Count Your Blessings

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

It was a difficult morning.  I woke up late and rushed to the office only to learn my first appointment decided to cancel.  Good news is that it gave me time to write reports.  Bad news is that’s when we discovered we are out of office supplies.

Later we had a physician come in who felt I needed to hear every gory OB-GYN story he knew.  He said think about what you see in ears and multiply that by a hundred and that’s what I see every day.  I guess he wasn’t having a very good day either. 

When our lunch break finally arrived I bought a glass of lemonade and sat with the sun on my face.  I spent a few minutes with the Lord to quiet my mind and my soul.  Yes, it had been a difficult morning, but I decided that wasn’t reason enough to be frustrated.  I decided to count my blessings instead:

1. I love my family and they love me.

2. I have amazing friends who are never more than a phone call away.

3. I have a comfortable home with a yard to enjoy.

4. I have a car that gets me where I need to go (even if the AC is out right now!)

5. I have a business that I own that provides for my needs.

6. I have a church that I cherish.

7. I get to do ministry with some amazing women.

8. I have a God that knows my name.

I came back to the office after thanking God for my day.  I was feeling better about life.  Time with the Lord always does that for me.  Then my first afternoon patient came in for help.  We did the test and as we were ending she said “Thank you for being my doctor.”  She then reached across the table grabbed both my hands and began to pray for me!  She thanked the Lord that I was here to help her and for His Spirit that shown through me.  She asked Him to sustain me.

 I smiled because He just did.

Do we live under the law?

I'm reading a book called 40 Questions About Christians and Biblical Law by Thomas Schreiner.  The purpose is to learn how Old Testament law affects New Testament Christians.  It began as you would expect with definitions and descriptions.  Then something caught my attention.  The author said, "It's hard to conceive of Paul saying that the law in conjunction with the Spirit frees people from sin (Romans 8:2), since elsewhere Paul emphasizes that those that are 'under law' are under sin."  This specifically addressed the issue that led to reading the book so I thought I should read the Scripture.  This is what it says,

             " Therefore, there is now no condemnation  for those who are in Christ
              Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives
              life has set you free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was 
              powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending
              his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.  And so he
             condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the
             law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but            
             according to the Spirit." Romans 8:1-4

Let me paraphrase the last line.  We do not live by the things our flesh wants us to do, but instead according to the things the Holy Spirit leads us to do!  Now, go back one more line.  The law is powerless to help us do that ... did you get that? Powerless because of our weak flesh!  We would never be able to keep the law and God knew it so He sent Jesus and then the Holy Spirit. 

I am involved in a Bible study that is looking at the role the Holy Spirit plays in our relationship with God.  Here are some of the questions we will discuss this week:

     1. In what ways do we hold each other in bondage to our own convictions?

     2. How has God used multiple means to confirm what He was saying to you?

     3. What did Paul mean when he advised us to be careful how we enjoy liberty in Chirst?
                                                                                                                  
                                                                                       (Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer)

If we are no longer under the law, and it is sin to do so, does that change the way you would answer these questions? 

Did You Miss Me?

I didn’t make it to church this morning.  Once I decided to not go I could have just rolled over in bed and gone back to sleep, but I didn’t.   I immediately sent three text messages.  Why?  I knew I would be missed.

When you think about the people in your small group or Sunday School class would they contact you if they knew they were going to be absent?  Would they know they would be missed? 

Here are some suggestions on how you can build groups that care for each other:

Talk to Others: Everyone has a need to be noticed. 

Smile: A smile can turn around a bad day for someone else.

Use Names: It shows you cared enough to remember.

Care About Others: Empathy means involvement!

Priase Others: Reinforce good behaviors.

Encourage Others: Use your words to build up others.

Respect Others:  Try to see situations from the other person’s perspective.

Touch Someone: You may be the only physical human contact some people get each week.

Servant Leadership: What counts most is who we are in Christ and what we do for others!

What other things would you suggest?

One Sows - Another Reaps

For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ John 4:37
I read a great story that fits with yesterday's post on witnessing:

The great English preacher Francis Dixon asked a young man in his church named Noelle to give his testimony at a revival. So Noelle stood up and gave this testimony:“I was in Sydney, Australia when a little old man walked up to me and said, ‘Sir, if you were to die today, do you know where you would spend eternity?’

