I have been contemplating the strange situation that exists for me in finding inspiration in writing/speaking for most of my ministry. Some call it writer's block, lack of inspiration and just a plain lack of ideas. Since I make my living largely from speaking/writing, this is a weekly challenge. Especially when you have been speaking weekly in the same place and to some of the same people for 23 years, seeking out new things to say can become a daunting task.
Take for instance holidays. Something as wonderful as the gospel Christmas story or next on the calendar, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, can become challenging to communicate in a fresh way. The challenge to be fresh is for my own sake, not to become monotonous or uninspired as well as for my listeners. The Sunday to Sunday sermons, er, I mean talks, are less so, but have their moments as well.
In my experience it mostly lies with the decision about what to talk about, whether writing or speaking. Once I determine what I am going to talk about, it is off to the races. I can spend days contemplating and praying about what to communicate with great intensity and then in a moment, I decide and my typing fingers can hardly keep pace with my thoughts. It is amazing to discover what is in inside that you don't know is inside you.
Of course, there is the years of content from reading my Bible through each year, reading widely from books to newspapers and one of the more overlooked sources, listening to what people are talking about. Once the determination is made about what to talk about, the stored up content of scripture, current events and current topics come flooding the the forefront from who-knows-where recesses of the mind.
It is an amazing dynamic. You can stammer around for days thinking you have nothing to say until you find out you do. Once the right thought, topic or event has the attention, a seemingly empty brain becomes flooded to overflowing. For preachers it is determining what we believe God wants said. For others, it is tapping into a personal passion or fascination.
Writing for a blog is an exercise I think would be good for everyone, whether or not anyone else reads it. It is good to allow some of what is on the inside out. You would be surprised that once you pierce the dam of ideas that has had no outlet, it quickly becomes a torrent of words and thoughts.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
You, Wealth and God
“And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?” (Luke 16:11, NLT)
It has been said that to keep friendships, a good rule of thumb is never to talk about politics. I think that money is a more sensitive subject myself. Why? I suppose it is different for each person, but I suspect that the most common reasons are, we are afraid that someone is out to get our money, that if people knew how we spent our money they would disapprove, we might feel inferior if people knew they made more money than we do or, if we make more money than someone else they might think differently of us.
It is my personal opinion that God wants to bless His people in every way, one of them being with wealth. However, before He does that, as the above verse implies, we must demonstrate our ability to be trustworthy with what He has given us. I think the following verse gives us a lot of insight to this:
1 Cor. 10:13 (NKJV)
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
I know we don't often think of this verse in regards to God trusting us with more money, but I think it is easily illustrated that some people in regards to their money do not handle it well. Why would God want to give us more of something we do not handle well? So, He keeps us at a level we are able to bear.
On the positive side, when we demonstrate trustworthiness with money, God is able to bring more of it our way. The Parable of the Talents speaks to this point (Matthew 25:14-28). Make no mistake here, Jesus is talking about money, not a "talent" like playing the flute.
Frustrated with your financial situation? Run a checklist on your financial habits. Do you avoid debt? Do you tithe? Do you support missions? Do you save a portion of your income? These questions and others are a way to measure whether or not you are trustworthy enough for God to allow additional wealth to be entrusted to you. Answering NO to any of these questions will spell limitations on how God can upgrade your financial status. Remember, when we are faithful with a little, God gives us the green light to be trusted with something greater.
John's greeting in his third epistle, "3 John 1:2 (NKJV)
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." Gives us the key. Want to upgrade your prospering? Upgrade your soul. How do we do that? Obedience. Avoid debt. Tithe on your income to the Lord. Give generously to missions. Save a portion of your income. As your soul prospers through obedience in your finances you will see a corresponding prosperity in that area of obedience.
It has been said that to keep friendships, a good rule of thumb is never to talk about politics. I think that money is a more sensitive subject myself. Why? I suppose it is different for each person, but I suspect that the most common reasons are, we are afraid that someone is out to get our money, that if people knew how we spent our money they would disapprove, we might feel inferior if people knew they made more money than we do or, if we make more money than someone else they might think differently of us.
It is my personal opinion that God wants to bless His people in every way, one of them being with wealth. However, before He does that, as the above verse implies, we must demonstrate our ability to be trustworthy with what He has given us. I think the following verse gives us a lot of insight to this:
1 Cor. 10:13 (NKJV)
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
I know we don't often think of this verse in regards to God trusting us with more money, but I think it is easily illustrated that some people in regards to their money do not handle it well. Why would God want to give us more of something we do not handle well? So, He keeps us at a level we are able to bear.
On the positive side, when we demonstrate trustworthiness with money, God is able to bring more of it our way. The Parable of the Talents speaks to this point (Matthew 25:14-28). Make no mistake here, Jesus is talking about money, not a "talent" like playing the flute.
Frustrated with your financial situation? Run a checklist on your financial habits. Do you avoid debt? Do you tithe? Do you support missions? Do you save a portion of your income? These questions and others are a way to measure whether or not you are trustworthy enough for God to allow additional wealth to be entrusted to you. Answering NO to any of these questions will spell limitations on how God can upgrade your financial status. Remember, when we are faithful with a little, God gives us the green light to be trusted with something greater.
