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10 Signs you are nearing a Meltdown

By on November 28, 2011 in And in unrelated news, Ministry

Having a burn out or meltdown is awful – it’s helpful to know what signs to look out for before you completely crash.

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How subtly idolatry was woven in to my ministry and desires

By on November 17, 2011 in Ministry, Musings

He has shown me in the last few weeks the types of idolatry I had in my heart, which can be so hard to discern, because it can be so neatly interwoven with your day to day ministry. A lot of my desires and intentions started off pure and somehow got corrupted along the way. Obviously, at the time, they were not as plain to see as they are now. I didn’t necessarily think these things, but ultimately my actions revealed to me otherwise.

Markers

Here are some of the ones I struggled with:-

Keep God’s call to love Him higher than any other call

I treated made my calling and ministry an idol: I loved my calling more than I loved the one who called me to it and made my ministry and calling more important than God.

Well of course, when you put all your hope and joy in anything other than God it doesn’t end well. God will either give you it and allow you to discover how disapointing it is, or He’ll not let you have it so you can’t worship it.

God is gracious, you don’t earn your spouse

I believed that my failure or delay to get married was due to my own failure to do or personal sin. I remember points in my walk where I was desperately asking mentors and peers to call me out on sin they saw in my life. For some reason, I thought I was single because I wasn’t worthy yet, because I still have major areas of sin in my life. I hoped that confronting and eradicating those areas myself would hasten the hope of alleviating the burden of being single. In the end I started struggling trying to take control of my sin, whatever I was doing wasn’t working so I would work harder and harder try and make myself worthy of someone – until burn out.

However, I neglected the knowledge that God is lavishly gracious. God didn’t save me because He saw potential in me. God already chose me before the foundation of the world. God chose me in spite of the foresight of knowing how much of a fool I can be. God didn’t save me because He thought I’d make a good model Christian. He saved me because He is gracious, and it has nothing to do with what I do or fail to do that will bring to completion what He has started in me. He didn’t save me because He thought I would make a good deacon, ministry leader or wife.

If God were to give me a ministry or a husband or kids, it’s not because I’ve earned it or because you’re finally worthy of someone. Same for the opposite, just because you’ve had a dirty and horrific past, doesn’t mean you don’t “deserve” a husband. In fact, if marriage was based being worthy and deserving of it – no-one but Jesus would be allowed to get married.

Besides, it’s God that sanctifies you, not about self improvement for God. Left to ourselves we rely on behavioral modification, God works on the heart.

Don’t get me wrong, this also doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing, but in response to God’s work, out of love for what He has done we ought to love him with all our body, mind, strength and soul.

Be driven by love for God, not a love for marriage

Somehow my genuine desire for God’s glory to shine through me distorted and corrupted along the way, and I wanted to take home all that glory for myself. Somehow, my genuine desire for people to see how amazing God was to work in me turned in to a desire for people to see how amazing I am. I wanted people to think well of me, how well I lead, how well I serve, how hard I worked, how holy I am.

Of course, life isn’t about you, and the moment you think so, you ultimately in your heart will view people differently; the same happened to me. As soon as people fail to give me glory and bask in my amazingness, the inner turmoil erupts and I become a basket case for attention and pity parties.

And of course when people I worked alongside failed, I frustration turned to how others were a hindrance to my success. When people failed to give me acknowledgement, the fame I deserved, and the pat on the back, I was sour. I was bitter thinking how hard I worked and how lazy other people were. I became self-righteous. It can be really hard to see it coming, because you start with pure and godly intentions, but Satan is sneaky, and if you give him a foothold to your heart he will invade it.

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Convictions on my need for Grace

By on November 7, 2011 in Church Planting, Ministry, Musings, My Calling

I’ve been overwhelmed lately with my need for God’s grace; and I’m amazed that God is faithful in His graciousness

Falsely placing confidence in gifts, not the Giver

By His grace, He’s given me gifts and talents, and by His loving discipline, He will also take them away. To my own shame, I have held confidence in what God has given me, and not to Who has given me. And through that I have been convicted again of my pride, and confidence in my God given ability and not in the God that has given them to me.  Again, I’m convicted that that I’m fighting God for His glory, causing my soul to thrash around with me as I refuse to lay down my crown.

My ever greater need for God’s grace.

