Principle of Eternity

The Place He Has Prepared

by Andy Wood on April 2, 2014

in Five LV Laws, Life Currency, Love, Principle of Eternity

We’re in an interesting season and it has me thinking a lot about – and working a lot on – home.  In a couple of months we’ll be moving from this…

Windmill Sunset

To this…

Mobile Bay

At times the process has felt a lot like David’s famous whine: “How long, O Lord?”  At other times we’ve found ourselves wondering how in the world we’ll get it all done.

All the details.

All the work.

All the thinking and buying and selling and meeting and planning and more meeting…

To prepare a place called Home.

In between all those details, plus the daily joys of work and service which go on regardless, I’ve been thinking about another kind of Home. One that’s more lasting.  One where I have a place, but don’t have the task of preparing it… I just have to partner with the Lord to prepare me for the place.

Sometimes, like the Whiner-in-Chief, I look at this hope and ask, “How long, O Lord?”  And sometimes I get this sense that it’s sooner than I think. [click to continue…]

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Into Eternity

by Andy Wood on March 3, 2014

in Executing Your Plan, Five LV Laws, Life Currency, Love, LV Cycle, Principle of Eternity

Advenure

To a world He referred to as dark, and to people He said were distressed and dispirited, like sheep without a shepherd (that’s you and me), the Son of God appeared on the scene, moving at what must have appeared to some at times to be the speed of light.  Unlike any preacher or prophet, rabbi or rabble-rouser they had seen before, He came with a different call – a different invitation.

“Join me,” He said. “Follow me.”

This was not a call for religious people to be more religious. It was not an invitation for unrighteous people to behave righteously.  The stakes were and are far higher than that.  The deep, abiding happiness He offers (“blessed” He called it) are an invitation to move from time Into Eternity. [click to continue…]

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Looking For the Light

by Andy Wood on February 3, 2014

in Five LV Laws, Leadership, Life Currency, Principle of Eternity

Moonrise 2

When the clock tolls the launch of a new dawn
And people start stumbling toward their routines,
There in the early light of day many are searching for more –
They’re looking for the light…
They’re looking for you.

When the morning meditators do their thing
And the quiet prayers of hidden millions ascend to heaven,
There in the expressions of thanks and need and hope
They’re looking for the light…
They’re looking for you. [click to continue…]

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Take Your Leadership to the Intercession Zone

by Andy Wood on January 13, 2014

in Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Leadership, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Principle of Eternity

Intercession

You probably won’t read about this in your favorite leadership book – even the Christian-flavored ones.  You almost certainly won’t read about it in the latest wave of business tomes or political memoirs.  And yet nearly every significant leader of every stripe in the Bible practiced this.

The politicians did it.

The prophets did it.

The priests did it.

The preachers did it.

The patriarchs did it.

I’m running out of things that start with “p,” but if you think of something, they probably did it too.

What’s this “secret weapon” of leadership?  This so-obvious-it’s-embarrassing-we-missed-it practice of every revolutionary influence I can think of in scripture? [click to continue…]

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Jesus Our Immanuel

by Andy Wood on December 17, 2013

in Ability, Allocating Your Resources, Five LV Laws, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Principle of Eternity

(The Twelve Names of Christmas, Part 1) 

Cross and Cradle

As you may have detected from one of the previous posts, we spent last week in the magical confines of Disney World in Florida.  “We” means all 15 of us – kids, spouses, and grandkids from age 5 to age 11 weeks. And, of course, about 12 thousand of our closest friends.

Every once in a while in this sea of strangers, about half of whom weren’t speaking English, I’d see somebody with that familiar cursive “A” on a cap or shirt, and out it would come – that instant bond forged among strangers as the result of two simple words:  Roll Tide!  And brother, it was instant.  Truth be told, I did see a few people wearing blue and orange and was tempted to say “War Eagle!” to them, but just couldn’t get words to form in my mouth.

And if you have no idea what any of that last paragraph means, never mind.

There is another rallying cry, however, I do want to tell you about.  In times of trouble in ancient Israel, including times of going into battle, they would summon courage and unity with one simple word:

Immanuel!

Immanuel was their way of expressing confidence that God was present with and fighting for the cause of his people.  And it was no accident that when Jesus arrived on the scene in Bethlehem at that first Christmas, one of his biographers made mention of it: [click to continue…]

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An Interview with Charles on Suffering

by Andy Wood on November 8, 2013

in Ability, Five LV Laws, Insight, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Principle of Eternity, Waiting

PainCharles is nothing short of an odd combination.  He’s an immensely popular preacher and pastor, having preached to more people than anyone else on the planet, with the exception of Billy Graham and perhaps a couple of others. Yet while he rarely shows it, he’s a physical mess.  He suffers from rheumatic gout and kidney disease, and there are days he can’t even leave the house because of the excruciating pain.

