10/6/10
8/5/10
7/28/10
7/19/10
I'm forgiven
Now I have a reason for livin'
Jesus keeps givin' and givin'
Givin' till my heart over flows...
I'm forgiven - blows me away! Do you ever just stop and think about what that means?
First it means that I am accountable for my actions. Even if the world says things are acceptable that isn't the final authority. The worlds values keep changing so there has to be an absolute someplace. At some point there has to be a line between right and wrong and I would suggest that line is found in Scripture.
Next it means that when I do mess up - and I will - that there is a power greater than man that can give absolution and forgiveness. What's that verse... which is easier to say,'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? (Matthew 9:5) A physician can help a man walk again, but I have not yet met a mere mortal that could forgive sin.
The result of all this? Joy that makes the heart leap (Psalm 28:7) as it overflows in praises to Him.
Yes, I am forgiven and now I have a reason for living ...
Thank you Jesus.
Now I have a reason for livin'
Jesus keeps givin' and givin'
Givin' till my heart over flows...
I'm forgiven - blows me away! Do you ever just stop and think about what that means?
First it means that I am accountable for my actions. Even if the world says things are acceptable that isn't the final authority. The worlds values keep changing so there has to be an absolute someplace. At some point there has to be a line between right and wrong and I would suggest that line is found in Scripture.
Next it means that when I do mess up - and I will - that there is a power greater than man that can give absolution and forgiveness. What's that verse... which is easier to say,'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? (Matthew 9:5) A physician can help a man walk again, but I have not yet met a mere mortal that could forgive sin.
The result of all this? Joy that makes the heart leap (Psalm 28:7) as it overflows in praises to Him.
Yes, I am forgiven and now I have a reason for living ...
Thank you Jesus.
7/17/10
5/29/10
In a recent book, evangelical pollster George Barna describes a new type of Christian whom he (positively) calls Revolutionaries. Barna describes them as "born-again Christians who had eliminated church life from their busy schedules. " He writes that the life of a Revolutionary Christian "reflects the very ideals and principles that characterized the life and purpose of Jesus Christ and that advances the Kingdom of God-despite the fact that [a Revolutionary Christian] rarely attends church services. " Barna thinks this type of Revolutionary Christian "is typical of a new breed of disciples of Jesus Christ."
How should we respond to proposals like this? How important is the local church in the plan of God? And when we talk about "the church," what exactly do we mean--and why should we care?
How should we respond to proposals like this? How important is the local church in the plan of God? And when we talk about "the church," what exactly do we mean--and why should we care?
Casting Vision for the Women's Ministry
Much is being written these days about why churches should have Mission and Vision statements. It seems that everyone has their own slant on what these terms actually mean, and how they should apply to a local church. To me, mission and vision are quite simple to understand, at least biblically. In fact, I think churches should waste little time on mission statements. The reason is simple, Jesus gave us (the church) our mission in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.” (Holman) It seems pretty clear: Our mission is to go worldwide and make disciples.
According to our Lord, the New Testament church is in the “disciple making” business. There is no other “mission” for the church than that one; and, if we deviate from it, we cease to be a New Testament church. Another way to say it is this: The mission statement of the church states clearly the business of the church. If you put it that way, then the logical question for all churches to ask is simply, “How’s business?” In other words, if “disciple making” is the business of the church, how are we doing in making disciples? See how simple it becomes to evaluate the progress of your church if you understand clearly what you’re supposed to be doing? That’s what a mission statement does; it gives a church (or any organization) a baseline to measure progress.
A good example of how a clear mission statement works is to look at the mission of the Allied forces in World War II. The mission was simple, clear, and concise…win the war by defeating Germany, Italy and Japan. The generals and admirals who were charged with leading our armed forces clearly understood the mission; and, because of that, they knew they could easily measure progress against the mission. I didn’t say they could easily make progress; winning wars (like making disciples) can be a very difficult task. I said they could easily measure progress. I am continually amazed at how little thought and effort goes into measuring the progress of our churches today. Sometimes, it appears that the only mission we have is to meet again next Sunday. If we can do that, we tend to think all is well. However, measured against the mission that Jesus gave us in the Great Commission, just “meeting again next Sunday” doesn’t get it done! Management guru Peter Drucker once said, “What gets measured gets done.” When it comes to the actual accomplishment of the mission, truer words were never spoken. The proper measurement tool of the New Testament church is the mission given to us by Jesus Himself.
