I have a number of really good friends. I enjoy being with them whether we are having coffee and talking, fishing, hunting, building, or in church together. Good friends give encouragement and they seem to know when to do that. They also give you a hard time and they seem to know when to do that as well. Good friends help you when you need help whether it is a word or some work, and they usually volunteer to help before you ask. Some friends sort of just drift out of your life, but the really good ones stick close no matter what.  Good friends forgive you when you do something stupid or unthoughtful, they get hurt, upset, and sometimes angry, but they don’t hold a grudge.  Good friends are open and transparent, and there aren’t to many secrets between you. It is because your friendship isn’t based on performance, but on, well, because you are friends. 

One of my really, really good friends died today. It was very sudden and very unexpected. He was a strong disciple of Jesus so he is in heaven having a great time now so I can’t be sad for him. I am very sad for me, because he was such a close friend and I will miss him very much. I am sad for his family who will miss him even more than I will. Death is a tough part of life, but it is a definite part of life for sure and as I get older it will be more and more of a regular event. Most of my friends and family are believers in Jesus, have been adopted into the family of God and have been given the gift of eternal life in heaven. I can’t imagine not having that faith and confidence that I have as an anchor of my soul. Sad would be really sad then,  painfully sad, with despair and fear thrown in. I have quite a few friends and family with the Lord now, and some day we will be together again and that will be one great reunion. 

I teach leadership classes almost every week and almost year round. It is my favorite topic to teach about. I have taught these classes for so long there are phrases that I use in the class repeatedly that have become known by most in our church, and have been given the title “deeisms”.  One of them is “everything rises and falls on leadership”, meaning the success of any organization is dependent on the quality of leadership it has. Which is why I teach leadership classes so much, the more trained, qualified leaders our church has the healthier we will be.  Another “deeism” is you can’t lead others until you can lead yourself. Self leadership is basically self-control. Most think self-control is simply gritting your teeth and clenching your fists and just doing it.  Self-control is much more a learned skill than it is effort, it is learning how to effectively lead yourself to do the things you want to do and become the person you want to become. When you have honed the skill of leading yourself you will do a good job of leading others. 

A major part of the skill of self leadership is self discovery. Who are you? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What is your temperament and your spiritual gifts? What are the signs that your emotional gas tank is getting to empty? How do you fill your emotional gas tank? Good leaders of others and themselves have spent a lot of time reflecting about life, principles, themselves, and God.

Probably the most ignored principle or the one most are ignorant of in self-leadership is “self-control or self-leadership is impossible by yourself”.  So the term self-control and self-leadership are misleading terms, because “self” can’t do anything successfully or well. Self-leadership is a team sport, that is you need help to lead you. God created us interdependent. That is the way we are by design, which simply means we can’t succeed without help. Proud, independent people will not accomplish anything of significance and will not grow. The most successful people, the best leaders, and those with great self-control are those who have learned well the line, “could you help me, please.”

I am teaching a class on Sunday mornings at 8 am on the book of Revelation. I have been reading the book of Revelation over and over again trying to get every little bit of truth there is to get in that book about the end times. As you read through the book that describes mostly a period of 7 years you discover that there are a number of really bad dudes that are attempting to control the world . The word that pops up over and over that describes the method used to gain control is the word deceive. These  evil men are able to deceive people by their skillful and charismatic speech, they are incredibly persuasive. They have leadership and organizational skills to bring about a one world government, one dominant religion, and a singular economic system, all by the power of deception. The Bible says the devil masquerades as an angel of light, and in the book of Revelation he masquerades as God. 

I can think of so many times that I have been fooled by people, deceived into believing something to be true that was false. Afterwards I was embarrassed and disgusted with myself for being such a fool. A number of years ago we had a man put a pledge in the offering plate for one million dollars, and as absurd as that was, he convinced me that it was ligament, or could be if we took certain steps. It was sort of fun to believe it was true for awhile, wow what we could do with that amount of money. Another time we actually wrote a check for $100,000 to a ponzi scheme , with the promise that we would double our money. We actually did get it doubled, but had to give it back after the scheme was uncovered. Whoooeee that was a disappointment. 

Knowing what is really the truth is going to get harder and harder in the coming days. People all around us will be declaring what is truth, and it will turn out to be false. The book in the Bible called Hebrews says that those who are accustomed to the word of righteousness, the word of God, the Bible will know the truth. They will have a supernatural discernment because they faithfully read, study, and memorize the Bible. I don’t like being deceived, and I want to be able to help others know what is true so I intend to be devoted to the Word of God. 

