6-1-2010
No Greater Love
Another great one from Wisdom Hunters!!!
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:12-14
There is no greater love than to give a life in order to save life. In the case of war, the canvas of history is painted with good people who— out of love for country and countrymen— gave their lives to protect the lives of those they loved. The ultimate sacrifice of self is the giving of one’s life on behalf of something of great value.
This pattern of Christ’s love is proof of our love for people. Soldiers of faith, who sacrifice their lives for people they have never met, do so because of Christ’s higher call of love. If we love liberty, if we love freedom, if we love democracy, if we love our inalienable rights, if we love each other, if we love God—we honor those who went to war to extend these values at home and abroad. Love lays down its life for what’s right.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16).
This is why mothers are motivated to spend a lifetime giving a life of love for their family. They teach their children character and model for them its application. This is why fathers work as unto the Lord with passion and dedication, so that they can provide for their family. This is why some friends even sacrifice their health in order to serve the unhealthy. Christians give sacrificially: because faith, hope and love are their motivation.
Does our heart break for what breaks the heart of Jesus? Do we give up comforts in order to comfort? Do we die to self, so we can give ourselves? If so, love will triumph and trump war at home, war at work and war overseas. Love never fails to get the right results, the right way. Memorials are built where a greater love gave itself for a greater good. Remember the fallen that gave us freedom of religion. Thank God for their heroics.
However, the cross is the ultimate memorial for freedom. Thanks be to God that His great love came to us even when we were enemies of His. “For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life” (Romans 5:10)!
Where is the Lord calling me to give my life? Who can I honor that gave themselves, so I can enjoy my freedoms?
Related Readings: 2 Samuel 10:12; Romans 5:7; Galatians 4:15; Philippians 2:15
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
You Can Do All Things
5-28-2010
You Can Do All Things
I was blessed to play pro baseball for a short stint, and I’ll never forget one of my most memorable moments. Here’s the odd thing, it had nothing to do with baseball! I was sitting in the bullpen during a game at LaGrave Stadium, it was about the 7th inning, and the game was getting close. The bullpen was down the right field line, and the fans were right on top of the players. For those of you that don’t know a whole lot about baseball, the bullpen is where the pitchers sit during a game. The other players stay in the dugout. I was a closer my rookie year, so it was about my time to start getting loose. During the game I noticed a family sitting in the front row, and they had their little girl with them. She was probably around 6-8 years old, and I couldn’t help but notice her staring at me, and here’s how the conversation went:
Me: “What’s your name?”
Her: “Your name isn’t Phil.”
Me: “You are exactly right. Who said my name was Phil?”
Her: “Your hat says Phil on it. Are you wearing someone else’s hat?”
Me: “No, this is my hat. My hat says Phil 4:13 to remind me of the strength I have from Jesus Christ. Philippians 4:13 is a bible verse that says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” I write this on my hat to remind that I am nothing on my own separate from Jesus.”
Her: “Cool!”
I wish I had made contact with her family that evening, but about ten seconds later, they called for me to get loose, so I had to stop the conversation. The amazing thing is I don’t remember anything else about that game. I don’t remember if they ever called me in to pitch or not. All I know is that little girl heard the message of Christ as a result of the writing “Phil 4:13” under the bill of my hat. I’ll never forget that moment, and it constantly reminds me that you never know whose watching. Each and every one of us makes an impact in people’s lives whether we know it or not. This statement is magnified when dealing with kids. Make sure the things of this world don’t distract you from what really matters. For those of you that have the opportunity to make an impact in a kid’s life, I pray you will do everything in your power to surround them with the love and message of Jesus Christ. If you don’t know exactly what to say or how to say it, relax, because the best way to do so rarely takes words! Model what Christ wants you to model and your kids will do what you do.
Application:
1.Read Philippians 4:10-13
2.Tell a child about Christ, and sometimes use words!
