God’s Good Work in 2018

January 15, 2019 in Adventure Guide | Tags: | Leave a comment

For those who prefer a summary:

2018 was extremely fulfilling and productive for the advancement of God’s kingdom. It could not have been so without your investment in inLight Consulting.

For those that appreciate a little more, the following should give you an idea of the good work God has done in response to your prayers for, and support of, inLight Consulting.

As you know, we are only vessels, instruments, and weapons. The Father is giving us the desire of our heart – to help Christian leaders find joyful, Spirit-filled ministry – in increasingly dynamic ways. We are simply walking in the good work He has prepared for His glory.

  1. We purposefully encouraged, edified, and equipped Christian leaders to become disciple makers and transformation agents. We continue to see those whom we have been discipling making disciples of others – a great joy we hope you share as a partner in the work.
  2. Our writing (I am just the pen) has primarily focused on changing the way Christians think. We have published 40+ articles this year; many of them shared in several online and print outlets. This focus on the mind has culminated in a new book, An Enemy Lies Within, which will be published on January 31st.
  3. With the gracious help of our webmaster, Doug McGukin, we restructured and enhanced the inLightConsulting.com website to focus on the three desires God has for this ministry: Workplace Transformation, Building Strong Foundations, and Equipping for Greater Works.
  4. We advanced two semesters closer to a Business Degree in Not-for-Profit Leadership. In the process, God has used the education in very precise ways for the startup of another ministry.
  5. As president and treasurer, I have been blessed to work with other strong Christian leaders in the formation of 2:2 Collective, Inc. Our stated purpose is “to serve the Body of Christ, foster unity, and be a catalyst for spiritual growth and vitality.” The opportunities for making disciples and transforming spheres of influence is boundless.
  6. Our family has been blessed in several ways: Beth and I, now married for 38 years, continue to grow in our faith together; our daughter married the man God has been preparing for her; and, our son continues to mature into the man God will use mightily. I have been able to spend more time with my parents this year; one of my greatest joys has been watching my dad disciple a church fellowship as their Lay Leader.

As the instrument, I look back on 2018 and marvel at what God has accomplished through this ministry. It is a testimony to His patience and persistence, and His intention to use the foolish, weak, and lowly “that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

Your part – whatever part you played – warrants a “well done, good and faithful servant.” And we will continue together to make disciples and transform our spheres of influence, for the glory of God and His Son, our Savior and King.

Humbly yours and forever His,

Rob

New Year’s Day Confession

January 1, 2019 in Adventure Guide, An Enemy Lies Within, The Reality Series | Tags: , | Leave a comment

When two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, He has promised to be with them (Matthew 18:20). My general attitude towards this verse has been that He is there for us – to give us revelation, or bless us in some other way. This realization has left me ashamed (and probably not as much as I should be).

Jesus Christ is Lord!

He is the Lord!

Jesus joins our meeting for Himself and His Father in Heaven. I have dishonored Him in this regard, in practice and in my writing. I confess my sin and pray He will forgive me and deliver me from this horrid unrighteousness. I repent and pray for grace to never think, speak, or write this way again.

It is baffling and disconcerting that I have missed such an obvious truth. For those that have wondered why I am so suspicious of the way I think, you now have some idea. I hate my carnal mind now more than ever.

I appreciate God turning this evil to His good purposes. I praise God for His patience and persistence with me.

Humbly yours and forever His,

Rob

BTW: The Lord used an article by A. W. Tozer to help me see through this deception. You can find it here.

These Sayings of Mine – Blog Article Links

December 30, 2018 in Adventure Guide | Leave a comment

It is impossible to consistently obey what you do not know. Obedience to the sayings of Jesus is the foundation He is referring to at the end of His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-7:19, Luke 6:20-49). In that sermon, He communicates at least 34 “sayings”. We’ve written an article on each one.

Simply select the article title to view it. Use your browser back button to return to the list.

