Missed Investment Opportunities

“Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.” H. Jackson Brown, Jr

Have you ever kicked yourself over missed investment opportunities? Decca Records, in 1962, rejected a group that came to be known as The Beatles. What a missed investment opportunity! They could have still been collecting royalties today with the release of the new Beatles Rock Band!

A recent headline in The Market Oracle, August 2, 2009, proclaimed, “The Great Missed Stock Market Investment Opportunity of 2009“. The first sentence in the article states, “When the books have been written on 2009, the prevailing story will undoubtedly be one of lost opportunity.”

I wonder how many investment opportunities we miss. I believe God gives us opportunities every day to invest in others in a way that will impact eternity. But we become so self-absorbed in our own lives, in self-interest, that we miss great investment opportunities that would reap eternal reward.

So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. (Eph. 5:15-17 NLT)

I understand from the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30) that God has entrusted me with resources according to what He knows I can handle. And He expects me to Double My Impact by investing in the opportunities before me to make a lasting difference.

Don’t miss the investment opportunities you have today!

Slipping into My Ways…

Words cannot express how thankful I am for God’s presence and grace in each of my children. One of my most frequent prayers for them throughout the years is that they would catch the good things from my life and learn from my mistakes, rather than making the same mistakes themselves. Yet, I am fully aware of how dangerous every indiscretion is. Every wrong choice I make when doing things my way, becomes an open door of influence to a wayward path for my children.

2 Chron. 18… Jehoshaphat, slipping into that cage of assumptions, made an alliance with Ahab through marriage. Against the warning of the prophet, Micaiah, Jehoshaphat joined Ahab in going to war against Ramoth-gilead. In the losing battle (it is always a losing battle when we stoop to our ways… relying on our ability… our power) ³¹Jehoshaphat cried out and the Lord helped him. I’m so thankful for the grace of God that rescues me even in my stupid assumptions!

You would think we could learn our lessons the first time, but most of us are repeat offenders. Jehoshaphat, again, ^{2 Chron. 20:35}
made an alliance with Israel’s king Ahaziah, who was guilty of wrongdoing.

We’re told that, overall, throughout his life, Jehoshaphat did what was right in the Lord’s sight. (2 Chron. 20:32) Regardless of all the things we do right, it seems that our children (and those under our influence) will pick up on that one indiscretion… that point of weakness. In chapter 21, Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram became king, and ⁶
he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for Ahab’s daughter was his wife. Jehoshaphat’s mistake of self-reliance… alliance with Ahab, became the open door to a path a sin and wrong doing for his son.

More is caught than what’s taught! We are being watched!

I did it my way

Shortly before his death, Elvis Presley almost prophetically recorded the song, “I did it My Way”.  Paul Anka, who wrote the lyrics to the song for Frank Sinatra, said, “I read a lot of periodicals, and I noticed everything was ‘my this’ and ‘my that’. We were in the ‘me generation’ and Frank became the guy for me to use to say that.”

I’ve found “my way” to be pretty pathetic.  My way usually makes a mess of things.  My way is weak, limited, under-qualified, disqualified, and helpless.  My way is living in a cage of assumption.

In 2 Chronicles 17, we read the story of a man who decided to do it God’s way.  Jehoshaphat sought God and the Lord was with him (v.3).  His mind rejoiced in the Lord’s ways (v.6).  Jehoshaphat sent his officials throughout the towns of Judah to teach the people from God’s Word… to teach the Lord’s Ways to those whom God had placed under his influence and authority.  Jehoshaphat was aware of his inability… his weakness… his helplessness… his insufficiency when it came to his own ways.  He rejoiced in the Lord’s ways, and taught the Lord’s ways to his people. He was dependent on God, and that’s what God loves… FAITH… breaking out of the cage of our own assumptions (our ways) to totally depend on our God.

Jehoshaphat demonstrates this in chapter 20 when the Moabites, Ammonites and Meunites… ²a vast multitude… joined forces to fight against him.  He was afraid (when we are brought face to face with our own lack of ability, our own weakness and helplessness, it is frightening.), ³so he resolved to seek the Lord!  In his prayer (vv.6-12) he acknowledges and reminds himself and his people how BIG GOD IS… the God of the heavens who rules over all the kingdoms of the earth… all power and might is in His hands, and no one can stand against Him.  Then he acknowledges his own helplessness: ¹²For we are powerless… we do not know what to do. But we look to you.

God loves this kind of faith.  That’s the kind of relationship he wants us to have.  It’s that kind of faith and total trust and dependence on God that he credited to Abraham as righteousness (to be in right relationship).   God’s reply: ¹⁵Do not be afraid, or discouraged… for the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁷You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.

Lord, let my mind be free from the cage of my ways, to rejoice in the Lord’s ways!

