Owner or Hireling

by Andrew Cromwell

In John chapter 10, Jesus tells a story about sheep and shepherds. In it He describes two different kinds if shepherds. One is a hireling. The hireling doesn’t really care about the sheep. He is there for the paycheck. He has no intentions of staying on the job long term. If a wild animal attacks the sheep, the hireling runs the other way to protect himself.

But there is another kind of shepherd. This second shepherd is an owner shepherd. He is there not just for the money but for the long term. He loves and cares about the sheep. If there is something that threatens the sheep he is willing to actually put his life on the line to protect them.

When it comes to our lives, we all have to make a choice whether we are going to play the role of the hired hand or of the owner. We can see the bigger picture and live focused on the betterment of others, or we can live selfishly and seek purely after personal ambition. We can seek to leave a legacy that will endure into the future but that will cost us, or we can simply be in it for ourselves.

There are many roles we play in life; you might be an employee, a husband or a wife, a father or a mother. All of us have played the role of a son or a daughter, a friend and a community member. And most of us have had times when in those roles we failed to see the bigger picture. We were in the relationship for personal gain or personal pleasure. As soon as the going got tough, we got going.

And then there have been times when we have played the more difficult role. We have made the choice to be invested deeply in the relationship. We have cared enough to see beyond our personal wants and desires and have chosen to stick in and stick it out. We have committed to work through problems and not just work around them (or walk away from them). We had skin in the game, we were owners.

Owners leave a legacy. They build for the future. They impact future generations. They are world changers because they have decided to leave their world better than how they found it.

Legacy builders don’t happen by accident. No one drifts into leaving a legacy because a legacy takes time, determination, and commitment. But building a legacy is worth it every time.

Inside Out

by Tim Howard

OK, I admit it, I like playing with my grandson’s Transformers. Who wouldn’t? Alien robots who can disguise themselves by transforming into everyday machinery – a truck that changes into an airplane or a car that becomes a mighty battleship with the ability to launch missiles is exciting.  I like things that change! Full disclosure:  I also liked the movie ‘Transformers’ and it’s sequels… Now you have the full confession!

Change is one of those things in life you can count on. It happens – whether you want it to or not! One day you are young and see yourself in a certain way – then years later, the mirror of life reveals some changes in your looks, your status, your motivations for living and the goals which you pursue. Sometimes these changes seem to be for good and other times not so good.

Unfortunately many of us struggle with change when the force of it encroaches upon our comfort zone. Our desire for comfort and convenience can often lead to a resistance to change and catapult us into a life of maintenance rather than adventure. Change is important because it’s the first step to transformation.

Change initially modifies behavior but the goal of transformation is to alter your value and desires. The Bible isn’t primarily focused on ‘change’ but upon ‘transformation.’ There’s a big difference.

When you are transformed you ‘become’ someone who is different. You can change the channel on the television; change the way you dress or change your direction but stopping there doesn’t address the real issues – only the external ones. God is ultimately interested in a change that leads to transformation – a change that happens from the Inside – Out.

Allow me to give you a personal illustration of what I mean. Recently I was on vacation and allowed myself to eat anything I wanted. That resulted in a few added pounds to carry around. Seven days prior to the end of my time away I was looking at myself in the mirror and decided to make a change in my diet. I wanted to lower my calorie and fat intake! That decision led to other behavioral changes.

For breakfast I had to stop myself from eating that egg, bacon and cheese sandwich, which had 460 calories and 20 fat. For lunch I had to say no to that tempting Southern Smokehouse Bacon Big Mouth Burger that offered 1610 calories and 107 fats.  (The very name of that burger ought to say something to you.) So I did! I had oatmeal for breakfast and a tuna sandwich for lunch. I made a change for 7 days but I wasn’t transformed.

How do I know? Because one of the signs that you haven’t been transformed is – you want to go back. Transformation happens when you no longer want that burger. In fact, you now desire something that doesn’t make you lethargic. Something that doesn’t makes you sleepy. Something that isn’t unhealthy.

