Welcome back!  If you started on June 6 when we kicked this off, you are now on D-Day plus 15.   You should have at least a draft of your personal mission statement, your key verse, and your mission for this year and a listing of your personal values.  You can take a look at the total package by clicking on this link.  Print it and keep it someplace that you can routinely see it.  You will need it as you begin living the warrior life.

The everyday warrior life is preparing for the future.  At times it will seem tedious and even a little pointless.  There will be days that you just want to stay in bed, or binge watch some mindless television while eating junk food.  When that temptation comes up; look back at your purpose statement.  Remember who you want to be.

The value statements are what will keep you morally straight.  Sinful temptation is always out there.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. -1 Corinthians 10:13

Know this; pure will power will fail you.  You must ask Jesus to consistently show you the way out.  He will do this!  For approximately 33 years or so He lived on this Earth so that He could plainly understand your temptations.  I strongly recommend asking Him to be your guide.  

I also challenge you to find some brothers or sisters (Must be the same gender that you are.) to be your wing man.  This is much more than what has been called an accountability partner.  This is a person of iron.  They exist to sharpen you, and for you to sharpen them.  We are better together.  I am willing to be that person just email me: rich.schaus@grmmuskogee.org

Be the Leader

The first person that you lead is you. That means that in order to be successful in the long run, you must develop discipline.  Your discipline must take on your entire being, physical, mental, Spiritual and social.)

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. -Luke 2:52

Notice that Jesus had to grow in those four areas.  Don’t be arrogant here.  If Jesus needed to grow and He is our guide, then we too must grow in these areas.

This week we will focus on developing some daily disciplines. 

NOTE:  I am going to give you a snapshot of my daily disciplines.  You do not need to do all of this.  In fact, it has taken me years to get my warrior mind on track with this.  I have gradually added, taken away and adjusted the order of things in a way that works for me consistently.  Start small and deliberately add things to give you a complete day, every day.

Before going to bed at night:

• Set up my espresso pot so that all I will need to do is turn on the machine.  That includes having it plugged in, coffee in the filter, water in the tank, hot chocolate mix in the cup, butter set out to add to the coffee and MCT oil.
• Set up my exercise clothing to include shorts, shirt, socks and running shoes.
• Set up pot to cook oatmeal, bowl and spoon, glass and spoon to make chocolate milk to go with my breakfast. (I might also set out the cast iron skillet if I am going to add eggs to my next morning meal.)
• Set out my drink shaker with wheat grass mix already in the shaker.
• Set out my journal, Bible, professional magazine and my lap top in the living room where I begin my day.

Going to bed (Usually 10pm)

• I drink a shot of apple cider vinegar.
• I then brush my teeth.
• I wear a sleep mask that plays assorted sounds and Bible verses with a timer that will shut it down after about an hour of being asleep.

Wake up: 4 AM

• Drink 16 ounces of water mixed with wheat grass.
• Turn on coffee maker while I take care of morning business.
• Open journal and record the first event of the day.

JOURNAL: Nothing that I have added over the past few years has made me as productive as keeping a journal that I record my entire day in. 

• While drinking coffee I am reading from the Bible
  • 5 Psalms
  • 1 Proverb
  • Average of 40 pages a week.  (My personal goal this year is just to read through the Bible over the course of the year. Some years I have targeted reading it 2-4 times.  I am enjoying reading it and chewing on the Word of God more this year than the quick meals I was getting.)
  • I record my progress
• I then journal the question of the day.  (You can get these from the internet.  I currently am using a list of 52 prompts that encourage me to think in detail about different aspects of my character.)
• I then take time to do a self examination.  (You will get more on this later. But for now the basic idea is that I am thinking through my life and character in light of specific measurements.  I use things like Military leadership traits, Boy Scout laws, Scripture and more.)  I write down the standard I am aiming for and honestly evaluate how I am doing.  I might also write down some ideas for improvement or a specific short coming example from my week.
• I then simply journal my thoughts from all of this thinking.  This almost always ends up being a written prayer, seeking the Holy Spirit to guide me toward being a man that lives a life that is pleasing to Him.
• I conclude this section of my morning by praying for a specific country of region using Operation World’s App. 

