28:1
The wicked are edgy with guilt, ready to run off even when no one’s after them;
Honest people are relaxed and confident, bold as lions.

• The wicked are edgy…
  • I had a hard time with this one.  I don’t consider myself wicked; I’m a youth pastor for cryin out loud!  But there have been so many times when I have felt “edgy” or uncomfortable with guilt.  And I know I’m not the only one.  You know that feeling you get after you have done something wrong.  Or how about the feeling you get when you know you’re in sin and you have to be around people who you know are spiritual.  You feel like the Holy Spirit might tattle on you or something.   I have been there on many occasions.  So, when I am out of the will of God, I am wicked. Tough conclusion…

• The honest are relaxed, confident, bold…
  • When we honestly walk in the will of God, there is no need for fear.  The lion is a very relaxed animal because it knows it’s the king.  It’s the best – the strongest.  Well, God is the King; He is the best and the strongest.  When we are honest before the Lord in our weakness, He grants us His strength.  You see, many times honesty takes “humility.”  It take the willingness to say that I honestly cannot do this alone. It takes coming to the conclusion that we are wicked.  Yet again, tough conclusion… but honest.

So ask yourself in the quietness of your heart…

Are you edgy?

Are you worried?

Are you ready to run without a pursuer?

Or

Are you relaxed?

Are you confident?

Are you bold?

Are You Being Honest?

This is from my prayer time this morning…

Following Jesus is dangerous.  It can cost you.  It will be difficult.

Jesus warned his early follower of the dangers and hardships they would face.

And still they were willing to go the distance.  They understood what was at stake.  The eternity of those around us litterally hang in the balance and God has called us!

Life is short… very, very short.  We don’t have much time.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Heb. 12.1)

But he also gave a promise.

So we all must decide… I mean truly decide… are we up for the challenge.

Time is short and God is calling all thrill seekers, dare devils, and all around just plain crazies to change the world.  Are you ready for some danger?

Father, give us each perseverance to run the race you have before us.

God likes ordinary… ordinary people that is.  Throughout history, God has used very ordinary people to do incredible things.  I find stories of people such as  Abraham, David and Peter as testament to this fact.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 says “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”

God is the same today as He was then.  He is still in the business of taking regular people and using them the change the world.  Using the unwise to teach the wise; the lowly things to change the great.  God is looking for people just like you and me.

Are you foolish… Are you lowly… Are you weak?  Great!  God’s been looking for you!!