Breaking out of the Cage of Assumption

2 Chron. 12:1… When Rehoboam (king of Judah) had established his sovereignty and royal power, he abandoned the law of the Lord – he and all Israel with him. From the beginning of creation, pride, and a desire for self-rule has been man’s greatest downfall. It’s what caused Lucifer’s fall, and he’s been using it ever since to steal, kill and destroy. When we become self-sufficient we stop depending on God and find ourselves caged by the assumption that we can handle everything on our own, in our own power. The sad thing is, when we abandon the Lord it has an impact on others who follow us (he and all Israel with him).

In contrast, Abijah succeeding his father, Rehoboam, as king of Judah (2 Chron. 13), breaks out of the cage of assumption and self-rule to declare, “But as for us, the Lord is our God. We have not abandoned Him.” By faith, he added God to the equation of his life, and God gave him victory over an army twice the size of his when Israel had set up an ambush all around him.

Abijah was succeeded by his son, Asa, who also did what was good and right in the sight of the Lord his God. (2 Chron. 14:2) (When you break out of the cage of assumption it has an impact on your children!) When his army of 580,000 faced an army of 1 million, he cried out to the Lord his God: “Lord, there is no one besides You to help the mighty and those without strength. (Out of the cage of assumption, he recognized his weakness and God’s greatness!) Help us, Lord our God, for we depend on You…” God gave him victory! With God, nothing is impossible!

Unfortunately, in his later years, Asa stopped seeking the Lord and began relying on his own power and ability to work things out. In chapter 16, when Israel went to war against Judah, he sought help and alliance with Aram’s king, instead of seeking God. So often in scripture and in life we see those who start out strong in the Wild Goose Chase, only to slip back into that cage of assumption and self-reliance in their later years.

Although Asa was reminded of the great victory over the million man army when he depended on God, he continued down the declining prideful path of self-reliance. Asa developed a disease in his feet, and his disease became increasingly severe. Yet even in his disease he didn’t seek the Lord but the physicians. (v.12)

It is so easy to slip back into that cage. We stop praying, stop seeking, stop chasing – pursuing, and before we realize it, we stop depending on God. What have you been trying to work out on your own this week? We have a God who desperately wants to show Himself strong in our lives. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His. (2 Chron. 16:9) Let’s break out of the cage of assumption to a new dependence and faith in our great God!

UNCAGED to DO Something!

“Well done is better than well said.” – Benjamin Franklin

I’m ashamed to share the number of times my wife (and others that are close to me) has had to lovingly bring to my attention the opportunities I missed, to give attention and care to those around me. I often get so focused on what I have to get done… on those day to day responsibilities… that I totally miss needs right in front of me. In fact, sometimes I even see those needs as interruptions instead of God-ordained opportunities for spiritual adventures in ministry.

Like the Priest and the Levite (the religious people) in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10), we often get so busy with our day to day responsibilities that we totally miss the opportunities God is placing right in front of us. We become numb to the needs of others… insensitive…. uncaring.

The Samaritan in the story was not caged by day to day responsibilities. He was alive and sensitive to opportunities around him… to needs God placed in his path. And he risked stepping into the adventure and DID something about the need. Jesus told his audience, “Go and do likewise.”

We often miss chasing the Wild Goose, experiencing the adventure-filled life God intended, by not acting on the opportunities God puts in our path. The world (and the church) is filled with people that see needs, some are touched by the needs, some offer advice or suggestions for meeting the needs, but it’s the few that DO something. Thomas Edison once said, “The value of an idea lies in the using of it.”

In Matthew 25 we’re told that on the Day of Judgment when all the nations will be gathered before God, He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. The goats will be condemned for all the missed opportunities to DO something about the needs all around them. But the sheep will be rewarded for what they DID!

It occurs to me that when we stand before the throne of God we will not hear, “Well SEEN, my good and faithful servant.“… or “Well THOUGHT, my good and faithful servant.”… or “Well SAID, my good and faithful servant.” But, “Well DONE, my good and faithful servant.”

Uncaged

I’m so excited about “The Wild Goose Chase” the Holy Spirit is taking us on! What an adventure! Today we were inspired by Nehemiah to break out of the cage of day to day responsibilities that numb us to spiritual adventures all around us, and rob us of the abundant, adventure-filled life God is calling us to. Like Nehemiah, we must become sensitive to the voice and calling of the Holy Spirit who might conceive a God-ordained desire in our hearts at anytime, anywhere. And then, step out in faith (or should I say ADVENTURE) and act on it! This week I’ve met some Nehemiah’s in our church that shared with me how God conceived a desire in their hearts, and how they are stepping into the adventure and acting on it!

