It’s more than the Goal it’s Motivation!

As I begin a new year one of the things that I always strive to do is set some personal goals for what I hope to accomplish.  Notice I said hope to accomplish the goals are not always reached and the goals oftentimes will change in some form or fashion.  But the truth is I don’t set the goal for the goal, I set the goal for a motivation to be able to accomplish something. I set the goal for something to strive for in my year.  It’s not necessarily about the goal but about the motivation to achieve something better for myself and the people around me.

Here are a couple of examples of what I mean:

Physical Goals –    Continue to work out 4 – 5 days a week. (Lift, Ride, Run)

                               Find two new guys to add workouts within the Iron Garage.

Relational Goals – Weekly connect with the three young men in my life.

                               Go on a date once a week with Michelle. (wife)

Intellectual Goals – Meet with three leaders who think differently than I do.

                               Read more than 20 books in the year.

I also set goals for Leadership, Spiritual, and Writing, as well as ONE WORD that I will filter every one of these goals through.  For me the ONE WORD this year is COORDINATE. 

But I don’t just set these goals from inside a bubble.  I also ask people that I have a strong relationship with to speak to my goals.  Like I ask my wife, “What are some ways that I can be a better husband in the next year?” I also have to say you don’t have to ask the same question. (This is inevitably what she is going to be thinking.) I also will make sure that there are always relationships that are tied to one of the goals in each section.  It again is not about the goal but the motivation to achieve something better and better means that there is always a relationship involved.  Getting better is not something that is always about me but about the people with me.

Here is what I know to be true we have a lot of MEN today who are not willing or even able to set goals for themselves in the coming year simply because of FEAR.  Fear of not getting to the goal. Again, it’s not always about the goal but about the motivation to accomplish something.  MEN today are not willing or even able to set a goal for themselves in the coming year because of a LACK OF UNDERSTANDING.  No one has told them why they should set GOALS; no one has encouraged them to set a goal other than the person trying to get their money online.  Here if you are reading this, I hope we are considered a friend. SET A GOAL! Do something to motivate yourself for the next year.  MEN today are not willing to or even able to set a goal for themselves in the coming year because of GENERALIZATIONS.  Here is what I mean, “This year I am setting the goal to get healthy.” Great but what does that mean? Less doughnuts, while sitting on the couch watching football, yelling at them to run faster. How about I am going to lose 20 lbs.  I am going to run a 5k. I am going to bench press 225 lbs. at least 5 – 8 times at once. Make it specific, make it attainable, and make it trackable. 

So with that in mind what are some GOALS that you are going to set for yourself in the coming year? What is the ONE WORD that you are going to use to filter some of these goals through? And who are you going to include in the goals that you are going to be setting? Because remember it’s not just about the goal but about the motivation to accomplish something better for you and the people around you.

Not In My Backyard

Over the last few years, I have heard and I have seen written the statement, “Not In My Backyard.” It is a statement that people will make when there is something that they don’t agree with going into the area where they live.

It was over three years ago that it really became evident to me personally was when the church that I am a pastor of was working to sell a portion of our land to another non-profit to develop housing for those that are homeless with physical and mental disabilities. Once people found out what we were planning to do came out of the woodwork to fight what we were doing. Things that they would say were it is going to bring down our property value, there is going to be more crime, and it is not going to look good here. All things that I understand but each one of those things were not true at all. In fact, since we have opened the apartments and we have people in them living a better and safe life we have seen these residents bring life to our area.

You may be thinking well why are you bringing this up since it has already been almost two years since you opened the apartments that you were a part of? Here is why another church in our city was using some of its property to build Habitat for Humanity Duplexes to create some more affordable housing. Something that our city and state need desperately. I mean I have a family member who has two children and they live in a two-bedroom condo because there is just no housing affordable enough for them to get into at least in a part of the city where the children can stay in their school. And this is a family where both adults are working jobs. We have people in our cities that need places to live and we have opportunities especially through our faith communities that own undeveloped land to help. But we still have people that will say, “Not In My Backyard”. The question that I have then is ok then where? Where are we supposed to create places for people to live that will help them move forward in their lives? Because as far as I see it these developments are always going to be in someone’s backyard, my hope is that we would see these opportunities not obstacles to just our own lives. It is an opportunity to look beyond our own yard and see someone that is getting an opportunity to get going. Just a thought or two. Thanks for listening.

How You Argue Shows Your Maturity

One of the things that we all can agree on (which is not much) is that there is a lot of arguing going on
in our world today. Everyone has an opinion on everything and then there are people with the opposite opinion on everything. Which means people argue.  Especially when it comes to our online world. There are even memes now online that show how people are willing to say things to people online that they would never say to someone face to face (I like the Mike Tyson one personally).

The sad thing for me is that I see followers of Jesus treating other followers of Jesus in the exact same way.  Truth be told in some cases even worse. Then we see men and women in church leadership that are treating
each other this way.  Church leaders that have read about biblical conflict resolution from Matthew 18 where we are told to go one to another and talk with each other. But yet they are sharing their arguments with everyone willing to read in 140 characters or less.

But, then I read in the book of Romans where Paul is talking to the church in Rome about how followers of Jesus are to treat each other with differing thoughts and opinions.

Romans 14: 1 (NLT) ¹Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 

Paul even goes on to write don’t argue about what food you eat and don’t argue about what day is holy or not. I
am sure that we all can make some similar associations with current areas of argument in our word today especially between followers of Jesus. Did I mask that one good enough? Or did I get my one shot at the conversation? (See what I did there.) But then Paul brings it back around to how we are to be living our lives
when it comes to each other and our arguments.

Romans 14: 10 – 13 (NLT) ¹⁰ So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. ¹¹ For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” ¹² Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. ¹³ So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

As I read these verses it leads me to understand that how we argue as followers of Jesus shows our spiritual maturity it shows me how we treat each other is more about the other follower of Jesus than ourselves and our own opinions.  My hope is that if you are reading this, that both you and I will take some time to think about how we respond to other followers of Jesus, and when we do respond, what are we showing when it comes to our spiritual maturity. 

Down in Front

Get lost in the moment

Over the summer I had the amazing opportunity to be able to go to Hawaii and visit my daughter and son-in-law with my wife.  While we were there, we were able to go to the Van Gogh Exhibit at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. It was really an amazing immersion into Van Gogh’s life story, quotes, and his art.  The art that was projected on the ceiling high walls was breathtaking, they were intertwined with the classic and French music. For me all I could do was just stand in the midst of it all and hold my wife’s hand and stare with wide open eyes taking it all in.

But I have to be honest it was not the art and it was not the music that moved me to tears.  It was the down syndrome man.  As we moved to the center of the exhibit, I noticed an elderly woman that was sitting in her wheel chair staring at the moving walls of color and art with her hand being held by her adult down syndrome son.  As we stepped behind where they were sitting, we again were drawn back into the exhibit and we were engulfed in the moment of being with family as we took pictures of each other and the moving walls of art. 

It was when the music changed, movement caught the corner of my eye.  It was the grown down syndrome man dancing, dancing before his mom, and in front of the walls of art. It was inspiring.  It was moving. It was emotional.  As I watched this man dance and move, I began to feel the tears well up in my eyes.  This man in this moment didn’t care about what people thought, whether it was the right thing or not, if he was good or not.  He was dancing and enjoying the moment being lost in the music and the art. 

It made me think, is this what King David felt like when he danced before God?  Was he so lost in who he was dancing for, and while the music was playing, was just he lost in the moment?

2 Samuel 6:14 (NLT) ¹⁴ And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.

This man at the Van Gogh exhibit danced and enjoyed the moment and he may never know the impact that he had on me in that moment. Because right there and then I was reminded that it doesn’t matter who is watching and it doesn’t matter where you are. Just get lost in the moment.

You’re not the Author of their story

One of the things that has really bothered me over this last year is how people simply will just end relationships because of someone’s statement or post on something. That in a moment of passion or emotion they will click DELETE on a friendship that has possibly been years in the making maybe even a lifetime. Thus writing the ending to that persons story in their life. Well here is something that we all need to remember, “You’re not the author of their story so you don’t get to write the ENDING.” Let me explain what I mean.

When you click delete or unfriend someone that means you have in that moment wrote the ending of the story of that person in your life. And when you do that it means you no longer have the ability to see or be a part of the story of that persons life. Now I know that there are some people that are going to argue that it is just easier to remove the negative person from your life. I get that if someone is attacking you are sharing harmful things to you or about you. But when we take a political post, a religious post, a sports post, or just even a repost or retweet and make them villains then we assume too much. And to take it even further when we immediately remove that person from our life without trying to gain understanding or without trying to really see what was the reason for the post we miss out on the rest of the story. To which I believe that we then have missed out on being an active character in that persons story that may not think like us, believe like us, look like us, or lives like us. We have all intense purposes written the ending of their story in our lives.

What I am suggesting is that we take the opportunity to not end the story but a part of the story. Who knows maybe by staying in a persons story you are used to be a catalyst to a plot twist and a change in that persons story. But if you end the story then you will never know if things could be different. As I was reading this week the book, “The Third Option: Hope for a racially divided nation” by Miles McPherson there came a place where he wrote about choosing sides when it comes to race. I believe that this quote I am about to share can also be used for politics, sports, religion, or whatever your particular passion maybe be for you in life. This is a quote from chapter 7:

What I am suggesting is that we take the opportunity to not end the story but a part of the story. Who knows maybe by staying in a persons story you are used to be a catalyst to a plot twist and a change in that persons story.

Tweet

“I can tell you the answer isn’t in choosing the “right” side or the “right” people. The answer lies in humbling ourselves and serving a purpose that’s bigger than any side or any one of us. We can choose sides or we can choose honor. BUT WE CAN’T CHOOSE BOTH. What will you choose?” (emphasis added)

As a follower of Jesus that lives in a city and an area where there is tremendous diversity of color and thought. I feel that just like Miles McPherson wrote that by choosing HONOR I continue to get to be a part of the story that God is writing in the lives of people around me. Because I believe that as God authors a persons story I would rather be a character in the story that is being used as a catalyst that might lead to a plot twist instead of being one that is being written out of the story.

Just something to think about the next time you get ready to click delete or unfriend . . .

The Lost Goodbye

What does it mean for your heart to never say Goodbye?

One of the things that I know we will have to deal with when we come out of the pandemic are the goodbyes that we never had the chance to say. You see it is very healthy for someone to say goodbye. In fact, saying goodbye is a way for us to be able to grow and develop our lives to be stronger and healthier. A child development specialist Margaret Mahler who coined the term, “separation individuation” shares how separation or saying goodbye enables children to develop their individual identity. But what happens when you never get a chance to say, goodbye?

We have had co-workers lose jobs because of the economy during the pandemic and because we were all socially distant we will never get a chance to say goodbye.

We have students that are leaving schools and heading off to other places but because schools were shut down many of them were never able to say goodbye to other school mates.

We have church members that because of all of the above have had to move and the people that they knew in a community have not been able to say goodbye because they left when things were shut down.

We have had families that have had people pass away and because funerals were twenty five people or less they never had the chance to grieve and say goodbye in that moment.

One of the things that I know is that not being able to say goodbye can complicate your grieving process as you may experience more emotions such as guilt and regret that coincide with the loss of of being able to say goodbye a moment that brings possible closure in many moments.

That means many people will have to be able to deal with these emotions. But how are we to do this?