It is typically about 4:50 am or so.  That entirely depends on the length of the five psalms.

• I then pull out my laptop and read the local paper and check my email, and social media messages.
  • I don’t spend a lot of time on social media or on email.  For now I am just looking for anything that might need my attention later in the morning.
• Finally, I will read a few pages in a professional magazine to glean some of the latest thinking.

By now it is typically 5:25 or so.  I then put on my workout clothes.

• Three times a week I go for a run.
• Three times a week I do a base workout while listening to podcasts
  • Currently that looks like this
    • 20 Burpees
    • 15 lunges each leg
    • Walk the ½ mile trail from my house wearing an 18 pound weight vest and carrying 25 pound dumbbell.
    • 100 pushups
    • 20 curls
    • 20 minutes on the elliptical with an elevation mask

It is now typically around 6:15.

• While still listening to podcasts and/or motivational videos I prepare breakfast.
• I also prepare a green drink for the day but do not yet blend it. (Too loud and still don’t want to wake up family.) More on green drinks later.
• I do the dishes as I go along.
• This also includes at least another 16 ounces of water (with a sprinkle of sea salt added) along with a garlic pill, multi vitamin and fish oil)

It is normally around 6:35 am at this point

• With the dishes complete I read through Bruce Lee’s Affirmations
• Then I work on Scripture memory
  • I have 6 verses that SoulCon calls Front Site Post verses.  These are the ones I review daily and meditate on them throughout the day.  They keep me focused on serving God.
  • I then have several memory verses that I either review or work to memorize

It is now 6:55 am

• I blend my green drink.
• I pack up my Bible and the magazine and take it to my room
• I greet my wife and we talk.
• If she is out of bed I race to make the bed before she can. NEVER leave home with an unmade bed unless your spouse is still in it when you leave.
• I then begin my final round of AM rituals

AM Rituals

• Brush teeth and floss
• Shave
• Clean up sink
• Shower (Always start with cold water)
• Get dressed
• Read from 2 devotional books
• Pack up computer, gym bag and back pack and leave for work (More on back pack later)

Before I leave for work my wife and I pray together.

That is my daily routine.  The rest of my day, little is routine. 

Notice that in my daily routine I have included physical, mental, Spiritual and even a little social activity in the beginning of my day.  That is what you want to create.

There are things that I do weekly, monthly and quarterly as well and that will be discussed later as well.

Now it’s your turn.  Design your perfect morning.  Set yourself up for success.  Share with me what you are doing.  How does it tie in with your ethos document?  I would love to see that too.  Let’s work together as warriors, let us change the world.  Let us be the storm.

rich.schaus@grmmuskogee.org

Welcome back!  If you started last week you are now on D-Day plus 8.  You should have been seeking God’s guidance on your life’s purpose.  Why are you here?  God has a plan for your life and the sooner you discover it, the more fulfilling and meaningful your life will be.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Write up your personal mission statement or what I call an Ethos statement.  This is the root of who you are in the flesh.  If you have not captured that much your motivation for the warrior disciplines that we will discuss later will seem pointless.  Even if you start the disciplines and think that will power will maintain you through them, you will quit.  Purpose is what pushes us when the bed magnet is on, when we don’t feel up to it or are simply fed up with life.  Discover your purpose first.

Once you have written your draft, share this with your friends and family.  Let them give you feedback so that it can be fine tuned.  I realize this is scary.  They might laugh at you.  Have courage, don’t be afraid.  It has often happened that the heroes of history were laughed at, until they weren’t. 

You should also have a mission for this year.  What will be your focus for this year?  This should not be too much detail.  You want just enough detail to be inspiring.  You are defining an ultimate objective and not spending time right now developing the plan to get there.  The key here is where will you focus your time and energy? 

NOTE:  This mission might not be large or even work related.  This might be fixing a relationship with a spouse or children or parents.  This might be moving to a new city or maybe some educational or health related mission. 

For this to be effective you must ask God to be the author of these statements.  Ask Him to confirm his call and direction.  Listen carefully and watch and listen.  

As I mentioned last week, you should also have a secret ambition.  This one you keep to yourself and wait for God to confirm it.  This must be bold and daring and seem impossible from where you are currently sitting. 

