Monthly Archives: October 2012

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Why Do We Deny Jesus?

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In my last post, I asked some tough questions of everyone (myself included). The main question was the toughest – Do you deny Jesus? For more details about exactly what I was talking about, please read that post before reading further here.

deny Jesus

Why Deny Jesus?

Now that you are caught up, I am assuming that you are among the crowd of those of us who do, in fact, deny Jesus (to some degree) on a daily basis. That being the case, let’s move into the second question of this series – WHY do we deny Jesus?

To help us determine the answer to this question, I would like for us to look back at Peter. Let’s first try to figure out what caused Peter to deny Jesus. Maybe then, we can shed some light on why we do the same thing.

Misplaced Expectations?

It is clear from Scripture that many of the disciples (Peter included) and other followers expected Jesus to rise to some sort of military power and overthrow the Roman rule over the Jews. In fact, many Jews today still believe that way, which is why they do not accept Jesus as the Messiah.

In an effort to attempt to discern Peter’s motivations, let’s look at a couple of quotes from Peter in the book of Luke.

But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
– Luke 22:33

When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
– Luke 22:49-50

Mistaken Identity?

In both cases, it appears Peter is expecting (and looking forward to) a fight! Do you think anything Jesus has said to this point would cause him to think that? Or is it more likely that this was how Peter had assumed (along with virtually everyone else) the Messiah would rise to rule from His throne?

I think the latter is the case. I think Peter truly thought Jesus was going to show His true authority with some sort of rebellion and Peter wanted to be a part of it. If this is the case, how would this affect his behavior when Jesus willingly submitted to His arrest?

Peter’s Thoughts

Do you think Peter was confused?

Disappointed?

Scared he had misjudged Jesus?

I think this would easily explain his fear and subsequent decision to deny Jesus that night. In fact, this idea seems to fit the more I think about it.

However, even if this line of thinking is way off base, I think we can all agree that Peter was afraid of something when he decided to deny Jesus. He may have been afraid he would also be arrested. Maybe he was scared of how his association with Jesus would impact his own family. We cannot really know.

BUT, there is one thing we can be sure of.

Misunderstanding

We can be sure that Peter’s decision to deny Jesus came from one root misunderstanding. It is this same misunderstanding that I believe causes you and me to deny Jesus on a regular basis.

What is the one misunderstanding?

Peter did not fully comprehend WHO Jesus was and WHAT His purpose really was.

Drink that in a moment.

What If…

IF Peter had FULLY understood that Jesus was truly God in the flesh…

IF Peter had COMPLETELY grasped that Jesus created the very earth he inhabited…

IF Peter had TRULY wrapped his mind around Jesus’ mission here…

Do you really think he would have even considered the decision to deny Jesus?

Our Problem!

Please take this slowly. This is not just about Peter. I believe this is OUR problem!

We act the way we do because we have yet to fully grasp exactly WHO Jesus really is!

We go about our every day tasks, errands, and work. We raise our families and hang out with our friends. We do all the things that people do everyday, but most of us do not really behave in a way that reflects Jesus for who He is!

Do we REALLY act like disciples of the Jesus that created this world? Do we act like followers of the One that died in our place? Are we sincerely allowing Him to be Lord over ALL parts of our life (work/job/business, family, school, etc.)?

What About The Difference?

If so, shouldn’t there be a significance between us and those around us? I am not talking about having a fish symbol on your car, either. I mean different to our core!

If you are that different, again I say, “Congratulations!”

If not, like me, then something needs to change! We need to be about the business of learning WHO this Jesus truly is. I am not talking about the Americanized Jesus. I am talking about the real Jesus – the One in the Bible.

Let’s take the time to completely understand the real Jesus and His mission (and by extension, ours) here. Let’s agree to no longer deny Jesus and start boldly acknowledging Him in everything we do!

I promise you that He deserves it.

What are your thoughts at this point?

Am I off my rocker or does this make sense?

What am I missing?

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Do You Deny Jesus?

