A true leader

Just the mention of the name, Martin Luther King Jr. stirs up images of powerful leadership.

He was one of the greatest leaders in history as he fought tirelessly against racial inequality.

Those of you who know me know that I love to read and study anything to do with leadership. I am challenged and intrigued by quotes from various people on this subject. I have included quite a few of my favorites below from Dr. King:

“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”

“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

A true leader…willing to die for what He believed in. God, give me this type of devotion in my life.

Do you remember “Stretch Armstrong”? If you answered yes, then you are old like me! If you answered no, Google it!

I feel that God has me in a “Stretch Armstrong” time in my life. God wants me to go to the next level, to go beyond myself, to reach past my expectations. God wants to stretch me. I believe God is doing this for a number of reasons.

First of all, it is very easy to get comfortable. It is easy to just hang on for the ride and not be pushed and stretched. God did not save us to be comfortable. God is in the stretching business.

Secondly, because this year as a church, we will be pursuing a different level that will require a deeper walk, more wisdom and radical leadership. I believe God has given me a personal specific calling and I believe He has also given New Season a specific calling. God has confirmed to me the intensity of that calling. I really do believe we can change the world.

I will be sharing more of that calling on February 24^th when we celebrate five years as a church. In the meantime, allow God to stretch you. You will  go so much farther, way beyond what you can imagine.

If you don’t believe me, check out Stretch Armstrong!

All of us know the barriers, hindrances and obstacles that have kept us from living up to our God-given potential.

We have dreams, visions and goals for better marriages, better jobs, better financial conditions and better lives. There seem to be so many things that are in the way, keeping us from experiencing all that God has for us.

Some of those barriers are the result of our own making. We have sabotaged our own lives, yet we keep tripping over ourselves.  Other people or circumstances may have caused physical, mental, emotional or spiritual road blocks in our lives.

Aren’t you tired of making excuses and being a “victim”?

Aren’t you tired of facing the same obstacles but not doing anything about them?

Today, you have the opportunity to make a decision. Today, you get to say, “YES, I will overcome the obstacles, I will knock walls down, I will no longer make excuses and I will go after my God-given potential.”

Choose to follow God…choose to say YES!

Let me say to each one of you who volunteers at New Season…thank you, you are awesome! God is using you to touch countless lives. Many people are being changed because of the time and effort that you invest every weekend.

I’m sure at times that you ask yourselves if it really matters if you show up on Sundays to volunteer. Let me answer for you – YES, everything matters and it is making a difference, both now on earth and into eternity. Everything matters – YOU MATTER!

Our volunteers in the parking lot matter to our guests (they are the first representative of New Season as people drive on to our campus) and they are the key to maintaining safety and order for parking; our Greeters matter to our guests as they enter our building and are greeted with a smiling friendly face and a greeting; our Coffee Bar volunteers matter as they share the gift of hospitality; Ushers, Discovery workers, XStatic workers, Uprising workers, Sound/Lights, Office volunteers, etc…you ALL play a part in reaching and ministering to people.

Thank you again for your commitment to Jesus and to New Season Church. It is an honor to serve along beside you.

Remember I Corinthians 15:58, "your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

The Bible says in Luke, chapter 2, verse 52 "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."The Greek word for "increased in" is PROEKOPTERT…it means to ‘advance’ or to ‘keep cutting one’s way forward as through a forest or a jungle.’ Jesus is a perfect example  and model of personal growth.

He grew in:

Wisdom: Wisdom is skill in living, not just knowing what to do but actually doing it. Wisdom entails living the way God intends for you to live.

Favor with God: You must maintain a healthy relationship with Christ through Bible study, prayer and deep intimacy.

Stature: When you gain favor with God, and you walk in wisdom, your stature will increase in the eyes of others.

In this first month of 2013, make sure that you have a personal growth plan and design a specific journey of growing in wisdom, favor and stature. Nothing is more vital or needed in your life.

My challenge to you this new year is to "grow up." I am speaking in spiritual terms. I have watched my two grand babies grow from bottles to baby food to "table food" these past few months. It is time that we as believers move from milk to meat.

Dive in…take the steps you need to grow. Read your Bible, STUDY your Bible, pray and have an intimate relationship with Jesus. Be active in church, get involved and serve. Let God do something amazing in your life this year.

Have you ever had the thought that God is finished using you? Or perhaps you messed up so bad that you feel God will “put you on the shelf” for the rest of your life. Maybe for days, weeks, months…maybe even years, you have believed that it’s over, God can’t use you.

I have good news. The only people God ever used in the Bible were people who had really “messed up.”

Abraham lied; Moses killed a man; David committed adultery; Peter had a big mouth and even denied knowing Jesus; and Paul was a murderer.

Listen, your past doesn’t disqualify you from an amazing future in Christ. God is not finished with you…just the opposite, He is just beginning! His plan and purpose for your life are just beginning to unfold.

Stop believing the lie that you have convinced yourself to be true. God has a marvelous plan for your life and He is going to use you! It is going to blow your mind.

Get ready, your God is unleashing His favor on you. Your future is blessed and nothing can stop God…not even your past!

Many people are making New Year resolutions. Yesterday, we promised ourselves or other people that we are going to change.

What is the one thing that you would change about yourself if you could? What is keeping you from making that change?

I love what Paul said in Philippians, chapter 3, verses 13 and 14…"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind^A)" and straining toward what is ahead, I press on^B)" toward the goal to win the prize^C)" for which God has called^D)" me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

The first thing that we are encouraged to do is to forget the past and move on. Some people just can’t seem to get "past the past." For some, it’s a…

Failed marriage

Failed business venture

Failure at job

Failure at school

Failure isn’t final. Failure isn’t fatal. Move on to what God has for you. Paul said to "reach forth," to be focused and press toward.

We must not only let go of the past, but pursue the future with a passion and resolve. God has an incredible year planned for you…it’s a new day, it’s a new year, it’s a new season!

I read the following scripture that my wife posted on her Facebook wall yesterday: “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands." Isaiah 43:18-19 – The Message

She ended with this challenge which I in turn give you – "A brand new day…a brand new year…go!"

Let’s start fresh, let’s press on, let’s GO!

This is the post you have all been waiting for! In today’s blog, I am posting the Number 1 most viewed blog post of all time. Here it is!