Jason M Bachman

Wednesday, May 26th message on Leading Forward

http://www.lighthouseaz.com/files/podcasts/PJ_100526_LF.mp3

Hello

A number of years ago there was a movie that was popular in the wrestling culture called Vision Quest.  The theme of the story was about an athlete overcoming many challenges to attain a goal of defeating his adversary.  I barely remember the movie, I saw it once.  What I do remember…hold on while I go throw rocks at pigeons onour roof…….OK, back again….is that this guy in the movie really had a tough time in finally attaining his goal. 

In wrestling, there are usually two obstacles an athlete must conquer in order to win.  Himself and his opponent.  Due to the fact that weight classes are required for this sport, the first battle usually begins with “cutting weight” to weigh the right amount before the competition.  Sometimes it is not an issue, other times it is very difficult because as humans, eating is usually something very much enjoyed.  The second obstacle is the other opponent.  Talent usually wins in this category.  While willpower is important when addressing the first obstacle, it cannot be absent while addressing the second adversary.  A champion wrestler usually knows how to master his own desires and to apply the mental strength needed to defeat his opponent.  Winning in wrestling is dependent upon the athlete possessing these two qualities.

I truly believe that for one to win in their spiritual lives, the quest for vision is of absolute importance.  What vision means to me is having a clear perspective and portrait of what God desires to do in my life and through my existence on this earth.  I’m learning more and more that true vision comes from a strong personal quest to know my Savior, Jesus Christ.  Going through obstacles and difficulties makes much more sense when I realize the purpose and vision behind the problems.  Looking at the obstacles themselves doesn’t lend much information to the WHY I may be dealing with something.  Looking at the Author and Finisher of my faith gives me what I need to for every step that I’m taking through the process of being changed and transformed into the image of Jesus.

What we do in this life that measures up for eternity is entirely based on the amount of time, effort and perserverance we put into pursuing God’s desires for our lives.  Vision based on self alone will have an impact for a person’s lifetime and perhaps a few generations beyond their passing but vision based on the directives of God’s precious directions will have eternal ramifications for many generations to come.

The quest for a vision is worth the effort and pain it takes to reach the High Prize of victory in Christ.  Even if you have to rebuild areas in your life, look at it as a chance to make something better than it ever was before.  Don’t worry about the “shame” of apparent failure.  When you rebuild with a new vision, it will always look a little shabby before the vision produces magnificence. 

So, what vision has God been showing you for your life?

Step 3: Establish Speech Credibility (Refrain from Complaining)

            As a courier in Phoenix, I picked up and delivered many things.  One of the places I remember most was at a Post Office.  I met a worker there who had one of the worst attitudes I have ever seen.  His perspective of where he worked was that of it being in hell.  (I thought to myself that most anyplace would be pretty rosy compared to hell but that’s another subject).  Another driver who picked up mail had heard a little more about this employee and said that many of the other postal employees could not stand working with him.  His attitude was so negative and his work ethic was kind of suspect.  Nobody wanted to be around him.

            It is a terrible thing to have to live in other people’s misery.  It’s bad enough when you have your own misery to deal with, but having generous helpings of verbal complaining is almost too much.  There are not too many things more predictable in the working world than a person who complains about their job.  In fact, chances are you begin to know the words they are going to speak about certain situations even before they come out of their mouths.  It’s almost like watching a rerun of a television program where you know the lines.  If it wasn’t so negative it would almost be funny.  There is nothing funny about the complainer at work. 

            If you are the complainer or have a tendency to complain, stop it right now!  You are establishing yourself as a liar.  Think about it, how many times have you said or heard the complainer say, “I’m quitting this job”  “I won’t be back next week” and so on.  How many times has the complainer followed through on their promises?  More than likely they haven’t followed through on too many on them.  It’s a lot easier to complain about the situation than to do anything about it.  If you do something about it, it takes courage.  Most complainers lack the courage to change anything, starting with their own lives.

            If you are the complainer, before you get offended and quit reading, let me tell you why I’m going to be a little hard on you in this section.  When you complain, you instill death little by little into every part of your life.  Sure, it’s not a literal death but it is a figurative death.  Complaining changes the perspective, darkens the outlook and takes hope away for every situation.  Without hope, one does not have the strength to live life as they can.  Hope contains the powerful life giving optimism that can carry anybody through anything.  If complaining has the stronghold of your words, thoughts and emotions, you are in trouble and in danger of rotting where you are.

            The art of complaining erodes courage to change something.  It’s easier to talk negatively about it rather than do something about it.  Without courage, your words become weaker and more exaggerating.  Without courage, you don’t have to live up to your words.  You’ve got to realize how devastating the negative outlook of complaining is.