I can see how ministry can be an idol for me, how wanting to find affirmation in man’s praise. He’s taught me a lot, but the more I know, the greater the awareness I have of how much more I need to learn.

By God’s grace, he has given me responsibility within His church, and in love he would just as easily take that responsibility away from me. I feel like the more responsibility you have, the larger the liability you are and the greater your need for God’s grace. I feel like I am a 2.4 liter engine as opposed to a 1 liter engine I used to be, my need for God’s gas is ever greater, and if I don’t draw my strength from God as I ought to, I will try and draw from other people.

My greater need for God’s grace living on mission

I wouldn’t say I have had huge conflict and disagreements, but there have been a few more than lately. And I guess that’s to be expected, but I fear them less now.

But again, wow – God has really used them to show me and teach me how much He makes a difference. Friendships do get strained when working on mission with people, ultimately because we’re all sinful and fallen and we do things so imperfectly. I realise how I my sin has manifested in relationships within my church family, again to my shame. But again, am so thankful that my God’s grace and wisdom, we’ve been able to hash things out together.

Conflicts suck, but I’ve found that by working things out, confessing your faults and forgiving each other has helped me understand the heart of the other person, and has compelled me to be more compassionate, more gracious than ever.

My church’s greater need for God’s grace

I looked around me last Sunday, and saw all the new people God’s bringing to our church plant. It’s amazing how many new faces I see, and at the same time I’m overwhelmed knowing how much love and how much of God’s grace we need. I see in our midst those who need God’s restoration and healing, who need God’s hope and the Gospel. I’m becoming more aware of how inadequate I am to help others, and realizing it’s not about me helping them, but God restoring and healing through the members of the church body.

Realising my  inadequacy and complete dependence on Him

I see how inadequate I am, and was so clearly reminded of my sin and  was revolted by it along with my failures and my pride. Even writing this now, I question how much my nonchalant and lukewarm attitude is frustrating God. I do not want to be a hinderance to His kingdom, yet I am so aware of how I can be.

At the same time, realizing that I am inadequate on my own, but capable of doing anything through Him who gives me strength. I cannot do life alone and by myself. I need my church, I need the Gospel, I need community, I need Jesus, His grace and his strength.

Not thinking less of myself, but thinking less about me and more about Him.

I had tea with a friend today, about biblical counseling. And as we talked about a friend she said the more she read God’s word, the less she wanted to give her own advice and the more she wanted to point others back to God’s word. She thought it wise, and I would agree. Less of me, and more of Him – that’s Jesus!

I am frequently tempted by desires of being the “it” girl, and the functional savior, helper of all. Yet these things will only be to my destruction, I am reminded that my “job” is to point others back to Jesus. I ought not to give my own advise, but give God’s wisdom, and point others back to Him.

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Farewell to one of our founding church families

By on June 21, 2011 in Church Planting, Ministry

So… a couple of months ago, we found out that one of the founding families of our church were leaving us. God has been calling them to serve somewhere else – about a 22 hour drive away in a remote town almost pretty much in the middle of nowhere. And in what felt like a week’s turn around they have put their home, possessions and business on sale.

This family has been such a pillar to our church plant: they’ve started, hosted and lead out our Youth program, hosted and lead a community group, took care of our church finances, and so much more. They’re going to be well and thoroughly missed. And in their future absence there will be a need of people to come along side and take ownership and responsibilities for the areas they have to leave behind. In their absence, others will have to step up.

I think I can speak for both my cousin and I when I say we feel the burden to carry on to grow and facilitate our youth program. Our youth are the future men and women of today, and we want to pour out and invest ourselves in them.

So watch this space and see what happens. Our town is in such dire need of a good Youth program, and needs young men and women to step up to build up our young people.

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Round up of The Movement 2011

By on February 8, 2011 in Ministry

Wow, what an epic weekend; God blessed us with safety and some awesome weather!

The Movement was an awesome weekend. We all gathered to our meeting spot and left town around the mid afternoon. We took a 15 person mini bus and a trailer packed with all our sleeping bags, skis, boards, and equipment, bundled in the van and set off.

Here are the quick figures:-

  • 6 hour journey
  • 10 youths
  • 2 male leaders
  • 1 girl youth sponsor (me)
  • 10 snowboarders
  • 3 skiers
  • 1 sit skier
  • 0 broken bones!