What you have created is purpose and focus.  With these you will be able to find the motivation to do these things when you don’t feel like it.  I can guarantee you that there will be days and even weeks where you will not want to live the warrior life.  There are days when it seems that it would be easier just to stay in bed and hide from the world.  That is not the warrior way.  But when you think of your purpose you can push though the sleepy eyes and the voice in your head that is saying to stay in bed for just a few more minutes.  That demon that is saying that today you don’t need to go for a run because it is raining outside must be silenced.  Your purpose can speak for you.

This week you should work on refining and putting together the words that will inspire you. Again here is mine. 

Personal Ethos Statement

I am a warrior monk and will live my life with integrity.  I will live in wisdom, in endurance and in great health. I will leave no one behind whether that is family, friend or foe.  My heart will be forever trained in the ways of the Christ.

Current Mission 2019 Rise, be the Storm!

• I will lead efforts to serve the poor of my community.
• I will partner with others in my community to cause it to reflect Godly principles.
• I will partner with others toward helping as many people as possible to get above the poverty line.
• I will be the be the voice of reform.

Be the Leader

The first person you lead is you. You must discipline yourself and call yourself to rise above the mediocrity that our world finds so acceptable today. 

Our world needs you to live the warrior lifestyle.  There will be a day when the warriors will be called upon to save our nation and our world.  Would you be ready? 

There may be a day of persecution.  Would you be able to stand up for your faith?  The great heroes of the faith were willing to pay any price.  Check out Hebrews 11.  After giving specific heroic and very warrior like acts of faith the writer gives us this

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— ³⁸ the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Hebrews 11: 32- 40

How many men or women of faith do you know that would be willing to live in caves or holes in the ground due to their faith?  Look around your church.  How many have that kind of faith?  Be that person.  Lead others to build a sure foundation.  But before you can lead them there you must lead yourself.  That is what we are aiming for here.

The warrior life is not about violence or learning martial arts (though that might very well be part of your mission.)  The warrior life is about taking all that the world can throw at you and rising above the fray. 

Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting. –Sun Tzu

Your mission this week:

This week look for a Bible verse that might define your mission.  For me that verse is Micah 6:8

He has shown you oh man what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

This is building your foundation.  The Word of God is same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  Stand on it.  Let it shape you.  It will outlast the worst of circumstances.

The second part of your mission this week is to write down those non-negotiable values that you have.  Really think about them.  Again it is a discipline to record your non-negotiable.  This will give you structure. 

NOTE:  You most likely think you know these.  I have been amazed how often I justify breaking my own value statements.  Writing them and reflecting on them and reviewing them have kept me from violating them as much.

Here is my example:

Personal Values

• Above all honor Christ in all that I do.  (Do all things as unto the Lord.)
• Succeed at home, before I attempt to succeed elsewhere.
• Seek divine help constantly.
• Never, Never, Never compromise my integrity.
• Remember the people over the tasks.
• Hear all sides before making a final judgment.
• Don’t make a judgment until you must make it, but then make it.
• Consistently obtain the counsel of others.
• Laugh out loud daily
• Live your life as a change agent.  Rock the boat.
• Be orderly in person and work.
• Never fear mistakes- learn from them.
• Embrace Fear
• Must have balance

Email me what your verse is and why.  Also send me your value statements.   

Legend holds that 300 Spartans held back the Persian hordes.  The hordes are still out there.  The Spartans were ready.  Will you be?

D-Day

Today is D-Day.  If you are reading this post than I am calling you out.  On June 6, 1944 Men from around the world joined together to face down the forces of evil represented by the Nazi forces of Germany.  These men came from different cultures, went to different churches, spoke different languages, had assorted talents but had one goal, one purpose.  They arrived in assorted vehicles but their hearts were centered on being the action to the voices calling for freedom.

Our world today needs these sorts of men and now we can also say women.  It starts with a voice.  Listen to that voice deep within you.  What is your purpose?  Who are you really? What could you accomplish if you really honestly believed it?  Many of the voices today simply complain. 

