Lost in the Crowd

As a child, I was taught that there is safety in numbers. In case of an emergency or if you are in an unfamiliar place, stay with the crowd and you’ll be safe. I used this strategy for survival during many times. There was a sense of safety and security at times. There has also been a sense of chaos as sometimes a crowd can change into a mob. A crowd can become deadly when a threat surfaces and the crowd disburses. At times, the crowd can be a dangerous place to “hide”.

The whole idea of safety in the crowd came to mind as I was watching the Discovery Channel recently. It was the “Big Cat” series and this particular segment that I caught was about how lions hunt. It amazes me every time I get a chance to watch lions because they are very skilled in their attacks. From a distance, a small group of lions sits and observes a large group/pack of their prey. Out of a “crowd” of thousands of animals, the lions can pick out the “easiest” prey (the wounded, the famished, the very young and the very old). Once they lock in on the most vulnerable, they, ignoring the crowd, attack for full force.

It amazes me that while the prey far outnumber the predator, the crowd rarely works together to protect those who need it the most. Those that are weak get lost in the crowd and instead of finding safety, they are “sacrificed”.

As it is in nature, so it is in life. Our enemy is described as a hungry lion. 1 Peter 5:8 Amplified Bible says,” Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [[a]in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour."



Just as the lions we see in nature, I believe that he looks out into our “crowds” and seeks out those who are weak, unaware, and comfortable… in other words “hiding their weakness in the crowd”. Our enemy is a master hunter, so the crowds won’t save you. You must be on guard at all times and find strength as a result of the power of God that is within you. In the midst of the crowd, you can’t be aware of the external enemies that are preparing to “pounce” on you and you must understand that when the attack comes, the crowd no matter how large, WILL scatter.

What crowd are you hiding in? Is it the crowd of religion? Is it the crowd of finances? Is it the crowd of “friends” and associates? What crowd are you hiding in that has allowed you to get comfortable? In addition, are you doing what is required of you to protect and to assist those in the “crowd” who are weak?

Comfort leads to complacency and complacency leads to death, because if you are not growing, then you are dying. We must live in a cautious and vigilant manner.

Stop hiding in the crowds, strengthen yourself through the power of God that He has deposited within you so that you will not be an “easy meal” for the starving lion. There is no safety in the crowd unless you are surrounded by the very power and presence of God.

It’s time for a little crowd control…Who is in your crowd?

Be Blessed,

B

Beware of the Dog!!!

It was one of those archetypal spring mornings. The sky was clear and powdery blue. The birds were performing their customary Spring Morning Concert and God turned the Sun on “pre-heat”, to begin to heat up the Earth. Life was good. What a great start to a blessing filled day. I went through my usual routine and then headed out to work.

As I began my drive to work, I lowered the windows to let in the fresh air. Traffic was light so I was able to observe my surroundings a little more than usual. Suddenly I began to hear what sounded like a huge dog belting out in a very deep, consistent and constant barking. It was the kind of barking that seemed to convey, that whoever came near him, would be in for the fight of his/her lives. It was a “Cujoesque” bark. It was almost hellish in its sound and intensity.

As I got closer, my curiosity grew because I wanted to see what this dog, that was making such a fuss, looked like. From a distance I was finally able to see the canine and it was HUGE. He stood at the top of a hill on “his lawn”. His apparent rage was triggered, by a man who had come to a complete halt on the walkway that ran in front of the dog’s unfenced yard. I saw the man’s fear as he looked up at the dog as it seemingly taunted him and dared him to come closer. The dog circled, jumped and kicked in anticipation of a face off. As a result, the man “backtracked” in an effort to avoid the perceived threat. As I got closer and drove pass to dog, I was able to see something that the man could not see from where he was standing. This vicious dog was securely chained to a large tree in the yard and while it appeared that he was free to attack at will, he was bound by a thick steel chain.

As we journey along the “walkways” of life, we will face many intimidating circumstances, people and schemes of the enemy. We may even have goals and dreams that are intimidating. We must always remember that God has promised to provide and to protect those who are walking in His will. When speaking of those with the heart of God, Psalms 41:2 says, ”The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies.”