Onward bound to sunny skies and snow

 

We arrived late. The concert started at 7pm and I think we just about made it for 9:30pm. We missed the first band and registration, but it all got figured out. We stood by the side of the mosh pit and got called out by one of the speakers for not snuggling in with the rest of the crowd. I guess we were pretty beat.

God spared of avalanches and break-ins.

The roads were pretty gnarly there and back. We saw a pile up of about a dozen vehicles on the highway on the way up. Apparently an avalanche came down and hit the road, or at least that was the impression I was under. Unfortunately for one of the other groups on the way got hit on their way.

Sadly, later on that night we found out that a couple of people broke in to one of the vans and stole a bunch of laptops, skis and boards from the Whistler crew. We prayed for the Whistler bunch and the salvation of the thieves that stole all the gear from the Whistler kids.

“Technically” Christian and Sleeping Arrangements

A church in Kamloops kindly offered their building to sleep about 30 + people. The boys occupied two rooms and all the girls got bundled in to the nursery room. It was slightly unfortunate that the girls we were sharing with had a couple of borderline inappropriate conversations that my girl youth ended up being exposed to. On the other hand, I’m really proud of my girl. They were having a conversation about the concert and speaker where one of the girls ended up confessing that she was “technically a Christian” by virtue that her grandmother “went to church and stuff” and that she was a really bad Christian because she didn’t really follow the faith. My girl challenged her that she cannot “technically” be a Christian. After all, even demons believe in Jesus.

The Sunday school nursery room we slept in

I suppose it was then appropriate that the message of this year’s Movement was pretty straight to the point.

Matthew 10:38

38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (ESV)

The speakers over the weekend talked a lot about what it means to take up your cross and what it really means to follow Jesus. I wasn’t expecting it, but the messages really ministered to me and I am thankful for it. I think God’s been speaking to me a lot about this in the last couple of weeks. I’m not saved by the virtue of what I do, but what God does. My salvation does not come from my works, but from my faith, and my faith is proven by my works. It’s something I’m struggling to work out practically.

Matthew 6:22-23

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! (ESV)

The sermon talked about fixing your eyes on Jesus. The eye (similar to the heart in Jewish literature) is the lamp that reveals the quality of a person’s life. A healthy, or singular, eye with clear vision will determine the “light” in my body, the rest of my being. If my eyes are unhealthy, focused on all other things, full of darkness, how much darker would my body be.

Matthew 14:22-23

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, (ESV)

He expounded with the example of how Peter left the comfort zone of his boat and, when his mind and eyes were fixed on Jesus, he could do the impossible – walk on water. As soon as he started looking at the wind and the waves he started sinking. His eyes wandered off from Jesus, his eyes became focused on the the world, filled with doubt his light darkened and he began to sink. This was the emphasis of his message, that to follow Jesus your eyes and your mind must be singular. It must be focused on Him. The wind and the waves of this world, the anxieties, fears and even good things can be the things that distract us from our prize and cause doubt and disbelief.

Sun Peaks for some skiing, snow and sun sun sun

So the weather forecasters predicted  a cloudy day, but God made the sun come up anyway. The weather was outstandingly beautiful, clear skies with unlimited visability. The alpine areas were so unlike the wetter and cloudier conditions I’m used to. Trees were beautifully iced with wind blown snow creating the most amazing sculptural forms all long the open wide alpine.

Slopes of Sun Peak

We had great fun enjoying God’s creation. The boys spent most of their morning in the park, and we joined most of them on the mountain lodge for lunch. The sun stayed around for the afternoon until everyone was wiped out and we bundled back in the van back to base camp.

We had a good nap at base camp whilst the boys made a gong show out of the local swimming pool. We stuffed ourselves with lasange and ice cream cake and made it back for the evening concert and worship.

Moshing and Worship

Fraser Campbell

The boys decided that they needed to redeem themselves after the previous night and made a full charge in to the front of the stage during the Fraser Campbell’s first set and started up a good ol mosh. We had a lot of fun. It’s been about 7 years since my punk/emo days, and diving in with them was awesome. Thankfully, with most of them still being in their teens, it was pretty low risk with injuries.

John Reuben whipped up a frenzy with the kids. We had a lot of fun being all ghetto.

