E-ncouragement for Mountain Takers

Receiving what's Rightfully Yours

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 19:03:00 GMT

Receiving what’s Rightfully Yours

We had a celebration at church this morning that made me think of each of you fellow Mountain Takers. We gathered as a congregation to join God honoring and promoting one of His kids. The Lord was publicly recognizing the many years of faithful service of a lady in our church and bestowing increased authority on her as a licensed pastoral minister. Our friend, Sheryl, was receiving something that was rightfully hers, and we all celebrated what the Lord was doing. Having participated in and receiving similar recognition myself over the years, I know that Sheryl will never be the same. God has increased her spiritual authority and it will be evident to Sheryl and those she ministers to in the coming days. I for one, look forward to watching that unfold.

How did this licensing celebration make me think of you? In several ways

First, there is the word “Minister”. When Christians use that word, other words like sacred, holy, sanctified come immediately to mind. Over the years when I have asked business people what their ministry was I have usually gotten an answer like, “I usher”, “I teach Sunday School”, etc. Those are good and true ministries, but they are only the tip of the iceberg. A synonym for minister is servant. Wherever you serve, store, office, shop floor, classroom, home… is a place of ministry. It’s a holy, sanctified, sacred calling.

Second, as Sheryl’s gift and the gift she is to the church were being honored, I felt the Lord wanted me to remind you that He sees you the same way. He has given you gifts uniquely fit to the occupation He has you in, and you are a gift to that place from Him to bring the blessing and reality of His Kingdom. Let the Light within you shine!

With the gift comes authority and faith to exercise it. Receive it and don’t be afraid to use it.

When someone receives and embraces new authority they and the environment around them are changed. Sheryl and the church will both be different as a result of what was released today. The more aware you and I are of the authority God has given us to operate in the work He has called us to, the more we will be changed, and the more change will be released in the atmosphere around us. People will notice something, whether they can identify it or not.

This last one is most important, and is linked to what I just said. The authority He wants to give must be received. Take a moment right now, bow your head if you want, and thank the Lord that you are His gift to your place of work. It may be a reminder, a refresher, or new revelation. Whichever it is I believe that as you do it you will receive something new. You and your work place will receive the fruit.

You may feel like you work in a very dark place. “How could God care about what happens here? And who am I?” Where does the light shine brightest? And Matthew 5:16 says you are the light in that darkness! Receive a fresh commissioning from the Lord it you need it, but know that you are called, anointed, and empowered by the God of the universe! Receive what’s rightfully yours.

Have a great week on your Mountain servant/minister of the King!

Agita

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:53:00 GMT

Agita

Usually when I think of agita it brings back memories of spicy food. Agita is the way my stomach lets me know I’ve over done it. But agita is also a synonym for another form of “heart burn” – anxiety. You might think of anxiety as mental and emotional agita. Sometimes anxiety does have physical symptoms. Most have heard the term “nervous stomach”.

What does agita have to do with taking your Mountain for Christ? A lot! Taking new territory, whether on a physical mountain or one of influence always involves facing the unknown. And the unknown brings with it the sense of uncertainty. A function of anxiety is to cause you to dwell on the unknown, making it increasingly more formidable and foreboding. Agita is a tool of the enemy to keep God’s people from achieving the extraordinary results He has for us. One might say this kind of agita was the tool the devil used to defeat ten Hebrew spies in Numbers 13. Once they became anxious they saw themselves smaller than God saw them. Were there giants in the land? Yes. There are always giants to be faced whenever there is new territory to be conquered. But, God, not the giants always has the last word.

Why is anxiety such a problem?

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad”

Prov. 12:25

Anxiety affects not just my mind, but my heart, the very core of my being. Worry, uncertainty, anxiousness, apprehension, fear, dread… there is an escalation of anxiety’s depth that can build quickly if not interrupted. As that happens it becomes more difficult to think straight and emotional analysis paralysis sets in. Unchecked anxiety paralyzes the heart – mind, will and emotions. It becomes harder to hear God’s voice and to obey. Disobedience born of anxiety cost a whole generation of Israelites their lives. Anxiety is a killer, on many levels. It kills joy, initiative, creativity, courage, opportunity, and in rare cases, like with those spies, destiny.

However, the giant of anxiety can be slain! And like with Goliath, one little stone will fell him! Anxious thoughts weigh the heart down and a good word lifts it up again! “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom. 10:17. Just one faith releasing word is all that is needed. How many nights have I laid awake wrestling with the anxiety giant, until the Lord spoke a single word to my soul that put my heart at rest! Better still, with the word of the Lord comes faith to obey.

