Imparting the Vision July 15, 2008
Posted by jonas in insights.Tags: vision
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“Vision inspires, it allows you to see the unseen. It gets you doing things you never dreamed of accomplishing. Vision creates an environment in which a team operates at its very best. Vision pushes you to look past the obvious and look to the supernatural.” –Anonymous
To watch a vision comes to past only requires good eyesight. To actually birth a vision and then watch over its development to completion requires great faith, great strength, and great wisdom! Its one thing to have a vision, but it is another thing to communicate that vision and make it real for others so that they may run with it and make it their aspiration too.
King David was impassioned with a God-given vision to build the Jerusalem Temple. He was determined to see it come to pass. He dreamed about it, talked about it, and spent months poring over designs and resource materials. The dream was his. Then the day came when the Lord himself told David to pass on the task of the building of the temple to his son Solomon. David had to hand over the vision well, with enthusiasm, without regret, not holding anything back. David gave his son all the plans God had revealed to him (1 Chronicles 22:1-21)
David had reached a level of maturity in God. He had learned to obey with wholehearted energy. The lesson for us is great, for David imparted his passion, faith, and courage to solomon, who represents the next generation to praise the Lord.
When imparting the vision to those looking to you for direction, pour yourself into them, letting them know and see the things in life that are truly valuable. We have to be willing to do whatever it takes to see them increase and develop. We need to be willing to put the ball back in their hand when they drop it, and be ready for them to do things differently than we do. Don’t give up if it takes them a little while to find their feet either. Learn to cover them when immaturity shows, when they make decisions or proceeding with actions that are lacking in wisdom. Remember your own colorful journey to leadership.
For years I tried to juggle all the elements of life. I knew there was a God call on my life to be in ministry, and yet I also knew that i could never be at the expense of my family. When I tried to juggle all the boxes, I learned the hard way that it is difficult to keep them from all crashing down. God showed me that I am to break out of the box of mentality and instead seek Him for divine order for my day. Each day differs from the day before. The dynamics change, but the call on my life doesn’t.
The Parallel Paths July 15, 2008
Posted by jonas in insights.Tags: dreams, paths
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Some time ago we set out on two diverging roads. One road sent us exploring the infinite, while the other started out looking at discrete patterns, and how they may be abstracted. As we moved along the roads, however, we found the first hints of cross fertilization: our results about the infinite allowed us to propose pattern algebras for infinite patterns — the result being that the algebra was precisely that of numbers. From here on in the two separate paths begin to align, running quite separate but parallel courses. The cross fertilization of ideas will continue, and we will begin to see increasing similarities between these two very separate worlds of abstraction. The paths ahead will soon become interesting indeed.
Mind Dump Saturday July 5, 2008
Posted by jonas in insights.Tags: mind dump, saturday
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Sometimes it’s about how far you’re willing to stretch what you think you’re capable of. Or pushing past what you think is a good idea, especially when it’s yours, for a great idea that might come with a little more work, investigation or conversation.
Press on. Work hard. Think bigger than you.
Multi-Generational Worship July 4, 2008
Posted by jonas in worship.Tags: generational, worship, worship leading
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I was reading a blog from a cyberspace friend from Portland, OR regarding worship and this is what he has to say:
“we aren’t good at declaring God’s works to other generations.” Yet God’s word (Psalm 145:4) tells us to do so. Examples of this: Saul never reached out to David and his kingdom began to fall, a dad never reaches out to his son and their relationship is strained after the son leaves the house.
His entire blog is centered around the model of the family dinner table. A positive image is when everyone from grandpa to baby are at the table, a negative image is when the parents and kids eat separately.
- Every dinner table has a battleground topic (dating, morality, etc) and that battleground topic at the church is worship.
- “It is easy to have dinner with people just like you.”
- “There is a family dynamic (to church) that we are missing.”
- “We need a church to match the wisdom/experience/resources of age with the energy/enthusiasm/innovation of youth.”
We Need 5 Things
- Churches must learn how to function as a family, embracing those different from them.
- We need cooperation and relationship between young and old.
- Milennials are blessing the church with innovation through technology. We need to embrace that.
- We need respect. Mutual respect.
- Humility. “You can’t use your armor for their battle.” 1st Peter 5:5-6
My Thoughts: I know at my church and with my job, it is a CONSTANT STRUGGLE to find ways for young and old to not only be around each other, but to reach out to one another. So this topic totally hit home for me. At the same time I don’t know that I necessarily agree with everything he said. I’m still processing these things…
My question: How do you see church operating? Is it how you would “do” church if you had the choice? How would you reach young and old within one church?
The Advocate July 2, 2008
Posted by jonas in random.add a comment
I am an advocate!
