"I won't hesitate no more, no more..." Part of a line of Jason Marz's grammy winning song "I'm Yours". Granted it's about love, but there are some good lines in there about risk.

If you want to follow God's plan for your life, risk is a requirement. Is God leading you to do something that will take risk? Here are 9 rules for managing risk.

9 Rules of Risk Management
1. Rewards go to those who take risks
Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
2. Risks should be fully understood
Jesus said, “But don’t begin until you count the cost.”
3. Risk is measured and managed by people, not mathematical models
Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, let me teach you…”
4. Question the assumptions you make
Peter said, “I will never deny you,” Yet when pressure came, he did just that.
5. Risks should be discussed openly
Jesus promised, “If they hated me, they will hate you.” He said “when you are brought before the authorities,” not if.
6. Multiple risks will bring more consistent rewards
Parable of the Talents
7. A consistent and rigorous approach will beat a constantly changing strategy
Parable of the Persistent Widow
8. It is better to be approximately right than to be precisely wrong
The Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation
9. Decisions should be made only by considering the risk and return of the possibilities
Paul, “Counts all things but loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Thus… “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Are you being transformed today?

Fundamentally we are created for relationship with God. Through this loving (which includes the Lord's discipline) relationship we come to know God. But He has also created us for relationship with others. Review Matthew 22:37-40. We have the vertical relationship with Him and the horizontal relationship with others. Whenever we have problems in our horizontal relationships we can always be sure that we have a problem in our vertical relationship with Him. For real growth we need revelation that leads to repentance. And God has given us the church (universal) to be the context…..the community in which He intends for us to be transformed.

"By revelation we mean to open the eyes of the believer in such a way that he or she sees God in a new way; more holy, powerful, exalted than previously. But we also see ourselves as we are before such a holy God: less worthy, more deceived, less trustworthy, often more corrupt than we previously realized. Revelation also often gives us greater insight into our fellow man. We see him in a more compassionate light than ever before and worthy of our attention, help, and love." (Excerpt from Transformational Ministry by Dick Scoggins)

We as a community are studying this now. What revelation about God, your relationships with others, or yourself does God want to give you today? Open yourself up to His revelation today!

Are you living like a CAT or a DOG?

So, yea, remember these characters? Remember this analogy? Are you living as though it is all about you or all about your Master? It is so easy to slip into a Cat Theology. Living as if the world centers around me. Take inventory today and resubmit your life to be lived for His glory alone. He is worthy!

Setting and adjusting your Godly Goals

I know that sometimes it is difficult to follow your goals exactly. But, don't be discouraged! Every day is a new day and His mercy really is new every morning. Psalms 119:156 says; "Great are Thy mercies O Lord; Revive me according to Thine ordinances." May the Lord encourage you and revive you today in following and living out your goals. Maybe today is a good day to pray again that the Lord will guide you in what exactly He wants your goals to be. We should try and review them often and know that they will change as we grow and as our life has changes. And remember to try your best to make them SMART goals....

S pecific
M easurable
A chievable
R ealistic
T ime limited

Lord, High and Holy

LORD, HIGH AND HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY

You have brought me to the valley of vision,

Where I live in the depths but see You in the heights;

Hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Your glory.

Let me learn by paradox

That the way down is the way up,

That to be low is to be high,

That the broken heart is the healed heart,

That the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

That the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

That to have nothing is to possess all,

That to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

That to give is to receive,

That the valley is the place of vision.

Master, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells, and the deeper the wells the brighter Your stars shine;

Let me find Your light in my darkness,

Your life in my death

Your joy in my sorrow,

Your grace in my sin,

Your riches in my poverty,

Your glory in my valley.

iPACT cHAT Starts today

Well, don't call me an old guy now that we have a blog going. I am excited to stay in touch like this. We want to know how you are doing and to encourage you in your walk since iPACT. We pray it is going well. Refer your like minded friends here to get an idea of what we are about. And let us know what you think. More later...