Omaha Beach

"Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount." -- General Omar Bradley

General Omar Bradley was a 5-Star General in the US Army during World War II and was witness to many of the struggles faced during that time including the invasion on Omaha Beach…one of the fiercest and toughest battles of the war. A battle of proportion that the majority of us will never have to face.

I find the last sentence of General Bradley’s quote particularly interesting. As people with incredible minds and a vast amount of knowledge we have the tendency to over-think and over-complicate things. We do exactly as General Bradley mentions here. We dissect and figure out the mystery of the atom but we dismiss the Sermon on the Mount. While there is value and great benefit to be gained by figuring out the atom it is rather useless if we dismiss the simplicity of living to be gleaned in the Sermon on the Mount.

It is rather interesting to me also that Jesus, in all of his knowledge (of absolutely everything) shared what is considered…and rightfully so…the greatest sermon ever preached, and it basically amounts to about 10-minutes at the most of talking. In these several minutes of preaching Jesus laid out the principles for living. He gave us the knowledge we need to live successfully and peacefully. He laid out a plan to live our lives on and with purpose.

I think General Bradley in his experience and with what he saw and experienced during his lifetime was able to appreciate this. Having lived a life full of passion and total commitment to what he loved to do I believe he left very little on the table. He put it all out there. I totally believe that the reason so many people get caught up in complicating simple issues is because they have not totally committed themselves to what they are really called to do out of fear instilled in them by the world.

The world has set its standards and the world has laid out how you meet their standards. When you decide to persue something that looks different than this you are bound to meet criticism and skepticism. It is much more acceptable to work hard at something that looks more like the worlds accepted model but yet may not fit your purpose…and spend your extra time creating solutions to complicated issues that really don’t need to be solved…than it is to pursue your calling that doesn’t fit in the worlds box.

Jesus summed it up in the world’s greatest sermon that lasted ten-minutes or less. It isn’t complicated. It isn’t all that profound. But it is incredibly true and applicable.

If you’re called to grasp the mystery of the atom, then by all means do it. If you are called to sweep floors then do it well. But, if you’re called to grasp the mystery of the atom…don’t do it half-heartedly while dreaming of sweeping floors. And if you’re called to sweep floors don’t do it half-heartedly while dreaming of atoms.

General Omar Bradley had one thing on his mind as he and his men landed on Omaha Beach…he wasn’t thinking of anything else. That is the only way they made it through the invasion at Omaha Beach. Through perseverance and a commitment to his calling, General Omar Bradley had 35,000 men on the shore of a beach that stretched 5.5 miles long and a ½ mile wide. While they lost over 2,500 men…it could have been many, many more if any one of them had committed anything less than there all.

While you and I may not be in a battle that consists of bullets piercing the waters around us we know that the battle we are currently facing is no less real. The thing that will get us through is our commitment to stay true to our calling, and not allow the temptation to complicate the simple calling that rests on our life.

The truth is that even a calling that seems complicated to others will be simple to you if that is truly your calling.

Matthew 7:28-29 – “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

The Market That Keeps on Climbing

It can sometimes be tough to stay positive when everything else seems to be taking a negative turn. The past couple of weeks have found the newspaper headlines and the anchormen and women on our nations news programs sharing the negative news of the day. Financial giants that were the epitome of success in the financial world have come tumbling down. Others were bought out at the last second by other financial giants just moments before they would have crumbled as well.

Now, I am no financial expert and I won’t offer you any investment tips on how to handle your money during these interesting times…other than this one. If you find yourself breaking out into a cold sweat every time a bank fails or an insurance company takes a plunge I would suggest to you that perhaps you are placing your faith in the wrong market. The greatest investment that you can make is the investment that you make through your giving. It is truly the one market that has never had a down quarter and has never failed and has never come crashing down.

We need to recognize the Lord as our true source for everything that we need and everything that we require. He will not fail us and he will not leave us without meeting our needs. While we have our fair share of due diligence that we must conduct in regards to the decisions that we make…if we operate within the realms of the guidelines that the Lord sets out for us…when we operate in faith in Him, He will not fail us. He will always take care of us and our needs will always be met.

This can be a tough lesson to learn…especially in light of the current economic conditions, but quite honestly I can tell you that while I feel for what some people may be going through, I do not fret upon reading the headlines or listening to the news. I do feel bad for those that have placed their faith in these markets and it seems as though all they have may be on the verge of diminishing to only a fraction of what it once was. But, I also recognize that many, many people actually know or have heard or have read for themselves that God desires to be our true and only source but have instead purposely made the decision to place their faith in their investments and in their own bank accounts, thereby placing their faith in their own investing strategies rather than placing their faith and trust in God.