John Reuben

A Holy Spirit driven response

Joel Parker gave an awesome message about what it means to take up your cross, or in other words, dying to yourself. I was surprised, but stoked to see who, out of our group, responded to the message. I was so thankful that our group was covered in prayer, and that there was a genuine love that I observed in our youth group where we would band around together in support of one another. I guess it’s my prayer that whatever we all took from the conference, that it would be more than a temporary emotion. I’m praying that some of the kids that went would begin to understand what it means to be in an eternal relationship with the God of the universe. Am praying for changed hearts and transformed lives.

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Heading over for Ski, Snow and Son!: The Movement, 2011 Youth Conference

By on February 4, 2011 in And in unrelated news, Ministry

So… In a couple of hours I’m gonna cram in to a mini bus with some of my favourite kids from our Youth Group. We’re gonna head over to this year’s The Movement at the Sun Peaks resort and kick off the weekend with some worships, awesome speakers, some riding with some pro ski and snowboarders, and then more worship. Am praying that all of us will be impacted, that we’ll all leave Kamloops saved and psyched for Jesus!

Please pray for our safety, for the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of the youth, and for the sanity and joy of the youth leaders. Also pray that there will be some cool, Spirit lead conversations with the youth and for safety on the hills!

Check out The Movement for more info I suppose.

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Burn Out: I’ve hit it hard and fast

By on September 11, 2010 in Church Planting, Ministry, Musings, My Calling

Burnt out

Abandoned Burnt Out Building, Krakow

I am reminded about mountain biking, if you go too hard and too fast, if you lose control you will hit it hard and fast. Same goes for any vehicle for that matter…

I’m not sure when things have changed, or when things started going stale… I anticipated that a burn out will happen at some point in my life, I didn’t think it would be anywhere so soon, and I guess I anticipate that there will be more to come…

I knew I needed to rest more… with my nose to the grindstone I somehow didn’t take it seriously. A part of my felt like my youth could over come it. In the spirit of “considering others more important than yourself”, I did not look after myself, thinking pridefully in some way that I would take it for the team and come out more righteous because of it; living out a life that is loving and sacrificial.

I’ve dug myself in to a pit and have turned in to a big emotional time bomb. The slightest of conflicts of challenges will either tick me off and I will end up unable to hold things together and will ball my eyes out over the smallest inconsequential of things. Simple tasks seem to require twice the usual effort; the usual walk in the park feels like wading through sludge: I am rendered useless. My ability to handle conflict at work or in ministry has crumbled.

Conversations and being around other people seem more challenging than usual, and I find myself trying to wrestle with the the feeling of wanting to pull myself away from people, cutting myself away from stressful relationships, isolating myself. At the same time I am resentful over the fact that there are people who seem to have all the time in the world, but realize these thoughts are not my own, and are neither rational nor fair.

I am angry at myself over this feeling of failure, and do not want to live up to it or admit it. I feel like I’ve failed the people who depend on me. I am in an hyper emotional place where I feel tempted to drop out, step down, or quit altogether. I question how I ended up in the place or position I’m in, why I even desired to do or be where I am. The constant bombardment of accusations is crippling at times.

I don’t feel like eating, but over eat anyway. I’m tired but do not sleep or cannot get enough of it. I want to do anything but work.

It’s not who I am or what I do, but what God has done.

I realise that it’s not only important to Sabbath, but I think to take mini Sabbaticals, aka, vacations.

God commanded us to Sabbath, to rest because it is good for us, and it is a gift. Matt Chandler, Pastor of Village Church, Texas, said once, something along the lines of:

Sabbath is that you get to be and not do, that you might understand that it’s not what we do, but what God has done, that makes us righteous in His sight….

Mark Driscoll, Pastor of Mars Hill Church, Seattle, also said something along the lines of:-

A Sabbath is a gift to those who spend 6 days of the week out pouring in ministry that they may get filled up on God, on the Sabbath.

I think I’m going to time myself out and pull myself out of responsibility for a short while.

Until I realise that God doesn’t need me to plant a church or save people, I will be continue to be burdened with service as being a chose as opposed to it being a privilege and a joy. I need to get away.

I need to get away and know that things can continue without me, that God doesn’t need me in anyway. I need to find myself in that place where it was a joy to pick up the burden of others, to serve them and love them and build the church up. I need to get back to the understanding and mindset that serving is a joy and privilege. But I feel that first I need be at a place where I can see that things can go on without me, because they can, and they will.