My goal is, when someone says or does something that irritates me even a little bit, that I would dismiss it, that is I would choose not to let my mind dwell on it and get all tied in a knot over it.  I do that by pro-actively praying for God to bless them as soon as I have the irritated thought, or I say in my mind to myself, “Lord, thank You for forgiving me of so many things 10X that bad, I choose to forgive them now, please help me” or I simply start meditating on a verse or verses that teach patience, forgiveness,and kindness, such as Ephesians 4:25-32.  These work well 95% of the time, but occasionally I struggle and let myself get in a grumpy mood. I had a wonderful evening with Patty and friends at a nice restaurant tonight, and then when I got home I let someone I hardly know get under my skin, and I spent the evening at home being grumpy and sullen. Now as I think about it I feel foolish, wimpy, and childish. The only good thing is that I don’t think I acted the way I felt to much, because nobody asked me what was wrong. I often confuse myself in that these out of the blue lapses in maturity make me wonder what I am really made of.  About the only thing that comes to mind is Paul’s words, “Oh wretched man that I am” , someday I will be free of this body and this world.

I turned over the main preaching at JBC to Pastor Mike Dedera almost one year ago.  There were numerous reasons, and I had mulled those over in my head for some time before I pulled the trigger on this decision. It was a very difficult one for me because I had been the pastor and preacher for JBC for the last 40 years. It was my life, my identity, my passion, my giftedness, and the activity that most caused me to feel the pleasure of God with my life. Now I teach a number of classes, follow up on new people, organize small groups, train leaders, lead the staff, and pray. 

It is definitely a new chapter in my life with being in the background much more than before. I have entered into my new role with enthusiasm writing goals and establishing vision for all that I do. I am also increasing my writing ministry and attempting to expand the influence of it to many pastors around Oregon and ultimately the world if God allows and blesses. I am pressing on to do more and influence more, but I acknowledge that I do only as much as the Lord allows and gives. He is the one who opens and shuts. I pray every day begging for more, but I trust Him and commit my plans and work to Him. 

Pastor Mike is leading a team from JBC on a short term mission trip to India, and I get to preach for the next 4 weeks in the main services again. I was working on my sermon today, and I couldn’t believe how nervous I was getting as a I studied and thought about this weekend. As I pray about this next 4 weeks I am asking God over and over again to help me not make this about me in my mind. Wow, it is so easy for me to slip into subtly thinking about these next 4 weeks as a performance to impress people. I don’t want to mess up what God can do through the sermons in the lives of those who attend and listen by losing  His blessing and anointing because of my pride. 

Hebrews 12:6. For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,  And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

1 Corinthians 11:30-32. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

1 Peter 3:9-15.  for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For the one who desires life, to love and see good days, must  keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.  “He must turn away from evil and do good;  He must seek peace and pursue it.  For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,And His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

God’s main goal with us after we become believers and followers of Him is our character. He wants to make us like Himself in character so when we get to heaven we will be like Him so that we can enjoy Him and He can enjoy us forever because we are like Him.  The primary tool God uses for shaping us is trials. So many people don’t understand this, and so they fuss and complain when trials come into their life.  

The key way we reduce trials is grow in character so that we don’t need them anymore. Learn what God is teaching the first time that He disciplines so He doesn’t have to take us through harder times to get our attention.  

Trials come into everyone’s life as part of life to grow us stronger and more like Christ, but we bring extra trials into our life when we don’t obey the Lord and follow His will for our life. It is what any good Dad does, he trains his children to be good. 

We had our first of 3 services at JBC for Easter tonight. It was an amazing time of listening to music and singing that genuinely touched my heart and soul. I am so thankful for gifted musicians and singers who communicate the truth of the gospel, the death and resurrection of Jesus in such an emotionally moving way. I tend to be a stoic, cerebral kind of person that thinks about everything, but doesn’t feel much emotion about anything. I don’t listen to music very much on the radio or CD player, because I like listening to sermons more,  so my anticipation for our Easter service was “it will be nice, and visitors will probably enjoy it”, but I wasn’t particularly excited about it. As the service was coming to a close, and I was feeling very moved by the evening, I simply said in my heart, “thank You Jesus for Your amazing gift of eternal life to me, I love You”. I am going to listen to it 2 more times tomorrow, and I am anticipating that each one will get better in its impact on me personally. 

When you are offended or disappointed by others and allow the hurt to germinate in your heart, bitterness and resentment will take root. Characterized by an unforgiving spirit and generally negative, critical attitudes, bitterness and resentment are sinful and self-defeating. They will color your conscious and unconscious thoughts and actions. Allowed to fester, they will destroy and kill relationships. 