John's greeting in his third epistle, "3 John 1:2 (NKJV)
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." Gives us the key. Want to upgrade your prospering? Upgrade your soul. How do we do that? Obedience. Avoid debt. Tithe on your income to the Lord. Give generously to missions. Save a portion of your income. As your soul prospers through obedience in your finances you will see a corresponding prosperity in that area of obedience.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
My To Sent Rant
Maybe it is just me, but there is an increasing irony in this day and age of compounding ways we communicate. Actually, it may not be increasing but with the vastly increasing ways we communicate it may be that an already embarrassing situation is being exposed. What I am I about to rant about? I don't know if there is a technical term for it but it does seem there is a deplorable case of poor written grammar of crisis magnitude.
This may have always been the case with the great unwashed. But with all of the Twitter, FaceBook, blogging, etc., etc. going on, people who fancy themselves communicators (they used to be pastors, speakers or professionals in some sense) expose their awful grasp of grammar. An example? OK.
Just yesterday I spotted a sporty, good looking communicator posting on FB. He's got the style, he's got the dash, he is important and in demand. However, he should not be doing his own status updates. He was informing all that, "I am on my way across country sitting next to my daughter on the plain." Really?
Oh, I know, don't get my panties in a bunch. I could let something like that go, but especially for those whom people must trust and put confidence in and esteem as competent, this sort of thing is embarrassing like an open fly with a shirt tail hanging out in front of a crowd.
There are too many examples to list, but some of the more common and pervasive grammar errors are as follows. In number one place is the use of "your" in place of "you're". Did everyone fall asleep in class the day they covered contractions? In number two place is the use of "there" instead of "their." Possessive pronouns must be suffering an identity crisis. In number three place is the use of "here" for "hear" or vice versa. Please. This was humorous back in the day, now it's just the norm. You might as well have a blacked out tooth and a cowlick to enhance your perception of competence.
The saving grace in all this? Most people don't even notice. Since the problem is so widespread it isn't even noticed as a problem. If you ever mention the awkward correction to an offender, most of the time I have found, they don't even care. They are so pragmatic that to them if it sounds the same, it is the same.
I enjoy bits of history and sometimes read a handwritten letter that thanks to the internet and PDF files, you can see the actual document on screen. In most of the documents from the early days of our country, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, the handwriting would pass for calligraphy today. Not only are the words beautiful in form, but the content is articulate and eloquent as well. I would think most people today would think our forefathers were a bunch of hayseeds but that label certainly applies to us. Just read the preamble of the Constitution of the United States. Tell me, who can keep pace with such language as high art?
I suppose I shouldn't be so hard on everyone. My downfall is punctuation. At least most bad grammar offenders spell the wrong word correctly most of the time. That may be more attributable to spell check than competence, but we'll score one on the positive side so you don't think I am just a grouch.
So, I can't wait to ride on a plain at knight, feeling the piece of God while hereing worship music on my iPod waiting to get their. Thanks for reading my rant, I think your awesome.
This may have always been the case with the great unwashed. But with all of the Twitter, FaceBook, blogging, etc., etc. going on, people who fancy themselves communicators (they used to be pastors, speakers or professionals in some sense) expose their awful grasp of grammar. An example? OK.
Just yesterday I spotted a sporty, good looking communicator posting on FB. He's got the style, he's got the dash, he is important and in demand. However, he should not be doing his own status updates. He was informing all that, "I am on my way across country sitting next to my daughter on the plain." Really?
Oh, I know, don't get my panties in a bunch. I could let something like that go, but especially for those whom people must trust and put confidence in and esteem as competent, this sort of thing is embarrassing like an open fly with a shirt tail hanging out in front of a crowd.
There are too many examples to list, but some of the more common and pervasive grammar errors are as follows. In number one place is the use of "your" in place of "you're". Did everyone fall asleep in class the day they covered contractions? In number two place is the use of "there" instead of "their." Possessive pronouns must be suffering an identity crisis. In number three place is the use of "here" for "hear" or vice versa. Please. This was humorous back in the day, now it's just the norm. You might as well have a blacked out tooth and a cowlick to enhance your perception of competence.
The saving grace in all this? Most people don't even notice. Since the problem is so widespread it isn't even noticed as a problem. If you ever mention the awkward correction to an offender, most of the time I have found, they don't even care. They are so pragmatic that to them if it sounds the same, it is the same.
I enjoy bits of history and sometimes read a handwritten letter that thanks to the internet and PDF files, you can see the actual document on screen. In most of the documents from the early days of our country, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, the handwriting would pass for calligraphy today. Not only are the words beautiful in form, but the content is articulate and eloquent as well. I would think most people today would think our forefathers were a bunch of hayseeds but that label certainly applies to us. Just read the preamble of the Constitution of the United States. Tell me, who can keep pace with such language as high art?
I suppose I shouldn't be so hard on everyone. My downfall is punctuation. At least most bad grammar offenders spell the wrong word correctly most of the time. That may be more attributable to spell check than competence, but we'll score one on the positive side so you don't think I am just a grouch.
So, I can't wait to ride on a plain at knight, feeling the piece of God while hereing worship music on my iPod waiting to get their. Thanks for reading my rant, I think your awesome.
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