1. Write letters to the people after you have found out where they have gone. If it is someone who has passed away then write the letter put it in an envelope and place it somewhere special. I knew of a man that took a letter he wrote to his father who had passed away and placed it in a tree in the mountains where they went fishing together.
2. Maybe you can find them on social media and along with other people that had relationships with them let them know how much you miss them. Encourage others to do the same.
3. Take some time to write a list of all the reasons that you enjoyed having them in your life. Then take that list and share it with them some way.
4. Pray for them and ask God to be able guide and direct them wherever they may be. If this is someone that has passed away then I would encourage you to pray that God would enable you to see all of the ways that you were blessed by this person and then pray prayers of thankfulness through this list to God for all of the ways this person was a part of your life.

Whatever you need to do to walk through those emotions and experience some closure is important for your heart and for your spirit. But my hope is that we will all be able to experience healing after the hurt. So, I want to be able to say, “Goodbye for NOW.”

If you feel comfortable share either a goodbye that you weren’t able to have with someone, or a way that you see that can help if someone is unable to say goodbye.

I’m Busy! (Are you sure?)

Over the last couple of months (Even while people were locked down in their residences.) I have noticed that the most common answer I get to, “How are you doing?” is “I’m Busy!” The problem is that is not really an answer to the question. It is more a statement about the condition of their life. The other problem is that if you are answering, “I’m Busy!” then that means you chose to be busy. I know there are people that have had to change their schedules because of COVID. Job schedules are now different, parents are now being asked to be also a teacher, and students are having to learn in a different way.

But I believe that most people that answer, “I’m Busy!” have made choices to be busy. The have answered YES to things that they should have answered NO too when it comes to there life. I know for people that are working in ministry or in the non-profit world it can be very hard to answer NO because you feel guilty in some form or fashion because the work that you are doing is so tied to who you are. I know that some people in business also have a hard time saying NO because they are worried that the people in charge are going to not see them as good employees. So, I wanted to give you a couple of ways to be able to develop a personal process for deciding whether or not you are going to say YES or you are going to say NO to something in your life that may lead you to say, “I’m Busy!” (Remember that every yes means you will eventually have to say no to something.)

“Remember that every YES means you will eventually have to say NO to something.”

@wscottbloyer

HESITATE & EVALUATE

One of the things that I have learned about myself is that I want to be able to answer someone’s ASK for me to do something right away. This usually means that I over-schedule myself and I end up feeling stressed out. Hey can you perform our wedding? Hey can you speak at this event? Hey can you take me to the airport?

What I have learned to do is to hesitate to answer yes and then evaluate the ASK through my calendar and through my spouse. Why would I do that? Because if the calendar is already to crowded then it is going to cause stress and I am not going to function creatively and as a leader at my best. If my spouse is already feeling like we are not together enough then saying yes to another thing is going to cause more hurt then help in my relationship. So, for me those are the two things that I use when I am going to HESITATE and EVALUATE.

REASON WITH THE SEASON

Over the last 20 odd years of working in a ministry environment I have realized there are seasons to what I do. Maybe you have realized the same thing about your work environment. For instance I know that in a ministry environment Christmas is going to be a busy time so I need to be prepared for that season of work. I know that people who work in the fitness industry their season is around January because everyone is ready to follow through (maybe) with their new year resolution to get healthy. I know that people who work in accounting that means the two months leading up to April (In the US Tax Day April 15th) have a lot more work than the rest of the year. There are seasons to each type of work so the need for making sure you HESITATE & EVALUATE during that season is vital along with knowing the seasons you have in your area of work.

GROW BY SAYING NO

As a leader you will GROW BY SAYING NO because you will now have a greater understanding of what stresses you out and what gets you excited. This will be so evident because of all the work you have been doing in HESITATING & EVALUATING what you are doing, along with the acknowledgements of the REASONS WITH THE SEASONS. In both of those areas you will learn how to better control the schedule of your life. It is also important for you to develop these areas in your life if you are going to show the people that you work with and live with about not being busy.

Here are a couple of other leaders that have talked about NO. Adam Grant has a blog on “Start a to-don’t list instead.” And then there is Tom Peters who has video on Youtube called, “Brand You: To-Don’t List” another view point on developing a way of saying NO.

My hope is that this will help you in the coming days and weeks to be able to answer to the question, “How are you doing?” by saying I am GOOD. Please let me know if this resonated with you or if you think I am just out of my mind and need to stop sharing. Also, if this is something that you think a friend or family member could use please share it or invite them to subscribe.

Re-sharing a Friends Blog

Disciple Making Gone Horribly Wrong by Geoff Surratt

After a long day of ministry Jesus is exhausted. He desperately needs to get away from the crowds and rest, so he gets into a boat and tells his disciples to head to the other side of the lake. After a few minutes, the boat gently rocking as they cross the sea at sunset, Jesus lays down on a cushion in the back and falls sound asleep. While he’s sleeping a violent storm builds over the eastern mountains and suddenly drops onto the sea. Soon the boat is rocking violently, the sail is snapping in the wind threatening to tear in two, and the mast is bending to the point of breaking. Even the experienced fishermen begin to panic. They wake Jesus up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are going to drown!” We’ll let someone who was in the boat finish the story;

‘Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”’ 

Matthew 8:26-27 (NLT)

I love the irony. The men who’ve been with Jesus the longest…they’ve seen him heal disease, cast out demons, even turn water into wine… they are afraid that this whole thing might end with the Son of God drowning in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. The creator of the universe’s grand story of salvation will end because of a thunderstorm he didn’t see coming. This is a very revealing moment in Jesus’ ministry; months into being with Jesus 24/7 his followers have no understanding of who Jesus is nor his bigger mission on earth. It is now clear they are not maturing as disciples.

We are in one of those Sea of Galilee moments right now. A storm unlike any we’ve seen before is rocking our world. In the middle of this storm the maturity level of the disciples we lead is being revealed, and its pretty discouraging. Attendance at online services is declining, fewer people are engaging in small groups, and the initial surge of volunteerism has all but disappeared. The one place we see many in our congregations actively engaged is arguments on social media over Covid conspiracies. Some days it feels like our boat may indeed sink before this pandemic is over.

There’s another way to look at it, however. In one way this is an incredible gift, to clearly see where we are making mature disciples and where we are not. Without this pandemic we might have continued blindly on, assuming our services, classes and small groups were leading people to take next steps toward maturity. Clearly they are not.

The Navy Seals reportedly have a saying that under pressure no one rises to the occasion, they sink to the level of their training. I believe that is what we are seeing now in churches. Most attenders aren’t stepping up in greater faith, love and sacrifice, they are falling back to their true level of maturity and discipleship. This is a great opportunity as leaders to rethink how we approach making disciples in the American church. Here are three questions to consider as you reassess your church’s approach to disciple making:

1. What do you believe, within your context, are the characteristics of a mature disciple? The worst thing we could do right now is to start new programs, write new training classes, or implement new systems without stepping back and re-engaging the question, “What are we trying to accomplish?” As you rebuild your definition of a mature disciple avoid the mistake of measuring discipleship by activity; church attendance, serving in a ministry, participation in a small group, Bible reading, quiet time. These are all valid activities that can lead to mature discipleship, but it is also possible to do all of these things and remain immature. Focus on outcomes rather than activities. Good places to start are the Beatitudes and the Fruit of the Spirit in describing a mature disciple.
2. What has your church done to intentionally help people develop these characteristics of a mature disciple? Make a list of everything you do as a church to help people become mature disciples. Spend time evaluating each activity for effectiveness; How are we seeing people grow in specific mature discipleship characteristics as a result of this program? What is leading people to grow, or to remain stagnant?
3. What should we stop, start or change to improve our ability to develop mature disciples? If there are things you do as a church that do not seem to help people become mature disciples it might be time to stop doing them. This gets really difficult as sacred cows are potentially sacrificed on the altar of effectiveness, but desperate times call for desperate measures.There are other activities that need to be massively altered if you are going to raise the bar for discipleship. For example, for most churches the weekend service is the single biggest activity they engage in to make disciples, but it seems massively ineffective. Are we going to keep doing what we’ve always done and hope it works, or are we willing to make significant changes in order to truly engage our people to become mature disciples?

We are in a Sea of Galilee moment as church leaders. The wind and waves have rocked our people, and their true maturity as disciples is being revealed. We can try to get back to what we were doing before and hope it works out better this time. We can beat ourselves up for our lack of better leadership. We can be angry with the immature mob of misfits God has stuck us with. Or we can see this as an incredible gift from God and rediscover what it means to be a church that makes disciples who make disciples.

If you want to learn more about Geoff and Sherry Surratt then CLICK HERE and make sure that you follow all of the things that they are doing.

Episode Three: Justin Adams & Scott Bloyer

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-3cuqz-e0df91

After the death of George Floyd, I reached out to several of my African American friends to see how they were doing and how I could serve them. Out of a text message conversation with Justin came this interview, I wanted people to know that I was not doing this to grandstand because of what is going on in our nation.  But that I wanted to simply have a conversation with a black man, a friend to understand more. I hope you enjoy this impromptu conversation with Justin Adams.

Make sure that you connect with Justin on social media:

Instagram: Justinadamstv

Twitter: justinadamsTV

Facebook: Justin Adams.

Please make sure that you take the time to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review so that we can continue to reach more and more people.

Religion & Political Leadership

Over the last couple of months, I have had the unique opportunity to be able to meet and get to know Dave Runyon.  He is a man that is living in the world of both political and religious leadership.  Throughout the pandemic, he has been a constant connection between the state governor and the leaders of communities of faith, enabling communication to happen.

Dave Runyon helps faith, business, and government leaders unite around common causes in the Denver metro area. He serves as the Executive Director of CityUnite and as a consultant for businesses who have a desire to give back in their communities. Dave was a pastor at Foothills Community Church and The Next Level Church. In 2010 he launched a neighboring movement that has now spread to over 1,500 churches around the country. He is also the co-author of the book: “The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships right outside your door.” With Jay Pathak.

It was my honor to be able to interview Dave Runyon and talk about leadership, neighboring, and the current culture of politics and religion.  Make sure you that you check out this interview tomorrow morning on Youtube and on Podbean.

 

Create Culture, Carry It, or Kill It!

Today there is a lot of talk about creating culture, mission, and values.  This is a conversation that is going on when it comes to corporate culture, church culture, and even in our homes.  I hear speaker after speaker ask, “What kind of culture are you trying to create?”  Which I think is a great question to be asking because creating culture is important but, I have to be honest there are some things that I have recently been noticing when it comes to the area of culture.

First, there is the area of creating culture.  I have been attending a gym for the last three years five days a week that is open twenty-four hours a day. But I won’t mention any names. They have created an amazing culture for what it is that they do.  But what I have been watching is that the culture that was created or has been given to the organization is not being transferred. I have the privilege of attending this gym as well as know people that have been on staff at this gym.  So I am not speaking from a one-sided perspective.  But the culture that was created is a great one.  But there is a disconnect from the creation of the culture to the carriers of the culture.  Which causes me to wonder if there is someone that is in the organization that is creating a culture without a realistic understanding of what this culture looks like away from their control?  Which leads me too.

Second, the carrying of culture.  I know what the culture is supposed to look like but that culture is not being carried out in real time.  I have watched lead staff in this organization do things that are directly in conflict with the culture of the organization.  I mean this organization actually plays video reminders on the hour about part of their culture and STILL the staff as I have watched ignores this part of their culture.  To the point that I have actually asked an individual that works there if they think the video reminders are important to which they responded by saying, “Oh, they are very important so that we can stay on point.” Which leads me too.

Third, the killing of culture.  When there is a culture that is being implemented and is being handed off to others to carry if the carriers are not convinced or convicted of the culture their action or lack of action will KILL the culture.  I know that sounds drastic but it is the truth. From watching for several years now is that when the staff of the organization is not carrying the culture than the people that are involved in the organization as a customer or client or member is not going to carry the culture and that is going to kill it.  Which is what is happening at this particular organization, the whole team clean has been killed.