The Gift of Encouragement

If you have the spiritual gift of encouragement, I now totally see and value why the Holy Spirit has given it to you. As soon as one gets discouraged, it’s so easy to compare your works with others, to see your failure and get overthrown with accusations and feeling of despair.

Failure is a part of the journey

I’m pretty sure you can’t fight a battle and not expect to take a hit. I’m pretty sure I fell over a many times when I learnt to walk, stalled my car engine when I was learning to drive. I’m pretty sure my failure is all a part of my “success”. I can’t remember who said or wrote it, but they say

The Christian life is one of constant repentance.

Every day and moment I fail to walk steadfast and faithful to my Lord and Savior… Every moment I need to repent, constantly… or at least I’m supposed to… Everyday I fail, but I need not despair. Christians will need to always and constantly repent because we will continue to fail and fall short until the return of our King

Moving forward….

I’m not sure how, or what steps I’ll take to “recover”. I’m planning a vacation sometime at the end of this month… just some time where I get to do nothing. I know I need to rest, refill, refresh. I know all the thoughts and temptations to leave ministry are simply temptations, and they can be overcome. I know this is a season, but hopefully just a season. As much as I can I will try and spend some time with God, pray in to some things and wrestle out some of the junk that’s inside me, spend some time in solitude and probably cry some things out.

I need to surrender all to Him again.

I will find my hope and joy in Christ again.


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My New Ride-That-I-Can’t-Ride

By on September 8, 2010 in And in unrelated news, Ministry

So… Yesterday I went Downtown with my bessies and bought my first car! Milestone!

It’s under my cousin’s name, and I can’t really drive it without supervision, but I’m stoked!

It’s a 1999 2 door Chevrolet Cavalier Z24, and was sold to me for about half its retail value! It’s a really fun car (for me at least) drives pretty smooth. No problems so far… think I might need to give it an oil change, comes with four winter tires, and it’s a standard!! (aka manual).

Whoohoo!! Thank you Jesus!

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So… I might be buying my first car

By on September 6, 2010 in And in unrelated news, Ministry

So I guess I’m arriving in to a new milestone in my life where I feel the burden to actually own a vehicle and be able to drive it… God willing, this week, I might be purchasing a better than tinbox on wheels, just to get me from A to B. In my stubbornness, I have opted for a standard/manual car, it’s the way we brits learn to drive and I’d like to honor than! :D

And of course I will need to pass my drivers… I’ve left it for a long time. I’ve got a test booked for early November, but I’m hoping for a cancellation that I might pass either late September/early October.

Why do I want a car?

It’s been really fun having my cousin with me here. I like to play team with him this last year, to serve and visit people with him. But I guess as he’s understanding more of his own call God has for him and I for myself. He needs to be able to get to wherever he needs to get to to do whatever, and I need to too. I feel more burdened that I need to be able to do these things independently from him, and transportation becomes a huge factor.

I love hanging out and drinking tea in the afternoons. There are a couple of people I know who’d I love to be able to get together with more, some ladies and girls I know who I would like to be able to give my time and effort to serving and praying with.

Anyway… I’m looking at a 1999 Chevy Cavalier Z24. I think I might be going Downtown this Wednesday to take a look at it. I really should be praying more in to this. And I guess that’s what I shall try to do the rest of this evening.

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10 Things in Leadership I Wish I Knew Before Hand

By on August 14, 2010 in Ministry, Musings, My Calling

5 Things I didn’t really prepare myself enough for

It’s emotionally, spiritually, physically draining

You’re always spread thin. Physically I find myself exhausted or stressed at times, just by merely running around, and due to a poor stewardship time, I’m not sleeping as much as I should be. Spiritually drained at times, and by error find myself trying to fill myself up on other people as opposed to God. Emotionally on a roller-coaster in tears at times, and other times filled with joy when seeing the work of my hands that God is bringing in to fruition. The lows can be dark, but never pitch black. There is the unceasing comfort in my Savior, and the unrelenting joy at the blackest of times. The reminder of the eternal prize encourages me to endure through hardship for the joy set before me.

It’s a huge responsibility over others

Hebrews 13:17

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. (ESV)

I read this and nearly freaked out. Keeping watch over other souls, and needing to give an account for God. My failure to call out and edify others and share the gospel is all answerable to God. If I cause another to stumble, if I lead people astray, it is God who I will have to answer to. The thought of it puts the fear of God in me.

