Feeling small...
Feeling small? Inadequate?Undeserving of anything? I’m going to make a guess that most, if not all, of us have had these feelings at one time or another. We question what abilities we have to offer the Lord. We feel lacking when it comes to giving to God’s causes. We have moments when we feel greatly inadequate for the task the Lord has called us to fulfil.
And sometimes those feelings come on our good days! If you ever feel that way, don’t think you are alone. Some of God’s greatest servants expressed such feelings. I think of Moses who tried to reason God out of using him while talking to a burning bush. “I can’t talk so good.” “Who am I?” (Remember God’s answer? “Who do you think made your tongue?”)
Even the Apostle Paul, a brilliant man by any standard, admitted that he hadn’t “apprehended” it all, or, as Eugene Peterson phrased it in The Message, “I’m not saying that I have this all together....”
And then then there is David, the man after God’s own heart. When it came to providing resources for God’s work, he had questions for the Lord, too.
[blockquote author="I Chronicles 29:14 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us![/blockquote]
Did you see that? Even in the midst of David’s feelings of unworthiness, he admitted that everything we have is from God. Everything. And we give...whether it is our finances, our time, our talent, our focus...out of the storehouse of resources our Sovereign God has placed in our lives and our hands.
The Lord knows what you have. And if He asks something of you, He knows what you have to draw on. He knows your skills (He gave them to you), how much time you have (He provided that, too), and He knows your bank account, since He is the one who gave you the ability to work to earn a salary, and even opened the door for the job you have. He provides the breath to live, the energy to get up each morning, and the desire to serve Him. It is all God.
My advice? Just serve. Just give. Just expend your time in service to the King. Don’t waste energy being concerned as to how your gifts line up against others. Be faithful, and you will find a faithful Lord who will walk with you and enable you to do His work His way...for His glory.
Who are you? You are exactly who God made you to be... to be part of His plan to reach souls for His kingdom.
Trust...or not?
Trust, noun \ ˈtrəst \ : firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.
Have you ever put your trust...your firm belief...in a person, only to have that person let you down? How easy was it to rebuild that trust? You have probably found that rebuilding trust is a long, long process. And if you have been the person who faltered, who lost the trust of a friend or mate, you know how painful and slow the process is from that vantage point, too.
What about your trust of God? How are you doing with that? You may have heard me mention that through the years I have developed a very simple philosophy:
You either trust God...or you don’t.
There is no middle ground.
There are times when it is easy to trust God. Will the sun rise tomorrow? Of course. Is the Lord’s salvation sure? Everlasting? Trustworthy? Yes. But what about those other areas of our lives. What about the grey areas, the tough areas, the hard times, the lingering illness, the tough financial days? What about then?
You either trust God...or you don’t.
Richard and Henry Blackaby in their devotional book Being Still with God talk about trusting the Lord in our lives.
"All I have needed His hand hath provided,” the hymnist wrote. Yet still we wonder… How in the world can we afford college? Where will I find a job now that I’ve been laid off? Will God really help me if I step out in faith?
These and many other day-to-day questions tend to pull us away from God, eroding our trust in Him. Maybe we think He is too busy. Maybe we feel our problems aren’t big enough to warrant the Lord’s attention. Or we think we are not worthy. Or...a thousand other thoughts that pull us down.
A while back a friend mentioned to me that despite some ministry challenges we have faced, I appear calm and confident. I’ll quickly tell you that I have my moments. There are times I am concerned about direction, finances, family, our world, and a myriad of other things. But as quickly as these things come to mind, I try to pray about them and turn them over to the Lord Jesus. I remember the truth of His Word from the Old Testament.
[blockquote author="Lamentations 3:23 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.[/blockquote]
Singer-songwriter Twila Paris wrote a song at a time when her world seemed to crumble. Hope was shaken. Trust in God was eroding. What do you do in times like that? In the song “Do I Trust You, Lord?” she talked of building upon the things for which we do trust God. Little by little. Step by step. At one point in the song Twila sings:
I know the answers, I've given them all
But suddenly now, I feel so small
Shaken down to the cavity in my soul
I know the doctrine and theology
But right now they don't mean much to me
This time there's only one thing I've got to know
Do I trust You, Lord? Does the robin sing?
Do I trust You, Lord? Does it rain in spring?