Introduction

The Beatitudes

The Persecuted

Salt and Light

Jesus Fulfills the Law

Guard Your Tongue

Be Reconciled

Guard Your Heart

Be Serious about Sin

Fear the Consequences of Divorce

Do Not Swear at All

Overcome Evil with Good

Give and Lend (Trust and Obey)

Love, Bless, Do Good, and Pray for Your Enemies

Be Extraordinary; Be Perfect

Chapter Five Summary

Resist the Enemy’s Temptations

Do Things God’s Way

Learn to Pray

Forgive Their Trespasses

Fast to Please God

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven (Part 1)

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven (Part 2)

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven (Part 3)

Get Focused; Stay Focused

Do Not Worry about Your Life

Chapter Six Summary

Judge Not

Get the Plank Out

Be Discerning AND Selective in Sharing the Truth

Ask, Seek, and Knock

Trust God for More

Take the Initiative for Good

Enter by the Narrow Gate

Beware the False Prophets

Bear Good Fruit

Do the Will of My Father in Heaven

Do Them

Chapter Seven Summary

Harmony and the Woes of Luke’s Gospel

List of Harmony Passages

An Enemy Lies Within – Related Blog Article Links

December 28, 2018 in Adventure Guide, An Enemy Lies Within | Leave a comment

The following are posted articles related to an upcoming eBook, An Enemy Lies Within, due out in early 2019. Simply select the article title to view it. Use your browser back button to return to the list.

Preface

Introduction

3 Realities of Workplace Leadership

Did Jesus Christ die, suffer, and sacrifice so we wouldn’t have to?

7 things Christian leaders must stop assuming

Why Should We Think about Thinking?

Which covenant is more difficult to possess?

The Carnal Mind’s Resistance of the Truth

Lives are Hanging in the Balance

Is That Really What You want to be Asking For?

Is the Carnal Mind our Greatest Enemy?

Overcoming Our Carnal Mind – Phase One

Persevere in Phase One – Taking Every Thought Captive

Overcoming Our Carnal Mind – Phase Two (or is it Three?)

Overcoming Our Carnal Mind – The Faith and Mind Connection

Overcoming Our Carnal Mind – The Disciplines (Part 1)

Overcoming Our Carnal Mind – The Disciplines (Part 2)

Overcoming Our Carnal Mind – The Disciplines (Part 3)

Overcoming Our Carnal Mind – The Disciplines (Part 4)

Adjusting your conflict attitude

Overcoming Our Carnal Mind – Postscript

An Enemy Lies Within – Introduction

December 27, 2018 in Adventure Guide, An Enemy Lies Within | 2 comments

Our Purpose

Approximately ten years ago, I attended a lecture on the physiology of the brain – at a workplace leaders’ conference. What was I doing at such a lecture? What was such a lecture doing at a workplace leaders’ conference? God orchestrated that lecture, at that event, for my edification and encouragement.

The presenter showed us how scientists observe physical changes in the brain of patients recovering from alcoholism; that new electronic pathways are created over time. It occurred to me that this research scientist was talking about the renewal of the mind. I came to understand that the renewal of the mind is as much a supernatural miracle – at the physical level – as the healing of terminal cancer through prayer (something I have also witnessed). The notion captivated me.

This discovery connected well with my prior vocation, where I worked with a team of enterprise architects to change the way banking executives thought about the use of technology. Our ultimate purpose was to transform their business with technology. We called this “changing their paradigm”. The analogous term in Scripture is “mindset”; others prefer “worldview”.

Whatever you prefer to call it, I spent more than a decade in the technology field proving that changing someone’s paradigm is much easier said than done. As promising as technology was to their bottom line, the executives I worked with resisted us religiously. Why? Because it required them to change the way they did business – to transform their thinking about work.

The ensuing twelve years of workplace ministry have proven that the mind’s resilience to change exists in every sphere – no less with my brothers and sisters in Christ. This is lamentable; for our transformation into the image of the glory of the Lord requires the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2; 2Corinthians 3:18).

