REACHING FORWARD by Pastor Scott Grizzle

What would Jesus say to the preachers?

pastorscottie — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:47:03 +0000

Matthew 13:52 (NLT)
⁵²Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”

If you’re going to preach or teach you must be a learner first and always.

In Matthew 13 Jesus taught several parables including the sower, the tares and wheat, and the dragnet. His point was there are going to be true disciples and those who only profess to be disciples. In the end, God will separate the righteous from the wicked. The Pharisees believed that only the righteous would be part of the kingdom. Jesus finished the chapter by asking “do you understand these things” (v. 51), then he added v. 52.

A father brings fresh wisdom and insight to his house

Jesus describes a teacher in the kingdom as the head of a household who brings both the old AND the new. Many preachers have their half-dozen or so theological positions or pet-peeves that come out in every sermon. I never judge the word of truth regardless of how many times it is preached…it is still life-changing truth!

A father of a household is expected to have wisdom and lead accordingly. God’s people deserve “fathers” who are close to the heart of God and take the time to mine out fresh gems from the ancient, life-giving truths of God’s word. Old insights are not to be discarded or minimized. They are to be used to enrich and bring a fuller understanding to the new.

The question for preachers

The questions I believe Jesus would ask preachers and teachers include the following:

What are you learning?
How much time do you spend allowing the word to study you?
Are you reading my word to gain new insights for your own life?
Are you putting sermons together based solely on old insights?
Do you understand that I can breath new life into you from the ancient scriptures?

My encouragement for all of us who are called to the privilege and incredible responsibility of preaching the word of God is to be life-long learners…staying close to the heart of God…constantly applying truth to our own lives…and allow the Holy Spirit to breath fresh life into every sermon.

Keep REACHING FORWARD for new insights as you bring along the old.

Comments welcomed.

How to become the person you want to be!

pastorscottie — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:50:10 +0000

I often hear people talk about their struggles in changing their lives to become the people God has called them to be. Most of the time they focus on what they need to “stop” doing as if that will somehow result in a new person. I’m not saying that pruning negative behaviors out of our lives is not necessary. Pruning definitely has its part. However, try pruning the rose bush only without watering it and watch what happens.

It’s not what you subtract from your life but what you add that makes the difference.

Healthy growth can only come by the ingredients you add to your life. Rather than laboring on the things that you need to stop doing, ask yourself what’s missing. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Ingredients to a fulfilling life

More sleep
Exercise
Meaningful relationships
The word of God
Serve others
Fun

You can’t produce the person you want to become without adding the ingredients that will get you there. Prune what you should, add what you must!

Keep REACHING FORWARD to become the person God has called you to be. The seed is inside of you! Water it, nourish it, watch it grow!

What are you trading for convenience?

pastorscottie — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:57:19 +0000

One of the most famous landmarks in the world is the Diamond Head Crater on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. It appears in the background of most pictures of Waikiki. Leading up to the top of Diamond Head is a trail that moves along in sort of an S-curve fashion. Along the trail are signs posted that read “stay on the path, shortcuts cause erosion.” The problem is that people climb up the side of the mountain instead of following the path causing erosion to occur.

Why do people take shortcuts?

People take shortcuts because of one word: convenience. My wife and I are eating healthy now and exercising. We are discovering that the reason we compromised our health in the past was simply out of convenience. It is so much more convenient to drive through Wendy’s than it is to plan and shop for meals.

What are you willing to trade for convenience?

The end result for us was that we were trading our health for convenience. People in the security business will tell you that the number one enemy of security is convenience. The farther we got from the 9-11 event the more inconvenient searches and distant parking became. In America, we demand convenience. We must ask ourselves: Is it inconvenient…

to eat healthy
to take time to exercise
to spend time with your children
to spend time in prayer or God’s word
to take a night out for your spouse
to take the hard right over the easy wrong

Shortcuts cause erosion in quality

Taking shortcuts sacrifices quality in just about every area of life. Shortcuts on a keyboard are great. Shortcuts that sacrifice the quality of your life are not so great. Do you want the builder to take shortcuts when he is building your house? Do you want the doctor to take shortcuts when doing your surgery?

Before taking a shortcut for convenience, ask yourself the question: “What aspect of quality is going to be sacrificed by this shortcut?”

