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May 20, 2013 in
Discipline
It’s hard spending our days pursuing the kingdom and trying not to waste our lives. There are many dangers and obstacles in our path.
But the greatest threats aren’t the traumatic events or the opposition from others or the great crossroads we face.
The greatest danger is simply cooling off.
Not seeing results. Feeling insignificant. Thinking that we’re not really making a difference one way or the other.
But Paul gives us encouragement in the sixth chapter of Galatians.
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April 25, 2013 in
Discipline
You’re putting in the hours. You’re hustling.
But the results aren’t coming in – at least now how you hoped.
It could be a career, your marriage, your ministry, your health, or any area of your life. You feel discouraged and you want to quit.
You’re not the first to feel this way. Take a lesson from the Israelites.
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Duration: 12:30In the first chapter of James, we’re promised that God will give us wisdom when we ask. Not only that, but we are commanded to pray for wisdom.
This isn’t just wisdom to make the major decisions of our lives, but wisdom to handle even the seemingly insignificant situations.
In this podcast episode, I talk about this promise from God – as well as about the connection between wisdom and time management that is all throughout scripture.
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March 22, 2013 in
Balanced Life
I once read about the concept of an opposable mind. It’s a great way to describe truths which appear to not easily agree.
Think of it like this: Humans have opposable thumbs. Our thumbs apply pressure in one direction and our fingers apply pressure in the other direction – and that’s how we can grab things.
In the same way, sometimes two statements push in opposite directions. But it’s not that they contradict each other. They’re applying pressure so that the truth in the middle can be grasped and truly understood.
Keeping that in mind, here are some great quotes from Martin Luther about the value of rest and work.
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March 8, 2013 in
Biblical Worldview
Occasionally, people will ask what scripture verses apply to the way we manage our time. With a narrow focus on strictly just time management, it seems like there aren’t many explicit references.
But it’s a humbling, challenging, and yet empowering truth to realize that misusing our time is a sin. It’s empowering because then all of the general promises and instructions on sin in scripture are applicable to our time.
Here’s one that hit me between the eyes as I was reading through Proverbs the other day.
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February 26, 2013 in
Discipline
John 4:34: “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.’”
John 17:4: “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.”
God gave Jesus work. Not to merely try – but to accomplish. To finish.
Jesus was a finisher.
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February 18, 2013 in
Biblical Worldview
Time management isn’t just about avoiding time wasters. It’s also about zealously investing your time into what matters.
It’s about taking on the fruitful but scary projects, doing the hard work, and pouring your life out for the glory of God.
You may feel a call, a passion, a ripe opportunity to dive into something – but there’s the fear. The fear that you can’t handle it. The fear that you’re inadequate. The fear that you’re a nobody.
The surest way to waste your time is to give in to this fear. We need to fight it, but how do we do that?
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February 11, 2013 in
Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Duration: 20:13A lot of great and exciting things were happening as the early church was growing.
Yet that growth stretched the apostles to their limits, leading to overcommitment and chronic busyness – which led to further and potentially serious problems.
In this episode, we’ll take a look at how the apostles handled this situation, and we’ll learn some great practical wisdom that we can apply to our own busyness.
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February 3, 2013 in
Discipline
There are some times when we shouldn’t read our Bibles – some times when it’s not right to bow our heads in prayer.
It seems so unspiritual to say that.
And that’s exactly why prayer and Bible study are such dangerous candidates for procrastination.
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January 30, 2013 in
Biblical Worldview, Systems & Tips
We’re pummeled every day by advice from the time management experts. There is no shortage out there of systems, tools, procedures, and approaches.
You’re searching for the perfect one. You’ve given the different methods an honest shot. But some just seem silly. Some seem too rigorous. Some seem like they won’t work in reality.
And you begin to think perhaps something’s wrong with you. You wonder if you’re just lazy. Are you just destined to be unproductive and ineffective?
Don’t lose heart.
One of the unique foundations of biblical productivity is the fact that you are an individual.
Not only is this profoundly Christian, but it’s freeing emotionally and beneficial practically.
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