Pastor Dan’s Blog

Identity Crisis

Leadership expert Dr. John Maxwell stated, “You are not what you think you are. You are not what others think you are. You are what the most important person in your life thinks you are.”

In other words, we will become what the people we have value for say we are. Kris Vallotton said, “Identity is based on impartation not education.” We don’t learn who we are, identity is imparted by those we hold in high esteem. This principle is both beneficial and dangerous. The desire to accepted or loved by an abusive or manipulative person can be dangerous. You see, until you value God more than any other person in your life you will be at the mercy of others opinions & declarations over your life.

As a result those declaration of identity produce a culture around us. Jacob, deceiver or trickster, created a culture of deception where ever he went. This culture was started by his father (lied), encouraged by his mother (deception), perfected by Jacob (stolen blessing), duplicated in his father in law (changed wages), agreed upon by Leah (switched brides), repeated by Rachel (stolen idols) and ultimately produced by his sons (selling of Joseph).

His identity created a culture.

Now this lifetime of deception has come to a head. His brother Esau, along with 400 men, are making their way towards Jacob. This crisis led him to Jabbok. Jabbok means “To Empty”. We each need a Jabbok experience. We need a place to be emptied from the labels and names attached to our character. Physics has a simple rule . . . two objects cannot occupy the same space. We must first remove what is there before we can filled with something else. The level that we give up determines the level by which we can be filled up. This place was vital to his new identity.

You cannot receive a new identity until you release you present one.

Many are wearing labels God never intended you to have. Those labels have effected your destiny. I want to encourage you, you don’t need to wrestle with God, Jesus already paid the price but you do have to claim it. You are a champion, an over comer and royalty.

Find your Jabbok . . . a place you can empty your past, your mistakes & your labels.

Stinking Thinking

Identity equals Destiny.

If we lose our identity we lose our destiny.

What is identity? Identity, according to Webster’s Dictionary is the state or fact of remaining the same regardless of varying aspects or conditions. In other words, who we are does not change according to circumstances or situations in our lives.

The wisest man to ever lived penned the words in Proverbs 23:7 that “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Solomon’s revelation was that the heart was the center of our ability & faculties to ascribe, to calculate and estimate our value. Your heart determines who you are and how you think.

45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. ~ Luke 6:45

If our thinking determines who we are then it stands to reason that the most powerful thing is a thought. The most important thing is the source of that thought. Our thoughts are powerful. They can create. The source of that thought is the most important.

A source will transmit an idea or image, that word or image becomes a thought in our mind. Thoughts conceived become ideas that give birth to ideologies. Ideologies then become beliefs. Beliefs evolve into convictions that produce philosophies. Philosophies become lifestyles that ultimately produce your destiny. It all starts with a thought.

Wrong source . . . wrong destiny. Correct source . . . correct destiny.

That is why Jesus first words He preached were . . .”Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Repent means to change your thinking. Contrary to popular belief, repentance has little to do with being sorry. It is a 180 degree shift in thinking that changes your direction.

Who we are will never change until our thinking is changed first. That thinking will not change until we adjust our ears to the proper source.

Who are you listening to today?

Tags: Destiny, idea, identity, thinking, thought

The Reborne Identity

Have you ever seen those identity theft commercials from Citibank where there someone is speaking but the voice doesn’t match their body? Identity theft was a 54 billion dollar problem last year and is only growing. However, identity theft did not begin in the digital age; it started way back in the beginning.

Satan’s initial attack was on the woman’s identity, self-worth & self-esteem. His proposal was that eating of the tree would make her like God. His implication was that there was something lacking in her; that she didn’t measure up. His attack on her identity was tragic in the fact that she was already like God! She was created in the same image of God that Adam had been.

Our identity equals our destiny. If we lose our identity we lose our destiny.

In the Hebrew culture your name was more than a moniker, it was your identity, a description of your character and a prophetic declaration of your capacity and potential. Each father carefully chose the name for his children based on this knowledge. When Jacob’s youngest son was born, his mother named him Ben-Oni (Son of my sorrow) as she died in the laboring process.