Transformation is experienced when your values have shifted and your desires have shifted to such a point that you want to go ahead and not back. It happens when you want to change the inside as well as the outside.

Jesus made a scathing statement to the religious leaders who only focused on external change. Matt. 23:25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”

Jesus calls for a change that leads to transformation – Inside and Out!

Drop Your Weapon

by Andrew Cromwell

Everyone knows that the first thing the police do when they are going to arrest someone is to search them to make sure they don’t have any hidden weapons. And of course, if there is ever a time when the perpetrator draws a gun or pulls out a knife, there is a showdown during which they shout “drop your weapon!”

Even if the “weapon” is a toy gun or even something fairly harmless, law enforcement is trained to treat any potential threat in the same way. They seek to disarm first and then further engage the suspect. 

The smart perp will summarily throw his weapon to the ground and throw up his hands. The not so smart ones end up on reality TV or the evening news. 

Even if you have never personally had this kind of encounter with the police (and I hope you never do), we all have the potential to draw our weapons and fire. I’m not talking about physical weapons, but instead relational weapons. Words that wound, stares that kill, threats and ultimatums that choke the air out of a relationship. These are the weapons that we use on even the ones we love the most.

Some of us have prepared our weapons complete with hair triggers and hand grenades and we are ready to draw and fire at a moment’s notice. The instant we get angry, we begin to lob crushing insults and ugly names. We throw daggers made out of the past—past failures that we save for just these moments—and we aim for the heart. 

Many times after years in a relationship, we have armed ourselves with quite an arsenal. And even the smallest conflicts are ripe with the threat of all out nuclear war. Couples who once loved and would have done anything for each other, now suit up everyday as if preparing for battle. Any time of peace is merely a temporary ceasefire. No one has laid down their weapons, they have only withdrawn for the moment.

For those who are tired of the war, I suggest a new strategy. Drop your weapons and refuse to pick them up ever again! If you want to forge a lasting peace, you will never succeed if you are always carrying a dagger in your back pocket. 

How do you do this? Forgive. Forgiveness means you give up the right to pull out those weapons made up of past offenses and failures. You don’t keep bringing up old junk. 

Forgiveness doesn’t have to be a two way street (which is one of the reasons we usually don’t do it very well). You don’t have to wait for the other person to also forgive. You also don’t un-forgive them the moment they hurt you again. 

This difficult practice can change everything. Ephesians 4:32 says, “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” We have been forgiven by God, even though we didn’t deserve it. Maybe we need to share that same forgiveness with the people we are closest to?

Rest Robbers

by Tim Howard

Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which people have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while they sleep. It disrupts a person’s sleep and when they awaken they don’t feel rested. I know, because I am one of those who struggle with this.

You may not be wrestling with this disorder but you may be robbed of rest in other areas. You can lose sleep when you are worried about your past decisions. Especially if your past choices are causing negative ramifications in the present – true rest becomes elusive.

You may be among those who are restless and losing sleep over the current world conditions.  The threat of global recession, continuing wars, famines, natural disasters and incurable diseases – they can rob a person of their rest.

What about the future? The fear of the unknown, the uncertainty of what lies ahead, the possibilities of disaster that awaits. All these things can be rest robbers unless you follow God’s prescription for finding peace.

In Hebrews chapter 4 the author shows us a way to find true rest.  This rest is defined as a ‘peace from God’ that will allow you to sleep all night long and have pleasant dreams.  Check out what Paul the Apostle says in Philippians 4:7.  He tells us that this peace defies logic because it’s not connected to external things.  You can be in the middle of a raging storm and still sleep like a baby.  Mark 4:38 records a time when Jesus did just that.

The goalie who played for the United States soccer team alluded to this scripture in Philippians when he recently said: “I am blessed to be living a dream.  And yet, if it all went away tomorrow, I know I would still have peace. That probably sounds crazy to most people, but that’s the kind of peace Christ gives. It is rooted in His love and it surpasses all understanding.”

There is a peace that grows strong when you stop worrying about your past and fretting about your future. Those two things are not the solution and do not produce peace or rest.

