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Have you ever noticed how some people hate confrontation, while others seem to go looking for it? Is it possible that both are in the wrong? But at the same time confrontation and conflict is a good thing right? We should disagree with people and have our own opionions. Now granted my opinion is that our opionions should be grounded in Scripture, but hey you don’t have to agree with me. Actually I would love to engage with you if you don’t agree. My point is this. Conflict in inevitable, but resolution is rare. We bury hurt, harbor bitterness, and grow angry. Which none of these things are healthy. The only way to prevent these things from festering is by seeking conflict resolution, which means there will be confrontation. Now hold on, before those of you who love confrontation, start thinking right on, Scripture calls us to handle confrontation with gentlness and respect (2 Tim 2:24-25). So don’t go looking for conflict because you’re puffed up with pride and what to assert your academic mind on someone who dropped out of high school. But for those of you who run from conflict, stop. And for me, God I pray you would teach me to be much better at resolving conflict, and confronting issues rather than entertaining gossip, bitterness, or hate.
-the Monday Mindset

Freedom. Do I truly realize what that means? I feel for me to come to the realization of what true freedom is I have to have it taken away from me. I’ve been blessed with numerous freedoms throughout my life, but I feel that I have taken many of those freedoms for granted. Today, I must put to rest the mindset of taking things for granted and look towards appreciating the freedoms and independence in all areas of my life.
-the Monday Mindset

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What a grave mistake I have often made thinking I need to be further educated, better spoken, or increase my audience size in order to have a lasting impact for the Kingdom. As a matter of fact, the one thing that I’ve truly come to understand is that I don’t need to be the smartest, strongest, most charasmatic, or out-going, I just need to be willing to live and die for the One thing that truly matters. Perhaps in my obedience He would use a sinner like me to impact the lives of others, not because of anything I’ve done or attained, but because of everything He did. I don’t want to make a difference in people’s lives, I want to make a lasting difference in people’s lives. And I know the only way I will have a lasting impact is if my lifestyle, words, and actions all point to an everlasting Father. There is no doubt that if my daily walk reflected His light, more people would ask about the hope in which I live by. But if I spend money and time the same way the world spends money and time perhaps they will never see the hope that lives within in me. So regardless of my background, demographics, culture, or wealth, may my life be forever impacting others, not because of who I am, but because of who He forever IS! The degrees, awards, trophies, and fame mean nothing if my life is lived mirroring the world. All that matters is that I live a life that causes the agnostic and atheistic world to say, “I don’t believe in God, but I want whatever that man has! Because his life is different, his life is full of joy and hope!” Oh Lord, may I live such a life!

-the Monday Mindset

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Why is is that we dread Mondays? Is it the thought of having to go to work for a whole week? I dread ever falling into a lifestyle that only lives for the weekends. A life that constantly longs forFridays, and as a result fails to live in the days before. We have grown to hate labor, work, and responsibility, when in reality God saw work as a blessing. Think about it. Before Adam and Eve fell in the garden, God gave Adam a pretty cumbersome task. What? You might ask. How about naming the hundreds of thousand different animals. And the crazy thing about this is we see no account of Adam complaining, whining, or looking forward to the weekend. Rather it seems He was in a perfect state, and found great joy in such a task. We get asked to balance a spread sheet and grow bitter towards our boss. Now granted, He fell, we got cursed, and the sweat from our brow began to drip. But is it possible to enjoy our jobs, homework, and responsibilities more when we view them as an opportunity from the Lord rather than a command from a professor or boss? I think it is. We hear things in Scripture like, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Or, “Am I trying to win the approval of men, or of God?” May we, and when I say we, I really mean I, find great joy in serving others this week, and see it as a way to serve God. May I embrace this Monday, just as much as I will Friday!

-The Monday Mindset

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We buck it. We don’t like it. We get irritated by it. And when we get it, we want to give it right back to the person who gave it to us. Basically because of our, or should I say my pride I hate it! What is it? Correction. Whether someone corrects a typo I had in a tweet, facebook status, or e-mail I dislike being corrected. That is how my flesh reacts. Instantly my mind thinks, oh like you’ve never made a typo before. And let’s not even talk about how I want to react when people correct me in bigger areas of my life besides typos. But in Proverbs 12:1 it says, “He who hates correction is stupid.” That’s right, stupid! So am I stupid? Yes, a lot of the time. Because if I were to be perfectly honest I don’t like it when people correct me. But perhaps if I could learn to view it as God correcting me through others I could learn to love it, and in turn be wise instead. Just a thought, or should I say mindset today.
-The Monday Mindset