Imagine going through life with the label and constant reminder that you killed your mother? Jacob, whose name was changed from Jacob (trickster or deceiver) to Israel (Prince of God) after wrestling with God, knew the power of a label. He would not allow his son to be labeled as a source of sorrow and changed his name to Benjamin (Son of my right hand). Jacob changed his son’s destiny. Like Jacob we have the power to change the destiny in people’s lives by the names we call release over them.

Adam was given dominion and authority to name all the animals in the garden. Whatever he named them, that is what they were recognized as. He had the God given authority to ascribe identity and value to each living creature. However, he never gave the woman a proper name until after the fall. The woman was looking for identity . . . a name . . . more importantly . . . a destiny.

Eve lacked identity because Adam failed to release her potential with a name. All he calls her is woman in Genesis 2:23, but no personal identity, no prophetic destiny. It is not until after the fall is her personal identity given and potential released.

²⁰ Then the man—Adam—named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all who live. ~ Genesis 3:20

Before this time Eve had no children . . . after Adam’s declaration she begins to produce and have children. They could not fulfill God’s command to “be fruitful and multiply” until Adam released the potential inside of the woman and called her “Eve”. When we receive and accept our God given identity we too have the power to fulfill God’s commands.

It doesn’t matter what label the world, your parents, your ex or your enemies have placed on you. God’s intention for us is greatness, influence & impact. God wants to give you a Reborne Identity!

Tags: capacity, Destiny, identity, identity theft, name

Regaining Our Edge . . .

Regaining our edge . . .

I can imagine that time stood still. Like the movie the Matrix, everything goes into slow motion as the axe head flies toward the drink. His eyes examine the reason the axe is so light now. Confusion sets in . . . the axe head was just here a second ago.

Where did it go? Did any one see?

Then off in the background he hears the sound of the axe head splashing down in the middle of the Jordan River. How did this happen. Now what? How do I ever get it back? He is now standing on the edge of the Jordan River hoping somehow to catch a glimpse of the lost iron. He stands there starring at the place the axe head use to be. Desperation sets in.

How did this happen? How will I ever recover it? How do we get our edge back?

The process is actually very simple. Second Kings lays out the process for our lives.

First, we must admit it we lost it.

We have all faced a situation of loss or failure that can be embarrassing. One of the main schemes of the enemy is to make us feel isolated or embarrassed. This isolation can cause us to hide the fact that we lost it. The young prophet was wise enough to understand that he needed help so he runs and tells Elisha what happened.

What is funny is that many people attempt to fake it until they make it but like swinging a stick at a tree you are making no progress. Many people fake that there marriages, finances, health & mind are fine but they have no evidence of progress and embarrassment locks them into a prison of isolation.

If you have lost your edge, you must first admit it.

Secondly, you must go back to where you lost it.

Elisha asked the young man a very important question . . . “Where did you lose it?” We must know where we lost our edge in order to get it back again. Sometimes it is a hurt, a crisis or a unresolved offense that can cause us to grow indifferent and lead us to losing our edge.

Where did you lose your passion for your spouse? Where did the financial crisis begin? Where did you lose your love for God? Like Andrae Crouch’s old song, “Take Me Back” we need to go back to the place we lost it.

Lastly, allow God to restore it.

Elisha does something unusual; he cuts a piece of wood and throws it into the place where the young man has lost the axe head. This act is followed by the impossible. The laws of physics do not apply. This one act makes iron lighter than water and . . . the axe head floats! One man with a piece of wood makes the impossible become possible. As ridiculous as it sounds, one man (Jesus), with one piece of wood (the cross) makes the impossible happen. The same can happen in your life, ministry, marriage, finances & your body. The impossible is possible with Christ.

The axe head floats to the top of the Jordan River to the astonishment of the young man. Elisha then instructs him, “Go get it.”

Today if you have lost your edge. Go get it. Jump in, don’t be afraid of getting wet.

Get your edge back!

Tags: Edge, impossible, passion, restore

Losing Your Edge

Have you been having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning? Is work becoming something you endure rather than enjoy? Are you finding it difficult to stir up the motivation to keep going & keep doing?

If so, then maybe you have lost your edge.