Over the years, this matter of the mind has become increasingly important to me. I have tried to make it important to others. And so, we’ve come to the writing of this short thesis and study – to encourage and help Christians think about the way we think, and to empower them to think in line with God’s prescription for the renewing of our minds.

Ultimately, my hopes and prayers are for transformation and reformation of the church in America. Read the rest of this entry »

Year-End Encouragements

December 27, 2018 in Adventure Guide | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Our heart’s desire is that you have yours in the coming year. I am sure you feel the same about those in your spheres of influence and responsibility. And so, I offer you three year-end encouragements. Please pass them on.

Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

First, the LORD has promised to give you the desires of your heart. Consider that for a moment. Every desire God has placed in your heart, for every good work He created you to walk in, has been promised to you by the Creator God. Nothing is impossible, if it is in His will… and you meet the condition.

The only thing that stands between you and those desires is your unwillingness to be soft in Him. That is the meaning of “delight” in this verse. Encouragement #1: Be soft like clay in the Potter’s hands.

Second, God has a way for everything – including the way we manage our time. I recently wrote an article that speaks to this subject. Encouragement #2: Make whatever sacrifice is necessary to spend time with the Father that very much enjoys speaking with His children.

Third, humility is indispensable for the Christian… and likely something different than our minds have been led to think. A. W. Tozer, in his book God Tells the Man Who Cares, puts it this way:

I have met two class of Christians: the proud who imagine they are humble and the humble who are afraid they are proud. There should be another class: the self-forgetful who leave the whole thing in the hands of Christ and refuse to waste any time trying to make themselves good. They will reach the goal far ahead of the rest.

God is working in us to will and do to His good pleasure, which is to give us His kingdom (Philippians 2:13; Luke 12:32). He works best in and through those that have committed their entire way to Him (Psalm 37:5). Encouragement #3: Pray for me and others you love in this regard.

God bless you with the desires of your heart.

Humbly yours and forever His,

Rob

P.S. Please continue to pray for An Enemy Lies Within. We are nearing completion, but there is still much to do and funds yet to raise.

An Enemy Lies Within – Book Cover and Excerpt

December 18, 2018 in Adventure Guide, An Enemy Lies Within | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Many thanks to everyone who participated in the voting for the cover of An Enemy Lies Within. Cover #3 received slightly more votes that Cover #1. We are hoping to have the eBook available by the end of the year; your prayers are appreciated. The following is an excerpt from the book.

The Hidden Enemy

“The devil made me do it”, popularized by Flip Wilson in the 1970s, has found its way into the American church. It’s the way we like to think. The devil is our most popular enemy.

If we cannot blame the devil, there is always the world to point our finger at. Our government is a particularly favorite scapegoat. I experienced this several years ago while discussing the decline of Christian values in society with a brother in the Lord. Expressing a genuine and deep-seated frustration, he pointed in the direction of Washington, D.C. and said, “If they just hadn’t taken prayer out of school!”

I started to agree and then it occurred to me: If Christian parents taught their children the importance of prayer before every meal (and every class), prayer would still be in school. If Christian parents encouraged their children that God answers their prayers, students would be praying for every sick friend and teacher. God would be glorified!

Only Christians have the power to take prayer out of school. Depending on the government to keep it there is submitting to the wrong authority. Pointing our fingers at the government is blame-shifting. It’s all a bunch of bad thinking – and we don’t think twice about it.

It is time we came to terms with the enemy that lies within. It is time we recognized that we have three – not two – enemies trying to deceive us. Read the rest of this entry »

Disciple Making Works… for Good and Bad

December 14, 2018 in A Storm is Coming, Adventure Guide | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. Matthew 10:24-25

Previously, we suggested there are two simple questions any Christian can use to assess their obedience to Christ and the effectiveness of their ministry:

  1. Who is discipling you?
  2. Who are you discipling?

The article seemed particularly challenging (I am only the pen); and more so for the shepherds of God’s people – pastors, preachers, teachers, etc. Being a member of this group, I was reminded: These two questions should be answerable by every Christian in every sphere of influence we have been given responsibility for as leaders.

