Should I stay or Should I go?

Many people ask this question at some time in their life.  It could be while they are at a job, in a school, in a volunteer position, etc.   Let's talk about our home church this time.
Pastors hear so many stories and reasons why people leave their church family.  Some are legitimate like relocating due to a job or family issues, etc.  Have you ever met someone who "feels that God is moving us to a different church" ?  As our Pastor mentions at different times, when someone pulls the 'God' card, who is the Pastor to dispute what "God has said"? 
The local church is God's plan for every follower of Jesus!  Paul, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, says that God has put each person just where he wants him/her (1 Corinthians 12:18). 
In our American culture, many people think we can 'choose' to go to any church we like, since "it's our life and we can do with it whatever we want."  Amazing how that thinking is so adverse to many other cultures, and is opposite of God's Kingdom principles!  Realize this, when we make Jesus Lord of our life, we are no longer our own boss, but we choose to become a slave to Him and He tells us what we should/can do....not us telling Him.  No, He's certainly not a dictator, but He knows what is the best plan to form His character in us - which is His ultimate purpose in our life.  God's purpose for us being on earth and saving us from eternal destruction in Hell is not to make you and me happy!  Sorry if that pops your theological balloon, but you won't find that teaching in the Bible; you will hear it from liberal, ignorant preachers.
So if the Lord has directed you to a specific church family, stay there until He gives you peace about joining with another church family.  If you have issues in your current church with someone else, one of the pastors, the music, etc, just remember this simple saying:  "Wherever you go, there you are!"   If you are angry, offended, hurt, etc, because of something or someone,  if you leave with unforgiveness in your heart, a wrong motive or bad attitude, a similar situation will occur in the next church you decide to attend.  The reason for this ... wherever you go, there you are and you will always be around imperfect people just like yourself. 
Surely some of us think this is outrageous talk!  But if you will be diligent in your study of Scripture, you will find the Holy Spirit knows exactly the right church family you need to be in and He never makes a mistake when leading His people!
God can never be accused of being a schizophrenic!
 

The Holy Who ?? Part 2

Let's take a look at some attributes, or qualities, of God the Holy Spirit. Just like we see qualities or personalities in each other, the Bible is clear regarding the characteristics of the Holy Spirit.  And yes...we'll address the 'power' seen in churches :)

Some people only view this person of the Godhead as a 'spirit being' who makes people feel good, laugh, fall down, act funny or speak in strange languages.  That perception of Him is false and because of shallow, uneducated teaching from pastors, Bible teachers, professors and ignorant Christians many people - followers of Christ and those who oppose Christ - are afraid of learning who He really is. 

Listed below are more than ten characteristics of the Holy Spirit given us from Scriptures.   I encourage you to find these verses in your bible, as it would take a lot of space to print them all...

a. Spirit of God    Exodus 31:3, 35:31, Isaiah 61:1

b. Spirit of judgment, burning    Isaiah 4:4,  Matt 3:11

c. Holy    Isaiah 63:10-11, Matthew 1:20, Mark 12:36

d. Spirit of  holiness  Romans 1:4

e. Spirit of grace (unearned favor) and prayer  Zechariah 12:10, 

    Hebrews 10:29,   Romans 8:26-27

f. Spirit of truth   John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13

g. Spirit of adoption (into the family of Jesus) Romans 8:15

h. Isaiah 11:2   Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge,

    fear of the Lord

i. John 14:16 & 26  Helper, Advocate, Friend, Comforter, Counselor, 

    Intercessor, Teacher

j. Spirit of power  Acts 1:8,  2 Timothy 1:7    

   He is God’s Power, manifested. “Power” in Ac1:8 – a Greek term dynamis 

   (pronounced du nah mes) the origination of our English "dynamite"

Before the Holy Spirit was given to humanity as a gift from Jesus, the power of the Spirit only rested on a few people, for a period of time.  You can read about this in Old Testament stories and see Jesus Himself being empowered by the Holy Spirit; He always empowered people to accomplish a 'God' task.  Jesus did not say this power was going to 'freak' people out!  Power is given to Christ followers to energize them in living a victorious life that overcomes temptations to sin; also, the power helps them tell others about this man Jesus- the ONLY savior of humanity from the bondages of sin and hell.   