You Can Do All Things
I was blessed to play pro baseball for a short stint, and I’ll never forget one of my most memorable moments. Here’s the odd thing, it had nothing to do with baseball! I was sitting in the bullpen during a game at LaGrave Stadium, it was about the 7th inning, and the game was getting close. The bullpen was down the right field line, and the fans were right on top of the players. For those of you that don’t know a whole lot about baseball, the bullpen is where the pitchers sit during a game. The other players stay in the dugout. I was a closer my rookie year, so it was about my time to start getting loose. During the game I noticed a family sitting in the front row, and they had their little girl with them. She was probably around 6-8 years old, and I couldn’t help but notice her staring at me, and here’s how the conversation went:
Me: “What’s your name?”
Her: “Your name isn’t Phil.”
Me: “You are exactly right. Who said my name was Phil?”
Her: “Your hat says Phil on it. Are you wearing someone else’s hat?”
Me: “No, this is my hat. My hat says Phil 4:13 to remind me of the strength I have from Jesus Christ. Philippians 4:13 is a bible verse that says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” I write this on my hat to remind that I am nothing on my own separate from Jesus.”
Her: “Cool!”
I wish I had made contact with her family that evening, but about ten seconds later, they called for me to get loose, so I had to stop the conversation. The amazing thing is I don’t remember anything else about that game. I don’t remember if they ever called me in to pitch or not. All I know is that little girl heard the message of Christ as a result of the writing “Phil 4:13” under the bill of my hat. I’ll never forget that moment, and it constantly reminds me that you never know whose watching. Each and every one of us makes an impact in people’s lives whether we know it or not. This statement is magnified when dealing with kids. Make sure the things of this world don’t distract you from what really matters. For those of you that have the opportunity to make an impact in a kid’s life, I pray you will do everything in your power to surround them with the love and message of Jesus Christ. If you don’t know exactly what to say or how to say it, relax, because the best way to do so rarely takes words! Model what Christ wants you to model and your kids will do what you do.
Application:
1.Read Philippians 4:10-13
2.Tell a child about Christ, and sometimes use words!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Be Anxious About Nothing
5-27-2010
Be Anxious About Nothing
When I think of the word anxious, anticipation comes to mind. It’s the feeling you get the day before a vacation, and you can’t wait to get to your destination. You are anxious. On the flip side, you may be anxious about a piece of bad news. You may not know all of the facts, but you can’t stop thinking about the situation until you get all the information. Regardless, we are given very direct and simple instruction about anxiety.
In Philippians 4:6 we are given strict instructions by Paul. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” When we are anxious we have anxiety. Anxiety tends to lead to worry, and both are 100% the opposite of what we should be doing. We should control what we can control, focus on the process, and trust that God knows what’s best for us. To be anxious and worry about things solves nothing. In fact it does the opposite. Anxiety and worry leads to stress and it saps us of energy. Instead of focusing on the positives and all we have going on in life, we are dwelling on what may or may not come. We are called to live in the moment, and let tomorrow take care of its self, for we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. Seize the day!
Each and every day I pray, and one of the most fulfilling parts of each prayer is, “God, bless me mentally so that I will not worry or stress, and I rest all of my strength, worries, doubts, anxieties, and etcetera on your shoulders. I have no need to worry for you are not only with me, but you carry me.” This is exactly what Paul is telling us to do. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Instead of worrying, pray! If you want to understand the feeling of peace, grasp the reality that everything is in God’s hands. Everything!
Application:
1.Read Philippians 4:1-9
2.Think about everything you worry, stress, and are anxious about. Now give those up to God. Understand the waste of time worry, stress, and anxiety brings into your life.
Be Anxious About Nothing
When I think of the word anxious, anticipation comes to mind. It’s the feeling you get the day before a vacation, and you can’t wait to get to your destination. You are anxious. On the flip side, you may be anxious about a piece of bad news. You may not know all of the facts, but you can’t stop thinking about the situation until you get all the information. Regardless, we are given very direct and simple instruction about anxiety.