“With that the old man turned on his heel, said, ‘Toodle-loo’, and walked away. So when I got back to England the first thing that I did was to seek out a pastor who led me to Christ.”
After the service, a young man came up to Noelle and said, “That’s my testimony too. I met that same man!” Francis Dixon was so moved by this that when he went on a world tour of preaching, he shared it at every meeting. And when he preached in cities across Australia, he came across hundreds of people with the very same story.

So when Dixon made it to Sydney, he tracked down this old man at his home and told him about all of those people who had come to Christ through him. The old gentleman broke down and said, “Sir, this is the first time in my life that I’ve known of anyone who has ever come to Jesus because of my witness.”

Now that is a great story about how to be yourself and witness with intention!  Some sow the seeds; some harvest. So whatever role God calls you to fulfill, be faithful in it because you never know the impact you can have!

You want me to do what?

We just finished a missions conference at my church.  The final sermon was on four types of evangelism: intercession, relational, service, and proclamation.  The idea was that we are all called to be a witness, but we are not all called to do it in the same way. 

For people who don’t have the spiritual gift of evangelism, the word witness can stir up some unpleasant memories or paralyzing anxieties. In fact, I felt like a complete failure when I tried to follow the FAITH method that was designed to make witnessing easier!

Jim Henderson, author of Evangelism Without Additives: What if Sharing Your Faith Meant Just Being Yourself? suggests just being yourself is the best way to share the Gospel.  The authentic story of the work Christ has done in our lives is the best testimony we have.  When we tell the truth about Christ’s power to save us and keep us from sin, our testimony will be credible.

If the thought of taking classes has kept you from witnessing, try a different approach: be yourself!  Like the blind man Jesus healed, simply say, “Though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25).

SBTC Empower Evangelism Conference Information

Encouragement

"One word of encouragement when someone is first starting to pursue their dream is worth more than a million words of appreciation when they have acheived it and already become sucessful." Doe Zantamata

I serve as the Director of Women's Ministry at my church. I remember during the first few weeks I would hear criticism about ministries I was developing. People were telling me I wasn't doing things the way they thought it should be done. Some of the men said they would be talking with staff about my leadership.

Then my Pastor sent me an email. "Uh-oh," I thought, "Here it comes."  The email said, "I want you to know that I think you are doing a great job. You're doing exactly what we asked you to do. Just keep at it." My attitude was changed and my confidence came back. I began to work with renewed joy and now, six years later, the Women's Ministry is growing numerically and more important spiritually.

Paul told the Roman believers that he wanted to see them so they could encourage each other. You and I know how helpful that can be. We all appreciate an arm around the shoulder or a kind word.

If you've received some unexpected encouragement, thank God for it. And when the Holy Spirit leads you to encourage someone, go ahead and do it. Be an encourager. Both of you will be glad you did. 
 
"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith." Romans 1:11-12

Mentoring

One of my favorite aspects of serving with women is mentoring. I enjoy watching women discover new things about themselves and helping them work through the trials of life. When I first began working with women however, mentoring was the last thing I wanted to do!  Nobody told me what mentoring was all about.  I didn't know what I was supposed to do.   I found the process frustrating and I am sure the women I wanted to help would agree.  It is only by God’s grace that I remain in ministry after such a negative experience.  Here are some things I have learned along the way.  I hope they help you as you begin to reach out to others.

Someone to learn from. Find someone with experience to help guide you.  I asked an older woman to teach me how to minister to women.  We continue to meet regularly, and as she builds into my life, I can better build into others.   Learn by watching others with experience.

Going slowly. You can’t help the whole world.  Mentoring can take a lot of time and it is better to serve two or three faithfully instead of nine or ten poorly.  Jesus had an inner circle He worked closely with even as He discipled the twelve.

Regular debriefing. Ask for input from those you trust.  Find someone you can talk with on a weekly or monthly basis to evaluate progress in those you are helping.  Do people see spiritual growth in them?  Can others suggest new materials you might use or ways to help connect them to the church?  There is wisdom in asking for help.

A supervisor to help. Sometimes you run into problems.  Ask your women’s minister or pastor to be available for consultation. I frequently spend evenings on the telephone helping others plan a new approach to situations.

These are just a few ideas.  I would love to hear what you would add to this list!

　"Likewise, tell the older women to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited."  Titus 2:3-5

Crazy Busy

I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:2

My life is crazy busy right now.  Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!  It seems there are always more things to do, places to go, and people to meet than there is time to do them!  And while none of us would want a life without meaningful things to do, this fast pace threatens to rob us of the quietness that we need. 