ENFPs are introspective, values-oriented, inspiring, social and extremely expressive. They actively send their thoughts and ideas out into the world as a way to bring attention to what they feel to be important, which often has to do with ethics and current events. ENFPs are natural advocates, attracting people to themselves and their cause with excellent people skills, warmth, energy and positivity. ENFPs are described as creative, resourceful, assertive, spontaneous, life-loving, charismatic, passionate and experimental.
“ENFPs are energetic and enthusiastic leaders who are likely to take charge when a new endeavor needs a visionary spokesperson. ENFPs are values-oriented people who become champions of causes and services relating to human needs and dreams. Their leadership style is one of soliciting and recognizing others’ contributions and of evaluating the personal needs of their followers. ENFPs are often charismatic leaders who are able to help people see the possibilities beyond themselves and their current realities. They function as catalysts.”
He is the famous one June 28, 2008
Posted by jonas in insights.Tags: famous one
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Have you ever considered that Jesus was rather famous person of his day? The Bible says that everywhere.He went a large crowds followed. But look who was in those crowds. No crew from TV Patrol in sight. Just ordinary folks lined up to see Him, sometimes by the thousands. Jesus’ crowds tended to be made up of the hurting, the discouraged, the ill and weak and handicapped and wayward and forgotten. All of them longed to get close to Him, to touch Him, to hear Jesus say those words of life. Of course, Jesus’ real fame is still to come. The bible says that.
God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)
That’s fame beyond our wildest imagination. Every person who has breath will declare Jesus as Lord and King, the bible says.
We all have ferocious inborn desire to on the spotlight. We express this desire in different ways. Shy people may not want to stand front and center. But by nature they’re no less driven to get affirmation and attention. Oi, we all want our world to revolve around us…somehow.
But our new life in Christ calls us to something radically different and better-to make Jesus, and only Him, famous in our life.
You and I were not created for our own fame. We were created to give it all to God and to put ourselves in the background. The spirit of God is at work in me continually shows that what I really need is less and less of Jonas and more and more of Christ.
–Chris Tomlin
I guess it’s a trust issue.Any ideas? June 25, 2008
Posted by jonas in random.Tags: future
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“I get anxious about my future-not knowing what (if anything) is happening, not feeling like I’m in control of the timing of things. I guess it’s a trust issue. Any ideas?”
I can sure relate to this one. I’m an expert at worrying about what’s around the next corner. I have keep coming back to this harsh fact: Jonas Esguerra is not God. I’m not in charge. I was not made to know my future or to control it. I just need to let go of that deception-confess it as sin. That’s the first step to peace like me. Otherwise we’ll worry and strive and only end up tired and frustrated.
Even on the days we can’t see it, God is at work in our lives. Jesus said, ” My father is always at his work to this very day” John 5:17. Ofcourse, we can’t figure out God’s ways. He won’t be boxed in. He is bigger than all our questions and bigger than our answers.
One thing that’s helpful when you can’t see what’s up ahead is to look back. Most of us can look back and trace the hand of God in our steps. I look back and see that where I am today has not depended on my ability to plan or organize my career. It has been the Lord leading me all the way. He has directed each step.
The fact is, God is always right on time. We can count on it. He knows our heart’s deepest desires. He is not some killjoy just playing with our emotions. He holds all the time in HIs hand. He sees what you and I could never see.
Warior Heart June 22, 2008
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“A man must have a battle to fight, a great mission to his life that involves and yet transcends even home and family. He must have a cause to which he is devoted even unto death, for this is written into the fabric of his being.” — J. Eldredge
Every man is a warrior inside. God created you to become His intimate ally, to join Him in the great battle. We are His visionaries and he created you to be cunning. But, plenty of times we can’t go the battle field because of the different hindrances we face everyday:
YOU
However strong castle may be, if treacherous party resides inside, the castle cannot be kept safe from the enemy. Since the day when Adam gave away the essence of his strength, men have struggled with a part of themselves that is ready at the drop of a hat to do the same. E.g. we don’t want to speak up unless we know it will go well, and we don’t want to move unless there is guaranteed success. In blunt words, our flesh is a poser and selfish! That is not the real YOU. The real you is on the side of God against the false self. Knowing this makes all the difference in the world. Crucify your false self. Speak right to the issues you normally remain silent over. If you want to grow in true masculine strength, then you must stop sabotaging yours.
WORLD
The world offers a man a false sense of power and a false sense of security. Where does your own sense of power come from? Is it your pretty girlfriend? Is it knowledge? Is it your position or degree can make a man feel like a pretty neat stuff. STOP. What if tomorrow you lost everything? Remember: without Christ, a man fail miserably or succeed more miserably. If you want to know how the world really feels about you, just start living out of your true strength. You must let your true strength show up.
Introduction June 22, 2008
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“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of the deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly… who knows the 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 have never known neither victory nor defeat.”
