Dan O’Deens Blogspot

Andy Stanley has done it again.   Perhaps the most trusted pastor on the planet.   Integrity, Communication, Leadership and Great Teaching have been his trademark.   A proven pastor and an incredible author.

The Principle of the Path is a book that typifies Andy.   Simply Strategic.   So simple that you can some up his greatest take aways in a few quotes.  ”Lord, help us to see trouble coming long before it gets here.  And give us the wisdom to know that to do and the courage to do it.”    ”What gets our attention determines our direction and, ultimately, our destination.”  

Of course he sets his book apart by letting us know the information in this book is not “self-help.”   The applications and implications are seen by us as we flesh out our lives.   The startling truth is summed up in his end;  ”I hope you have a better idea of how to get from where you are to where you want to be.   But…as this book is closed, everything in your world will be exactly as you left it.   Knowing doesn’t make the difference.  Doing does.”  The decisions you make will determine the direction and the destination of your life.  Choose wisely.

THIS IS A MUST READ for EVERYONE!

I am reading through Naaman’s account in 2 Kings 5.  Naaman is frustrated because he has this awful disease.   He is hoping that God might heal him.   Of course he also wanted to hear directly from God.  But God, chooses to send the potential gift of healing through a messenger.   

Naaman had expectations and failed to keep his eye on the real need and instead focused more on “how” he wanted to see it come to realization.  He either expected God’s abra-cadabra or something a bit complicated.  He certainly was not looking for a ‘trivial’ request to go dip yourself 7 times in foreign water.

And then there is the wisdom of one of Naaman’s officers.   He says, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it?  So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’”  

Often times God’s message is far more simple than we expect.  It equally often comes through a human messenger.  Are we open to hear from God through the people God has placed in our lives?  Are our eyes open?   When we hear and see the hand and direction of the Lord, will we be ready to obey?

We can get “FLYERED UP” or PHILLIED UP! and become totally insane about our sports teams!  I personally am hoping that before my 50th birthday I will see Cleveland bring home at least 1 championship.   Go LeBron…bring us that Championship!   

God created us to WORSHIP.  The question is who are what will we worship.   We go to the game and give up incredible worship to the wrong god, then go to church and give weak worship to the right God!    We turn that around, we will see God like never before!

I was stunned this past weekend.   I arrived at Church and at 7:30 a.m. a bunch of Vans were parked along with some cars.   I approached them and yep….they were all having a ‘Tailgate Party.’   They were getting juiced up for Worship!   They had a powered speaker and were singing praises, eating breakfast and preparing for some of the greatest worship to the RIGHT GOD!   I am SO PROUD of our Team.   I love our Church!   

Way to get Phanatical About God and His Church!   I hope to see some great tailgating in the future!

The life of the Apostle Paul is one of the most fascinating of all Bible Characters.  To watch the hand of God on this man from Religious zealot to killer of Christians to the missionary to the gentile is nothing short of a ‘wow’ experience.

Ken Duncan has captured the journeys of Paul in a way that allows us to feel like we took the journey with him.  He follows the steps of Paul and uses the Scripture to retrace his ministry.  The best part, it is a journey in photography.   You get to see the very places where he pioneered church plants throughout New Testament times.   

This is a coffee table book.  The pictures are marvelous and the commentary captures well the journey of a man who committed himself fully to GO wherever God asked him to go and to do whatever God asked him to do.

For those of you who enjoy art and the majesty and missionary side of God, this is a must read/look BOOK!

“The Noticer” by Andy Andrews is fantistically absorbing.  It forces the reader to see people in a different light.   Inter-personal relationships can wear you out.   Perspective can ruin all relationships.   Andy gives a fresh ‘view’ of people as he ‘notices’ the best in people.  He gives people hope and gives them time to work out the insights he leaves them as he “passes through their lives.”  

All of us enjoy the mountain top experiences of life. It’s the ‘valleys’ of life that get us down!  Andy says, “Everyone wants to be on the mountain top.  On the top, it is rocky and cold.  There is NO growth on the top and Why does everyone think that God wants us to always be on the Mountain top?  Sure the view is great, but what is the view for?  It gives us a glimpse of our next destination.  But, to hit it we have to come off the top, go through the valley, and begin the climb to the next slope.  It is in the valley that we experience the lush grass, rich soil and all the learning that enables us to summit life’s next peak. ”

I love his definition on WISDOM:  ”The ability to see, into the future, the consequences of your choices in the present.”  

Perhaps his most enlightening thought concerns CHANGE.   He says, “Change is immediate!  Instantaeous!  It may take a long time to decide to change..but change happens in a heartbeat.”    He goes on to say that “it might take a while for your reputation to catch up to the change you have already made.  If you have changed, show evidence of it.”

His outlook on people’s lives is refreshing.  He always sees the best and has hope for the people he ’stumbles’ upon.   His bottom line outlook on life, “Keep your fork, the best is yet to come.”

This is a must read for anyone wishing to better their people skills.   

This Thomas Nelson product is done  with excellence.   Perhaps I am still a bit old school and don’t have the patience to sit still long enough to listen when I can sit down and enjoy the book.    Did you catch it…. I can sit still long enough as long as it fits my style and comfort.

Exactly why the New Testament and made for this Next Generation is perfect.   Kids download everything.  Why not download the Bible.   To hide God’s Word in our hearts does not require ‘reading.’   I am constantly amazed by how my own kids are capable of listening to songs on the radio and in a couple of hearings they have it memorized!     

