PRIORITIES.. 
Tuesday, May 13, 2008, 03:44 PM
PRIORITIES..

As we all know and probably often say , we are the products of the decisions we have made . We have no control of what happens to us , but we are certainly in charge of our reactions to those circumstances. Decisions become choices , choices become habits , and habits shape both us and the companions we choose . Our life , in other words..

One of the decisions and priorities in my life , has been to try to be a covenant man . I promise you , if you choose to be covenantal , you will be required to make tough choices until they become a habit . Required is a good word and maybe should be 'it will be demanded' of you ! Now , I have tried for much of my life to live like this , sometimes successfully ( 42 years married ) and other times relationships have ended in heart ache . I take my share of the responsibility . But , I still cannot imagine a better or more godly way to live.

Learning through all this , one thing stands out like an Everest among the foothills . Well spoken by Jonathan in his conversations with his best friend David . Check it out in 1 Samuel 20 . First he mentions the covenant in its pristine priority : '..for you have brought your servant into a covenant with the Lord with you.' Later he modifies the agreement significantly : ' So Jonathan made a covenant with the House of David.' Not hard to see what had most value and was the glue for the rest .

The covenant with the Lord ! If we do what we do in life , for any other reason that first of all we serve The Lord Christ , everything we attempt thereafter will utterly fail . Covenanting with men is a serious business ; but covenanting with the Lord glibly , can be hazardous . Be real !

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THE UNSTOPPABLE AND THE UNMOVEABLE.... 
Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 03:52 PM
THE UNSTOPPABLE AND THE UNMOVEABLE....

David`s ragtag band of brothers , now turned into a covenanted , single-minded unit , finally approached Jerusalem . The Hill of Zion . It was going to become known as David`s city . One big problem - it was already occupied . The Jebusites had resisted every attempt at their removal by Israeli forces over many hundreds of years and the fortress seemed impregnable . The J`s were very confident - in fact, a bunch of braggarts . They boasted that the 'blind and the lame' could keep David and his men out . History was on their side . There are some of my friends reading this , who probably have some long standing problems that seem unsolveable and strongholds that seem unmoveable. Take courage.

What had never moved in hundreds of years , was removed and destroyed in a couple of hours , by this disciplined Kingdom Covenanted army . Couple of
hours ! The bible talks about God doing a quick work...These men were truly committed to a cause bigger than themselves , they held themselves in mutual accountability , and had agreed ( covenanted) to 'stay at the table' and support the Great Cause , as it was personified in David . It is not without point that our Savior and Leader is referred to as great David`s greater Son.
We are in urgent need of such qualities and characteristics as we follow the Lord . Dead to self , for a noble purpose and lovingly accountable to trustworthy men who are determined to keep The Promise !

David`s men were not without passion , in their dogged determinations . David had instilled the principles of the Tabernacle of David into these raucous men. Raucous indeed - more undignified than this ! Covenanted men who knew how to party . The J`s had never come up against anything resembling these men. Covenant with huge appetite for God and Life . Just unstoppable ! We all want to be part of that , don`t we ? An extra large slice please ! Show up for your life , like this and the J`s will be gone in short order .





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HEBRON NOW BUT ZION OR BUST.. 
Monday, April 14, 2008, 01:38 PM
HEBRON NOW BUT ZION OR BUST..

The mountain that Caleb received as his inheritance ( last blog ) was Hebron . It was the home of a race of giants . Caleb kicked them out . That`s still a really good idea when dealing with the enemy of our soul . In the course of
time , it became a very important staging post for David , on his way , to uniting Israel under his kingly headship . I was reminded of this a couple of days ago , when some friends contacted me , having googled my name , and reminded me that I had preached this message in their church probably 15
years . 'Cast your bread on the waters and after many days , it shall return!' This was a great encouragement.

