Dominate

Our friends Phil & Cassie Brabbs are going through some pretty crazy times right now (Recap here). We are huge fans of these two people and of course their beautiful kids and just wanted to direct you to their site to hear more of what's going on in their lives. I really don't want to say too much because 1.) I'll get some of the information wrong and 2.) They've done quite the job of telling their own story. (They are quite the goofy ones I might add.)

If, after reading their story, you feel like joining in on supporting Phil & Cassie and bringing down the dreaded Multiple Myeloma you can start out by checking out their 'Cancer Kicker-dominate' wrist bands located........HERE.

The Baj fam supporting the Brabbs fam. DOMINATE!

Loins

"The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now." -Chinese proverb

Jesus said in Luke 13:35-40, "Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

➢I thought it was interesting to note that "dressed for action" in Greek means "let your loins stay girded". Jesus was basically depicting a man preparing to run with his long robe tucked under his belt awaiting His return. This guy was ready to go on that day when Jesus came back. He was so prepared that he tucked in his shirt/skirt/robe and was ready to run to Him! He was anticipating his coming.

I can honestly say on my end that my loins are not always girded. I am a little too comfortable and complacent at times. Now, I'm not talking about waiting by the door in your "Sunday best" all day long every day but I am thinking along the lines that we should realize that this life will pass us by fast and we need to be asking some big questions about our existence. As John Piper says, "You will exist forever. You and God are both in the universe to stay-either as friends on his terms, or enemies on yours. Which it will be is proven in this life. And this life is a vapor. Two seconds, and we will be gone. Surely God means for our time on earth to count for something significant." You might want to take a sec to let that sink in. I sure had to!

Purchased

I often use the teachings of other Godly men because, to be quite honest, there is no way I could sum up what they had taught as clearly and concisely as they can/did. This is from John Piper and the Desiring God website:

1 Corinthians 15:3 may be the clearest definition of the gospel in the Bible:

1. The cross was planned ("in accordance with the Scriptures").
2. The gospel is a historical event ("Christ died").
3. The death of Christ achieved something ("for our sins").
4. That achievement is freely offered to everyone for faith alone. If that achievement were offered on the basis of my performance in any measure, there would be no gospel.
5. When I do believe in Jesus, the achievement is applied to me.
6. The end of the gospel is to see and enjoy the glory of God. God is our highest treasure; we are reconciled and forgiven and justified and given eternal life to enjoy God (1 Peter 3:18).

When we are fully and finally purchased and converted and sanctified in this way, then we will be fully satisfied in God and God will be fully glorified in us. And that’s why the universe was created and exists.

Our Grip

In Exodus 3+4 (specifically Exodus 4:2-5) we read about the story of God, Moses, and the laying down of what Moses had been holding onto so tightly. In this case it was his staff. As Rick Warren points out in this video Moses' staff represented his identity, income, and influence. As it happened, Moses loosened his grip on the staff and gave it up to God and then God made it come alive. In this case, literally. This led to some great questions:

➢ What do we have in our hands?

➢ What are we going to do or are we doing with what we’ve been given?

➢ Where does our influence, income, identity lie?

For a very long time, in my case, this quote summed up my life and worldview:

“You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around the whole time.” -Jim Bouton

10 Leadership Lessons

10 Leadership Lessons Learned in 50 Years of Leadership

Pastor Chuck Swindoll, accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award at Catalyst 09, offered the following lessons he has learned:

1. It’s lonely to lead. Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decision, the lonelier it is.
2. It’s dangerous to succeed. I’m most concerned for those who aren’t even 30 and are very gifted and successful. Sometimes God uses someone right out of youth, but usually he uses leaders who have been crushed.
3. It’s hardest at home. No one ever told me this in Seminary.
4. It’s essential to be real. If there’s one realm where phoniness is common, it’s among leaders. Stay real.
5. It’s painful to obey. The Lord will direct you to do some things that won’t be your choice. Invariably you will give up what you want to do for the cross.
6. Brokenness and failure are necessary.
7. Attitude is more important than actions. Your family may not have told you: some of you are hard to be around. A bad attitude overshadows good actions.
8. Integrity eclipses image. Today we highlight image. But it’s what you’re doing behind the scenes.
9. God’s way is better than my way.
10. Christlikeness begins and ends with humility.

Like Father Like Daughter

Leila is already showing some strong signs that she has many of the spastic personality traits of her father.

7 Miles

This video is pointing out that one way the secular world wants to write off the resurrection of Jesus Christ is by saying that maybe they didn't really kill him on the cross. Really! Really? (SNL. Anyone?) Check this short clip out. This is all based on history, not the Bible.