In Philippians 4:6 we are given strict instructions by Paul. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” When we are anxious we have anxiety. Anxiety tends to lead to worry, and both are 100% the opposite of what we should be doing. We should control what we can control, focus on the process, and trust that God knows what’s best for us. To be anxious and worry about things solves nothing. In fact it does the opposite. Anxiety and worry leads to stress and it saps us of energy. Instead of focusing on the positives and all we have going on in life, we are dwelling on what may or may not come. We are called to live in the moment, and let tomorrow take care of its self, for we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. Seize the day!
Each and every day I pray, and one of the most fulfilling parts of each prayer is, “God, bless me mentally so that I will not worry or stress, and I rest all of my strength, worries, doubts, anxieties, and etcetera on your shoulders. I have no need to worry for you are not only with me, but you carry me.” This is exactly what Paul is telling us to do. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Instead of worrying, pray! If you want to understand the feeling of peace, grasp the reality that everything is in God’s hands. Everything!
Application:
1.Read Philippians 4:1-9
2.Think about everything you worry, stress, and are anxious about. Now give those up to God. Understand the waste of time worry, stress, and anxiety brings into your life.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Power of Your Actions
5-26-2010
The Power of Your Actions
Here’s a true story about a former student at Duke University. It goes to show you, never underestimate the power of your actions!
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd."
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friend tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives."
He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before.
He said he had gone to private school before now. Until then, I never would have hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes.
We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. He stopped him and said, "Dang boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak.
Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him!
Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.
Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach ... but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.
He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.
I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.
The Power of Your Actions
Here’s a true story about a former student at Duke University. It goes to show you, never underestimate the power of your actions!
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd."
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friend tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives."
He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before.
He said he had gone to private school before now. Until then, I never would have hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes.
We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. He stopped him and said, "Dang boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak.
Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him!
Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.
Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach ... but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.
He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.
I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.
Monday, May 24, 2010
The Race
5-25-2010
The Race
If you could have anything in the world what would it be? Even more important, what would you do to get it? All of us have dreams, goals, and ambitions, but very few of us are willing to do what it takes to get there. The majority of the world looks at the most successful people, and do not realize they could have everything the successful have if they would simply do what the successful do. I’m often asked the question, how did you do it? When I answer with “I went for it, and I didn’t quit” they often think I’m joking with them. Success happens by design, not by accident, and if you want to be successful, do the little things that others won’t over the duration of time, and it adds up.
In Philippians 3:13-14 we hear one of the most important key to success. “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” When I read this verse, I think of the marathon runner steps from finishing, yet steps from collapsing all at the same time, and he keeps on going focused on the road ahead. Paul had every reason to forget the past due to the fact he used to kill Christians (he was referred to as Saul at the time). His past was horrible, yet look at all God used Paul for after he was transformed. Prior to knowing Christ he was the worst of the worst, yet God still had a plan for him. If you feel your past is so bad that God could never use you for his Glory, you are wrong! Once you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, the past is the past, and your job is to move forward. Like a marathon runner, stay focused, and push forward to the finish line. I promise you one thing, you will never accomplish the end result if you quit! Whatever it is you are trying to achieve at this point in your life, just remember, you could be one day away from your big breakthrough. I would hate for you to quit on your life’s dream the day before you could have accomplished it!
There are going to be days where the finish line seems too far away to comprehend, but don’t lose hope, stay focused on the process and the finish line will sneak up on you. The “race” can be difficult, but it’s not how you start, its how you finish. For years, you may have been running the race on the wrong team, and maybe even the wrong track! Here’s the great news, the real “race” starts and ends with Jesus. My heart goes out to those running the wrong race, and our job is to get them focused on the only race of significance. Once we have a runner, teach, train, and mentor them about the love, grace, and mercy of Christ. If I told you that every key to success was written down for you in one book called the Bible, wouldn’t it makes sense to read that book? The bible is your game plan for the “race” of life, and I’ve never met a successful person without a game plan.