So...What about people falling down, or having a feeling in their body?  Kenneth Hagin wrote a short booklet on this that you might want to read:  Why Do People Fall Under the Power? http://bit.ly/qviAFo    In order to keep this simple, when humans are in the Presence of God our body cannot physically withstand His power and presence - which is the reason for some people falling down while being prayed for, while praying by themselves, or while being in the presence of a Christ-follower full of God's power.  Many people, myself included, have sensed God's presence in a very powerful way and realize He truly is an awesome God!  There are other people who have seen God's power in operation and think they can imitate the power to impress other people....which leads to weirdness in the churches.  

God's intent is NEVER to show His power in order to draw attention to a person or organization--His purpose is always so people will look to Him or Jesus as Lord. 

Remember, one thing John the Baptizer said about Jesus is that He would 'baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire'.  In a physical sense, fire is a purifying agent when used correctly; this is a feeling some people receive in their body when they are healed of a disease or when they are instantly delivered from an addiction, etc.  

Finally, receiving the power of the Holy Spirit as a Christ follower is not an 'option'.  Acts 1:9 - Jesus commanded his followers to wait for the promise of this Holy Spirit...not a suggestion!  He said they would receive power in their lives to be a witness for others.  Also, Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:18 to 'be filled with the Spirit', meaning the Holy Spirit - as opposed to the spirits that come in a bottle!   Here is a basic explanation of that phrase:

a.    “be filled” – to fill to the top/ to the full; to supply liberally

b.     the Greek translation is ‘be being filled’. This means a   

        continuous filling, not a one-time event.

I hope this has helped you understand more about the Holy Spirit.  You can read about His work in the early church in the book of Acts chapters 1-10; and see Paul's explanation of the Holy Spirit's gifts working in our lives as we follow Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us. You can reference Romans 8:1-30, 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13, 14 and Galatians 5:16-25.

Never Give Up!

My 9 yr old daughter is starting to write short messages about things she is learning in life and how the Bible applies to her life.  I wanted to share one of them with you that will encourage you...(not sure why the white area is still in view, so please forgive the 'look')

Lots of people - I mean lots of people - give up on things like running, or playing baseball, or basketball because they think it's too hard. But with God you can do anything. Read Philippians 4:13;  it says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". How many things?  ALL things - not just some things, ALL things.

Do you think when you're in the middle of running a marathon and you give up you are going to come in 1st  place? No you're not - because you gave up. Do you think when your baseball team is losing a game 16 to 5 and you give up you can win? No - because you gave up.  Do you think that when you're playing a basketball game and the other team is bigger than you and you give up you can win? No - because you gave up.

Never give up! That's the last thing you want to do.

Let me tell you a story.  When I was in a baseball game, I had been in this slump where I kept striking out. Well, I was getting tired of it so I got up to bat and I said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"... and sure enough I hit it! I was so proud but the reason I hit was because I didn't give up.

Here is another story. Our basketball team was playing a team that had won 4 years in a row and no one had scored against them; it was our day to play them so we were all running as fast as we could, trying our hardest. Almost everyone of the team gave up,  but me and another girl didn't, so I stole the ball from the other team and passed it to her;  she shot and made it.  We didn't win but we made a shot off of them - because we didn't give up!

Just remember - don't ever give up !! 

The Holy Who?? Part 1

For the next few weeks, we'll discuss the person and power of the Holy Spirit. Now I'm sure some of you are just waiting to see what will be discussed since my family attended Assembly of God churches when I was growing up and I have worked for ministries or churches know as "charismatic."   We'll not go into weirdness or stupidity, but some weird beliefs and antics of others will be discussed! 
So often, we read the Bible or attend a church service and someone will talk about "the Holy Spirit", or they might say "the Holy Ghost".  In reading the Protestant bible, we find the book of Genesis as the first of the 66 books.  Interesting that the second verse of the very first chapter mentions the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (New KJV).  Jump over to the second chapter, verse 7, and we see where God breathed into a creature made simply of dust - breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. When we get to the book of Romans (yes, a letter written to people living in Rome), chapter 8 verse 2 refers to the law of the Spirit of life.
What do we notice about all three of these references?  First, in the beginning of time as we know it from a Jewish perspective, this "Spirit" was present with God and He gave life to a pile of dirt!  You try to go outside, put together some dirt piles and blow on them - just see if they will stand up, and become a human...bet you can't do that!
Second, there is a law - not a supposition or theory - that involves this "Spirit" and life;  we don't see death happening with this "Spirit", we see life. Anytime someone of a religion or a church says they 'have the Holy Spirit' and their attitude or lifestyle seems to be anything but life-giving,  you might ask them (or yourself) if they really "have" the Holy Spirit;  He does not bring death to a person, unless He helps them put to death their evil ways and attitudes.  Instead, He always empowers people with hope, expectancy, joy, love - attributes of  health and life.  
The term 'pneuma' has a root meaning "to breathe or blow";  this is the term translated "Spirit" or "Ghost" we read in the Bible. Interesting that the Spirit of God 'blew' breath into the first human, huh?  
If you are needing life in your 'world', why not check out more about this Spirit of God?  
Next time, we will look at some attributes of the Spirit.  

