Worth the risk

I had the opportunity yesterday to sit with leaders from around the state who are applying innovative leadership principles. Like many of the meetings of this nature that I attend, I was the oldest person in the room. The excitement level around the room was contagious as we discussed ideas that work and some that did not work. There is a need in our lives to experiment and take some risks by constantly generating small wins and learning from mistakes. The person who is afraid of failure will stay in the safety of the nest and miss the things he or she is created to experience. There is an exhilaration that comes from
jumping into the pool from the high board. Once you do it, jumping in from the low board or from the side is no fun anymore. For me, to sit around a table with people who have the faith to make great leaps for the Kingdom of God, stirs me to look for ways to do things bigger and make a greater impact in my community. The temptation to coast looms out there, but the encouragement from God’s word to “Press On” drives me to try new things and go after some new territory.

“Playing it safe is risky”
- Mark Batterson

Shifting to a new gear

In my challenge to be a better leader, I find that there are innovative thinkers out there who need to be heard. I read this morning about a leader who took a struggling organization and turned it on its ear. The team questioned every paradigm that was in place. They looked at how each area was set up, how it was structured and how it operated. They found that the system in place had highly centralized production units. People were not able to do what they were brought on to do. The shift that changed all that gave ownership to all who were willing to be creative. It gave them a sense of empowerment and spirit. Rather than asking people to trust the system, a system was created a system that was trustworthy and the whole team gained efficiency. It required
management to connect beyond the surface level with those buying in. Of course there was risk but in this case the results were phenomenal.

I wonder how many people in my life are not given the room to do what God brought them in my life to do?

I wonder how much I could increase my efficiency by listening more today?

I wonder if my RPM’s are at the point where a shift is in order?

I wonder if I have the courage in place?

I think it is going to be an awesome day !

Intuition training

I was reading about risk this morning and found 5 living points to use in arranging my priorities today. They give the freedom to do the battle of life correctly. They are in the book “Risk” by Kenny Luck:

1. Knowing and loving God
2. Connecting to other men of God
3. Becoming like Christ
4. Having a ministry to believers
5. Reaching out to those without Christ

These are things that will train our intuitions and make us free in the fight. The freedom occurs because as we get close to God, confusion is eliminated, decisions become clear and we have instincts for effectiveness. Connecting with what really matters today will make the difference between bondage and freedom.

Galatians 5:1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law.

A quote from my sermon Sunday about the emerging definitions:

The Dream emerges and the boundaries get defined when we spend time with God

Let God direct your understanding today.

"Mission"ary Thinking

From the “Risk” book by Kenny Luck:

“When God finds a man who is passionate for His purposes, trained in the Word, filled with the Spirit, humble in heart, He will send that man into situations unsuited for others”

The missions that we find ourselves appointed to require diligence and honesty. He also to writes that it is time to put away the masks that we tend to wear to be liked by men at the expense of grieving the Holy Spirit. The society tendency is to do whatever it takes to get by and deal with the consequences as they occur. Godlike tendency is to do things right in the first place and God will help us through the consequences.

In the old TV show, “Mission Impossible”, each episode began with the statement, “Your mission, should you decide to accept it”. It seems to me that we are being offered missions by God that reflect our level of commitment. If I am not getting challenging, dangerous missions, maybe I need to crank up my commitment level a notch.

This will be an exciting topic to explore this week.

God is 100% faithful

The Bible tells us that God’s love is made complete in us as we obey His word. At the heart of the gospel is obedience. It is said in scripture to be better than sacrifice. As we think about that, we find:

God means what He says
God does what He says
God is able to accomplish whatever He commits to doing

Kenny Luck, Author of “Risk” says, “Obedience is the evidence that convinces the world that we are indeed grateful” Our grateful obedience brings joy to God.

One more quote this morning about risk:

“We risk for Him to the degree that we know we are loved by Him.”
-Brennan Manning

Safely jumping into risky waters

For many years part of my daily regimen has been the reading of the Bible on a schedule that gets me through in a year. This time of year is especially refreshing as I am reading through the Psalms. The heart of the Psalmist in words is an inspired view of God. I have learned that when my view of God is right, my identity as God’s man is settled. God is God and I am not God. I need to be willing to sacrifice my agenda for Him. The concept of building something that will outlast us is part of our spiritual DNA. Investment in eternity is done by building the kingdom of God in this world. The kingdom of God doesn’t need more religious people. It needs more bold dreamers. Kenny Luck in His book, “Risk” writes about safely jumping into risky waters with God helping by jumping with us. This is a great list of places to jump:

Fierce Loyalty
Singular obedience to God’s Word
Abandoning approval
Dangerous service
Killing sin
Aggressive honesty
Man-zone responsibility
Freedom through authentic relationships
Imitating Christ
Speaking boldly in the moment
Changing another’s life
Accepting pain
Powerfully masculine emotions

As I read through the Psalms, I feel ready to take God’s hand and start living the way I was created to live.- Daring greatly for God.

“Forever O Lord, Thy Word is settled in Heaven”
-Psalm 119:89

Burden or privilege

A short blog:

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep in order to gain what he cannot lose”
-Martyred missionary Jim Elliot

He captured in those words what it means to risk spiritually. Elliot’s talk of sacrifice was matched by a life of sacrifice. Sacrificing for God is not a burden but a privilege. Kenny Luck in his book, “Risk” asks the question:

“Am I willing to sacrifice my agenda in order to be used for God’s agenda?”

Big wheels turning on small axles

Some days I have a higher risk tolerance than other days. There is an adventure spirit in me that wells up every so often. Those are the days that boost me to new levels because I make the decision that I want more than this level can offer. I read a quote this morning from Charles Spurgeon:

“We do not know all that we are doing when we risk for our faith. Great wheel turn on little axles.”

As I ponder that this morning I am moved to take steps of faith. There is amazing power in the small decision for God. The risk may be great when we dare to be obedient. That step of obedience will affect not only our lives but the lives of countless others. God has taken words like Predictability, Control, Safety and Comfort and asked us to replace them with words like Faith, Obedience, Risk and Humility. The only way to succeed in our mission from God is to listen to Jesus Christ on the issue of “risky Commitment”.

He took His disciples to the side and said, “If any of you wants to be my follower you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good news, you will find true life.” ( Mark 8:31-35, NLT )

You might be surprised today to see a great wheel connected to your small axle.