Just by chance I bumped into someone this evening that hurt me deeply years ago. I had basically forgotten about the event but when I saw them it all came back in a second. I thought to myself, wow, a memory can be a terrible thing. At that point I knew my self-talk was very important. I prayed quickly in my heart and said, “Lord, I know what Your will is here, that I forgive completely, quickly and with no strings attached, and that I love this person right now by being gracious, accepting, kind, and attentive to their words as I show worth and value”. “You are Lord of my life and I choose to do Your will this moment and I trust You will give me the strength to please You”. 

As I walked away after a few minutes of pleasant conversation I thought, “It feels good not to be controlled by events, circumstances, and other people’s choices. It feels good to be free of negative feelings and thoughts, it feels good to be a follower of Jesus and to choose to do what is right because that is His will and what makes Him pleased with me. I hear people say all the time how hard it is to forgive their ex or their parents or a neighbor because what they did was so hurtful. It is hard when You don’t obey Jesus and do what He says. The moment I submit to His will and say, “You are Lord,of my life and I will obey You, no matter what”. The power of God flows to commitment and our choosing to obey. 

Proverbs 1:5. A wise man will hear and increase in learning,  And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

Proverbs 2:2-7. Make your ear attentive to wisdom,  Incline your heart to understanding;  For if you cry for discernment,  Lift your voice for understanding;  If you seek her as silver. And search for her as for hidden treasures;  Then you will discern the fear of the Lord and  discover the knowledge of God.  For the Lord gives wisdom;  From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;  He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

Wisdom is the main thing. Wisdom is knowing what to do, and what to say in any and every situation God sovereignly puts you in.  One of my Dad’s frequent statements was “just because you get old, doesn’t mean you get smart, there are a lot of old fools”.  The older I get the more true I realize my Dad’s proverb is.  One of my life mission statements is to be a lifelong learner, and one of my yearly goals in pursuing being a lifelong learner is  to “learn something I never knew before”. One year I learned bee keeping. I bought all the stuff and had a couple of hives for two years and then gave it all to my grandson. Another year I learned how to make soap. I learned all about aqua ponics and built a system complete with Tilapia.  This  year I am learning taxidermy. 

Lifelong learners do new things. Lifelong learners go to new places. Lifelong learners read a lot. Lifelong learners are always looking for wise people to talk to and ask good questions of and take good notes. 

I am a teacher. I teach the Bible,  and how to know God.  A law of God in regards to those who would dare take on the challenge of teaching the Word of God is that the student will become like the teacher. If I am a learner those I teach will be as well. 

One of Eeyore’s classic lines is “nobody wants to be my friend”. It is tough being friends with an Eeyore person. They are just no fun to be around. There are a lot of Eeyore people around today and their numbers are growing rapidly. People don’t know how to manage all that the world and our culture is pumping out today.  All the changes, the upheaval, the continual war with words between everybody. Once this sad sack, blue funk, poor me, nobody loves me thinking and attitude starts it is very hard to get out of it, and things just keeping getting worse. If you came to me and asked my advice I would give you 5 things to do everyday that I guarantee would steadily move you in the direction of being positive, joyful, and fun to be with. 

1.  Spend 15 minutes everyday memorizing Bible verses. The main reason people become an Eeyore is because of the way they think for long periods of time. Any time you find yourself thinking bitter, poor me, negative, critical thoughts choose as an act of your will to set your mind on some of the verses you have memorized, and meditate on them. This discipline is amazingly effective. This is a hard discipline and very few will make the effort, but those who do will become very blessed and happy people. God’s Word is living, active, supernatural, the Mind of Christ, and the sword of the Spirit. 

2. Colossians 3:2 ought to be one of the first verses you memorize, and then you can do what it says, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things of this earth,” That means think about eternity a lot. Think about a time and place with zero problems and trials, incredible beauty, a new and healthy body that will never get sick, hurt, and that can fly.

3. Stop watching the news. People are news junkies today and that will make an Eeyore out of anybody. I have a couple of internet sights that give me a short condensed summary of the top news items of the day without a lot of opinions.

4.  Spend time faithfully everyday with God in devotional Bible reading and prayer. 15 minutes of Bible reading followed up immediately  with 15 minutes of focused prayer will bring great measures of God’s joy, peace, and strength into our life, absolutely guaranteed. 

5. Read a Patrick McManus short story at least 3 times a week. Read them out loud to your spouse and kids if you can. When I did that I got to laughing so hard I couldn’t read with any level of clarity for them so I had to read it just to myself.