Eric Ebbinghaus and I have been having this back and forth conversation about the Sabbath. He’s currently doing a youth series on the topic and I’m starting one in April. In previous posts(1 and 2), I’ve discussed the “rest side” of the issue, but now I want to look at the other side. This was all prompted by something I heard a pastor say on TV the other day. “Ladies, the Bible says to work 6 days and rest on the 7th, but if the man you’re seeing is too lazy to get off the couch and get a job then you need to send him packing because he is a LOSER.” It was Valentine’s Day message on the type of man a single woman should be looking for. What caught my attention was the “work 6 days” part. Here’s what Genesis 2:2-3(NIV) says:
2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Two things I see. First, God had been working hard and secondly, He had finished His work. He clarified His position in Exodus 20: 8-11(NIV):
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
“Labor and do all your work…” God spent that first Sabbath enjoying a tremendous sense of accomplishment at what He had created. When the next week rolled around He wasn’t worried about what He put off doing the week before. He was ready for new challenges, tasks, and adventure. It seems to me that procrastination wasn’t part of the equation until after the Fall. It seems to me that we can’t fully enjoy the Sabbath until we’ve given ourselves fully to our work. Why aren’t we giving ourselves fully to our work?
- Lack of Focus/Distractions
- Procrastination
- Laziness
- Lack of Passion
- Health Issues/Fatigue
- Unrealistic Expectations placed on us that discourage our effort
- Family Issues
- Depression
What did I leave out? What are you struggling with? My prayer is that all of us would be passionate and focused about what we have been created to do. That’s what chasing your lion is all about. God was the inventor of Work Hard, Play Hard. Over the next few weeks, I’ll break down these issues and find solutions to get us all on the right track. Thanks for reading.
Sabbath Resources:
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Finding Your Maximum Happiness A Study of the Ten Commandments
By Wilbur G. Williams Maximum happiness! That’s the subject of this study. How does one get it? After one gets it, how is it kept? If one has it and lost it, how is it regained? These are questions we will try to answer. Basically everyone wants happiness out of life. God wants everyone to be happy. Then why are so many lacking in this area? One might expect poor people – who have little of this world’s goods – not to have it, yet many of them do. One might expect people who have everything money can buy to possess happiness but many of them don’t. To study how God planned for us to obtain happiness, let us first ask, on what does true happiness depend? In brief, maximum happiness depends most heavily on one thing: relationship. It is the by product of that and that alone. In the focus of this book, it is a law guided relationship based on a covenant made with God first and foremost. There is a sense in which we never “find” happiness by seeking it. But by seeking God, happiness finds us. |
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Sabbath: The Ancient Practices
By Dan Allender Does resting on the Sabbath mean to cease all activity? In his new book Dan Allender presents an insightful and fascinating look at the origins and purpose of the Sabbath day. Serving as volume three in The Ancient Practices Series, Sabbath examines the key issues of this oft-misunderstood day of the week. This “day of delight,” as instituted by God, has become a dirge for millions of believers. For many, it is simply a break from the busyness of the work week. So, what keeps us from properly understanding, sanctifying and celebrating this important day? Allender looks at not only the history of this discipline, going all the way back to ancient Israel, but also at the modern manifestations and misunderstandings of its practice. Drawing upon the Hebrew word Menuha, Allender bases his premise upon the forgotten definition for this word (best translated as joyous repose, tranquility, or delight) and what it truly means to rest. |
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The Year of Living Like Jesus: My Journey of Discovering What Jesus Would Really Do
By Ed Dobson Pastor Dobson chronicles his year of “walking in Jesus’ sandals.” He eats what Jesus ate. Prays as Jesus prayed. Observes the Sabbath, attends Jewish festivals, and reads the Gospels every week. It’s a journey that takes him into bars, inspires him to pick up hitchhikers, deepens his understanding of suffering—and changes his life forever! 304 pages, hardcover from Zondervan. |
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Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity
By Keri Wyatt Kent In today’s fast-paced society, we’ve forgotten an essential truth . . . that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Inviting you to find a balance between work and refreshment, Kent explores six aspects of this Christian spiritual practice—resting, reconnecting, revising, pausing, playing, and praying—to help you experience renewed energy, grace, and joy. 224 pages, softcover from Zondervan. |
In taking a page from the old playbook, here are some great posts from the ole Google Reader. As the title of the post suggests, they cover a broad range of topics.