In 1 Kings 6 the University of The Prophets are experiencing incredible success and growth. This growth causes them to to recognize the need for a bigger facility to house more trainees. As they are building one of the students is cutting down a tree when the unthinkable happens. The axe head flies off and lands in the middle of the Jordan river.

He lost his edge.

To make matters worse the axe was borrowed! You see, there was no Home Depot to run down too and pick up another one. Iron was a very expensive metal in those days. This man would have to become the slave of one he borrowed it from if he could not recover it. In a panic he runs and tells their University President, Elisha.

How do we lose our edge?

1. We lose our edge when we are focused on completing a task.

This young man was so focused on his task to cut the wood, he lost focus in other areas. His heart may have been in the right place but his desire to finish his task caused him to overlook the care of the tool. I have seen many people fail personally while they make great progress professionally. Marriages can crumble while careers flourish because we get tunnel vision.

2. We lose our edge when we ignore the warning signs.

Axe heads don’t just fly off. Signs the axe head is loosening will always precede its loss. Each of us must be aware of the warning signs that we too are losing our edge. The signs will show in our marriages, relationships, careers, educational pursuits and our ministries. The problem is like this student we too ignore the signs that things aren’t as tight as they need to be. Then without further warning we lose something of extreme value.

3. We lose our edge when we don’t take ownership.

The axe head was borrowed but the young man didn’t consider that until he had lost it. An owner treats his tools with care. Why? Because he paid a price for them, it cost him something. We must take ownership of our families, marriages, ministries and salvation. It must cost us something otherwise we become careless with what someone else has paid the price for.

If you have gotten careless or ignored the signs that your are losing your edge, it is time to tighten it up or find it, if you lost it. It might seem an impossible task to reclaim the edge but all things are possible.

Next week . . . How to get your edge back or listen to the message on now on the CWC Podcast on iTunes, Passion.

Tags: care, Edge, passion, warning signs

Making Room

Tags: giving up, locked, made room, Shunamite

Pain Doesn’t Only Have To Hurt

Everyone has a painful experience or story. Here is our story. (Click on link)

Your pain doesn’t only have to hurt. Tell your story. Help someone else. They did. (Click on link)

Tags: hurt, pain, story

Pain - Doesn’t Only Have To Hurt

The space between our present and our purpose is often wrapped up in a process called pain. The thing about pain . . . it hurts. Miles McPherson states that pain doesn’t only have to hurt.

We all face it. We all feel it. We all experience it.

The good news is that God has a plan to make your life count. Sometimes that plan includes pain. I know that doesn’t sound like good news but the good news is . . . that pain is not always bad. Pain is given for two reasons.

First, pain is given for our protection. Pain in our body is a warning sign to protect us from further damage. When we touch something hot, our senses tell us to move our hand or we will burn. The pain sends a message to the brain to change the behavior. God gave us pain to protect us.

Secondly, pain is used to promote us. When we respond correctly to painful circumstances in life it can catapult us toward greatness. Consider that life’s greatest struggles can become your greatest stories. What would Helen Keller be without her handicap? David without Goliath? Paul & Silas without the prison? Jesus without the cross? Each of our biggest stumbling blocks are actually stepping stones to the next level. Your pain is the process for your promotion.

Pain can be identified to come from two distinct sources. From self-inflicted pain due to unwise decisions or what I call life-inflicted pain caused by others or just life happening to us. Either way we will all experience pain at one time or another. How we view that pain will determine the value we receive from it. Rick Warren says “God never waste a pain.”

Let me introduce you to Naomi. She is a very attractive lady, inwardly & outwardly. She is a noble woman. Whether at the mall or a local restaurant everyone celebrates her arrival. She has a wonderful way about her that makes others comfortable. She has a successful husband and two active boys. They live on a piece of land that has been in the family for generations. That is until the recession hit.

They lost it all. So serve was the famine they couldn’t feed the family, lost their property and relocated to another country. Her sons grew and married women from that country. Things seemed good until more pain hit. Her husband died. Then not one but both of her sons followed suit, they passed on as well. All she valued in life was gone. She had only one option . . . return to home she had left.

