JOHNNYROBERTS.TV

Blog Post: Character

Law of Human Nature

 

Acts produce habits,

habits breed dispositions,

dispositions form the will,

and the rightly formed will is CHARACTER.

 

A. MURRAY

 

Character begins with the hard work of doing what you do not naturally desire to do.  It is this action in response to Truth that leads to the transformed CHARACTER.  Are you disciplining the flesh?

 

Blog Post: HUMILTY

"Let us, at the very commencement of our meditations, admit that there is nothing so natural to man, nothing so insidious and hidden from our sight, nothing so difficult and dangerous as pride."  ANDREW MURRAY 

Reading HUMILITY by Andrew Murray written in the late 1800's.  It's a book I've had on my shelf for a while but most recently the subject has been pressing on my mind so I picked it up.  The insights are completely foreign to our society and are, hopefully, re-shaping me in a good way.  

When you begin to look, PRIDE's ugly head pops up everywhere and seems quite prevalent in my life.  The old saying, "Don't ask God for patience or He will give it to you!" comes to mind.  I'm praying for the humility of Christ and expect to get it... in all honesty... that makes me a little nervous.  DON'T BLINK...  

BlogPost: Adversity & Better

Adversity... is a common theme in life.  It's part of the human existence.  It's universal and comes in any variety of form.  I'm learning that adversity doesn't just make you stronger, but that when embraced, it can make you BETTER.  Adversity isn't just about endurance and survival... testing or trials don't necessarily need to just leave you with a thicker skin, or broken and in despair... if you embrace it for good, it will leave you, well... BETTER...   

A good friend called today as he wrestles through a difficult time of transition.  I could hear the hurt and pain of broken relationships lying between the lines of optimism.  Another friend called who is battling a different demon and even in winning... I could hear fear and anxiousness about what lurks around the corner... to my friends I say... REJOICE... your God is making you BETTER.  He is emptying you of yourself and your self-dependence.   He is preparing you for the next hill He knows you will climb.  He is... making you BETTER for His glory.  He is humbling you and emptying you of you to make more room for more of Him in you.  His kind of BETTER. 

How about you and adversity?  Are you fighting it, hating it or embracing it?  As odd as it sounds and as difficult as it can be...  I say...  Rejoice in the pain, celebrate the adversity, soak in the trial, learn your lessons well... God is making you BETTER.  The kind of BETTER he likes to use.  The kind of BETTER that world-changers become.  The kind of BETTER that is best described as complete humble trust and dependance on Him.  Learn your lessons well my friend and... DON'T BLINK, YOU ARE ON THE VERGE OF SOMETHING INCREDIBLE.

 

PS... as I re-read this names and faces race through my mind and tears well up in my eyes.  I know your stories... I know you are hurting.  I know it is difficult.  I know... I know... I know... like I said... I'm learning these lessons myself... so we will get BETTER... together.  I'm praying for you right now.

Intentional Priorities

Reviewing 2011 and thought I would post my ministry priorities.... Don't confuse them with life priorities of God, Family, Friends, People, Church and Work in that order... well at least I try to keep them in that order... OR a to-do-list... this list is more of a list on how I will invest my intentional energies toward CREATING ART.  The "ART" being what I believe God has called me to do.... for 2011 here is how things stack up.  

1. VISION & DIRECTION for TheBOD.tv
2. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (identify, equip & release)
3. MODELING THE LIFE OF A FULLY DEVOTED FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
   1. Love God -- Worship, Value The Local Church
   2. Love Others -- Groups & Growth (prayer, Word, disciplines, Lifegroup)
   3. Serve The World -- Ministry & Mission
   4. Healthy Lifestyle -- Spiritual, Emotional, Physical, Relational HEALTH  (this would include family, exercise, vacation, work, music, reading, art, play, etc...)

 The"ART " in a sentence = discover, create and lead others to new and fresh ways of living out faith in Christ...

So for you... what does creating art look like?

 

Become The Best

Focus... Focus... Focus... that's what it takes to become the best.  It doesn't matter your calling or your area of interest... Focus is required to be the best.  Narrow your focus and you can do the "impossible".  It's not out of the box... there is no box.  I love being alive in this time... the "rules" are being broken at every turn... you can change everything... DON'T BLINK!

 

Blog Post: Your Creation

I like rules... when they have purpose.  Rules for the sake of tradition or expectations leave me empty.  Perhaps that's why I am so drawn to the next generation.  If you can show them value, meaning... purpose... they are in.  Otherwise... all you will get out of them is a "next".

Try this on for size…  "It doesn't matter how things are done everywhere else.  In your little world, you can make it like it should be." Derek Sivers

I like it... we are not bound to trivial rules and pretend boundaries.  No need to ask permission.  Your fate does not lie in the the hands of someone else.  It's up to you.  Create your life the way it "should be" and soar.

For me that means hearing the voice of God and chasing after the way it should be.  It's soaring above the swamp most call life, delighting in the glory of my Incredible God.  Join me... make it like it should be.  

