Jesus said "NO"...strategically

On Saturday, October 10th, I'm on the docket to teach a seminar - "Simplify to Multiply."

The reality is, for anyone and everyone, "stuff" approaches us all day long. Should I meet with this person? Is this something we can chat about on the phone...later? Why is my cell phone bill higher than normal? Is this a top priority? Do I really need that latte right now? Is this (whatever this is) draining my energy or filling my bucket? Should I wear black shoes or brown shoes with this shirt? Is this something worth addressing with others? Do I need more input on that? Should I take the interstate or just shoot across town? In the long run, will this make a difference? Could someone else do this better? Should I replace all 4 tires or just the one that is flat - why or why not?

STUFF demands our response. And those are only the things that we are reactive to - the things that we have to respond to. What about the things that we WANT to focus on? Better yet, what about the things that God made you for - your gifts, your strengths, your wired up DNA? What would it look like for you to become more proactive instead of reactive - and what if you learned (along the way) how to say "no" to the reactive issues?

I'm looking forward to next Saturday for a lot of different reasons, here are a few in no particular order:

• I definitely have some things to learn in this area / I'm facilitating the seminar but I'm no expert or pro


• I want to focus my energy on the things that God made me for


• I want to pastor people and lead people to the power of saying "no" to "stuff"


• The church (worldwide) needs disciples who are on mission, not cluttered or distracted


• I want to live, walk, and be led in the Spirit, not the reactive flesh


• The things I'm committed to need to be "mission critical" things


• I want to rub shoulders with people who desire God more than feeling important


• I want to die on purpose, not on haphazard circumstances


• The best hours of my day need to be maximized for God's glory and fame


• I don't want to be known as a "good guy" but rather a guy who was sold out to his calling

JESUS SAID NO...strategically

I love the Gospel of Luke chapter 5. Lots of things are happening in this chapter: Jesus calls some of the first disciples, he heals a guy with leprosy, he heals another paralized guy, he invites another guy to join his mission, he has to deal with some religious people, etc. In my opinion, the coolest part about the cool things that Jesus did in Luke 5 is found in verse 16 - "but Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

What would you do? You're healing people, gaining followers...and then you decide to slip away and be alone. Jesus knew how to handle the "stuff" that was coming at him. He understood how to react. He didn't ignore the work or the opportunity, rather, he slipped away because he knew that praying and being with the Father WAS the work. In essence, Jesus said "no" so that he could turn around and say "yes" more strategically.

All that to say, I'm excited about October 10th.

Details: October 10th / CCC Student Center / 10:15AM - 11:45AM

Also visit http://www.cccomaha.org/ for the big picture on ACCELERATE 2009

Saying NO,

dusty white