You can see my heart, You can read my mind
And You got to know I would rather die
Than to lose my faith in the One I love
Do I trust You, Lord? Do I trust You?
What is happening in your life and ministry right now? Do you trust God? At the end of Twila Paris’ song, she makes the firm commitment that I hope rings in your heart as well.
I will trust You, Lord, when I don't know why
I will trust You, Lord, till the day I die
I will trust You, Lord, when I'm blind with pain
You were God before and You'll never change
I will trust You, I will trust You
I will trust You, Lord
Trust God.
God’s best...
Your dream...dead or alive?
How long do you hang on to a dream? Has the Lord given you a specific idea or vision about ministry, your family, your future? What happens if it doesn’t materialize on your timetable? Was it just a dream, or a vision from God? How long...?
In his outstanding book, Living Out of the Overflow, Dr. Richard Blackaby uses biblical examples to both strengthen us and encourage us about the life to which God has called us. The life of Moses serves as an example of God’s faithfulness and of Moses’ decisions that impacted the Lord’s vision for him and the Israelites he led.
We know the account of the great miracles God did, how He led the Israelites out of Egypt in a miraculous way and started them on the journey to the Promised Land. And we know of the rebellion of the people against Moses, and ultimately against God. Blackaby points out how important our choices are for God’s dream to be fulfilled in our lives.
[blockquote author="" link="" target="_blank"]Life consists of a series of choices. How we respond to those decisions sets the direction of our life. A series of wise choices can take a person far down the road to success. One foolish decision can derail the journey.[/blockquote]
[blockquote author="Richard Blackaby" link="" target="_blank"]Moses suffered for most of his life due to a handful of unwise decisions.... Our life typically progresses the same way. Though we make many small, mundane decisions throughout life, we could likely trace the overall success or failure of our life to only a handful of major decisions.[/blockquote]
Richard Blackaby reminds us that Moses did not make it to the Promised Land because of one instance, one unwise decision. God told Moses to speak to the rock and water would come. Moses instead hit the rock. Did water come? Yes. So...was that a successful decision? No. Moses' unwillingness to follow the Lord’s direction meant he would never see the land God had promised.
So, back to that dream. God promised a new land for His people. He kept His promise. The dream of the Israelites was fulfilled, even though Moses and a generation of Israelites would not see it.
What about your dream? If it is from the Lord, He will be faithful. Your part and mine is to be obedient to the Lord’s leading in our lives, in matters large and (seemingly) small. Blackaby concludes,
“Our life has a context. We do not walk with God in a vacuum. While we wish we could serve God under ideal conditions, life rarely affords such a luxury.... We can either grow discouraged by the difficulties we face, or we can allow God to guide us through a maze of complex issues and circumstances, so our life becomes an instrument to accomplish His divine purpose.”
The Apostle Paul reminds us of the everlasting faithfulness of our Lord to accomplish His will in you and through you.
[blockquote author="Philippians 1:6 NASB" link="" target="_blank"]For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.[/blockquote]
Hold on to God’s dream, and faithfully serve Him daily, even in the mundane things of life. The writer of Hebrews put it this way:
[blockquote author="Hebrews 10:35-36 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.[/blockquote]
Your dream may be just around the corner.
Beyond Broadcasting
As I teach university students about radio, I am well aware that most, if not all, will find work in something other than radio. But I often tell them the principles they learn for radio can apply in many situations. Everyone needs to communicate well. And most of us need some “continuing education” on how to consistently improve our communication skills.
Valerie Geller’s book Beyond Powerful Radio is a great text for those who work in the radio world. But the ideas picked up in the book have application beyond broadcasting. As I recently read through some of her bullet point principles, I recognized how important they are for anyone serving in radio ministries today. Yet I think you can draw some application for many areas of communication.
Geller begins with three principles.
- Tell the truth.
- Make it matter.
- Never be boring.
Those alone would apply to public speaking, presentations, and even Sunday messages in the pulpit. We can easily understand the importance of telling the truth. But what about “make it matter?” Most of us approach new information with the attitude, “What’s in it for me?” You should help your audience understand why the things you are sharing should be of concern to them. It should matter. And of course, never be boring!
Here are some other suggestions that are certainly radio specific but may resonate with you beyond radio.
- Speak visually, in terms a listener can “picture.”
- Start with your best material.
- Storytell powerfully.
- Never let anything go too long.
- Listen.