Time to breath (blogpost)

Here's some randomness for you...

*Current series:  BE-THE-BOD... We are team teaching our own series for the month of July.  Yesterday on LOVE GOD @Allisonaththebod, my beautiful, intelligent, passionate, gifted wife knocked it out of the park.  @Krohnus followed with an incredible video... though he's not so beautiful... he did a great job as well.  Thankful for my team and I'm really looking forward to next with with LOVE OTHERS and Amy K. bringing the bacon on Groups and Growth.

* Vacation came at the perfect time.  They say change of place, change of pace and you will get fresh perspective... TRUE for me... knocked out some much needed R&R, did some reading and thinking that has really put me in a strong place as we go through this series.  Have you taken your time off yet?  DO IT NOW!  You might just find that creative kick-start you've been needing.

* The thought that keeps ringing in my head comes from the last glimpses of Jesus as he about to give us marching orders right before his ascension.  Matthew 28:17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  This seriously blows my mind.  The Risen Savior is standing in front of you and you're in the "some doubted" crowd!!?? I hope there isn't a chapter written somewhere in the archives of Heaven where it says, "And God's Holy Spirit impressed _________ on Johnny's heart but.... he doubted..."  I'd rather it say, "Johnny got ahead of himself, stepped in a pile of poop and really messed things up because he ate too much pizza one night and thought God was telling him something..." than... "and Johnny doubted".  I want to be in the "they worshiped him" crowd... You?

* Been lifting weights routinely since January.  It's become a little bit enjoyable.  The discipline to roll out at 6:30am and pump some iron is paying off.  Spent July 4th on the mountain bike trails and playing disc golf with the young bucks and felt really good.  It's never too late.  Are you taking care of your body.  It's time.  It's worth it.  

What's God doing in your life?  Post here or shoot me and email... johnny@thebod.tv.  I'd love to hear about it and pray for you.  

Navarre Beach 2011

Red fish on the fly... nuff said... life if good.

Priorities: Living On Purpose

Priorities: Recently challenged with the idea of spending 80% of my time on the top three things I am called to. Here is the summary. How are you spending your life? Are you living with intention or letting it happen to you? Are you putting out fires or building them?

 1. VISION & DIRECTION for TheBOD.tv

2. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (identify, equip and release leaders)

3. MODELING THE LIFE OF A FULLY DEVOTED FOLLOWER OF CHRIST (you'll note that I use the word "modeling".  I am not trying to live this life for others, do everything, be perfect, create ridiculous expectations or do "Christianity" FOR other people.  I am simply trying to model the life of a Christian so that others might be inspired to do the same.)

    **Love God - Worship, Value of the local church

    **Love Others - Groups & Growth (Lifegroup, prayer, Word, disciplines)

    **Serve The World - Mission and Ministry

    **BEING HEALTHY -- PHYSICALLY, SPIRITUALLY, EMOTIONALLY, RELATIONALLY (this would     include family, exercise, vacation, work -- both jobs :), reading, music, art, etc...)

Not a fan of BALANCE.  I think it's a big lie.  I think at any given time one area or the other deserves more attention and time.  The point of the list is to point us toward goals and milestones.  To move us toward progress.  To grow us with intention... lest we find ourselves wasting 80% of our time on the 20% of stuff that means absolutely NOTHING.

So... the goal is that 80% of my time will be spent on these three areas... the other 20% will include carrying out the trash... and well a few other things I won't mention because you might think they are really important and I don't or can't.  The questions is... how are you living?  What are your top three priorities?  Are you scheduling your time so that you are doing what God has called you to or just letting life carry you along?  Play along and post your priorities.

 

Clean The Slate for Clarity

When things get a muddy, what do you do?  When you can't see with clarity, when it seems you've come to an deadlock... what do you do?

For me... it would be time to wipe the slate clean, take a deep breath... AND START FRESH...

Most of the time the ideas that matter are recalled and usually with new terminology that triggers fresh thinking.  

You've heard the phrase:  CHANGE OF PACE + CHANGE OF PLACE = CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVE...

I find it true especially because for me change of pace means slowing down and dis-engaging from the blur we call life.  I just stop doing what everyone else thinks is normal and get alone.  I think, I pray, I read, I sometimes play but mostly I look for inspiration... I look for art.  Whether it is God's art in creation and humanity or the art of a free spirit not bound by the expectations of normal society.  I look for the things on the fringe.  

There are others more creative, more intelligent, more inspired, more disciplined, more... you can fill in the blank... but there is no one else who can be Johnny... So I look for what God is calling me to... I am reminded of His love for me... of his blessing on me... of his calling on my life... and then I take the next step.  Sometimes He doesn't even allow me to see where my foot will land but I take the step anyway because I trust Him and I want to CREATE ART with my life.  

Is it time for a fresh start?  Are you playing it safe?  Are you confused?  Are you shutting down?  Is the water muddy?  Go ahead... re-think everything... you have permission...  wipe the slate clean and jump back in fresh... I'll be here cheering you on... DON'T BLINK!