Get rid of your BA degree...

A couple of months ago, we discussed our attitude.  Joyce Meyer has a new book titled Power Thoughts that has prompted me to consider my thinking and my attitude....again!  Many of the following thoughts are from her book...if you need help in your thought life or attitude, find a copy of this book! It's the sequel to Battlefield of the Mind.  Oh, when you see the letters BA, that's my abbreviation for 'bad attitude' :)
Scott Hamilton, one of USA's Olympic gold medalists, said "The only disability in life is a bad attitude."  Winston Churchill noted that "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."  Nothing will hinder or handicap us in life as severely as a bad attitude.  Attitude refers to the system of thoughts, mental posture, mind-set, or way of thinking with which a person approaches life.
For example, a person with a BA towards work will think like this:  My boss is too demanding;  No one here appreciates me;  This company needs to pay me more and treat me better...  How can someone with those thoughts constantly running in his mind ever enjoy his work?  Being negative about our job never changes our employer or the job requirements; instead, it only leaves us feeling drained of any desire or ability to accomplish our work.
If you employed someone with that type of attitude, would you consider him/her for a promotion?  If this describes you, maybe it's time to evaluate your own attitude towards your work/employer or even your family members or church.
CHOICE-that's the key word we're talking about.  We each choose what type of thoughts we allow to stay in our mind, which determines our attitude;  change your thoughts and you will have a changed attitude.
So maybe it's time for some of us to attend an AA meeting- I'm talking about "Attitude Adjustment"!  And while you're in class,  you might consider turning in your BA degree.
Remember, God believes you can do whatever He has called you to do: housewife, employee, employer, teacher, pastor, plumber, electrician, etc.  Philippians 1:6  I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Love - do we really?

A few weeks ago, my family attended a local conference.  Granted, the speaker wasn't someone that I would pay (again) to see, nor did he keep my wife or kids' attention very long, but I got something from what he said!  Leasa mentioned his speaking style certainly wasn't like our pastor's -- kuddos to Pastor Todd :)
When we say that we "love" someone or something, using that word can be confusing in the English language. We say that we "love" our car - until it starts costing too much to keep;  we "love" food - because it makes us feel good and settles our hunger.  Then we say that we "love" a person- our spouse, friend, pastor, parents, teacher, kids, etc.  
Here's the principle to determine if we really 'love' someone or something....if we can't get from it/the person what makes us feel good, or can't use it for our sake -  do we still "love" it?
The bible teaches us that God is the essence of and author of Love- and true love is found only in Him.  Because He loves people so much, He was willing to give the one person most precious to Him- His Son, Jesus - as the ultimate sacrifice to pay the penalty for humanity's wickedness.  Jesus didn't die on the cross because He knew people liked him or accepted His teachings; no, He died willingly, taking a risk that NO ONE would ever love Him or accept His sacrifice for them.  He and His Father, God, gave up His life even though there was no guarantee that anyone would accept His offer of freedom from sin. 
Now that's real LOVE!
So now we have to ask ourself this question:  If the thing or person you say you "love" would not be able to give you what you wanted or needed, or it/he/she could  not be used by you for your purposes/plans/desires....would you still "love" him/her/it??

This applies to every area of our life, but especially to those in our family and friends that we value...do we really love them with an attitude of giving ourself for/to them if they could never give back? 
Sobering thought, huh??