Upon her arrival the city was abuzz in anticipation for her return. They remembered her joy and pleasant nature. They anxiously sought her out. However, when they saw her they openly questioned if it was really Naomi. Naomi hearing their inquiries tells them, “Don’t call me Naomi (pleasant, joyful) call me Mara (bitter).” (Ruth 1:20)

You pain will make us bitter or better. It is your choice. Bitterness can keep us from recognizing what God is doing in our lives. He may not cause the pain but He sure can work from it.

Make a choice to be better not bitter.

Next week, find out how she worked through the bitterness to become better.

Tags: better, bitter, Miles McPherson, pain, Process, promotion, protection

Legacy Of Blessing

My parents have taken great care of me and my sister over the years. They have constantly place our needs above our own, even sacrificing their own comfort to ensure a better life for us. By no means am I suggesting that they are perfect but they were perfectly selected to raise my sister and I by the Lord.

Over the years they have provided more than a roof over my head, they provided a head start in life. I make not qualms about it, all I have and all I am is a direct reflection of their influence and sacrifice. My first home was made possible by my parents (come to think of it all my homes were!), my first car was a gift from my dad, my education was their sacrifice, my morals and standards were a by product of the God they tirelessly served. They took my family on countless trips to Hawaii & Cabo San Lucas. It has always been my dream to some how give back to them a small token of what they have given to me over the years.

On January 10^th, 2010 my parents celebrated 50 years of marriage. They didn’t want a fancy ceremony or big deal made out of their accomplishment. So we made a decision to take my parents on a first class trip to the Bahamas to celebrate their wedding anniversary. I was especially blessed to officiate their renewal of vows on the beautiful Bahamian beach.

As the tropical sun began to set my mother & father’s eyes filled with tears as they expressed their love to one another. They renewed their vow and gave credit to the Lord for their longevity. They kept kissing throughout the ceremony even when it wasn’t time for them to do so. It was then I realized just how blessed I am to have them in my life. Their example is one I strive for daily.

I am one blessed man to have been blessed with my parents.

Tags: 50 year, dan & norma vera, example, sacrifice

Fearless

I just read a great book called “In A Pit With A Lion On A Snow Day” by Mark Batterson, that I highly recommend. The book is based on the account of 2 Samuel 23:20 which shares King David’s fond memories of his mighty men who had faithfully served him in his army. One by one, King David details the bravery and conquest of his mighty men. Men who at one time were in distress, in debt and discontent.

Like the AP Poll for College Basketball, King David had a ranking for his men. The same way people question the AP Rankings, I question King David’s ranking system. Benaiah was ranked in the top five, he should have been ranked higher. His exploits sound fairly consistent with the others in the top five yet he does something no one else attempted or considered. He chases a lion into a pit on a snowy day and kills it.

Normal people don’t chase lions. When a lion roars sane people run the other way. Lions are properly identified as the “King of the Jungle” simply because they rule. No one messes with a lion. When you do bad things usually happen. We experienced such an event here in Northern California a few years back when a couple of young men decided to antagonize a caged lion at the zoo. The lion jumped out of his enclosure and killed one of the men and wounded the other.

Benaiah chases this lion. We have no idea what this lion did, who it killed or threats it caused. All we know that Benaiah wanted it dead. The conditions were far from ideal. A snowy day is not a day to wrestle a lion. Your footing is bad. To make matter worse . . . To chase a lion is one thing, to catch it is a whole other issue. The lion flees into a pit which Benaiah fearlessly jumps into after the 500 pound problem with teeth.

Now face to face with this creature, no weapon in his hand. He faces this beast in close quarters. The cold winter’s day makes the lion’s breath visible, making its way over the razor sharp teeth, like fog over the San Francisco hills. Benaiah’s heart is racing, adrenaline is running through his veins. Fear says to flee. Destiny tells him to fight.

If we are to live Fearless, we must be willing to chase the lions in our lives. What lions are you running from today? What lion’s are roaring causing you to be paralyzed with fear? The business you want to start? The school you want to apply for? The girl you want to ask out? The ministry you want to create? The addiction you need to break?

Each of these lions are roaming around seeking whom they may devour. Today, stop running. Start chasing.

Live Fearless.

Tags: fear, Fearless, Lion Chaser, Mark Batterson, pit, problems