Thursday, March 28, 2013

Does following Christ bring Freedom or Bondage? Pt2



“Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. Now hold on to your freedom and don't ever become slaves of the Law again.    I, Paul, promise you that Christ won't do you any good if you get circumcised.  If you do, you must obey the whole Law.  And if you try to please God by obeying the Law, you have cut yourself off from Christ and his gift of undeserved grace.  But the Spirit makes us sure God will accept us because of our faith in Christ.  If you are a follower of Christ Jesus, it makes no difference whether you are circumcised or not. All that matters is your faith that makes you love others.” -(Galatians 5:1-6 CEV)

Observation & Application
Why has a relationship with Jesus set me free from the Old Testament laws & regulations? For what purpose?  According to Galatians 4:21-31 & 5:1-6.  So that, I am can live in true freedom.... to truly be free.... to follow Him and develop a genuine relationship with Him free from burdensome laws & regulations.

So then how do I define freedom and how does the New Testament define freedom?  Why, I am asking?  
Because if Christ came with the intention of setting people free from institutionalization, from an empire of rules & regulations, and from personal captivity to the Old Testament law - then how does Jesus define freedom and how does He guide me to live in that freedom?  

Okay, let’s jump back into the text and go Galatians 5:13-18,
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters.  But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature.  Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out!  Beware of destroying one another.”
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives.  Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants.  And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires.  Theses two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses (Old Testament Law or Commands).”

Along this understanding, can I correctly concluded the following:
  • This biblical concept of freedom that the book of Galatians is encouraging me towards allows me to choose anything!
  • Galatians 5:13 shoots up a personal warning flair to me saying, “But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature” A) So what does it mean to “satisfy my sinful nature”? B) What does a life following the Holy Spirits guidance look like?
    • A) Galatians 5:19-21 tells me what happens when I follow my sinful natures desires (read Gal. 5:19-21)
    • B) Galatians 5:22-23 describes to me the results of following the Holy Spirits guidance (read Gal. 5:19-21)
  • Freedom should be used to benefit others as well as myself.
  • True freedom comes from choosing to following the Holy Spirit’s guidance.  But what does that look like?
    • verse 17 touches on this telling me, “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants.  And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires.  Theses two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” AKA / My wording: My sinful nature wants to step on others and have sex with who ever, but my sub-conscience often quietly warns me not to go down those paths because of the hurt and pain it will cause myself and others.... bottom line: it’s an internal and often mental battle followed by a choice.

Prayer 
Freedom came at a HIGH price therefore I need to make sure that I don’t abuse the freedom I have been given. Help me choose to nail the passions and desires of my sinful nature to the Cross so that they are crucified and I can overcome.  Help me learn and choose to following the Holy Spirit’s guidance in every part of my life. Help me not become conceited, or provoke others, or be jealous of others.... .... overwhelmed.... and speechless - Trevor



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Monday, March 25, 2013

Does following Christ bring Freedom or Bondage? Pt1




“Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. Now hold on to your freedom and don't ever become slaves of the Law again.    I, Paul, promise you that Christ won't do you any good if you get circumcised.  If you do, you must obey the whole Law.  And if you try to please God by obeying the Law, you have cut yourself off from Christ and his gift of undeserved grace.  But the Spirit makes us sure God will accept us because of our faith in Christ.  If you are a follower of Christ Jesus, it makes no difference whether you are circumcised or not. All that matters is your faith that makes you love others.” -(Galatians 5:1-6 CEV)  

Observation & Application
I find the concepts in Galatians chapters 4 & 5 simple and eye opening.

Galatians 4:1-19 reviles once again to me how I was granted son ship or adopted as a son of God. By saying, "when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law,   so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God's children.   Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father.  You are no longer slaves. You are God's children, and you will be given what he has promised."
- (Galatians 4:4-7 CEV)

Simple put we...I am no longer a slave to the old testimony laws & regulations, but set free from those rules & regulations since I have come to know God through developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Why has a relationship with Jesus set me free from the Old Testament laws & regulations? For what purpose?  According to Galatians 4:21-31 & 5:1-6.  So that, I am can live in true freedom.... to truly be free.... to follow Him and develop a genuine relationship with Him free from burdensome laws & regulations.