Application:
1.Read Philippians 3:12-21
2.Are you running the wrong race? Let’s get back on track!
The Race
If you could have anything in the world what would it be? Even more important, what would you do to get it? All of us have dreams, goals, and ambitions, but very few of us are willing to do what it takes to get there. The majority of the world looks at the most successful people, and do not realize they could have everything the successful have if they would simply do what the successful do. I’m often asked the question, how did you do it? When I answer with “I went for it, and I didn’t quit” they often think I’m joking with them. Success happens by design, not by accident, and if you want to be successful, do the little things that others won’t over the duration of time, and it adds up.
In Philippians 3:13-14 we hear one of the most important key to success. “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” When I read this verse, I think of the marathon runner steps from finishing, yet steps from collapsing all at the same time, and he keeps on going focused on the road ahead. Paul had every reason to forget the past due to the fact he used to kill Christians (he was referred to as Saul at the time). His past was horrible, yet look at all God used Paul for after he was transformed. Prior to knowing Christ he was the worst of the worst, yet God still had a plan for him. If you feel your past is so bad that God could never use you for his Glory, you are wrong! Once you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, the past is the past, and your job is to move forward. Like a marathon runner, stay focused, and push forward to the finish line. I promise you one thing, you will never accomplish the end result if you quit! Whatever it is you are trying to achieve at this point in your life, just remember, you could be one day away from your big breakthrough. I would hate for you to quit on your life’s dream the day before you could have accomplished it!
There are going to be days where the finish line seems too far away to comprehend, but don’t lose hope, stay focused on the process and the finish line will sneak up on you. The “race” can be difficult, but it’s not how you start, its how you finish. For years, you may have been running the race on the wrong team, and maybe even the wrong track! Here’s the great news, the real “race” starts and ends with Jesus. My heart goes out to those running the wrong race, and our job is to get them focused on the only race of significance. Once we have a runner, teach, train, and mentor them about the love, grace, and mercy of Christ. If I told you that every key to success was written down for you in one book called the Bible, wouldn’t it makes sense to read that book? The bible is your game plan for the “race” of life, and I’ve never met a successful person without a game plan.
Application:
1.Read Philippians 3:12-21
2.Are you running the wrong race? Let’s get back on track!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Priorities
Priorities
If we measured our priorities by looking at what we spend our time doing, what would be your first priority? For example, if you spend the majority of the day at work, then priority number 1 would be work. If you spend the next greatest amount of time watching television, then that would be your second priority in life. A chart may look like this:
8 hours=work
8 hours=sleeping
2 hours=driving
2 hours=watching television
1 hour=working out
1 hour= playing with kids
1 hour=eating
1 hour=showering, restroom, etc.
24 Hours Total
Think about this graphic above, and then honestly write down where you’re spending your time. In Philippians 3:8 Paul says, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ.” In other words, nothing matters without knowing Christ. You can have everything, but if you do not know Christ, you have nothing. In order to have an intimate relationship with Christ, it takes prioritizing Christ for you and your family. You must MAKE time for him, your wife, significant other, family, and friends. Most people spend all of their left over time with the people they love the most. It doesn’t have to be this way.
We are all extremely busy people, so let’s discuss some creative ways to make time for Christ. Try listening to biblical messages while in the car, and listening to Christian music. I will be the first one to tell you that I feel some Christian music is BAD, so I’ll change the station every once in a while or make a phone call! However, there is a lot of great Christian music as well! Sometimes we need to get a little creative. For example, I run on the treadmill everyday for about 36 minutes. I spend this time in prayer. This gives me 36 minutes without interruptions to converse with God. Let’s face it, I’m not going anywhere , and it helps the time fly. These are just a couple of ideas to add God to the schedule while doing other things. The key point here is to make time to grow in your relationship with Christ. It’s like anything else in life; you will get out of it what you put into it.