You really have to step up

There needs to be a desire to act honourably and lead by example, be above reproach, and there is little room for error. Yes, I am just merely man, but where I fall short can easily give others permission to do the same. Jesus is the norm, the one person we need to judge ourselves by. Jesus is the measuring stick, and he lived a life that would be an example for us to follow. When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples he gave us an example and standard of how we should be to imitate that we might become more like Him. He said:-

John 13:15

15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. (ESV)

I’m not sure whether I was drawn to being in positions of leadership in the past because I desired authority and the attention of having importance or impact. Things I have come to realise since then in that phase of immaturity that in actual fact,  you have to think of yourself less and more of others. It is constant sacrifice.

To serve others you have to die to your own needs and wants, it’s a constant of putting others before yourselves. To be a servant of everybody. You have to die to your name, your pride, your time, energy, money, everything. There is no room for worldliness. To be in leadership and ministry is to serve, is to sacrifice. The more people you lead, the more people you serve.

You come to realise that the more you lead, the more responsibility you have, the more you need to come under the authority of Scripture and the more you need to rely on God.

Warfare

Under bombardment of attack, whether it is criticism, argumentative people, thought life, idols, a lust of the world. At significant milestones along my walk with God, they have been punctuated with hyper spiritual dreams of the not nice sort. In times of pain, there is the temptation to tranquilize myself on an unhealthy amount of movies, shopping, facebook, blogging, and comfort eating. Worst of all, if the enemy can’t make you sin, he will make you busy.

It's an awesome journey, even if there's bird poo hitting the window.

5 Things I have learnt that has been really helpful

Asking for help from the Holy Spirit

Even for the most mundane things like being a coffee server on a Sunday morning needs all the help of the Holy Spirit. I need to Holy Spirit to shift tables and fold up bulletins. Without Him, I’m doing things on my own strength, and not His joy and cheerfulness in serving. There are times when I have gone about things on my own strenght and I end up really bitter, resentful or self-righteous about my works.

I need the Holy Spirit for my joy, for my inspiration, for strength, for a purity of heart. All I do must be for the glory and worship of God, and to worship God is to do so in spirit and in truth. I need to Spirit to worship  and glorify God in service and ministry.

Hebrews 8:8

8 For he finds fault with them when he says:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah, (ESV)

Filling up on God and not other people

Being in ministry can be so draining -even the most mundane and small tasks, there is a temptation that you need to be spiritually filled. Filling up on people is the equivalent of eating sugar when what you really need is a meal; it’s dissatisfying and doesn’t really fill you. It leaves you disappointed, craving for more, aka needy.

Filling up on God means to take the time to spiritually nourish yourself, which means reading and praying through Scripture, sabbathing and spending some quality time with God. To fill yourself out on God that you can pour yourself out onto others.

Eating and sleeping properly

I am a finite being that needs sleep and food. It’s obivious, but there is a huge tendancy to skip meals, lose an hour of sleep here and there and rely on your youth to go on. I forget that sleep is a gift and a reminder that I am finite in what I can do. But God is infinite, he needs no sleep or slumber, He needs no rest. He can do everything without me.

John Piper pointed, in his book, ‘Desiring God’, Elijah’s emotional need for food and sleep in

1 Kings 19:1-8

19:1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. (ESV)

. He expounds this way better than I can.

Losing all sense of worldliness and other distractions

The love of the money and the love of the world will blow your ministry apart, it’s so important to keep your eye on the real prize which is Jesus. If you love marriage more than Jesus, or Church Planting more than Jesus, you’re essentially making God in to a stepping stone to your idol. Jesus is the prize. Jesus is the reason we are doing what we’re doing. To have an eternal relationship with the Living God blows away anything we can have here on earth.

Sitting at the foot of the cross

Always when pride leers its ugly head, when I think it’s out of my good works, and I become self-righteous. Ever day I fail to acknowledge that I am living and redeemed, changed because the work of the Cross. The grace in which I stand, the transformation that has happened to me, the change in my heart, the new desires I have are all because of the work on the Cross. This new relationship I have with the Father is because Jesus had paid the price that I might be covered by His blood and forgiven for my sins and reconciled with the Father. Jesus is the only reason. It’s all about Jesus.

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