Escape. That one word can carry so much power and freedom. As humans we find ourselves constantly trying to escape from so many things. We try to escape dysfunctional relationships, we try to escape our addictions, and I want to escape from the busyness of this world. But what about the world itself? How desperately do I want to escape this world and body in which I live? Think about it, if I were kidnapped in the Middle East and held hostage my mind would be consumed with ways I could escape. I would constantly be thinking about scenarios that would lead me to freedom  so I would no longer be held captive. Yet my thoughts and actions run towards the slavery of this world? Rather than consume my mind with things above which would lead me to live a life of eternal perspective. I choose differently and instead I run into the slavery of people pleasing, productivity, popularity, and pressure. Escape. Where will I escape to? His Word, my knees, and into the silence.
-The Monday Mindset

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Change is inevitable, and much more enjoyable if we learn to embrace it, rather than buck it. It’s the lack of change and growth that concerns me the most. Stagnant waters is where disease is born. I love change, new things, new beginnings, new surroundings, mainly because it is in these changes I find myself more alert, engaged, and absorbing. I’m more teachable in a atmosphere of change, I’m like sponge, where I want to learn more about the context of the culture, history, and people. I pray that my life would forever be changing, growing, and learning. I fear the lack of change, when there is no change I get comfortable with my surroundings, relationships, and work. As a result I become passive, lazy, and find myself going through the motions. If I desire to find evidence of growth in my relationship with Christ change is the gauge that I use. Have I changed from a year ago? 5 years ago? Jesus is in the business of constantly molding us, growing us, teaching us, and changing us. If there is no change in my life for months on end, I believe I should re-evaluate my priorities, and see where I’m at in my relationship with the Lord. Change me Lord, from the inside out, teach me to receive the change You desire to do in my life. Test me and know my anxious thoughts, search my heart and see if there are offensive ways buried within me, lead me in Your way of change that leads to the everlasting!
- The Monday Mindset

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As I pack up our house, I continue to find items I forgot I even had. Some were gifts, others mementos I held on to for one reason or another. What I’ve come to realize is that I held on to these items because at one time or another I felt they were important to me, yet I forgot I even had them. This house is full of hidden treasures I was unaware even still existed. So as I’ve been packing I’ve had a lot of time to think, and as I was thinking and pondering over these hidden gems I realized how similar this is to God’s Word. The treasures we find in Scripture each time we sit down and actually dig. But how quickly we can forget these treasures that are so important to us if we allow our Bible to sit on the shelf. As I read through 1 Corinthians 14-16 this morning I was refreshed and reminded of some great verses I forgot about, one verse I even sent BWang’s way, as I thought it might bring him some encouragement. I guess my point to all this is my mindset this morning was unless we continually go back and pull out the Word we will forget all the treasures that lie within it. The treasure of Truth is God’s Word and it  speaks directly into our lives, even within our current circumstances.
-The Monday Mindset

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I can’t help but think of God’s mercy today. I often hear comments referring to the tsunami’s, tornadoes, earthquakes and floods as being God’s wrath. I’m usually not sure how to respond to those statements, because regardless of the fact that Haiti practices black magic, New Orleans parties like no other, and Sri Lanka worships many gods, I deserve God’s wrath just as much as they. I think these natural disasters show us God’s mercy just as much as His power. Those tornadoes in Alabama should have ripped through my house, that tsunami in Japan should have flooded my life, and the earthquake in Haiti should have rocked my world. The reality is, I am deserving of death, and there is no one city or country that deserves His wrath any more or any less than I. So as I reflect on all the craziness that is going on in this world from the bombings in Israel, the killing of Osama, and the natural disasters I am reminded of God’s patience and mercy in my life. He is slow to anger and abounding in love. His mercy is shown in the disasters, His goodness is still seen in the chaos, and the fact that I live in a region of the country that has not been rocked by some crazy disaster makes me thankful for His mercy, when I know I am less than the least of all sinners. Oh Lord, be with the families in Alabama, Mississippi, Japan, Israel, Pakistan, and Libya. May the eyes of their heart be enlightened to Your mercy, love, and goodness.

-The Monday Mindset

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“I believe, help my unbelief.” I stumbled across this verse in Mark 9:24 a few days ago and have really been soaking in it. That’s me. I believe, but help my unbelief Lord. It seems like an oxymoron, or contradictory to say the least. But that’s me. I’m the Father in this story in a desperate situation that says I believe, but in the back of my heart and the back of my mind I still have doubts. Thoughts of inadequacy and incapability plague my mind. I believe Jesus is fully capable and fully adequate, but if I were to be completely honest I need Him to help me overcome my doubts and fears. I need Him to strengthen my faith. Perhaps being surrounded by a world that is so critical, negative, and full of naysayers effects me more than I would like to admit, but their not to blame, my lack of belief is to blame. So Lord, I plead with You, help my unbelief!

-The Monday Mindset