Our work and our calling

Sunday and Monday...any connection?

Our work: How important is it to us?

Are we worshiping our work and working at our worship? 

We are called to God first and then to our secondary calling…which may be our job, business or what we do in “retirement”.

 A word from The Call by Os Guinness

"Calling is the truth that God calls us to himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to his summons and service" P. 29

 Description of a class I facilitated awhile back at our church.

The Lord created each of us individually with different Spiritual Gifts, Passions, Abilities, Strengths and a unique Personality with different Experiences. When we know what they are and how they work together then we can be most effective in our families, church, community and the world.  When we serve according to our SHAPE, we leave a legacy that gives glory to the LORD so when we stand before Him one day, we will hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." 

Read a good book recently:

 Answering the Call: The Doctor Who Made Africa His Life.

From “The One-Talent People.” Christian Herald. Sept 1949. P. 64  

“Always keep your eyes open for the little task, because it is the little task that is important to Jesus Christ.  The future of the Kingdom of God does not depend on the enthusiasm of this or that powerful person; those great ones are necessary too, but it is equally necessary to have a great number of little people who will do a little thing in the service of Christ.” 

            “The great flowing rivers represent only a small part of all the water that is necessary to nourish and sustain the earth. Beside the flowing river there is the water in the earth-the subterranean water-and there are the little streams which continually enter the river and feed it and prevent it from sinking into the earth. Without these other waters-the silent hidden subterranean waters and the trickling streams-the great river could no longer flow. Thus it is with the little tasks to be fulfilled by us all.” 

Some excerpts from:  God’s Best for My Life by Lloyd John Ogilvie 

“What are we daring to attempt which could not be accomplished without His strength and intervention? So often we plan our lives around what we could do without Him on our own.  A sure sign that we are in communion with the Lord is that we are attempting what only He can do? Can you identify that in your life?”

      Just a few questions you may want to ask yourself:

What is God calling me to do?  Have I asked Him?
How am I doing at "work" on Monday?

What is my passion?  My Spouse’s

Where do the world’s needs and my passion intersect?

Have I taken the Strengthsfinder 2.0 Assessment to see what my “strengths” are?

http://amzn.to/1GolKdD


What are my dreams?

What can we do?  (Add spouse’s name if married)

How am I spending my time?

What is important to me? What are my interests?

What can I do that will outlive me?

What experiences have I had that may give me a clue to the above?

Am I a good steward of my Spiritual gifts, talents, time, abilities, etc.?

Am I using them in my church? Why not?

What would I do if I had a million dollars or more?

Do I have enough information or do I have info overload?

Who do I need to contact, email, call?

Do I need some more training in some area?

Have I prayed about this?

Are these the correct questions to ask myself? And my spouse if married?

Some excerpts from:  God’s Best for My Life by Lloyd John Ogilvie 

“What are we daring to attempt which could not be accomplished without His strength and intervention? So often we plan our lives around what we could do without Him on our own.  A sure sign that we are in communion with the Lord is that we are attempting what only He can do? Can you identify that in your life?”

A prior  post about "Opportunities"

"Across the board, having the opportunity to develop our strengths is more important to our success than our role, our title, or even our pay."  Strengths Finder 2.0   Tom Rath

 Seems like one of our goals should be to be aware of the opportunities around us and even actively search for them!

Making the most of every opportunity!

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Seizing opportunities is directly tied to the spiritual gift of discernment. When we see what looks like an opportunity, we have to discern whether we are seeing a true opening or just our own wishful-thinking or a random idea. 

Just because an opportunity arises does not mean that we should take it. An opportunity is just a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something. We still have the hard work of determining whether it is something WE SHOULD DO!

Opportunities are doorways that God opens. It is divine leading, even though we may not be able to predict what lies beyond. 

God also directs us with closed doors!  Don't be discouraged!

Ability to see with the eyes of God, think with the mind of Christ, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit! 

A good prayer!

We can "serve" both in our jobs, business's or volunteering.

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"Blooming" in your own neighborhood

 The Journey of Life:  To Be God's people..."Embodying the love of Jesus Christ in the city and the world"

 

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ  Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

 

  "The trail is long, and we won't arrive at our destination in this life. Still, we're on the journey with Jesus for the greatest thrill of our lives." Zig Ziglar

Interested in making a difference or change in the lives of people in your city...Milwaukee...or any city or town in the country?