- Vitamin Z with the Play of the Day
- Rhett Smith on Educating Adolescents on Technology and Pornography
- MIchael Hyatt on Leaders creating Alignment
- Ed Stetzer’s with part 6 of his Monday is for Missional series
- Religion, Wealth, and Faith chart from Church Crunch
On a separate note: am I the only pastor who hasn’t already attended 3 great conferences this year? The Southern Area Minister’s Conference was canceled at Southern Wesleyan University and I imagine they won’t have it next year either because of the denominational Gathering next January. I do miss the traditional lunch at Keith Street Bar and Grill in Clemson with a van full of youth pastors. We went to Unleash last year, but it’s sold out this year. So, if you had to pick just 1 conference to go to every year what would it be?
Currently Reading:
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Financial Peace: Revisited
By Dave Ramsey Want to get out of debt and stay out? Financial Peace Revisited gives you the tools to understand why you are in debt, create a budget you can stick to, set goals you can achieve, and make things right for you and your family emotionally, spiritually, and financially, for good. Updated version of the bestseller Financial Peace includes new chapters on marriage, singles, kids, and families. |
Disclaimer: Many people feel trapped in jobs and careers they don’t love because of their financial obligations. We have so much debt that we have left ourselves little career flexibility. Sometimes, laziness on our part is the biggest hindrance in our job. This list is meant as motivation to do something to make your life better.
The Forgotten 5 Signs You Picked the Wrong Career
5. You dread getting up in the morning because you hate going to work.
4. Your enthusiasm and passion for your job is directly related to your salary.
3. Your work schedule is slowly tearing your family apart…and you know it, but aren’t sure what to do about it.
2. Your boss is not too big on things like vacations, family time, encouragement, and a peaceful working environment.
1. You wouldn’t recommend your company, service, or trade to anyone.
So, where do you go from here?
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48 Days Career Set By Dan Miller Don’t see your job as mundane anymore, but rather a calling God has put in your life. Get excited about work once again as you understand your skill sets and the career that God has best suited you for. Along with the book 48 Days to the Work You Love, the set also includes an interactive workbook with two CDs. It’s an individualized process with poignant questions to help you succeed on the career path with boldness and enthusiasm. Disc 1: Disc 2: |
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48 Days to the Work You Love, Trade Paper Edition By Dan Miller 48 Days to the Work You Love is not about finding a new job. It is about finding out what you are going to “be.” According to Dan Miller, failing to make that fundamental discovery is why so many people find themselves in jobs they hate. But the great news is this book will lead you to the vocation you will love. As a leading vocational thinker, Dan Miller helps you better understand and organize your God-given skills, personality traits, values, dreams, and passions. In turn, you’ll see clear patterns forming from which you can make successful career and job decisions. With creativity, insight, and timeless wisdom, 48 Days to the Work You Love presents a step-by-step process for creating a Life Plan and translating it into meaningful and fulfilling daily work. |
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48 Days to the Work You Love: Preparing for the New Normal By Dan Miller Still deciding what you want to be when you grow up? Whatever your age, let Miller guide you to the vocation you long for! Learn the God-given talents, personality traits, values, dreams, and passions that are your compass to follow. Includes career-search tools, a step-by-step process for creating your life plan, and more. |
![091853: Your Ministry"s Next Chapter: Restoring the Passion of the Mid-Career Pastor](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/0/091853t.gif "091853: Your Ministry"s Next Chapter: Restoring the Passion of the Mid-Career Pastor") |
Your Ministry’s Next Chapter: Restoring the Passion of the Mid-Career Pastor By Gary Fenton As a pastor, you are not immune to the career struggles of midlife. The pressures of your ministry, the dynamics of your congregation, and the challenges to stay devoted can easily weigh you down. At times like these, the tendency is to slow down, retire, or stop growing. What’s worse, these symptoms are hard to detect, and their effects are destructive to both you and your church. But there is a way to rediscover your call to serve God with passion and focus. With candid insights and personal examples, longtime pastor Gary Fenton will help you overcome the changes in your ministry, help you use your gifts to their full potential, and revitalize your confidence in your calling. |