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Reader Beware: Todays post may contain questions that are not appropriate for the weak or immature. Please do not read any further if you are not prepared to be challenged, even questioned, about your loyalty to Jesus. If you are one that doesn’t think you can deny Jesus, then be warned. Don’t complain later to me that you were tricked into reading this post. I won’t hear of it!

deny Jesus

Peter’s Big Mistake

The basis for today’s post comes from the passage in Matthew 26 when Peter is found to deny Jesus three times. We are likely all familiar with this passage (if not, read Matthew 26:31-75). In fact, it is just as likely we have all judged Peter as being weak in this passage.

I know we usually look to the future after Peter is restored. We see his boldness and we “forgive” him for this cowardly act. We still feel that for him to deny Jesus was almost criminal, but we see how God uses him later and we accept him. If you have never had these thoughts, then congratulations. More likely, you have never admitted having these thoughts!

What About Us?

So if this is true – if we call it cowardice to deny Jesus – what does that say about us?

What does it say when we go from Monday to Saturday every week without actively acknowledging our allegiance to Jesus?

What does it say when we look exactly like everyone else as we go through our normal work day – when there is no recognizable difference between us and the guy next to us at the soccer field or in the school or at the office?

What does it say when so few of our daily decisions clearly reflect our allegiance to Jesus?

Active vs. Passive?

Do you see a difference between a decision (like Peter’s) to “actively” deny Jesus and our daily decision to “passively” deny Jesus?

I have to say that I do not see a difference. I do not see Peter’s public decision to verbally deny Jesus when asked about his association with Him to be any different than our decision to go quietly about our daily work or other duties without a clear acknowledgement that He is our Lord.

In case there is confusion as to what I am saying, let me try to clarify.

Actively Deny Jesus

A decision to “actively” deny Jesus is usually pretty easy to recognize. In the most extreme cases, we picture one of the students at Columbine High School in 1999 being asked if she is a Christian. As the story goes, she answered that she was a Christian and it cost her her life. For her to answer otherwise would have been to deny Jesus.

In a less extreme example, maybe we are asked a simple question about why we choose not to drink alcohol or participate in other activities that others see as the norm. “Are you a Christian? Is that why you don’t drink? Are you a goody-two-shoes?”

Maybe it does not get asked exactly like that, but you get the drift. The idea is that we are put in a position where it is uncomfortable to acknowledge Jesus as our reason for our behavior. If we answer “No” to their question, then that is a decision to deny Jesus.

Passively Deny Jesus

For most of us, this type of opportunity to “actively” deny Jesus is not our problem. In most cases, we have a problem with the “passive” denial of Jesus.

Most of us would argue that this decision to “passively” deny Jesus is not as clear to most people, but I believe that is really just an excuse.

See, I believe it is our culture that has conditioned us to believe that an overt, bold statement about our allegiance to Jesus – whether through our work or through our family decisions – is taboo. It is not politically correct to be an active Christian in our society today.

Obviously, this is more true in some areas of the world and less so in others. But even right here in the “Bible belt” of the southeastern United States, this kind of behavior is not popular. Just as obvious is the fact that there are many reasons for this to be the case.

But my point is not about the reasons why it is like this.

Conformity = Deny Jesus?

My main point is to question whether we realize that when we accept society to be like this and we simply go with the flow, we are making the decision to deny Jesus. I don’t care whether this is an active or passive denial, in my mind it is a denial all the same! What do you think?

I want to talk more in my next post or two about HOW we deny Jesus, WHY we do it, and how we can turn from that behavior.

Your Homework!

In the meantime, I encourage you to mentally replay your last week. Think about all of your activities, decisions, and thoughts. Pray that God will first clear you heart and mind of all distractions. Then pray He would search your heart and show you where you are denying the very Son that bought your salvation with His life.

As I said at the beginning of the post, this is not for the faint of heart. This is tough discipleship and no one will know if you bypass this post and keep going on the path you were on before. At least no one else will know – outside of you and God.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what we are talking about here.

Do you think I am off my rocker or do you agree?

If you agree, are you guilty of the decision to deny Jesus?

Why are we so slow to call it a denial?

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Is It A Sin NOT To Pray For Your Team?

