Author Archives: Lummer Steve

Books I'm Reading

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

If you have ever felt you didn’t have many options or were in a difficult spot, you have got to read this book.

Ralston’s story is beyond amazing. I’m still shaking my head. Could I–could you–cut off your own arm to save your life? It’s hard to say isn’t it? I’ve been in some pretty sticky situations in the backcountry, but nothing–nothing–even remotely approached what Ralston experienced. Six days in a remote canyon with your right armed pinned by an immovable boulder, with enough supplies to last only for a day hike, and with hope dwindling even more as each hour, each day passed. But finally, with a do-or-die determination, Ralston summoned the courage to do the unthinkable–to free himself and live–by sawing off his arm with a dull knife. And after that incredible act, to have the strength to get himself out to help. Unbelievable!

If you don’t believe it, go buy the book for yourself.

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cycling, Mountain biking

POWER IN NUMBERS

Today was the first day in 14 weeks to ride with a group of mountain bikers since the ankle break.

Wow, Awesome to get back with  friends who like to push it and push me.

There is just something in us that makes us want to go faster, ride further and climb tougher stuff when we are with a group.

Synergy (from the Greek syn-ergo, συνεργός meaning working together) is the term used to describe a situation where the final outcome of a system is greater than the sum of its parts.

The Apostle Paul used the word in his Epistles (Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 3:9) to illustrate a dynamic conception of human, divine and cosmic cooperation: “I did the planting, Apollos the watering, but God made things grow…We are fellow workers (synergoi) with God; you are God’s cultivation, God’s building.”

Great to be out with other riders today.

Now its time to ice the ankle and study for Sunday.

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family, Life experiences, marriage

DAY OF REST

Just a few pics of today in Sedona and Flagstaff with Brenda.

Great to get the whole day with just her.

First stop – THE BLUEMOON CAFE

Next Stop – BIKE & BEAN for a great coffee and bike buds banter.

Oakcreek never dissapoints. The leaves are starting to turn and the trout are still swimming.

It was great to see where our son Caleb is working. Deckers Coorporation is parked perfectly in the college town of Flagstaff Az. Only 90 minutes from mom and dad.

I have learned in 28 years of ministry to “come apart”, so I don’t “come apart”.

“Come ye apart into a desert place, and rest a while. ” Mark 6:31

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Life experiences, Ministry

FIRST TIME – FIRST RESPONSE

For the first time outside of a “church context”I had someone ask me today what my life verse was.

Without hesitation I qouted back to him:

1 Corinthians 15:58 “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

It has been my CORE VALUES VERSE for the past 20 years of ministry and basically defines my approach to life and ministry.

I love talking to people about stuff like this out in mainstreet.

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family, Life experiences, marriage, Ministry

A PERFECT FIT

This afternoon we went to Phoenix to get fitted for our tuxedo’s for my daughter’s wedding.

I learned something from my tailor.

He told me, Your tuxedo fitting is very important. Without a good fitting, your tux will not hang right on your body and will not be comfortable. You should have two fittings. The first fitting happens when you first order your tuxedo. It shouldn’t take more than 10 to 20 minutes to get your initial fitting. The tailor will take your neck and sleeve size for your shirt, your waist and out seam for your trousers and chest for your coat size. The second final fitting will occur usually when you pick up the tuxedo to bring it home. It is basically a check of the first fitting to make sure everything fits correctly. A good fitting will insure the following:

1. The tuxedo jacket should allow for free movement in the arms and should lay smoothly along the back.

2. Tuxedo pants should just barely touch the top of your shoe and should be hemmed with no cuff.

It reminds me of the story in the Old Testament where King Saul tries to help David fight Goliath by giving him his armor to wear.

“Saul outfitted David as a soldier in armor. He put his bronze helmet on his head and belted his sword on

him over the armor. David tried to walk but he could hardly budge. David told Saul, “I can’t even move with all this stuff on me. I’m not used to this.” And he took it all off. ” 1 Samuel 17:38,39 (message)

David couldn’t move around comfortably in “hand me downs”. He had to get out of  another person’s armor to fight effectively.

The same is true for all of us. We have got to have a tailor made faith that fits us perfectly. We can’t live a life based on another persons faith or beliefs.

WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FAITH, ITS ALL GOT TO BE ORIGINAL, AUTHENTIC AND NOT BORROWED.

A good fitting faith is a personal tailor made faith.

I like what John Mason says; “We are all born originals…don’t die a copy.”