Vision, simply put, is about a preferred future. It’s about taking the mission, personalizing it, putting it into the proper context, and then looking ahead and seeing things the way you would like them to be. That’s why vision is so critical to a local church. If your city has several churches, and every church has the same mission (to make disciples), then what sets each church apart from the others? It is its vision, because it is in the vision (not the mission) that a church will find its uniqueness and, out of that, its marching orders for the future.
Let’s look to the Apostle Paul for help in better understanding mission and vision. Notice his words in Romans 1:13-15, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that I have often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry among you, just as among the rest of the Gentiles. For I am obligated both to the Greeks and Barbarians, both wise and the foolish. So I am eager to preach the good news to you who are in Rome.” (Holman) Here we see that Paul’s mission was to preach the gospel (disciple making); but we also see that his vision (preferred future) was to go to Rome and have a fruitful ministry among the Romans. Look at it this way, every apostle was charged with preaching the gospel and making disciples, but they didn’t all have the vision to do it in Rome. Said simply, vision gives the “who, what, where, when and how” to the mission.
Much is being written these days about why churches should have Mission and Vision statements. It seems that everyone has their own slant on what these terms actually mean, and how they should apply to a local church. To me, mission and vision are quite simple to understand, at least biblically. In fact, I think churches should waste little time on mission statements. The reason is simple, Jesus gave us (the church) our mission in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.” (Holman) It seems pretty clear: Our mission is to go worldwide and make disciples.
According to our Lord, the New Testament church is in the “disciple making” business. There is no other “mission” for the church than that one; and, if we deviate from it, we cease to be a New Testament church. Another way to say it is this: The mission statement of the church states clearly the business of the church. If you put it that way, then the logical question for all churches to ask is simply, “How’s business?” In other words, if “disciple making” is the business of the church, how are we doing in making disciples? See how simple it becomes to evaluate the progress of your church if you understand clearly what you’re supposed to be doing? That’s what a mission statement does; it gives a church (or any organization) a baseline to measure progress.
A good example of how a clear mission statement works is to look at the mission of the Allied forces in World War II. The mission was simple, clear, and concise…win the war by defeating Germany, Italy and Japan. The generals and admirals who were charged with leading our armed forces clearly understood the mission; and, because of that, they knew they could easily measure progress against the mission. I didn’t say they could easily make progress; winning wars (like making disciples) can be a very difficult task. I said they could easily measure progress. I am continually amazed at how little thought and effort goes into measuring the progress of our churches today. Sometimes, it appears that the only mission we have is to meet again next Sunday. If we can do that, we tend to think all is well. However, measured against the mission that Jesus gave us in the Great Commission, just “meeting again next Sunday” doesn’t get it done! Management guru Peter Drucker once said, “What gets measured gets done.” When it comes to the actual accomplishment of the mission, truer words were never spoken. The proper measurement tool of the New Testament church is the mission given to us by Jesus Himself.
Vision, simply put, is about a preferred future. It’s about taking the mission, personalizing it, putting it into the proper context, and then looking ahead and seeing things the way you would like them to be. That’s why vision is so critical to a local church. If your city has several churches, and every church has the same mission (to make disciples), then what sets each church apart from the others? It is its vision, because it is in the vision (not the mission) that a church will find its uniqueness and, out of that, its marching orders for the future.
Let’s look to the Apostle Paul for help in better understanding mission and vision. Notice his words in Romans 1:13-15, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that I have often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry among you, just as among the rest of the Gentiles. For I am obligated both to the Greeks and Barbarians, both wise and the foolish. So I am eager to preach the good news to you who are in Rome.” (Holman) Here we see that Paul’s mission was to preach the gospel (disciple making); but we also see that his vision (preferred future) was to go to Rome and have a fruitful ministry among the Romans. Look at it this way, every apostle was charged with preaching the gospel and making disciples, but they didn’t all have the vision to do it in Rome. Said simply, vision gives the “who, what, where, when and how” to the mission.
5/21/10
5/1/10
Peace Be Still
Vincent Van Gogh once said, "Let's not forget that the little emotions are the great captains of our lives and we obey them without realizing it." You see, Van Gogh was a gifted artist, yet he was a tormented soul governed all too easily by his emotions.
