I received the following article from Michael Pink. It's an awesome article that deals with focus. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Intensity.
There's something about intensity that generates results like nothing else. I watched a documentary yesterday on the life of Keith Green. Talk about intense! His passion was a consuming fire! His music moved a generation of young Christians in the early eighties. And I was stirred, just watching.
Where does intensity come from and what happens when you have it? Well, first of all, it's highly contagious and anyone with any contact with you will catch your intensity. If they don't appreciate your intensity, it will drive them away, but others, many others will be drawn to it. Therefore, make it about the right things. Until you value intensity or as some call it, passion, you will never have it. You may be moved by it in others, but you will never be possessed by it, consumed by it, animated by it. You will never benefit from it directly, nor will others be benefited by the potential of it in you.
Think about this... How long does it take to weld a bridge using a candle versus a blowtorch? Which are you? Have you lost your intensity lately? It happens. It's time to relight the blowtorch. It's time to ignite the passion, the intensity for what you are doing with your life. It's time to ignite the passion for your product or service if you are in business. And always, it's time to keep your intensity strong for the Lord.As they say, I would rather burn out than rust out. How about you?
I want to continue the discussion on intensity. Where does it come from? I submit that intensity is the result of FOCUS. When I was a child, I guess I had a cruel streak or at the very least an insensitive streak. On a lazy summer afternoon, we would grab a magnifying glass and go looking for ants.Some of you already know where I am going with this. We would find some slow moving ant near an ant hill and try to focus the light of the sun upon the ant. If we were way out of focus, there was no effect. If we were nearly in focus, it got us excited, but the ant didn't seem to pay any attention.It was only when we sharpened that focus to a virtual pinpoint that suddenly the ant upon which that light beam fell, suddenly withered and fried before our eyes. The ant represents the goal, the objective, the thing you are in pursuit of. With poor focus, nothing at all happens. With some focus, you get excited, but with precision, pinpoint focus, your actions become like a precision guided laser and the goal is accomplished with remarkable speed.But focus requires intentionality. Deliberateness. That's the subject of my next blog, but in the meantime, if you want to grow your mental capacity a bit, meditate on what it takes for you to focus. When you know that, you are well on your way.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Holy Ghost Outpour!!
This past weekend (July 13th, & 15th) I truly feel that God quit visiting Mansfield and He is beginning to go from visitation to habitation. On Friday night from 10pm - 6am we had an all night prayer meeting and, needless to say, God showed up. I had a softball game that was SUPPOSED TO end at 10:00 pm. But the teams that played before we played started late and the second game went into extra innings.
We should have started our game at 8:00 but didn’t get started until around 8:45; which put the ending time for our second game at 10:45. Needless to say I was upset because of the situation. I get in the car with the guy I was riding with and about 15 minutes from the church his tire blows. By this time it was 11:15 and I was at the point that I didn’t want to go.
With the tire changed we were off again and I got to the church around 12:05 am. Everyone was praying and I just slipped in the back; and sat there and prayed. I was in no mood to pray like everyone else; I knew I had to get my attitude right before that would happen. Once I felt the “change” I really started seeking God’s face for my church, my family and myself.
About 1:30 Darren asked if anyone had anything and I fought it because I wanted to make sure that what I had was really God. He kept looking at me and I kept saying “no” because I thought it would go away. Finally I couldn’t handle it anymore and I took the mic and told the church that I was feeling that God was taking us back to our first love. The power of God hit me while I was talking and I couldn’t stop shaking.
Sunday morning was the same type of atmosphere and God showed up again. I am so thankful that I went and that God is using me again in the gift of the prophetic.
Be Blessed & Walk In Your Identity
We should have started our game at 8:00 but didn’t get started until around 8:45; which put the ending time for our second game at 10:45. Needless to say I was upset because of the situation. I get in the car with the guy I was riding with and about 15 minutes from the church his tire blows. By this time it was 11:15 and I was at the point that I didn’t want to go.