Breaking Bondages

If you attend church, many words are said that come from the Bible, yet are not in most of our daily verbage. Some people might call this 'Christianese'.  One example is found in Isaiah 10:27 where we read that the "anointing of God", which - in one simple explanation - is His power and approval,  "breaks and destroys bondages" (yokes of burden).

Anointing oil was used by the Jewish priests in Bible history as a specific ointment placed upon a person or item to 'set it apart' to be used by God. Example: King Saul and King David were anointed with this special oil by Samuel the preacher when he appointed them as king.  By the way, for us city peeps, a yoke is used on oxen or cattle so they can carry weight or pull plows, or keep two or more together.  With that explanation in mind, one translation of this text describes this 'anointing' as a 'fatness' or thickness that prevents a yoke from being secured onto an animal, object, etc.

In a practical manner I want to specifically look at this phrase as it relates to the Presence of the Lord in your church services and in our personal lives.  As we seek Him - meaning pursue God and His thoughts/desires for a given situation - through worship and prayer, God is pleased and moves in our personal life and church family.  There comes upon us and/or the persons we are praying for a 'thickness' that prevents spiritual bondages from taking hold in his/her life, thus the 'anointing breaks the yoke of bondage'.

No matter the name of our church, if it speaks Truth and exalts Jesus, every time we meet for service, people come to be encouraged,  healed and set free from bondages or 'yokes of burden';  it's our responsibility as believers to allow the Holy Spirit to minister and one important way of doing that is by 'saturating' the services in prayer beforehand, and even during the service.  Preparing the service by prayer causes this 'anointing' to be upon the people, from the 'pulpit to the pew'! 

As you begin to understand how powerful this anointing from God can be as it rests (unseen by the natural eye) upon people, let's be passionate about prayer and making intimate time w/ Jesus a priority. 

We are reminded in Isaiah 58:6 (Amplified) is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every [enslaving] yoke?

I hope this has given you some insight into a Bible phrase we often hear, yet may not fully understand its meaning. 

How Does Your Heart Rate?

"Let's check your pulse"... you've probably all heard this statement when going to the Dr., since a visit usually involves a nurse checking your heart rate.  At times, we need heart surgery and some people have even undergone a heart transplant.
Not only is our physical heart rate important, but according to the Bible, our heart is something that is important in our relationship with others and with God. Throughout the Bible we read the word 'heart';  in most cases, this is not a reference of our physical heart, but it refers to our 'inner being' - that part of us that's comprised of our thoughts and attitude. 
There is an Old Testament scripture that says we are to love God with all of our 'heart', soul and mind; Jesus is quoted as referencing this same text in His biographies by the Gospel writers.  When we read this text, it is not simply a suggestion for us to have a quality life-no, it is actually a command.  Our thoughts and attitudes toward God should be pure, with our motives for serving Him also being pure.  When they are not, imagine it being the same as a blocked artery or vein that affects your physical heart.  Doctors have several ways of 'cleaning' our blocked arteries and veins; God has offered us a means of 'cleaning' our thoughts and attitudes toward Him- it's a principle called confession and repentance.
Confess simply means 'to say the same as'.  In 1 John 1:9, we find that confessing our sins to God brings forgiveness and a cleansing.  Someone arrested for a crime is encouraged to 'confess' their part and motive; when doing this, they are admitting they did the 'same thing' they are accused of.  In the same manner, when we sin against God (ie, violate His Word) this verse says we are to say/admit we have done what God has said is wrong and are to be clear, not vague, in saying the wrong. 
To repent generally is defined as 'to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent.'  Notice it says to 'change';  if we look at repentance before God as a change of direction in thinking or life, this explains the principle of repentance in a biblical sense.  
When we are truly sorry and want to make changes in our life, we have grace - ability and desire - to confess our wrong to God (and others, when necessary) and we are to repent-change our thinking or attitude about the matter/issue.
So I'm sure you're asking...what do these terms have to do with my heart rate??
When our spirit, mind and attitude are blocked by sin, our spiritual heart rate is affected- it doesn't function as it should;  when we confess and repent of our sins, the 'blockage' is removed and our heart rate is normal.
This week, check your spirit's heart rate... is it functioning as it should, or do we need to visit Dr. Jesus?