Enter Word of Promise MP3!    The ‘actors’ chosen have done a fantastic job at reading their parts.   The voice inflection and dramatization is good and yet not over the top.    Best of all are the sound effects.  As you listen through the book of Revelation, the drama is escalated because of the background effects.

Only one negative note from this pushing 50 reviewer.   I downloaded the CD/MP3 files to my computer.  That was simple enough.   As the files were loaded onto my computer it was difficult to arrange the ‘order’ of the books from the many MP3 files that you end up downloading.   

If you are computer savvy and love to listen to books this one is a must.   Parent’s come to me asking me which version of the Bible should they buy for their teenager?   I used to tell them which ever one they will read.   Now, I can add to that comment…which ever one they will read OR listen to.

Any leader flat out has to be impressed when they follow the steps of Joshua.   He was a great ’second’ man and he was a great ‘first’ man.   That was true because his identity was in his God.   Any good and Godly leader understands that his identity does not come from the organization he serves, but from the innate qualities given to him by God himself.

As a leader taps into the true power source and leads strong and serves faithfully and follows the instruction of the Lord and does not turn from it to the right or the left is destined to be a GREAT leader.   

This was said of Joshua (Joshua 24:31)  ”The people of Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the elders who outlived him.”    What a legacy.  

The truth:  Joshua lead and those that God had entrusted to his care followed.  That is the greatest success for any group of people.   Leaders and Followers.  All followers need a leader.   Every leader has followers.

A leader knows his job was done well, when at the end of the day, the people are serving the Lord; and at the end of his life; the people are still following the Lord.

The real reason for success:  Joshua 1:7-9;  Be strong and very courageous.  Be careful to obey ALL the instructions Moses (or your God appointed Leader) gave you.  Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or the left.  Then you will be successful in everything  you do.  Study this Book of Instruction continually.  Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.  ONLY THEN will you prosper and succeed in all you do….For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Voltaire said, “Paradise is where I am.”   I am not intending to make a theological argument from the quote, but it captured my attention.   This past week, I spoke about the Cage of Routine from Mark Batterson’s book, The Wild Goose Chase.   (A must read book for those who desire to passionately pursue the Spirit of God.) 

I was captured twice this week by a statement.   One that usually is attributed to ‘just’ Moses.  But it was also spoken to Joshua!   “Take off your sandals for you are standing on Holy Ground.”    I am pretty sure Moses had his eyes set on the “Promised Land.”   Surely, that was the place of “holy ground.’   That is the problem of life.  ”When I get there, then…”   And God is saying, not then, now.   Moses….right now!  Don’t miss it!  You are standing in my presence.  I am about to commission you with a task that will move people where I want them to be moved, and I am choosing you to lead them to where I want them to go!  

I love Moses’ response.  ”Here I am.”    When we respond with a “Here I Am” and you are standing in the presence of Jesus, then you in fact are in Paradise!   Help me to be in Paradise all day TODAY!    

As Batterson points out, The Celtic term for the Holy Spirit is, “An Geadh-Glas” which translates, “the Wild Goose.”   So, it’s yours and my choice:  Today, Will I Choose to Chase the Wild Goose?

1.  That the Creator of the Universe Chooses to Use Someone Like Me!   Wow!  Really!  I can be such a screw up and He flat out uses me in spite of me.  Thanks God!

2.  That my Family Loves Me and Loves Jesus!   How cool is that.   I have a great wife that ’stands by her man’ (by the way…I hate country music).  And I have great kids who are each their very own persons, but all of them love Jesus and are walking with Him.  Thanks God!

3.  That God is changing peoples lives!   I just love change and nothing gets me going more than to see people who once were walking in darkness now walking in the light!   Thanks God!

4.  That I have the opportunities to plug into my community.   I get to serve our community in the areas of my passion:  Working with people in crisis and Working with people who love God’s sport…Soccer!   Thanks God!  (By the way, one my girls from the team I coach, came to church this past Sunday with her family.  They are from Switzterland….they loved it and I loved having them there!  Thanks again God!!

5.  That life is an adventure and I get to wonder, and dream and Chase after those Big Dreams that God plants in my heart.  Thanks God!

Children come in all sizes and variations and kinds.   I happen to have 4 of my own!  4 teenagers!  What were we thinking?   Really…it’s all good!  My wife, Gay and I are so proud of our kids.   What really excites us is that they are all walking with Jesus.   In the midst of some very busy days, and very trying times, I can NEVER neglect my children they are part of the stewardship that God has entrusted to me…and I only get them for a short time.   I pray that we are pointing them in the right direction and equipping them to make wise choices as they seek their God!

Then there are our daughter churches.   It is always tough for a church to see some of the people they love…leave…to start new churches.   The tears of departure DO turn into smiles as we see what God is doing through them.   We are proud of Encuentro Latino and Elk Creek!  We love you guys!  …and we now wish the Gensel Tribe well, as they seek to plant our first house church network!   

And then, I was so STOKED this week!   I was talking to a guy who started coming to Gateway just a short while ago.   I listened to this fellow and was just heart broken for what he was going through.   I had to pause and ask him, if we could back up.   I told him about a Father, who loved Him.  About a Father more concerned about where he was going, rather than where he had been.  I told him how he could become a child of God.   I asked him if he wanted to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus?  He said, YES!   The Father has a new son, and we have a new brother!  Welcome to the family Bryan!

I am so proud of all the children God has entrusted to me!  To God be the glory!