Andrew Shearman

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY, 10 NOVEMBER

More from some of my past journals, from a study of Hebrews.

By His Son, God created the world in the Beginning and it will belong to Him, the Son, at the end. (Heb 1:2)

Hebrews deletes the hyphens of religion.

Isn’t it obvious that all angels are sent to help out with those lined up to receive salvation (Heb 1)

He destroyed the devil’s hold on death… (Heb 2)

Following this call to the heights! (Heb 3:1)

Jesus is the centerpiece of everything we believe. (Heb 3:1)

A builder is more valuable than a building any day (Heb 3:2)

…we’re the house!( Heb 3:3-4)

…It’s still God’s today (Heb 3:15)

They never got there; they never listened, never believed. (Heb 3:)

If we believe, though, we’ll experience that state of resting (Heb 4:12)

The promise of arrival ‘rest’ is still there for God’s people. (Heb4:10)

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY, 1 NOVEMBER

Enjoy!

You never lighten the load until you’ve first felt the pressure in your own soul. (Alan Redpath)

My hope comes from Him. I will not be shaken ( Ps: 62:5-6)

I ask for comfort when tempted and He always comes within 3 minutes (Bruce Watkinson)

I made a dramatic breakthrough when I discovered that right before any temptation, my emotions were distressed (inwardly agitated) and that I was actually seeking comfort. That’s when I remembered the promise. ‘I will pray to the father and He shall give you another comforter that He may abide with you forever (Jon 14:14-17)

Friends, here are some notes from my daily journals.  You might be able to use them to guide your own daily devotions.  I hope you enjoy them!

Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble. (2Tim 3:13)

Conviction and confession is a result! Belief and behavior is a blessing.

This is the only race worth running. (2Tim 4:8)

The main and central action is everywhere and always what God has done, is doing and will do for us, our main and central task is to live in a responsive obedience to God’s action revealed in Jesus.

Keep your ‘feelings’ healthy and in good working order. Keep emotion in its place. Too much emotion will dull your feelings. Feelings require framing. Emotion (unguarded responses) needs to be held in check by well exercised feelings.

When we add our two cents’ worth to the purity and simplicity of Jesus, we dilute the purity, clutter the simplicity, we get in the way. (Hebrews) We need to get out of the way and on THE way!

-Andrew

Everyone, please excuse my long absence, I am hoping soon to start up writing again.  I will also be posting some of my journal notes from the past years that I think you might like as well.  Until then, here is a blog that was brought to my attention today.  It discusses a topic that we address here at the G42 Leadership Academy.  What are you waiting for?!

DO YOU NEED A PERMIT? (from Seth Godin’s blog)

Where, precisely, do you go in order to get permission to make a dent in the universe?

The accepted state is to be a cog. The preferred career is to follow the well-worn path, to read the instructions, to do what we’re told. It’s safer that way. Less responsibility. More people to blame.

When someone comes along and says, “not me, I’m going down a different path,” we flinch. We’re not organized to encourage and celebrate the unproven striver. It’s safer to tear them down (with their best interests at heart, of course). Better, we think, to let them down easy, to encourage them to take a safer path, to be realistic, to hear it from us rather than the marketplace.

Perhaps, years ago, this was good advice. Today, it’s clearly not. In fact, it’s disrespectful, ill-advised and short sighted. How dare we cheer when a bold changemaker stumbles? Our obligation today isn’t to spare the feelings of our peers from future disappointment. It’s to establish an expectation that of course they’re going to do something that matters.

If you think there’s a chance you can make a dent, GO.

Now.

Hurry.

You have my permission. Not that you needed it.

Here’s an excerpt from a recent blog of a G42 intern who has returned to his home to continue to build and develop his plan. He gives a great summary of what we’re trying to build here in (currently rainy!) Spain. He’s one of our Dangerous Men that we are discipling — he is dangerous to the the forces of hell!

So, what the G42 experience was for me was the creator of the universe placing me in the perfect community for learning the language of true love for others and opportunity to give until I had nothing left. Everything I learned from the Race experience was put into practice once again, with a new understanding of myself, God, and the world. In my heart I was challenged to step into complete faith that His voice is within me and that I am His voice that this world needs to hear. And I was physically in a place where I had no hand in planning out or deciding on my own how it would benefit my ego whatsoever. The Lord took a hungry and humble heart and challenged it to become what it was destined to be. I have been called out to get over the childlike ‘finger painting exercises’ of this faith journey and start living as a man of god ought to. This has meant to get over my shifty, self serving ways and worries I face daily and to not let the call be interrupted by my insecurities. In Spain, the Lord placed a strong hedge of authority and accountability around my heart and life. I have seen the integrity and excellence firsthand that the kingdom requires. I have men who are models of the man I am to become as well as women around me whom have shown me what a true woman of God is like. This is the new standard I’ve been called out to become; the standard to be covenantal, committed, and loyal. To be the rock which others can not only trust but to rely on!

The more steps we take forward on the pilgrimage the more we are to become. The amazing news is that we don’t have to change anything about who we are to go to amazing levels with God, we just have to refocus our mindset in trusting that it is who we are, our deep down DNA, that is exactly what god is looking for us to be! Is who we are the fruit of what we do or is the fruit of what we do from who we are?! My life was previously driven from the former and was dead, I was dormant and restless. I have found life and kingdom advancement from the later; a refocused and destiny driven passion to become more like the one who created me…Jesus Christ himself!!