Attitude- it will make me or break me

Attitude... What comes to mind when you hear that word?  Someone's face that you really think needs to get a new life.. or maybe the fellow employee, family member or church member that always has a negative comment about any given situation.  I'm sure there are many people that we think need a lecture about his/her attitude.
Sometimes I'll tell my kids to 'get an attitude check'. There are times I have to tell myself the same thing.  Life is not all about me!  
I've realized in my personal life that keeping a good attitude determines how I view and face many challenges; it also determines the outcome of my life during that situation. Here's a very true quote:  Our attitude determines our altitude!  That principle will help you realize why some people are overcomers in every area of their life, and why others feel like they are the 'last ones to get help'. 
One thing I've learned in 42 years of living - Life happens when we least expect it! Our job is to avoid this popular entitlement mentality that so many are taking on, and learn to face the reality of life -- sometimes we just don't get our way!
Do you realize your thoughts affect your attitude?  What you are thinking about determines your feelings of a matter.  Basically, change your thoughts - change your attitude!
If you are struggling with negative thoughts about your work, school, parents, spouse, pastor, co-worker, etc, I challenge you to check your attitude...that is where you will find the greatest success in life!!

Are we living in the 'last days' ?

In a recent conversation with my cousin on FB, she asked me a question - Is it possible that we are living in the 'end times'.  In response, I gave her a thesis that would go towards a master's degree. Ok, it really wasn't that long, just seemed like it! 

As I read books- both current and about history - and listen to opinions about what's happening, I see many people have a sense that societies around the globe - not just America - can't continue the current path without consequences. Also, there is a sense of 'something big' happening in the near future. This 'sense' has always been in the mind of people thru history- ie, reference the bible and other historical documents.
By reading the Bible and and taking into consideration what leaders are saying who have experience in the economy, our culture and politics, I understand we are living in a time of turmoil.  Yet people are hungry for truth and honesty- they are tired of greed, debt, etc.
The fact that the earth cannot - on a continual basis - physically withstand the harmful habits of people is referenced in the Bible as well as verified in research by scientists.  I'm talking about the Scriptures in the biblical book of Romans that relate how the earth itself gets 'sick' of the lawlessness of humanity and is waiting to be renewed.
Whether we believe the Bible or not, there is increasing evidence that nations are desperate for peace, societies are messed up and they are looking for someone with answers to their problems. Of course, this has always been the case, but I'm convinced God knew what a mess we'd be in and that evil would increase ( I guess so with approx 7 billion on the planet now !! ).
No He didn't purposefully create catastrophes or cause evil situations to happen just so He could 'save the world'; I'm more and more convinced that He knows the heart of people and what we can do when we are given opportunity, either good or evil. The sad fact is, man's heart is inclined to do wrong instead of right; look at our kid's....they don't have to be taught to do wrong (it comes naturally), they have to be taught to do things correctly!

So, knowing what man is capable of and how we can mess ourselves up so bad, Jesus told his followers details regarding the end of the present age. Pretty cool, since He could 'see' the future... Those 'times' are what many - including me - believe are happening now; but if they are not the specific times, most bible scholars agree that all predictions about events happening before Jesus' promised return have been fulfilled. So the next 'great event' according to the bible is Jesus' return to take Christians to Heaven before a 'great tribulation' happens.
One thing I know -- in one manner, we have to live our life as if we face God the next moment, yet at the same time we live to fulfill our purpose for being put on the planet. We can't just 'set around' waiting for the earth to explode!! People have to know about the One who gives real Peace- Jesus.

10 Commandments of Confrontation

In John Maxwell's book, Developing the Leader Within You, he gives 10 principles to help when we have to confront a person about his/her actions, attitude, etc.  For those of us who run from confrontation, as most people do, he suggests thinking in terms of clarity, instead of confronting; ie, clarify the issue instead of confronting the person.
1.  Do it privately, not publicly.
2.  Do it as soon as possible; that is more natural than waiting a long time.
3.  Speak to one issue at a time.  Don't overload a person with a long list of issues.
4.  Once you've made a point, don't keep repeating it.
5.  Deal only with actions the person can change.  If you ask the person to do something he/she is unable to
     do, frustration builds in your relationship.
6.  Avoid sarcasm. Sarcasm signals that you are angry at people, not at their actions, and may cause them to
     resent you. 
7.  Avoid words like always and never.  They usually detract from accuracy and make people defensive.
8.  Present criticisms as suggestions or questions, if possible.
9.  Don't apologize for the confrontational meeting.  Doing so detracts from it and may indicate you are not
     sure you had the right to say what you did. 
10.  Don't forget the compliments. Use 'the sandwich' approach in these type of conversations...compliment -
      confront - compliment. 

