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Why #11 Means So Much To Me

You ever just take a little bit of time to look back over your life and see that God has consistently had your back and has consistently shown you in His own special way?  Well, that’s #11 in my life.

Being a November baby it was only natural that I would gravitate towards the month and the number.  I mean that’s just out of any normal person’s typical loyalty to their birthday month...but being born in November was only the beginning.

To the best of my ability I will try not to make this come off like some numerology kick.  Meaning, I do not look to any number to define my life or define my religion or define my beliefs in some weird, spooky, what-you-talkin-bout-Willis kind of way.  BUT...numbers have always been important to God (just sayin’ there’s a whole book in the Bible called Numbers) and appropriately always important to me but...

#11 is not about the actual #11 at all.  It is more so a symbol, a little thing that me and God have.  It is our “wink”, our “I see you”, our “Dap-POW”, our “I know your name”, our “Secret handshake”.

My mother told me a story that when she was just a child she witnessed a hit and run outside of her house.  As she saw the man laying there dead in the street and was clearly scared to death....she saw a butterfly.  The most beautiful butterfly flew past her and she felt a peace come about her and she felt like God was saying “I got you” and “Everything is going to be okay”.  Ever since then, every time my mom saw the butterfly she was reminded of God and His “wink” towards her and His peace.  Growing up, you knew you were hitting a home run with my Mom if you got her something with a butterfly on it or in it, or if you drew it, or whatever.  Below is a painting I made for her not too long ago....you know she loved it.   Alas, she has the butterfly and I have 11.

Now back to me...So not to bore you with a whole bunch of words, I’ll just give you the list of what I have noted so far.  It’s amazing when you can take note of something AS it’s happening, and not only in hindsight.  Hindsight suggest that you missed it as it was going down...Father give me NOW-sight!

The List (Not all inclusive, just some of the more significant items)

• Born in November (11)...
• Received Christ as my Savior in November (11) at the age of 11 years old...
• My mother was the 7th born in her family - if you start with the “known” cousins (You know exactly why I said that) that were born after her I was the 11th born in the family (Uncle E-1, Aunt C-2, Uncle J-3, Aunt J-4, Aunt D-5, Aunt V-6, Mom-7, Cousin T-8, Cousin U-9, Cousin R-10, ME-11)
• When I received a basketball scholarship to college the article about it was featured in the news paper on page 11c
• When I got accepted to Spelman College, only after arriving did I learn that the school was founded on April 11, with 11 students, and 11 Bibles
• The church I joined while in school had a foundational scripture of Jeremiah 29:11
• The communion scripture, which is also my birthday is 11:23-26 (1Corinthians)
• When I was promoted at work I was sent to Tech training in November (11)
• I was on a magical date on 1/11/11 of this year that parlayed itself in a magical relationship...
• UPDATE: When I was in college Theresa Weatherspoon, #11 of the New York Liberty, came to do a basketball workshop.  I got to play her one-on-one (she beat my tail) and she told me how she got 11 cornrows braided in her hair...

It will be the room number of the hotel I have to stay in for some special conference...

It will be my number in line for a leadership training when I’m asked to count off...

It will be 11th day of the month for some fun event or surprise or awesomeness...

It.Never.Fails.

Big or small, I just want God and the world to know, I see it AS it is happening.  I appreciate Him for giving me OUR special thing.

Do you and God have a special thing? Do you have a special number for whatever reason?  I would love to hear about it.

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Great 11-11-11 Blog by @milanford
http://milanford.com/back-to-one/

Another great 11-11-11 Blog by @mashable
http://mashable.com/2011/11/10/111111/

Musical tribute to 11-11-11 by @GuyKawasaki 
http://holykaw.alltop.com/ode-to-11-11-11-video?tu4=1

I’ve been thinking...never give yourself an excuse not to love...

I have given myself many...  

Sometimes my excuse was... 

...protocol (I just can’t bend the rules)

...common sense (I think you’re lying to me)

...religion (God does not like the way you live)

...safety (you could hurt me if you wanted)

...or whatever.  

