This morning I awoke about 4 from an unusual dream even for me. In the dream I was aboard an airplane. The airplane was flying over the Atlantic Ocean. On board with me were 2 associates. Two young women were accompanying me to what I believed to be the Olympics. As the plane began to descend, I asked where we were going, one of the young women responded, with “Inerton.” I replied with, “that’s weird, I have never heard of it.” As we were preparing to land there was tremendous explosion nearby. The plane shuddered and arced away sharply. “They have blown up the airport” I was told. “We will make an emergency landing because the gear was damaged.” As I looked out the window I saw flames and smoke. As the plane descended I began to see that we were going to land on a highway. Everything went into slow motion. As we dropped the wings began to hit poles and finally with a loud screech, we came to a stop and we settled. Doors began to open and the women and I were taken down the emergency ramps. (It was then I realized there were no other passengers, but only us and the staff.) As I tried to look around a large black car came up near us and we were scrambled into it. The car took off at a normal speed, no emergency maneuvers or evasion techniques that I could discern. Continue reading A Trip To Inerton – A Dream August 5th, 2013→
This week a friend and I were engaging in conversation and one of the topics that came up is the “God Card.” The God card is often used by people to end conversations, to get their own way, to see at best, what they really believe to be true or truth. A God Card is used to “put an end to things.”
It came up because I am seeing a lot more people “play the card” in an effort to do what they want or NOT do what they need to. It is often a way to shift accountability.
“God told me we should make my announcement first on Sunday morning.” Is it passion and a heart or is it a manipulation, a power play?
Because I believe in the prophetic and operate prophetically, I get to see the card played and with the often devastating results. I see relationships that end or begin by the playing for the card. I see jobs taken or quit by the playing of the card. I see hurt and pain and disenchantment. This can be a “hard card.”Continue reading The God Card – It Has The Potential To End The Game→
Last night before I fell asleep, I started thinking about transactions and transfers. I was focused on the scripture and related thought process about , “’Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” The scripture and declaration indicates the possibility, the potential and the reality that we can see the earth as it is in heaven and see it be. It speaks of a transfer or transference of heavenly “currency” to earth. Continue reading Transfer, Transaction And Provision→
I was just sitting here working on the prophetic manual and studying. My energy has been pretty low. One nap down and contemplating another. And I was thinking about what happens when the Lord says “no.”
He said no to Paul in regard to Asia Minor at one point. He said no, to David keeping the illegitimate son of himself and Bathsheeba. There are more, I assure you.
My question began as I began to study New Testament prophets in leadership. I struggle, because I want people to “like me” but it is clear that not everything I say or a prophetic voice is going to make one happy.
Earlier I sat here thinking that the stage of complete dominion over the earth still does not mean we get “our way.”
I wrote about marriage the other day and people were offended. I wrote about priorities and filters and people were upset. I wrote about being nice and people were alienated. I wrote about light switches a month ago and people are still talking. I can only tell you what I believe the Lord is saying.
I remember when a prophet told me no. Was not the answer I sought or thought. But he was right. (Not all prophecies in my life have been right. (By the way, what makes a prophecy accurate? Yesterday, while in church, I told a man his town and his street. He looked dumbfounded. I felt dumbfounded. I had not clue why the Lord gave me that. Or for what reason.)
Do we really want prophetic people, functioning prophets in our midst?
This weekend I was reading a story about someone wanting to cut a young man’s hair. “Pretty please” they begged.
As someone who has sported waist length hair in my years, Jimi Hendrix afro’s, pony tails and more, I wonder how this young man felt. I had a man one time tell me “God likes His sheep shorn short.” I know the church did not care for my long hair or my dress. Nor did they like my cars or motorcycles in many cases. Another man told me he would not be at my church because I rode a motorcycle.
A Snippet Of Truth
So, what is with Jesus on the inside? How do we see external fixings under the heading of God? (I want my kids to look good but it does not change how I see them or love them.) Folks, good, bad or ugly, God loves them and you and has the capability to change them. They may never look like you want them to be, but isn’t it good God looks to the inside.
Our church family grows whether we wear paisley, plaid or print. We are not focused on the outside. It grows because of what is on the inside.
If you want a child to look better, please stop playing the God card. The number one complaint I hear about church people is “there are too many rules.” Stop adding rules, conditions and regulations. It only makes you a Pharisee.
This morning I awoke feeling kind of blank. Perhaps it is the couple of late nights, early mornings or maybe the ramifications of a rollercoaster week. Whatever the reasoning, I just sat here, listening. “God, paint a picture for me” I asked.