From a human perspective, many times what initially appears to be a “dangerous” “out of control” challenge in our lives is just opportunity for God to demonstrate His Sovereignty. It does however take faith and the audacity to take God at His Word. God has all power, all wisdom and His will is just and is fulfilled through Love.

We must walk in faith in order to see the enemy for who the enemy ultimately is….a defeated foe. We must walk in confidence past those who stand between us and our dreams and God’s plans for us. We must be aware of the “dangers” around us but not allow those challenges to “turn us around” and return to the “safe comfortable and familiar places” where we came from.

Too many people run at the first sign of danger or challenge and revert to what is comfortable. GROWTH NEVER OCCURS IN THE COMFORT ZONE!!! When I think over my life, the times I grew were times when I had to exercise my faith and trust God’s Sovereignty over my life and my circumstances. In my comfort zone, I’m comfortable and my tendency is to rely on myself. Life was never meant to be lived in a permanent comfort zone. We must face our “Big Barking Dogs”, and walk just long enough and allow God to elevate us enough so that we can see that the “Big Dog” that we feared is being restrained by the Power of the Most High.

Don’t allow your fears, your circumstances or your challenges to turn you around on the “walkway of life” on which God has placed you. Ask God to open your eyes and to give you His perspective so that you can see that the enemy can not harm you because God is your ultimate protector and He is the author and sustainer of your life.

Don’t Turn Back!!! Keep Walking!!!

Be Blessed,

B

My Walk #1

Today’s Themes

• Personal-Presenting myself as a Living Sacrifice

• Spousal-Specific acts of service to my wife are a way of serving God

• Parental-A loving attitude coupled with compassion will lead them to God

Scripture Reference:

Romans 12:1-2 (Amplified) 1I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

My Thoughts:

Personal-I was bought with a price (I Corinthians 6:19-20). My body is the Temple of God. Any act that I commit is committed in the very presence of God’s esteemed dwelling place (the Holy of Holies). If I wouldn’t commit the act in the sanctuary of God, I should not participate in the act at all. My Body doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to God. This World (the present Age) wants to enslave me be means of its way of thinking (self-centered). God has freed me so that I can serve Him by humbling myself. Conforming to this age is when my outward actions don’t jive with my inward change. Transformation is allowing my outward appearance to reflect the inward workings of the Holy Spirit. This occurs by my relentless pursuit of moral perfection as I attempt to become a perfect sacrifice to God. It is only logical that I dedicate a life of service to Him as a result of the price that He paid to usher me into redemption. My redemption is holistic (mind, body, soul, heart and spirit). The only evidence of an inward change is outward action. Self-Control and Acts of Service are evidence of God’s residence within me.

Spousal-God has given me a spouse that He uses to help shape and mold me into the image of His Son. Before I can serve the world, I must be a successful “servant” at home. Holiness begins at home. How I interact with my wife is a clear reflection of my willingness to be transformed into the image of God. Laying down my life as the Son of God did is key. My time, my energy, my dreams, my plans, my talents etc. must include or be offered to my wife as a sacrifice. Love exists in the presence of sacrifice, so I must give “of me” in honor and for the sake of “WE”. It is not about what she does for me. It is about my commitment to God to demonstrate His Love to His precious “daughter”.

Parental-One of the ways God helps me transform into His image is through my interactions with my kids. A loving attitude and compassionate service balanced with discipline are more effective than a stern and critical approach. Children’s first exposure to the nature of God comes from their parental relationships. God’s desire is to be their Father (and Lord) and my relationship with them will help them to grasp that idea. God is also love and is Holy, so I must serve my kids and openly pursue moral perfection in front of them. They must recognize that the world (this age) wants them to conform or make them mask or hide their inner change, but God’s desire is to transform them. My life must be this example to them. My actions must match my words, my commitment and my change.

Be Blessed,

B

The Backroads

My commute to work is generally uneventful. Most of my commute takes me through several “backroads” that span across a wooded park area. I’ve memorized the hills and mastered the curves like the back of my hand and I often pretend as if was “Speed Racer” as I dash through the “natural” track that is produced by the ascents, descents and twists of the landscape the roads rest upon. The backroads are all one lane in either direction. Rarely does anyone pass another commuter on the road because there really aren’t many safe areas to pass, so the car that is in front of you when you enter the “backroads” is generally the same car the is in front of you when you exit the “backroads”.