I have allowed myself plenty of reasons not to show or demonstrate love...and in those moments, it was probably when it was needed most.

...why I did not give this particular beggar any money.

...why I did not let you use my personal property...I mean, it’s expensive.

...why I ignored the ways in which I am empowered to produce change.

I turned off my heart.

I can think of specific incidences where I purposely turned off my heart, my felt emotions, in order to do the “logical” thing...

...in order to make sure I did not look like a fool

...in order to make sure I did not have to defend my actions

...in order to make sure I gave the “right” answer

Foolishness.

When it matters the most...love.

When it hurts the worst...love.

When it is the most embarrassing...love.

When both you and the other person know “you’re doing too much”...do it anyway...love.

When they are the least deserving (how do we determine that anyway)....and the least appreciative...love.

...

I could use this space to insert a lot of scriptures, but for some reason I don’t think that will be necessary.

...

This is not to be read into any more than what is presented in the poem.  I had a thought and had to explore it fully...so far, this is what I've come up with....I'm still thinking....

So I've been listening to Tye's "When the rocks hit the ground" song on repeat, but something about it is not connecting for me...

I loathe change....if I could avoid it at all costs I would...I'm not sure I can even adequately describe to you just how much I desire everything to be the same....the below video is my best effort....

Angry Birds: The Power of Possibility

See Radical Devotion Part 1: Rick Warren

See Radical Devotion Part 2: Perry Noble

See Radical Preaching Part 1: Rick Warren

RADICAL PREACHING

Key Points & Quotes

 

Speaker: Pastor Andy Stanley

Date: 2-9-2010

Radicalis-Session 2

 

One-liners from Andy during talk:

·               If we’re not careful, our approach to preaching trumps our goal to preaching

·               18-35 year olds in this country have abandoned church

·               Approach is everything – if the approach is wrong, we drive people away

·               Andy’s goal when preaching - “Have people live their lives as if God is with them”

·               Everything that is memorable is portable

·               Our goal much shape our approach

·               First Question: What is your goal? Second Question: What’s your approach?

 

Andy’s approach when preaching – Lure them into the scripture, rub their noses in it, take one sticky statement, jam that statement in their hearts, send them out to do something about it

 

5 Questions Andy asks Every Single Week:

 

1)      Who is about (long pause), really?

a.       Has to be about them, not me

b.      Concern for the audience must overwhelm my concern for me

c.       Prepare so well when preaching that I don’t have to worry about me

d.      Going over time when you preach

                                                        i.      Is because you were unprepared

                                                      ii.      Is about you not them

                                                     iii.      Is selfish

                                                    iv.      Stresses out the rest of the “body of Christ” (volunteers with children, volunteers in the parking lot, those trying to prepare or attend the next service, etc…)

 

2)      What’s my burden?

a.       What’s the one thing that I’ve come to deliver – that I MUST say

                                                        i.      Dig until you find it

                                                      ii.      Build everything else around it

                                                     iii.      Make it stick

b.      Be able to put the whole message in a sentence – what’s the main thing?

c.       Examples of “main thing” message sentences

                                                        i.      To understand why, submit and apply

                                                      ii.      Purity paints the way to intimacy

                                                     iii.      My irresponsibility become’s someone’s else’s responsibility

                                                    iv.      Pay attention to a-tension

                                                      v.      You are the only legitimate source of intimacy for your spouse

                                                    vi.      The decision you make in your garden will effect the rest of your life (My message “main thing” when I preached my first sermon)

 

3)      Where is the tension?

a.       What’s the problem? What are we trying to solve?

b.      What’s the question this message answers?

c.       What is the tension this message resolves?

d.      What is the mystery this message solves?

e.       What is the issue this message addresses?

 

4)      Do I own this?

a.       Have I internalized this message?

b.      How hard is it going to be to preach this?

c.       If I don’t own it, my audience is going to know

d.      The key is to memorize pieces not points

                                                        i.      There should only be ONE POINT

e.       If you can think through the pieces you don’t need notes

f.        Moves and stories go by quick – sermons take forever!

 

5)      Am I allowing the text to speak?

a.       Bring the energy to the text – don’t use all your energy telling the story

b.      Need to uncover the energy in the text

c.       Don’t economize the Bible – if I do that I forfeit the Word and I haven’t properly prepared

                                                        i.      This means don’t spend so much time talking about other areas that there is no time left to explore the text properly

 

See Radical Devotion Part 1: Rick Warren

See Radical Devotion Part 2: Perry Noble

RADICAL PREACHING

Key Points & Quotes

 

Speaker: Pastor Rick Warren

Date: 2-9-2010

Radicalis-Session 2

 

“My word will not return void” Isaiah 55:11

 

1) The BASIS for radical preaching is The Great Commission.

 

A Great Commitment

to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission

will grow a Great Church

 

Matt. 28:19-20 ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,^[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

 

2) The GOAL of radical preaching is Obedience.

 

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable

For doctrine

For reproof

For correction

For instruction in righteousness

THAT the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works”

2 Tim. 3:16-17

 

3) The RESULT of radical preaching is A Serving Disciple.

 

“(Christ) gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people FOR WORKS OF SERVICE” – Ministry

 

So that the BODY OF CHRIST MAY BE BUILT UP – Membership

 

Until we all reach unity in the faith (Missions) and in knowledge of the Son of God and BECOME MATURE (Maturity), attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ!” - Magnification

Eph. 4:11-13

 

·               Jesus always expected people to Do Something as a result of his preaching.

 

“No that you know these things, you will be blessed if you DO them.” John 13:17

 

“Jesus told him, ‘Go and DO likewise.’” Luke 10:37

 

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into PRACTICE is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” Matt. 7:26

 

“It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth” 1 John 3:19

 

“Do the things that show you really have changed your hearts and lives.” Matt. 3:8

 

·               We only believe the parts of the Bible we DO. 

 

TEN THINGS I’VE ELARNED ABOUT PREACHING FOR LIFE-CHANGE

 

1)      All behavior is based on a belief.

a.       “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” Prov. 4:23 (TEV)

b.      What we believe effects how we behave

c.       Ask myself: Why do I do this? I believe something behind the action

 

2)      Behind every sin is a lie that I’m believing.

a.       Go deeper than the action.

b.      “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.” Titus 3:3

 

3)      Change always starts in the mind.

a.       Think -> Feel -> Act

b.      “Do not conform any longer to the patter of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Rom 12:2

 

4)      To help people change, we must first change their beliefs.

a.       “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

b.      Get them to question the lie – what’s the lie behind…______________?

 

5)      Trying to change people’s behavior without changing their beliefs is a waste of time.

a.       “What people say with their mouths comes from the way they thing; and these are the things that make people unclean.” Matt. 15:18

b.      Will power does not work. We must change the autopilot (our belief systems, convictions, values)

c.       Pastors have to preach mind-changing type of messages

d.      Not hard to obey when your mind is renewed but its IMPOSSIBLE to obey when your mind isn’t renewed

 

6)      The Bible term for “Change your mind” is Repentance!

a.       Paradigm Shift = Repentance

b.      Metanoia = to change your mind = reverse mind

c.       Not a sin to have an attraction, but it is a sin to follow that attraction (gay, straight, whatever)

d.      Repentance = changing the way I think about something, but accepting the way God thinks about the same thing

e.       “I will teach you to respect me completely, and I will put a new way of thinking inside of you. I will take out the stubborn hearts of stone from your bodies, and I will give you obedient hearts of flesh.” Ezekial 36:26

 

7)      You don’t change people’s minds, the applied Word of God does.

a.       “We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.” 1 Cor. 2:13b

b.      Make the word personal, practical, possible, provable

c.       In real preaching, God is at work within the speaker

d.      “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.” Zech 4:6

 

8)      Changing the way I act is the fruit.

a.       “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” Matt. 3:8

b.      Repentance is NOT changing my actions. Repentance is changing the way I THINK.

c.       It’s shallow to preach doctrine without applying it to life change – the sins of the people

 

9)      The deepest preaching is preaching for repentance.

a.       Repentance is the central message of New Testament preachers.

