The reality is that most of us have wounds. But not just physical wounds. These wounds that are deep inside of us...in our hearts. These are the type wounds that we desperately want to heal. The reality is that most of us work very hard to create a time constraint and deadline to see these things healed. And, when it doesn't happen the wound worsens. As a matter of fact, we might even create more wounds as a results.

Our problem is we are trying to mend our own wounds...We are trying to fix our hearts. We are trying to determine the results of our life and experiences.....The thing we are trying to do is be in control! When I place time constraints on healing in my life....I am trying to be in control!

The reality is that God is most concerned with my heart. And, He is the only one who can truly heal my heart...In fact, He doesn't just heal it...He gives me a new heart. It is God's greatest concern and desire...God doesn't look at our issues and our problems...He looks at our hearts and He desires to give us a new heart.

As individuals...and especially as leaders....We must be less concerned with controlling the healing time and process, and let God do it. We should not place constraints on ourselves or others. We should step back and let God do what He is best at...Working in our hearts....I think you'll be HUGELY surprised at what happens!

In complete honesty, I will tell you this has been me for a very long time. I have found myself pursuing visions, pursuing efforts that I knew were good and asking God for results. Asking God for very specific results.

However, I found myself frustrated. I was not seeing the results, the things I so desperately wanted. I would labor through taking an inventory of my life. Was I not praying right? Was I not living with enough faith? Was there some sin I really needed to relinquish? What was wrong with me???? The problem is that I never asked the right question!

We often place importance in areas that God does not! We seek for good things, when God has called us to great things. We take our wants, and ask God to join us.

The truth is...We should be asking one question...God, what is most important to you?

The Answer: MY HEART!

If I will focus on my heart and what God wants to do in it, with it and through it...I will be highly surprised at the things that God does. I know they will be greater than anything that I could have ever imagined. In fact, they will be God sized...not my sized! The things that I experience and accomplish in life with be a consequence...the over flow....of what God is doing in my heart. Anything less is simply that...LESS!

Focus on what God wants to do in your heart and see what happens!

The way I process life is the way I perceive God's love!

That means....

The way I relate to my bride

The way I relate to my kids

The way I relate to my team

The way I relate to my friends

The way I relate to my church

The way I relate to a stranger

The way I relate to those who live differently than me or disagree with me

The way I relate to people who wait on me & serve me

The way I process pain, failure and success

These are all pictures of how I perceive God's love. The reality is that if we would stop and take a look at our lives, we would get a snapshot of how we view God...And more importantly our relationship with Him!

How do you perceive God's love?

Many of us have spent time, resources, energy and made great sacrifice to achieve any level of platform we can get. Most times it has come at a great cost to our marriage, our family, our ministry, our health and even our sanity.

Our pursuit has been for the wrong reason and has simply been in vain. We pursue because deep down, we believe that if we do something greater, we will be loved greater by God and others! If you're honest...you know this is true!

The reality is that God is NOT interested in your platform. God is interested in your time!

When God worked greatly through men in the Bible, it came after they had given time to God. When they found time to listen to Him, praise Him, worship Him and simply be in His presence. If we miss these things...I truly believe we will miss God!

Instead of giving so much time to the pursuit or your platform, give that effort to your pursuit of being in God's presence....Be still and listen to Him. Worship Him. Just enjoy time with Him. After all, that's why we were created....for His pleasure, His enjoyment and His relationship!

Leaders....Don't just teach this, LIVE THIS!

God shows up and calls Abraham (Abram as he was called at the time) to leave where he is comfortable, successful and secure and to follow God. The interesting thing is that God never tells Abraham where he will end up. He simply asks him to be bold and faithful enough to get up and go. Abraham does, and without hesitation....and that amazes me!

To be honest, most times when I feel God is asking me to do something big, I stop to ask questions. I want to know how, why, when, where and with what! I want to know the reason, the process and the outcome every time. Why???? Simply put, I want to be in control! I want to be able to control the situation and the outcome. I want to know the details so that I can essentially manipulate them into a desired result. But, that is NOT what God has called me to do. God has called me to simply follow Him in faith and obedience.

