3 Things About Reaching Victory

"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward."

- Martin Luther King Jr.

On your way to victory you might have to get over 3 types of people (based on 1 Samuel 1):

 #1 Rivals (v.7) - These are the people that deliberately come against you. They will do whatever they can to make your road bumpy. Solution: Ignore them.

#2 Quick Fixers (v.8) - These people might even be closer to you and unaware will try to minimise your efforts and/or try to provide 'easy steps' or 'quick fixes' to your problems. Present comfort and happiness for them seem more attractive than significance. Solution: Explain you can't let go of your goal. Delayed reward is far more important than instant gratification.

#3 Misinterpreters (v.13) - These people misinterpret your efforts and use their critical analysis to bring you down. They might say that what you are trying to achieve is based on pride rather than altruistic reason. Their misinterpretation is usually fruit of the own insecurities so don't let them put it on you. Solution: Know who you are and don't let anyone put labels on you.

Stand your ground. Press on, keep going and do not give up, your victory is right around the corner (v.27).

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6 Ways To Make Your Year Work

Many times the 'what' is easy to find (lose weight, go to the gym, increase income, come up with something life changing etc.), the 'how' however needs work and a lot of thought. Here are a few suggestions from my new year message 6 Ways To Make Your Year Work. Hope it will inspire you to be intentional and press on. Remember if you have a vision or a dream you have to protect it!

#1 - The majority is not always right - Many times people will convince themselves they cannot do something, then they will try to convince you that you can't either! Stay true to what you want and/or God has given you do to (Numbers 13:31-33). For more on this subject please read this post.

#2 - Be intentional -  When comes to our plans we need to be intentional and consistent otherwise circumstances, people, and/or familiarity can take us off track. (Numbers 14:1-7)

The verse above shows us 3 things that will try and steal your dreams:

1. Circumstances. They are the bad reports.
2. Doubters. They are the ones that carry the bad reports.
3. Familiarity. People got really familiar with their LORD. They would complain and even think that He didn't care about them anymore. They even forgot God's promises for them. Familiarity is a killer!

   
#3 -  The way you see yourself will affect your destination (Numbers 13:33). Romans 8:37 offers a solution for self image problem. 

#4 - Replace "I can't", with "How can I" (Philippians 4:13).

# 5 -  Be ready to sacrifice something you love for something you love even more. Nothing significant in life will ever happen without sacrifice. The potential of the effect is directly connected to the sacrifice you are willing to make. Sacrifice is meant to be hard and challenging. Suffering will stretch you but your world will get bigger and you will become stronger (1 Peter 5:10).

#6- Look for different behaviour, not different situation (2 Chronicles 26:5). Your situation might never change. The way you see your situation however might give you new perspective and insight of what to do and even turn a problem into profit. Make sure you seek God, he always know what to do.

This is one of the ways we shape the culture in our church.  

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Shaping Culture

Message Focused

At D7 Church we believe that our message does not start when the speaker stands up and starts talking. The message starts before people even walk through the front door. The message usually starts in the car park. When you come to one of our experiences (we refer to our services as 'experiences' because one of our goals is to build a community of people that will feel welcome, loved, valued and celebrated. Ultimately, showing Jesus as relevant and real by creating such an awesome environment that people will not be able to stay away - we want you to experience something irresistible. 

We also understand that people are message carriers. We all have a message (good or bad) to share. At D7 Church we go to extreme lengths to consistently communicate one message: "You are so valued and loved that Jesus died for you!"

People Focused

We want everyone who walks through the door to feel like they are the most important person in the room. The way we make that happen is by:

1. Focusing on the people. Even though we have a job to do, the number one focus of our team at D7 Church is the people. People are the most important part of what we do because the people are why we do what we do. It’s all about people, Jesus died for people and we are commissioned to reach out to people. It’s all about people – nothing matters more than the people.