Application:
1.Read Philippians 3:1-11
2.Write down your “priority schedule” as it relates to time spent. What changes need to occur?
If we measured our priorities by looking at what we spend our time doing, what would be your first priority? For example, if you spend the majority of the day at work, then priority number 1 would be work. If you spend the next greatest amount of time watching television, then that would be your second priority in life. A chart may look like this:
8 hours=work
8 hours=sleeping
2 hours=driving
2 hours=watching television
1 hour=working out
1 hour= playing with kids
1 hour=eating
1 hour=showering, restroom, etc.
24 Hours Total
Think about this graphic above, and then honestly write down where you’re spending your time. In Philippians 3:8 Paul says, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ.” In other words, nothing matters without knowing Christ. You can have everything, but if you do not know Christ, you have nothing. In order to have an intimate relationship with Christ, it takes prioritizing Christ for you and your family. You must MAKE time for him, your wife, significant other, family, and friends. Most people spend all of their left over time with the people they love the most. It doesn’t have to be this way.
We are all extremely busy people, so let’s discuss some creative ways to make time for Christ. Try listening to biblical messages while in the car, and listening to Christian music. I will be the first one to tell you that I feel some Christian music is BAD, so I’ll change the station every once in a while or make a phone call! However, there is a lot of great Christian music as well! Sometimes we need to get a little creative. For example, I run on the treadmill everyday for about 36 minutes. I spend this time in prayer. This gives me 36 minutes without interruptions to converse with God. Let’s face it, I’m not going anywhere , and it helps the time fly. These are just a couple of ideas to add God to the schedule while doing other things. The key point here is to make time to grow in your relationship with Christ. It’s like anything else in life; you will get out of it what you put into it.
Application:
1.Read Philippians 3:1-11
2.Write down your “priority schedule” as it relates to time spent. What changes need to occur?
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Objective Advice
5-21-2010
Objective Advice from Wisdom Hunters
“But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.”
2 Chronicles 10:8
Objective advice wants what’s best for you and for those whom you influence. They want God’s will for your life but sometimes it is not what you want to hear. It may not even be the easiest path to follow, but it is the right thing to do. There is only one agenda with objective advice: what is God’s best and right thing for you.
However, there will be other voices competing for your attention. You will not lack for biased advice with its own agenda. Their agenda includes what is in it for them. Biased advice favors a stronger position of power and financial gain for the advisor. It is tainted advice that needs to be avoided like sour milk. But objective advice is pure and healthy.
Biased advice may be expedient, therefore seem easier to execute. But why be expedient in the short-term, when in the long-term it is more painful. You may lose some of your best people(,) because good people want to follow leaders who are willing to make the hard decisions. “The integrity of the upright guides them” (Proverbs 11:3a).
Your business or ministry will not go to the next level without your submission to wise and objective advice. Seek out older men and women and integrate them into your circle of influence. The same can be said of your family. Your spouse is on your side. They have the purest objectives, because they have the most to gain or lose by your decisions. Be humble not harsh. Receive their advice and act upon it. Humility listens and learns.
Where do you find this quality of counsel? Seek out people who “have been there and done that”. Experience educates beyond naïve idealism. If you are planting a garden for the first time, you want to talk with someone with a “green thumb”. So go after people with experience in the areas in which you need advice. There is one caveat. Look for those who have learned from their experience. Experience without education is counterproductive.
Nevertheless, someone older and more experienced is a good place to start for objective advice. Ask them about their greatest successes and their greatest failures. As they talk, listen for humility, change and the ability to take responsibility for their actions. Solicit objective advice from those who maintain your same values and principles.
These are people who will not compromise quality for quantity. They will not be enamored with short-term gain that dilutes long-term integrity. Objective advice does not depend on unnecessary persuasion. Rather, they trust God to lead you. They will speak the truth in love and leave the results to God. Others may speak louder and more forcefully, but this does not mean their counsel is better. Ask for advice, filter it through prayer and then do what they say. Godly, objective advice originates with the Lord!
