Steve's Blog

Today is MLK Day 2012, the day we recall the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King was an iconic figure who advanced justice and equality using nonviolent means, always keeping in front of him the vision of a color blind society. In commemoration of his life, I listened to the “I Have A Dream” speech he gave on the Washington Mall in DC, at the base of the Lincoln Memorial, on August 28, 1963. His famous speech is an inspiration to all leaders, especially those with a well articulated call, passion and mission. King’s dream lives on today, marked in great part by his clarion call, “Let freedom ring!”

Your Personal Rule of Life is very simply the articulation of the dream God planted deeply in YOUR heart. The dream you’ve been invited to fulfill for God’s glory. It’s there. You have one. Mining for it is a process of discovery that will lead you to the true you. Once found and embraced, you too can experience unspeakable joy as you live intimately and intentionally with and for the Lord.

A Personal Rule of Life is defined by yours truly as “a holistic description of the Spirit-empowered rhythms and relationships that create, redeem, sustain and transform the life God invites you to humbly fulfill for Christ’s glory.” Over the coming weeks and months I will unpack this definition one topic at a time. My goal is to help you discover your dream and live it with vigor, joy and ever deepening faithfulness.
But for today, may these select words from King’s “I Have A Dream” speech swell within you and bring to life your own dream for a future blessed by Almighty God…”We refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice…Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children…I have a dream that one day…Let freedom ring…and when we allow freedom to ring…we will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Consider for a moment something beautiful that you admire…a piece of artwork or architecture, a glorious sunrise or sunset, a newborn baby, a snow capped mountain, a trickling brook, a well articulated poem, a compassionate word or action, a gifted athlete, or even a splendidly adorned table.

What do they all have in common?

Each has been crafted carefully, prepared and ordered lovingly. Each brush stroke fitly placed, every angle thoughtfully configured, all aspects designed by their creator and intentionally focused to bring joy to their world.

Those who purposely embrace their call to holiness and faithfulness are beautiful reflections of the God who created them for His glory, praise and joy. But, as John Stott once wrote, “Holiness is not a condition into which we drift” (God’s New Society, IVP/1979,p 193).

Therefore a holy life is not something that comes naturally to any of us. A holy and devout life is one that we choose. As a result we become children of God who respond to God’s loving initiatives by our daily intentionality toward faithfulness – and in so doing fulfill our “Rule of Life.”

Your holy life…becoming someone beautiful for God…is not a life we drift toward, but instead a life we choose in and by His mercy. Lean in to God’s loving embrace and wisely order (and then continuously re-order) your heart according to His wisdom, grace, forgiveness and truth. God delights to show you his pathway toward a beautiful, holy life.

“Now you’ve got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I’m on the right way.” (Psalm 16:11 from The Message)

Are you looking for a good-for-the-soul resolution for 2012? How about one as simple as “rest in God”? When we rest in God we put our trust – and our lives – in his faithful hands. Choosing to rest in God brings our hearts back in alignment with his loving invitation to draw near and follow him – no matter what.

Throughout the coming year we will be considering the myriad ways God initiates toward us as his dearly loved children. We will cover a variety of topics under the banner of a personal rule of life. I will be encouraging you to consider attending deeply to the voice of the Lord and his desires for you. I will be urging you to reorder your loves according to God’s best intentions for the fullness of your life in him.

In the early 5th Century, St. Augustine wrote profoundly on this subject. The following excerpt is from his Confessions (Book 1, Chapter 1, Section 1), “‘You are great, Lord, and highly to be praised (Ps. 47:2): great is your power and your wisdom is immeasurable’ (Ps. 146:5). Man, a little piece of your creation, desires to praise you, a human being ‘bearing his mortality with him’ (2Cor. 4:10), carrying with him the witness of his sin and the witness that you ‘resist the proud’ (1Pet. 5:5). Nevertheless, to praise you is the desire of man, a little piece of your creation. You stir man to take pleasure in praising you, because you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

Throughout 2012 my prayer for you is that you will indeed rest in God…for only then will your restless heart be stilled and comforted in his love. This will lead you into a life of praise that pleases God and brings joy to all who cross your pathway of faith.

Happy New Year from all of us at LTi!

During Leadership Transformations recent celebration of our 8th Anniversary, we held an event entitled “Re-Ignited: Kindling Our Inner Fire for God.” During one of the plenary sessions I spoke about “Feeding the Neglected Soul,” and suggested five inviting ways we can nurture our souls.

The first way we feed our neglected soul is to open ourselves fully to receive the abundance of our Heavenly Father’s loving embrace (blog entry 11.18.11).