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The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary into the Extraordinary By Mark Sanborn Is your professional commitment wavering? Do you just want to get the job done and go home? Find fresh energy and creativity for your life and work by imitating the example of Sanborn’s postman, “Fred.” Four Bible-based principles will help you make a difference every day, excel in your career, and make your daily life extraordinary. 114 pages, hardcover from Waterbrook. |
![973726: Shifting into Higher Gear: An Owner"s Manual for Uniting Your Calling and Career](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/9/973726t.gif "973726: Shifting into Higher Gear: An Owner"s Manual for Uniting Your Calling and Career") |
Shifting into Higher Gear: An Owner’s Manual for Uniting Your Calling and Career By Tom Siciliano and Jeff Caliguire This book will create a pathway to minimize the stress and confusion of seeking the right job. It presents a comprehensive three-stage program for discovering your calling, turning that calling into a career, and sustaining your passion once you’re in the job of your dreams. Grounded in Biblical wisdom, yet highly practical, this book is packed with field-tested advice, worksheets, self-assessments, and creative questions for action and reflection. It will become a trusted “owner’s manual” for a lifetime of meaningful work. |
![45400X: Better Than Good: Creating a Life You Can"t Wait to Live](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/4/45400xt.gif "45400X: Better Than Good: Creating a Life You Can"t Wait to Live") |
Better Than Good: Creating a Life You Can’t Wait to Live By Zig Ziglar On the subject of living a life on purpose, passion and peak performance, nobody tells it better than Zig Ziglar. In Better Than Good, Zig goes several steps beyond other “success” books by not only helping the reader get motivated, but stay motivated by confronting and transforming the things that stand in their way. Written in Ziglar’s trademark style, this book isn’t just about success now, excellence tomorrow or even motivation for next month, but about making a lasting impact – an impact that goes beyond financial gains and creative partnerships. Everything we are and do, he says, must be seen in the bigger perspective of continuously investing your spirit, mind and spiritual vision for what life can be when we allow the power of purpose and passion to permeate our soul. |
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Who Are You? What Do You Want? Four Questions That Will Change Your Life By Mick Ukleja, Ph.D. & Robert L. Lorber, Ph.D. Based on the authors’ decades of work as executive coaches and leadership trainers, the insights, real life anecdotes, and exercises in Who Are You and What Do You Want? allow readers to shape their own unique life plan, tailored to their own needs and to gain clarity about their purpose, passions, and values. |
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The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do By Mark Sandborn Everyone wants to make a difference in the world, but most have no idea how to maximize their impact. In The Encore Effect, best-selling author and leadership expert Mark Sandborn provides the answer. He leads readers in six practices that will move them beyond excellence to distinction and from mundane to memorable. These principles guide readers to draw on their passion and devote themselves to preparation, practice, presentation, polishing, and finally, avoiding pitfalls. When readers follow these principles they will find that people are attracted to them. More importantly, they’ll find that they now have an influence over others that can impact lives for eternity. |
Last week I started posting about my journey to observing the Sabbath every week. The process of eliminating certain things from my life has begun so that my time is best utilized doing the things I was created to do. I believe we live in a day and age where rediscovering the practice of the Sabbath is a necessity. Understand that I am writing from the viewpoint of a pastor where Sunday is not a day of rest. It’s usually one of the busiest days of the week. The point of all of this is to have a set aside, holy, Sabbath day every week regardless of what it happens to be.