When we’re driving a car there are warning signs to slow us down.  We can’t have our foot on the accelerator all the time. We need those same  kind of reminders in all aspects of our lives.  Today, my body is telling me to slow down.  I need to take take my foot off the accelerator and rest for a while!

The psalmist clearly knew the importance of times of calm and quiet. God Himself “rested” on the seventh day. And with more messages to preach and more people to heal, Jesus went apart from the crowds and rested a while (Matt. 14:13; Mark 6:31). He knew it wasn’t wise to accelerate through life with our gas gauge registering on “weary” all the time.

When was the last time you could say, “I have calmed and quieted my soul”? (Ps. 131:2).  Just for an hour or even a few minutes today turn off the distractions that keep you from listening to God’s voice, and let Him speak to you as you read His Word. Let Him refresh your heart and mind with the strength to live life well for His glory.

Stop and take a break from the busyness of life so that you can refuel your soul.

 

A Corn Field

There is a corn field I pass on my way to work each morning. Last spring as the ground was being prepared for planting I thought of the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-8). The ground was tilled and soon I saw rows where the seeds had been scattered. Each week there would be changes and I began to considered how the corn field was like the fields we tend for the Lord.

The crop began to grow and I noticed the corn in the center was tall and green. The plants on the edge of the field were green, but shorter and not as bright in color. As the season progressed, some of the stalks on the edge began to turn brown and others struggled hard to grow. My attention was drawn to the lush, thick, green stalks in the center and the sweet corn I knew they would soon produce. I sometimes wondered why the farmer didn't water the edges more so all the stalks would yield a good harvest.

Summer arrived and we experienced record breaking heat. The field began to dry out. The stalks at the edge died quickly and even the thick, green stalks in the center showed signs of the rough weather. The farmer must not have cared for his field because after only a few weeks I looked at what was once lush and green to see it had become of sea of brown. The stalks were dead or dying. The corn had not been gathered. The work this farmer had done in the spring was now wasted and no good had come from it.

A few weeks later I noticed the field had been cut and the dead stalks were gone. It had become a barren, uninviting place to see. However, the empty field was soon covered in bales of dried corn plants. I smiled as I realized that the plants would serve a purpose, though not the original one intended, and the work had not all been in vain. The farmer is now preparing the field for winter and I anticipate a new crop will be planted in the spring with the hope of a great harvest next fall.

When someone is asked for a philosophy of ministry they often say the Great Commandment and the Great Commission (Matthew 22:37-40; Matthew 28:19—20) guide their path. Likewise, if they have been in church life, they might say the goal of ministry is to reach, teach, and minister to the people. Both of these descriptions are correct, but they do not reflect the nuisance of Christian ministry as seen in the growing corn field.

The process begins with the farmer getting up early to prepare to go to his field. Ministers of the faith must also prepare themselves through regular time in study of God’s Word and prayer. The fields must be plowed so the seeds can take a firm hold in the soil.

For the ministry to grow deep roots, relationships must be built with the people we hope to reach. The field needs to be watered, weeded, and watched for consistent growth. Likewise, we must consistently care for all the people and not only those that are most receptive or willing to serve. The people on the edge of the church may require extra attention, but it will help them grow to be fully devoted followers of Christ.

If everything goes well then the corn will grow large and the harvest will be full. There will be seasons, however, when the fields do not grow and we watch our labors fall to the ground. In ministry these may be the times of greatest personal growth and spiritual renewal as we call upon the Lord for His leading and help. If we remain faithful (1 Corinthians 9:24) we will be given new direction and the ministry will continue to grow. Ministers must remain open to change.

The final stage of the corn field is preparing for the future. Just as the farmer prepares the field for next year’s harvest so must we prepare for the future. Leadership development and mentoring in a Paul and Timothy manner is essential for the continuity of ministry within the church. Every minister should have someone they are mentoring and someone that mentors them.

For me if comes down to loving God and loving others. If I love above all else then the fields will be white for harvest.

One Verse Evangelism - The Navigators

One Verse Evangelism - The Navigators

5 Enemies of an Organization:

1. Poor Communication
2. Gossip-telling a person who cannot deal with the issue is gossiping
3. Unresolved Disagreement
4. Lack of Shared Purpose-Share the vision often
5. Sanctioned Incompetence Demoralizes

Be Specific

“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” -- Luke 11:9-10


So often among Christians today, prayer is too general. Some ask, “Lord, bless us. Lord, bless the church. Lord, bless the missionaries. Lord, bless and save the lost. Amen.” Now that’s safe praying because you never know if God answers it.