On this particular day, I entered “the track” behind a late model Black S Class Mercedes. As we trekked though the rollercoaster-like trail, I began to mentally prepare for my day. I rehearsed the tasks, meetings and projects of the day in my mind. I also traveled though my mental archives, to make sure that I had all of the essentials that I needed to survive the day…my wallet, my lunch, my portfolio, my IPOD etc. I visualized myself completing my tasks and I imagined myself dashing back home in the opposite direction on these same “back roads” at the end of the day. My mind was racing faster then I was able to drive.

About 15 minutes passed and as I approached the traffic circle at the end of the “back-roads”, I looked ahead of me in disbelief. “WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED!?!?” No longer was the Black Benz in front of me. There was now a Ford Escort immediately in front of me and the Range Rover was directly in front of the Escort. There were now two vehicles between me and the Benz and I had no idea where they came from. I was so caught-up in thinking about other “things” that I totally missed the fact that two vehicles somehow made their way between me and the car that was entered my journey with. I was driving in a state of unawareness.

Proverbs 4:23-27 (MSG) says, “Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.

If we are not focused on what is ahead, on our purpose, on God’s plans for our lives and specifically on following the lead of God, we may look up one day or open our eyes from “sleeping at the wheel” and find out that we have allowed other things to come between us and God, between us and our spouses, between us and our ministries, between us and our personal relationships, between us and our ability to love and ultimately between our lives as they currently exist and the state that God desires for them to exist.

As you travel on the “backroads” of your life, take a look at who is in front of you. Is it the “vehicle” that you started with, or have you allowed yourself to become sidetracked and have you let so many “distractions” come between you and the “lead car” that you can no longer even see the “Benz” that you were once tailgating.

We must guard our hearts and focus straight ahead and not allow “evil” to have a foothold in our lives. For where your heart is, your mind and body will eventually follow. GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS!!!!

On the “road of life” God encourages us to “tailgate” as He leads us. Follow Him as closely as possible and make NO ALLOWANCES for distractions along the way.

If you can’t see the “Benz” from your current position because you have “let too many other drivers get over”, it is time to put the pedal to the metal, cut them off and retake your proper position. God has not left you. He is waiting for you to take your proper position (right behind Him).

Who are you following along the “backroads” of your life…The Benz or The Escort???

Be Blessed,

B

The Beat of MY OWN Drum

Our world is filled with a vast array of people, cultures, belief systems, levels of wealth, ideologies, moral values, traditions, family structures etc. “Diversity” is seen all around us. We “celebrate our differences”, because we see value in learning and living life with others who are uniquely shaped by their upbringing, their educational experience and their daily interactions within the context of culture. We are all different yet we share a common quality and it is one of the most dominant and potentially destructive forces known to man. It is a force called by many names but it can be universally understood as “SELF INTEREST”.

The “Self Interest”, The “Self-Centered”, and The “Me-First” mindsets are at the very core of practically every destructive human expression, decision and encounter. In children, it begins and manifests itself as a survival technique. When a baby needs to be given food, to be paid attention, to be changed, to be given something to drink, to be given a toy, a blanket, a night light etc., the baby knows how to make himself or herself the center of attention. J As babies, we get what we want by making our needs the most important matter at that time. The sad part about it is…some of us have never grown up. We can’t see beyond our “needs” and believe that we exist for our glory and for temporary self gratification. We convince ourselves that life is about being served and not about serving. We want to be first and if we can be first we will make those around us feel worse.

A life that is centered on “self-interest” is a life that is diseased and this disease impacts every decision that we make. Self-Centeredness is the enemy of love and promotes destruction and death. I guarantee you that a person whose life is a wreck or who has destroyed his or her life and the lives of others around them, is a person whose life is based on the pursuit of “self-interest”. What is at the root of almost every war?...almost every divorce…almost every crime? It all begins with someone having a “Me-First” mindset.