In Jewish law, there were 39 categories of activities that were prohibited on the Sabbath. Each category had subcategories and so on and so on. By Jesus’ time, the focus was more on these rules and regulations rather than God’s original commandment. These prohibited things from weaving to tying a knot to putting out a fire to picking the bones out of a fish. The original intent of these laws to to remind people of the things that they would do on a normal day and the Sabbath was all about taking a break from the norm. Over time, the rules and regulations grew to where most common folks could not keep up. The religious leaders of the time used their ability to adhere strictly to the law(and find loopholes when they couldn’t) to lord over the others. So, when Jesus says in Mark 2:27-28:
27Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
He is tearing down some major walls. One, He is telling the people that they have lost sight of the true purpose of the Sabbath. It was a lot of work to remember what you weren’t supposed to do on the Sabbath! Two, He is chastising the religious rulers for using their man made rules and regulations to rob the common folk of their God given rights(dude, my toes are really hurting right now). The Sabbath is all about liberation. It’s not about being confined. It’s about being set free.
So, what sets you free? What makes you feel like you’re alive? The Sabbath isn’t about being reminded that you’re human. It’s about being reminded that you’re divinely created in the image of God. In a day and age where we spend so much time “working for the man” the Sabbath is that weekly reminder that we are God’s “workmanship” and created for a higher purpose(Ephesians 2:10). Part 3 next week, but while you’re waiting check out these posts from Eric Ebbinghaus, Tim Stevens and Dr. Martin Labar. Eric is a fellow Wesleyan Youth Pastor who is currently taking his students through the 10 commandments. Tim recently posted on a digital detox his family was taking. Dr. Labar is a former professor at Southern Wesleyan University and one of the finest and funniest men I know. Do yourself a favor and subscribe to their blogs.
Currently Reading:
![775563: A Blueprint for Discipleship: Wesley"s General Rules as a Guide for Christian Living](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/7/775563t.gif "775563: A Blueprint for Discipleship: Wesley"s General Rules as a Guide for Christian Living") |
A Blueprint for Discipleship: Wesley’s General Rules as a Guide for Christian Living
By Kevin Watson Watson offers a concrete and practical approach to Christian discipleship that is distinctly Wesleyan. His approach builds on the foundation of the General Rules-do no harm, do good, and practice spiritual disciplines-combined with the exercise of small-group accountability. Watson shows that John Wesley’s method of discipleship is both simple and profound, and can help you develop a faith that affects every part of your lives. |
I think I have been guilty of suffering information overload. Some of this information could be useful like being informed on issues being debated in DC. Some of it is not so useful like knowing that Taylor Swift is in The Hannah Montana movie with Vanessa Williams who is in Elmo: Escape from Grouchland with Mandi Patinkin who is in The Princess Bride with Cary Elwes who is in Days of Thunder with Tom Cruise who is in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon. Yes, I know there’s a quicker way to connect Miss Swift to Mr. Bacon, but that’s the point.
At one point I could have told you how many wins Tommy Bowden averaged per year in his 10 seasons at Clemson, but that’s a decade I’m trying to forget.
Here’s a quote I wrote down from the 4 Hour Work Week:
Doing something unimportant well does not make it important.
I know what you’re thinking. Hey, Heath, don’t most youth pastors work 4 hours a week anyway? Do you really need a book to tell you how to do that? Ha Ha. I get the joke and yes, I have lived that joke. Sadly, the flip side is that many people are working crazy hours but accomplishing very little. As I noted in this post, I am trying to be more effective and efficient. Here is where my train of thought is going:
1. I know that conservatives and liberals don’t like each other and go over the top in media to make their points. Do I really need to check 8 different websites a day to confirm what I already know? It’s not going to change my political persuasion. Knowing all this stuff just allows me fodder for conversation. I do have more important things to talk about so I will.