While I would never embrace the “kick them while they’re down” mentality and I am not about to begin doing that now; I will say that the current state of our markets will certainly be an opportunity for those of us who have purposely made the decision to place their faith in God as their source for everything, to share a very real message of hope in the midst of what is despair for many people.

Stay strong and stay positive. Put your faith in God and know that he has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He is always there for us and He loves us.

Hebrews 13:5-6 – “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’”


Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

New Every Morning

Lamentations 3:22-24 – “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

It is very easy for me to recall the moments in my life that I lived with regret. The times that I second-guessed my actions and decisions. In fact it isn’t just me, I’ve seen it in people that were in the worlds eyes extremely successful. People that others would never envision as having to second guess what they had done or decisions that they had made. But when you get close to them. When you earn their trust…it comes shining through loud and clear. I’ve given up living like that. I no longer choose to second guess my decisions, rather I strive to make the right decisions in the first place as guided by the Holy Spirit and if it does appear that I have moved in the wrong direction I will learn from it and move on.

Many people live their lives in regret or in guilt of previous decisions or actions. This lingering guilt prevents them from totally experiencing the joy that the Lord desires for them to experience and because of this it also prevents them being all that they could and should be. If you have been a Christian for any length of time you have heard the scriptural phrase “His mercies are new every morning.” We have to recognize the fact that God’s love never ends. It never gives up. And his mercies renew us each and every day. The failings we may have had yesterday are gone today if we accept the Lord’s mercy and his forgiveness.

The cool thing is that we don’t have to pray for the Lord’s forgiveness because he has already done everything that needs to be done. It is finished, to put it in His own words. We just have to accept it and go with it. When we fall short…accept his mercy. When we mess up…accept his mercy. When we sin…accept his mercy. It is there, just waiting for us. It allows us to continually move forward in spite of our shortcomings and sinful nature.

While I don’t want to downplay the significance that the past plays in the lives of many people, I also want to recognize the significance that the Lord’s mercy can and will play in our lives if we accept it. For some people, it may require time dedicated to overcoming and dealing with the decisions that you have previously made. But for many, it may be as simple as accepting God’s mercy and forgiveness and applying it to the areas that are attempting to bring you down.
Today, make it a priority to forget the past and look forward to all that God has for you. Learn what you can from what you have already done and accomplished…and anything else from your past that doesn’t help or serve a purpose…forget it. Put it behind you and move forward. Better and stronger from what you have learned and not at all hampered by what you may have messed up because of the Lord’s mercies that are new every morning.

What a great way to start the day!!

Have a blessed one,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Yes...I Have a Facebook Page

I have a facebook page. Yep…a few months ago I decided to set up a facebook page. My children and my wife kind of thought I was a little nuts. But…that is nothing really new. I did it because there were several good friends that I had established relationships with over the years that now lived in other states and I thought it would be a way to keep somewhat connected. And it has…and I have enjoyed it.

I have noticed something though as I have been able to see how people interact on facebook. I see people with hundreds and hundreds of friends…and there is nothing wrong with that…unless people are spending hours and hours of their time interacting through the computer to the point that they have no time for genuine relationships.

I believe that in our culture we have begun to drift away from real genuine relationships of quality to surface relationships in quantity. I have always been a person who would pick quality over quantity any day. Even as a child…I would pick the higher quality toy over a lower quality toy even if it meant I would receive less in the end. As I grew older and began to buy things for myself I did the same. I built my stereo system as a young child in pieces because I would always buy the highest quality piece I could afford…even though it meant waiting to get the rest of the pieces I needed.

Now, relationships are much different than stereos and toys…but, the point here is this…if you begin to fill your life with strictly surface level relationships that use up all of your time to the point that you have no time left for real genuine relationships, then there is a problem.

Take a real look at the time you are spending on things that are not all that important. The things that really don’t add any level of quality to your life or living. Now consider what you could really do with that time if you chose to do something that did add to your life. Facebook is fun and great…but if it is consuming hours of your time sustaining relationships that won’t ever go beyond a computer screen, I think you may need to reconsider the value of what you’re doing.

Even Jesus knew that it was wise to choose a select few to have relationship with rather than a strictly surface level relationship with many.

Luke 6:12-13 – “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:”

Have a great and blessed weekend,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

But...what are you really capable of?

I think Christians sometimes confuse the idea that since life isn’t guaranteed to be easy once you embrace your relationship with Christ then that must mean that we are doomed to a life of struggling and mediocrity. I really don’t believe this is the case at all and I am sure many of you don’t either. But, as we strive to push forward and we decide to accept our position in Christ you are likely to encounter those that have this belief and will question your motivation for more.