His wife is a mess.  This woman, whom he loves dearly, has disabilities of her own, and this weighs heavily on Charles.

His finances are a mess. Despite the reach of Charles’ ministry, a sober look at his books reveals an ugly secret: the man is broke-down broke. 

His relationships are a mess. [click to continue…]

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Under His Mercy

by Andy Wood on October 18, 2013

in Five LV Laws, Following Your Passion, Life Currency, Love, LV Cycle, Principle of Eternity, Waiting

Under His Mercy

There’s a place where love feels like love,
Where all the affection in the universe seems gathered up
And pointed only, always to you…
That place – that beloved place – is under His mercy.

There’s a song where all the symphonies and sonnets,
Ballads and serenades seem to converge
And sing only, always over you…
That song – that harmonious song – is under His mercy.

Under His mercy the world is recreated,
Eden reimagined, and hope is born again.
Under His mercy we all are reinstated,
Those stains are washed away, and we’re adorned again.
We’ve traded ashes for His beauty…
And longing for His love…
Under His mercy.

[click to continue…]

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Living Somewhere Between Tired, a Tight Spot, and Trouble

by Andy Wood on September 6, 2013

in Ability, Allocating Your Resources, Five LV Laws, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Principle of Eternity

Tired TroubleIt’s hard not to like Mike when you first meet him. He looks like an 8 x 10 glossy, has a charming smile, and a welcoming demeanor.  When he tells you that he’s the pastor at Grace Church just around the corner, it makes you want to visit.

What you can’t see at first, but will discover soon enough if you get to know him, is that Mike is running on emotional and spiritual fumes.  He’s exhausted from carrying a mental and spiritual burden for so long, as if he has carried it all by himself.

But Mike’s not in trouble yet. And that’s too bad. He’d be better off if he was.

Sarah’s in a tight spot.  She’s not the public charmer that Mike is, but she is bright, resourceful, and has a clear head for retail business and marketing. It’s no wonder the local Chamber voted her the businesswoman of the year last year. Her entrepreneurial drive and instinct for customer tastes have served her well.

Until now.  The first couple of years of the recession drained all her reserves, but Sarah found a way to navigate through those challenges. Now she’s faced with tough competition, over-extended credit, and changes in employee healthcare laws.  It’s getting ugly at Sarah’s Boutique and Bridal.

Sarah is in a tight spot; but she’s not in trouble yet. And that’s too bad. She’d be better off if she was. [click to continue…]

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How Awake is Your Heart?

by Andy Wood on June 14, 2013

in Five LV Laws, Life Currency, Love, LV Cycle, Principle of Eternity, Waiting

Sleepy 2Psssssst.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Helloooooo.

Sorry to interrupt you in the World of Slumbering Hearts, but we should talk.  You’re probably reading this in the middle of the day, but I’m writing it in the middle of the night.

Sometimes I get to thinking when I probably should be sleeping.  It works out OK, I suppose. Sometimes I get to sleeping when I should be thinking.

Anyway…

It seems as though more and more we live in a world of sleeping hearts. Cold. Unresponsive. Lifeless.

Our eyes are open.  Apparently our thumbs still work. We still go through our routines. But we seem oblivious to a quieter, more powerful, more eternal world.

Our generation is by no means the first.  The Apostle John was asked to deliver a wake-up call to some churches in what we call the Book of Revelation. Three, in fact.

One of them, in Ephesus, was deliriously busy doing religious things. Campaigning for spiritual orthodoxy. Working tirelessly for The Cause. God had obviously blessed them with hard workers and boundless energy.

Wake up call: You’ve left your first love.

The second, in Sardis, was living on their reputation. God had obviously blessed them with amazing experiences.

Wake up call: You have a name for being alive, but you’re dead.

The third, in Laodicea, was living in the lap of luxury. They had the best of everything… the latest technology, the coolest gadgets, the nicest stuff. God had obviously blessed them with material prosperity.

Wake up call: Lukewarm Christians nauseate God.

So… how awake is your heart? I know you’re probably really busy. I know you can probably point to past experiences where your heart is alive. I know you can find many blessings in your life for which you are grateful.  But it’s possible to have all that and still have a sleepy, lethargic heart to what God is doing here, now.

Here are some signs of life to look for in hearts that are alive and awake: [click to continue…]

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The Nursery

by Andy Wood on June 12, 2013

in 100 Words, Allocating Your Resources, Five LV Laws, Life Currency, Love, LV Cycle, Principle of Eternity

Nursery

The room was completely remodeled.

New drywall, carpet and wallpaper with clowns and balloons.

New furniture filled the space.

New little outfits filled the drawers.

And diapers!

Oh my, the diapers. [click to continue…]

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