When you pray that way, you miss out on the joy of seeing your prayers answered. I talk to Christians all the time who can’t name one prayer that God has answered for them. And inevitably, it’s because they aren’t praying for specific things!

But when Jesus taught us to pray, he taught us to pray specifically. As we see in today’s passage, we aren’t to be timid when it comes to prayer, but to present our requests to God knowing that he is going to do something great. And when you begin to ask God to do specific things in your life, you’ll see him work in amazing ways.

So the next time you pray, make a list with specific prayer points and pray boldly. Then, write the answer down when God gives it! Doing this will not only help you see a clearer picture of God’s faithfulness, it will empower your prayer life as you continue to pray boldly!

“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it” (Psalm 37:5).

Here we find the formula for praying effectively.

1. “Commit your way to the Lord.” “Give it to God,” I once read on a bumper-sticker. That is what David is encouraging us to do in this verse. We are to make a deliberate transaction with God by which we release control of our situation, whatever it may be, and place it squarely in the hands of the Lord. “Lord, here is the issue that is bringing concern to my soul and trouble to my mind. I know You have a perfect plan for its resolution, so I give it to you with the simple pledge to cooperate with whatever You show me as being your plan in the matter. The problem is now no longer mine, but Yours, and I await your direction concerning it.”

2. “Trust also in Him.” Having given the problem to God, now leave it with Him!” When a farmer places seed in the soil, he doesn’t return to the field day after day, dig up the seed and examine it to see if it is growing. He must commit the seed to the earth and leave it there. Once we have given our problem to God in prayer, we must avoid the temptation to wrestle it back from Him so that we may worry about it for a season. We must give it to God, then leave it with Him. If worry and concern begin to filter into our mind we can simply admit it to the Lord. ” Today I am being tempted to take back my problem as my own, but by your grace I am determined to overcome that temptation and constantly remind myself that the situation is in your hands. All I need to do is await Your direction. Thank you Lord, for moving in ways that are not seen by me.”

3. “He will do it.” “He works!” the Psalmist is affirming here. If you have made the transaction, giving your problem to the Lord, then you can safely assume that God is at work bringing about a resolution that will benefit you and bring glory to Him. You may not see God at work any more than Joseph of old could see Him at work from his vantage point in an Egyptian prison. But He was! And Joseph had to constantly remind himself of that fact. Though Joseph was in chains “until the time that His word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him” (Psalm 105:18-19). That is why Joseph could later say to his fearful brothers “You meant it unto me for evil, but God meant it for good.”

“But,” you might protest, “what if I find myself worrying all over again?” The answer is simply the same as before!

Give it to God. Leave it with Him. He works!

You might find yourself actually praying more than ever before.

40 Days of Fasting
Why Fast?

As Jesus was about to begin his official earthly ministry, He was led by the Spirit into the desert to fast (Matt 4). For some reason, the son of God thought it worthy to begin this new venture in ministry with an intentional focus on abiding with the Father.

Years later, as the church in Antioch is fasting, the Lord tells them to send out certain men to start a new ministry. After fasting some more, the church sent out Paul and Barnabas to go plant new churches (Acts 13).

When new ministries are started, battles intensify. The enemy will work hard to discourage, deceive, and destroy these new works in their infancy. For that reason, we fast. As we experience a physical hunger and desire, it awakens our spiritual desires and reminds us that our true nourishment comes through us spending time with the Father. Our fasting helps us focus our hearts on God.

What not to do?

Don’t pick something so hard just to “see if you can do it.” This should not be war against body, but a time of focus on this new ministry and asking God for His direction and blessing upon something He’s already called us to do.

Don’t do it for the praise of men. Matthew 6 reminds us that the hypocrites would put on a gloomy face and neglect their physical appearance in order for others to notice. Jesus says of them that they have received “their reward in full.” He goes on to explain the proper way to act when fasting. “ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:17-18)

Some practical tips

There is no official recipe for fasting. You can fast from food, or just certain foods. You can fast from certain elements in your life that seem to take up a large part of your time but ultimately are unnecessary. Either way, the goal is to give up something for a certain time period. When your body or mind craves that thing, it is a constant reminder to turn your thoughts toward God. Take some of the time that you would have spent eating or on facebook or on the phone and read some Scripture, pray for Covenant Church, tell God why you are doing this and what you long for.

40 Days

My challenge to our faith family is to fast for 40 days in preparation and expectation of GIC. Let us join together and “pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:38