So then how do I define freedom and how does the New Testament define freedom?  Why, I am asking?  
Because if Christ came with the intention of setting people free from institutionalization, from an empire of rules & regulations, and from personal captivity to the Old Testament law - then how does Jesus define freedom and how does He guide me to live in that freedom?  

Along those lines, can I correctly concluded that entire bible now rests on two commandments (Matthew 22:37-40), one Commission (Matthew 28:18:21), and then remainder of the New Testament which is guidelines for developing a personal relationship with Jesus and daily living.  What about the Old Testament and the Bible as a whole?  Today I see once again that the Old Testament as promises made, the New Testament as promises fulfilled, and the Bible as a whole as complete.  It’s here I must allow the bible to interpret itself when I don’t understand it and continually yield to God’s word - allowing it to daily scrub my heart, my mind and correct me back to freedom and a genuine relationship with Jesus as my foundation.      

....read Galatians 5 & 6 for more.... 

Prayer 
God if this is true help me learn to walk in the freedom you desire - a freedom with out the law and regulations.  God I need You to transform and renew my wrong concepts.  I as a man with the modern day church need help to understand and tell others about the freedom you offer. Why? The church today places rules and regulations over people but is that the churches place.  Again, I need your saving wisdom on this!  God if I’m not to have these rules and regulations placed on me - please show me and the modern day church how to daily walk and live in the freedom you give. -Trevor



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Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Reflections from a RIP prospective



Everyone needs it. Their families need it. Every week. Don't skip on days off. Don't skip vacations. Go on occasional retreats. Don't lose your family by trying to save your church, business, or please the big boss man.

Uncle Dan Shima once asked me, ""Trevor what do you want your wife and children to say about you at your funeral?"

"A) he accomplished a lot for the church."

"B) he always put in long hours, achieve more than what was expected of him at work."

"C) he was known through out the community as a good hard working man."

"D) he was my dad, my friend, someone who was always made time for me. He love deeply and live vibrantly doing life with us. We were his top priority and he worked hard at whatever job he had to provide for us."

"E) I barely saw my dad. He loved his job and always told us that's how a dad loves and cares for his family."

What do you want to be said about you?



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Monday, March 18, 2013

Be a team player vs a dictator



Being a team player or leader isn't about being nice, nor is it a quick-fix technique, it's having a Win-Win mindset. It is a character-based code for human interaction and collaboration.

Most of us learn to base our self-worth on comparisons and competition. We think about succeeding in terms of someone else failing--that is, if I win, you lose; or if you win, I lose. Life becomes a zero-sum game. There is only so much pie to go around, and if you get a big piece, there is less for me; it's not fair, and I'm going to make sure you don't get anymore. We all play the game, but how much fun is it really?

Win-win sees life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. Win-win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win-win means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying. We both get to eat the pie, and it tastes pretty darn good!

A person or organization that approaches conflicts with a win-win attitude possesses three vital character traits:
Integrity: sticking with your true feelings, values, and commitments
Maturity: expressing your ideas and feelings with courage and consideration for the ideas and feelings of others

Abundance Mentality: believing there is plenty for everyoneMany people think in terms of either/or: either you're nice or you're tough. 

Win-win requires that you be both. It is a balancing act between courage and consideration. To go for win-win, you not only have to be empathic, but you also have to be confident. You not only have to be considerate and sensitive, you also have to be brave. To do that--to achieve that balance between courage and consideration--is the essence of real maturity and is fundamental to win-win.



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Thursday, March 14, 2013

Be Intentional about EXERCISE



"Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain and stress levels in terms of mood, memory, and learning," says Harvard Medical School psychiatrist John Ratey, author of the book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. "Even 10 minutes of activity changes your brain and released tension."

Regular exercise can help protect you from heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, noninsulin-dependent diabetes, obesity, back pain, osteoporosis, and can improve your mood and help you to better manage stress.

For the greatest overall health benefits, experts recommend that you do 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic activity three or more times a week and some type of muscle strengthening activity and stretching at least twice a week. However, if you are unable to do this level of activity, you can gain substantial health benefits by accumulating 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, at least five times a week.

If you have been inactive for a while, you may want to start with less strenuous activities such as walking or swimming at a comfortable pace. Beginning at a slow pace will allow you to become physically fit without straining your body. Once you are in better shape, you can gradually do more strenuous activity.