            Remember the alkali in the good North Dakota soil?  Complaining is like that, it chokes out everything.  You may have had an incredible dream for your life, one that would change a lot of things and impact many people.  However, if complaining invited itself it and made residence in your heart, it either has choked out those dreams or is in the process of doing so.  Complaining kills the positive when it is allowed to grow unchecked.

            You may have never intended for the complaining way to dominate your speech and thoughts.  It’s very possible that it entered upon the heels of some major disappointment or failure.  More than likely, it entered if that disappointment, failure or even firing happened even though it wasn’t your fault.  Whatever the case, it entered and you allowed it to enter by not taking the negative obstacle and changing it for your positive growth.  We all have to realize something.  Anything that happens in our lives is for a purpose of growth.  If you don’t believe in God or that He is interested in your life, there are still things at work in this universe that give us the option of being better people.  When something happens, the choice is up to you how you will respond and react to it.  If you believe in God, follow Him and believe that He has a reason for all humanity, then you would know that everything that happens to a person is for Him to work more of His attributes within our lives.

            It takes courage to tell the truth.  If you say you are going to do something, follow through on it.  Otherwise, reign in your tongue and stop it from being a wild animal.  There is a saying, “Words are like leaves, when in abundance there is a lack of fruit.”  It means that even if you talk a lot, you may have nothing to say. 

            Have credibility with your words, don’t complain about your situation, do something about it.  When you do something, your words will then be more credible and you will never be the complaining liar again.

You can listen to additional clips @ http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JasonBachman

When I was in college I worked at a full service gas station during the weekends.  As employees, we were paid by commission on everything we did.  Some of our duties included pumping gas, fixing flats, going on service tow calls, and selling product.  A few nights before Thanksgiving, the company had a party and went to a comedy club for entertainment and a dinner.  Unfortunately, I was one of the three employees that had to run the station for the evening.  That’s the results of minimal seniority.      

The night was moving along without incident until after the dinner when the entire staff came to visit us at the station.  Greetings were exchanged and appreciation was given to us for working that evening.  As I said, it was a full service station and a car pulled up needing some fuel.  I went out there and pumped the desired amount in their car, took their money and began walking towards the store. 

            I heard a strange stretching sound coming from behind me coupled with a motor revving in labor.  I turned around and saw the car I had given gas to stealing the hose I had inadvertently left in its tank.  Oh no!  As I ran towards the car waving my hands for them to stop, the driver put the pedal to the metal, ripped the gas pump from the foundation driving off with half a hose hanging out of the car. 

That wasn’t the worst of it.  As the car ripped the pump from its perch, the electrical wires were torn and shot sparks into the machine housing gasoline and burst it into flames!  This is a gas station we are talking about.  GAS!!  FLAMES!!  Hmm, I think I might have made a mistake.

Luckily, one of my coworkers grabbed an extinguisher from the store, rushed out to the bays and put out the fire, but not before 911 was called and fire trucks rushed to the scene.  I must note, they literally appeared out of nowhere just minutes after this fiasco.  I guess there is a little urgency for a fireman when gas is involved. 

So, I almost burned down my place of employment that night.  Later that week, I was fixing a tire on a trailer, (yes I was still employed there).  I put the tire back in place and sent the customer driving happily away.  Not so happily a little later as my boss received a call that the tire I had just fixed had come off of the trailer in mid trip.  What had happened to my ability to do a good job?  I think it had left me and went on a cruise.

I felt terrible.  I was determined to have a talk with my boss in which I was going to fire me.  I felt that since I was bringing destruction into his business, I had best work somewhere with padded walls and soft furniture and non flammable items.  Leading up to the meeting I knew I would have to find other work and was prepared to do so.

I can remember sitting down with my boss, and telling him that I thought it would be best for me to go.  I wasn’t doing the company any good with my productivity.  He answered as any boss would and said that he was going to give me a dollar an hour raise.  Yes, he was going to give me a dollar an hour raise if I would stay with the company.  When you’re making commission, a raise on the hourly meter is a nice thing.  When you are destroying your place of employment with your work and you get a dollar an hour raise, that’s a miracle. 

I truly believe that the only reason my boss wished to keep me around despite my mistakes was the fact that I was willing to own them.

My boss sure didn’t have to keep me around, he could have hired someone else to fill my job.  He did not fire me, because in his eyes, I was an employee worth keeping.  If an employee is worth keeping, mistakes will be forgiven much quicker than if an employee is not worth keeping.

 You can listen to additional clips @ http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JasonBachman