Be a Man

So I (and others)  just had an awesome time on the weekend at ALC (Ablaze Leadership Conference) learning stuff on leadership (obviously) from two moderately hot leaders. The unavailable one said something that got me thinking, it was this ‘What kind of man is a man that does not make the world better?’ . There were some good answers about the meaning of it but for some reason I wasn’t fully satisfied with them and thought that there has to be more to this statement.

Sitting and think about this more it finally clicked that the word man is referring to the maturity of a person. Being a man means that you’ve moved away from being a boy and transitioned to the state of man. What does being a man mean? It means stepping up and taking responsibility, being bold, taking initiative, it’s about doing all the things that others would have done for you when you were a boy. As a boy you submit and follow others, as a man you now have others following your lead. As a boy you were easily swayed by those around you, as a man you need to stand firm on your convictions. As a boy you were protected when things started going bad, as a man your now the one who must prevent things from going bad.

 The fact is that this world is going to down the crapper. It doesn’t take someone too long to look around and see how far society has fallen. In my vast experience of 22years I can see it so clearly. I believe it comes down to this statement ‘What man is a man that does not make the world better?’ The world has fallen cos there are too many men with too much influence acting like boys and not acting like men. There is an easy way to tell when boys are trying to act like men. When the crap hits the fan boys point fingers, men take responsibility, pick up the pieces and try to make it right. It’s time to man up and make the world better.

Highlight of the Weekend

Last weekend I went with some of the guys from church white water rafting down in NSW somewhere near Coffs Harbour. It was awesome, I really loved spending the weekend with each and every one of them and WWR was heaps of fun. However there was one thing that stuck in my head and that I will remember for a while and that is the conversation I had with a guy named Kieran.

On the first day we went to the beach for a swim, as we finished up and we were at the showers washing off the sand and salt water and this random guy started talking to me. He asked what I was doing in Coffs and who I was with so I told him that I was here to go WWR with some people from church. His response came as a surprise because on hearing my response this guy told me that he too was a Christian and has been for about 5 years.

We shared our salvation stories and I found out that he came to know Christ when he was in rehab for drugs. He told me how grateful he was to Christ that He helped him though his rehab. He also told me that he was applying for uni to do nursing so that later he can do some missions work in another country. He even admitted that he was far from being ready to go out and still needed so much work done on his life. I looked at this guy; someone who has lived on the street, been addicted to drugs and struggles with his past, start to tick of boxes that made him the perfect candidate to be used by God. He was humble, he had a clear goal, he had the path planned out and he had a clear reminder of the goodness and faithfulness of God.

Something I heard/read somewhere came to my mind as I lay in bed pondering over my chat with Kieran and it goes like this, “If a sinner can turn into a saint, then a saint can turn a nation to God.” I believe that Kieran is going to make an impact on his world with what he does if he follows through. It was so refreshing and encouraging to hear that someone I just met was doing the same thing as we are, fighting the good fight. It blew me away that God chooses people who have such messed up pasts to change the face of the world. It humbled me to think God would die for sinners like us.

I can’t think of a suitable title…

Over the past couple of weeks at church God has been showing me the reason why we do church. It’s not been the awesome services that just makes me go ‘wow’ or the preaching of the word that cuts to the heart but it was two simple acts by to individuals.

The first one was hearing one of my logistics guys pray for the team, this guy is as shy as a mallard in a baking tray (very shy). It took a little bit to get him to pray but when he did, man I was blown away just to hear such honesty and simplicity in a prayer. It wasn’t fancy, it wasn’t well spoken, it didn’t come from years of praying prayers, it came from his heart. It was amazing, you could see that this was all he had and he just laid it out before God.

Second thing was hearing this off-key, out of tune, nails on a chalkboard sound coming from someone during worship (it was Li…jks). Maybe not that bad, definitely not that bad but it wasn’t great. Let’s just say below average (nice save). So during worship they were singing and you could hear the desperation in their voice, it was a sound that was crying out to meet God, it was a call to God saying ‘I need you, I need you more than anything in this world’. Just hearing this I could tell that they were there, all them, everything was being pouring into that worship song.