How Physical Activity Impacts Health

Regular physical activity that is performed on most days of the week reduces the risk of developing or dying from some of the leading causes of illness and death in the United States.

• Reduces the risk of dying prematurely.
• Reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart disease.
• Reduces the risk of developing diabetes.
• Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure.
• Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure.
• Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer.
• Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.
• Helps control weight.
• Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.
• Helps older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling.
• Promotes psychological well-being.

Specific Health Benefits of Exercise
Heart Disease and Stroke. Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure, raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (good cholesterol) and lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (bad cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing your heart's working capacity.

High Blood Pressure. Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure in those with high blood pressure levels. Physical activity also reduces body fatness, which is associated with high blood pressure.

Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes. By reducing body fatness, physical activity can help to prevent and control this type of diabetes.

Obesity. Physical activity helps to reduce body fat by building or preserving muscle mass and improving the body's ability to use calories. When physical activity is combined with proper nutrition, it can help control weight and prevent obesity, a major risk factor for many diseases.

Back Pain. By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise helps to prevent back pain.

Osteoporosis. Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation and may prevent many forms of bone loss associated with aging.

Psychological Effects. Regular physical activity can improve your mood and the way you feel about yourself. Researchers also have found that exercise is likely to reduce depression and anxiety and help you to better manage stress.

I'm a totally advocate for exorcise and it's benefits. In saying that, here's a recap:

Exercise and Stress
Regular exercise reduces the amount of stress hormones in the body, resulting in a slower heart rate, relaxed blood vessels, and lower blood pressure. Increased relaxation after exercise shows on your face with reduced muscle tension.
Exercise and Your Mood

Research shows that regular exercise reduces symptoms of moderate depression and enhances psychological fitness. Exercise can even produce changes in certain chemical levels in the body, which can have an effect on the psychological state.

Endorphins are hormones in the brain associated with a happy, positive feeling. A low level of endorphins is associated with depression. During exercise, plasma levels of this substance increase. This may help to ease symptoms of depression. A recent National Health and Nutrition survey found that physically active people were half as likely to be depressed.

Exercise also boosts the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that send specific messages from one brain cell to another. Though only a small percentage of all serotonin is located in the brain, this neurotransmitter is thought to play a key role in keeping your mood calm.
Exercise and Colds

Regular exercise appears to help jump-start the immune system, thus helping to reduce the number of colds, flu, and other viruses.
Exercise and Brainpower

Exercise boosts blood flow to the brain and helps it receive oxygen and nutrients. The better shape you're in, the faster you fire brain waves that are responsible for quick thinking.



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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Be proactive VS reactive



Be Proactive is about taking responsibility for your life. You can't keep blaming everything on your parents or grandparents. Proactive people recognize that they are "response-able." They don't blame genetics, circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. They know they choose their behavior. Reactive people, on the other hand, are often affected by their physical environment. They find external sources to blame for their behavior. If the weather is good, they feel good. If it isn't, it affects their attitude and performance, and they blame the weather. All of these external forces act as stimuli that we respond to. Between the stimulus and the response is your greatest power--you have the freedom to choose your response.

Instead of reacting to or worrying about conditions over which they have little or no control, proactive people focus their time and energy on things they can control.

How can Pastors be proactive?

[ ] Plan your messages out a year and stick to your plan.

First things first, schedule your time off and schedule in trusted guest speakers.

[ ] Plan your messages out a year and stick to your plan.

Next, schedule in people your are investing in (partner messages).

[ ] Plan your messages out a year and stick to your plan.

Next, schedule seasonal messages / special events (Christmas, Easter, Anniversary Services, etc...).

[ ] Plan your messages out a year and stick to your plan.

Next, schedule growth campaign messages (Fall: Sept-Oct, New Years: Mid Jan-Feb, Spring: post Easter-May, etc...).

[ ] Plan your messages out a year and stick to your plan.

Finally, make sure you have a few open weeks for stand along messages (these allow you freedom to speak to community issues, felt needs, etc..).

[ ] Plan your messages out a year and stick to your plan.