The second way I suggested is to trust in the Spirit to create from deep within us a transformative walk of faith (blog entry 11.28.11).

Thirdly, we feed our soul by leaning fully into the manifold gifts of Sabbath (blog entry 12.12.11).

Fourthly, we feed our soul by practicing life-giving spiritual disciplines in order to become more spaciously attentive to God (blog entry 12.19.11).

And fifthly, our soul is fed by discerning and fulfilling our Personal Rule of Life – defined by yours truly as “a holistic description of the Spirit-empowered rhythms and relationships that create, redeem, sustain and transform the life God invites you to humbly fulfill for Christ’s glory.”

Over this past weekend we’ve recounted new chapters of the Advent and Christmas journey, found in storybook fashion through the pages of Luke 1 and 2. Here in the biblical text we see with clarity the radical availability of the various characters who surrounded the baby Jesus. Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, the Shepherds, Simeon and Anna. Each received a divine touch and specific invitation to respond to the loving initiatives of God. When they answered with a “Yes!” they were empowered by the Holy Spirit to be and become all that God intended. Their delightful stories have been recounted ever since that first Christmas.

When we too hear, understand and affirm God’s unique invitation for our own life – in all its beauty, creativity, and authenticity – we see and sense firsthand the touch of Almighty God. Our path of life (Psalm 16) is to be followed humbly, generously, and intentionally in service to others. When we share the fullness of God in and through us, and in the context of Christian community, we do so for the honor and pleasure of the Lord Jesus.

As we turn the page into 2012, I’ll be devoting my weekly blogs to Rule of Life concepts. Your personal Rule of Life is about both being and doing. We’ll explore multiple topics with broad brush strokes and with specific granularity. The desired outcome is a life well lived for the glory of God. It is my hope and prayer that you will find great joy in all the visitations of God’s Spirit inviting you into the well-ordered way of faithful love and service.

During Leadership Transformations recent celebration of our 8th Anniversary, we held an event entitled “Re-Ignited: Kindling Our Inner Fire for God.” During one of the plenary sessions I spoke about “Feeding the Neglected Soul,” and suggested five inviting ways we can nurture our souls.
The first way we feed our neglected soul is to open ourselves fully to receive the abundance of our Heavenly Father’s loving embrace (blog entry 11.18.11).
The second way I suggested is to trust in the Spirit to create from deep within us a transformative walk of faith (blog entry 11.28.11).
Thirdly, we feed our soul by leaning fully into the manifold gifts of Sabbath (blog entry 12.12.11).

And fourthly, we feed our soul by practicing life-giving spiritual disciplines in order to become more spaciously attentive to God. Jesus himself maintained such openness to the Father throughout his earthly ministry. He also invited his disciples to follow in his footsteps and do likewise. “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31) he called, in anticipation of showing compassion on the crowds and miraculously feeding the 5,000.

The spiritual disciplines are means by which we experience the richness of the grace of God. They open us up to the wider possibilities of love, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and service to others. The disciplines remind us about the “one thing” that matters most, our intimacy with God, out of which we give our lives away in Jesus’ name.

As you consider for yourself what spiritual disciplines are most life giving to your soul (of which there are dozens to choose from), let me encourage you in a small handful of ways:

a) In your prayer closet, always begin with the Word of God. Contemplatively receive the Word in a slow and deep read, embracing every word as a gift from the Father.
b) In your prayer chair, listen for the voice of the Spirit whispering in the ear of your heart. In your prayers, purposefully shift away from doing all the talking to God and tip the scale more toward listening for his still small voice.
c) In your prayer chamber, reflect on your life in Christ. Consider ways God’s faithfulness has been previously exhibited in your life and give thanks. Deem ways you can reflect the love of Jesus in the coming day(s) and walk forward faithfully and intentionally.

In the midst of a busy life, be reminded today to prioritize the care and nurture of your soul. Begin your day in that quiet place of biblical receptivity, listening prayer, and faithful reflection. As you become more spaciously attentive to God, may your soul be nourished by his empowering presence and peace.

