A Sign from God

Devo -- A Sign from God

Signs and wonders. I confess that most of the time I wonder more about signs and wonders than I ever experience them. I have no stories about the heavens opening, dove descending. No writing on the wall, no parting of waters. It's not that I am closed to the idea of God breaking into my day in a miraculous way; it's just that most often I don't expect it.

But one verse is challenging me to change that. It's one of those passages that I have read time and time again. I've heard it quoted, preached and taught, and now it's got me looking for a sign—a sign that is vital to my relationship with the Forgiver; perhaps it is more vital than anything else in my experience with Him.

I'm looking for a sign. I'm trying to develop the habit of looking for it every day as I go about all the other routines of my life. I'm starting to get glimpses of it, and it's powerful. It is both challenging to me and rewarding when I recognize it and obey.

Yep, I'm looking for a sign from God, a divine interruption in the busyness of my day, my life, my mind, my schedule.

What's the sign I'm looking for? It's one that most of us will encounter today and pass right on by, but now I'm trying to look for it and obey.

Want to find it? Get in your car today and drive to a four way intersection. A residential neighborhood is likely to be more helpful, but you can discover this sign in any city, any town. Keep your eyes open and assume the posture of a searcher. Look for the sign. This is critical. If you're not looking for it, you're likely to miss it.

Before long you will encounter it. It is a guarantee I can make from this computer. There it will be right in front of you. Usually off to the side, visible day and night.

It's an eight-sided sign with one word painted on a red background—STOP.

There it is, my sign from God.

STOP

Every time I see it, I'm seeking to remind myself that God wants me to do just that—STOP. Stop and pause, connect with His presence, break the busyness with a moment that alters reality. STOP. I am not alone. STOP. He is in control. STOP. I am loved. STOP. He is real. STOP. Let the eternal redefine the temporal. STOP. He is speaking. STOP. And know that he is God.

I am trying to imagine how my life would change if every time I encountered a stop sign, I stopped, just for a few moments and reconnected with the God who transcends time. I'm looking for a sign from God, and every time I see it, I'm trying to obey.

¹⁰Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. Psalm 46:10 (The Amplified Bible)

Go ahead and look for the sign.

The Man in the Window.

What Does It Mean?

I live on fairly nice little street in a smaller little dead end neighborhood. You can't really drive through my neighborhood and get to another one. All roads into my neighborhood start from the same road and lead out to the same road out. The houses are modest, most lawns are well kept, and many have flowers in the yards, bird feeders among the landscape, swings on porches, patio furniture in the yard.

What does it mean to live there?

It means I mow my lawn and weed the flower beds. I trim the trees and rake the leaves. It means I take in the mail and take the trash to the curb. Empty bins are returned back to the house. I repair the sidewalk and keep it clear.

But what does it mean to live there?

I live among people, families, couples, children, and singles. So I'm polite to my neighbors; I wave in passing, play my music low and observe the boundaries between our yards. I've learned their names, returned the wrongly delivered mail.

But what does it mean to live among them?

I'm a follower of the Forgiver who just happens to work at a church.

So what does it mean to live there? The same thing it means for every follower of the Forgiver. It means that living there is more that mowing the lawn, being polite and learning names. It means that living there is a part of my calling, my place of service, my purpose.

It means that living there is a vital part of the advancing the kingdom. It means I have a role to discover in the relationships of those around me, friendships to be develop, and lives to be shared. It means I have a savior to be unveiled, a light to be lived out, love to be demonstrated, truth to be shown.

What does it mean that you live where you live?

The same thing.

The Man in the Window

This is one of those videos worth sharing

http://www.godtube.com/featured/video/steve-harvey-introduces-jesus-christ

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

Prayer is not preparation for the battle, it is the battle.

What Does It Mean?

I live on fairly nice little street in a smaller little dead end neighborhood.  You can't really drive through my neighborhood and get to another one.  All roads into my neighborhood start from the same road and lead out to the same road out.  The houses are modest, most lawns are well kept, and many have flowers in the yards, bird feeders among the landscape, swings on porches, patio furniture in the yard. 

What does it mean to live there?

It means I mow my lawn and weed the flower beds.  I trim the trees and rake the leaves.   It means I take in the mail and take the trash to the curb.  Empty bins are returned back to the house.  I repair the sidewalk and keep it clear. 