- Ask: Why would someone want to hear this?
- Address each listener as an individual. Use “you.”
- Stay curious, relax. Allow humor to happen.
- Be who you are.
- Take risks. Dare to be great!
Think of the last time you made a presentation, were on the radio, or spoke to a group about your ministry. How many of these principles and suggestions would have made your presentation better? Storytelling is an art, but it is something we can learn to do effectively. Speaking visually, whether on radio or in person, draws the listener in as they visualize the scene you are describing.
I love the point about taking risks and daring to be great. Think of powerful events or people who have had an impact on your life. Someone took a risk. Someone stepped out, daring to do something great for the Lord and those who serve Him. Follow their example in your communication and in your leadership.
The Apostle Paul reminded us why we ought to apply principles like these to work in the communication world or anywhere else we serve.
[blockquote author="Colossians 3:23 NASB" link="" target="_blank"]Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men....[/blockquote]
And remember...never be boring!
Need Some Insight?
One of my spiritual mentors is Dr. Henry Blackaby. His book, Experiencing God, has changed many lives, as people recognize that God has a master plan, and the best thing we can do is see where God is at work and join Him there.
Right alongside the powerful My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, Blackaby’s Experiencing God Day-by-Day is a great tool to keep you on God’s path for spiritual growth and effectiveness. His son, Dr. Richard Blackaby, also assisted with the book.
Today I’ll share a few insights gleaned from some of his daily devotions.
[blockquote author="1 Timothy 1:12" link="" target="_blank"]Your ability to serve God is not based on your past, but on your faithfulness today. If you are faithful with the task God entrusts to you, God will enable you to accomplish it.[/blockquote]
[blockquote author="1 Peter 5:7" link="" target="_blank"]Casting our cares is a choice. It means consciously handing over our anxiety to Christ and allowing Him to carry the weight of our problems. At times, this is the most difficult part of trusting God![/blockquote]
[blockquote author="Psalm 41:12" link="" target="_blank"]There are times when God will be the only witness to your righteous behavior. Sometimes God is the only one who will understand your motives. Sometimes you will do all you know God has asked you to do, only to face ridicule from others. At such times, all you can do is maintain your integrity, trusting that God always keeps His eyes on you. God looks favorably upon those who walk with integrity, doing what they know is right, regardless of how others perceive their actions.[/blockquote]
[blockquote author="Proverbs 27:17" link="" target="_blank"]Be careful in your choice of friends! Jesus chose His closest friends wisely. He did not look for perfect friends, but friends whose hearts were set to follow God. It is equally important to examine the kind of friend you are to others.... Strive to find godly friends who will challenge you to become the person God desires.[/blockquote]
[blockquote author="Matthew 14:16" link="" target="_blank"]
The key difference between what appears to be impossible to us and what is actually possible is a word from our Master! Faith accepts His divine command and steps out in a direction that only God can complete. If you only attempt things that you know are possible with the visible resources you possess, those around you will not see God at work.[/blockquote]
Maybe over the next five days you would want to take one of these truths to read, pray about, and add to the godly influences in your daily walk with the Lord.
Toward Better Communication
If you are like me, from time to time you find yourself presenting to groups of people. It may be other people in your ministry, supporters, community leaders, those in your church, or even just a group of friends. Would you like to be more effective in your speaking?
My friend Phil Cooke quoted Roger Ailes in a recent communication piece. You may know Mr. Ailes as the former President of Fox News in the U.S. Prior to that, he had a corporate communications firm, consulting and advising major corporate CEO’s, celebrities, and even folks like President Ronald Reagan.
In his book, You Are the Message, Ailes cites 10 common communication problems that those who speak publicly experience. See how many of these are issues with you.
1. Lack of initial rapport with listeners.
2. Stiffness or woodenness in the use of the body.
3. Presentation of material is intellectually oriented; speaker forgets to involve the audience emotionally.
4. Speaker seems uncomfortable because of fear of failure.
5. Poor use of eye contact and facial expression.
6. Lack of humor.
7. Speech direction and intent is unclear due to improper preparation.
8. Inability to use silence for impact.
9. Lack of energy, causing inappropriate pitch pattern, speech rate, and volume.
10. Use of boring language and lack of interesting material.
Numbers three and seven jumped out at me. But I really liked number eight. The use of silence for impact is a great tool when used effectively. I know, for those of us who live and breathe radio, silence is not golden. But it can be when used to drive home a point, or to make the listener think about what was just said.