But struggling artists aren't the only ones who allow their lives to be captained by their emotions. Having served in ministry, it's frightening to see how often we "ministers" allow our emotions to overtake the guiding of the Spirit. Think about it...it's certainly uncomfortable to watch a toddler throw a temper tantrum in the grocery store, but it's even more painful to watch a servant of God throw one in their Father's house. Don't get me wrong - I know how tough ministry can be. People insult you, judge you, and even betray you. And when attacked, our natural human instinct tells us to take an aggressive action...to let our emotions run loose. But our spiritual instinct teaches us that no sin from another justifies a sinful response from us.
Proverbs 29:11 (ESV) says, "A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back."
Maybe you've learned to process the anger, but you're being bombarded by another of the enemy's attack strategies. You look around at your ministry, and you just don't seem to see any results. No one shows up to that Bible study you spent weeks preparing for...a woman you thought was truly growing has an affair...the church tells you there just isn't any money for what you'd been planning. You look around at other ministries, and they seem to be thriving and have support from the church. You go home at the end of the day feeling defeated and unsure of your calling. Sound painfully familiar?
Well, it's one of the enemy's most effective emotional manipulations. If he can convince us to compare our ministry with others, he can breed insecurity, jealousy, and doubt. If he can convince us to measure our spiritual success by a worldly standard comprised of numbers and dollar signs, he can generate fear, frustration, and even despair.
Psalm 139:23 (NLT) says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts."
For those of us in the trenches of ministry, it's critical that we give God the green light to show us the truth behind our thoughts and emotions. Without Him at the helm, it's truly impossible to navigate the often choppy waters of ministry. So I challenge you to step back and give the wheel to the One who is able to quiet your emotional turmoil with three simple words: "Peace, be still."
But struggling artists aren't the only ones who allow their lives to be captained by their emotions. Having served in ministry, it's frightening to see how often we "ministers" allow our emotions to overtake the guiding of the Spirit. Think about it...it's certainly uncomfortable to watch a toddler throw a temper tantrum in the grocery store, but it's even more painful to watch a servant of God throw one in their Father's house. Don't get me wrong - I know how tough ministry can be. People insult you, judge you, and even betray you. And when attacked, our natural human instinct tells us to take an aggressive action...to let our emotions run loose. But our spiritual instinct teaches us that no sin from another justifies a sinful response from us.
Proverbs 29:11 (ESV) says, "A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back."
Maybe you've learned to process the anger, but you're being bombarded by another of the enemy's attack strategies. You look around at your ministry, and you just don't seem to see any results. No one shows up to that Bible study you spent weeks preparing for...a woman you thought was truly growing has an affair...the church tells you there just isn't any money for what you'd been planning. You look around at other ministries, and they seem to be thriving and have support from the church. You go home at the end of the day feeling defeated and unsure of your calling. Sound painfully familiar?
Well, it's one of the enemy's most effective emotional manipulations. If he can convince us to compare our ministry with others, he can breed insecurity, jealousy, and doubt. If he can convince us to measure our spiritual success by a worldly standard comprised of numbers and dollar signs, he can generate fear, frustration, and even despair.
Psalm 139:23 (NLT) says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts."
For those of us in the trenches of ministry, it's critical that we give God the green light to show us the truth behind our thoughts and emotions. Without Him at the helm, it's truly impossible to navigate the often choppy waters of ministry. So I challenge you to step back and give the wheel to the One who is able to quiet your emotional turmoil with three simple words: "Peace, be still."
4/6/10
12/26/09
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” -- Jeremiah 33:3
What part does prayer play in your personal life?
If your spiritual life seems to lack power, you can probably trace the problem to a lack of true, heartfelt prayer and communication with the Lord. How can you and I have his presence and power without talking to and listening to God?
The early church was not lacking in power. The early believers were praying people who were devoted to the teaching of the Word. And like them, we have been urged to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which means we should make it a habit of our being to commune with the Lord.
If you don’t know how to pray, you can use the model that Jesus gave in Luke 11. Or pray the Scriptures themselves. This is the way to unleash the power of prayer in your life. Because prayer invites the presence and the power of God into our lives, into our families, and into our church!