But I don’t want to be the guy that just bashes something and doesn’t give you an alternative. (Jon Gordon, bring solutions not just problems.)  I believe that there are a couple of places that are doing an amazing job of creating a culture and then enabling others to carry it in ways that are crystalizing that culture it for both the staff and the client.  Here are some organizations that I think you should check out along with some books that I believe are helpful when it comes to culture.

• Be Our Guest from Disney – Come on their culture is one that is worth modeling and learning.
• The “All Blacks” New Zealand Rugby team – The winningest sports team in the whole world.  They have a culture that is amazing and it starts in their locker room. Check out the book, “Legacy – What the All Blacks can teach us about the business of life” by James Kerr.
• “The Energy Bus” by Jon Gordon – A book that is about creating a culture of positive and yes in a world of negative and NO. (One of my favorite authors so this is a given.)
• “Peloton” – Changing the way you workout through technology and community.

I want to hear of an organization that you think is doing an amazing job at creating and carrying culture.  Leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Join the Youtube Universe

What do you do when you want to make a difference in the lives of people? You try everything possible to communicate with them and give them opportunities to know and grow.  So I have taken the challenge to start a Youtube Channel.  I have already shot the first video and the plan is to add one or two videos per week.

That means I need your help.  For everyone that is following this Blog I want to encourage you to do two things.  First, go and subscribe to the Youtube Channel (CLICK HERE) Second, I am going to ask that you share the Youtube video on anything that you have as far as social media.  That means Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, text messaging and smoke signals. (Not really you can’t link to that.)

The hope is that we can have both the blog and then the Youtube Channel work together to make a difference in people’s lives.  If you do share the channel, make sure you email me a screenshot and for those that do, I will make sure you get a special gift.  You can email me at scott.bloyer@elevaitoncc.com have a great week and let’s help people crash through the barriers that they are experiencing in life.

What would be some topics that you think would be good to cover on the channel and the blog? Leave a comment!

Time For Relationships Matters If You Want Relationships To Matter

Unfortunately, over the last couple of weeks and months, I have heard from several adults that they are struggling to develop healthy relationships.  I have heard several people say, “I just don’t have any friends” or “There is just no one to hang out with in life.” To which I always ask, “Have you made time to get to know the people around you?”  Which then means that I get the statement, “Well I just don’t have ENOUGH time to do that.”

Here is what I am hoping to encourage young people, married people, single people, older people, high school people, and people people (Not sure what that means.) to do.  Slow down and plan for the time it takes to develop relationships, take the time to get to know the people around you, take the time to talk with your kids, take the time to hang out and talk with your spouse, and take time time to develop relationships.  The speed at which we live today is at breakneck and we are losing the opportunity to really get to know people to really develop relationships.  And there is no difference when it comes to people of faith and people that are not living a life of faith.  We all are lacking in truly important relationships, relationships that can make a difference in our lives  Now I don’t think it is just an issue of time but also an issue of vulnerability.  We use time as an excuse because everyone can swallow that one.  But what if we were honest and just said, “I don’t think I can be in a relationship with some because I don’t trust anyone.”  Wouldnt that be more honest?

As I have been reading Brene Brown’s book, “Dare you to Lead” it has challenged me to really see the vulnerability that I am willing to go into with those around me.  Whether it is my wife, (yep that’s a struggle) my kids, or my closet friends.  The truth is that I struggle with being willing to really share with how I am feeling or how I am doing. (Am I the only one.)  I know that by not being willing to be vulnerable will never allow a relationship to grow and gain more depth. I know that it takes courage to be vulnerable and it also takes strength.  I want to encourage you to take the time and be courageously vulnerable with someone that you know can handle your *^%#% (stuff).  Because I know if you don’t take the time now, that when the *^%#% (stuff) hits the fan you just might not have the support you are looking for.  I believe that is partly the reason that we are seeing more and more men choose suicide.  Men without other men that are willing to be strong, courageous, and vulnerable with each other.  So how are you taking the time for relationships or are you? Is it really a time issue or is it a trust/vulnerable issue?

Give me your thoughts and leave a comment.

What if Prayers and Thoughts are all we have?

Over the last twenty years, we have walked through shootings in many different ways.  I was sitting in my office in Montana when the Columbine Shooting occurred.  It was my mother that called and let me know what was happening because I had a cousin that was attending Columbine at the time of the shooting.  We were fortunate that she was able to get away without being hurt.  Then there was the Aurora Theater shooting that happened just down the road from where I live.  We had friends of our kids that were in the theater that were able to get out uninjured but we did have a young man that we were friends with that lost his life. We spent a lot of time with family and community walking through this together.  Now we are dealing with the shooting at the school in Highlands Ranch.  Where a young man that we just baptized two weeks ago had his sister attending STEM.  She was unharmed in the shooting and is with her family thankfully.  But in each of those shootings, there has been loss of life, hurt, anger, and doubt.  So people that automatically respond by sharing, “OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT”.

But then there are people that respond back by saying, “BUT YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AREN’T ENOUGH.” To which I want to share, “But what if that is all you feel that you can do?”  When there is so much pain and confusion at a time like this for many people being able to pray and think about those in the midst of the struggle is all they feel that they can do.  I know that for me as a person of faith it is the first thing that I do.  It is something that I have been doing since Columbine.  But then I also know that right now I feel that is all I can do!  I feel like we are in a current climate where no matter what side of the aisle you stand politically there is going to be more yelling then listening.  There is going to be more posturing and politics then there are possibilities. (Not here to debate politics, just sharing my feelings) I feel like in our current climate we are going to have people that are going to yell keep religion out of this and there are going to be people yelling that is the problem there is no religion.  I feel like in our current climate there are going to be people that blame the school system, people that are going to blame parenting, people that are going to blame the police, (sad but true) and there are going to be people that just want to yell and be angry. (I get that.) When you feel like that there is no other option then why not pray?

When I am at a loss of what to do I seek the words of Jesus.

Luke 6:28 (NLT) ²⁸ Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.

Maybe just maybe, if we took some time to pray it would enable us to see things differently.  Maybe even enable us to think of the pain and hurt that is involved with this shooting.  And wait to start yelling.  I know this is just to simple for some.  But as a father, a husband, an uncle, and a friend I am just in the place where all I feel I can do is pray. It is my hope that as I do pray that things can and will change.

If you are in the area of Highlands Ranch I know that Mountainview Christian Church is having a time of prayer tonight.  Maybe today that is the best place to be.

The Funeral for No ONE

Several months ago, I was asked to perform a funeral service at a local funeral home that I work with consistently.  They invite me to do services for people that are not a part of a faith community and want a pastor to perform the service.  To me, it is a loving opportunity to be involved in the lives of people that are dealing with loss and pain.

But when the funeral director asked me to perform the service, he let me know that there would not be anyone attending the service.  I was shocked.  I had to ask him if he meant that it would only be family and that no one else would be there.  To which he responded by saying that no one, not even family would be there for the service.  The individual served in the Air Force and there was going to be military honors and the presentation of a flag but the flag was going to be given to the funeral director.  I have been involved in quite a few funeral services where there were only a few people there but never a service where NO ONE was there. I have to be honest it was very upsetting and I was not sure what to do with this at all.

That meant I needed to think and pray.  After a day or two, I really felt like this was an opportunity for our community of faith to respond.  I invited people through a video on our Facebook page to come and join me at the service for a man who at the end of his life was going to have no one show up.  Then I forged ahead preparing the service for the man that had no one coming to his funeral service.

My amazing wife made sure that she was going to be there with me for the service.  We got to the funeral home about thirty minutes before the service to make sure we had everything planned with the honor guard and the funeral director.  Then at about fifteen minutes before the service was to start people from Elevation started to join us at the funeral home for the service for a man that had no one coming.  By the time we started the service, there were twenty-five people sitting quietly in the chapel and not one of those people knew the man that the service was for.

The honor guard did an amazing job and presented the flag for this serviceman to my wife.  As I sat there and looked at her from the front of the chapel, I saw tears begin to run down her face.  She later told me that she was overwhelmed at the thought that this serviceman who had served our country and was someone’s son had no one show up for his funeral.  I also was overwhelmed by emotion and had a difficult time presenting the service but my emotion came from seeing the people of Elevation come to a funeral service for a man that none of them knew.

For me, it was an amazing picture of the love of Jesus being shared through the sacrifice of the people of Elevation to show up at a funeral for someone that no one else was going to show up.  Here is my question to you, who is going to show up at your funeral and why are they going to be there?  I have no idea who this man was and I have no idea why there was no one there.  But I do believe it is a moment that can help us see how we are living our lives and how we treat people and how we can be the ones that care for the people around us.

I do want to share my appreciation for the people of Elevation that came to that funeral and for being a community of faith that cares at all times.

The People at this Church don’t Look Like Church People

Over four years ago we moved into a church building that was owned by another church from a different denomination. And over the last four years we have done some building changes on the outside but most of our work has been on the inside. So most people that either live close to this building or had come to the building before would have noticed the subtle changes we have made. But recently we had a neighborhood meeting where we invited the community to come in and talk with us about one of the things we are doing when it comes to the building property.

We are developing the back 2.1 acres of our property to where there will be an apartment complex built for low-income housing. For people that are coming out of homelessness, people with disabilities, people dealing with mental health, and those that are transitioning from prison. The goal for us is that we want to be a part of the housing solution in our community for those that need the most help.   So we knew that we were going to have some people that were not going to be supportive of what we were doing. During this neighborhood meeting, we heard from a few people that were very against the work that we’re doing.

But when it came to this meeting it was not a comment about the low-income housing project that stuck with me the most. It was from a man that has been living behind our building who says he is a Christian and it was about the people that come to Elevation. Here is what he said, “We liked the other church that used to be in this building because those people looked like church people. The people coming now don’t look like church people.”

Which made me want to ask the question; “So what does a church person look like?” Is it suits, is it nice cars, is it nice looking people? What does a church person look like?

Church people look lost but are now being found, church people look lonely but are building relationships, and church people look left out but are now being brought together as a family. Church people have different cultures, church people have different languages, church people have different races, and church people come from all over. So if that is what it looks like here at Elevation I am good, no matter what someone says.

Being a Dad is Dangerous

Over the weekend we talked at Elevation about being a dad and how that is dangerous for Father’s day. I believe that being a dad is dangerous and it is not because of what happens when you tell someone to pull your finger. I believe that being a dad is dangerous and it is not because of the way that you can dominate the people in your family. I believe that being a dad is dangerous and it is not because of the genetics that they have in their body.

I believe that dads are dangerous because of the influence that uses or don’t use in the relationships that they have. Dad’s are dangerous because of the way that they influence the families that they are in, dads are dangerous because of the way that they care for their children, and dads are dangerous because of the way that they love others at work. A dad’s influence is what makes them dangerous.

In fact one of the ways that I have been thinking about it is this way; “Dangerous Dad’s influence on their surroundings, their surroundings don’t influence dad’s.” The analogy that we used when talking about this was the carrot, the egg, and coffee beans. The idea is that a boiling pot of water represents the different environments that dads are involved with, it would represent the surroundings in which we find ourselves each day.

When you place a carrot into the boiling water eventually the carrot is going to become soft. Being soft has nothing to do with your waistline or if you are an emotional person. Being soft has to do with being selfish! You have allowed your surroundings to influence you to think that as a dad it is all about you. The unfortunate thing is that many men believe that being a dad is about them when the actuality of being a dad is about others. So becoming soft leads you to mush all about you!