When you won’t leave the past hurts, the problems, the misunderstandings, the grudges and the resentments behind – they infect your present reality and don’t affect it in a positive way. 

The Old Testament prophet Isaiah tells us:  ‘Do not be obsessed with the former things or continually focus on the things of the past.” Why? They will rob you of peace and rest.

Regarding the future, Jesus said these words in Matthew 6:34 …do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Your decisions today actually shape your tomorrows and release God’s peace now. You can determine today that the rest of your days will be the best of your days. 

We were not created to live in the past or the future but in the present.  Rest and peace are not available to those who are obsessed with ‘what was’ or overly focused on ‘what will be’ – but to those who choose to embrace ‘what is.’ 

When you are at peace – you rest well. World peace in the external realm can only happen when people have an internal peace. God offers a peace through Jesus that is an eternal peace and can be experienced internally and externally. This possibility was declared by the angels “Peace on Earth…”

Waiting for the Throne

by Andrew Cromwell

The Bible is full of amazing stories that were “written to teach us” (Romans 15:4). One such story is found in the life of King David. David is one of the central characters in Scripture. This incredible piece of history about a shepherd boy who became king happened about about 1,000 years before the time of Christ. 

David was a powerful warrior, a wise king, a faithful friend, and a man who worshipped God with his whole heart. And for all of his wonderful qualities, the Bible also unflinchingly tells the truth about his lesser qualities as well. Among other things, he committed murder, cheated with another man’s wife, disobeyed God, and was a lousy father. There are many lessons to draw from David’s life and if you are not familiar with him, you can read more in the book of 1 Samuel.

The very first time we meet David in Scripture was the day that he was anointed king over Israel. The fly in the ointment of this amazing day was that there was already another king on the throne — King Saul. And so when David is anointed king, it happens secretly. 

It is very clear that God had chosen David to be the next king. He sends a messenger, a prophet named Samuel, to go and anoint David because the current king, Saul, was on his way out.

So as the story goes, they call David in from the fields where he would tend his father’s sheep and goats. Samuel anoints him with oil (which is how you prepared kings for the throne in that day) and the Spirit of the Lord rests upon David. But then instead of taking David to the capital and actually placing him on the throne, Samuel leaves and David heads back to tend the flock.

And for the next 15 years, David waits to become king. 

Fifteen years is a long time between being anointed king and actually taking the throne! If I were David I would be tempted to doubt whether it was really God who had directed Samuel in the first place. I would have given up on the dream of ruling the nation of Israel after maybe year three. But David waits faithfully and he stays close to God and trusts that He is in control. Oh, there are plenty of twists and turns in the story during those years, but it is clear that David made the decision to stay faithful to God through it all.

What lesson can we learn from this? Well, I believe that part of what God does in everyone’s life is to make him or her wait. God has a destiny for each and every person on the planet and He also has great gifts and blessings He wants to pour out on all of His children. But there is always a period of waiting between the time when He reveals what He is going to do in your life (David’s anointing) and Him fulfilling what He promised (David’s taking the throne).

The problem is we don’t like to wait. We push and we pull. We moan and we cry. We throw a fit. We try to force God’s hand and try to make it happen. We get mad at God and complain about our circumstances. And we forget that God is actually at work preparing us to receive the promises He has prepared for us. We want it all right now, but God knows that if He gave it all to us, the blessing would actually be a curse because we aren’t ready for it.

So the next time you have to wait a little while (or fifteen years), don’t forget that God is at work. Remember what Philippians 2:13 says, “for it is God who is at work in you...in order to fulfill His good purpose.” 

Staying in Touch

by Tim Howard

Unless I am out of the country visiting a developing nation or located in some remote place without Internet or phone access, I communicate with my wife virtually every day. I value my conversations with her and have a strong desire to stay in touch.

Sometimes we misunderstand what the other is saying which comes with the territory when you are trying to communicate. Like the other day: My wife and I were sitting at a very busy intersection. I asked her if it was clear in her direction and could I proceed? She spoke one word and it was ‘GO.’ In response to her statement I stepped on the gas, quickly moved into oncoming traffic and nearly caused an accident. Out of frustration I questioned her about her statement. She responded to me with a piercing question; “What didn’t you understand about the word ‘NO?’