2. I’m a slow learner so it has taken me a while to figure out that very little news happens between when I go to bed and when I get up in the morning. Why do I default to checking all the news and sports sites first thing in the morning on my phone? Can I rid myself of this burning desire to be “The Grapevine” and the first to know everything from what the Senate is debating to who Boston’s middle relievers are going to be to which pastor is going to what church and when in our district? Would it be so bad to hear this news from other people instead?
3. We had our cable TV cut off last summer because my family was going to be in Alabama for several weeks. We never turned it back on to save money. We are doing the Dave Ramsey thing now and downsizing from 4,000 channels to 12(depending on if the government mandated digital converter box is operating properly) has been a great decision. I’m not checking ESPN news, FOX news, or TLC every 15 minutes. I watch three shows a week: Heroes, Survivor, and Extreme Makeover Home Edition. I have almost effectively eliminated channel surfing from my life. For me(the poster child for ADD) this was HUGE. We get a lot of movies from the library so the kids watch those and PBS Kids. Less TV has meant more rasslin in the living room with my children. Put THAT in your talking points memo.
4. Being on a budget has eliminated needless trips to Wal-Mart. I love the deals, but we were spending time and money we did not have every time. Going in to purchase dish shop(crud, we are out of that now) ended with a full cart, empty bank account, and a side trip to the Mcdonald’s that is conviently located inside the stored. Don’t get me wrong. I love me some Wal-Mart, but our family had to take ownership of our buying and spending habits.
I’m not going to pretend that this journey hasn’t been a struggle or that we have it all together now. I just knew that something had to change. I wasn’t at a crisis point, but I could have been. I will leave you my favorite joke from Jerry Seinfeld.
People ask me what I’ve been doing since we ended the show. I’ll tell you what I’ve been doing: nothing. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that you might like to try doing nothing yourself. Well, its not that easy. Because the idea of doing anything that could easily lead to something that would cut into my nothing and that would force me to have to drop everything.
One of my favorite songs off of U2’s “All that You Can’t Leave Behind” album is “Stuck in a Moment.” They also put out an acoustic version which blows me away each time I hear it. Here’s the chorus:
You’ve got to get yourself together
You got stuck in a moment and now you can’t get out of it
Don’t say that later would be better now you’re stuck in a moment
And now you can’t get out of it
Have you ever been in the place where you feel like you’ve been punched in the gut and will never recover? Has something ever happened to you that took your confidence and you didn’t know if you would ever get it back? It’s a bad place to be. It affects all of our relationships. When we are in a place like that we can be difficult to be around. We lash out at the ones we love and the God we serve because it angers us to feel like we will never recover. Are you in a rut today? Do you feel stuck?
I wish I could tell you that there’s a specific prayer to pray or thing to do that will fix everything like magic. There’s not. It takes time to heal. Time to recover. Time to get back on that horse. That doesn’t mean that we are just supposed to sit there and wait for things to work themselves out. Getting out of the rut requires action. With that in mind, I’ve come up with some things that maybe you haven’t thought of. This obviously isn’t a be all/end all list, but it’s helped me when I was “stuck.”
Forgotten 5 ways to get out of your rut
- Put others first
- Be accountable for the goals you’ve set for yourself and your family. Haven’t written down any goals, you say? Grab a pen and start dreaming.
- Learn to love your job or…
- Quit your job and find something you love to do.
- Count your blessings instead of your burdens
What’s on your list?
This is the album version. Sadly, the acoustic version is no longer available.
Several things have happened in the last week that have compelled me to make some changes in my life. I was tired of being a procrastinator with a messy office whose adult ADD always seemed to be in overdrive. I had been tired of this before but was never moved to action.
A senior in my youth group is doing an internship this semester with me from 8 am-10 am Monday-Friday. This forced the first of many changes as there could be no more dilly dallying around in the morning. Rather, I would need to get my son to the church daycare by 8 am so the intern and I could get to work. This lead to change number 2. Fortunately, the intern is a neat and organized person. We spent her first day cleaning off my desk(I have to pay her $5 if she ever finds it covered and cluttered again) and trying to create a good working environment. I was also faced with the issue of figuring out what she was going to be doing for the next 4 months.