In mid-November, the Leadership Transformations family celebrated our 8th Anniversary in a variety of ways, starting with an event entitled “Re-Ignited: Kindling Our Inner Fire for God.” During one of the plenary sessions I spoke about “Feeding the Neglected Soul,” and suggested five inviting ways we can nurture our souls.
The first way we feed our neglected soul is to open ourselves fully to receive the abundance of our Heavenly Father’s loving embrace (blog entry 11.18.11).
The second way I suggested is to trust in the Spirit to create from deep within us a transformative walk of faith (blog entry 11.28.11).
Thirdly, we feed our soul by leaning into the manifold gifts of Sabbath – both as a day set aside for rest as well as pursuing a lifestyle of spacious encounters and mini-Sabbaths with God. What are the gifts of Sabbath? Several have written about this subject (see our store for suggested readings http://www.leadershiptransformations.org/pref_books.htm#OSR ), and the rhythmic gifts that rise to the surface from writers like Marva Dawn, Don Postema, and Mark Buchanan are fourfold.
The first gift of Sabbath is “ceasing” – purposefully halting the usual activity and pace of life in order to step into spaciousness, including silence and solitude. Ceasing what you normally do in a day to create wide open space that will prepare you for heightened attentiveness to God is the goal. Ceasing is hard to do; the clutter of our inner and exterior worlds continuously fights against this priority.
The second gift of Sabbath is “resting” – allowing your body, mind and heart to slow down and receive the loving initiatives of God. In full submission and surrender, we find rest by trustingly falling into the embrace of God. In order to get to this place of receptivity we need to choose rest that’s adrenalin-free, out of which we discover a deep awareness of his gentleness toward us as beloved children.
The third gift of Sabbath is “celebrating” – acknowledging with joyful delight and thanksgiving that we belong to the family of God. In worship, fellowship, and mutual edification, the “we” of Sabbath comes alive with others who share our Sabbath longings as children of the heavenly Father. Enjoying times of prayerful worship and deeply meaningful fellowship are hallmarks of true Sabbath for the people of God.
The fourth gift of Sabbath is “embracing” – discovering afresh the richness of our desires and longings to be all that God invites us to fulfill in this life. When we embrace our calling and faithfully seek his will for our lives, we become more intentional about loving and serving in his name. The gifts of Sabbath come alive as we re-engage our world for the sake of Christ.
Leaning into the gifts of Sabbath feeds our soul and leads us into a more intimate walk with God. May it be so for you this Advent season and into the new year.
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord,” Isaiah 58: 13,14a.

Earlier this month the Leadership Transformations family celebrated our 8th Anniversary in a variety of ways, starting with an event entitled “Re-Ignited: Kindling Our Inner Fire for God.” During one of the plenary sessions I spoke about “Feeding the Neglected Soul,” and suggested five inviting ways we can nurture our souls.

The first way we feed our neglected soul is to open ourselves fully to receive the abundance of our Heavenly Father’s loving embrace (blog entry 11.18.11).

The second way I suggested is to trust in the Spirit to create from deep within us a transformative walk of faith.

The Holy Spirit is and always has been an active member of the Trinity. The Spirit was present in creation, throughout the biblical narrative, in the ministry of Jesus and the early church, and has been at work in the hearts and lives of believers ever since. The movement and ministry of the Spirit is ever-present, all-powerful, and all-knowing. The Spirit is eternal, fully alive, and empowers each and every believer with unparalleled wisdom and strength.

When we invite the Spirit to transform us from the depth of our soul and into all of life, we depend on the Spirit to convict us of our sin, convert us from darkness to light, counsel us in matters great and small, comfort us in times of need, console us with his peace, continue to mature us as his children in worship and witness, and continually conform us more and more into the image of Christ.
When we invite the Spirit to build from within us the joy of the abundant life, we are asking God to create evidence of his presence in the form of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (the nine lovely attributes of the Spirit). When we keep in step with the Spirit we are seeking to express the gifts he endows us to embody as teachers, preachers, leaders, servants, counselors, administrators, and several other spiritual gifts he generously bestows.

Yes, the ministry of God’s Spirit is available to all who believe. God is not stingy with his Spirit; instead he’s really quite generous. Is it time to re-order your loves and direct the priorities of your heart sincerely back to God? Invite the Spirit to do the re-ordering, incline the ears of your heart in his direction, and watch how different your life in God will be in the coming days and hours. The Spirit is just a breath away…his life in you is freedom and joy in abundance.

The Spirit of God wants more than anything for you to trust and depend upon him for every aspect of your life. Will you put your life fully in his hands? Feed your hungry soul by inviting the Spirit to have his way in your heart and life today!

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8).

We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land, but it is fed and watered by God’s almighty hand;
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain, the breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain.

Refrain: All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above;
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord for all his love.

