Author Archives: Lummer Steve

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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coffee, cycling

THE BEAUTY OF THE BEAN

Today is commute to the office on the bike day.

This is the first Monday of fall and what a great ride in the crisp fall air here in Prescott.

Stopped by the bean store and joined the other 167 million coffee drinkers of USA today.

It is nice having a Starbucks just about halfway between my house and the church.

I was reading today that coffee is second only to oil as a USA import and is a 19 billion dollar industry.

A great book I am reading right now by Leonard Sweet is The Gospel According To Starbucks.

The book is about finding a life you would stand in line for.

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Ministry

ALMOST

I think one of the saddest words in any language is “almost”.

“Almost”…..I almost made it to the top. I almost lived my dream. I almost hit the ball. I almost made the shot. Almost. But I didn’t.

In Acts 26:28 is an amazing yet really sad sentence spoken by a king to a preacher. “Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
Wow, really close but yet far away. I bet Agrippa wishes he could have stepped over the line with Paul’s attempt to persuade him.

It might be time to interrupt apathy, because we cannot follow God in neutral.

What a complete rip to stand before God someday and say,”I almost lived for you.”

Forks in the road of life are gifts to help us become persuaded to make a choice.


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cycling, family

INVESTING TIME NOT JUST SPENDING IT

Yes, this blog posting will be sentimental.

I found out along time ago that we can WASTE OUR LIVES, SPEND OUR LIVES or we can INVEST OUR LIVES.

Last night while many people were worried about their investments in the stock market, we decided to  invest in something that cannot be lost.

Dad and I went on a bike ride just before dark here in Prescott. The evening was perfect and the Pevine trail was perfect.

I know my brother Gary and I will always cherish the time dad invested in us these many years. I am really greatful that he always gave the extra time even after he had worked all week long.

One of the greatest gifts I have ever been given in this life
came from God; I call him Dad!

And one of the greatest things my dad ever did for my brother Gary and I was to love our mom.

In my eyes…..HE’S THE MAN!

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Ministry, what I am working on right now

WE THE SHEEPLE

Caleb and I took this picture just outside of Gunnison Colorado.

I love it because it reminds me of how Jesus sees us.

He calls us sheep.

If you were starting your own sports team and needed a mascot you might consider choosing the lions, tigers, eagles, or bears as they give us a sense of power and independence. I seriously doubt that anyone would consider their mascot to be a sheep. Sheep are not known for their agility, strength or independence.

Yet God has chosen the “sheep” to be the mascot of his people. Not lions, tigers, eagles, or bears, but sheep. Why? Because as God’s people we bear a remarkable resemblance to sheep. Isaiah says it best.

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way;

I have a cartoon that shows two sheep looking at a crowd of people and one of the sheep is saying, “All we like people have gone astray.” Unlike the bear, tiger or lion of strength we like sheep are inclined to be self-destructive. Our streak of wanting to be independent hurts us. Like a flock of sheep we need a shepherd. To live life without the Shepherd brings about our own demise.

Life Without the Shepherd:

– The Scattered Life . . .

Ezekiel 34:5 “So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered.


– The Be Eaten Life . . .

Ezekiel 34:8 “as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock”;


– The Troubled Life . . .

Zechariah 10:2 For the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd.

– The Wearied Life . . .

Matthew 9:36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

Like sheep we are prone to wander way from the security of the Shepherd into a life of insecurity and hurtfulness.

David though he was a shepherd himself did not see himself in that light but rather that he is the sheep. We must begin to see ourselves as sheep in need of a shepherd, one who will provide, protect and prepare us for life now and everlasting.

Once you and I admit, “I need Him!” it is then the built in blessings of this shepherd led life begins to bring comfort and care to our hearts.

“The Lord is my shepherd” Psalm 23

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cycling

COMMUNTING TO THE OFFICE

Today was my first opportunity in 12 weeks to bike to work.

Prior to Mr. ankle breaking, I would commute to the office on my bike on Mondays.

I began commuting on the bike because it allowed me to accomplish many things at once.

Here is a short list of benefits:

1. I get to exercise in the same amount of time I usually spend in the suv on my way to the office.

2. Cycling to the office is a great low impact exercise that allows me to help accelerate recovery from the ankle injury.

3. Commuting on a bike takes me no longer to get to the office than driving my gas hog.

4. Speaking of gas hog… Commuting saves money on the 3.50 per gallon we are all paying now.

5. Commuting, as with any form of exercise, is therapeutic. Biking for me is a stress reliever.

 I can use the time for prayer and processing my day before and after a day in the office.

Great to be back in the Monday routine again.

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