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In a recent post, One Responsibility A Christian Leader Cannot Delegate, I explained that Christian leaders are responsible for prayer. It is not something we can delegate to someone else and be relieved of the responsibility. Today, the question gets a little tougher. Is it a sin NOT to pray for those we lead?

pray

Samuel’s Farewell Speech

In 1 Samuel 12, Samuel is giving his farewell speech to the Israelites. he has been their spiritual leader for many years and is now turning that duty over to Saul, whom he anointed as king. Samuel is warning the Israelites against turning away from God as they transition to following a king.

At the end of this farewell address, Samuel makes an interesting statement that directly relates to our topic of praying for those we lead. Here is what Samuel said…

As for me, I vow that I will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you.
1 Samuel 12:23

A Sin Not To Pray?

I am not sure it gets any more clear than that statement right there. Samuel clearly understood it to be a sin for him to fail to pray for those people he was leading. However, my initial question after reading this passage was, “Where is that in the Bible?” I could not remember a verse that said it was a sin NOT to pray for someone.

Well, here is what I have concluded after a little studying.

Samuel’s Vow To Pray

First, in 1 Samuel 7:5, Samuel vows to pray to the Lord on behalf of the Israelites. It is not clear whether this vow was intended to be an ongoing promise to pray, but it makes sense that it might. Either way, Samuel had seen it to be part of his responsibility to pray for those he was leading.

See Good, Do It!

Second, we can look to the New Testament in James 4:17 for more support of this idea that we are responsible as Christian leaders to pray for those we lead. Here is what James said…

So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it.
James 4:17

I Am Convinced!

Folks, that is enough for me. I am convinced that it is a responsibility of mine as a Christian leader to pray for my team. I look to men like Samuel as examples of great Christian leadership. If Samuel saw it as a sin to refrain from praying for his people, then I see it the same way.

So, assuming you agree with me, what are we to do? Well, I am sure I will leave something out, but I will take that risk and give you a list of what I think we should be praying about. If you think of additional items for this list, please let me know in the comments section!

What To Pray?

    1. Pray first for you to be the godly example and leader they need.
    2. Pray for their salvation (and that of their families)!
    3. Pray for their minds and hearts to be open to growing in their faith.
    4. Pray for their daily needs to be met.
    5. Pray that they would forgive and know forgiveness.
    6. Pray for their strength when facing temptation.
    7. Pray they find fulfillment in their jobs (current or future).
    8. Pray they would find (and develop) their own area of leadership.

My Commitment

As I said at the end of my post on being unable to delegate prayer, I am going to give more energy to my prayer life. As part of this, I commit to pray for everyone in our business according to the list above. I can’t wait to see the results!

Do you agree with our responsibility to pray for those we lead?

What prayers would you add to this list?

What other thoughts do you have on this topic?

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Are You A Missionary Or An Impostor?

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For the past year or so I have been writing this blog, one of the ideas I have been trying to explain is that we are all called to play the part of minister or missionary. I believe that, as Christian business owners and leaders, we are just as called to ministry as those on the church staff. While I have argued this from several angles, the following quote from C.H. Spurgeon makes our mission clear!

Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor.
– C.H. Spurgeon

missionary

Your Reaction?

What is your reaction to that quote? Do you say, “Yeah! I buy that!” or do you say, “Huh? That can’t be right.” when you read it?

I think most of us would agree that the truth of this quote rests on how we define one word – missionary. If we immediately assume that a missionary is someone living in a hut in the jungle of South America, then I would have to disagree with Spurgeon. I personally do not believe we are all called to leave our homelands and run off to some remote region for mission work.

Another thought from many is that a missionary may be someone that stays in their homeland, but they certainly quit their job and live off of the support of others. Maybe they volunteer full-time in a ministry or even live on the streets in an effort to reach those who have no other choice.

Dictionary Definition

What does the dictionary say?

missionary

Missionary = Leave Home?

Most people think that being a missionary requires leaving wherever they currently live and work to go somewhere else and spread the gospel. As you can see, this definition does not specify leaving anything. We can be missionaries if we are (1) on a mission, and (2) in a territory! Who says your “territory” can’t be where you are right now?

Most people have never considered this possibility that THEY could actually be a missionary without changing their address or their job.