He only is the Maker of all things near and far; he paints the wayside flower, he lights the evening star;
The winds and waves obey him, by him the birds are fed; much more to us, his children, he gives our daily bread.
Refrain…

We thank you then, O Father, for all things bright and good, the seedtime and the harvest, our life, out health, our food
No gifts have we to offer for all your love imparts, but that which you desire now: our humble, thankful hearts.
Refrain…

In 1782 the German poet Matthias Claudius wrote this wonderful hymn, with Acts 14:17 as its backdrop, “He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons, he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

It is with profound joy to offer you my sincere gratitude for your loving and generous partnership, prayers and support. The LTi family wishes you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving 2011.

Last weekend the Leadership Transformations family celebrated our 8th Anniversary in a variety of ways, starting with an event entitled “Re-Ignited: Kindling Our Inner Fire for God.” During one of the plenary sessions I spoke about “Feeding the Neglected Soul,” and suggested five inviting ways we can nurture our souls. As a result, I’ll be addressing these in my blog posts through the end of this year.

The first way we feed our neglected soul is to open ourselves fully to receive the abundance of our Heavenly Father’s loving embrace.

In the parable of the lost son (Luke 15: 11-32), we see how extravagant the prodigal father’s love is toward his wayward son. After having squandered his father’s inheritance in wild, riotous living, the younger son finds himself in a severe famine of the soul, eventually sleeping among the pigs. But, “when he came to his senses” and realized how far he was from his father’s heart and household, he mapped out his plea for forgiveness and set his trajectory toward home.

But, while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming from the porch of heaven and was filled with compassion for his son. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Without needing his son’s apology, the father brought him the best robe, a bright ring, and sandals for his feet. A fattened calf was killed in his behalf and a feast of celebration was thrown in his honor. His son was home, hallelujah!

How surprising to the reader to see the upside down nature of the father’s unconditional love. For most of us, we’d follow a much different course…perhaps stand on the porch with arms folded firm, keeping a stern face of disappointment until the lost one pleads for forgiveness, with a punitive or judgmental response before issuing mercy. Are you willing to consider such a contrast of replies – the chasm between our human response and the extravagance of the heavenly Father? And, are you open enough to see yourself as the wayward son (or daughter) and genuinely long to receive the Father’s loving embrace?

The core of the gospel we proclaim is “love” – sent from heaven above and fulfilled in Jesus. Love for all lost sons and daughters who daily walk their own path and spend their inheritance as they best see fit, even if it leads to their self destruction.

Come home, dear friend, to the Father’s loving embrace. Receive that unparalleled gift and your life will never be the same again. It’s the essence of the soul of one who loves because they know without a shadow of a doubt that they were loved first by God. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

On Friday, November 11, 2011, LTi is hosting an event at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary entitled “Re-Ignited: Kindling Your Inner Fire for God” with special guest speaker Chris Webb (and yours truly). In anticipation of that event I am focusing my weekly blogs on the topic, “What are the winds that blow toward your soul and seek to extinguish your inner flame for God?”

Part Eight: Inability to Listen Well…to God, to others, and even to ourselves. A closed or clogged up soul is unavailable for and inattentive primarily to God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Is your soul a listening and attentive soul? To listen well is to give heed to, pay attention to. It’s at the heart of the gospel message, for God the Father said of Jesus, “This is my son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9:7). Jesus told his disciples, “Pay attention to how you listen!” (Luke 8:18, NRSV). And, long before Jesus spoke these words, Moses told the people of God, “Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him” (Deut. 30: 19-20).

So how is it that we pay attention to the voice of Jesus? We are his followers, and he is like a shepherd to us (John 10:14). Therefore, we’re invited and instructed (as his wooly followers) to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and not to a stranger’s voice instead. So often the eyes and ears of our heart get distracted by the images and sounds of other influencers of our soul. Each of us are susceptible to those influences that lead us out of a posture of attentiveness to God and entice us instead to be led into pastures that keep us from flourishing in heart, soul, mind and strength.

All of the seven previously mentioned “winds that blow toward our soul and extinguish our inner flame for God” –  our enemy the devil, our prideful self, the idols of our heart, our busyness, the abundant accessibility of technology, our unattended heartache, and our Sabbathlessness – lead us into the inattentiveness of our soul and the invitational voice of the Good Shepherd.

So what will be your response? The prayer of my heart is that all who are called by God into an intimate fellowship with him will indeed listen attentively to the loving, forgiving, grace-filled, life-transforming voice of the Good Shepherd. Jesus longs to lead us beside quiet waters, refresh our souls, and guide us along right paths for his name’s sake (Psalm 23). For surely his goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives, and indeed we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!