2. Giving people an experience. The experience starts with the welcome team member, to the worship team, to the pastor then back to the welcome team again until that person leaves at the end of the service.

This is one of the ways we shape the culture in our church.  

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Can We Trust The Bible?

1 book written by 40 different authors from different backgrounds, made up of 66 books written over a period of 1500 years, in an era of no mobile phones, no texting facilities, no blogs. The authors could not facebook each other to see if everything matched up. Yet it has a definite thread of continuity that constantly runs through it from beginning to end: The Old Testament was God's promise that he would destroy death. The New Testament tell us how he did it.

Oxford Scholar Alfred Edersheim cites 400 Old Testament prophecies that point to the coming Messiah and to his life and death. Jesus perfectly fulfilled every single one of them. For 8 of these prophecies to have been fulfilled by accident would be 1 chance in 1000 x 100 billion. In other words it would be the same as covering the whole of Britain 2 feet deep in 1p coins, putting a cross in one of them, mixing it all up again, blind folding someone giving them 30 minutes to find the marked penny. Mind blowing! 

Yes we can trust the Bible! Why not give it a go today.

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Breaking The "I" Barrier - A Lesson in Humility

I once shared with our team about our responsibility in cultivating a humble heart. Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. Humility is essential and it is the key if we want to stay usable and if we want to reflect God. Here it is a little bit of what we discussed.

We are not individuals on a team trying to succeed in our area of expertise. Rather we are a part of a team trying to see how we can serve our team with our area of expertise so that the team can succeed. The world does things a certain way but we are Christians and we do things differently.We live in the world but we are not of the world (John 17:15-16)

Self Promotion vs. Humility

God favours humility and will take you much higher than your self promotion ever can. Don’t be scared that if you are humble you will lose out! God sees and He will lift you up - when the time is right! (James 4:10)

Remember God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5)

Tips to stay on track:

1. Watch your attitude
Does it need attention and self promotion? Is it seeking the kingdom first? - Think Matthew 6:33. Check your attitude towards your team and your church, is it focused on the big picture and serving the vision? Do you even know what the vision is?

2. Know why you do what you do
Why do you serve on team?, Why do you come to church?
Do you even know God? Do you have a relationship with Him?

3. Stay humble
Stay humble by watching what comes out of our mouth.
Stay humble by watching what you ponder on in your heart.

4. Follow the Son's example - Serve!
"...Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:26-28)

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The Elisha Principle

 

The Elisha Principle Here are a few thoughts from the life of the prophet Elisha that could help us accomplish what we want in life. I have called it 'The Elisha Principle'.

1 - Persistence pays off. In 2 Kings 2:1-6 we read how persistent Elisha was. He followed Elijah wherever he went. Even though Elijah kept on saying "Stay here Elisha!". There's was just no way Elisha would leave. Was Elijah perhaps making things more difficult to Elisha? Was he testing his character and willingness to serve? Note that during their journey from Bethel to Jericho and from Jericho to the Jordan there were no records of miracles. It was just plain stuff, no wonders or mighty displays.

From Genesis to Revelation God seems to reward persistence. He rewards those who persist on seeking Him diligently (Hb. 11:6). See also Gl. 6:9, Js.1:12, Rm.5:3-5 and plenty more here.

Here is the thing:I want you to be the most persistent follower of Jesus the world has ever known! Seek Him and you will find what you are looking for.

2 - Vision pays off. In 2 Kings 2:7-10 we see that Elisha knew exactly what he wanted and he asked for everything! - This is confirmed in verse 10. Let me ask you a few questions:

Do you know what you want? Can you actually see it? (v.10)

and if so...

Are you settling for less?  (Eph. 3:20)

Most people think they know what they want or come up with some sort of a place holder they call vision in order to look ok. When things get tough however, and I do mean real tough, they give up. Remember Js. 1:6-8, I highly recommend you make this text part of your meditation time.