Begin with the end in mind. The ability to envision in your mind what you cannot at present see with your eyes. It is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There is a mental (first) creation, and a physical (second) creation. The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building follows a blueprint. If you don't make a conscious effort to visualize who you are and what you want in life, then you empower other people and circumstances to shape you and your life by default. It's about connecting again with your own uniqueness and then defining the personal, moral, and ethical guidelines within which you can most happily express and fulfill yourself. Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make things happen.

Being proactive is about choice. Beginning with the End in Mind is about vision. It happens day in and day out, moment-by-moment. It deals with many of the questions addressed in the field of time management. But that's not all it's about. It's about life management as well--your purpose, values, roles, and priorities. What are "first things?" First things are those things you, personally, find of most worth. If you put first things first, you are organizing and managing time and events according to the personal priorities you established.



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Monday, March 11, 2013

Find a lighting rod friend



What’s this? Well, a lightning rod is a device to protect a building from lighting. It’s a metal rod that is placed on the highest part of a building. Its purpose is to protect the building from lightning by conducting the lightning to the ground. Therefore, if lightning strikes a building that does not have a lightning rod, lightning will go through the wires and fry all the electronic equipment in the building. However, if a building has a lightning rod, the lightning will seek the lightning rod. By doing so, the rod saves the building from harm.

As for us, a lightning rod is someone who loves Jesus, loves you, in that order. It is someone who is a friend. It is someone whom you have given permission to speak into your life. This is why it is absolutely crucial for each one of us to identify someone whom we give permission to speak in to our lives. It is to help control our tongues and it is a part of our growing up in Christ.

Above all, this person will speak into you life about your marriage, finances, attitude, moods, activities and your actions. Here is what the Bible says about this kind of friend, “A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Pro. 18:24). Hence, when you find a friend who is a lightning rod in your life, hang on to them.

Again the Bible says we won’t have too many of these. For it says, “too many friends cometh to ruin. But there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother”.So identify this person in your life. And when you need someone to talk to, this person will already be in your life.

I had a friend who was a lightning rod in my life. But he has passed on. He was a wonderful old man who was like a grandfather to me. Whenever I’d get upset, I’d call him. Let me just say, He was a person who would never take sides. Nor would he bear a grudge or shoulder an offense along side with me. Whenever I was upset, he’d say, Wayne come on over, let’s have some soup.

Yes soup! I remember him making some soup as I sat in a chair. Although I was upset, he would calm my spirit down by saying, let’s just have some soup. He was indeed a friend who stuck closer than a brother to me.

Moreover, if you’re married, your spouse may or may not be your lightning rod. As for me, my wife is not a lightning rod to me. She loves me so much that if someone offends me, she’d get upset at that person. So to protect her, I share the victory side. In other words, I work it through, and then I’d share it with her.



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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Seek to understand vs just be understood



Communication is the most important skill in life. You spend years learning how to read and write, and years learning how to speak. 

But what about listening? 

What training have you had that enables you to listen so you really, deeply understand another human being? Probably none???? 

If you're like most people, you probably seek first to be understood; you want to get your point across. And in doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you're listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely. 

So why does this happen? 

Because most people listen with the intent to reply, not to understand. You listen to yourself as you prepare in your mind what you are going to say, the questions you are going to ask, etc. You filter everything you hear through your life experiences, your frame of reference. You check what you hear against your autobiography and see how it measures up. And consequently, you decide prematurely what the other person means before he/she finishes communicating. 

Sound familiar? 

Because you so often listen autobiographically, you tend to respond in one of four ways:

Evaluating: You judge and then either agree or disagree.

Probing: You ask questions from your own frame of reference.

Advising: You give counsel, advice, and solutions to problems.

Interpreting: You analyze others' motives and behaviors based on your own experiences.

Truly listening well requires us to ask interactive questions allowing the recipient to derive a personal conclusion verses us being the source of their answer. 

Remember your NOT God, Jesus, or Superman and that's okay. 


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Monday, March 4, 2013

We're all given 24hrs a day



We’re all given the same 24 hours in a day. What you do with it, how you spend it, invest it, dribble and let it leak away is up to you. What most people fail to realize about time management is that it’s not about structuring your time, it’s about structuring your values and priorities. When you know what is important to you and why, and how to say “no” to one thing so you can say “yes” to another, then and only then will you discover how easy it really is to manage your time productively, wisely and easily. You can't get everything done today and that's okay as tomorrow will come.



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