Over the weekend I read two great books(Crush It and the 4 hour work week). They really challenged me in finding the balance between being a youth pastor, husband, father, and blogger. FYI-I sped read both these books with a technique I’ll be sharing some other time. Both of these books talked about the importance of eliminating useless things and focusing on the important tasks at hand. I also looked back on my notes from when I read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for even more direction.
Finally, my wife and I have been enrolled in Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. February 1 started our new life on a budget using the envelope system. I told Karen that I felt like February 1 was going to be the first day of the rest of our lives and was running with adrenaline all weekend raring to go only to have a massive snow storm hit that has had us homebound for 3 days and counting.
Without further delay, here is a list of the things I did and am doing to Chase My Lion and catch that sucker.
1. Made a list of everything I have(and want) to do in a given day, week, month, and year.
2. Made a list of all the projects I am currently working on.
3. Made a weekly schedule that gave a specific amount of time to all of these things.
4. Started living on a budget as a family.
5. Made a list of the time wasters in my life like news sites, sports sites, negative blogs, random TV watching, talk radio, logging into Facebook once an hour, google reader, and email.
6. Eliminated some of the above while scheduling a specific amount of time for the rest. Email will get checked twice a day along with Facebook and Google Reader. Drudge Report is out along with other news sites. Information overload is like meth for someone with ADD.
7. Vowed that I would stick to the schedule and started day 1 by sleeping in since it was a snow day. By noon I was caught up and ready for lunch. I vowed I wasn’t going to do any blog/twitter/affiliate marketing/anything computer related between 4 pm and midnight. #epicfail
8. Today is a snow day as well, but I’m on schedule so far. I just need to pencil in “make it up to my wife that I gave my time for her yesterday to Oprah and a domain redirect problem.”
So, what action steps do you need to take?
Have you ever tried to pursue something, but you felt this weight that was holding you back? Have you ever felt that there were just some things that you could never get past? Have you ever carried a grudge for so long that it started to eat away at you from the inside? It is impossible for a person to “Chase Their Lion” while carrying a grudge or prejudice against groups of people. You may be thinking to yourself,”I’m not prejudiced”, but certain thoughts and feelings crop up in certain situations or when you hear certain stories. You may not be outwardly prejudice, but you harbor negative feelings towards different races, religions, or people. This is an issue that cuts both ways and always hurts everyone involved. Maybe yours is an issue more personal than that. Maybe someone has hurt you and you carry anger and unforgiveness in your heart. Whatever the case may be, we need to let go of the things that would hinder us. We need to do whatever it takes to become the person God created us to be. And God did not create us for hatred, bitterness, prejudice, or grudges. He created us to love Him and love others and to express that through our service. Here are some resources to help you change your thinking, overcome bitterness, and Chase Your Lion!
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As you’re moving along in life there are moments when an opportunity arises and you are so ready to take the next step. The only problem is there is something holding you back. Something keeping you in your dead end job. Something that prevents you from taking a step of faith and really Chasing Your Lion. Too many times, that something is debt. Too many times, we don’t live within our means and as a result we are unable to make a move when the opportunity arises. Debt is a killer. It makes you think your purpose in life is to work and make money. It makes you think that passion has no place in your life because all you’re concerned with is working and making money no matter what the cost is to your health, your family, or your relationship with God. How many marriages have crumbled under the weight of debt? How many people have ruined their health with the stress that debt brings? Dave Ramsey has become the foremost Christian voice in the past 5 years when it comes to debt and financial wisdom. His nationally syndicated radio show is listened to by millions while his nightly show on the Fox Business Network is widely watched as well. Dave has produced many resources that have helped people get of debt, stay out of debt, never get into debt and Chase Their Lion. His website is www.daveramsey.com where he has many tools available to help in your journey to financial freedom. Here are a few of his resources.
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