Is there anything there on that list that you can work on before your next presentation?
Dangerous!
I have a quote from my long-time spiritual mentor, Dr. Henry Blackaby, that I have kept close by. For years it was attached to my computer monitor. It is the type of reminder I need for God’s expectation for my life and for my service to Him.
[blockquote author="" link="" target="_blank"]There is nothing more dangerous than a small character in God’s big assignment.[/blockquote]
We often talk about character and integrity in an interchangeable way. To me, character is what others see. Integrity is the inner quality that drives character. It is who we are on the inside…in private…that shows itself in our character.
In my well-worn copy of Blackaby’s Experiencing God Day-by-Day, he draws from the life of Abraham, and says this:
"Big assignments require big characters. God will give you a responsibility in proportion to the size of your character. God sees your life from His eternal perspective. He will take whatever time is necessary to grow your character to match His assignment for you."
Are you impatient to begin your work before God has refined your character? A small character will fail in a large responsibility every time. Don’t be too hasty to get to the work. Character-building can be long and painful.
I'll be honest with you…I’d rather not hear that. I don’t want “long and painful” for my life. I want microwave-instant character. But as Dr. Blackaby says, “God sees your life from His eternal perspective. He will take whatever time is necessary to grow your character to match His assignment for you.”
Are you willing to submit to God, to shape you into the big character He needs for His big assignment? Am I? If you are looking for the right answer to that question, the answer should be…
YES!
Probing Questions
As leaders we are supposed to have answers. Answers for our staff. Answers for our supporters. Answers for ourselves. But in order to have answers, we need to know the questions. And we need to be willing to ask probing questions about ourselves and our ministry.
Our friend Bob Teide specializes in such questions, and believes leaders need to ask question of themselves and their staff to move the organization forward toward God’s goals. He recently ran a list of questions for leaders to ask themselves gleaned from Paul Kearns, the head of an organization called Maturity Institute. I’ve picked a few for your consideration and added some of my own comments to them.
1. What is the purpose of my organization? Am I here to serve shareholders, customers, or society? Most of all, am I serving the purpose the Lord has for me and the organization?
2. Have I defined value in clear and simple terms? Does our staff clearly understand the value of our organization? The message we send out is our “product.” Have I shared with the staff so that they know the importance of what they do?
3. Am I trusted? How will I know and what will I do if I lose trust? What am I doing to maintain trust with the staff, listeners, donors, supporters?
4. What are my core values? What values underpin my own thinking, actions, and behavior?
5. Do I live by clear principles? Are my values translated into my guiding principles for myself and the whole of the organization? Do I practice what I preach? Do I act when I see those principles being ignored by others?
6. Do we have the right culture? What is the “personality” or culture of our organization. Is it built on biblical principles? Do I fully appreciate how important the culture of our organization is? Can I accurately articulate the sort of culture we need today and am I constantly aware of how my decisions might affect it? How will I monitor it, and will I know when we are deviating from it?
7. Am I passionate about never-ending improvement? What is my own management philosophy? How can it be anything else, other than the pursuit of continuous improvement, forever? How do I demonstrate that I follow this philosophy myself in everything I do?
8. Am I authentic? Does our publicly available company information and reporting truly reflect who I am and the underlying health of our organization, or is the presentation of our image more cosmetic than substantive?
By the way, our steps to make sure our ministries and organizations are pleasing to God are worth the effort. It falls in line with Timothy’s admonition to the believer of his day...and ours.
[blockquote author="II Timothy 2:15" link="" target="_blank"]Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.[/blockquote]
What do you think? Are there any other questions? And... how will you answer?
Standing at the Gate
Gatekeeper. We often hear the term without thinking much about it. In past centuries there were gatekeepers posted at the city gates who allowed only certain people in. The word now has broader application, as the term becomes a metaphor for any person, organization, or computer program that controls information flow.
Parents are gatekeepers. Leaders are gatekeepers.
Now the term is most often used in media, speaking of those who filter information to be sure their media audience receives the appropriate message. Those of us in Christian media play that role for our viewers and listeners. And it is a challenging role.
If you are involved in the decision process for programming, you have a great responsibility. What are you putting on the air or on line? Is the theology of the program, song, or message biblical? Is it edifying? Is it something that builds up the body of Christ... His Church... or does it have a tendency to bring division? Is it just flat wrong?
Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgemuth in her devotional The Quiet Place reminds us of the story of the Trojan Horse that caused the downfall of Troy. You remember the big wooden horse that was filled with Greek soldiers. What seemed like a positive... a gift... became something that brought destruction. And now we call many computer viruses by that name...a Trojan horse.
The Apostle Paul warned the believers in Colossae of such danger.
[blockquote author="Colossians 2:8 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual power of this world, rather than from Christ.[/blockquote]
Nancy Leigh brings that warning to us today.
[blockquote author="" link="" target="_blank"]Spiritual ‘infection’ in a believer or in the church can come through traditions, through friends, through the continual drip of a secular world system that constantly presents to us ‘a different gospel’ (Galatians 1:6). Satan doesn’t care how he deceives you... appealing to your emotions, your intellect, your awe of the impressive... as long as in the end you don’t believe the truth, don’t act on the truth, and don’t spread the truth to others.[/blockquote]
You are a gatekeeper. You have great responsibility. As Nancy Leigh advises...
- Be alert.
- Stay discerning.
- Be teachable.
- Get grounded in God’s Word.
- Stay close to Christ.
Keep on your guard. Others depend on you for credible Truth from the Lord. Stand at the gate and be on the watch!
Just Do It!
Nike shoes built a long-standing media campaign on the phrase, “Just do it!” I’m not sure what that had to do with sports shoes (Just buy them now?) but it is hard to see the Nike “swoosh” without thinking of the phrase.
In reality, that’s not a bad thing to implement in your life. Procrastination is seldom a coveted virtue. It usually leads to a logjam of problems down the road when all those things you put off until later come due. Yikes! Since you can’t do everything at once, and since I recently wrote on prioritizing, let me zero in on one thing we should do right away, and you can make whatever further application for your life, leadership, and activities.
Have you ever told someone, “I’ll pray for you,” then got busy and forgot to do so? The next time we see them we sometimes hedge our words so we don’t have to admit we forgot to pray. Here is where that Nike phrase comes in to play. And Oswald Chambers would agree.
[blockquote author="" link="" target="_blank"]Never say you will pray about a thing; pray about it.[/blockquote]
When you say you are going to pray for someone...just do it. Yep, right there where the two of you are. If it is on the phone, it’s pretty easy. But what if you are in an office, a busy lobby, in the parking lot, or at the mall? A bit more awkward for many.
I was in Genesis in my daily reading and came to the story of Joseph. Sold into slavery in Egypt, placed in Potiphar’s house where Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him. His refusal landed him in prison. When the Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker also landed in prison, Joseph was able to correctly interpret their dreams. As they were being released, Joseph asked for one simple thing. “Mention me to Pharaoh so he might let me out of this place.” I’m sure the cupbearer had the best of intentions. But guess what happened.
[blockquote author="Gen 40:23 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.[/blockquote]
Joseph spent two more years in prison before the cupbearer remembered what Joseph had asked him to do.
Years ago, I realized I was telling folks I would pray, and then let my busyness override my good intentions. So, I decided to adopt the “just do it” strategy. I would ask the person if I could pray with them right then. To my memory, I have never had anyone turn me down. And yes, I have prayed in the busy lobby of a local TV station, in a hallway at work, in a parking lot, and in many hospital waiting rooms.
When a person has shared a deep need...a prayer request...you can be sure it is important to them. Even non-Christians have responded favorably to a time of prayer. And those who understand the power of prayer certainly appreciate that focused time.
There are some great benefits to just doing it...praying right then.
• First, it unleashes all God has for that person (and for you) through His Holy Spirit.
• Second, it relieves you of the guilt of saying you will pray and then not following through.
• Finally, though this isn’t why you do it, the act of prayer can be a wonderful witness to others.
By the way, if you email someone or chat with them online, and you say you will pray, just do it right then. It doesn’t have to be a long prayer but breathe a prayer for the person and their need. Don’t just put up the little praying hands emoji and go on. Pray.
Oswald Chambers, in his devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest, revealed the importance of praying for others.
[blockquote author="" link="" target="_blank"]...prayer is the working of the miracle of redemption in me, which produces the miracle of redemption in others, through the power of God.[/blockquote]
Don’t miss out on that miracle of prayer. Just do it!