A today person in a manana world

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

I struggle. My greatest source of stress is not seeing tomorrow today.
I took a test one time and it showed I "fear" losing time. Each day
that ticks by in my life shortens my stay here. That is not what I am
speaking about though. What I am referring to is the "wasting" of time.
The other night I just could not kick into gear. So, I reviewed my day
a little. My last 3 hours were spent somewhere between consciousness
and unconsciousness while lying on the couch. I spent a lot of my day
being a friend to people, but much of my day was sitting in the store
and praying for the city I live in and revival to come. "Lord-can I
have my future now?" was one of my cries. "Lord, help me get into
gear," was another. I came home in the middle of a gusting rainstorm
only to find a project I had not completed in tatters. "What am I doing
with my time?" I wondered.

This morning I awoke from a dream that spoke volumes to my heart about
the incomplete state that myself and so many others are in. Maybe it is
just the October thing for me. I really never thought about it until I
awoke from the dream. There is a lethargy that has come upon so many.
For the last two weeks I realize I have been explaining time and time
again, the need for seeing one's future, one's destiny. Without seeing
one's destiny, a struggle for what to do today begins.

I have found myself doing many of the things I know to be right and
practical(Even logical!), and yet time evades me. So may I have shared
with seem to think we can get by with a manana attitude. When I do not
think about tomorrow it is easy to it in front of a TV screen. I want
to be a today person , though. I want to enjoy today to it's fullest. I
do not want to wait until tomorrow to begin working on things. I have
so many projects "floating" in the air. And so often, my checkbook
dictates my actions. My need for income dictates my actions.

And while my struggle has been "increasing" my sense of urgency is
increasing as well. I want to cry out "this is it! This is all we have
today. Let us make the most of it!" Who wants to be likened to the
sluggard and the and story. The story where one does not plan for
tomorrow. A person I admired over the last 14 years died this past
week. Cancer snuffed out his life. A Godly man. In his 50's. And as I
read and pondered knowing he did not get his "3 score and 10" I
wondered what are the changes. I am not advocating rush through life
and miss out on children and family. I am not saying do not spend time
with a sunset. I am not saying get caught up in "works." I am simply
saying that tomorrow just might show up...

And if it does will you be ready? Will your "house" be in order?

God has given us a plan and a purpose on how to face life. I recently
began a business where I work with people. I often find myself thinking
about what manana brings. At 51, with the knowledge I have now, had I
lived my life differently I could have been retired. So many go day by
day with no clue that their actions are leading them to a tomorrow that
is a struggle. The preparations of today are the foundations of
tomorrow. I have a friend well into his 70's who when he saw us would
ask us "what are you doing?" A very wealthy man with a heart of gold
and a heart towards God, he wondered what people did if they slept 56
hours a week and worked 40. What did they do with the remaining 72
hours of their week.

Yesterday I rode my motorcycle a little. It was 41 when I left the
house and 46 when I returned. It was enjoyable, refreshing to be alive.
and my mind was filled with a thought process on how to help others in
the art world. By the time I was home, I had conceived a plan. And
today I am giving it over to the Lord. Perhaps in giving it to Him
someone else comes along and does it.

But I am frustrated. I want it all today. Not tomorrow. And with that
thought it mind, I wonder about the men with the talents. Were they
reliant on tomorrow or totally content with today? Obviously, when the
master came back it was clear he was desirous of those who took action
today believing for tomorrow. Manana was not a good answer. Preparation
today for tomorrow was the better answer. As I have prayed for others I
have prayed for their destiny to be clear that they might not wither
away with no direction or feeling of destiny.

Today my brothers and sister descend on our home with all the kids,
grandkids, etc. I could easily look back and say no one ever thought it
would like what it does now. The generations to come will hopefully
listen to the voices of experience. Not that they are not given free
reign to shape the world, but that they might hear voices of reason
from people who have been there AND done that. That voices of counsel
would come with compassion and not control. That voices of vision would
be allowed to shape the worlds we live in. That people who think like
the ant and not like the sluggard would rise up and lead. That people
with an investing mind would teach others how to shape their destiny
and their future.

The last few months I have found 3 projects to invest in. These are
people that are viable in their fields. Tina and I have invested in one
with our time and our friendship. Both of these will require money and
time and love. But, if we put things off until tomorrow there may be
nothing. We had to start with what we had to offer. And because today
is all we have, what the "master" has given us is what we have to
"invest."

We recently put a store in town, mostly for my daughter Cass to make
money, learn business and begin her lines of natural soaps, etc..
Yesterday while she was in NYC I was there. What a crazy day. Person
after person. And I thought, as I ministered to some, no one knows what
the result of the "investment" may be. Just yesterday we were offered a
new location that is over 2 times as big for just a few dollars more.
But now we have this other space and I wonder if an artists"workshop"
and gallery is a reality. Because I see Springfield embracing revival
and having an overflow. Now, to do that would require some investors
with vision. (But my track record has provided investors in the last
year with 25% returns.)

It is not enough to say "read your bible." God has designated many to
teach others and release the very truths that they may have just read.
So much of what I learn is at the feet of those who have "made it" in
some respect or regard. And I can tell you that even in the eyes of the
detail people the common thread is finding the destiny pathway and
adhering to it.