If you are going to communicate clearly you must talk and listen.

God really wants to talk with you but He also wants to be understood! Staying in touch with God on a regular basis – talking and listening – will help in your ability to hear correctly on a more consistent basis.

Some time ago we spent a weekend on the coast with some good friends. One of them was a pilot so we flew on his small aircraft and I noticed something interesting. While in flight he never took his headphones off. I learned something new that day.

During an airplane flight, there is constant communication that involves your plane. The air traffic controllers clear the plane for take-off and later at another tower, they will clear the pilot for landing. They stay in touch the whole time between the takeoff and the landing. Why? Because there is more to the flight than just the beginning and the end! The pilot needs to know if there are other planes nearby or of bad weather that demands a course change. It's good for the pilot not to turn off communication with the tower after he takes off. In Revelation 22:13 Jesus says: “I am the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last, the Beginning and the End.” But He’s also everything in between.

Here’s the problem. We allow ourselves to get very busy. We check in with the tower when we take off in the morning, and then we take off our headsets until it’s time to land in bed at the end of our flight.

In doing so, we set our selves up to make hundreds of little decisions on our own without consulting the Lord. No wonder we experience turbulence, get off course and sometimes we even crash.

In the Old Testament a man of God named Nehemiah was very busy serving his King but not too busy to check in with God. One day in the midst of a high priority conversation that would alter the course of his life, he took time to consult with God. His prayer only lasted a few moments but those few moments proved to be life changing.

From the very beginning God reveals Himself as one who wants to communicate regularly. He didn’t create things and then leave on vacation – never to be heard from again. He wants to stay in touch.
Staying in touch with the Air Traffic Controller will guide your plane but staying in tough with your Creator will guide your life.

If you want the safest route to the best destination, keep your headset on from takeoff to landing every day. Stay in touch with your Creator!

The Price of Freedom

by Tim Howard

If you are a citizen of the United States of America you have every reason to celebrate this weekend. We are a nation built upon freedom and if you understand our history – you appreciate everything that word ‘freedom’ represents.

Many things that seem to be free, have in reality been paid for by others. When that happens – it really isn’t free – it’s just at ‘no expense to you.’ If you want to gather a large crowd around you, simply shout the word ‘FREE!’  People from every nook and cranny will come running because the very term itself suggests you will get something for nothing. Most people like a good sale but everyone loves to get something for free.

Freedom costs, however, and we must not forget that. The celebration this weekend would not be possible without those who chose to sacrifice their wants, their feelings, their thoughts and their lives.

The cost of freedom and the high price that was paid demands we use it wisely. Paul the Apostle said: Gal. 5:13 “It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows.” MSG

 Having freedom is one thing but using freedom in the right way is another.

True freedom involves a cost but also a choice. If you wrongly assume that freedom means to indulge yourself and a means of getting what will benefit you regardless of others then all your choices will be selfish. Freedom is then held in jeopardy.

For ongoing freedom to remain, we must choose to use our freedom correctly and for the benefit of the whole. President John F. Kennedy said: "...ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Freedom, when used properly will choose what is right and best for the whole. Freedom is not just about YOU!

Freedom is not unique to America nor did it have its origin in this country’s beginning. God has always had a desire for every boy and girl, every man and women to experience freedom. When people proclaim their dependency ‘upon’ God rather than their independence ‘from’ God, Heaven rules on earth. But when people proclaim their independence ‘from’ God rather than depending ‘upon’ God, Hell breaks loose everywhere.

Here are a few things we must never forget about freedom:

1. The call to freedom is a privilege – not a right. It has been provided for us, by others and must be honored by those of us who have been entrusted with it.

2. We are free to choose but not free from the consequences of our choices. We are responsible for the choices we make. 

3. True freedom is not the right to choose but the privilege to choose what is right.

As we celebrate the freedom allotted to us on July 4, 1776 may we all use our liberties wisely.