Fast Forward - Week 1
Teddy Roosevelt
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
· Leadership in this Critical Cancel Culture either crushes you or makes your stronger.
· Leadership in this Critical Cancel Culture forces you deeper into the Word of God. Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
· Leadership in this Critical Cancel Culture drives you to your knees in prayer more often and keeps you there longer.
· Leadership in this Critical Cancel Culture can isolate you or keep you in an echo chamber of your own opinions. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Successful leadership in crisis isn’t about getting every decision and direction right. Successful leadership in crisis is about being still when directed and moving when directed not losing focus on the mission in either posture – still or moving.
God’s Word 2021
Forward: A directive word.
Unknown isn’t Unwanted: A faith phrase.
Fasting is for…
· Presence (deeper relationship)
· Identity (deeper transformation)
· Direction (clearer vision)
· Results (substantive and measurable outcomes)
· Stability (stronger life foundations)
Type of Fasts
· Full Fast: Drink only liquids; water, 100% juices and clear broth.
· Daniel Fast: No meat, no sweets and no bread. Fruits, vegetables and water.
· Partial Fast: Sun up to sun down.
Length of Fasts
Scripture depicts 1-day, 3-day, 10-day, 21-day and 40-day fasts.
Slide
If we are going to move forward we need a spiritually honest assessment of where we are in regard to 3 positions/attitudes: Stuck, Settled & Scared. All “stucks”, “settleds” and “scareds” are a result of one or a combination of the following…
· Lost identity (you feel lost spiritually)
· Lost vision (don’t know what or if there is a forward)
· Lost energy/fight (exhausted)
· Lost hope (overwhelming odds)
· Lost relationships (in it all by yourself)
Matthew 7:24-29 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 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. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Matthew 7 Observations
1. God wants us to “get it.”
2. Wise and Foolish had nothing to do with what was built but what it was built on.
3. Hearing and Doing are separate but connected
Romans 10:17-21 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” 19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.” 20 And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” 21 But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
Matthew 7 Observations
1. God wants us to “get it.”
2. Wise and Foolish had nothing to do with what was built but what it was built on.
3. Hearing and Doing are separate but connected
4. Rain Falls, Streams Rise and Wind Blows on Everyone.
John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble but take heart for I have overcome the world.”
Matthew 7 Observations
1. God wants us to “get it.”
2. Wise and Foolish had nothing to do with what was built but what it was built on.
3. Hearing and Doing are separate but connected
4. Rain Falls, Streams Rise and Wind Blows on Everyone.
5. Standing or Crashing Become our Choice.