Steve Hunt (he plays the keyboard in our worship team), just got back from a vacation at the beach, where God birthed a new desire in his heart to share his faith with family and friends in a bolder way that he ever has. With tears in his eyes (that’s God-given passion) he shared with me how God filled his vacation with opportunities to act on his God-ordained desire!

In a simple conversation about our annex, God conceived a desire in Michael Hallman to set up an outreach center for the homeless. He asked for permission to start cleaning out the annex in preparation for ministry!

Several weeks ago God birthed a desire in Ryan Crist’s heart to make our church and school campus a safer place for families. (I guess you could say God was calling him to “rebuild our walls”!) He wasted no time in acting on this God-directive; researching, training, recruiting, assessing, planning and building a team!

God used an email last week to plant a desire in the hearts of two different families (Rich & Dusty Richardson and Barry & Susan Mathis) to adopt the landscaped entrances of our church and begin beautifying and maintaining the environments that welcome our guests!

Trina Brown shared with me after church today that she had been asked to teach our senior ladies Bible Class next Sunday… an opportunity to act on a God-given desire she had felt. I might add, an opportunity that, like Nehemiah, makes her feel “very much afraid”! There’s an element of fear in adventure!

Five of our families made a 2 ½ hour drive each way to act on a God-given desire to visit Tim and Deb Armstrong at Chapel Hill Hospital this week!

I’m sure there are many others that I am not aware of that are breaking out of the cage of responsibilities to act on God’s call. Imagine a church full of people uncaged, sensitive to God’s call and the spiritual adventures all around us, stepping out in faith with wild abandon! That’s a church God will use to change our world! Accomplishing things that can only be explained by God!

(This is a series based on the book, Wild Goose Chase, by Mark Batterson. Thank you, Mark, for chasing after the Wild Goose and taking us on the journey!)

GREED

Jesus said in Luke 12:15 “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Greed is one of those heart issues that Jesus warned us would separate our heart’s desires from God’s desires… something that would compete for our time and attention. You cannot serve both God and money. For where your treasure is the desires of your heart will follow. It is easy for us to recognize greed in someone else, but it is usually difficult for us to see it in the mirror.

In 1 Samuel 15, God had just anointed Saul king over Israel. Through Samuel, He instructed Saul to destroy the Amalekites – everyone, everything. Saul was not to spare anything – take anything for himself. Yet, greed held too strong of a hold on Saul’s heart. Contrary to God’s instruction, Saul spared the “best” of everything for himself, and only destroyed the “unwanted” things (v.9). As if that weren’t bad enough, then he set up a monument for himself!

How often do we surrender to God only the unwanted things, keeping the best for ourselves! Do you care for your kingdom first – looking for the best for yourself – a bigger home, a new car, a leisure vehicle, more clothes, more food, more things. Have you found yourself only giving away what you can’t use anymore? Does God get your leftovers, if there are any? Have your possession become a monument you have set up for yourself?

I can just hear some of the thoughts right now… “Doesn’t God want to bless me? Doesn’t He want me to have nice things? I work hard for my money, I deserve the nice things I have.” Then we begin to look at what other Christ followers have, and compare.

When Saul was confronted with his sinful greed that brought about disobedience – separation from the Lordship of God – the plan of God, he, too, tried to justify his greed. He tried to turn Samuel’s attention to the right things he (Saul) had done – to the part where he obeyed God (The key word there is “part”. God is crazy about you. He wants your whole heart, all your devotion, complete surrender – not just part.) He compared himself with the troops that took the best. He tried to justify his disobedience by saying he planned to sacrifice it to God.

Ironically, Saul’s pursuit of more for himself, his greed, ultimately caused him great loss. The kingdom was taken from him, and worse yet, God’s spirit was taken from him.

Scripture says that GREED is the same as Idolatry… it’s allowing your stuff to be first in your heart – to control the desire of your heart, instead of God. “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Luke 12:34) “You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matt. 6:24) Ultimately, greed will bring great loss. There’s only one way to deal with greed. Replace it with Generosity toward God and others. Jesus said the greatest command is Love God and Love others. We’re told in Matthew 6 to seek God first… put His Kingdom first and stop worrying about our lives – our kingdom. He will take care of us. God wants you – all of you.

$CHANGE

Money has been the source of conflict and division in many relationships.  Friendships have been broken over money… family relationships have been estranged… churches split… money problems and money fights are the number one cause for divorce.  And Jesus said that how we view and handle our money can divorce our hearts from God!  It is perhaps the biggest competitor for our time and attention… “where your treasure is there you heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21) “You cannot serve God and money!” (Luke 16:13)

We have all faced financial stress and pressure! If we’re to be fully devoted followers of Christ, when it comes to our money we need to make CHANGE!  We need to know how God views our money.