The picture began to appear. The first few strokes were large brush strokes of brilliant yellows and oranges. The picture developed a glow. And then the stabbing, jerky strokes of dark colored browns, reds and greens appeared. The glow never stopped but it seemed to be only on the edges. The middle of the painting being filled with the darkness of color. I knew what colors, what brilliance was underneath the darkening layer, but I could not see the fullness of the beauty.
Lately I have pondered how in the midst of so much goodness, I have felt or witnessed the pain that has come alongside. I said the other night it is as if a rubber band was being stretched. I suspect some of it has to do with the time of summer we are in. But I know it is more than that. I know that the economy, relationships, sickness and more have affected people. The answer for many has been to get busier, to invest more time. It has been a placebo for many. As someone who often helps people channel their energies, utilize their resources and manage their time, I see this pitfall occurring in these three lies that are frequently believed.
There is only so much available time in a day.
Our resources are limited by their reality and our belief in the favor on our life.
Our energy is housed in our being
With those three constraints, let me say first and foremost, I believe God can do anything AND I believe He wants to. BUT I also believe He has delegated the procedure and the process of the “distribution” to His people. Therefore we are the “quartermasters” of His goodness. The purveyors of heaven. Continue reading The Painting Of God -His Response To Paint Me A Picture→
I had a conversation with a young person recently. Totally equipped, gifted and awesome at a particular talent, the opportunity came to compete in it. The response of this young person captures my heart. “That is not what I want to be” was the response and turned away. Wow! Turning down the opportunity of a “lifetime.” Why was it turned down? Because the thought of the future was bigger.
Too frequently we look at our natural gifting or talent and we pursue the path because we are good at it. Let me just say I am thankful Moses turned away from shepherding. That Gideon accepted the voice of God. That even Jesus stepped out of heaven into earth.
I had a friend who I had known from kindergarten. He and I played ball together. He was not brilliant, but not dumb. He thought by year two of high school, football was his pathway. He was great even amazing. Teachers began to let him slide. Opportunities began to open. He changed his mind about his career. High school ended and so did his sojourn of being on top. (Life was different then. There was no Youtube or Facebook to promote our latest song or undertaking.) No one took up his cross or carried him. He entered the workforce. I recently heard that he ended 40 years of doing the same thing over and over, and never progressed or succeeded at anything else.
Life is and always will be about choices. Choices will always be predicated on priorities you have previously established and the filters you employ to let what you want in and keep what you do not, out. Let me expound on this for a moment.
A priority. Merriam’s defines this as the quality or state of being prior; superiority in rank, position, or privilege; a preferential rating; especially : one that allocates rights to goods and services usually in limited supply; something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives. What this means, is that my future is my priority. I do things daily that lead me toward opportunity, future betterment, destiny and legacy.
A filter. It is defined as something that has the effect of a filter (as by holding back elements or modifying the appearance of something). Just as my email reader filters email to boxes; personal, business, spam, so does a filter in life separate necessary from frivolous.
When you look at where you want to be, what you want to build, you begin to develop filters. From these filters you establish priorities. My young friend, as great as the opportunity before them, had already “installed” filters based on what God was saying to them. The result was priority.
Priority is not and will not always be fun. If your goal is to be rich or successful in a field, you may be forced to make sacrifices that others may not. Dave Ramsey, a famous author and radio host said this, “If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else.” His point being your friends and family may get to go away a lot now, but if you build a plan of financial freedom, you will be able to do all that and more down the road.
Because we have developed an instant, microwave society, we often put aside the things that will be important in the future. Sacrificial living is not popular these days. (Did you read that Parker Brothers changed Monopoly to make it faster? Honestly, it goes fast if you play by the rules. For instance, you do not have the option of not buying the property you land on and leaving it in the deck. You must buy it or it goes to auction. Highest bid wins.)
The keys? Develop priorities. Design filters. What do you want to be? Where do you want to go? What do you want to do?
1. Choose your values. Your values are what you hold near and dear to you. They can be principles, standards or beliefs that you find most worthwhile. You probably already have a core set of beliefs that guide you. Think about what is most important to you.
Tip:
Values are usually fairly stable, yet they don’t have strict limits or boundaries. Also, as you move through life, your values may change. For example, when you start your career, success – measured by money and status – might be a top priority. But after you have a family, work-life balance may be what you value more.
As your definition of success changes, so do your values. This is why keeping in touch with your values is a lifelong exercise. You should continuously revisit this, especially if you start to feel unbalanced… and you can’t quite figure out why.
As you go through this stage, bear in mind that values that were important in the past may not be relevant now.