Maybe it’s a building project, homework assignment, dinner, spiritual growth, or family relationships.

Not all things that are convenient in life are bad. However, as a word of caution, beware of what aspect of quality you might be trading for what’s convenient. What you see as convenient might very well be a shortcut that is causing erosion in some area of life, relationships or business.

Keep REACHING FORWARD for true significance and quality in life.

Comments welcomed.

Leading in Uncharted Waters!

pastorscottie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:11:09 +0000

One of the greatest lessons I learned in the Military was how to move forward when I lacked confidence. A lack of confidence is about fear of the unknown. Fear of the unknown causes us to over-plan and under-execute. Planning must be thorough, but to plan to your fears instead of to your vision will cause stagnation and loss of opportunity. We used the acronym SURVIVAL as a guide to help us navigate through unknown environments. Apply them to your environment as appropriate.

S – Size up the situation: Know your surroundings. Gather the facts. What resources do you need? Know what is going on around you and what others are saying.

U – Undo haste makes waste or use all your senses: Take your time and use discernment. Careless mistakes happen when you lack patience.

R – Remember where you are: Consistently evaluate your current capabilities. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Know where you are headed while focusing on your next step.

V – Value living: Cling tightly to the things that are most important in life; faith, family, friendships, fun.

I – Improvise: Do the best you can with what you have. Don’t make excuses. If you are starving and all you have is a can of fruit and no can opener, you will find a way to get in the can. My old saying was, “get in that can!”

V – Vanquish fear and pain: Push through the fear and pain; both are only temporary. My good friend Ben Cavazos used to say, “pain is temporary, glory is forever!”

A – Act like the natives: Be relevant in your environment. Act like you belong. I’m not saying compromise your values. Edgy is okay, but people avoid aliens.

L – Learn basic skills: Being an expert in the basics will always bring success. Don’t forget that it is doing the little things right that makes the big things possible.

Keep REACHING FORWARD and don’t let fear of the unknown stop you!

Feel free to comment on how you have survived the unknown.

When God doesn’t make sense!

pastorscottie — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 19:10:49 +0000

Have you ever wondered why God’s word doesn’t work for you? Have you ever compared your situation to what God’s word says and wondered how in the world that word could be true for you? Well, join some of the greatest people of faith!

When the word just doesn’t make sense…

In Genesis 18:10-15, Abraham and Sarah have been given a promise that in a year from now Sarah is going to have a child. In overhearing the conversation, Sarah laughs to herself in disbelief. She doesn’t see how anyone her age could have a child. She is focused on the natural; her age, Abraham’s age, the natural course of things. What she failed to take into consideration was the supernatural. But more than that, she did not believe what the Lord said because she could not wrap her natural mind around the promise.

I am an analytical person. I try to figure everything out and determine cause and effect. I know that many people are like me and try to figure out how God is going to fulfill His promises. However, the issue is not about how God is going to fulfill His promises. The real issue is about trust. Do I know God well enough to trust that what He says is true; not just true, but true for me?

Most Christians believe that God’s word is true. The trouble we have is believing it’s true for our own lives. The reason we doubt that His word is true for our own lives is because we are not close enough in our relationship with Him to fully trust that He cares about us personally.

…trust in the heart of God!

Rather than trying to wrap my mind around the promises of God, it’s best to wrap my heart around the character of God. I can trust Him because He is faithful and because He cares about me personally. I like to say it like this; when you don’t understand the mind of God, trust the heart of God.

So, when you can’t quite figure God out, trust the fact that He cares deeply for you personally. His word is for YOU!

Keep REACHING FORWARD for all that God has for you!

How to accomplish what your heart desires!

pastorscottie — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:53:58 +0000

I recall one of the lessons I learned early on in my military career. The lesson is that no war is won by a single man. This is a great leadership principle. I’m not simply referring to teamwork, but a principle that applies in developing a rythm of life that will facilitate the accomplishment of your dreams, goals, or vision.

It is true that a great vision or dream might be authored by a single individual, but he or she will never accomplish it alone or by taking shortcuts.

Steps to reaching what you desire most:

One leader at a time
One volunteer at a time
One dollar at a time
One family relationship at a time
One friend at a time
One pound at a time
One brick at a time
One class at a time
One book at a time
One hour at a time
One ___ at a time (fill in the blank)

When we are faithful in little, we will be given much. Keep the vision at the forefront of your mind, but facilitate action one step at a time that points in the right direction.