When you place an egg into the boiling water eventually the egg is going to become a hard-boiled egg. Being hard is again nothing physical like hard muscles or hard as being a badass and can fight your way out of a situation. When we allow the surroundings of life to make us hard it is about our hearts. I believe that we have many men that because of either something that has been done to them or done by them when it comes to their choices they have become hard-hearted. They struggle with the idea of loving someone or being loved by someone and it creates hateful people. The way that I was thinking about it was, “Hardened Hearts Create Hate Fueled Habits”. We have habits that have been created out of hate because of what is going on in our lives and that means we are influenced not being influencers.

But then when you take the boiling water that you used for the carrot, or for the egg, and you add to it coffee beans the water is going to be changed. It is going to become coffee. (We call it Christian Crack.) But the coffee is giving of itself to the surroundings and it influences the water. You see when a Dangerous Dad is able to see that he is called to be an influencer not influenced by his surroundings that he becomes DANGEROUS! When a dad is giving of himself and is influencing his surroundings that he becomes an influencer. For me I believe that it is when Jesus changes a Dad that the soft spots are hardened, the hard spots are softened, so that they are able to give of themselves just like Jesus did. That is TRULY when a dad become dangerously influential in their surroundings. So I am hoping that today you see that you can become a Dangerous Dad!

What are the soft spots in your life and what areas of your life have you become hardened?

Powerful Life Change Happens When You Have A Life-Lifting Partner

I have been involved in lifting weights since I was a teenager and I love it.  But one of the very first things I was taught was when you are working out never lift heavy weights on your own.  If you are going to shoot for a heavier weight or you are going to lift your max weight then you need someone there just in case you get stuck or can’t lift it.  There has been time and time again where I have needed a lifting partner to help me.  Just that little nudge, a yell of encouragement, or even the ability to grab the weight and rack it before I crushed my chest or blew out a knee. Everything that a lifting partner is taught to do when helping someone lift.  Usually, when I was getting ready to lift the heavy weight I would find a good friend or a team-mate that I trusted and knew had the strength to lift what I was lifting. (I would pick a lineman who looked at what I was lifting and would laugh and say, “puny defensive back”.) Then I would get on the bench or I would get under the bar in the squat rack, get in position and begin lifting.

I tell you about this not because I am huge and all muscle but because I think we could use lifting partners every day of our life.  Each and every one of us could experience powerful life change when we have life lifting partners.  Just think about it your getting ready to make a big decision, call your lifting partner.  You are getting ready to start a new job, call your lifting partner.  You are struggling with an addiction, call your lifting partner.  You are struggling in your marriage, call your lifting partner.  Here is the problem most of us wouldn’t do that because we believe that we can handle the heavy lifting all on our own. We have been taught that we don’t need anyone else when things get tough.  Except for when we are lifting heavy weights. (Why?) Here is a verse in the bible that I think sets the tone for what we need to do:

Galatians 6:2 (NLT) ² Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Why is that we can lay down on a bench and try to lift heavy weight and then realize it is too much and then go ask someone for help, but we won’t do it when our marriage is struggling. (Pride)  We can step under a bar that has 45 lbs plate after 45 lbs plate on it straining against a squat rack barely lift it and say I can’t handle this at all, then go a lifting partner.  But when our kids are having a really hard time we won’t say a thing. (E.G.O. – Edging out God)

Here is what I am suggesting today start to develop a relationship with some LIFE lifting partners.  I guarantee that there are other guys just like you trying to lift and then carry some heavy burdens that could use your help.  You see that is what is so amazing about when you get LIFE lifting partners it doesn’t become a one-sided relationship.  There is give and take, there is the encouragement in the form of a pat on the back along with maybe a kick in the butt.  You have another person or persons that you can call when the weight of the burden is just getting to be too much, so the can step in and help you lift and carry that burden.

So start by thinking about at least two or three other guys that you like to hang out with in your relationship circles.  Then take a couple of weeks to pray about asking those guys to think about being lifting partners after you have explained to them what lifting partners could be for each other.  Once you have asked them then take a couple of weeks for each of them to pray about the opportunity of being lifting partners. Then come together and talk some more about who is in and who is out, then plan the next time you are going to meet as LIFE lifting partners.

Now that you have some guys that are willing to be LIFE lifting partners just meet and talk about what you all hope to get out of being lifting partners.  Then establish what will be your natural rhythms for when and where you are going to meet.  You also want to let each other know that as you begin to share and pray for each other that whatever is shared with lifting partners stays with lifting partners. (Unless someone is at risk of hurting themselves or someone else.) Then ask each other how you can pray for each other, pray and enjoy the rest of your coffee, beer, or soda just hanging out.  Then just continue to meet, talk, pray and hang out just a little reminder to take your time and not feel as if you have to go deep right away.  Let the Holy Spirit guide your moments and let the time you spend together lead the conversations.

(This was written for men but it can very easily be used for women as well.  The truth is that in my experience is that women already do this kind of relationship way better then we men do. But if this is something you can use by all means go for it.  Too many people are spending their lives trying to carry their burdens all on their own.) 

Living In My Dad’s Hand Me Downs

When you are growing up as the oldest of four kids there is no one to give you hand me downs, except your dad.  Now if you don’t know what hand me downs are then you were either an only child or your family had enough money to make sure you had lots of new clothes.  So this is not going to be a story that you can probably relate to when it comes to clothing.  But by the time we get done here you are going to see that you are probably dealing with some hand me downs when it comes to your life.

Being the oldest of three boys and one girl and growing at a rapid rate around 8th grade I needed a lot of clothes quickly.  You see I grew 9 inches in one year.  So that meant I was constantly wearing pants that were called high waters. (If you don’t know what that means then we can’t be friends.)  My mom used to joke that they were just the right length when I left the house in the morning but by the end of the day, they were too short.  The problem with growing that fast is that it gets really expensive and being the oldest of four we were not in a place to buy jeans every other day.  That meant I was getting dad’s hand me down clothes.  Which you might think that can’t be that bad.  Well if at the time your waist is a size twenty and your dads is a size thirty then it can cause some issues.  But, you belt up and you keep going.  Now here is what you might not know about wearing your dad’s hand me downs, it makes you feel grown-up.  I mean to a 13-year-old boy you are now wearing man’s pants.  They aren’t the kiddie pants in the boy’s area of the store they come from Men’s clothing, you see what I mean?  Yes, they didn’t fit you perfect but, you knew that at that moment you were wearing man’s pants.

Flash forward to now.  I am no longer wearing my dad’s hand me down clothes. I am a dad of my own with a son and yes at one point in his life I gave him one of my shirts or even a pair of pants.  And yes the same was true for him as it was for me when I was his age the waistline was for sure not the same.  But I can remember as clear as a bell my son looking at me and saying, “Thanks Dad I really feel like a man wearing this.”

Here is the problem for many of the men that are around today.  They never had that moment with their dad where they got to wear his hand me downs. Maybe it’s because their dad was no longer alive, maybe it was because their dad was in prison, or just maybe it was because their dad chose to not be in their life.  No matter what the reason that little moment in life where you were able to see yourself develop into a man never happened and it is something that you have been thinking about with each day. Who knows you may be a dad now and you are trying to figure out what you are going to do for your son when the time comes in his life where he is starting to become a man.

Here is my encouragement to you. Don’t buy him a shield, don’t buy him a trip up some mountain, or create some party that lets him know he is becoming a man.  Just grab a shirt, grab a pair of pants, take him one of your ties and let him wear them for a little while.  Because the truth of the matter is that he is going to probably outgrow your stuff anyway. I am not necessarily saying he is going become a bigger man then you physically. (It could happen.) But he is going to outgrow what you have given him and that is ok because that means he is becoming his own man.  Which is what you want so that someday when you see him as a dad he is going to let your grandson live in his hand me downs.

Letting A Prisoner Out Of A Cell Is Not What Makes Them Free

Over 10,000 ex-prisoners are released from America’s state and federal prisons every week and arrive on the doorsteps of our nation’s communities. More than 650,000 ex-offenders are released from prison every year. But what if I told you that most of them are still not free even though they are not living in a cell anymore.  They are still prisoners to their addictions, their broken relationships, and their past.

So what is it that we can do to enable them to experience freedom?  What are the ways that we can be a part of the life change for the men and women that have been in prison? I believe that these are a few questions that we need to be asking ourselves especially if we call ourselves followers of Jesus.  Here are a few things that I have learned over the last couple of months from spending time with the men and women of our city that have been released from prison:

• SEE THEM AS A PERSON – They have already spent a great deal of time where they were seen as a number and not as an individual.  They carry with them not the identity as a person but the burden of what they have done.  That means we have the opportunity to see them not as a number and not as crime but as a person.  Here is a quote that I have been thinking about: “Always pray to have eyes that see people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses faith in God.” I believe that we have the possibility to be a part of the change of someone who may still see themselves as a prisoner. One of the things that I believe is important for some of us to remember is this: “The only difference between them and us, is that they got caught.” Just a little food for thought.

 

• TALK TO THEM NOT ABOUT THEM – I have recently had the opportunity to spend some of my time with several men and women that have been recently released from prison. It has opened my eyes to the fact that many of them still have a hard time talking with people that they feel can either do or take away something from them.  They are constantly aware of what people can and will mostly say about them because of there life choices.  So I make a point to talk to them, to look them in the eye and find out who they are and what is happening in their life.  It is building on the first thing as seeing them as a person and then talking to them and not about them.  If more people were willing to talk to returning citizens we just might gain some understanding of who they are and what is happening in their lives.

 

• CHOSE TO HELP NOT HINDER – This is where I am amazed at the hardness of some people’s hearts and the depth of the fear that they have for the unknown.  People will unfortunately automatically think of a person that has been released from prison as the worst person they can think of in this world.  But the truth of the matter is that many of these individuals are people just like you and me that have either made a choice or have been involved in a situation that has lead them to being in prison. (Think about Martha Stewart she is a felon.)  So why not see how you can help them? Why not see what you can do to enable them to see that they don’t need to go back to where they have just came from.  I am fortunate to be able to work and be with an amazing group of people that are doing just that, choosing to help these men and women and not to hinder them.  The place and people can all be found at the Second Chance Center a place where the decision has been made to help returning citizens experience lives of success and fulfillment.

So what are you doing to help make men and women that were previously incarcerated feel free again?

⁷ For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.Romans 6:7 (NLT)

The Death of Fatherhood is Devastating your City Today!

No matter where you live I want you to know that the death of fatherhood is devastating your city from the inside out right now, today.  Here in the United States the statistics are staggering when it comes to fatherless homes:

• 25 million children in the United States are growing up in fatherless homes.
• 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes.
• 71% of all adolescent substance abusers come from fatherless homes.
• 80% of all in psychiatric hospitals come from fatherless homes.
• 70% of adolescents in juvenile correctional facilities come from fatherless homes.
• 60% of rapists come from fatherless homes.
• 70% teen pregnancies happen in fatherless homes.

  (Statistics from National Center For Fathering 2015)

The statistics are not any indication on the women that are left with the heavy responsibility to care for children in many cases on their own.  These women are doing the job of two and doing it, most likely while they are working more then one job.  They are not the reason that we are talking about fatherhood.  We are talking about fatherhood because in most cases (not all cases) that we have men that are walking away from their responsibility and opportunity to be a FATHER.

