Honestly, we are all consumers at some level. Think about this definition:

One that consumes, especially one that acquires goods or services for direct use or ownership rather than for resale or use in production and manufacturing.

Although that’s very technical, it’s a perfect picture of our culture. As a consumer, everything becomes about me and what I can get over how I can help others. So, here are some thoughts about how you know if you are a consumer.

• You always expect to receive something instead of give something.
• You just can’t find the right church – you’ve actually tried all in town and none “work” for you.
• You’re never satisfied by your income and always think others make to much.
• You feel like you need every new electronic device that comes out, even though you will never use it.

Instead of continuing to beat myself up with some of these, I will stop there.

Are you a consumer?

The life Christ calls you to is one of giving. It’s not wrong to have things, but as I have heard it said, “It’s wrong for your things to have you.” Consider this as you go throughout the day, “For God so loved the world, that He GAVE….(John 3:16, NIV)”

I’ve noticed lately that I talk to myself a lot. It all happens internally, but it involves decisions that I am making, motivation to accomplish something or how I want the future to look for our family. Sometimes it happens in response to the Holy Spirit’s prompting and other times it happens as I consider the natural course of life. Today, I noticed some things about my self-talk.

• It’s normally very positive about life’s situations.
• The talk says that I can accomplish anything.
• It has tons of faith in it – particularly in spiritual areas about our family.

But I realized something – sometimes my natural conversations don’t always relay the same messages of my self-talk. My normal speech isn’t always as optimistic or filled with faith.

I want that to change.

What is the difference between what you say to yourself and what you say to others? Maybe what you are saying to yourself needs to change. Or, maybe what you are saying to others.

These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom…. (Colossians 2:23)

The world is more about doing than being. So, as we walk with Him, the wisdom of the world continually pushes us to focus on what we “do or do not do” over who we are becoming.

So, in the current direction of your life, who are you becoming?

If you are becoming the person God desires you to be, your doing will align with His Word and Will.

Be inefficient and out of your comfort zone.

If there are two things that I would put on a list to accomplish, those would not make it into the top 100. However, his point was well taken. For those of you who are Type A’s, inefficiency is not in our vocabulary. However, sometimes to learn new things or to break bad habits, it requires us to lean towards inefficiency or just be inefficient. Here’s what that looks like for me:

• Not always giving an answer
• Learning to ask questions
• Allowing a decision to be made that is not “my” decision

I’m certain that there are other things that I need to consider. What are some areas you need to be inefficient in?

Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel. (Joshua 24:31, NIV)

Under his leadership, during his leadership and beyond his leadership, Israel served the Lord. It led me to these thoughts.

• Does your leadership lead others closer to Christ?
• Will the way that you are living and leading be carried on by those who outlive you?
• Are others experiencing more of God because of the way that you live and lead?

After some reflections over the past few weeks, the focus of leadership for a believer has a dual focus: spiritual and secular. So often we only focus on the secular leadership principles of hiring or firing. But in ministry, a strong walk with Christ is key to being a great leader.

Don’t just finish strong – live a life that impacts the future of those that you are leading. That’s beginning, living and finishing strong.

So be very careful to love the LORD your God. (Joshua 23:11, NIV)

If someone were to look at your life, would they say that you are careful to love God?

It hit me…like. a. ton. of. bricks.

I’m careful when the kids have a milk on the carpet. I’m careful when I’m backing out of the driveway. I’m careful when I make decisions. I’m careful to spend time with the Lord daily.

But, am I careful to love God? Am I careful to cultivate the most important relationship in my life?

What about you? Are you careful?

However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely. (Joshua 17:13, emphasis added)

What happened?

They grew stronger. They began to rely on themselves. They got to the place where they could make decisions on their own.

And, instead of driving the Canaanites out, they made them workers. No problem….right? They could accomplish more. They could rest more. They could serve God more.

But sometimes when things “seem” right, they are wrong. This New Testament verse effectively tells us what happened in this Old Testament passage:

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

The Canaanites would ultimately begin leading the Israelites away from God.

Are there areas in your life that just “seem” right that God has forbidden for you? Don’t trust yourself or your thoughts – trust God and His Word to guide you.

There’s an invisible line that runs throughout your life. That’s right – you can’t see it. But it is there and you know when you get close to it or when you cross it. The line separates so many things -

• immorality & morality
• words of life & words of death

So, how close do you get to the line in your life?

Some things are moral, but you are walking the line on the side closest to immorality. Some words are not “bad,” but you are walking the line on the side closest to death.

I’m always asking God to show me where the line is according to His word, and then I ask Him to keep me from getting close to it. Sometimes crossing the line just means that you hurt someones feelings with your words, but other times crossing the line ends in ruining your family or someone else’s family.

God, always make the invisible line obvious in my life.

There’s a lot of talk today about discipleship or helping people grow to look like Jesus. Last week I was reading in Proverbs and came across this verse

There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filth. Proverbs 30:12 (HCSB)

My mind began to race – Are we people of a garbage faith? It seems that more and more the argument is centered around MY perspective and MY beliefs instead of a simple analysis of God’s Word and what He says about our life. Just reading the New Testament clears up so many things about what a true Christ-follower should look like.

But it feels like we are becoming a generation that is “pure in its own eyes.” It feels like we are deciding that parts of Scripture are no longer applicable. It feels like we are pulling a “Thomas Jefferson” and cutting the Bible in pieces to fit our life and perspective. We are all guilty in some area.

So, instead of talking about what we believe it means to be pure, would you join me in a pursuit of what the New Testament says about purity and Christlikeness?

Our staff spent the last 3 days retreating at The Cove, the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, NC. Outside of the fact that it is an amazing facility with some of the best food you will ever eat, I’ve been thinking a lot about staff retreats. Why should your staff take a retreat?

• Because ministry has high emotional & spiritual demands. The nature of ministry requires a deep emotional & spiritual commitment. We juggle our own life issues as well as a lot of issues that others carry. Even though we all quote “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7),” we struggle to actually do that at times. Retreats allow time for staff members to rest, rejuvenate and grow.
• Because staff members neglect their own spiritual growth. Although I hate this, many times church staff members neglect their own growth for the growth of others. They need a time to get away and be challenged in their own spiritual growth in a more concentrated format. On Tuesday of our retreat, God’s spirit moved through our Pastor and people were truly revived. It was awesome!
• Because we need to focus on development. Even though we have staff meetings regularly, it helps to get away from email, phone calls and the pressures of a growing church to focus on our development. We spent a whole day talking about the leadership differences between men and women – it was very cool!

If your team does not retreat together, consider doing it soon. Retreats are a significant investment into your team!