Pregnant with Passion

What if our desire for God and His principles to be working in our life were as strong as our desire for food, or our want for something that really satisfies us? 
Recently I was talking with a friend and found myself saying something that I had never put into words, but had been praying about...passion.  The words 'pregnant with passion' came out of my mouth, and then I realized what I had said;  wow, think about what it means to be pregnant - full of life, giving birth to something that's going to change your world! 
The one challenge you and I have is to not allow this life- this passion of pursuing another Kingdom that's different from our natural world - inside of us to be aborted.  We find in the Word of God that His desires can be ours - if we simply ask Him to place them in us; however, we are the determining factor whether this desire, this passion, is allowed to continue growing - or not.
My challenge is the same as yours....keeping our passion for God, His plan for us and His Word priority in my life.  We have a promise that anyone who 'seeks first God and His Kingdom' will have all our needs taken care of (Matt 6:33). 
As we go through this year, let's pray for and keep a passion for truth and wisdom, for healthy marriages and healthy relationships with our children, co-workers and friends.  
Ask yourself the question I asked myself... am I pregnant with a passion for God?  If so, amazing things are in store for  you! 

Do you get it?

A lack of quality communication in any relationship is a major factor in the shallowness or breakup of it.  Most, if not all, married couples admit to a struggle with communication; sadly, divorced couples reveal communication as one of the greatest challenges. Many employees quit or are asked/forced to resign due to a lack of proper communication from one or more parties. 
So let's ask ourself this question...if someone else were to rate my level of communication with him/her, what would be the result?  Granted, there are several variables involved in communication, some of which are:  ability of the one communicating the message to speak his/her thoughts clearly; an incorrect perception of the thoughts by the listener; a wrong attitude of either the speaker, listener - or both; a means of communication that's less than quality (ie, radio, CD, phone, sloppy writing, incomplete thoughts, etc).  The list can continue, but for sake of time, let's move on.

The responsibility of communication is not solely the communicator or the listener's; the communicator - the one speaking - has the responsibility to convey his/her thoughts in a way the listener(s) understands.  The receiver (listener or recipient of the message) has to be focused on what is being said.  I personally think the responsibility is moreso on the part of the one communicating; however, I understand from raising children and working with a lot of people that even when the communicator has done his/her best, the receiver is at fault for not focusing or paying attention and trying to understand what is being said. 
You might ask... what does this have to do w/ me as a normal person, or as a Christian?  God is the originator of communication.  He made the first attempts to speak with humanity (ref. Adam and Eve in Eden), and He made the decision to come in the form of Jesus, as a human, to communicate to people who He is and His purpose for them.
Looking at the character of God and His attempts to communicate w/ people, we see the means of doing everything we can to let the other person know what we are saying.  What if God had just given Moses the 10 Commandments and never spoke w/ humanity after that?   What if He only spoke through the prophets without sending Jesus to explain the heart of Father God?  
What if you are not really paying attention to what you are reading at this point :) Am I communicating my thoughts so you can understand? Just checking. 
Ok, let's continue....
My point in confronting me and you about this is....Do we really take time to communicate to our spouse, children, co-workers, family members, employees, employer, etc, or do we just assume that since we know what we're saying , then everyone else should?  You and I become very frustrated when our words are misconstrued, falsely interpreted, or taken in a wrong manner; this can lead to false accusations and other major issues with people.
One of the big challenges of any business is to communicate the heart and vision of the leaders to everyone, to the 'lowest on the list' so he/she can understand.  Do you realize that God has taken time, out of eternity, to make sure you and I, mere humans, understand His heart and love for us! He has done that by sending Jesus, giving us His written word, speaking to us through other people, and even by declaring His awesomeness by the stars, galaxies, and the details of the human body.
Here's our challenge:  never assume people understand what you are saying, and always be willing to over-communicate to insure your heart, vision, thoughts, etc, are clearly understood.  God did that for us by sending Jesus to 'seek and save those who are lost' - the least, which includes you and me.  Since He is our example, and we all know He has trouble communicating His heart to us (look at our actions),  let's make a point to be better communicators, to make sure we are doing all we can to clearly let others know what we are telling them...so they don't have to guess what's in our brain!
Spending time in someone's presence gives us opportunity to understand his/her heart;  let's not forget to allow the Greatest Communicator to speak to us by taking time in our busy schedule to pray - and then we make a point to listen and obey. 