As I wrote several days ago…it isn’t our position to judge other people, and I am very thankful for that. So the person that decides to be satisfied with very little…I am not going to judge, just as I won’t judge the person that desires more and more. But, I also would like to see more people opening up to the idea that God desires to bless us and prosper us. For far too long it has been accepted teaching that we should not pursue more and more. And we shouldn’t…if all we are doing is pursuing things for the sake of having more things. But, if we are doing it because we have been blessed with certain gifts and abilities to produce great things…then to do any less is dishonoring to God and it is like the servant who went and hid his talent so he wouldn’t lose it rather than produce more with it.

I strongly believe that many Christians have bought into this thinking…either somewhere in the back of their mind or perhaps they are very open and honest about it. And this has pushed back the thinking of other people to the point where it has hampered the effectiveness of Christians all over. Even for those that think they are on board with the idea that it is a Christians place to be blessed; even for these people, many times they will be almost apologetic for what they have. While we certainly don’t need to boast about what we have we shouldn’t find ourselves in the position of ever having to apologize for it either.

The basic idea here today is that we shouldn’t handicap our potential to fit into somebody else’s limited thinking. If you are finding yourself producing less…in any way, shape, or form than what you are truly capable of because of what other people may think than I believe you are buying into the enemies plan to lessen your overall effectiveness for God’s kingdom.

Matthew 25:15-30 – “To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. " 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'”

Just some thoughts for the day. Let me know what you think at Word for the Day.

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Road...What Road?

“Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.” – Lin Yutang

A big part of succeeding where others have failed is the ability to see hope where others see none. Just as the quote above puts it in the context of a road that others do not see, so does hope exist for those who choose to see it where others cannot.

There are certainly those that are reading this today that are walking down a road that is currently overgrown with tall weeds, thistles, and even perhaps a few strands of poison ivy. As long as you choose to see the road that for most doesn’t quite exist you will arrive at the destination that you are envisioning. As you started down this path you could see the end. It was the very thing that spurred you on down this road that looked more than a little uncomfortable. It was the thing that caused you to keep going even though after just a few steps you were already feeling the effects of the first few thistles and weeds. It was the vision that allowed you to see the road that to others did not exist.

So what do you do when you reach a point that the weeds are so tall that you can’t see the destination any longer? You need to keep moving. You keep moving in the direction of the destination. You keep pushing through. The tall weeds won’t last forever and very soon you will again be able to see your destination. And before long there will be others following behind you, following your path, and this is how roads are made to places where roads never before existed.

It certainly is much more comfortable to walk the roads and the paths where they exist…but these roads will only take you to places that many people have been before. This is fine if “safe” is what you are looking for. But if you are looking to go where others have not yet gone…than expect to walk some roads that others cannot see.

Don’t turn back just because you’ve encountered some thistles and thorns. There will be a clearing just ahead that will again offer you a glimpse to where you are headed and what is in your future. It will again remind you of the very thing that set you down this path.

Isaiah 42:16 – “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

What Separates the Best from the Very Best?

In 1980 he was speed skating himself to 5 Olympic Gold Medals in Lake Placid. Five years later he was cycling himself to a U.S. Professional Cycling Championship. Today he is widely respected Orthopedic Surgeon. I would have to say that Eric Heiden is an ambitious guy. And I would also say that he learned some lessons along the way.

People will sometimes ask me why I pursue or why I enjoy endurance sports. They will ask me what would drive me to do an Ironman. A part of it is the quality of life it gives me. The feeling of being healthy and having the endurance to outlast your children. But the other part of it is the sense of accomplishment. The confidence that you gain when you set a lofty goal and achieve it. For me, it was easier to set a lofty goal in the physical realm and use that to spur me on in other areas. But for others, it may be quite different. They may have to use achievement in a different area to spur them on in the physical realm.

“Once I had that confidence, the sky was the limit.” – Eric Heiden

“What I think separates the best from the very best is the degree of mental toughness.” – Eric Heiden

While there may be the occasional overnight success…for most, if not nearly all…success is a process. It is a continual effort of putting forth your very best, and being unwilling to give up…ever. At some point in this process many people make the decision to give up…they cave to the pressures of mediocrity…they listen to the voices of those that have been in similar positions and gave up before they reached the success that was awaiting them. And the sad thing is that these people usually don’t want to see others succeed where they have failed. But for those that choose to stay the course and not give in to the negative thoughts and the negative words of others; they will have the opportunity to experience the success that awaits them

Take a thorough survey of your current situation…determine where you are in this process and what steps you should be taking and the steps you have already taken. Where have they gotten you? Where are you now?

God has incredible plans for you…plans to prosper you and give you a future. What are you going to do with these plans?

Psalm 33:11-12 – “But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved