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Every church leader (or Christian for that matter) faces a common paradox. We are expected to trust God for our personal and church needs. Yet, we need the help of others. Leading is not a solo effort. How do we find the balance?

Recently I noticed that same paradox reflected in the choices made by two famous biblical characters, Ezra and Nehemiah. Notice in the Message paraphrase below that each one took a different route. One just trusted God and didn’t approach the king for help. The other sought help from the king and God worked through that choice.

Ezra 8.21 I proclaimed a fast there beside the Ahava Canal, a fast to humble ourselves before our God and pray for wise guidance for our journey—all our people and possessions.  22 I was embarrassed to ask the king for a cavalry bodyguard to protect us from bandits on the road. We had just told the king, “Our God lovingly looks after all those who seek him, but turns away in disgust from those who leave him.” 23 So we fasted and prayed about these concerns. And he listened.

Neh. 2.7 Then I said, “If it please the king, provide me with letters to the governors across the Euphrates that authorize my travel through to Judah;  8 and also an order to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, to supply me with timber for the beams of The Temple fortress, the wall of the city, and the house where I’ll be living.” The generous hand of my God was with me in this and the king gave them to me.  9 When I met the governors across The River (the Euphrates) I showed them the king’s letters. The king even sent along a cavalry escort.

See the difference? As contrasting as were their decisions, they both made God honoring ones.

So, what insight can we draw from their experiences when we face a similar situation?

Here’s a thought. The next time you face a ministry decision that requires resources or help, lean in the opposite direction you usually go. If you usually ‘pray’ and ask God to meet the need, perhaps you should ask others to help meet the need. If you tend to go to others first, maybe your first step should be to seek God’s provision first, before you ask others.

I’ve discovered that God often works in counter-intuitive ways … through avenues outside those most familiar and comfortable to us.

I’ve not blogged (or is it bloged) since my trip to Haiti last year. I’ve focused my writing on finishing the book which I did two weeks ago. I plan to be more consistent. I’m sitting on the swing in our back yard as I look at a wall of green, green grass and green leaves. As the wind blows through the leaves, and the temperature hovers below 70 (in August!), I’m beginning to feel that fall is just around the corner.

I just returned from five days in Georgia visiting my parents. Boy, was it hot, hot, hot. Add heat to humidity and it’s a killer, especially trying to run. But it was a good visit, complete with five visits to get Chick-fil-a ice cream.

I’m really wrestling with the direction of our country. The new hate crimes bill, if it passes, will put a chilling effect on what Christians can say about the biblical view of homosexuality. The House even voted down a provision that would exclude child molesters from having a special federal shield around them. Who would have ever thought that.

I just read Mark Levin’s book, Libery and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto. It’s a great book that shows the shocking, disastrous direction our government is taking under the current administration. A well documented book, it’s a must read if you are concerned with the direction our country is taking. 

I just started reading Catastrophe by Dick Morris. I couldn’t believe that the former right hand man to Bill Clinton has written such a book extremely critical of the current administration. I’d also recommend this one, but be ready to be shocked. As one reviewer wrote, if this stuff is half true it is scary.

Even though my world view framed by Judeo-Christian values is being assaulted at all levels today, I must rest in the fact that God is in control. It is not surprise to Him that things are happening as they are. Even so, I believe Christians should not sit idly by and watch things unravel. We should speak up, write our congressmen, write our thoughts on blogs, and even run for office. I’ve thought about doing that, but as a pastor, I’m in a tough position to even consider it.

You’ve probably heard about food riots in several cities in Haiti. We are staying far from those areas.

One amazing story I just heard was that when one family got their box of Feed my Starving Children the mom said as she held the box, “This is more food than I’ve ever seen in my whole life.”

I just read a very powerful story that describes the depth of hunger in Haiti. 

Check it out here.