10 years ago , my then young friend and son in the Lord , Duane Bland , pioneered a church in Thibodaux LA . With his wife Rachel and their 3 lovely daughters , they set out on a new adventure : planting a Kingdom Church , filled with Grace and passionate ‘ Tabernacle’ worship . 20 people in a house group , and as the crowd grew , they moved to the Howard Johnson Motel and then to the Recreation Center , where they held services for something like 7 years.

We met some years before that when Duane was leading a church in Chauvin LA – I mean ‘on the Bayou!’ Our hearts knit together and after I laid out the ‘Kingdom ‘ and ‘ Grace’ , life changed and new challenges appeared on the horizon . I preached him out of Chauvin ( church still going well!) and on to a God given inheritance .

When we were meeting in the HoJo (!) , we all promised each other that “one day” we would march down the Boulevard to a new building that would provide a launching pad for the next stage of the increasing Kingdom and a safe place for the Generations !

This morning , we marched down the Boulevard to open and dedicate that building . It is debt free . It is vibrating with the Life and praises of God . The crew is now about 250 people and filled with the favor of God. Mo and I flew back from Spain to be here and celebrate and keep a 10 year old promise .

A son and his family is coming into their inheritance . Adolescence turned into maturity as words have taken wings and deeds have transformed dreams into reality . God is glorified , a city and a region are blessed , and the Kingdom advances . A young man with his family take more and more responsibility and greater and greater challenges and the future is assured for the Kingdom of God on earth .

A great day ! Legacy ! Succession built into the success ! And to our great and awesome God – all the Glory !

When we mentor our interns we emphasize strongly that we have two main objectives in the process of impartation and teaching : a Christlike attitude and heart ; and a biblical , kingdom world view . The will of God is more about being than doing . Paul says that the will of God is ‘to put on Christ.’ The doing comes out of the being .

Then we encourage them to say Amen and make a plan and get on with it . You`re not going to go ‘wrong’ when your heart and belief are towards God and His Glory . Paul wasnt ‘wrong’ trying to go to Asia , he was just re-directed to Europe !

As you look around your world and the world at large , there is no shortage of opportunity . What are you good at , what do you have in your heart and in your hand , what are your passions ?? You are the will of God – get on with it . It is part of the process to give all that you can whenever you can . There is , at this moment , an opportunity to ‘get on with giving’ and help the devastated country of Haiti and the thousands of broken and broke people on the streets . Go to www.adventures.org/haiti and make a contribution .

Of course , I`m sure you know , that the Lord wants you not just your moolah , but as we learn to give more and more , there`s no telling where it all might up , where YOU might up….

We made a good start on the new semester . 21 interns filled up the garage..we are negotiating for an alternative and have a couple of possibilities in mind . We are also getting close to having our official recognition which means that we will be able to start a church/community center if we have the space .
The crew were intent as we dived into ‘What`s God`s Point ?’ which is a teaching we do at the beginning of every semester . By the end of the first week , some of the ‘getting to know you’ phase is melting away and an ease begins to come forth . I am impressed and challenged and am looking forward to great 6 months . We`re calling them out from silence , complacency , indecisiveness and lack of commitment with prophetic words which are stronger than the general traits of a generation . Dangerous was a word that was used a few times…dangerous to status quo and to spiritual strongholds .
We have felt the Love of God invade the room a few times , without which we don`t have a look in . Your salvation wasn`t a joint effort ! Tighten your grip.. x A.

Mo and I arrived safely and are back among some hungry young lions and lionesses . Uneventful journeys and upgraded ! What a blessing…..

Had dinner with half the crew and in the getting to know you stage . ‘Know’ is a word that carries the hope of covenant and endurance for the long haul . We shall see , of course , as choices are made and courses chosen .

We are faced with the ‘problems’ ( good ones! ) of growth as we are now 3 times a bigger crowd than we were previously . We`re still holding teaching sessions in the garage but that cannot continue much longer as we are full .

Point is , for me , late on this first night back , that we are on the ground . Here , now , putting wings to words and deeds to dreams . I`m looking for some dangerous men and women who will break pioneering rocks and plant the Kingdom where , today , it simply does not exist . They have a shot at actually getting into the arena , off the bleachers , with its risk of death and victory . I hope you do the same today…and I hope the new interns make it too ! We`ll do our best….

Just dropped Mo off to catch her flight to Miami and on to Madrid . Sitting in Barnes and Noble just getting the jobs done , before going back to the airport to catch my flight to DFW and Madrid . Meet Mo in Madrid tomorrow morning before flying on to Malaga , and then Mijas and then back to g42 Leadership Academy . Just had a coffee with Zajas who was one of our original interns back last March . Great time of reflection and thanksgiving . Mo and I are on separate flights due to fares , because we booked her ticket much later , and had to choose a reasonable fare !

Back to responsibility , back to a new intake of interns , tripled in size from our original class ( Praises !) , semester starts today with orientation , and on to the challenges of a New Year and higher mountains to climb . ( I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance !)

Whenever you lead people , have a headship , the sense of responsibility never leaves . Today , as I fly back to Spain , it is just greatly heightened . I am excited and relishing the challenges ahead , but also awed and in the fear of the Lord because of the responsibility of ‘ interfering ‘ with people`s lives . Some are married . Almost all ( if not all !) the others want to be ! A family`s whole direction could possibly be changed for eternity . Unborn generations` destiny affected by what happens in the next 6 months . Help us dear Master !

Please pray for us as we venture out again , come see us if you can , send us your ‘dangerous’ kids . Together let`s expect the brightest and best year of our lives…