Saturday, 5 May 2007

My Next Messages

These are the thoughts I have lined up for the next few messages.
I'd love your thoughts and input into my messages!

SHAPE:
Tackling the subject of burnout... and self leadership.
Is burnout caused by working too hard... or is it something else all together?
What is the cost of leading a visionary life?

Jer 12:5 CEV
(5) Jeremiah, if you get tired in a race against people, how can you possibly run against horses? If you fall in open fields, what will happen in the forest along the Jordan River?

Mat 10:37-39 CEV
(37) If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples.
(38) And unless you are willing to take up your cross and come with me, you are not fit to be my disciples.
(39) If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.


7pm SERVICE PERP:
Grace but not as you know it... I'm not talking about the forgiveness stuff... I'm talking about having the KAZAM to live life out of God's strength and not ours! Stop trying in your own human wisdom and strength to live right... and live out of God's wisdom and strength.
How do we do this?

Php 2:12-13 CEV
(12) My dear friends, you always obeyed when I was with you. Now that I am away, you should obey even more. So work with fear and trembling to discover what it really means to be saved.
(13) God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey him.

2Co 12:9 MSG
(9) and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness.


7pm SERVICE PERP:
What am I ministering to the world... my moods or the fruit of the Spirit?
What I feel... I serve.
How can I get over myself and walk in these fruits of the Holy Spirit?

Gal 5:22-23 ESV
(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
(23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.




Please don't forget to share your thoughts and input into my messages! ie. COMMENT!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Clive,
as you know I have experienced a lot in terms of burnout in the last couple of months but I really feel as though the key to not burning out is to fully keep indulging in your quiet times with God - I know that's whats helped me out and the only reason why I am coping with everything I have on it's so crazy! You also need to make sure that you are getting served in someway by the church so that you do still keep growing in your spiritual journey which fully relates to the McDonalds syndrome you were talking about at the equipping day. In relation to the 7pm perp God's supernatural strength is awesome and it is only by his grace that we can look to him for strength in all situations. I love it in Psalms 105:4 where it says "Search for the Lord and for his strength, and keep on searching" because at the end of the day God will help us through every situation no matter what may be going on. I think these coming messages are going to be awesome and I can't wait to grow more in all of these areas :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Clive! So u hav a blog...

my thoughts are.. always bring it back to the message of the gospel. what is the message of the gospel? Romans 1:16 'I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." The gospel that says we were sinners but Christ paid for that sin and now we must "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord" (Acts 3:19-20). Isn't that the grace of God? Can it be anything else but God's love and forgiveness?

You asked how do we live out of God's wisdom and strength and how can we get over ourselves and walk in these fruits of the Holy Spirit? I believe that its in the scripture you mentioned, Phil 2:12-13 'Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-CONTINUE TO WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
So I believe we must take the focus off ourselves by asking what can GOD do with us today? rather than what can WE do?
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

hey clive,

Yay for blogs, I am just breezing thru, loving the ideas and heart, and journey God is taking you on, seeing you outpour the knowledge you are consuming! will comment later, but like that there is good stuff coming up. Bless ya clive.

Oh check out rachael.rickard.blogspot.com if you like

See you at work buddy

Anonymous said...

The cost of leading a visionary life – Here’s some brief thoughts

There is a risk and a balance we need to strike, as always

1.Being what we are not
Operating outside of our gifting. I guess the struggle comes from successfully identifying what we cannot do, while still trying to push and challenge ourselves to stretch our capacity

2. Ties in with Number 1
How to say no, without feeling guilty

3.Where do you stand?
What are you prepared to sacrifice – relationships, family, friends, time
Then sticking to what you say

4.What level of courage do you possess in your own gifts and abilities?

5.What inspires you?

6.There are two types of choices we face
The right choice and the easy choice

Cat said...

Burnout - and its associated conditions such as depression, anxiety, apathy... - are the 20th and 21st centuries epidemics. In attempting to find a 'balance' we try to do all things and be all things to all people.

It doesn't work.

My family is a family that for generations has experienced burnout and depression. You would think we would learn but most members have been through these experiences multiple times. On evaluation I think its been the driving need to succeed in the eyes of the world - and succeed in all areas - that has been a major culprit. This has left me pondering what is success in MY eyes. Success for me has become a relationship with God in which HE is satisfied. To avoid the lures of burnout I constantly have to remind myself of what I am aiming for, why I am going there, and who I am living for. This makes it much easier to 'indulge' in quiet times (as Christina mentioned) and to prioritise commitments.

When I am operating under God's leadership, when I am in constant communication with Him, when I have 'fuel' in the tank, and when I have been 'selfish' and chosen to prioritise my health and wellbeing, I can be incredibly busy and on the go 16+ hours a day for weeks without a problem. Its when I neglect the basics and fall out of step that I slip towards burnout.

Does burnout come from working too hard? Not in my experience. I think it comes from working too hard for the wrong things from the wrong motives.

Cat