A dear friend – and the man God has assigned to disciple me for the last 12-15 years – shared a perspective that may prove to be even more challenging. You may not like what you read. It may even offend some of you.

Generally, it’s best not to say such things at the beginning of an article. We are swimming against the current here simply because we do not want you surprised and distracted. This way, we can simply say it without a bunch of dancing around. I trust you will consider the truthfulness of it, and apply all that is worthwhile.

“Disciple Making Works”

That’s what my friend said, “Disciple making works.” He didn’t mean what I thought he meant. He went on to explain (this is the way I heard it), “Every leader is discipling everyone they lead into some understanding; and into the life that understanding prescribes. They are doing this whether they intend to, or not.

“We are either making disciples into some understanding about Christ and His Church, OR, we are making disciples to Jesus Christ Himself that He might make them as He is Himself. And it always works.” Read the rest of this entry »

Time Management God’s Way

December 6, 2018 in Adventure Guide, The Reality Series, Workplace Ministry, Workplace Ministry Tips | Tags: , , , | 1 comment

Have you ever thought, “I don’t have time to manage my time?” You are not alone. It is ironic how little time people invest in making sure they are making good use of their time. Worst still, the busier we are, the less time we invest to make sure our busy-ness is worthwhile and profitable. I recognize this is not news; just consider it a reminder that time is the one thing we cannot get back, or produce.

That reminder suggests two opening words of encouragement. First, though He is timeless, God is the producer and owner of time. Secular self-help books and articles are not the place to turn for help with time management – particularly when you have access to the Author. Second, God will do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or think with the time we surrender to His good work.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13

As a conscientious leader, you are already making plans for next year (if not, you should be). Regardless of your success in 2018, you may be thinking about taking things to the next level (it is the American way). Before you do that, consider some time management strategies that will help you focus 2019 on the One Who has given you that time:

  1. Establish your calendar before the chaos begins – daily, weekly, monthly, etc. If the Lord is your CEO, then lay your calendar out before Him (as an offering). Allow Him to manage your time in His supernatural ways.
  2. Put to-do items on your calendar. Treat them like meetings with important clients. Don’t allow interruptions. Stay focused. You have been given the gift of self-control. Use it.
  3. Don’t let your smart phone manage you. Set your attention towards God’s voice, rather than that of men. Return phone calls when you cannot do anything else (e.g., driving). If necessary, allocate 30 minutes in the middle and at the end of your day to return calls.

Remember, business and spiritual growth are processes. Be patient with yourself and those in your spheres of influence. Also, decisions are more important than actions. Setting aside time to make good decisions is one of the most profitable things you can do.

Finally, consider this: Read the rest of this entry »

2 Simple Questions

November 27, 2018 in A Storm is Coming, Adventure Guide | Tags: , , , , | 1 comment

There are two simple questions any Christian can use to assess their obedience to Christ and the effectiveness of their ministry:

  1. Who is discipling you?
  2. Who are you discipling?

If you cannot answer the first question, you are likely not being discipled. Unless you are in their inner circle, this is not your pastor nor your Sunday School teacher. Making disciples requires relationship.

It is impossible to underestimate the impact a disciple maker can have on a person’s life (mentor is the secular term). Much of God’s grace flows down the channels of authority He has assigned for every Christian. This is not limited to teaching, counseling, etc. The life of Christ is miraculously transmitted through the disciple making relationship (e.g., faith, courage, and peace).

The Great Commission is God’s prescription for our participation in the advancement of His kingdom. Finding those that He has designated for our spiritual apprenticeship is vital to our inclusion in His story. Furthermore, it is impossible to make disciples without first being made.

Regrettably, making disciples has fallen out of favor in the church that resides here in America. Consequently, you may have to ask someone to disciple you. Before you do, ask God to identify that person. He loves talking with His children about such things.

Failure regarding our second question is a strong sign of spiritual disobedience. This is a hard judgment. It is also fair, grounded in truth, and offered in love. Read the rest of this entry »

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