Letting go of control, releasing the outcome of my journey is one of the toughest things I have to do....and for most leaders this is true. But, if we are truly going to lead people well, we need to release our control of the result and the outcomes. We simply need to lead with great faith and boldness and we follow God's call. It isn't easy, and it isn't natural...But it is necessary.

The results always belong to God! Knowing this releases me from from my need to control the results, the outcome. It allows me to take the next step without having to know the details. It empowers me to lead with faith and boldness.

As Psalm 46:10 says....Be still and know that I am God. The original text says it this way, loosen your grip and let God be God!

The answer really is quite simple....But to get there I want to point out one person in scripture...Peter. Peter was a guy who consistently got things wrong. He did things like cut off ears, curse and deny Jesus! Pretty screwy dude. Yes, He walked on water, for a few seconds and Jesus loved him. But, overall, he was better at causing issues.

Then all of the sudden in Acts 2 Peter stands up, shares the Gospel and thousands of people's lives are forever changed. Peter built the first mega church in 1 sermon! How does that happen? How does someone like that all of the sudden begin to impact thousands and change the world????

Simple...God showed up. In the beginning of Acts 2 we see Peter, along with the other followers, in the upper room. They were praying and waiting for God's Spirit to show up. They created space and time in their lives for God to show up. And, He did. The Holy Spirit showed up as wind and fire...something you cannot contain in that combination! As a result...HUGE things happened.

What set Peter apart was the presence of God! What changed lives and impacted thousands???? The Spirit of God!

What sets the men I mentioned before apart as great leaders....The Spirit of God! I'm certainly not implying you or I do not have the Spirit of God present in our lives and ministries. There were quite a few people in the upper room with Peter who also received God's Holy Spirit. But, it was the Spirit that chose how, when and where He would use those people. Some were used in more obvious and greater ways than others.

Yes, God has used guys like Billy Graham in greater venues and crowds than you and I. But, that doesn't make them greater than you and I. We all have God's Spirit at work in us. Let's recognize how, when and where God is using us. Let's celebrate that with gratitude and do the best we can with all that God has given to us!

These days there is a tendency in the church that once a decision has been made, a vision has been cast and idea has been shared that we must act immediately. Somehow, we seem to often miss the crucial step of prayer. (Phil 4:6) Or, how about the process of carefully choosing leaders, appointing them and training them? We must take lots of care and caution in that area according to 1 Timothy 5:22. Often times we miss both of these crucial steps and end up creating HUGE messes. All of this comes out of a desire to have instant gratification. But, when we seek instant gratification and success, we will grow weary and wear out quickly. This is one reason why many volunteers, leaders and pastors burnout and leave the ministry!

I can think of two great leaders in scripture who had to exercise patience in order for God to work. The first is Joshua at the battle against Jericho. (Joshua 6) God asked him to march 6 days around the city walls in preparation for God’s victory. Those six days probably seemed pointless and a waste of time. But, that time was in God’s plan! Then, on the 7^th day, by doing exactly as God had instructed, He caused the walls to crumble and the city to be over taken by Israel. During those days of waiting the people had to seek after God, praise him and wait to see his glory revealed.

The other great leader is Gideon. God called him to lead an army to defeat the Midianites, who had been oppressing His people. (Judges 6-7) The army came to Gideon with over 32,000 men. Seems like a pretty good-sized army. But God says in Judges 7:2 “….the people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand…” So, after a lengthy process, God weeded that army down to only 300 men! Gideon could have detroyed the enemy with 32,000 men by his own planning. But, because Gideon listened to God and was obedient to listening to His will, God used only 300 men to destroy an army of thousands!

Both of these men had success, but that success came from waiting on God. They had patience. They used that time of patience to be dedicated to prayer, planning and appointing of the right leaders! That was the key to success.

As pastors we need to listen closely to God’s call and will for our lives. When He gives us vision, we need to act upon it. But, sometimes that vision needs time to mature and be ready for action.

As visionary leaders we will always see things that can be changed, improved and made excellent. But, sometimes these things need to wait as we prepare through prayer, planning and seeking the right men and women to lead.

Are you a patient leader or an anxious leader? Is ministry about your timing or God’s timing? Do you realize that if you wait on God, He will renew your strength and you will soar like a majestic eagle as you lead His church and His people. You will be able to keep up and not wear out, burn out and give up. That is the way God intends us to lead His people! (Isaiah 40:31)

A simple reminder for you.....

Today is all that we have. It is the only thing that we are promised. Today is the only thing with which we have to change the world. We cannot impact lives yesterday or tomorrow, we can only do that today. We cannot influence our city tomorrow, and yesterday has already escaped, we only have today. Today must count for something. Today must be important to us. Today must get all we have to give. If we give all we have to worrying about what might happen tomorrow, what the future plans will be and how to do more tomorrow....We will miss today! And, if we spend all of our time trying to fix yesterday, or believing only in yesterday's success, we will get stuck and never more forward today! (Matt 6:34)

I have said recently...Today is the greatest present that we have! Yesterday is a gift we have already enjoyed, and tomorrow is a gift we have not received. So take today, use it to the best of your ability and see what God does.

Today is about your wife, your kids, your friends, your staff, your opportunity to serve, your sermon, your vision, your passion and your faith to do something audacious right now. So what is it that you are going to do TODAY!

Peter chose in great faith about his TODAY...He chose to get out of the boat and walk on water with Jesus! He wasn't counting the failure or success of yesterday, or the risk of losing tomorrow...He was only looking at today! The result is that he experienced something no one else ever did, or has. The greater result is that he encountered Jesus in a deeper, more intimate way. And, because he was all about today, I believe that is why Jesus chose to build the church on the shoulders of Peter. (Matt 14:29-33)

When we live in today...we will be more effective in leading, living and loving. What will you do today?

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that the light was good." Genesis 1:1-4 ESV

Here is what God spoke to me.....The first thing God set in place was the higher goals...the higher purpose...The Heavens! They were great. But, he started the earth, and when He began is wasn't much. The Bible says it didn't look like much, and didn't have much! It was dark....A place no one would want to go! 

That's how I have often felt about the beginnings of Uncommon Church. It doesn't have a ton of form, much stuff or people, and it certainly seems dark at times. I often wonder why anyone would want to be part! Yet, I've never been more excited about something. I am standing and waiting to see it happen!!!! 

That's when I realized in Genesis chapter 1....God was hovering over the earth in anticipation. He was waiting for one moment..the right moment...when everything was ready. In the beginning the world we see around us wasn't much. But, when God decided to speak, when God decided to go to work...something happened! The dark, formless world took shape and had light! It was a place where life was born and multiplied. 

These things are true for planting a church as well. My, and yours, church may seem dark, formless and void of much...But, God is present. His Spirit is there waiting for the right moment. And, when God decides to speak...Life will appear and things will take shape! 

So, planters...Don't give up in the awkard, dark and ugly phase....because God is there. Recognize His presence. And, soon enough He will decide to start moving!

Today I wanted to take few moments and share with you one of the primary sources that God has been using to do this work in my life.

Through a chance connection in social media, I met my friend Pablo Giacopelli. Pablo is an amazing guy, with a real heart for leaders and people. He wrote and incredible book entitled "Holding On Loosely". The book really talks about the struggle of most people, but I feel primarily leaders. We all struggle with not being able to live in the moment we are in, and being addicted to performance as a way of recieving love and affirmation. It's a lie from Satan, and is not the message of the Cross! The book impacted me so profoundly that I contacted Pablo to go further in this work on my heart. As a result Pablo has been coaching/counseling me. It has been one of the best investments of my life. In fact, I am preparing to go spend a few days in intense coaching/counseling with him. Something I believe every leader should invest in...The cost is high, but the results have been, and will be, worth every dime.

Prov 4:3-9 says 'When I was a boy at my father's knee, the pride and joy of my mother, He would sit me down and drill me: "Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live! Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding! Don't forget one word! Don't deviate an inch! Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life; love her—she keeps her eye on you. Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding! Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won't regret it; never let her go—she'll make your life glorious. She'll garland your life with grace, she'll festoon your days with beauty."

Bottom line, I want to share one of Pablo's latest short challenges via video below....Take a second to watch. I believe fully that every leader, pastor and human being should read Pablo's book.

In fact, I believe in it so much, that the first 5 pastors to email me with their story, and why they need help, I will personally send you a copy of Pablo's book! You can email me at michael@uncommonchurch.tv