Start now and make prayer your personal assignment. Let it invade every aspect of your life. Just come to him as those first disciples did and say, “Lord, teach me to pray.”
What part does prayer play in your personal life?
If your spiritual life seems to lack power, you can probably trace the problem to a lack of true, heartfelt prayer and communication with the Lord. How can you and I have his presence and power without talking to and listening to God?
The early church was not lacking in power. The early believers were praying people who were devoted to the teaching of the Word. And like them, we have been urged to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which means we should make it a habit of our being to commune with the Lord.
If you don’t know how to pray, you can use the model that Jesus gave in Luke 11. Or pray the Scriptures themselves. This is the way to unleash the power of prayer in your life. Because prayer invites the presence and the power of God into our lives, into our families, and into our church!
Start now and make prayer your personal assignment. Let it invade every aspect of your life. Just come to him as those first disciples did and say, “Lord, teach me to pray.”
12/16/09
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching… -- Acts 2:42
How devoted are you to the word of God? Are you committed to reading, to knowing, to understanding, and to letting the Word of God transform your life? Now, you may say, “I am devoted to God’s Word. I go to church. I listen to the sermon every week.” And that’s good. But you shouldn’t stop there!
You and I need to be completely devoted to spending personal time in the Word of God. Do you know why? Think about that very first church created by God on the Day of Pentecost.
The Scripture says that these new followers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” The apostles were teaching the Word of God from the Old Testament, as well as from all that they had observed about Jesus, his life, and teachings.
God’s Word was essential to the survival of the early church, to strengthening each new follower, and to growing the church. And it remains essential today. Devotion to the Word of God is an unchanging hallmark of the empowered church.
I challenge you to devote yourself to the Word. Spend time in the Scripture every day. Put your whole heart into knowing and growing in God’s Word.
How devoted are you to the word of God? Are you committed to reading, to knowing, to understanding, and to letting the Word of God transform your life? Now, you may say, “I am devoted to God’s Word. I go to church. I listen to the sermon every week.” And that’s good. But you shouldn’t stop there!
You and I need to be completely devoted to spending personal time in the Word of God. Do you know why? Think about that very first church created by God on the Day of Pentecost.
The Scripture says that these new followers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” The apostles were teaching the Word of God from the Old Testament, as well as from all that they had observed about Jesus, his life, and teachings.
God’s Word was essential to the survival of the early church, to strengthening each new follower, and to growing the church. And it remains essential today. Devotion to the Word of God is an unchanging hallmark of the empowered church.
I challenge you to devote yourself to the Word. Spend time in the Scripture every day. Put your whole heart into knowing and growing in God’s Word.
12/8/09
"But if I say, "I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,"Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it." Jeremiah 20:9 ..There was a time I would cry from want of a place to speak the name of Jesus. Lord let that fire burn in my bones again.
11/26/09
Well, it's Thanksgiving Day as I write this and when I stop to think how thankful I am for all the different prayer requests that God has honored over the past year it is enough to bring me to tears. I remember 4 years ago, sitting in the living room of my house on the day I decided to return to school and devote my life to serving Christ. I was feeling overwhelmed and wondered how in the world I would get everything done. I had to keep the business running, plus I had the prayer group, the chamber, and Rotary. Well, it turns out that I should have been wondering "how in heaven" will I get everything done. If you get nothing else from reading this please get this: God is not going to ask you to do anything that he does not equip you to do.
Why has every prayer I've offered up been answered? Why when people that should have been supportive turned their back to me did God remain faithful? Trust me, it is not because I'm super-spiritual. I am not the super-saved and I have no extra-ordinary abilities or even extra doses of faith. The simple fact is that God has answered my prayers because He is equipping me to do the work that He as asked me to do. I want to thank you for reading this and for your continued prayer. I know that my ministry will continue as long as you continue to lift me up in prayer.
Why has every prayer I've offered up been answered? Why when people that should have been supportive turned their back to me did God remain faithful? Trust me, it is not because I'm super-spiritual. I am not the super-saved and I have no extra-ordinary abilities or even extra doses of faith. The simple fact is that God has answered my prayers because He is equipping me to do the work that He as asked me to do. I want to thank you for reading this and for your continued prayer. I know that my ministry will continue as long as you continue to lift me up in prayer.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)