I Felt The Same!

I have to admit I was a member of that group at one point! In fact, I went so far as to try to walk away from our family business because it never occurred to me that I could do ministry and business at the same time! Once God showed me the two can coexist, I have been a missionary in the marketplace!

In light of this revelation, I see Spurgeon’s quote as on target. If we are truly disciples of Jesus Christ, then a change has occurred in our lives. If this change is real, then there is no way we should be able to stay quiet about it. If the love of God is in us, then we cannot help but spread that love to those around us.

Changed By Impact!

David Platt described it this way. Imagine a friend of yours walked up to you and apologized for being late to meet you for dinner. Imagine they offered the excuse that they were changing a flat tire on their car when an eighteen-wheeler hit them from behind. They go on to tell you that though it really hurt, they got up, dusted themselves off, and finished changing the flat tire so they could finally meet you for dinner.

Would you believe them? Would you think they were nuts? Certainly someone that has been hit by an eighteen-wheeler would look and act differently after that impact, don’t you think?

Well, Platt asks, shouldn’t someone that has come face to face with Jesus, the creator of the universe, look differently as well? Should we not be forever changed as a result of our salvation?

Changed By Salvation!

If this is true, it would be reasonable to expect someone that experienced a life-saving experience with Jesus to share that experience with others, regardless of the setting or circumstances. Someone filled with God’s love should be eager to share it with anyone in their immediate circle of influence – and beyond!

Today, I encourage you to be a missionary right where you are! I am not suggesting you take a bullhorn to work, but that you start spreading the love of God wherever you go – work, school, or the soccer fields. Spread this love to anyone that needs it. You do this and you are full-fledged missionary!

Have you already realized this truth?

What are you doing differently now versus before?

What is God leading you to do next?

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Are You Navigating By True North?

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At Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, I was fortunate enough to hear a message from Bob Goff, attorney and best-selling author of Love Does. During his lively message, Bob shared the following story about his first long-distance sailing trip and true north. I think we can learn something from his experience. Below is his story, as I remember it, from his perspective.

true north

True North or Magnetic North

    I decided I wanted to sail from Long Beach, California to Diamond Head, Hawaii. The trip, just under 3,000 miles in total, would be my longest as a sailor. I decided to go to the marina and ask for a map. I knew I was in trouble when the clerk there told me it was not called a “map,” but was instead called a chart!

    Next, I put the “chart” on the table and drew a straight line between my home marina near Long Beach, California and the marina at Diamond Head, Hawaii. I thought that should be simple enough, right?

    Finally, I packed my supplies, including my trusty magnetic compass. Just before I was to leave on my trip, I decided to have a friend of mine check out my “chart” and make sure I would not get lost. Boy, am I glad I did that!

    His first question, after making fun of my straight-line path, was whether I was navigating based on “true north” or “magnetic north.” I had no clue what he was talking about! I showed him my compass and he started laughing! I waited for him to bless me with his knowledge…

    He explained that “true north” is based on the North Pole, which is in a fixed position. Magnetic north is not a fixed position, but is based on the earth’s magnetic field and shifts, depending on where you are on the planet.

    Evidently, the difference is greater when travelling long distances. If traveling from here to the parking lot, the difference in destination may only be a few inches. When travelling from California to the Hawaiian islands, the difference could cause me to miss the entire island chain! Boy am I glad I got that last minute advice!

No Laughing Matter

Folks, while I think this story was told somewhat in jest, I think the truth behind it is no laughing matter. In fact, I believe the truth behind this story could mean the difference between life and death.

If we are living our lives by chasing all that glitters and anything that brings us pleasure or fame, then we are following “magnetic north.” This “magnetic north” draws us to it and is tempting to use to navigate our lives. Unfortunately, by following this north, we will miss the whole point of this life we have been given.

True North

Instead, by following Jesus and using His life as a pattern for our own (1 John 2:6), we are following the “true north” and will hit the target we seek – the ultimate fulfillment and use of our lives. There is no substitute for this “true north.” I encourage you to check your “chart” and make sure you are not following the wrong compass!

Are you following true north in your business?

When have you been fooled by magnetic north and gone off course?