Have a great week on your Mountain. And remember, agita is no match for a good word from the Lord!

Increase, Increase!

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 19:35:00 GMT

Increase, Increase!

In this day of escalating prices, out of control debt, and worldwide insecurity, is there anything that we can count on to grow in a positive direction? Actually there are two things that we can have absolute assurance will keep on growing and growing. Neither of these can be adversely impacted by any company or country’s fiscal ups and downs. Nor are they subject to whims of policy. They defy the stress of emotional roller coasters and are not buffeted by adversity. In fact, they often display best in challenging times.

What are these two amazing entities, impervious to the storms and vicissitudes of life? What can supply you with stability and success in the midst of turbulence?

The source of these amazing things is not a “What” but a “Who”. And the “Who” is King Jesus. The two “things” are His Government and His Peace.

“Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end….” Isaiah 9:7

When Jesus rose again on Easter Sunday and ascended to His Father’s throne, a brand new Kingdom, “The Kingdom of the beloved Son” [Colossians 1:13] commenced. Two attributes of this Kingdom are His Government and peace.

To get a picture of the “ever increasing” aspect of Jesus Kingdom we need to go back to the beginning. In Genesis 1:3 we read that God said, “Let there be light”, and there was light. Astronomers have in recent years come to discover that the Universe, the light God called into being, is constantly expanding. Since the moment recorded in Genesis light has been ever increasing. In exactly the same way, since 2,000 years ago Jesus Kingdom has been continually increasing. And just like light, it never stops!

Another visual that has been gripping me this week comes from Daniel chapter two. The prophet has been given by God the interpretation of a troubling dream that King Nebuchadnezzar is struggling to understand. Without going into all the details here, the climax of the dream happens when a stone, cut out without hands, (prophetically representing Christ’s Kingdom) crushes a giant statue (representing the kingdoms of this world) and then grows to fill whole earth.

The image of that stone becoming a mountain that fills the earth is one the Lord wants you and me to hold on to. Every moment of every day His government is increasing in the earth. It has been expanding for 2,000 years and it’s only just begun!

The best news – this is not just a picture in a book. This is reality. His government and peace are continually increasing in you and through you. Ask Him to open your eyes to see what that looks like today.

Have a great week bringing His government and peace to your Mountain!

Cable Car or Crampons?

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 20:18:00 GMT

Cable Car or Crampons?

Recently I was watching a travelogue on TV. The host was exploring Bavaria in Germany, and one of the highlights of the tour was a trip to the Jungfrau, the highest mountain in that part of Europe. Because this was a travel show and not an outdoor adventure program the mountain was to “scaled” with the aid of a cable car.

We, the “virtual” tourists, joined the throng on the platform waiting our turn to board. When we were all safely seated the very impressive ride began. As the gondola rose from the valley floor two things stood out. First, how far up into the sky our destination, the station at the highest observation point below the summit, seemed to be. Second, with every meter we rose from the valley floor the mountain scenery grew more and more spectacular. Soon we were hanging in mid air with fields and forests falling away below us, and sheer rock faces, snow and ice looming closer and closer.

Suddenly our gently swaying reverie jolted to a halt and the gondola door opened to reveal a narrow platform. We had already ascended part way up the mountain, and this was the jumping off point for those brave souls who intended to climb the rock face the rest of the way. Watching them disembark I thought to myself how glad I was that our TV host was staying on the cable car! Which would you have chosen? Turns out, both have their place.

The vista and perspective that can be gained from the cable car is unparalleled. A watchful mountaineer could learn things about the peak and the best way to conquer it they could gain no other way. I’ve read of climbers doing just that, climbing part way up adjacent mountains to study the topography and plot their intended course. Sometimes months of this kind of study precedes a tough climb.

As beautiful as the views may be, if your vision is conquest sooner or later you must strap on your boots and crampons and begin to get to know the rock, ice and snow up close and personal. If you want to take the mountain, a cable car view will never suffice. The sense of struggle, breakthrough, and eventual triumph of standing on the summit can only be appreciated by those who have invested the time, treasure, blood, sweat and tears.

These two approaches have much to recommend to us in our “Mountain Taking”.

1. We need the big picture. Our view comes not from a gondola swinging in the wind, but from the One who sees all, and sees it perfectly. His view becomes our vision, which in turn is what keeps our hope alive when the rock face gets difficult and the path ahead seems blocked or unclear.

2. We are Mountain Takers. We are not tourists looking for the right photo to show the gang back home. The Mountains of Culture may appear at times as formidable as the Himalayas, but they can be taken. Armed with God’s perspective and strength we are more than conquerors!

Do you need a refresher of the Lord’s “cable car” view, or fresh strategy and strength for the climb? Just ask Him. He is ready to answer!

Have a great week on your Mountain!

"Lord, Give Me Sales!"

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:05:00 GMT

“Lord, Give Me Sales!”

Did I startle some of you with that title? In the Christian community, certainly within the church itself, we are accustomed to those words being a cry for souls, not sales. Is it okay to approach the Lord like that for something other than souls? Do sales matter to Him? Am I being sacrilegious in suggesting such a thing?

As far as the last question – yes – I am and I want to be “sacrilegious”, in the sense that the Lord Himself is. He is not about religion. He is about relationship. Jesus’ harshest criticisms were directed at religious leaders who had no concept of the relationship the Lord was offering. Even the call for souls rightly understood is a cry to add to God’s family.

If you are part of His family then as your loving Father He cares about all of your life. Whatever affects you affects Him. He has called you to the sphere of influence/Mountain you are on. Your success on your Mountain is important to Him. If you’re in need of sales and are asking for them out of relationship that’s what He wants you to do. “Ask and you will receive” has no religious stipulations. He just simply says, “Ask”. Whatever you need and ask for out of relationship is precious to Him. Nothing is too small, too large, too practical, or too material.

Crying out for needed sales is a spiritual activity. Let me suggests three reasons why.

1. All that we do is spiritual because we carry the King. He cares for and wants to be the answer for all that concerns us. Sales included!

2. Sales calls are an opportunity to demonstrate the Kingdom. Jesus can give us wisdom, words of knowledge, discernment, and even prophetic insight about the customer and their needs. I have a friend who loves to “read the mail” of potential customers from the moment she meets them. She has had some incredible times of bringing unexpected blessing and influence into others’ lives as a result. The Lord can give you the answer to a customer’s question before it is even asked! He’s brought you there after all to bring a blessing.

3. Beyond the sales are the souls. Jesus knows that every sale involves souls, and He is always at work to extend His Kingdom. The relationship begun through a sale may turn into something much greater down the road.

What if you’re not in sales? No matter. These three truths apply across the board. Just plug in your specifics and see for yourself.

Have a great week on your Mountain and boldly cry out for whatever you need!

Daily Bread

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 20:57:00 GMT

Daily Bread

Bread is one of the most basic, universal, and essential foods. It has been called the “staff of life” from ancient times. On Israel’s 40 year trek through the desert wilderness they were sustained by manna, the “Bread of Angels”. Jesus and the disciples satisfied over 5,000 very hungry people with five loaves of bread and two fish. Bread is such a basic necessity that many people refer to their employment as the source of their “bread and butter”. Even currency itself is sometimes called “bread”. “Got any bread on ya man?”

It’s this latter meaning of the word that we think of when we pray some of the words the Lord taught us to pray in the “Lord’s Prayer”, “Give us this day our daily bread…” We do this because we know that the Lord cares about our daily needs and has promised to provide for them. If you are like me, you may find yourself praying this with more fervor whenever the bills are due!

A few days ago I was in prayer for a number of things and without realizing it began to pray the “Lord’s Prayer”. This was a bit out of the ordinary because I do not make it a regular practice. In hindsight I realize that should’ve been a tipoff to me that the Lord was about to reveal something new to me. Have you ever noticed how He has a wonderful way of steering your actions or conversation, even with Him into a teaching moment?

As I was praying “Give us this day our daily bread” and going into detail as to what I had in mind by that, the Holy Spirit interrupted my train of thought. He brought my attention to an incident in the life of Jesus from John chapter four. Jesus had been speaking to the woman at the well while the disciples were dispatched to town to purchase food (undoubtedly including bread) for their and Jesus’ lunch. They return just as the woman is about to leave to go into town to tell everyone of her encounter with this man who told her everything she had ever done! Once she goes the disciples get ready to chow down and say to Jesus, “Mangia Lord, eat! We brought some bread and kosher salami for you.” Jesus looks at his hungry, salivating followers and says, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.” “What?” says Peter “Did any of you guys leave Him a power bar?” As you can imagine, this caused a bit of stir in the traveling band. Jesus then seized the teaching moment to try and bring them to a higher level. “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.” (v.34)

All of a sudden I joined the disciples. This became my teaching moment with the Lord too. In that moment I realized why the Holy Spirit had brought this story to mind. Bread is not just provision for my needs. It is also my being provision for another’s needs. Put another way, my daily bread is first my assignment for the day and then in fulfilling that assignment I also receive the other bread, my provision. Light bulbs went off in my cranium! Thank you Lord! My bread, like with Jesus, is to do the will of Him who sent me, whatever that is for the day. As I do that, He promises to take care of me and supply my daily needs. Now I recognize that when I pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” I’m asking for something much bigger than I ever saw before. And the cool thing is He will give me both!

Fellow Mountain Taker, let’s pray each day both to be the daily bread for another, as well as to receive our daily bread from our loving heavenly Father.

Have a great week on your Mountain!

The Green Harvest

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:38:00 GMT

The Green Harvest

Hello fellow Mountain Taker. You have not heard from me in few weeks. I have not been travelling and out of touch, I have been waiting on the Lord. Because I am learning to live by the Life of Jesus in me, I am endeavoring to only speak/write when He says to do so and gives me what to say. The Lord has been speaking many things during this time, but not giving me anything to share with you. To tell you the truth this has been frustrating at times. But all learning curves have their challenges. In the process Father has been teaching me some important truths.

Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. [John 15] The job, if I can use that word, of the branch is to abide in the vine. The word “abide” means to remain stable or fixed in a place. As I have been discovering these weeks abiding begins with waiting. This makes perfect sense if you picture a branch on a grape vine. A branch is just that, a stick. Sticks hang out, sprout leaves, and eventually produce grapes. That activity and growth is not initiated by the branch but by the vine. The branch is there for the life of the vine to flow through and accomplish the results. There are seasons for fruit bearing and seasons for hanging out or waiting. For a human branch that wants to be productive this can be a major challenge!

There is another player in the picture of the vine and the branches in John 15. Jesus is the vine, we are the branches and His Father is the vinedresser. One of the chief duties of the vinedresser is pruning the branches! This week the Lord had me do a bit of study about pruning. Pruning is not only the cutting away of dead branches but live ones too. Grape vines require vigilant pruning to maintain health and fruitfulness. Pruning in the right way and the right time promotes both. There are three kinds of pruning that can be done on a grape vine. Two, cane, and spur pruning occur at the end of the growing season, usually in the winter. This pruning is a cutting back of the growth that has already been fruitful in the latest growing season and is the kind we are most familiar with. But there is another pruning that can occur during the growing season. This is referred to as the “Green Harvest”.

When the vinedresser wants to produce fuller, richer flavor in the grapes he selects the branches with the most fruit growing on them and cuts away some of the immature fruit. This is where “Green Harvest” comes from. The vinedresser does this pruning early in the season while the grapes are small and green. Using his expertise and trained eye the vinedresser knows just how much of the potentially good fruit to sacrifice to ensure an even better quality harvest. If you feel like some of your efforts have fallen to the ground, you may be in a “Green Harvest”. Fear not and remember the best fruit is still on the vine and the harvest will be more bountiful and rich!

Have a great week on your Mountain!

Navigating the Maelstrom

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:03:00 GMT

Navigating the Maelstrom

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That makes sense because what is seen as beautiful through one set of eyes may look totally different through another. My mother loved the color green. Anything green was beautiful to her. My favorite color growing up was orange. Mom and I sometimes had very different ideas of what looked attractive. Then in college I discovered the beauty of blue in the eyes of my girlfriend/fiancée/wife. Some people love desert sunsets, some see a seascape as the epitome of beauty, and some Picasso! All of this is fine and good. It’s right that beauty should be a matter personal preference.

But what about truth; should what is “true” also be a matter of preference? If you like Rembrandt and your friend prefers Warhol that is simply a matter of taste. No one is going to be adversely affected by your individual judgment. But what is seen as truth is of much greater weight. It can affect a person’s freedom and very life.

Yet, in our world “truth” is often determined by individual or group preference. What is “true” in one context or cultural assemblage may, and often is the opposite of that held by another or even the majority.

There was a time not too long ago when everyone had a standard, a foundation, and bedrock by which to evaluate and determine the difference between what was opinion and what in fact was truth. Fact was a part of that process. But the facts were not arbitrary either. Fact was built on principle and principle was anchored in absolute truth. Action, opinion, perspective were all submitted to that underlying foundation. Truth was something that could be known and trusted to be consistent from situation to situation.

Today we live in a maelstrom of relativity. As we have turned our back on the bedrock foundation of God’s Truth and let the concept of entitlement reign in its place “truth” has been reduced to a mantra of whatever a particular subculture thinks is right in their own eyes. We see this played out every night on the TV, in the newspaper, and in the judicial and political arenas. Public figures say whatever “truth” their current audience wants to hear in order to receive that group’s support.

Yet, Truth endures and in the end triumphs over every opinion. How does that happen? It happens by you and me walking in what we know to be true. Truth ultimately is not a question of words, but action. To paraphrase an ancient author, “You show me truth by your words, and I will show you truth by my actions.” (James 2:18)

What are those actions? Truth is demonstrated by attitudes and behaviors that are rooted in the unshakeable bedrock of absolutes. Being true to your word whatever the cost to you is one very powerful and uncomplicated way that truth is seen. Integrity, “My word is my bond”, is something our relativity tossed world is dying to see. Loyalty and honesty are two more examples. I am sure you can think of others specific to your sphere.

Mountain Taker, you don’t just have the truth, you know The Truth! May He be seen on your Mountain this week through your words and actions.

Have a great and fruitful week on your Mountain!

Consistency

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:52:00 GMT

Consistency

When you think of the word what kind of associations come to mind? Consistency of flavor, texture, service, and performance, are words that I think of. I once worked on an advertising campaign designed to highlight the quality of a beverage, and our theme was, “Consistency makes a champion!” Certainly in our food products and in life in general, we tend to enjoy and even expect consistency.

Do you expect, and deliver consistency on your Mountain? If so, what does that look like?

The dictionary defines consistency as, “Steady continuity, conformity to character, profession, belief or custom.” It actually comes from an older word meaning “Possessing firmness or coherence.” As a friend of mine would say, consistency is a “sturdy” word!

Have you ever considered it as a fruit of the Spirit? I know it is not spelled out specifically in the Galatians 2:22-23 passage, but I believe you can find it there. What I think of is the fruit of “Faithfulness”. A person who is walking in faithfulness is also going to be consistent. Faithfulness and consistency are very similar. You might say that being consistent in your attitude and actions is one way in which you demonstrate faithfulness. People who are not consistent, especially in fulfilling expectations and assignments are clearly not showing faithfulness to their team, employers, or their own word.

In this way consistency and faithfulness make me think of another character quality, integrity. The other two are manifestations of integrity, aren’t they?

Consistency is a powerful and pleasing word. Consistent flavor, not just in my ice cream, but in my job performance brings satisfaction and blessing to me and those around me. People can see by my consistency that I’m a faithful person who they can count on, which makes the environment we share a more pleasant place to be.

But best of all, consistency is really a fruit of the Spirit, which means it’s yet another way for me to release the Life of Jesus into the atmosphere of my world!

Have a great week releasing the fruit of consistency on your Mountain!

Least Likely to Succeed

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:52:00 GMT

Least Likely to Succeed

Every high school yearbook has a page that lists all the “Most Likely” and “Least Likely” candidates for that year’s graduating class. Mostly, it’s done for fun and to generate laughs. Usually the more popular kids get the “good stuff” too. But, have you ever had occasion to look back down memory lane to see whatever became of the “Mosts” and “Leasts”? If you did, you might be surprised what you’d find. How many “Mosts” have made it? And, how many “Leasts” have lived above their friends’ estimation?

I recently read the autobiography of one of the “Leasts”. He was born over a century and a half ago in rural Virginia. In his case, being the “Least” was not his doing. He was not an underachiever. His being a “Least” was totally out of his control. He couldn’t do anything about it if he wanted to. You see, he was born a slave. He had just one name when he was a child, Booker. Quite a name for a boy who couldn’t read and was in a society that had no reason to think he should ever be able to read. In fact reading was considered a dangerous thing for a slave to learn. And that proved to be the case with Booker.

Booker not only learned to read, but he learned a trade, became a free man/boy in the Emancipation proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, survived the Civil War, became an educated man, a teacher, professor, founder of the world famous Tuskeegee Industrial Institute, met with kings and presidents, received a doctorate degree from Harvard University, and was considered one of the most influential men of the latter part of the 19^th Century United States. This “Leasts” eventual full name? Booker T. Washington

Dr. Booker T. Washington had a secret to his success, but he didn’t keep it a secret. He freely gave it to everyone who asked him and throughout his life avidly taught it to all his students. His counsel was very simple, straight forward and biblical; “Seek to do your work so thoroughly and well as to make yourself indispensable to you employer and to your community. You will make a place for yourself no matter who is opposed to you. You will have an influence and make a difference.”

Mountain Taker, Booker’s counsel reminds me of some words from Proverbs 22:29 “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”

These words and Booker’s example are good thoughts to carry with us into the New Year. I know I have been instructed and encouraged by both, and I hope you are too. Wherever you are on your Mountain, you can become a person of influence. Do all you do with diligence and watch the Lord will do!

Have a great week on your Mountain!