Keep REACHING FORWARD for God’s best in your life! You don’t have to swallow it all at once; just take one bite at a time and enjoy the journey!

Comments welcome!

How to be more patient!

pastorscottie — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:59:15 +0000

Technology has stolen our patience. With the advent of the smart phone and the ipad, we can take our world with us wherever we go. We don’t have to wait for it because it is at our fingertips.

We have developed an attitude of entitlement. When we don’t get it when we want it we become frustrated with the waiting. After all, we’re entitled to get it now!

Leaders become frustrated with people who are learning.

Parents become frustrated with children who are growing.

Project managers become frustrated with ideas that are developing.

Airline passengers become frustrated with security checks.

The issue is not lack of patience

The issue is what we tell ourselves while we wait. It is our self-talk born out of expectations that frustrates us. Having the right perspective on a situation will give you realistic expectations, which in turn will produce healthy self-talk and less frustration (more patience).

Leaders with patience allow the crock pot of experience and learning to produce greatness in others.

Parents with patience see their children develop in a healthy environment at their own God-given pace.

Project managers with patience see end results that are filled with creativity and effectiveness.

Airline passengers with patience enjoy the ride.

Perhaps it’s not patience we need, but a new perspective on the situation. Having to wait doesn’t mean you are missing out on something you’re entitled to. It could be that what you are waiting for is being perfected.

…and perhaps what is being perfected is YOU!

But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:4 NKJV)

Keep REACHING FORWARD for God’s best in your life! The life He has for you is worth it!

Comments welcomed.

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Time.

pastorscottie — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:15:47 +0000

I recently completed a master’s degree while being in full time ministry, married and raising two teenage boys. (Yes, I am still married!) One question that I have been asked several times is “how did you ever find time to do it?” So, I thought I would share some of the principles of time management that I have learned. (Hint: This is not what you are expecting. Keep reading).

Time is not the issue

Time is constant. There are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day. Time just happens and it cannot be managed. I hear people say all the time, “if I only had another hour in the day, I would be able to do…” I have to say that’s a mere copout. Having enough time is never the issue.

The hard truth: People will always do what they choose to do.

Here’s the issue

Lee Iacocca said “If you want to make good use of your time, you’ve got to know what’s important and then give it all you’ve got.”

The issue is what we choose to do with the time we have available. Most of us have many things that are very important and it all has to get done, so how do we decide what to do? We must ask ourselves this question:

“What is important and what should I be doing NOW?”

The issue is prioritizing. It might be important, but is it the most important thing to be doing right now? We have to constantly evaluate what we’re doing against what we should be doing.

(caveat) Let me say that the integrity by which we utilize our time is critical. Don’t steal time from whom it really belongs. If it’s God’s time, give it your best; if it’s your employer’s time, give it your best; if it’s your family time, give it your best; if it’s your time, give it your best! Although my degree is work related, I never utilized my work hours to do school work unless I took an authorized day off. My work hours belong to the people whom I serve. When we are not integris with our time, I believe we will have to work twice as hard to recover the productivity that the time deserved.

Time management tips

Plan ahead and know your deadlines.
Use a calendar and note taking system. (I recommend google and evernote because they follow you where ever you go.)
Review tomorrow’s schedule and to do list.
Use a to do list.
Prioritize Biblically: (God, family, work, everything else) – I learned the hard way that this is the only priority that will bring peace in the process. Develop a daily rhythm of life that incorporates life priorities.

The true essence of good time management

There are a lot of tools and techniques that will help you manage priorities and get things done. However, the most important thing is to live by principle. Time management is about living out your principles and what’s important to you. When you begin to do that, you will find the tools and techniques that work best for you.

One of my favorite quotes is this:

“Time has no meaning in itself unless we choose to give it significance.” Leo Buscaglia

Keep REACHING FORWARD to God’s best in your life. How? By doing what’s most important NOW. After all, the only time we really have is the present moment.

Expectations in Life and Leadership!

pastorscottie — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:07:42 +0000

Technology has placed the world at our fingertips. We can watch a movie on demand without going to the video store; we can download music and listen without going to the store to buy the cd; we can buy books without going to the bookstore; we can order clothes from our cell phone; we can even order groceries to be delivered to our door. Information and answers to our questions are available with the click of a mouse button or the touch of a screen.