What do you need to do to get back on course with true north?

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Are You Committed To Continuous Learning?

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In business, we all know that continuous learning is crucial to our team’s success. I don’t think there is anyone in a leadership position that would argue against continuous learning. We probably all require it for every team member we have. My question is this…are you committed to it for yourself?

continuous learning

Continuous Learning Neglected?

Too many times, we as leaders neglect our own need for continuous learning. We do this for a number of reasons. Some say that they are simply too busy. Others may complain that they cannot afford the cost. Another group may argue that they really don’t need it.

Whatever the reasons, continuous learning is not always a prioritized part of a leader’s schedule. Folks, when this is true it is a tragedy. Take a look at the following verse from Proverbs.

The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks it. – Proverbs 18:15

I think this is clear advice – directing all of us to seek knowledge. The problem is that we often only apply this advice to those we lead. For the reasons listed above, we fail to apply it to ourselves.

More Important For Leaders

I would argue that continuous learning is more important for the leader than it is for the rest of the team. If the leader is not learning, then the team’s performance over time will decline. In some industries this is more true than others, but I believe it is true to some degree in all industries.

Take a look below at some reasons for leaders to commit themselves to continuous learning. As you read through the reasons, see if you think they speak to your situation.

    1. Leaders need to set the example for their team.
    2. Leaders need to be willing to do anything they ask of their team.
    3. Learning assists with vision.
    4. Without learning, competition will pass you by.
    5. The Bible directs us to commit to learning.

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list, but I think there are enough reasons to make the point. As Christian leaders, we should be committed to continuous learning. We should seek it as a top priority, not as an afterthought.

My Experience

For me, this is not terribly difficult because I enjoy learning from a variety of sources. I personally make sure that I am always reading books, viewing webinars, listening to podcasts and sermons, and attending various seminars and conferences. I try to do this on a regular basis.

As I have talked about in recent posts, this has been more difficult for me as of late due to some turnover in our business. As a result, I did not spend as much time learning over that 90 day window. These things happen and we have to adapt.

At the same time, I made sure that I returned to this priority as quickly as I could. In fact, over the past 30 days, I have been fortunate enough to attend two very productive conferences. I wish I could express how incredibly helpful these conferences were for me. All I can say is that the time I spent at each will be bearing fruit for quite some time.

Industry-Specific Learning

The first was an invitation-only summit among dealers and vendors in our industry. The main topic for this summit was critical to the success of our business. I mention the invitation to make the point that the opportunity actually came to us BEFORE we were ready for it.

When the invitation arrived, we had not yet made the crucial hires we needed to make for our business and we were severely short-handed! I was not even certain the hires would be made by them time the summit rolled around. At the same time, our commitment to continuous learning made accepting the invitation an easier decision.

Christian Ministry Learning

In order to keep my mind on our Christian ministry in the business, I try to balance the learning. The second conference was Catalyst in Atlanta just last week. Unlike the summit, this conference was all about Christian leadership. The slate of speakers was mind-boggling and listening to them one-after-another felt like drinking from a fire hose!

All I could do was to furiously take notes and make plans to distill them into action plans at a later time. I will do this over the next few weeks as I work to lay out my LIFE plan for next year. I will also be using much of this material for future posts on this blog!

Learn AND Take Action

I mention this to make my final point. Knowledge without application is useless. Consider these words from James:

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
– James 1:22

Folks, as I have said above, it is a tragedy for leaders to stop learning. The same is true for learning without doing!

I encourage you to be a leader that is fully committed to continuous learning AND one that converts what you learn into action. Don’t fall prey to allowing the urgent replace the important. Neither should you become a full-time student that never acts on your learning.

How strong is your commitment to continuous learning?

What keeps you from continuous learning?

What action step should you take on something you recently learned?

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Catalyst Conference 2012

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Catalyst conference

I will not be posting again the rest of this week because I am at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, GA. I am using this time over the next 4 days to review and revise my LIFE plan for 2013. I look forward to some incredible learning and intense self-examination over the next several days. I anticipate plenty of fresh material as a result!

If you are not already planning to attend, I strongly recommend you make plans to do this next year!