So what does this mean for us today? What does this mean for us in the coming years?  I believe that it is an amazing opportunity for those of that have had a father or have grown into fatherhood to help both young man and high school boys.  It is the opportunity that we have to be a part of breaking the chains of dysfunction that have lead to the slow death of fatherhood.  Here are some ways that we can take this opportunity and begin to make a difference:

• Start where you are at with the boys that are right in your own neighborhood. I guarantee that you will see some young guys throwing the ball around or kicking that ball around on your street.  Just take some to spend with them playing and talking. It is amazing how much a kid will talk while they are playing.
• If you are father then take the time to get to know the other boys or girls that are hanging out with your children.  Don’t just let them wander through the house without them seeing or getting to know there is a father in the place.
• Take the time to talk and mess around with the boys and young men that are involved in your church.  You just might be exactly what one of these mothers are looking for when it comes to helping them encourage their children. (I had two men in my life that were just like this)
• If you are single man that has no children of your own then I challenge you to get involved with an organization that would enable you to mentor a young man.  I know that there are many amazing organizations like this where ever you life. (Where I live we have an amazing group called, “Save Our Youth”.)

Here is my challenge to you whether your are a father or not, do something. Take the time to get involved in a child’s life.  You may never know the difference you can make by helping be a part of being a FATHER.

What are some other ways that you can get involved in the lives of children that are living in fatherless homes?

Did you see the car wreck?

Have you ever arrived at someone’s home or to work and they asked you, “Did you see that car wreck?” I have and until recently I didn’t really pay attention to the question at least until the car wreck happened to be my son Tyler.  I was sitting at home with my wife just relaxing when THAT phone call came.  It was Tyler calling me to let me know that he had just been in an accident, that he was ok, but that I should get to where he was at as quick as I could.  My son is 24 years of age he is a man, not a boy.  So when he called and explained it all to me I really didn’t panic.  I got dressed quickly to leave the house, had a back and forth conversation with my wife about which vehicle to take car or truck.  I grabbed the truck just in case it wasn’t that bad  a wreck and I could tow the car home.  But I drove to where my son was at and as I came over the hill to see the accident my heart jumped in my throat.  It was not a just a little fender bender, my son had been t-boned at a major intersection and his car was severely damaged. It was not what I had hoped to see at all it was a parent’s nightmare.  So I parked the truck in a lot in front of a store that enabled me to get to where my son was at with paramedics.

But as soon as the truck was in park my cell phone began to ring. It was a number that I didn’t know, but I answered it none the less.  It was an operator from the APP that I had on my phone called LIFE360 they wanted me to know that my son was in a car accident and they wanted me to know that the proper authorities had been notified.  It was an amazing phone call and I thanked the operator for calling me.  But you might be sitting there thinking, why was this an amazing phone call? You were already at the accident and didn’t need the phone call. And what you would be thinking right.  But what if my son couldn’t call me, what if my son was unable to call me? It let me know that the APP that we had put on each of our children’s phones and had the monthly subscription was all worth it.  Now here is the question that I know you want to ask, “How did they know he was in an accident?  Here is the amazing answer, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”  Want to know why? Because they called me and let me know about my son.  As a parent I was notified that my son was in an accident and that was a amazing news.

I want you to understand that I am not being paid to say this, I am not being told to say this.  But if you are a parent or a spouse that truly cares for the people in your family then you need them to get this APP on their phone.  This is the second time that the LIFE360 APP has been good for our family and has enabled us to know can care for our children.  What are some APPS that you use as a parent that have helped you?

 

 

Refrigerator FRONT Challenge

What does the front of your refrigerator look like today?  What do you have on the front of your refrigerator that communicates who you are as a family?  I want to invite you to take the refrigerator FRONT challenge today.  Before you even read this I want you to STOP and GO look at the front of your refrigerator and tell me what you see?

What is on the refrigerator that shows you are proud of your family?  What is on the refrigerator that shows you love your spouse?  What is on the refrigerator that shows what is important to you? (Included is the front of our refrigerator)  Why do you think that I am asking these questions? (Another question)  I am asking you to look at this because honestly it’s a place where your children go to daily, where you friends stop and look when they are over, and where you spend a some time.  The front of the refrigerator is the place where you can cast vision for your family, where you celebrate wins, and where you can place things that are a matter of prayer.

If you look at our refrigerator in this picture you can see pictures of children that we sponsor as a family and one my daughter Danielle sponsors on her own.  You will see two postcards that have some really amazing friends that are working on the mission in Vanuatu. Those cards remind us to pray for them.  There is a picture of our family that when I look at it reminds be me to be first thankful for my family and then second to pray for them no matter where they are of what they are doing. We have a small picture for Michelle and I up in the corner in a magnet we got while we were in Hawaii.  That is for me to be first thankful for my marriage and then second to pray for my wife and that our marriage will remain focused on Christ.   There is a green card where Morgan wrote out the message from our of experiences at Elevation.  It is a reminder for us about God has given us each special abilities that we are to use to point people to Him.  There is a picture of me as a freshman in high school at Rangeview High school in Aurora.  That is up there so that my family can make fun of me. (I get it 80’s clothes.) There is an orange card from our church that reminds us to know our neighbors, “Beyond the Fence”.   We have filled this card with our neighbors names and when we hear them share something that is in their lives we then write something so when know how to pray for them.  Then finally a magnet from Elevation the church that God lead us to start a little over 7 years ago.  I pray for the church family that is in need of Go’s grace and I pray that I will be the leader that God wants me to be for this church.

So what is on the front of your refrigerator? What are you doing to cast vision? What are the ways that you are using this simple place in your home to grow and lead your family as followers of Jesus?  If you want to feel free to post pictures of the front of your refrigerator here or on my facebook page. (Click here)

Decide to be Disciplined (Part Three)

At the beginning of this year I made the decision to be disciplined when it comes to the important areas of my life.  I made the decision to be disciplined when it comes to my health, my life with Jesus, my wife, my leadership and my writing. (at least this writing) I had come to the realization that over the last couple of years that I had allowed stress, laziness, and other people’s priorities to take over how I was living life.  It is amazing how easy this can happen, especially when you have not decided to be disciplined with your life.

So when it comes to my wife I have set the goal to make sure that we go on at least 3 dates a month.  I have also placed on my phone an app that I think that many people would find useful. (tell you soon) When it comes to going on dates with my wife I want to do things that are going to fulfill her love language and make her feel that I have planned something special just for her.  Now if you don’t know your spouses love language then you need to either get the book, “The Five Love Languages” by Gary Chapman and read it or you can listen to it on audiobook. Once you know the love language of your spouse you need to then download to your phone The Five Love Languages App. Why would you do that if you have the book?  Because it has a challenge and it has ideas of how to date your mate.  That’s right they give you ideas for dates and ways to talk with your spouse in their love language.  I don’t know about you but to me that is a WIN!

So I have decided to make my wife and her love language a priority I have decided to be disciplined about speaking and living in her love language.  Do you know your spouses love language?  Have you read the book? What can you do to speak in your spouses love language?

Decide to be Disciplined (Part Two)

At the beginning of this year I made the decision to be disciplined when it comes to the important areas of my life.  I made the decision to be disciplined when it comes to my health, my life with Jesus, my wife, my leadership and my writing. (at least this writing) I had come to the realization that over the last couple of years that I had allowed stress, laziness, and other people’s priorities to take over how I was living life.  It is amazing how easy this can happen, especially when you have not decided to be disciplined with your life.

So when it comes to the area of my life with Jesus I have decided to make journaling, prayer, and reading disciplined. The goal that I have set is to make sure that I do this at least 5 times a week. My health and my ability to grow in my relationship with Jesus have been connected for me when it comes to being disciplined.  Once I have completed my workout in the morning I immediately get out my journal and my bible with a cup of coffee (we call it Christian Crack) then take a seat at the dinner table at my house.  Sometime it is alone, but most of the time it is with people walking around me.  So I will either put in my ear buds or just gently remind people at what I am trying to do.  Maybe for you having your time with Jesus needs to be ultimate quiet I get that, but the more that you can show and share what you are doing is a good thing. (set the pace for the family)

What I then do is write about the previous day and how I was able to see God at work in me and around me.  After that I write out my prayers. I know that for some people that this would be really strange, but for me it keeps me focused (I also like to go back and read them to see how God is at work).  I make it at least two pages in my journal, why I don’t know I just liked it.  Then I take the next page and write out things that jump out at me while I am reading the bible.  Many of those things I read that day I then write out so that I can read them over and over through out the day.  This is the way that I do it, it is a way not the way.  Maybe for you reading off your phone is good for you.  Maybe for you journalling online is good for you.  Maybe for you praying away for minutes maybe hours is good for you.  No matter what way you do it you need to make the decision to be disciplined.

What are the ways that you can make your life with Jesus lived out?  What are the ways that you are making this time with Jesus a discipline?

Decide to be Disciplined

At the beginning of this year I made the decision to be disciplined when it comes to the important areas of my life.  I made the decision to be disciplined when it comes to my health, my life with Jesus, my wife, my leadership and my writing. (at least this writing) I had come to the realization that over the last couple of years that I had allowed stress, laziness, and other people’s priorities to take over how I was living life.  It is amazing how easy this can happen, especially when you have not decided to be disciplined with your life.

So when it comes to my health I have decided to get up every morning and work out. In fact the goal that I have set is to workout at least 4 days a week.  I had my son who is a personal trainer (you can hire him fright here on twitter @tjbloyer32) design a workout for me that helps me lose weight and gives me energy. Through this I have realized that when it comes to being a follower of Jesus that when my health gives that my ability to serve Jesus better and stronger.  I also understand that when it comes to my health that it is a place that I can worship God.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (NLT) ¹⁹ Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, ²⁰ for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

So I have decided to honor God with my body and be disciplined to work out and eat healthy. Being disciplined is a decision and today you to can make the decision to live a disciplined life.  It’s not going to be easy and there are going to be those moments where you are going to want to fall back into old habits, (sleep in that’s me) but you have made a decision to be disciplined so work hard.

What are the areas of your life that you need to make a priority and decide to be disciplined in today? What are you going to do to make things change?

Why a Free Market?

We see people with cardboard signs all the time that say, HUNGRY or NEED FOOD. But what can you do about it? What if you could help a family that is in need get food in a dignified way?  This is the question that we have been working to answer over the last couple of months.  So at Elevation Christian Church we have an amazing group of volunteers that take our building and set it up for a free market that helps people that live in our community that are in need get food in a dignified way.

So to do this  we work with an organization that helps us provide quality food through the free market to the people in our community. We choose to work with this organization because most of the time when you ask people to donate food they give you the food products that they don’t like (sauerkraut) or have had for years. (Expiration not noticed)  Or when you ask people to donate money they think they are already helping someone by giving them money as the pass by them holding their cardboard sign. I watched a TED TALK where the Mayor of Albuquerque talked about how by donating financially to a food bank or free market can make a greater impact when it comes to helping people get food.  Unfortunately when we give someone money on the street is less likely to go to feeding them but to feeding their addiction.  So at the Free Market at Elevation we are able to purchase large amounts of quality food where we can then give it to the people that are in need for FREE.  That is why it is called, “The Free Market at Elevation.”

Through the amazing volunteers at Elevation we create a mini grocery store with grocery carts and all where people can get the food they need for themselves and for their families.  We also have people called, “Shoppers Helpers” that walk through the Free Market with the people from the community to build a relationship with them.  It is not someone that probes about their issues or their needs but someone that can become a friendly face.  Then once the person is done going through the market the shoppers helper asks how they can pray for that person and gives them a card or some encouragement.  We recently had over 100 second graders from a local school come and help set-up and while they helped they also created cards to give to the shoppers of the Free Market.  I was told that one man went through the market for the first time where he recieved his food, had someone pray with him, and then he recieved one of the second graders cards.  What I was told was the man thanked his shoppers helper for their prayers, then began to walk out of the building, while he was on the front walk way he read the card from one of the second graders. He was so overcome with with the care and the card that he came back into the building with tears streaming down his face to let the volunteers know how thankful he was for the food, the care, and the card.  He said that it was all just what he needed that day.