2. Analyze your values, interests, and skills. Are there things that have influenced your thinking and behavior? Think about what you enjoy and what you’re good at. What about the skills you’ve learned from full- or part-time jobs, volunteer experiences, or school and social activities. There could be a connection between your activities and skills and your values. Will any of these skills help you get where you want to go?
3. Set realistic goals. To make your dream future your reality, set some reasonable, short-term and long-term goals for yourself based on your top values. You’re more likely to get where you want to go if you set a goal and commit yourself to it. To increase your chances of success even further:
Choose some logical steps toward your goal.
Take each step and fill out the details. Include the what, when, where and how for each step.
Now it’s time for action. Do your plan.
Keep your plan close by, so you can see how each action step is working and make improvements to the plan as you go.
4. Do some research. Think about your dream job, and then learn more about it. Find out how other people in that field developed the career you want. Do a job shadow. Go to work with someone to find answers to questions like these:
What kind of training, education and skills are required?
What are the real-life work conditions, the work environment and the work schedule?
What are the likely rewards (for example, salary, fringe benefits, room to grow, retirement plans)?
Are these rewards important to you?
Would other rewards be more important to you?
Based on the work you’ve just done, define your life mission and start living it with every decision you make. Soon you’ll be able to look back and see how far you’ve come.
My young friend is doing this. Establishing what is wanted makes it easier to put aside that which is not.
Establish your priorities
Once you know your mission, be brutally honest with yourself: Are the activities that take up most of your time really moving you towards your goals? If not, it is time to set some priorities that support your goals, and make sure they get plenty of your time and attention.
Time is a precious commodity; basically, you use it or lose it. The good news is that we all have the same amount of time every day, so use it to your advantage. Since there will always be plenty of diversions to distract you from your goals, practice staying in the driver’s seat when it comes to time management. Remember putting off for tomorrow the things you can do today is procrastination. Procrastination is wasted energy.
Here are some time management tools that can bring a sigh of relief to your busy life.
Use task lists and a calendar to manage school, family, and social responsibilities. You have enough important facts and figures to remember right now without committing your ongoing calendar to memory. Use a time management tool to coordinate all of your daily, weekly, monthly tasks, obligations, social events, tests –and anything that is important for you to do.
Understand the difference between important and urgent. Important tasks must be done; urgent tasks must be done NOW. Some things can be taken care of tomorrow, later this week, or next week. Really!
Work with your natural rhythm, not against it. Everyone has specific periods of peak productivity, so capitalize on your best time of day. If you’re a morning person, plan to tackle the most difficult tasks before lunch. Likewise, if you’re a night owl, don’t force yourself to study or work on complicated projects until late afternoon or evening.
Accept that you just can’t do everything. Don’t be a popularity addict. It may feel good in the moment to be “in demand,” but wouldn’t it feel even better to achieve the life you really want? Limit your commitments by choosing activities that you truly enjoy and are consistent with your goals. Practice saying no without feeling guilty; the mastery of the tactful decline is a skill that will come in handy throughout your life!
Take care of yourself by paying attention to your physical, emotional and financial health. The same rules still apply: eat well, get plenty of sleep, exercise regularly, and build time into your schedule for relaxation. Take proper care of your body and it will take care of you. Remember that stress, although it can’t be seen, can cause a lot of damage – don’t overtax your emotions with too many commitments. Also, pay attention to your financial health as well. Be realistic about your money, create a realistic budget and stick to it. Using a spending plan to control your finances can actually feel great– it’s empowering. Develop that muscle of determined discipline, and watch how it drives you towards your goals.
It does not matter how old you are or where you are at. Building priorities and filters will help you become at what you want to be and what you want to do. It is never too late to start to build.
In my own life, I leave myself space for the “whatever” time. These are additional times with my wife, children or friends or just times to kick back. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this, find a friend who is at good at it and probe their mind and help. And if you “fail” get back on the train!
Legacy is the process of developing something that is life giving and eternal for the generations to come. It is more than inheritance. Your priority design will incorporate that which is to come.
Last night I was in the dream “washing” machine. Dream after dream. Thought after thought. These are three that I thought were relevant.
1-The first dream I found myself avoiding those who had evil thoughts for my life. In my possession, I had the secrets of a world to come on a 9” floppy disk. (Upon waking my first thought, was my grandson’s digital watch holds more information!) “Detrimental truths” of the goodness of the Lord were upon it. The realities of Christ described. Continue reading Three Dreams July 26th 2013→
The Lord has really put the thought process of legacy in my heart over the years. When I spoke on Sunday, I talked about it some. When I looked at the destruction of my home, I was again brought back to the thought of legacy. And earlier this week I wrote about legacy.
