I love grazing through my library and picking up a book to re-read.
This one, “The Leadership Lessons Of Jesus” is one that my mom bought and gave to me back in 2001.
Timeless stuff right here.
On my way to Cali with my son for some connect time today.
Forever discovering and learning.
Steve
In 1959, the Milton Bradley Company commemorated its hundredth anniversary by introducing a “modern” board game: The Game of Life. The game featured a road from high school to retirement with lots of detours, dead-ends, and shortcuts. Advertising copy for the game advised players this way: “Land a great job, get married, and fill up your car with kids! Dodge bad luck and make a buck. End up with the biggest fortune, and you’ll retire in style as a winner!”
If only the real game of life was that simple! Unfortunately, the game of life is a little more complicated than the Game of Life. Life doesn’t fit into nice neat game board boxes. And the path is sequentially laid out.
Have you ever tried playing a board game without reading the rules? Our family does that all the time. We aren’t patient enough to actually learn the game before we start playing so we usually end up making up rules as we go along or we hit a point in the game where we’ve got to go back and read the rules anyway and we discover we’ve been playing the game the wrong way. For what it’s worth, we usually quit and start over again!
A lot of people approach life that way. They are playing the game of life, but they’ve never read the instruction manual. They don’t know the rules of the game. They aren’t even sure of the objective.
Here is the outline for our latest series at Discovery called Amazing Grazing based out of the 23rd Psalm.
AMAZING GRAZING
Part 1
Pastor Steve Lummer
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. -Psalm 23:1-
SOME LEADING QUESTIONS
1. WHOSE FOLLOWING WHO?
Exodus 13:17 “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, ‘If the face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.”
2. SHOULD I TAKE THE SCENIC ROUTE?
a formula: change of place + change of pace = change of perspective.
3. WHAT ABOUT YOUR MAP QUEST?
Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord will all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and He will make your paths straight.”
HOW TO KNOW THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
I WILL have CONFIDENCE in my shepherd because I know Him.
I WILL be in LOVE with my shepherd because he takes care of me.
I WILL closely FOLLOW my shepherd because I can hear Him.
In the sixteenth century, the Renaissance astronomer Nicholas Copernicus challenged the belief that the earth was the center of the universe. Copernicus argued that the sun didn’t revolve around the earth, but rather that the earth revolved around the sun. The Copernican Revolution turned the scientific world upside down by turning the universe inside out. In much the same way, each one of us needs to experience our own Copernican Revolution. The paradigm shift happens when we come to terms with the fact that
the world doesn’t revolve around us. But that’s a tough pill to swallow. When we are born into this world, the world revolves around us.
We all need a Copernican revolution. We need to realize that the sun doesn’t revolve us.
A friend of mine said to me one time, “I’d rather be on my mountain bike thinking about God than sitting in church thinking about my mountain bike ..”
I hear that kind of statement almost every week. It’s this tension between having time in the outdoors and being a person that attends a “church” meeting once a week.”
I used to struggle with it, but the more I think about it the more I like it.
This issue is nothing new.
I came across an interesting read out of John Wesley’s paper blog he wrote from May 5th to June 2nd sometime in the 1730’s.
From the Diary of John Wesley
Sunday, A.M., May 5
Preached in St. Anne’s. Was asked not to come back anymore.
Sunday, P.M., May 5
Preached in St. John’s. Deacons said “Get out and stay out.”
Sunday, A.M., May 12
Preached in St…
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I wanted to revisit this blog because it needs to be revisited.
I love the story of Earnest Shackleton and his crew’s attempt to be the first men to explore and travel across Antartica.
Here is an advertisement he posted in the news paper just before the journey.
In 1914 Ernest Shakleton headed toward the frozen Antartica in a ship called “The Endurance” with 28 crew members, with the purpose of being the first man to cross the massive slab of ice. Everything was going just fine until he actually reached the beginning of his goal.
Just on the northwestern side of Antartica disaster confronted the captain and his crew. The expedition was stopped cold when “The Endurance” became fixed and frozen the ice floes. The crew could not get free from the ice, leaving Shackleton and his men trapped on their ship for over a year. When spring arrived they
were still held in the clutches of the frozen waters with…
View original post 623 more words
NEW EARTH
Pt. 1
Pastor Steve Lummer
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7 (KJV)
1. Between the SOIL and the SOUL, something happened
“the breath of life”. – Genesis 2:7
“Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” – John 20:21-23 (niv)
Breathed IN and breathed ON.
God started it ……………..the Holy Spirit Continues it —— We are stewards over it!
He who began a GOOD work in you!
2. You were created BY God and FOR GOD to create.
“the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:3 (niv)
3. You have RECEIVED to REFLECT His beauty and truth.
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” – Matthew 10:8 (niv)
IS YOUR CLAY MOIST ?
It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others. Ephesians 2:10
And the Lord God formed (shaped) man of the dust of the ground – Genesis 2
NEW EARTH
Pt. 2
Pastor Steve Lummer
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7 (KJV)
Between the SOIL and the SOUL, something happened
“the breath of life”. – Genesis 2:7
1 Cor 4:7 – But we have this treasure in jars of clay.
The potter shapes us during:
After a crisis – Seclusion – Battle – Pain – As adjustments are needed
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Jeremiah 18:1-5
, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” – John 9:11
How to be shaped by God
Be TOUCHABLE
Be TEACHABLE
Stay Centered IN CHRIST will.
Adjust with the Potter.
New EARTH
Part 3
Pastor Steve Lummer
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7 (KJV)
Between the SOIL and the SOUL, something happened
“the breath of life”. – Genesis 2:7
1. IF WE COULD REWIND CHRISTIANITY.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. – Deut 6:5
love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’This is the first commandment. Mark 12:30-31
LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR COMPASSION.
“with all your heart “
LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR WONDER.
“with all your soul “
LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR CURIOSITY.
“with all your mind”
LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR ENERGY.
“with all your strength”
2. BECOMING A 1ST CENTURY CHURCH IN THE 21 ST CENTURY.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. – Acts 2:42-47
3. MAKING THE PILGRIMAGE BACK
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” – Luke 22:19
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Pastor Steve Lummer
Part 4
“seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “Matthew 6:33
1. God has designed life to work His way.
“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you” – Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
When trouble is behind us we ask for material blessing . (Genesis 28:20)
When trouble is in front we ask for spiritual blessing. (Genesis 32 )
2. We become what we are committed to.
“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for .“Ephesians 1:11 (TM)
(1) Am I enjoying what I’m doing?
(2) Am I happy with where I’m going?
(3) Am I satisfied with what I’m becoming?
Don’t accumulate possessions, accumulate experiences.
Jer 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
3. Stuff just happens when I put God first.
“My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
The right thought, plus the right people, in the right environment, at the right time, for the right reason, always produces the right result.”
God will give you “serendipidous” relationships and ideas to meet all your needs.
Serendipity means a “happy accident” or “pleasant surprise”; a fortunate mistake. Specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful while not specifically searching for it.
seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “Matthew 6:33
the DREAM is not the dream. WHO YOU BECOME while pursuing the dream is what matters most to God. @markbatterson
“Authenticity trumps coolness every time …Be yourself.” – @mattsimpsoncoffee.
stevelummer.com 