b.      John-B “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Matt. 3:2

c.       Jesus “Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15

d.      The 70 “They went out and preach that people should repent” Mark 6:12

e.       Peter “Repent and be baptized, every one of you…” Acts 2:38

f.        Paul “I preach that they should repent…” Acts 26:20b

g.       John “Repent!” Rev. 2-3

 

10)  To product lasting life-change you must enlighten the mind, engage the emotions, and challenge the will.

a.       Every message comes down to 2 words: Will you?

b.      “Where there is no word from God, people are uncontrolled…” Prov. 29:18 (NCV)

c.       Great preaching tasks Risk and Humility

d.      A good church with good preaching will do ALL THREE of these things. So often a church will only focus on one.

                                                               i.      Edify – build them up

                                                             ii.      Educate – fire up

                                                            iii.      Comfort – hold up

RADICAL DEVOTION

Key Points & Quotes

 

Speaker: Pastor Rick Warren

Date: 2-9-2010

Radicalis-Session 1

 

Latin: Radicalis = from the root

“Radical” MEANS ROOTED

 

Root Examples:

Eradicate – comes from the ROOT – get rid of the ROOT issue

Radical in math is the ROOT number

Radical is the ROOT in grammar

Consonants of 2 or 3 in linguistics are RADICAL

Free RADICAL is 2 electrons, 1 proton – smallest ROOT amount

 

Col. 2:6-7 ⁶So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

 

Eph. 3:17-19 ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 

Matt. 13:21 ²¹But they don't have deep roots, and they don't last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up.

 

Jer. 17:7-8 ⁷”Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. "For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.

 

4 Results of Deep Roots Found in Jeremiah:

1)      Not bothered by the heat – can handle the pressure

2)      Not worried by the drought – things that dry up I your life

3)      Leaves stay green

4)      Keep on producing fruit

 

2 Visible Symptoms of Rootlessness (Why people aren’t Christian):

1)      Most people are lethargic

2)      Most people don’t want what we offer, because we come off like

a.       Christians are boring

b.      Christians are just anti-homosexual

c.       Christians are just political

 

One-Liners from Rick during Talk:
     ·           What I am in private determines who I lead in public

·           No ROOTS, no fruit

·           When you have roots you can be like Saddleback – go down deep & last 30 years

·           20 years ago Rick said “The issue is church health, not church growth”

·           Every single problem in my life comes from me not being ROOTED in God’s love

·           We don’t get credit for starting the race – we get credit for ending it well

o       The only way to end well is to build ROOTS Eph. 3:17-19

·           Don’t have to be a superstar to build a super church

·           Someone with shallow roots will whither when the heats on

·           Our goal as Pastor’s is to help move people from “Come & See” (lowest level of commitment) to “Come & Die” (highest level of commitment)

·           Radical devotion = Love God

·           Radical compassion = Love people

·           Radical missions = Reach the nation

·           Radical generosity = Give

·           People are looking for an authoritative message through a humble person

·           What is it I’m not getting in my life because I haven’t asked God?

·           No such thing as Christian music, only Christian lyrics – music speaks more about the culture than it does about theology – God likes all kinds of music, it just has to be done in Spirit and in Truth

·           Worship is Radical devotion

·           No on will ever love me more than God does – no one

·           God isn’t mad at me, He’s mad about me!

o       So my worship doesn’t come out of duty, but out of delight!

·          What happens in marriages is that men and women fall out of love with their mates because they stopped doing what they did in the beginning – Like the church in Rev. 2:2-5, they forsake their first love

3 Idols Satan sets up:

1)      Lust of the flesh – Hedonism – It’s all about me - Sex

2)      Lust of the eyes – Materialism – I want it - Salary

3)      Pride of life – Secularism – I don’t need God I am God - Status

 

You see these 3 temptations all throughout scripture. They were in the Garden of Eden, they were the 3 things Satan tempted Jesus with in the Wilderness. The greatest things in life aren't THINGS! Make a declaration to put God first!

You can view and sign this declaration at http://radicalis.com.

MAKE THE DECLARATION TODAY!