Last night after prayer at Village I went in and watched the worship team in their practice. The best part for me was to watch two young girls join the worship team in preparation for this weekend. One may be 10 years old and the other is younger. One of the worship leaders sat in a chair behind them to instruct them and give them encouragement.
To me that is the epitome of what I am talking about. A real mentor will be behind the scene. A true parent will be coaching, instructing their child in preparation for their own adult life.
So, I was encouraged to come home and find this post by a friend, Lynn Hiles.
Parents if you want to be your child’s friend now you will have to be there parent later. If you will be there parent now you can be there friend later. The Kingdom does not come from the White House it comes from your house. I am still a firm believer in the power of family and local church. The kingdom is the organic result.
There is a shirt that says “Parenting is not for cowards.” How true. If you are going to be a good parent you will have to get involved in your children; good, bad and ugly. The same is true for legacy. 25 year olds…in 10 years, if you are not already, you will most likely, be married, settled somewhere with a career going forward. You will not be doing what you are doing now. My question is will you begin to put yourself out of a job? In church, you may be a worship leader or a Sunday school teacher. Who are you bringing alongside as your replacement? In social life, you may coach or instruct young people. Who is your mentoree? Mentoring is part of having a destiny.
One of the reasons I get frustrated with the “destiny” talk is because to accomplish something you often need to leave something. Too often folks are caught up in the “me” and not the “them.” While a church leader can replace the worship leader or the Sunday school teacher who may leave, seeing the legacy of your good works and your investment, flawlessly moving to another, enhances not only their lives but is enriching yours. It is the stuff destiny is made out of.
I have seen the difficulties of flawed mentoring and coaching models. In the world they are often people placed in lives, but the church has the ability to embrace the family idea. It is always a good time to come alongside.
As I watched my friend Heather, coaching last night during worship, I thought that really is the picture on so many levels. She moved down to their level. Getting eye to eye (One of the greatest photography difficulties I have seen over the years is the person shooting down on a child. Get down to their level. Kneel, crawl or lie down. You will be amazed!) meant she could see them and they could see her. She sat behind them helping them along the way. The long term goal is for you to no longer be visible in so many areas. Seated, giving them their turn, their opportunity.
I love reading about legacy and all that it entails. Over the years a couple of my spiritual dads sowed the works of John Maxwell into my life. If you are interested in truly building a legacy whether in the church, business or personal, you may be interested in starting here
Live life with intent and the idea that everything you choose is and will be important. Not everyone will accept what you have to offer, but I assure you thee is the young man or woman, who identifies with you on some level.
“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” Shannon L. Elder
I never awoke from the dream, but somehow slipped into the next phase. The first dream was as follows.
A man who I never saw came into my home (Not my actual home.) and was robbing me at gunpoint. He had broken the peace I felt. Knowing family members were asleep, I let him move me through the house as I suspect he was readying to either tie me up or strike me, to knock me out. As we approached our large living room, he asked me for my television. The television was behind large cabinet doors. I said, I do not have one, yet someone left the corner door open to the large cabinet. He saw the screen and said, “that is not mine. It is a friend’s.” I was not lying for I knew that the TV did not belong to me in the dream. I was not sure who it belonged to in the dream, but I knew it was not mine. His remark was “whatever” as he shoved me out of the room.
Somehow the dream shifted to another place of dream. I do not recollect any of that. I think it is because it was “gone.”
When I awoke and began to view the dream, I realized my vision has not been my “vision” but what I see the Lord saying. “Not my will but yours be done.” Why was the vision in a cabinet? I believe because it was precious. It was a very large “flat screen” TV, completely different than anything I own (My TV is probably 10-12 years old, possibly weighs more than I do and was given to me!) or would possibly ever own. The house was a big beautiful home where everything was white. Along a body of water with lots of light and lots of space. It actually is something I would choose.
Is my vision the Lord’s? Am I letting His vision be the guiding light in my life? Do I receive the Lord’s vision as precious? Do I treasure it?
The house? The fact that it offered rest, peace and light are important.
The thief? Clearly if our vision can be stolen, scripture tells us the people perish. He does not need to steal our life, just remove our vision.
In my own life I have done a lot of things that were me. I want to be sure that what I do in this season, will be valuable and help others.
Protect the vision the Lord has placed in your life. It is important to the legacy you build, the family that comes. Be aware that there are many things that will come that will cause you to doubt, to forget, to steal.
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