 

 

What is Neighborhood Transformation?

Neighborhood Transformation is a strategy that helps churches minister in a wholistic manner to people in urban poor neighborhoods. It empowers people to take responsibility for their own lives. It helps neighbors to help their neighbors and moves them from welfare and relief to empowerment. It focuses on assets found in the neighborhood, which fosters local ownership instead of being based on problems that they expect outsiders to fix for them. 

 

My prior blog post showed what non  profit organizations are already doing to reduce poverty in Milwaukee and you can join them.

 

 

But another option is to start right now...right where you are...and you don't have to wait for your church to get on board...you can start alone and or with a friend!

 

You may already be heavily involved in your own ministry and may not be able to take on a new ministry...but remember that Neighborhood Transformation is a template of hundreds of elements that a person does dependent on what they are already doing in a neighborhood.

 

 Check out the links below to see what small elements you can add to your current ministry...and then see how combining God's word and His example of showing love to all people...and then helping them engage in this ministry can lead to the extension of God's Kingdom!  Talk about multiplication!

 

Search the list below and pick out your top 3 most fun activities you and another person can do together!  

 

100 Ways you can start to use to get to know your neighbors!

 

And if you would like to get to know alot of new neighbors...here is another fun easy activity you and a friend or partner can do!

 

9 Easy Questions you can ask your neighbor to start the process! 

 

Collaborative for Neighborhood Transformation helps people in the neighborhood transform their lives and communities from the inside out, resulting in:

• People knowing, loving, caring and serving their neighbors
• People taking responsibility and working to change their reality
• A reduction in disease, crime, drug abuse, and alcohol addiction
• People knowing Christ with healthy, growing churches
• Improved employment and living conditions    
• Hope, health, and enthusiasm toward neighborhood life 
•  

 Isn't this exciting!

 

Let's begin the journey!

 

 A PDF presentation on how Neighborhood Transformation works!

 

If you would like to view some Power Point Presentations ...Health, Urban, Children, Spanish, Inner city, Clinics, Refugees...PowerPoint Presentations on various approaches to different cultures...

 

It all starts with developing relationships!

 

Short blog about how you can get started!

 

Neighborhood Transformation-Milwaukee

 

A few teaching videos 

 

First Neighborhood Transformation Event was in Milwaukee in 2011 

 

 

Programs for poverty alleviation are good...but "without heart change, money, healthcare, housing, and education do not meet our world's deepest needs." "Apart from Christ, we might simply introduce the problems of prosperity while we solve the problems of poverty. -  Peter Greer

 

 "The church should be the most creative entity in the world."

 

  By "Church" I mean the people of God, not the physical building or institution.

 

  You as an individual can use your creativity to bring glory and honor to the   LORD! 

 

  What a journey!

 

 

 A good book on The Art of Neighboring!

 

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If you would like more information on how Neighborhood Transformation can change Milwaukee & how you can be a part of it...connect with me.

Let's meet for coffee!

Linkedin, Twitter.

Richard Dassow

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See what a group in Arizona is doing! 

Neighborhood Transformation In Arizona

 

Spiritual Laws & Spiritual Principles: 1970-2018

Making a decision that will change your life!

Which is more understandable? A Spiritual Law bit.ly/2ECUXBE 

Or a Spiritual Principle?     http://bit.ly/2PXxm0C 

Each had the same message that changed my life in the early 70's

We are one in the Spirit...We are one in the LORD    

1972

 

Bloom right where you are...on your journey with the LORD

"The trail is long, and we won't arrive at our destination in this life. Still, we're on the journey with Jesus for the greatest thrill of our lives." Zig Ziglar

 So pick your destination right now!

As Paul Borthwick says in his book: How to Be a World-Class Christian: Becoming Part of God's Global Kingdom:  "Through prayer, we can join any team that God is using. We can join in the efforts of missionaries in the Amazon River valley, in the ministries of pastors in Sri Lanka, or in the evangelistic effort of "tentmakers' in North Africa!"  P. 73

 As we finish our journey and one day stand before the LORD,  we will hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."  Matthew 25:21


Isn't that what we want to hear? I do

And just maybe...when the LORD returns and creates a new earth...the LORD may take us to that region  and we will  meet the people we were praying for...and the others who were on our "team" and then see how we did make a difference in the world and for all eternity!