With the tire changed we were off again and I got to the church around 12:05 am. Everyone was praying and I just slipped in the back; and sat there and prayed. I was in no mood to pray like everyone else; I knew I had to get my attitude right before that would happen. Once I felt the “change” I really started seeking God’s face for my church, my family and myself.
About 1:30 Darren asked if anyone had anything and I fought it because I wanted to make sure that what I had was really God. He kept looking at me and I kept saying “no” because I thought it would go away. Finally I couldn’t handle it anymore and I took the mic and told the church that I was feeling that God was taking us back to our first love. The power of God hit me while I was talking and I couldn’t stop shaking.
Sunday morning was the same type of atmosphere and God showed up again. I am so thankful that I went and that God is using me again in the gift of the prophetic.
Be Blessed & Walk In Your Identity
Failure
I came across the following quote on the internet and it really jumped out at me and I have been "chewing" on it for about a week now. It's for those people that feel that they have failed someone or something in their life and they can't seem to get over it. The quote was made by Henry Ford and it's such a powerful quote.
"Failure is only an opportunity to begin again more intelligently." After I read it I began to think of a situation that occured about 3 years ago. It was something that I really did "screw up" in. Through it all I have realized that once I am in the same type of circumstance I will be able to do it again more intelligently because I have learned more about myself, God and my calling.
I thank God for failure. If it had not been for the "failure" in this situation then I don't think that I would be where I am today.
Remember this: if you feel that you have failed take heart and remember that it's an opportunity to begin again more intelligently.
God Bless
"Failure is only an opportunity to begin again more intelligently." After I read it I began to think of a situation that occured about 3 years ago. It was something that I really did "screw up" in. Through it all I have realized that once I am in the same type of circumstance I will be able to do it again more intelligently because I have learned more about myself, God and my calling.
I thank God for failure. If it had not been for the "failure" in this situation then I don't think that I would be where I am today.
Remember this: if you feel that you have failed take heart and remember that it's an opportunity to begin again more intelligently.
God Bless
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Valuing Your Salvation
Until your walk with God becomes your own you won’t appreciate it. A couple of weeks ago Misty and I attended a wedding for a close friend of ours in Michigan. During the reception I was talking with another one of my friends that has recently rededicated his life. The one thing that he said to me struck me so hard was “Until your walk with God becomes your own you won’t appreciate it.”
I could have jumped out of my skin sitting at the table with him. It answers so many questions that I have/had in regards to why some of my friends and even some youth that I used to minister to aren’t walking with God right now. Their walk with God wasn’t their own.
Paul admonishes us to “…work out OUR OWN salvation with fear and trembling.” Your salvation isn’t based on what you “feel” it’s based on what you know. If you are riding the coat tails of your parents or even your pastor’s walk with God then it won’t truly be yours. I was the same way until the summer of 1998 when I went on a short-term missions trip and I saw countless miracles and I had no argument that God doesn’t perform miracles today. It was on that trip that my walk with God became my own. Until you really experience things for yourself you will never value or appreciate certain things.
While I’m on the subject of “feeling” I won’t to stop and encourage you in something.
If you don’t feel God, and you are living a life above reproach, then God is closer to you then He was before. Because when you “feel” Him you are relying on your soul to tell you that God is near. When you don’t feel Him you are relying on your spirit and that makes Him closer to you then you even realize.
For instance; I never fully understood the love of Jesus until I became a father myself. I now know why Jesus chose to come and assure our salvation by dying on the cross so we can spend an eternity with Him. Until you really know and appreciate who Jesus is and what He can do your walk with Him won’t really be your own and the first sign of trouble or questioning your faith will begin to waver.
Take the opportunity over the next couple of days and give yourself a “spiritual gut check” and find out if your walk with God is your own.
I could have jumped out of my skin sitting at the table with him. It answers so many questions that I have/had in regards to why some of my friends and even some youth that I used to minister to aren’t walking with God right now. Their walk with God wasn’t their own.