So Hebron .... David , the giant killer of Goliath ,( probably an escapee from Caleb`s conquest, finally dealt with!) , started his journey to reigning in the cave of Adullam . He was a refugee, from a jealous King Saul . The depressed , debtors and disillusioned came to him...he became their leader ! Wow ! What prospects did that crowd have?? Under God`s hand , David turned them into the army of the Lord . There`s hope for us , good friends! One of the most important episodes on their journey occurred in Hebron . All of Israel came to David and his men to make covenant with him . They were finally done with a backsliding , demonized king .

I think that when we really get serious about the kingdom coming and God`s will being done here on earth , we are going to have to make some changes and we are going to be drawn to covenant . It is not child`s play . They committed themselves to David and his cause and agreed to be faithful and live not for their own greatness , but for the greatness of the kingdom . I believe they set us a good example.....

( Mo and I are in Chicago on the way to Spain , and I`ll try and get back to this tomorrow..hasta la vista !)

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SETTING OUT... 
Saturday, April 12, 2008, 07:14 AM
SETTING OUT...

I`m in Georgia , helping to train and commission our next group of World Racers (www.theworldrace.org ) . There`s 35 of them . They are due to leave on their 11 month adventure in July . Looks like a good bunch of young people ! Average age around 25 . They are open , enthusiastic and obviously love God . We do our best to prepare them and then send them off to 'get wrecked.' They are keen for us to give them the opportunity to have at least part of the time less structured , so they can hear from the Lord and follow His leadings . A bit like 'Abraham`s not knowing..'. We will give them the opportunity .

It`s privilege for me to be involved with this generation and a part of my personal and long standing dream : to see a generation come fully alive and call them out , to plant the Kingdom where it doesn`t exist . It`s that old 'multi-generational dream' again. We look like having another 30-40 to go out in October and on it goes . Thank God ! Young people truly 'setting out'.

Then I read this morning about good old Caleb - a man , who because of the unbelief of others , had to wait to set out . He was one of the two spies for Israel who actually believed that the Lord would give them the land . They were outvoted by those with the grasshopper mentality . So here he is at 85 saying to his old friend Joshua :"Now therefore ,give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke to me.." He`d waited 45 years . It was the mountain of giants . It was Hebron . Interesting indeed that it is on this mountain that David later made covenant with his men - the highest mountain in the range .
From possession by enemy giants to the mountain of covenant. Sounds like God!

Young , middle or older - how about a "Now therefore..give me this...??" Things can quickly turn around with that attitude. It`s never too late.

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A SLIGHTLY LONGER TERM... 
Wednesday, April 9, 2008, 07:29 AM
A SLIGHTLY LONGER TERM...

When I was growing up , the emphasis in the church was more or less always , 'the moment' , 'the now'. When it comes to salvation , absolutely right : "
Now is the time , today is the day of salvation." But as a life plan , a world view , it was pretty bankrupt . Of course , we didn`t make plans , including pensions or life insurance for our families , in case of life interrupting death, because Jesus was coming any minute to rescue us , and to make such plans was somehow casting doubt on such belief . I do believe Jesus will come again , thank God , but not so much as a rescue but rather for a glorious church and a global harvest.

So I read this morning - ' A good man leaves an inheritance to his children`s children.' (Ps 13) . That`s three generations . When Jesus does eventually come , He will clearly interrupt everything , but in the meantime , we should all plan for at least three generations and give our children and our grandchildren something of greatness to aim at in a world desperately needing the Kingdom of God, with its righteousness , peace and joy . So what`s the plan for inheritance, what value system are we trying to communicate to at least the next two generations - both in the family circle and the life circle ??

Since understanding a bit more about inheritance ( 42nd Generation) I have planned for it and tried to make good investments . I don`t just mean financial , although I have tried there too to maximize our resources, but also in people and places - investments and deposits , which in some cases has not brought an immediate return on those investments . Couple of weeks ago , I reconnected with dear friends in Africa , where we made life investments more than 12 years ago . Next week , we are planning to reconnect with dear friends in Europe , where again I believe there is a righteous cause for a return on investment of life , made years ago, as an inheritance. Point is , it doesn`t always just happen 'now.' Sometimes , you have to consider a slightly longer term . Think about your plan for your generation and two more generations.



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