I hope and pray for us to embrace the day (Or carpe diem as others
would say.)

We thank you for your prayers and your love!

Blessings,
lee

Deeper Relationships meeting on Tuesday night at 6.

http://pcfministries.blogspot.com/
http://compelthem.blogspot.com/
Lee & Tina Johndrow
www.vermontel.com/~servant/ministryopportunity

Back In The Battle

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

Over the last few weeks, I have met many new people. A new company I am
working with has brought me into close contact with them. It reminded
me of looking at someone's hands to tell what they do for a living. In
my case, I think my hands were not "dirty" enough. Not calloused
enough. I could not compare to what they were going through. My new
work has put me in close proximity with many people. And most are not
believers. Only last week while at a friends, I met a middle aged,
Jewish , liberal atheist who works for a prominent show on CBS. How do
conservative, Christian people respond to a man like this? We embraced
him. We had a pleasurable time. My friend has developed a strong
friendship with him over the years. And it is working.

And for me. I realized I was going back into the battle.

And it has caused me some deep thinking. So many are saying that the
church needs to go outside the walls of the church. In many cases the
walls seem to be coming down anyways. And anyone who has known me knows
I have always said "go outside." Jesus came that He might die that
forgiveness of sin would be played out into everyone's hands who would
embrace Him. But here is an interesting concept. Why did Jesus approach
the fishermen? Where were the shepherds? Why did He approach the tax
collector? Where was the likes of David, Abraham, etc.? He said to be
"fishers of men." He didn't even say be "cleaners of fish." Now before
someone thinks I have disowned "shepherds" that is not true. (If you
were here on Tuesday nights, and followed my weekly schedule, you would
see that is not true.) As I meet with younger people and sow seeds of
life, I believe there is a place for shepherds. But WHY did Jesus call
for fishers of men?

As I review the world news and see the fallout from broken
relationships, violated agreements and angry people, I know that we
only win this "war" by embracing Him and giving Him away. How did we
get here? Is it possible that we have not reached out? Is that why
Jesus used fishermen and business people? Because they had a knowing of
the world and the need for relationships? Is that why we today feel
such a frustration with things?

Last week my brakes began to "fail" on my car. I knew it was coming,
but I pushed the brake pads to the limit. A long trip announced the end
of my procrastination. And I had to buy brake pads and put them on. (An
exercise that left me feeling pretty stupid at one point.) But it had
to be done. I think we are approaching that place in our world. A place
where the "brakes" have failed. We do not seem to be stopping. For a
while I just downshifted a lot in my car trying to avoid the
inevitable. I live on a pretty steep mountain road so even that can be
exciting. And let's be real, the transmission costs more than a set of
brakes.

I think the church has approached that place. What was designated by
Jesus, that we become fishers of men, is akin to the brakes. It can be
the stopping power of sin. The revival we seek is a lot like stopping
the car. By choosing fishermen and business people, He chose to have
things changed. By relying on the "transmission," it is a lot like
relying on shepherds (Now called pastors.) It will not totally stop.
And for many reasons this is not working. I know that Paul said to
Timothy, "do the work of evangelist." We have overloaded people with
expectations and the "brakes" are not working. I believe it is time to
reinforce the reaching out principles of the church. This means
becoming a fisher of men. Do I believe pastors need to go talk to
people outside the church? Yes! But, I also believe that each one of
us is called to be a fisher of men. Do I believe in the fivefold
ministry-yes! But I also see a people locked in on comfort. Would you
sacrifice some of your comfort to see future generations changed for
the Lord? What is the comfort worth?

You and I will not reach the world that needs to change without going
"outside." We probably won't even be really happy. And maybe that is
God trying to get us to be changing course. How do we come together to
change the course of history? Do you think it will happen in the
elections? I think not. We have prayed for a rooting out of immorality
in politics and now it is happening. So, in the midst of fall out are
we going to change things around us? Will you reach out to one today?
That is the cry of the Father. We can change history. We do not have to
do things the way we learned or the way we always have. We can be
trendsetters. We can be a re-inactment of the book of Acts.

God, I believe wants us involved in the community. Conversion and
transformation come from a transferring of ideas. And He is looking for
us to reach out. He spoke it so many times. So many say, "what do I
do?" There is so much scripture on what we can do. But, a lot of it is
irrelevant until we reach out.

I tell people, imagine a community where there is harmony. Imagine a
church that is accepted not because of a watered down gospel, but
because of doing good things. Giving to the poor, feeding them,
clothing them. Imagine a community where the youth come together in
peace. Imagine a place where business flourishes because of the
manifest presence of Him.

What does that take? Certainly it takes prayer. But most likely it will
take you and I becoming fishers of men, discipling people into the
goodness of Him...one at a time. It will take a willingness on our
parts to get back in the battle again.

We thank you for your prayers and your love!

Blessings,
lee

Deeper Relationships meeting on Tuesday night at 6.

http://pcfministries.blogspot.com/
http://compelthem.blogspot.com/
Lee & Tina Johndrow
www.vermontel.com/~servant/ministryopportunity