 

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Ministry, what I am working on right now

MY FAVORITE PAIR OF GENES

Really looking forward to this last message in the series “My Favorite Pair Of Genes“.

It interest me in seeing how our spiritual DNA is planned by God but yet developed by our surroundings and influences.

The spiritual family we grow up in really impacts the trajectory of our outlook and our outcome.

This weekend we are going to look at how God fits us in our spiritual family to develop us into his image.

The whole process is really miraculous if we will just let it happen and not short circut God’s plan.

So many people fight against fitting in God’s family and therefore ultimatly end up fighting against God’s plan for their lives.

I love being “fitly framed together ” Ephesians 2:21 (kjv)

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bailout

HOW BIG IS A $700 BILLION DOLLAR BAILOUT?

It hard to comprehend something as large as $700 billion dollars in terms of coin.

So let’s look at it in terms of time to see how big 700 billion really is.

If we would measure every dollar as being equal to a second here is what it would look like.

1 million seconds ago is 12 DAYS AGO –
1 billion seconds ago is 32 YEARS AGO – September 26, 1976

700 billion seconds ago is 22,400 YEARS AGO – or, 20,392 B.C
1 trillion seconds ago is 31,710 YEARS AGO –  or,  29,703 B.C.

That is one big bailout!

Bailout in economics and finance is a term used to describe a situation where a bankrupt or nearly bankrupt entity, such as a corporation or a bank, is given a fresh injection of liquidity, in order to meet its short term obligations.  Often a bailout is in response to a short term cash flow crunch, where an entity with illiquid, but sufficient, assets is given funds to “tide it over” until short term problems are resolved. However, often bailouts are merely delaying the inevitable. (wikipedia)

“Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers. There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt;it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.” Proverbs 11:14,15 (nlt)

I am praying for wise leadership today.

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Books I'm Reading

REPORT CARD TIME?

I used to love report card time when I knew I worked hard and was going to receive good grades.

However, when I slacked off during a quarter or semester I really would dread the impending doom written in black and white for all to see.

This week my parents sent me one of my report cards they had kept from my elementary school years.

The date of the card is 1966-1967 and it is from my 3rd grade year.

Mrs. Miller writes at the bottom of the report card something that really got my attention some 40 years later.

She wrote that I have trouble “daydreaming” and that I struggle with my “reading habits”.

Interesting, how somethings change and somethings don’t. today, I love reading and have way too many books on a variety of subjects and have spent too much money on books.

But what hasn’t changed is the “day dreaming” part. I still love dreaming while I am wide awake and visioneering a life that God dreamed up for me.

Erwin Mcmannus puts it this way in his book Wide Awake;

“Dream big. Dream God-sized dreams and have the courage to live them…. Never again surrender to the thought, Well, I’m only human. There is no ‘only’ before human. You are human—created in the image of God…. It is a gift to be human.”

We all have God sized dreams in us to live up to, and we have a lifetime to become all He created us to become.

I am A BEMA SEAT BELIEVER that keeps dreaming. After all these years that has not changed.. 

2 Corinthians 5:10

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Ministry, what I am working on right now

1436

Getting ready for another Wednesday night Bible study.

While I’m thinking about it, I added up all the Wednesday night services I have lead since starting in full time ministry in May of 1980.

If you subtract vacations I have lead 1436 Wednesday night services.

I have not missed one Wednesday night because of sickness over the past 28 years.

Wow, right up there with Brett Farve.

Ummmm, I wonder why we picked Wednesday nights?

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Ministry, what I am working on right now

HEADLINE HEADACHES

Just a brief scan of today’s top headlines can give humanity a major headache.

Reading some of them this morning really makes me think we are living in the end times. but having a biblical world view takes some of the confusion out of the mix.

– North Korea bars U.N. inspectors from main nuclear reactor, plans to reactivate plant.

– school massacre in western Finland, eight women and two men were killed by the 22-year-old gunman.

– Wall Street in Free Fall. worse loses in years.

– Speaking before the United Nations Assembly, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the “American empire in the world is reaching the end of its road.”

– US Government is rushing through a $700 Billion package to stabilize the failing financial giants.

– “Israel Asks US for Arms, Air Corridor to Attack Iran”.

– “Iran 6 months away from acquiring nuclear weapons.”

Seems like there are millions of frustrated angry people on the globe today. I wonder if it because God has designed life to not work without him?

Nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes and famines in various places. These things are only the beginning of the birth pains.” Mark 13:8


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