But what does it mean to live there?

I live among people, families, couples, children, and singles.  So I'm polite to my neighbors; I wave in passing, play my music low and observe the boundaries between our yards.  I've learned their names, returned the wrongly delivered mail. 

But what does it mean to live among them?

I'm a follower of the Forgiver who just happens to work at a church. 

So what does it mean to live there?  The same thing it means for every follower of the Forgiver.    It means that living there is more that mowing the lawn, being polite and learning names.  It means that living there is a part of my calling, my place of service, my purpose. 

It means that living there is a vital part of the advancing the kingdom.  It means I have a role to discover in the relationships of those around me, friendships to be develop, and lives to be shared.  It means I have a savior to be unveiled, a light to be lived out, love to be demonstrated, truth to be shown. 

What does it mean that you live where you live?

The same thing.

The Man in the Window

What's on the Scroll?

I was reading in Psalms this morning, Psalm 40 to be specific, and I was hit with another one of those leadership moments. I was struck by the wording of verses 7-10.

7 Then I said, "Here I am, I have come-
it is written about me in the scroll.
8 I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."
9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O LORD.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.

What a powerful thought. David understood that on a scroll before God things about him were already written. A godly leader is always aware that a record is being kept of not just deeds and accomplishments, but a scroll detailing character and habits is perpetually being written before God. As I sit in the window at the coffeehouse I ponder, "What was written on the scroll about me?"

David knew the character of his heart and life were reflected there.

· I desire to do your will.
· Your law is within me.
· I stand for righteousness.
· I speak of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

What would be written about me on the scroll? What would be written about you?

Every leader who follows the Forgiver should remember this truth. There is writing on the Scroll.

The Man in the Window

Running in the Face of Challenge

I got asked how my "Couch to 5K" running program is working.  I admit I'm learning a lot about myself.  For instance, I know I can run for over 25 minutes without stopping. Now I admit I'm not setting a blistering pace, but I'm running.  I know that I can run and not have my old knees give out.  I know that it takes a determined effort to start, and that getting going seems harder than I expected.  But as I've begun to run longer distances (well longer for me), one of those leadership principles is jumping to my mind.

You see, this week I've begun to run 2.1 miles without stopping.  Okay, it's not a great distance for runners, but for me it's the first time since I was in the military 34 years ago that I've run that far.  And considering that I only had to do it once in the military, 2.1 miles seems like a huge hurdle.  Just the thought of it is overwhelming.  As I set out it seems insurmountable.
 
But I've discovered a secret that works for me.  I have the IPod loaded with uplifting, inspiring music, but that isn't enough.  My secret to running in the face of this bigger challenge is this-I spend a lot of time looking at the ground right in front of me.  I watch the sidewalk, the road, the trail about 10 feet in front of me.  I glance up occasionally and see my progress, but most of the time my head is down and I'm watching the road.  I run 2.1 miles, 10 feet at a time. 

Leadership is often like that.  A leader will face challenges and hurdles.  More often than we would like, those hurdles and challenges seem huge, insurmountable, overwhelming.  Staring at them can be flat out discouraging and defeating.  But real leaders know the secret of facing challenges and hurdles-set your face and keep running.  You keep plugging away bit by bit, step by step.  You look up occasionally and judge the distance to the overall goal, and then you put your head back down and run on.  Building, analyzing, recruiting, modeling, implementing, evaluating, organizing, defining, detailing, equipping, encouraging, we run on-step by step toward the goal.

Proverbs put it this way, "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. "

Proverbs 4:25-27 NIV

Staring into the face of some big challenges?  Put your head down and run on.

The Man in the Window

NEWS

NEW KINGDOM ADVANCEMENT INITIATIVE.  On Thursday evening, after months of meetings, forums, discussions and prayer it became offical.  On August 1st Sandusky Allaince Church will cease it's ministry.  The remnant will merge with Norwalk Alliance Church in a New Kingdom Advance Initiative targeting the an overlooked demographic.  31% of families in Sandusky are led by single mothers.  28% led by two parent families undereducated and underemployed.  We're targeting that demographic.  Pray for the core as it seeks the Father's will.

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

Prayer is not preparation for the battle, it is the battle.