3- Focus pays off. Are you getting distracted? Is your job diverting you from your calling? Is your personal comfort distracting you? How about fear? Our present culture is controlled by it. In verse 10-13 we see that Elisha had focus. He kept his eyes on the target at all times. He wouldn't let go! Note that he would not leave Elijah's side until he saw (v. 12) what he was looking for and took possession of the blessings he was seeking (v.13).

Are you focusing on what you want? Can you see it?

Most people say yes to both of the above questions but when you look into their lives they are just everywhere. Are you all over the place? If so the answer to both questions is NO. You cannot focus if your life is cluttered. How many things we are missing out because we are failing to see.

Why didn't the other prophets in this chapter get something from God, after all they also knew Elijah, they served God? Here is why, because they did not follow the same example as Elisha. Elisha set himself up for success because:

1) He knew what he wanted (Vision)

2) He did not get distracted (Focus)

3) He had the guts to persist (Persistence)

 

Powerful Prophet + Powerful Lessons = Powerful Life. God is no respecter of people (Ac.10:34), He shows no partiality. What He did then He does now! What He did for Elisha he can do for you.

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Servant Leadership

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 

- Matthew 25:21 

A leader is one who serves. You are never more like Jesus than when you are serving. A true leader will always display the attitudes, motivations and service of a servant. The Hebrew Meanings 'Ebed' means slave or a servant. This word applies to a person who is at the complete disposal of another person (Gn. 24:1-67). As leaders we must be at the complete disposal of Jesus.

However saying I’m serving Jesus can be too general, you have to narrow it down. 

• Serve Jesus (Jn. 12:26). Where he is we should also be.
• Serve your family (1 Timothy 5:8). 

• Serve your pastor (Mt. 10:41-42). Become bigger person by serving and more intimate with your leader. You become bigger by serving your leader. 

• Serve your church (Eph. 1:23). The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence. 

• Serve your world (Colossians 3:23-24, Mark 10:45). 

There's no "I" or "me" when dealing with a great leader. He/she will always put others first and the big picture on the table.

Do you have a heart to serve? Do you want to improve your leadership skills and network with others on the same journey? Sign up to our Leaders Academy here.

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Understanding Faith

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.  

 2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT)

Do you believe that God can unleash his power in your life in such a way that the dormant potential in you will be released allowing you to lead a life full of purpose and abundance?

Pastor, do you believe that your church can unleash God’s power in such a way that you will see your community changing before your eyes like never before? The 1st Century Christians did.

Parents, do you believe that God can bring back your child? 

Do you believe that God can heal your deepest traumas and set you free from that disease that the doctors told you it would never go away?

Note that the above verse is not talking about the minds of 'the bad people', 'the non-church goers'. It talks about ALL UNBELIEVERS -  including those sitting in church every Sunday. 

The moment we choose to see the glorious light of the Good News and understand this message about the glory of Christ, we (the church) will start moving from the side line to the centre. Ephesians 1:23 says, The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence. The moment we understand the power we carry and start living in faith (Hb. 10:38, Rm. 1:17), we will start moving the mountains that try to stop us (Mt. 21:21).

Where to start

1. Start by realising that there are things in this world that have the potential to blind you, these things also are all temporal and have no eternal value. Money, power, pleasure and control are strong influences that have the potential to blind you.

2. Address unbelief (worry, doubts, lack of faith, atheism). Unbelief was the only thing that truly amazed Jesus (Mk. 6:6). Worry and faith walk in opposite direction. Faith and doubt cannot coexist.
 

Do the Faith Test

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T BELIEVE

1. You forget God’s Word. You won’t read it! You ignore 1Co 15:58.

2. You forget that it’s a privilege to serve. When you don’t believe everything becomes too much trouble. Being helpful around the house, serving in church, giving people lifts, hosting home groups, cooking for people, visiting them in hospital, being a true friend... everything becomes too much trouble. Jesus asked Peter to demonstrate his love for him by serving His people (John 21:17).