Just thinking about these two instances I was reminded of the story in Luke 21 about the widow who puts two small coins in the temple treasury. Jesus comments on her actions saying that she has given more than those who gave bucket loads of money to the temple cos she gave out of her poverty and ‘…ALL she had to live on’. The same goes for the two people I referred to earlier, they gave a simple prayer and a song of worship not out of their vast skills or talents but they gave all that they had. All he had was a simple prayer and that’s all he gave, all the singing ability in that person’s body was accumulated and given out in a song of worship. I can safely say that God was more pleased and honoured by those two ppl than someone who gave a lengthy, perfectly structured prayer or someone who was pitch perfect but they don’t give it all.

Here is the kicker, the thing that should make you think and keep you up at night. Can I say the same thing about myself?  In EVERYTHING I do, do I give out what I have or do I give all out of my lack?

Guilty

Balance Beam

This made me ask myself one question about what I am doing “Am I prepared to fall?”

Call to the ‘Mediocre/Mundane’

Here is something I heard that blew me away.

“Are we doing great things for God or are we doing things for a great God?”

In the sermon there is a story of this guy who one day got told by God to do nothing and stop all of your ministry for one year. The preacher asked the audience ‘What would you do?’ It’s sounds so easy but it would be the hardest thing for someone who has a burning passion for God to do. What if you asked Tiger Woods to stop playing golf for a year, he would struggle with it. What if you were asked not to use a computer or mobile phone for a year? I think some people would die. The guy ended up doing it (stopping ministry – he was a writer and preacher) and learnt to ‘waste’ time just in the presence of God. He reflected on the decision and found the biggest hinderance to obeying God was his ego and that it wasn’t such a waste of time it was just his ego talking.

Isn’t it ironic that when God calls us to the ‘mediocre/mundane’ we find it hardest to obey.

The ‘Awesome’ World we live in

So I was watching TV today, something I rarely do (I wish I could say I do something productive like read or study but I just watch anime on my comp) and Today Tonight was finishing and showed a preview of what will be on tomorrow nights show. Tomorrow night they would show an inspirational story about a beautiful young Australian girl going America to try and make it big, she wants to become…… a playboy bunny.

WHAT THE HECK?!?!?! seriously when I heard that I thought my ears heard wrong but they are seriously doing an interview with this girl whose goal is to take off her clothes for a magazine… on Today Tonight… primetime when families leave the TV on after the news. This got my blood boiling and asking where the heck is the world headed?

Firstly, why someone who wants to be a playboy bunny? Can’t they find someone who wants to add value to society? Not even that just some random on the street. Anyone, but someone who wants to become a pornstar. Seriously, if she does become a playboy bunny congrats you now live in a mansion with a pervy old man, you get to show off your ‘skills’ to a camera, and in about 5yrs time you get throw the trash heap cos you’re too old. Great role model. You deserve an interview to show the young girls of Australia how to be successful. Successful in ruining marriages, placing men in bondage and helping an industry that does zero good to the overall society.

Second thing that really ticked me off was that it was on during a timeslot when most families leave there TV on during dinner to listen to the news and current affairs. This is a program you expect on late a night. Come on should society have better standards?… you would expect so.

Ok enough ranting and sarcasm. I’m done. Its kinda sad that I feel disappointed in a world that I already knew was going down the toilet bowl.

It’s a sick, sad world. Lucky we have the hope and the solution .

9 Promises

Here is something I ripped off John Wooden this guy with way more wisdom and leadership skills than I could ever dream to have. This is the 9 Promises that he made to himself that helped him succeed in life and win his battle with himself which in turn made him a great leader.

1. To talk health, happiness and prosperity as often as possible.
2. To make all your friends know that there is something special in them and you value them.
3. To think only of the best, work only for the best and expect only the best in yourself and others.
4. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as yourself.
5. To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
6. To forget the mistakes of the past, and move on to greater achievements in the future.
7. To wear a cheerful appearance at all times, and give every person you meet a smile.
8. To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticise others.
9. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit trouble to press on you.

Time for me to try them out for myself.

Trials

Often trials and hardship come to set you up for the next season of your life.

Faith

One thing I’m learning at the moment is that true faith is tested when the circumstances in your life are going in the completely opposite direction and you start to question the things God has placed on your heart.

God help me to stand firm and be patient in the waiting room. Help me not to try for an Isaac and end up with an Ishmael. I want an Issac.