I tell you this because you can be a part of the Free Market at Elevation.  You can help people that are in need of food by your donations and when you donate you know that they are getting quality food and dignified care at the same time.  Just click here.  Because when you do you will be doing what is best for the person that is most likely going to be holding a sign some day saying, “In need of food”.  Be a part of the movement to make sure that someone is being fed and fed well physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Prepare for the END

Over the last several years I have been actively involved in a funeral home here in the community of Aurora.  I know that might sound strange but years ago I had an amazing group of men challenge me to prepare for the end of life.  I had only been to one funeral growing up so I was intimidated to say the least when it came to this season of life.  But through their support and encouragement I came to understand the necessity of knowing what to do when it comes to the end of someone’s life.  So now as a pastor in the community where I grew up it has enabled me to help friends and family when it comes to a loved ones last wishes.

But one of the things that I have realized is that man men and women don’t prepare with the end in mind.  I know, I know you are probably thinking but that is morbid.  I don’t want to think about my own death.  Ok I get that but here is what I have learned over the last 20 years.  You are not the one that has to deal with your DEATH.  Why? Because you are DEAD!  What happens is either your spouse or your children are left with the emotional and sometime very painful task of paying and planning for your final resting place.  I have experienced this time and time again where I am speaking with a room full of family members and they all stare at each other saying, “I don’t know what we are supposed to do.”  Well here are a few things that I am going to challenge you to do for the sake of your family:

• Type up exactly what you would like to have happen to you after you have passed away. (I.E. funeral, cremation, burial, thrown in the ocean, whatever)
• Go to a funeral home and talk with their pre-needs area.  This is where you can find out exactly what the cost will be for what you desire.
• Start paying now for what you desire for your final resting place. (The costs will change year after year but at least you have payed the way for this.)
• Place everything in a folder. Mark it and let your spouse or your kids know exactly what it is and how it will help them.  (Yes most likely they won’t want to talk about it but you are taking care of them in the long run.)

You might be asking yourself, “When should I put this together?” or “How old should I be to start this?” Here is my encouragement to you.  NOW!  We are not guaranteed to be around tomorrow, so do the best that you can now for your family.  This might even be a good thing to discuss with your spouse as you start planning so it doesn’t come as a shock when you hand them a folder of your preparation for the end.

What are some things that you are not sure about when it comes to preparing for the end?

Dare U 2 Dad

So starting in the month of February I am going to be recording once a month a podcast for dads.  Single dads, married dads, divorced dads, future dads, empty nest dads, and mentor dads of kids in your community.  So once that I have the podcast location and have the logo I will be posting the information for you start tuning in.  But what I want to do is invite you to share with me here in the comments section any questions that you might have about being a dad.  It is my hope that we can together discover and recover some of the amazing things that are to be done as a dad with and for our kids.

List below any questions or thought that you think would be good to cover on a podcast for dads.  Because we are going to Dare U 2 Dad!

Where is Common Courtesy?

One of the ways that I think that we can start by changing the attitudes of the people around us is putting them first.  Which means that we have to not think about ourselves as much. That is just a mini quote of C.S. Lewis:

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”

So I want to be able to challenge each of us to start thinking of ourselves less when it comes to walking through life.  I recently was at the gym working out and while I was stretching out I was able to people watch and I was amazed at the interaction that I saw play out before me.  There was woman that was working out on a mat in the area in front of me. She was to my approximation in her late 60’s early 70’s and obviously was struggling with something physically.  But she was doing her best to get done what she was working at to get better.  Then as I watched a younger much healthier woman walked into the same area grabbed the battle ropes, stretched them out over the elderly woman’s mat and got ready to work out. She didn’t even bat an eye when it came to the other woman working out in that area.  I just sat back and I watched as the younger woman began to work out over the other woman’s mat while the other woman stood there waiting to get her mat.  The younger woman looked up at the older woman shook her head in annoyance and then kicked the older woman’s mat to her like she had always been there before the older woman.

That is where I had enough! I stood up walked over the to the older woman and asked her if she needed to continue to do her work out. She looked like she was tearing up and so I invited her to come over to where I was stretching out to finish up.  The younger woman then decided to address me, not a smart idea.  I won’t tell you what she said to me in front of the other woman but let’s say it embarrassed the other woman.  To which I responded, “Well at least this lady was willing to wait for you to get done with what you were doing before you were so rude in kicking over her mat. I am so glad that this lady is here because she is working on be a better person not a bitter person.”  Ok not one of my best moments but I hurt for the older woman at that moment.  Needless to say the younger woman quickly got out of the area and the older woman looked at me and said, “Thank you for helping me. It just seems like no one looks out for anyone else but themselves.”

So that has been bouncing around in my head for the last couple of days.  Here is what I hope that this can challenge each of us to do, THINK OF YOURSELF LESS.  In the next couple of days, open the door for someone else, let’s someone in on the highway, share the area that you are working out in, shovel your neighbors sidewalk, let someone go ahead of you at the grocery store.  Maybe even take the time to talk with your kids or the kids around you so that they understand what Common Courtesy is and why it is important if we are going to lead the next generation to be better then us.

What are three things that you can do this week for someone else? What are three things that you can do with your kid for someone else?  Make sure that you are doing it without planning to get a thank you, why you might ask? Because common courtesy should be done without the hope of anyone noticing.

Change the Voice

Over the weekend I had the amazing opportunity to spend some time with a group of amazing people that are working towards not going back to where they had come from.  You see each of the individuals that were sitting in the room had all in the recent days, weeks, and months had been released from prison.  These were men, women, young, old, and of ever different ethnic origin.  As I sat there among them and heard the organizations leader speak to them about next steps and what they needed to do to stay out of prison and experience a changed life I was deeply moved.  It was when I heard many of them share about the voices in their lives that they needed to stop listening too if they were going to stay out of prison that I became emotional.  I heard them talk about their own voices, they talked about family voices, and they even talked about voices from being in prison.  But each one had a voice that they needed to leave behind so that they could move forward in a life that was to be changed and headed towards healing.

I was then reading the book of the Acts and reading the story of the healing of the beggar at Solomon’s Colonnade in chapter 3 and 4. The story of the beggar took my mind back to the room of people that I was with this weekend. Here is why, the story of the man who spent most of his life lying in front of the colonnade must have heard the voices of the people walking by call him all sorts of names like beggar, cripple, worthless, and many others.  But then came two men that would turn things upside down by asking him if he would want to be healed? The hurting and disabled men responded by saying yes. Then the lame beggar that could not walk began to run, dance, and leap because of the healing power of the name of Jesus Christ.  His life was changed in a moment.

But what about those voices, what about the names that were still possibly ringing in his head?  They were all replaced with one name, Jesus. You see that man had his life changed by Jesus, the names that he be called most of his life were replaced with Jesus, the voices that had called him lame and beggar were replaced with the name Jesus. Even the religious leaders that were trying to stop the name of Jesus couldn’t stop that;

¹⁴ But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say. Acts 4:14 (NLT) 

Because of what Jesus had done in the life of this man there was really nothing they could say.  That is why I was so moved this weekend. I know that for those that were sitting in that room there is a voice that will and can change the lives of those people there, and it is Jesus.  So on that day I was able to stand in front of those people and tell them about Jesus and that there is a family of people that love them and care for them even if they don’t know them yet and it is Jesus bride, the church. I pray that the voice of the people that are following Jesus called His church will be so loud that those that are coming out of prison can’t only here the voice of Jesus.

What are the voices in your life that are challenging you from hearing Jesus? How are you being the voice of Jesus to the people around you that are struggling?

Seek the one to Reflect the One

I am excited to be able to start the new year with a goal of writing on this blog at least twice a week and making it a part of what we are doing at Elevation.  I am also going to be writing to help husbands, fathers, and men to be all that God wants them to be in each of their lives.

So today is kind of a two for one! We have started a series called, “The Vow”.  We are talking about the vows that we need to take serious if we are going to be prepared for marriage or to have strength in our current marriages. Because if you are reading this you probably have like me seen the stats or studies that show that half of marriages are not making it for the long haul.  And most men are like me where we did not have the best or if any examples of what it means to be a Godly and loving husband.  So it is my hope that we can start the conversation where we can give men a place to start when it comes to preparing to be great husbands or help those husbands to grow and get better.

I have been reading through the book of Psalms and there is one that is specific about what it looks like for a husband to spiritually lead his family.  We talked about what it looks like to, “Seek the One, to Reflect the One” to our spouses or women that we want to marry in the first message of our series.  So read with me Psalm 128:

Psalm 128 (NLT) A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. ¹ How joyful are those who fear the Lord— all who follow his ways! ² You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be! ³ Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table. ⁴ That is the Lord’s blessing for those who fear him. ⁵ May the Lord continually bless you from Zion. May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live. ⁶ May you live to enjoy your grandchildren. May Israel have peace!

The writer is talking about how it starts first with the fear of the Lord and of the one who is following in the Lords ways.  Then it says that we will enjoy the fruit of our work because of who we are following the Lord.  But then it show how as we “SEEK THE ONE” it will enable us to “REFLECT THE ONE” to the people in our homes.  It is says that the wife will be like a fruitful grapevine flourishing within your home.  This shows that as you make Jesus the one in your life and that he grows and shows through you that your wife will flourish, that your home will be better because of the both of you being affected by Jesus and that your HOME will be different because of you both being changed by following the Lord.

It then goes on and talks about the kids! Your kids will be affected by the way that you and your spouse are being changed as you “Seek the One to Reflect the One” as a couple. The future of your family the future of your kids are being lead by the way that you are being lead by Jesus.  If we want to be a part of changing the directions of our families legacy’s we do that be following Jesus.  It also points out sitting around the table, maybe this week as you, “Seek The One to Reflect the One” you have a conversation around the table with your kids about what you are learning or doing as a follower of Jesus?

But then it talks about seeing Jerusalem prosper and that you may live to enjoy your grandchildren and see Israel have peace.  As I studied and read more this is showing that as we “See The One to Reflect the One” that it will lead to change in our community, that we will be a part of the change to generations of people because of the way that we are following Jesus.  What you do as a follower of Jesus and as a husband and as a father can be used by God to change the communities that we are in and the generations that are to come after us.

What do you need to do this week to “Seek The One to Reflect the One”?  How can you make sure that your wife is flourishing? How are you getting your kids around the table to talk about following Jesus?  Take some time to pray and think about this and please feel free to leave a comment and share what you are planning to do.