What about me?

 A few days ago, I was reading a part of Stephen Covey's book, Principle-Centered Leadership.  He describes the story of a young man who visited his doctor because of feelings of boredom and restlessness.  After speaking with the Doctor and following some of his suggestions for 'recovery', this young man realized the dominant, overwhelming trend in his life was....selfishness.  He never identified with a purpose bigger than himself, but was always asking "What about me, What's in it for me?"
Boredom....have you caught yourself in this trap?  Or maybe you find your mind wondering about things you know are not good for you mentally, or for your spirit.  Or do you find yourself doing things that you once thought "I could never do that because it's wrong", etc?  Theses are symptoms of living only for ourself, instead of living for the purpose of serving others or another purpose outside of our 'normal' life. 
When Jesus came to earth, He didn't show up on a whim, or live like some of us - just going with the flow, no specific direction. He consistently lived His life with a purpose, to find those that were not in a relationship with His Father and tell them about Him. 
What about you?  Are you living for a purpose greater than yourself?   Are you willing to put down your self-centered lifestyle and live for something that is beyond your personal wants or desires?  I'm not saying that you have to live the lifestyle of Jesus and be a preacher/teacher/healer like He was; but when you wake up everyday, do your feet touch the floor with an excitement or expectation of something good....or do you wake up and think "Oh Lord, it's another day" ?
I challenge you to take a few minutes, hours or days - if necessary - to think about your motives for living day to day, minute by minute.  You can find hope, healing and joy by living life with a purpose other than yourself!

faith and trials

     I recently read some comments from a pastor regarding Luke 22:31-32 Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. ³² But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.

     We also know from John 17:9-19 that Jesus prays for us, His followers.  In addition, Mark 11:22 tells us to ‘have faith in God’. 

     These teachings encourage us that Jesus is praying for each of us and to believe God, in spite of tests or trials that will come.  We can’t rely on the fact that we pray or that we have faith, but we must depend on the God of our faith.

     We are all challenged in our personal faith when the issue we're praying about doesn't result in what we ask or expect.  I realize that can be very discouraging and frustrating;  but we have the Word of God to help us, even in times of misunderstanding.  There's a story in the Bible book of Daniel about 3 young men who refused to worship the man-made idol of the King.  They were brought to court to defend themselves... Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn't, it wouldn't make a bit of difference. We still wouldn't serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up." 

     You and I can be encouraged by their words - if what we are believing for doesn't happen, we don't have to give in to fear, dismay or doubt.  Our God is greater than any earthly defeat we suffer; we can trust Him to help us get through the tests and trials of this life, no matter how difficult.  And then, when we see Him face to face, all of this temporary life's issues will be finished and we'll have a new life in His Presence..free of pain, sorrow, fatigue and worry!

Ahhh, time for something new

Now we are in the first week of another year - 2011.  Many of us enjoyed 2010, but some of us are GLAD it's over!  In either situation, we have been given a new year, a fresh start, to make some more changes and to follow our purpose for living. 

I know, we get tired of hearing about resolutions... in fact the other day I read that most new year's resolutions only last several weeks.  We are such a "people of habit" that change requires a lot of work; but when we are tired of the insanity of falling short of our goals, we - on purpose - make the decision to change for the better. 

You might have very few responsibilities in your life..or you may have a lot:  marriage, children, work, parents, school... the list can seem endless.   However, if we will determine to take life 'one day at a time', that choice can help us manage and be in control of our schedule - instead of it controlling us. 

 I encourage you to consider this principle found in the Bible, Psalm 131:1 ...I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.

Also, think about this from Psalm 46:10 ... He says, “Be still, and know that I am God."

We can breathe easier and rest better knowing that God doesn't expect us to have everything under control; God is very capable and willing to take care of you and me in matters that we cannot control by our prayers, knowledge or physical ability.  

You do your best to live a life that seeks after the Lord and is willing to follow His counsel and you can expect Him to honor and help you in every situation!

So RELAX, and enjoy life in 2011.