Happy journey!

Check prior  posts!

See reviews of this book!

Worth a read!

 

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On our journey with Jesus

"The trail is long, and we won't arrive at our destination in this life. Still, we're on the journey with Jesus for the greatest thrill of our lives." Zig Ziglar

 

As Paul Borthwick says in his book: How to Be a World-Class Christian: Becoming Part of God's Global Kingdom:  "Through prayer, we can join any team that God is using. We can join in the efforts of missionaries in the Amazon River valley, in the ministries of pastors in Sri Lanka, or in the evangelistic effort of "tentmakers' in North Africa!"  P. 73

So, look for what God is doing in the world...and become a part of a "team" that is praying for that country, region and or missionary.  You can become a part of a team, no matter where you live.

Start where you are. Your church missions group, and or other missions or missionaries you already know. Or go to Operation World  

 

A wealth of info on what God is doing in the world.

Another good resource is Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. A prior blog post of mine gives info on this. Perspectives

 

You don't necessarily have to physically go to a foreign country...But the LORD has already given us the call to "GO"....first 2 letters of his name. GOD.

For those of us who are Boomers or Boomers and Beyond and can't physically travel to another country...your influence can and will continue no matter where you are.

As we finish our journey and one day stand before the LORD,  we will hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."  Matthew 25:21


Isn't that what we want to hear? I do

And just maybe...when the LORD returns and creates a new earth...the LORD may take us to that region  and we will  meet the people we were praying for...and the others who were on our "team" and then see how we did make a difference in the world and for all eternity!

Happy journey!

You might be wondering What is a World-Class Christian?

"Anthropologists..explain that at our core is a basic view of reality-a worldview. That worldview determines who we are, what we value, and how we behave." Gordon Aeschliman 

P. 5

My other BLOG

 

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Your Calling, Purpose and Worldview.

"There are things only you can do, and you are alive to do them. In the great orchestra we call life, you have an instrument and a song , and you owe it go God to play them both sublimely."  Max Lucado

"In his insightful and challenging book, The Call, Os Guinness defines our purpose as "the truth that God calls us to himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to his summons and service" This perspective give meaning to every moment, and it challenges us to live with integrity in every choice and relationship because we represent God at all times."

" So, does this perspective inspire you to use every part of your day more effectively as God's servant, or does it threaten you because you realize some things in your life aren't what they should be? It should do both."

Taken from Daily Insights with Zig Ziglar and Dr Ike Reighard   January 29th

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Volunteering so all the pieces of the puzzle are in the correct spot!

"God has created each of us with a unique contribution to make in our world and our times. No other person has our same abilities, motivations, network of friends and relationships, perspectives, ideas, or experiences. When we, like misplaced puzzle pieces, fail to show up, the overall picture is diminished."   Richard Stearns: President of World Vision U.S.
Quote from his book: The Hole in our Gospel 

Bloom Where You Are Planted!

We have all heard this phrase so many times that maybe we don't understand what it really means. Google the phrase...you will see what I mean. Some very good secular or worldly advice.

But WHY should we Bloom Where We Are Planted?

As a believer in Jesus Christ and desiring to be a good steward and a faithful "follower" of Jesus on our way to glory...we can be a light for others to see the Truth.

At the end of our lives, I would like to say or have said, "I  have fought the good fight, I  have finished the course, I have kept the faith." (2 Tim. 4:7)

 ●"The Lord created each of us individually with different Spiritual Gifts, Passions, Abilities, strengths and a unique personality with different experiences.  Helping each other put the pieces of the seeming puzzle together so we each can be most effective in our families, church, community and the world and finish our lives well and leave a legacy that gives glory to the LORD so when we stand before Him one day, we will hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Isn't that what we would like to hear one day?

Now we just need to find a good place where we can put the pieces of the puzzle together and bring glory to the LORD.  Good prayer.

Take a look at the most "popular" posts that viewers are looking at...Right side of screen.
The blog is also "Searchable" by keyword.  Try "prayer" "volunteer" or any word.

Taking the next step in learning where the LORD may be leading you!

 

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