Dad to Daughters

I was never prepared to be a dad let alone a dad of two daughters.  I mean I was a boy so when we had our son I kind of had that one figured out.  But daughters really, two of them, I was really deep in the weeds.  So I wanted to be able to share with you some of the things that I have learned being the dad of two daughters that have grown up to be amazing women. So here you go:

• Listen to your wife!  I had to listen to my wife a lot because I am the oldest of four and my sister was ten years younger then me.  So I was clueless to a lot of areas when it came to what girls didn’t need or did need from a dad.
• Hug them always.  One of the things that I always have done is hug my girls.  I hugged my girls even when they didn’t want me too.  Yep I went against the first one but that was only because I wanted my girls to know that I was going to love them and care for them whether they wanted me to or not.
• Be Honest with them.  Now if you are a dad to a girl then you know the dreaded questions that start like this, “Dad what do you think about . . . ” insert hair, dress, make up, and a long list of others.  Unfortunately when we first started with these questions I was to honest and I did not set up my answer.  So I had a lot of looks from my wife and coaching with, “You don’t say that to a girl”.  To which I would answer, “Well then why did she ask me?”  So I would preface my answer by saying, “Do you want me to be honest?”  Now I said that when I didn’t like what I saw and I have said that when I did like what I saw. (Be consistent)
• Set the Tone.  If you want your daughter to have a man that is going to love and care for her, then you need to set the tone.  So that is where you as the dad need to model exactly the kind of man that you want your daughters to look for in their life.  In fact I think that you should set the bar so high that your girls will go out on dates with the young men in their life and expect them to act like you.  And when the young men don’t act like you make sure you teach those same girls to not except it. So if you haven’t got what I am saying, then here you go.  Love your wife the way that you want your daughters to be loved.
•  Prepare them for Life.  I know that you are probably thinking, well that is a big statement and you are right it is.  But I believe that it is something that is very important. So prepare them to handle their finances, prepare them to take care of their car, prepare them to defend themselves if needed, prepare them to speak up, prepare them to trust, and prepare them to leave home well.  I don’t expect my daughters to have to have a man to take care of them, I know that they can do it.  But I also want to prepare them for a life with another, so prepare them to talk with a man, prepare them to love someone, prepare them to sacrifice for someone, you see prepare them for life.

There are just a few of the things that I would say are important when it comes to being a dad to daughters.  But here is the last one and the most important prepare them to say, “I am sorry.”  How do you do this? Learn to say it yourself.  If there are some others that you can think of then feel free to comment and share them.

Living Terricited!

What if I told you that every day should be a little terrifying.  What if I told you that if you aren’t walking through your life of faith a little nervous then you aren’t living at all.  The problem with both of those statements is that they make us UNCOMFORTABLE.  Something that most people in the western community of faith don’t like to hear.  I mean we want to be comfortable in our chairs, we want to be comfortable with our coffee, we want to be comfortable in our groups, we just plain want to be comfortable.

Well when my family and I felt that God was leading us to start a church in Colorado we all came up with our own word, “Terricited”. Because every day we were terrified and we were excited at the same time.  We were terrified that we were to move back to Colorado a place where I grew up and not as a follower of Jesus. (Dealing with your Past) But excited to be able to share with those same people about how my life has been drastically changed because of Jesus.  We were terrified that we didn’t have a place to live and we were struggling to find a place.  But we were excited about getting a place that would be a home base for raising our kids as the graduated from high school.  We were terrified because I had never been the lead pastor of a church, but I was excited because I had never been the lead pastor of a church.  In the New Testament you can read:

Mark 10:32a (NLT) ³² They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear.

The people that were walking with Jesus the son of God in flesh, were in awe of what was going on were also overwhelmed with fear.  What does that mean? They were “terricited”!  So let me ask you this, where in your life are you terricited?  Where are you experiencing the awe of Jesus and the overwhelming fear where you need to see him show up?  Where are you terricited?  Because honestly I think that more and more of us need to be less comfortable and more terricited.  Let’s take some time this week to start getting a little TERRICITED.

 

Memorial Memory

A picture from the Vietnam Wall of one our relatives that gave the ultimate sacrifice, his life.

Today is Memorial Day and I wanted to thank the families that have given the greatest sacrifice that a family can give, the loss of a loved one.  You see Memorial Day is not about the current men and women serving, it is not even about the ones that have already served, it is about the ones that left this earth serving their country.  So I can’t thank those men and women, but I can thank their families.

So if you are a family member of a service man or woman that has given their life in the service of the United States, THANK YOU.  I know that this may not be much but from a very young age I was taught that you don’t forget about the sacrifice others have made so that we can live in this country.  So today while I am enjoying a day with my wife, my kids, friends, and we are all barbecuing, I want you to know that I do this with the understanding that both individuals and families gave up so that I can enjoy my freedom.  So again, THANK YOU.

If you have lost a family member or friend in the service of this country, would you please place there name in the comment section as a way of honoring them on this day.

Thank you.

The Fall of Leadership

Over the last couple of months I have been aware of several leaders in different church communities in our area that have had falls in their leadership.  They each bring with them a different type of leadership pain that comes to both the leaders family and the leaders church family because of the leadership fall.  But because of the many situations that I have become aware of in the last couple of months it has caused me to really think about the area of leadership and what leads to a fall.  Here are some of the questions that I have been asking myself:

• Who did the leader have that really had the ability to know what is going on in their life?
• Who was asking the leader the tough questions and then following up to make sure that there were no BS answers?
• Who was making sure that the leader was living out a healthy work and family relationship during the week?
• Who really knew the leader?

One of the things that I have been really challenged to do is make sure that I have these type of people in my life.  I also am praying that other leaders will look beyond the people of their own communities to build relationships with leaders that understand what they are going through in their area of business. What are some questions that you can think of that we can ask when it comes to the leaders in our churches?

Silver Lining to LIFE

When you get to a certain mile stone in life you should take the time to reflect on how you got there.  The reason that I believe that is important is because wouldn’t it be great to share that information with those that are coming after you.  Especially as parents and to be honest in this day an age as a father we need to show more young men on how to lead the way in married life.  So here are a few things that I have learned over 25 years of marriage. (This is the short list)

1. Keep a long list of ways that you can make her feel special and loved.
2. Keep a short list of the fights that you have and the things that are said.
3. Make time for talking about her day not matter what she does in life.
4. Find older men that can talk to you about what they have done to be a healthy husband and father.
5. Have a group of men that you can have the tough conversations with about marriage and parenting. (Your wife will not always understand you. DUH!)
6. Always find time to get away for at least 24 hours without the rest of your family.  Couples need to take time for themselves, your relationship needs to matter or your family will not get your best.
7. Celebrate the things that show your wife and your family that they matter. (Anniversary’s and Birthdays are the easy ways, get creative.)
8. Make sure that you take the time to date your mate.  (If there was more courting in marriage there would be fewer marriages in court.)
9. Pray daily for the ways that God can continue to grow and unite you as a couple.
10. Start back at one . . .

If you have an idea of one thing that you think is important to remember for a long lasting marriage please feel to make a comment and share.  The more that we learn from each other and the more we share the better we become as men.

Crazy Community!

So while I was looking through my Facebook feed the other day this is a video that was posted by Larry Leith from Tokyo Joe’s.  (By the way I love their food and I love the culture that they have created for their business.)  It is a great little coffee shop that is located down in Colorado Springs just an hour from where we live here in Aurora.  The whole idea of the video is that people would go and visit other coffee shops in the area because of the community that has embraced them and by doing so end up with a free drink at Loyal Coffee.  They are calling it the “Dis-Loyality Card”! What an amazing idea!

Here is where this video took me though – the church community.  Isn’t this what we should be doing as the church?  Letting people know that the community of faith is here for each other and build a community that is for the city not just ourselves?  I was recently a part of a conversation about two churches in a community coming together for an event that helps grow leadership for both the city and the communities of faith.  It was going to be an exciting opportunity to see the KINGDOM of Jesus respond in a way that would be a huge influence in the city.  Well unfortunately one of the churches was not willing to partner in this endeavor because the building where the event was being held was not good enough for their people.  Are you serious? The building is the reason that these two churches couldn’t come together to make a difference in the city like never before?

What if we decided to have “Dis-Loyalty” Sundays where we encouraged the people of our churches to go and support another church in the community?  What if we called them BIG KINGDOM Sunday’s and we showed support for the big kingdom of Jesus?

What do you think about the coffee shop idea? What do you think about the BIG KINGDOM Sunday idea?

It’s not About What gets Done.

Over the last 10 weeks I have been working with about 20 guys when it comes to our Spiritual Fitness Process at Elevation.  It has been an amazing opportunity for these guys to get to know one another and for them to get to know what it means to be a follower of Jesus that makes followers of Jesus.  So one of the recent weeks we began to talk about what is most important when it comes to helping people volunteer and work together as the church.  It was a conversation that you could tell was creating energy in the room and was really starting to gain ground in each of the guys minds.  So for me being a visual learner I started putting what they were talking about to a graph on the wipe board. (The Picture Above)  When we were done this is what was fleshed out.

Now here is the thing.  I believe that what we walked away writing out does not just pertain to a church community but to business as well.  Here are the bullet points to the idea that we came up with:

• Most leaders are Baby Boomers or Gen X. so they are looking for tasks to be completed.  Is the job getting done?
• Most Millennial’s or Generation Z (See this book.) would be looking for a relationship to happen with the person they are working with. Are we working together?
• So what we said was that if the job is not getting done, then the leader is going to get frustrated.  If there is no relationship then the follower is going to get frustrated.
• The big idea for both to grow is that there is supposed to be talking/teaching while the tasks are being completed.  (The idea: you watch, I do, we talk.)
• Then the leader and the follower grow and the opportunity for business or church growth happens as well.

What are your thoughts about the idea? What do you think is missing? Where do you feel the most frustration as a leader and as a follower?

Write yourself a letter?

This week my brother Casey sent me an amazing article about Ryan Leaf and his life experiences.  What was so amazing about the article is that it was Ryan Leaf writing a letter to his younger self.  If you want to read it just click here you won’t be disappointed. But it made me think about what if I were to write a letter to my younger self and what would be the things that I would want to share.  Here are just a few of the highlights that I would share with my younger self:

• Don’t let what people say about you or to you determine what you see in yourself.
• Just because they are people that go to church doesn’t mean that they represent Jesus.
• Know that when you experience heart break that it is leading you to the woman that you will spend the rest of your life with.
• Just because there is a job that you want doesn’t necessarily mean that is that job that you need. God’s vision for you is bigger then your vision for you.
• Enjoy the process and don’t always look for the next step.
• Remember that your accomplishments are not in what you do but who you do them with in life.  There are three kids in your life that will change you and grow you more then you will ever know.

This is just a little of what I think that I would write to a younger Scott Bloyer.  What are some things that you would write down and tell your younger self if you could?  Looking back is always a good thing, just remember to not stay there. (Share one of your bullet points here.)

Series: Living Stones, Week One: Look back to Go Forward

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-db7f5-14bc830

Week One: 10/01/23

Series: Living Stones (One off)

Title: Looking Back to See Forward

Bible: Joshua 4:1 – 9,

 

“God’s Past Faithfulness Prepares us for the Future”

 

Joshua 4:1 – 9 (NLT) When all the people had crossed the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, ² “Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. ³ Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.’ ” ⁴ So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. ⁵ He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁶ We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ⁷ Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.” ⁸ So the men did as Joshua had commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe, just as the Lord had told Joshua. They carried them to the place where they camped for the night and constructed the memorial there. ⁹ Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.

 

Glance Back

Joshua 1: 3 – 6 (NLT) ³ I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—⁴ from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ ⁵ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. ⁶ “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.

 

Stand in the Miracle Middle of Past & Future

Joshua 3:17 (NLT) ¹⁷ Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.

 

Mark the Miracle of Transition

Personally

Joshua 4:9 (NLT) ⁹ Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.

Collectively

Joshua 4:21 – 23 (NLT) ²¹ Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ²² Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ ²³ For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over.

 

1 Corinthians 11: 26 – 28 (NLT) ²⁶ For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. ²⁷ So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.

 

Faithfully Face Forward to the Future

 

Terrified

Hebrews 11:27 (NLT) ²⁷ It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. (Slide)

 

Inspired

Romans 5:2 (NLT) ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

Series: Praying, Week Four: Prayer Answers (Scott Bloyer)

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-86trq-14b2f67

“Pray like you know the answer and trust God with His answer”

 

1 John 5:13 – 15 (NLT) ¹³ I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. ¹⁴ And we are confident that he hears whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. ¹⁵ And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

 

The answer can be, “NO”

1 John 3:21 – 22 (NLT) ²¹ Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.²² And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

 

Unconfessed sin – Psalm 66:18 (NLT) ¹⁸ If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened.