3. You forget where you belong. You belong in God’s house Rm 12:5.
Do you even value the people you do life with? Do you take them for granted?
Without this understanding you will always start something but never finish. You start something in your community or church but soon run out of steam because you are moved by the air of emotions, when that runs out your are back in the same lazy state you started when in fact you should finish in an even greater way than when you started. Don't give out excuses not to be involved in the body of Christ (His church) Luke 9:57-62, 14:16.
 

Do you know why people start giving excuses in the above verses?

Because they did not believe that Jesus was who he said he was. THE SON OF GOD! Do you really think that they would dare to even think about giving out lame excuses to the Son of God? Yet so many of us are doing that right now. Your excuses are always proportional to your level of understanding.

4. You forget you have to give up everything (Lk. 14:33). What do you have right now? Would you be willing to give that up? Give up what you cannot keep in order to gain what you cannot lose.
 
Now What?

1. Understand that the level of your impact is directly proportional to the price you are willing to pay and the faith you have is directly proportional to the sacrifice you’ve made. 

2. Aggressively remove unbelief from your life. Read the Gospels and the promises God has for you in his word and claim them!

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4 Tips On Raising Girls

Dad your job is essential when raising girls. Here are a few things that I have learned:

Daughters will usually look for a man to date and marry just like their fathers. You have to be a good role model.

Your girl needs to know that she is a princess. You show this in the way you talk to her and treat her, so be gentle with her.    

A girl derives beauty and value from their dads. She needs to know that she is beautiful, so you've got to tell her. She also needs to know that she is valued, you can do this by treating her like a princess. If you are a woman reading this answer this question: “do you think you are beautiful?” listen to your own answer. Who told you that? My guess is, it was your dad. Or maybe you will hear nothing because he never said that you were beautiful.

Date your daughter. Take her out to coffee shops, parks, bird parks, shopping and show her how he should expect to be treated. When you do this make sure you keep eye contact and focus only on her.

What about you? Do you have any tips on raising girls? 

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He Chose The Nails

This is an amazing book that does make you linger on the hill of Calvary. It puts a taste of cheap wine in your mouth and allows you to feel the scrape of a thorn on your brow. You can almost feel the timber and the nail in your hand and almost touch the velvet dirt, moist with the blood of God. The tools of torture do tell their story. You can't help it but stop and listen as they tell you what God did to win your heart.

He Chose the Nails does not disappoint. Not only will it anwser the question, "What has God done for me?" but it will take you on a journey of torture and impact. It opens your eyes.  It leads you into an even deeper understanding of what Jesus did for us. The author doesn't just provides a description of the way to the cross, he paints a vivid picture of Golgotha and invites you into the story. This book gives you something to remember, to hold in your heart. It shows that our salvation, in Jesus is not to be taken for granted. This is a great read that will help you remember that no matter how hard life may be, he chose us. He chose to suffer and die for us. That makes it all worth it.

Another great book by Max Lucado

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest opinion as part of their BookSneeze reviewer program. I was not required to give a positive review. 

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5 Reasons Why I Teach My Children To Tithe

see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love. 2 Corinthians 8:7-8

Generosity, tithing (10% of your income) and offering sermons are never popular. Mainly because some people don't like when you mess with their god. They feel the need to defend it. They want to to be in control and do whatever they want with what doesn't even belong to them in the first place. If you cannot give up everything (including control) you cannot be Jesus' disciple. Jesus never asked for 10%. He asks for 100%. 

I teach my children to do two things with their money: 1) to bring 10% of their income to the church and 2) to put 10% towards savings.

We have to be intentional towards generosity. We need to display it to our children and God's House is a great way to do this. Some people right now are teaching their children to gather, be in total control and fearful when comes to trusting God. Tithing is the first step. There is also offerings and the whole concept of leading a generous life.

Do you have to tithe? No. Are there consequences? Yes. 