Paul admonishes us to “…work out OUR OWN salvation with fear and trembling.” Your salvation isn’t based on what you “feel” it’s based on what you know. If you are riding the coat tails of your parents or even your pastor’s walk with God then it won’t truly be yours. I was the same way until the summer of 1998 when I went on a short-term missions trip and I saw countless miracles and I had no argument that God doesn’t perform miracles today. It was on that trip that my walk with God became my own. Until you really experience things for yourself you will never value or appreciate certain things.
While I’m on the subject of “feeling” I won’t to stop and encourage you in something.
If you don’t feel God, and you are living a life above reproach, then God is closer to you then He was before. Because when you “feel” Him you are relying on your soul to tell you that God is near. When you don’t feel Him you are relying on your spirit and that makes Him closer to you then you even realize.
For instance; I never fully understood the love of Jesus until I became a father myself. I now know why Jesus chose to come and assure our salvation by dying on the cross so we can spend an eternity with Him. Until you really know and appreciate who Jesus is and what He can do your walk with Him won’t really be your own and the first sign of trouble or questioning your faith will begin to waver.
Take the opportunity over the next couple of days and give yourself a “spiritual gut check” and find out if your walk with God is your own.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Pics Of Paige From Memorial Day!!!
Paige & Grandma Letner
Four Generations Of Letner's
Paige In Her First Bathing Suit
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Outpour!!!
I believe with all of my heart that God is getting ready to send a spirit of refreshing & renewal to not only Mansfield but the entire world. This past Sunday was absolutely incredible!!! In our pre-service prayer I felt in my spirit that God was going to do some awesome. Needless to say He didn't disappoint. We were about three songs into praise & worship and the fire came down. God reminded me of a word "Unless Your Salvation Is Your Own You Will Not Appreciate It."
Much to my surprise Pastor Jerry called me forward to share what God had given me. He also brought me to Eph. 5:27; "being made clean to the washing of the water of the Word." I then went on to share that it's time to get cleaned up so we can properly carry the move that God is sending to the earth. It felt so good to be in a service like that because I could hear God speaking so clearly to me.
Pastor Jerry couldn't preach & I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I will never be the same again. God has touched me & changed things on the inside of me & am I ready for the doors he will open in the future. I have positioned myself to receive everything He has for me.
Much to my surprise Pastor Jerry called me forward to share what God had given me. He also brought me to Eph. 5:27; "being made clean to the washing of the water of the Word." I then went on to share that it's time to get cleaned up so we can properly carry the move that God is sending to the earth. It felt so good to be in a service like that because I could hear God speaking so clearly to me.
Pastor Jerry couldn't preach & I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I will never be the same again. God has touched me & changed things on the inside of me & am I ready for the doors he will open in the future. I have positioned myself to receive everything He has for me.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Give Him The Battle!
"Give Him The Battle and He'll Give To You The Victory."
I have heard these words numerous times as I have listened to "The Crabb Family" sing them. They have never really meant anything to me except for these last couple of weeks. My family and I have been going through some pretty insane stuff and I have (with the advice of my mentor) kept my mouth shut. I have about a 50 mintue drive every day to and from work. Needless to say I have a lot of time to think and pray about things in my life. As I was thinking about the way we have been treated I started to get upset and in the background I heard the words to the song from The Crabb Family that told me to give Him the battle and He'll give to me the victory.
The funny thing about this is the fact that I asked God what to do. I said "Do I call the person and talk to them or should I let it go." I'm not one to say that everything is spiritual but I really feel that God was telling me to give Him my feelings and frustrations and He will come through.
I have heard these words numerous times as I have listened to "The Crabb Family" sing them. They have never really meant anything to me except for these last couple of weeks. My family and I have been going through some pretty insane stuff and I have (with the advice of my mentor) kept my mouth shut. I have about a 50 mintue drive every day to and from work. Needless to say I have a lot of time to think and pray about things in my life. As I was thinking about the way we have been treated I started to get upset and in the background I heard the words to the song from The Crabb Family that told me to give Him the battle and He'll give to me the victory.
The funny thing about this is the fact that I asked God what to do. I said "Do I call the person and talk to them or should I let it go." I'm not one to say that everything is spiritual but I really feel that God was telling me to give Him my feelings and frustrations and He will come through.
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