 

Broken Relationships – 1 Peter 3:7 (NLT) ⁷ In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

 

Matthew 5:23 – 24 (NLT) ²³ “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, ²⁴ leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

 

The answer can be, “Grow More”

John 15:7 (NLT) ⁷ But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

 

Romans 8:26 – 27 (NLT) ²⁶ And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. ²⁷ And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

 

The answer can be, “Here you GO!”

Mark 11:24 (NLT) ²⁴ I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

 

Mark 10:27 (NLT) ²⁷ Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

 

1 John 3:21 – 22 (NLT) ²¹ Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. ²² And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

Series: Praying, Week Three: Prayer Pattern (Scott Bloyer)

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-q8eta-14aa0ab

Week Three: 09/17/23

Series: Praying  

Title: Prayer Pattern

Bible:  Luke 11:1, Matthew 6:5 – 13,

 

Luke 11: 1 (NLT) Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

 

Matthew 6:5 – 8 (NLT) ⁵ “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. ⁶ But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. ⁷ “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. ⁸ Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

 

Matthew 6:9 – 13 (NLT) ⁹ Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. ¹⁰ May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. ¹¹ Give us today the food we need,¹² and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. ¹³ And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

 

“Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man’s will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done in earth.” Missionary Robert Laws

 

“The Disciples Prayer pattern is to prepare Us for His Will & His Work”

 

Prayer Opens Us to Praise v.9

Jude 1:24 – 25 (NLT) ²⁴ Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. ²⁵ All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

 

Prayer Enables Us to See Others v.10

Matthew 6:33 (NLT) ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

 

John 3:30 (NLT) ³⁰ He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

 

Matthew 14:14 (NLT) ¹⁴ Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

 

Prayer Prepares US for the Answer v.11

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (NLT) ⁷ You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” ⁸ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

 

Prayer Frees us to His Will v.12

1 Thessalonians 4:3 – 5 (NLT) ³ God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. ⁴ Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor—⁵ not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways.

 

Romans 12:2 (NLT) ² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

 

Prayer Protects Us to do His Work v.13

Colossians 3:23 (NLT) ²³ Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

 

Matthew 6:9 – 13 (NLT) ⁹ Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. ¹⁰ May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. ¹¹ Give us today the food we need, ¹² and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. ¹³ And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

Series: Praying, Week Two: Paused Prayer (Scott Bloyer)

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-ffu76-14aa0a1

Week Two: 09/10/23

Series: Praying  

Title: Paused Prayer

Bible:  Psalm 32:1-6,

 

John 14:26 (NLT) ²⁶ But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

 

 “Paused Prayer Punishes; Repentant Prayer Restores”

 

Psalm 32:1 – 6 (NLT) ¹ Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! ² Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! ³ When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. ⁴ Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. ⁵ Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. ⁶ Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

 

“The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, “O God, forgive me”, or “Help me.” Billy Graham

 

Show It

1 John 3:19-20 (NLT) ¹⁹ Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. ²⁰ Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

 

Confess it

1 John 1:9 (NLT) ⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

 

Let It Go

Psalm 103:12 (NLT) ¹² He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

 

Run from it

1Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) ¹³ The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

 

Clarifying Questions:

Head: What do I know now?

 

Heart: How does this change me?

 

Hands: What do I do now?

 

Series: Praying, Week One – Pray First (Scott Bloyer)

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-r34gd-1498c05

Week One: 09/03/23

Series: Praying  

Title: Pray First

Bible: 1 Timothy 2:1-2, James 5:13 – 16

 

1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NLT) I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. ² Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

 

“Praying is a Powerful Priority”

 

James 5:13 – 16 (NLT) ¹³ Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. ¹⁴ Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

 

Pray as lives depend on it!

Ephesians 6:18 (NLT) ¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

 

“Satan tries to limit your praying because he knows your praying will limit him.” Rick Warren

 

Pray in Community (the church)

Acts 1:14 (NLT) ¹⁴ They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.

 

Acts 2:42 (NLT) ⁴² All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

 

“If the Holy Spirit is the divine gift which empowers and guides the church, the corresponding human attitude towards God is prayer.

 

Pray Persistently

Matthew 7:7 (NLT) ⁷ “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. ⁹ “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? ¹⁰ Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! ¹¹ So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

 

Prayer Brings Peace

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) ⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

 

Philippians 4:7 (CEV) ⁷ Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.

 

“Peace comes not from the absence of trouble but from the presence of God.” Alexander McLaren.

 

Clarifying Questions:

Head: What do I know now?

 

Heart: How does this change me?

 

Hands: What do I do now?

Series: Sweet Dreams, Week Four – Dangerous Dreams (Scott Bloyer)

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-93sg8-1498bff

Week Four: 08/27/23

Series: Sweet Dreams  

Title: Dangerous Dreams

Bible: Acts 9:10 – 19

Big Idea: “One Person in Christ is Priceless”

 

“One Person in Christ is Priceless”

 

Acts 9:10 – 19 (NLT) ¹⁰ Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. ¹¹ The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. ¹² I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” ¹³ “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! ¹⁴ And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” ¹⁵ But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” ¹⁷ So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. ¹⁹ Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.

 

God uses the Nobody

 

1 Corinthians 1:26 – 29 (NLT) ²⁶ Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. ²⁷ Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. ²⁸ God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. ²⁹ As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

 

Emotions are an Unreliable Filter

 

Proverbs 29:11 (NLT) ¹¹ Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.

 

“In the journey of life, emotions are great companions but terrible leaders.” Judah Smith

 

Hebrews 13:6 (NLT) ⁶ So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

 

Extraordinary & Ordinary Events Similar Results

 

John 9:16 (NLT) ¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them.

 

One Person in Christ is PRICELESS

 

John 14:12 (NLT) ¹² “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.

 

John 15:5 (NLT) ⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

 

“The dream God has for your life is bigger than any dream you’re dreaming.” Unknown

 

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” Mother Teresa

 

Clarifying questions:

Head: What do I know now?

 

Heart: How does this change me?

 

Hands: What do I do now?

Series: Sweet Dreams, Week Three: Gift of Dreams

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-acjjv-1486446

1 Peter 4:10 (NLT) ¹⁰ God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

 

“Your spiritual gifts were not given for your own benefit but for the benefit of others, just as other people were given gifts for your benefit.” By Pastor Rick Warren

 

“God Gives Gifts for His Glory and to Serve Others, so Get Going!

 

Daniel 1:17 (NLT) ¹⁷ God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.

 

God’s Gifts are Specific

 

1 Corinthians 12:11 (NLT) ¹¹ It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

 

Daniel 1:20 (NLT) ²⁰ Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.

 

God Gifts the Outcome

 

Romans 8:28 (NLT) ²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

 

Daniel 2:18 (NLT) ¹⁸ He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.

 

Gifted people don’t take it for Granted

 

Ephesians 6:18 (NLT) ¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

 

Daniel 2:19a (NLT) ¹⁹ That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision.

 

Daniel 2:31-36 (NLT) ³¹ “In your vision, Your Majesty, you saw standing before you a huge, shining statue of a man. It was a frightening sight. ³² The head of the statue was made of fine gold.  Its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze, ³³ its legs were iron, and its feet were a combination of iron and baked clay. ³⁴ As you watched, a rock was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits. ³⁵ The whole statue was crushed into small pieces of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. Then the wind blew them away without a trace, like chaff on a threshing floor. But the rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth. ³⁶ “That was the dream. Now we will tell the king what it means.

 

Daniel 2:37-45 (NLT) ³⁷ Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. ³⁸ He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the wild animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold. ³⁹ “But after your kingdom comes to an end, another kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to take your place. After that kingdom has fallen, yet a third kingdom, represented by bronze, will rise to rule the world. ⁴⁰ Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth one, as strong as iron. That kingdom will smash and crush all previous empires, just as iron smashes and crushes everything it strikes. ⁴¹ The feet and toes you saw were a combination of iron and baked clay, showing that this kingdom will be divided. Like iron mixed with clay, it will have some of the strength of iron. ⁴² But while some parts of it will be as strong as iron, other parts will be as weak as clay. ⁴³ This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But they will not hold together, just as iron and clay do not mix. ⁴⁴ “During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever. ⁴⁵ That is the meaning of the rock cut from the mountain, though not by human hands, that crushed to pieces the statue of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God was showing the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its meaning is certain.”

 

Daniel 2:47 (NLT) ⁴⁷ The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.”

 

Questions to Think about:

Head: What do I know now?

 

Heart: How does this change me?

 

Hands: What do I do now?

Series; Sweet Dreams, Week Two – Destination not Directions (Scott Bloyer)

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-3xdjw-147cc05

Acts 2:17 (NLT) ¹⁷ ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. ¹⁸ In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy.

 

 “God Dreams have a Destination but not always straight forward Directions”

 

Genesis 37:2 – 11 (NLT) ² This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half-brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing. ³ Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe. ⁴ But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him. ⁵ One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. ⁶ “Listen to this dream,” he said. ⁷ “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!” ⁸ His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them. ⁹ Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!” ¹⁰ This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you¹¹ But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant.

 

Genesis 37:28 (NLT). ²⁸ So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.

 

Off Ramp

 

Genesis 39:1 (NLT) When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

 

Detour

 

Genesis 39:20 (NLT) ²⁰ So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained.

 

Dead End

 

Genesis 41: 40 – 41(NLT) ⁴⁰ You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.” ⁴¹ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.”

 

Alternate Leadership Route

 

Genesis 42:6 – 9a (NLT) ⁶ Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground. ⁷ Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where are you from?” he demanded. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We have come to buy food.” ⁸ Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn’t recognize him. ⁹ And he remembered the dreams he’d had about them many years before.

 

Dream Final Destination

 

Genesis 45:3 – 8 (NLT) ³ “I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. ⁴ “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. ⁵ But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. ⁶ This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. ⁷ God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. ⁸ So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.

 

God Dream Destinations reveal Divine reasons in the End.

 

Questions to Think About:

Head: What do I know now?

 

Heart: How does this change me?

 

Hands: What do I do now?

Series: Sweet Dreams, Week One: God Given Dreams (Scott Bloyer)

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-knz75-1473f55

Week One: 08/06/23

Series: Sweet Dreams  

Title: God Given Dreams

Bible: Genesis 28:10 – 22

 

Joel 2:28 – 29 (NLT) ²⁸ “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. ²⁹ In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.

 

“God Dreams are given to whom God Decides”

 

Genesis 25:23 (NLT) ²³ And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”

 

Genesis 28:10 – 25 (NLT) ¹⁰ Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. ¹¹ At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. ¹² As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. ¹³ At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. ¹⁴ Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. ¹⁵ What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”

 

God gives Grace

Romans 3:24-25a (NLT) ²⁴ Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. ²⁵ For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.

 

God delivers on His Promises

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NLT) ²⁰ For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

 

God encourages with His purposes

Ephesians 3:10 – 11 (NLT) ¹⁰ God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Genesis 28:16 – 22 (NLT) ¹⁶ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” ¹⁷ But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!” ¹⁸ The next morning Jacob got up very early. He took the stone he had rested his head against, and he set it upright as a memorial pillar. Then he poured olive oil over it. ¹⁹ He named that place Bethel (which means “house of God”), although it was previously called Luz. ²⁰ Then Jacob made this vow: “If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing, ²¹ and if I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will certainly be my God. ²² And this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me.”

 

Recognize He is God

Mark 6:49-51 (NLT) ⁴⁹ but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. ⁵⁰ They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” ⁵¹ Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed,

 

Commit to God

Romans 10:9-10 (NLT) ⁹ If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

 

Dedicates something to God

 

Questions to Think about:

Head: What do I know now?

 

Heart: How does this change me?

 

Hands: What do I do now?