Here are five reasons why I teach my children to tithe:

1. Tithing teaches them gratitude, NOT a sense of entitlement. 
2. Tithing teaches them that God is in absolute control of their finances NOT them.
3. Tithing  teaches them to set their treasure in the right place. 
4. Tithing  teaches them passion and zeal for God's House.
5. Tithing teaches them the principle of firstfruits. God must ALWAYS be first.

What about you? What are you teaching the next generation?

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10 Tips On Raising Boys

Here are 10 things that you need to know:

1. Reflect God’s love. Talking about it is not enough. When young the boy needs to know that he is loved. When he is a teenager he needs to know that he's got what it takes. Just tell them a million times a day: "Son I love you!", "Son you have what it takes!"

2. Discover who your child is and draw out their potential. Observe what he likes and what he is good at.

3. A father can only be a good father if they are in touch with their heavenly father. No compromise here, you have to seek God.

4. A son will imitate and reflect his father. Monkey see, monkey do! If you respect people he'll do the same. If you have integrity he will copy you. If you treat women right he will be a gentleman just like you.

5. A child derives their identity from his father. "You are a wimp!",  "You cry like a girl!", What are you speaking into your son's life? replace all the negative words with: "You are a winner!", "You are smart" etc.

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Boys Need Adventure

... a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” - God, Luke 3:22

Yesterday I went on an adventure with a really cool dude! We went to Leckhampton Hill and walked right to the top. We got ourselves lost in the 'forest'. Went to the swing and climbed some rocks. We also stopped and to eat some junk food overlooking Cheltenham. We had a blast!

Daniel is 6 now and even though he has my nature (a peaceful and laid back attitude) he does appreciate a good adventure. That's actually an understatement: He absolutely loves it!

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I've Just Been On A Date With A Younger Girl

I have got to confess it was love at first sight. I could not help it. She is the most beautiful young girl I've ever seen. Where did we meet? When did I fall in love? It was right there at the twenty weeks scan. When I saw her face through the screen. She looked like she was looking right into my eyes. It was love at first sight. 

My wife when you read this I want you to know that I've vowed to devote myself to this little girl. Hopefully together we will raise a beautiful princess that will enchant with grace everyone she meets. Above all I pray that she will enchant her Father in heaven with her love for Him.

Amy and I went out on our very first 'official' date today. I took her to a coffee shop. We spent precious time nibbling and chatting. It was a delightful, priceless time. Hear the sound of joy of a very happy little princess here. I recorded the song she wrote on our way home. If you don't know Amy means 'beloved'.

Men's Night at CW's

Yesterday we had our very first Men's Night out. In case you missed it, it was awesome! And the journey hasn't even started yet. There will be plenty of surprises along the way.

The Grace of God

Simple. Insightful. Life changing.

What a masterpiece! You will definitely have to take your time reading this book, not because it's a slow reader but because it will invite you into a journey exploring stories about Abraham, Judah, Rahab, Jonah, Levi, Nicodemus, the thief on the cross and more to illustrate God's grace. Andy Stanley invites you to find God's grace in the most unlikely and sometimes obscure circumstances. This book you will show you that God, through his amazing grace, provides you with a label of his own: Forgiven. Accepted. Loved.

I highly recommend this book to those who want to understand more about the grace of God and also to those who have to teach on the word. Andy travels through the Bible right from the beginning showing God’s grace from Genesis to the Gospels. It’s a fascinating and insightful study on a subject that can very often be difficult to understand and to teach.

At the end of this book you will even find that you have a better understanding of why God responded the way He did in many of the Old Testament stories.

3 Thoughts About Happiness

I've found that happiness is the result of three things:

1. Perspective

Happiness does not depend on how your life is arranged. It depends on how your mind is arranged. We create much of our unhappiness, we see what is wrong rather than what’s right. We focus on what we don’t have instead of what we do have. Happiness is the result of your perspective not the product of your circumstance.