The result is the placing of unrealistic expectations upon things that really matter. We no longer have patience to let the process work. We want the children to grow up NOW; we want the relationship to be better NOW; we want the project to be completed NOW; we want people to buy in NOW; we want God to act NOW.

What unrealistic expectations produce:

1. Shortcuts. When leaders, parents, managers and teachers operate from unrealistic expectations, people will find shortcuts to get it done in order to please.

2. Unfair judgments of others. Sometimes we judge people as being lazy, complacent, rebellious, or unable to prioritize because we don’t see results as quickly as we think we should.

3. Reduction in quality. Forcing an end-result without allowing the process to work will adversely affect the outcome of the product. Ask any culinary artist and he will tell you if you cook something too slow or too fast it will not be what you expected.

4. Short-circuiting relationships. Meaningful connection cannot happen if someone feels like she is always trying to meet your expectations. Expectations are not bad unless they are applied with focus on time rather than the end result.

5. Disappointment. Unrealistic expectations always end in disappointment. Are you disappointed often? Perhaps you are looking for too much too fast.

Solution:

1. Be informed. Know what it takes to produce the outcome you want.

2. Trust the doers. The people doing it have a front row seat to the process. Allow the process to work with you not in fear of you. Make room for the following: strategies to form, mistakes to be made, trust to develop, forgiveness to happen, children to mature, employees to learn.

3. Focus on quality not time. If time overrides quality, the big picture will be lost. Why are you doing it in the first place? What are you hoping to accomplish or produce?

4. Think like a creator not a consumer. Consumers want what they want when they want it. Creators work to produce something that is in their hearts and are willing to go through the process of accomplishing that vision.

Understand how our society and culture affects our thinking and expectations. KEEP REACHING forward with realistic expectations and watch the desire inside of you take flight!

Comments welcomed.

How to kick the holiday blues!

pastorscottie — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:04:30 +0000

There is a heightened sensitivity among most people during the holiday season. Several times over the past two weeks I’ve heard comments like “there seems to be so many breakups over the holidays” or “there’s always a lot of tragedy during the holidays.” The truth of the matter is that there are probably no greater losses or tragedies during the holidays than any other time of the year. Tragedy, loss, breakups, family disputes, illness, financial struggles, strained relationships, and the like are all examples of loss and there is no “good” time for those things to occur.

The holidays often serve as markers for remembering past experiences that brought us pain. Each time we approach that marker we immediately associate it with the pain or misfortune of the past. We also have a memory of a fantastic holiday that we endeavor to duplicate to no avail. As the spirit of the holiday arises, many of us find ourselves getting the “holiday blues.”

How to kick the holiday blues

1. Remove the holiday as a marker for the past. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that “we have to interpret and give meaning to things in order to live and think.” We must reinterpret the holiday with a focus on what the holiday is really about. A correct interpretation of Christmas is as a marker for the birth of Christ, the Savior of the world! With this interpretation, we ought to find joy, peace, happiness, and love that is for us to share with others.

2. Set realistic expectations. We can place much unnecessary anxiety on ourselves by expecting everything to be perfect. In our efforts to create that perfection we become worn out, disgruntled and stressed. Keep priorities in focus, be yourself, and for goodness sakes, don’t overspend! (caveat: teach your children restraint and the true meaning of giving).

3. Delegate to others. For all you go getters that try to do it all yourself, delegate, delegate, delegate! You are not superhuman so stop trying to be. You don’t have to do all the shopping or cooking.

4. Volunteer. One of the greatest ways to beat the blues is to get our focus off of ourselves. Volunteer to help others. Serve at a food pantry, homeless shelter, church, or bake for the neighbor. Do something to serve someone who perhaps isn’t able. Look around, the need is there.

5. Give yourself a break. Make sure you plug some “me-time” into your schedule. Spend some time off during the holidays catching up on some reading, exercising, or just sit around with a cup of hot chocolate in the peace and quite.

I pray that you will keep REACHING FORWARD for joy and peace this Christmas season. Jesus is the reason for the season. Let’s join together in celebrating the birth of our Savior in fellowship with one another. Let’s choose joy! Let’s choose fun! Let’s choose to love!