Many on that day in 1944 were voices of complaint.  They sat comfortably in their warm, safe homes and let the world know that they were angry.  But they did not seek the opportunity to help bring the change the world needed.  Most today who rant and rave through social media would never actually lend a hand to enact what their mouths are spewing.  They want to sound courageous but they are cowards.

Rise up mighty warrior.  It was not easy for those men in 1944.  But they went through training.  They prepared not only their bodies but their hearts and minds as well.   You must prepare.

For most of my life I have been a leader.  It started with silly made up clubs as a kid.   But soon evolved to Boy Scouts (I was an Eagle Scout), and then I added to the mix church leadership in youth group.  A few years out of High School I joined the military and later was a small church pastor.  For the past 17 years or so I have been engaged in learning leadership with a purpose.  The purpose is to help as many people as possible rise above the poverty line and discover hope and opportunity. 

What I have learned and continue to learn is that leadership is not a position, or a moment but really a lifestyle.   When you engage in the lifestyle of a warrior you look for opportunities to learn and grow around every turn.  You focus your development.  You learn the value of time and preparation.  You learn more about how to be well rounded and open to new ideas.  Leadership is being a warrior.  Leadership is living the warrior life.

This lifestyle will be described in three sections.  First we will call you out to BE THE LEADER.  Too many people want the position without the responsibility.  Being the leader will require sacrifice.

 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. – John 15:13

Unfortunately many don’t want to pay the price to be the leader.  They want the paycheck without the effort.  They envision winning the gold medal without the sweat, pain and toil of greatness.  Being the leader will not be easy.  You must study, practice, develop and live a disciplined life.

Second we will call you to BE THE WARRIOR. This does not mean that you are a bully.  A bully is really just a coward anyway.  Being the warrior is risky business.  This will require you to seek excellence without being lured into the temptation of perfection.  This will call out the courage within you to stand alone if needed.  This is not just a title but an attitude.

Finally we will call you out to BE THE STORM.  The warrior life will be a great disrupter of the status quo.  The storm will make you change direction.  The storm cleanses as it destroys.  The storm reveals weaknesses and exposes the fake.  You will not be applauded.  Never will they clap for you while you live.  But if you are particularly fortunate, and if God so wills it.  You will be a legend.

Join us in this series each week.  Dare to dream.  Ask questions.  Take risks and let us together change the world.

Your Training Assignment

This week ask God who you really are and seek his mission for your life. These are two very different things.

Who you are is what makes you special.  Your life mission gives you overall focus regardless of your skills and abilities or even opportunities.

What makes me so special?  I am a servant of the Living God.

My life mission: I am a warrior monk and will live my life with integrity.  I will live in wisdom, in endurance and in great health. I will leave no one behind whether that is family, friend or foe.  My heart will be forever trained in the ways of the Christ.

You will also have a current mission to accomplish.  Think about what that might be.  Mine below has been consistent over the past several years with more focus on one aspect or another.

Current Mission 2019

• I will lead efforts to serve the poor of my community.
• I will partner with others in my community to cause it to reflect Godly principles.
• I will partner with others toward helping as many people as possible to get above the poverty line.
• I will be the be the voice of reform.

Send your personal definition, your overall mission and your current mission to rich.schaus@grmmuskogee.org and let us work together to become a band of warriors reshaping the culture.

Jesus had a secret ambition.  His ambition was to die for the all mankind.  He was so focused on this ambition that he let it slip out once in awhile.  Even so, none of his followers really understood what He was up to until after His resurrection.  But this secret ambition, current mission and life purpose enabled Him to take on the disappointment, pain, rejection, torture and death. 

Before we start this journey you must create this secret ambition.  Do that this week at least in draft form.  Make it definite.  Never use words like, “I hope to”.  “I will” must be the center of each statement.  Note:  It is likely less awesome than dyeing on the cross for the salvation of all mankind.  However, the world needs you to do this.

It is my secret ambition that gets me up every morning at 4am. (More on that later.)  It is the current mission that strengthens my desire to be patient.  It is my life mission that focuses my entire life.

Email me your drafts and let us live the warrior life together.  I am looking for 300 that can stand at the gates of fire and hold back the forces of evil.  300 that are dedicated to lay down their lives for the future of the world.