2. Attitude

We have what we need to be happy. What we struggle with is our attitude. Have a positive attitude and celebrate each day. Every day is a gift from God! Replace the 'I’ve got to'  mindset with the 'I get to' attitude. You don't say, “I’ve got to go to work!” - No, the right attitude is “I get to go to work!”

3. Decision

Happiness is something you decide ahead of time. You can choose to either be merry or miserable. Blessed or depressed. Delighted or dejected. When you wake up in the morning you have to decide what kind of day you want to have. Your happiness is not dependent or your circumstances. It’s dependent on your choices. You are as happy as you decided to be therefore give yourself permission to be happy every day. Don’t wait for a holiday or a special event, Psalm 118:24 says,"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Quickly recognise, reject and eject negative thoughts. Happiness is your right, use it. Choose happiness.

The Most Beautiful Place... Ever!

I absolutely love Cheltenham! Located at the heart of the Cotswolds Cheltenham is such a beautiful place to live. Characterised by intricate ironwork balconies and painted stucco façades, line the historic Promenade, squares and terraces. With its award-winning gardens, impressive range of stylish shops and restaurants, and its festivals of music and literature there is always something great to do.

Check out these awesome photos taken by Lorah! 

What about you? What is your favourite place?

All Night Prayer

I love our prayer nights, they are just awesome. You cannot help feeling closer to God as we refuse to move until He moves His hand on our behalf. 

Please note that at D7 we don't use prayer as an excuse to our apathy and inertia. We will intentionally find opportunities to get our hands dirty! You see without you,  God will not do what only you can. That's your duty! Without God you cannot do what only He can. That's His power! We have limits but He doesn't. He can heal that disease that has been plaguing your child, He has the power to turn your marriage around, He can set you free from the addiction that has been slowly eating up your body, He can change our community and He is powerful enough to heal our nation. Without God, you cannot. Without you, God will not. All He needs is a bunch of people that are bold enough to ask!

We believe in 2 Chronicles 7:14, which says: "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."  

What about you? Do you believe that prayer can move mountains? If so refuse to stay home tonight! Talk yourself into it and find excuses not not to turn up. You will not regret it! - There is something powerful about a bunch of people gathering together to seek God.

Join us for a great night of seeking God, praying for our world, our church and our city and nation. For venue details and general information please get in touch.

Building Great Team Members

You cannot build a strong organisation without a strong team. You cannot build a strong team without building the individuals within the team.  Ask the individual team members the following:

1. What their main challenge is (Problem).

2. What they need in order to perform (Need).

3. What their passion is (Passion).

4. What you can provide (Solution).

The chart above has helped me to quickly assess where a team member is at. You might find it overly simplistic, but I like simple. I believe simple can help us leaders to unclutter, to see clearly beyond the mess and focus on the results we are looking for.

Let's look into the four categories;

Problem - When you detect a problem (e.g. poor performance) within a team you've got to act immediately. You just cannot afford to ignore the issue and expect it to go away. It won't! The longer you take the more the problem will grow and spread among the team. So write the main problem on this part of the chart.

Need - Is the problem caused by a particular need (e.g. training). Assess the need by asking direct questions (e.g. what do you think your primary need is?).  Also assess past performance to detect the need.

Passion - Do you know what your team member is passionate about? This part of the chart should be revealing something to you. Is the person in the right role? Perhaps his dreams are different to what he is doing at the moment. People will flourish when they start doing what they love. After discussing the topic add your team member's passion to this part of the chart. 

Solution - This is your chance to write down a solution in order to move your team member forward. Take this opportunity to describe what is required from you and your team member in order to achieve results. Be concise and clear - I've found that too much information tends to get people confused.

The chart above can also be used in interviews, appraisals, coaching and informal meetings.  If you want to zero in on a problem, focus, think, develop and provide clear solutions with clear instructions, why not give the above development chart a try and let me know if it worked for you too. 

Keep it simple!