In the parable of the shrewd manager, found in Luke 16, we first learn that it’s not OUR MONEY.  It’s God’s.  He’s the owner – I’m the manager.  I must give an account of the way I manage the resources He has entrusted to me.  That means I need to know where the money is going.  Setting up a budget is critical to knowing where you are spending God’s money and managing where it will go.

There are some great online FREE budget tools and financial resources:

10 Online Budget Tools

Joseph Sangl, author of “I Was Broke Now I’m Not” offers some great advice on setting up and using a budget on his website.  He also has some free budget tools.  Click Here.

Dave Ramsey offers some free tools on his website.

Microsoft FREE Excel Budget Templates

Mint (Free Personal Finance Software)

Join us in recording where every dollar goes over the next 3 weeks, and learn how to better manage the money God has trusted you with.  It’s the first step toward financial freedom, so you can become a fully devoted follower of Christ!

Getting Past the Memories

Several years ago, while on vacation, I visited a church in my home state of Kansas where a friend of mine was pastoring. After the service he said he wanted to introduce me to one of his deacons, someone he thought I might remember.

I couldn’t believe it! It was Glen, a childhood friend I had grown up with… played softball with! And he was a deacon?!? I remembered some pretty coarse stories, some inappropriate language. When we were teenagers, I wasn’t even sure if he was a Christian. And now he’s a deacon!?! Those were my thoughts.

Then he totally floored me with what he said, “Randy?!? You’re a Pastor?!? I can’t believe you’re a Pastor! From what I remember, I didn’t even know you were a Christian!”

(I was certainly a Christ follower back then, but evidently I was too quiet about my faith – blended in too much with my environment for Glen to tell. But that’s another message.)

It seems we often have difficulty getting past our memories of people… letting their past be past… making room for the new thing God is doing in them. Such was the case for the older brother of the prodigal son. He just could not seem to get past the wrong choices his brother had made… the way he wasted his life with rebellious and wild living… the hurt he caused with no regard to the feelings of others. He thought he knew his younger brother too well, questioned his motives, doubted his sincerity. He probably believed his brother’s repentance would be short-lived, and was just waiting for – expecting his “true colors” to show up again. There was no room for the possibility of a changed life, resulting in a heart that made no room for the work of God.

Even Jesus faced this. Upon coming home from Capernaum where the power of the Holy Spirit in His life was evidenced by great miracles, he was met by some “older brothers”.

All who were there, watching and listening, were surprised at how well he spoke. But they also said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son, the one we’ve known since he was a youngster?” (Luke 4:22 TMSG)

Jesus told them that “no prophet is accepted in his own hometown.” He explained that though there were many people in Elijah’s home town that needed help during the 3 ½ year drought, he could only help a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath. There were many lepers in Israel during Elisha’s time, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.

The people that watched them grow up couldn’t get past the old memories… couldn’t make room in their hearts for the new thing – the great thing that God was doing in them. Therefore, God couldn’t do a new thing in the hearts of those people!

I am praying for some prodigals to COME HOME this Easter! When God brings your younger brother home what will he find… the judgmental heart of an older brother, or the compassionate heart of loving Father that erases his past with a kiss of forgiveness?

Better Than I Deserve

I have some friends that always have the same reply when I ask how they are doing… “Better than I deserve!” My response is always, “Me, too.” That’s probably the response most of us would give. Most of us know that in truth we are blessed with so much more than we deserve. Yet, our attitudes and sometimes our actions tell a different story.

This past Sunday we started our series, Come Home, with the familiar story of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15. Jesus used this story to lovingly drive truth into the hearts of both sorry sinners and smug saints. He was calling both the prodigal and the proud to Come Home. As I shared on Sunday, the proud, older brother is my story… just as wayward, just as distant and far away from the Father’s heart as the prodigal.

When the father threw a party for his lost son that had come home, the older brother was jealous, even angry. He felt like his sibling did not DESERVE it. After all, this prodigal had wasted his life and all that the father had given him. The older brother is quick to point out his own faithfulness. He shouts, “All these years I’ve slaved for you … And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.” The implication is clear. He feels he DESERVES better… obviously forgetting where all his blessing came from.

In Deuteronomy chapter 9, as God’s people are getting ready to enter that place of great blessing that He had promised to them, Moses reminds them, “After the LORD your God has done this for you, don’t say in your hearts, ‘The LORD has given us this land because we are such good people!’” (Duet. 9:4 NLT) He goes on to remind them of where they came from… of the marvelous mercy God has shown them in not giving them what they really DESERVED… the amazing grace he is showing them by giving them what they DON’T DESERVE!

THANK GOD, he hasn’t given me what I DESERVE! How are you doing today?