As I listened to Dr. Martin Luther King’s sermon entitled "Drum Major Instinct" (1968), and reflected on the last two weeks of small group Bible Study, the recurring themes of “What is true greatness?” and “How to combat the “demons” of Self-Centeredness?” have been front and center. Greatness is not defined by a position of power or prowess, it is truly characterized by one’s passion to serve and a commitment to turn that passion into action. Mark 9:35 (MSG) “He (Jesus) sat down and summoned the Twelve. "So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all."

The greatest position we can take is a position of service, with a heart of humility that is lead by love. In order to make this a way of life, we must:

· Pattern our lives after the example of Jesus, who while “Great”, humbled himself and sought out “the least of these”. His mission was to serve those who needed love the most. The outcast, the poor, the criminals, the children…the unlovely.

· Move pass the “emotional high” stage of serving. We hear a message or a lesson or someone close to us goes through a challenge so we are moved emotionally to serve, but what happens when the high is gone? In a few short days, we typically revert to our “self-centered ways”. In order to combat our tendency to focus on self, we must have a renewal of our minds and have a “God or Father First approach”.

· Redefine and Remind ourselves daily what it means to be great and to be successful. It has nothing to do with the collection of material things, titles or power. It has everything to do with being generous, caring, kind and impartial as it relates to who we love.

Dr. King said that we should desire to be great but our greatness should be one that is defined as a greatness to love, greatness in moral excellence and greatness in generosity. He also said that in order to be great we must serve and that since we all can serve then we all have the potential to be great. Part of Dr. King’s legacy was leaving behind a committed life that was dedicated to this kind of greatness.

Are you ready to be great? Are you willing to serve or are you too busy crying and trying to get someone to serve you? Choose today to enjoy the Joy of Serving and put our Love into Action. By putting love into action we honor Dr. King, but more importantly we begin to live a life patterned after the example set by “THE KING OF KINGS”.

Be Blessed,

B

Time to do the Dishes

We all love to sit down and enjoy a delicious meal. There is something special about partaking in a meal that not only taste exceptional, but that was prepared in a spirit of Love by someone who we know loves us. The food seems to come to life and is filling to not only our bodies, but it has the ability to touch our hearts, minds and souls. As we finish off our plates and the meal comes to a close we usually have two thoughts:

“NOW THAT was some GOOD FOOD!!!!” OR

“Are there anymore left for SECONDS?”

After one of those meals, unless I’m really focused on demonstrating Love, I don’t beeline straight to the kitchen and begin to wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen area with the same vigor in which I devoured the meal. While I’m thankful for the meal…Washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen are not tasks that I typically enjoy.

Over the years, I have found that two things have made cleaning the kitchen more enjoyable. One, when I reflect on the blessings that God has allowed in my life to even position me to purchase, prepare and partake in a meal in my own home, with family and friends, my perspective changes. In addition, I have found that when I share the cleaning tasks with another person, the two of us can work through the tasks and we can enjoy each other’s company, while we “serve the household” together.

This past week our study explored the idea of Serving Together. The keys to successfully Serving Together are:

· Being Available (ready and willing to step up to the task)

· Working as a Team (Maximize our strengths and make allowances for our weaknesses) Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: You are better off to have a friend than to be all alone, because then you will get more enjoyment out of what you earn. ¹⁰If you fall, your friend can help you up. But if you fall without having a friend nearby, you are really in trouble.

· Being Humble (seeing, placing and meeting the needs of others before your own and being someone else’s “BIGGEST FAN”) Hebrews 10:24: We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things.

· Performing all tasks with the same level of dedication (both the tasks that “get the glory” and the “behinds the scenes” tasks are of equal importance, so do both with equal diligence)

Vince Lombardi said, “Build for your team a feeling of oneness, of dependence on one another and of strength to be derived by unity.”

We are “good” alone, but we can only be “GREAT” together. We are not served because we are Great…We serve because of our greatness. One of the main obstacles to service is pride. We think “too much” of ourselves so we begin to put certain “acts of service” beneath us. We pick and choose who is “worthy” of our service and what tasks are “worth” our precious time. God has equipped us with all that we need at this moment to serve immediately with others in some capacity. Take yourself off the pedestal, lace up your boots, clear your calendar, put on your work gloves and make yourself available to serve.

There is no greater joy than the joy that springs from experiences centered on helping others. This is because joy is a byproduct of Love. If you Love you will serve others. If you choose not to serve, and you build your world around “you”, your life will be filled with emptiness, loneliness and a lack of joy.

The world needs each and every one of us to make a difference, in our own way. We can only make a lasting difference when we choose to put “self” on the “bench” and to put “service” in the game. When we serve together and begin to trust and depend on one another the power of our united Love can spark an unstoppable Movement of Love. We were not designed to work this life alone. We were made to “Serve Together”.

SO…Now that dinner is over…how about you dry the dishes after I wash them? :-)

Be Blessed,

B

Growing in Tolerance

We have all seen people that fall apart over any and everything. Sometimes you just want to give them a little shake and whisper two words of wisdom to them… “GROW UP!!!!”. It can be said that immature people have very little tolerance.

The culture that we live in preaches tolerance but most people can’t “tolerate” to a large extent. Tolerance is defined as a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own. Tolerance is also defined as the act or capacity of enduring; or endurance. We are “expected” to tolerate people with differing views, different ways of doing things, different looks etc, but there is a strong and many times overt tone that resonates within the walls of our culture that is evidenced by the “world revolves around me”, “I got to have it my way when I want it” and “if you can’t do it for me right now, then I’ll find somebody who can” syndromes. We want to be tolerated but we don’t want to endure.

We give up on spouses, children, family members, friends, jobs, vehicles, homes and sad to say God when conflict, confrontation or challenging circumstances arise. Many times the reason that we give up is due to a lack of a willingness to grow. Growing is one of the most rewarding yet one of the most difficult aspects of life, but growing is tied directly to Love.

At our last small group session concerning 40 days of Community, we delved into the topic of Growing Together. In order to Grow Together we must have endurance or patience. Show me a person who is wise and I can assure you that person is a person who knows the value of patience. Think about some of the many “impatient” things that you have said and done in your life. I’m sure that the result of those actions and words were not indicative of “LOVE”. “Rushing” is the Miracle Grow that accelerates the growth of the flower called “Regret”.

Slow down because Love is Patient.

Love is also Truthful. Trust is the basis of Truth. Love opens the door to the innermost workings of our hearts and minds and exposes them to the ones that we love. If you are not willing to be transparent, you are not willing to love or to be loved. When we are transparent, truthful and totally accessible, we foster an environment of trust. It is only in an environment of Trust and Truthfulness that we can effectively begin to Speak the Truth in Love. When a person knows you (your faults and your successes) then they, through your openness, can accept your truthfulness about them because they know that your motives come from a place of Love.

Speaking the Truth in Love is not easy, but if we love each other then we must be willing to come face to face with the very conflict that will usher us into a deeper level of intimacy in our relationships. In order to speak the Truth in Love, we must:

· Check our Motives (We tend to criticize in others what we hate about ourselves. Our motive must be to help not to hurt) Matthew 7:3-5 (NLT) says, “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye^[a] when you have a log in your own? ⁴ How can you think of saying to your friend,^[b] ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

· Plan your presentation (when to speak, what to say, how to say it)

· Pray (for wisdom, for grace, for courage and for your hearts to be prepared and softened)

· Say it tactfully, lovingly and gently (Proverbs 16:21, “Wise hearts are known for understanding what is right. Pleasant words make people want to learn more.”)

Love requires that we forgive. Forgiving involves no longer looking at the person who “wronged” you through human eyes. It involves humbling yourself, viewing them and the situation through the filter of grace and surrendering your need to avenge yourself. It is giving up your right to “recount” all the wrongs that someone has done because true love keeps no record of wrong. Love is true tolerance.

We are all imperfect people and we bring our imperfections into every relationship that we take part in, but Love makes allowances for our faults and says that I’m willing to accept you, open my life up to you and allow you to grow because I want to grow along with you. God uses the people and the circumstances of life to shape you, but you must make a commitment to grow and to tolerate the uncomfortable and uncertain state of being that accompanies moving from one stage to grow into another.

Are you willing to endure for Love? Can you “tolerate” others long enough to allow Love to grow in you and in them? Are you ready to speak the truth and to hear the truth in Love?

It’s time to “GROW UP” together.

Be Blessed,

B