“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise” (Proverbs 19:20).
Who can I trust to give me objective advice? What area of my life might another need my (needs their) objective advice?
Related Readings: Proverbs 12:15; Isaiah 19:11; Romans 11:33-35; Acts 6:1-7
Objective Advice from Wisdom Hunters
“But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.”
2 Chronicles 10:8
Objective advice wants what’s best for you and for those whom you influence. They want God’s will for your life but sometimes it is not what you want to hear. It may not even be the easiest path to follow, but it is the right thing to do. There is only one agenda with objective advice: what is God’s best and right thing for you.
However, there will be other voices competing for your attention. You will not lack for biased advice with its own agenda. Their agenda includes what is in it for them. Biased advice favors a stronger position of power and financial gain for the advisor. It is tainted advice that needs to be avoided like sour milk. But objective advice is pure and healthy.
Biased advice may be expedient, therefore seem easier to execute. But why be expedient in the short-term, when in the long-term it is more painful. You may lose some of your best people(,) because good people want to follow leaders who are willing to make the hard decisions. “The integrity of the upright guides them” (Proverbs 11:3a).
Your business or ministry will not go to the next level without your submission to wise and objective advice. Seek out older men and women and integrate them into your circle of influence. The same can be said of your family. Your spouse is on your side. They have the purest objectives, because they have the most to gain or lose by your decisions. Be humble not harsh. Receive their advice and act upon it. Humility listens and learns.
Where do you find this quality of counsel? Seek out people who “have been there and done that”. Experience educates beyond naïve idealism. If you are planting a garden for the first time, you want to talk with someone with a “green thumb”. So go after people with experience in the areas in which you need advice. There is one caveat. Look for those who have learned from their experience. Experience without education is counterproductive.
Nevertheless, someone older and more experienced is a good place to start for objective advice. Ask them about their greatest successes and their greatest failures. As they talk, listen for humility, change and the ability to take responsibility for their actions. Solicit objective advice from those who maintain your same values and principles.
These are people who will not compromise quality for quantity. They will not be enamored with short-term gain that dilutes long-term integrity. Objective advice does not depend on unnecessary persuasion. Rather, they trust God to lead you. They will speak the truth in love and leave the results to God. Others may speak louder and more forcefully, but this does not mean their counsel is better. Ask for advice, filter it through prayer and then do what they say. Godly, objective advice originates with the Lord!
“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise” (Proverbs 19:20).
Who can I trust to give me objective advice? What area of my life might another need my (needs their) objective advice?
Related Readings: Proverbs 12:15; Isaiah 19:11; Romans 11:33-35; Acts 6:1-7
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Mentorship TIme
5-20-2010
Mentorship Time
Mentoring another individual is an absolute blessing, but it takes a lot of time and energy. John Maxwell has a great five step approach to mentoring: Model, Mentor, Monitor, Motivate, and Multiply. In other words, we must first model exactly what we expect someone else to be, do, and say. Second, we must mentor by not only explaining the how of each step, but the why. After doing what needs to be done, we do the next step of monitoring. This is where we let them do the task, while we simply watch and instruct. The fourth step speaks for itself, and the multiply simply means to teach others how to mentor others. After all, the best way to learn something is to teach it! As you see here, mentoring takes work, yet many of us miss so many mentoring moments.
In Philippians chapter 2 verse 19, Paul speaks of young Timothy, one of the young leaders in the church. In verse 22, Paul says, “But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.” This gives us a glimpse that Paul was training Timothy to carry out his ministry. Every great leader was at some point in time a great follower, so who did you follow or are you following, and who are you leading?
Backing up to verses 20-21, Paul comments, “I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” In other words, allow time to mentor others. Don’t keep such a jam packed schedule that you don’t have time to mentor those needing mentoring, or care for those needing your care. Do not allow your schedule to keep you from doing God’s work!
Application:
1.Read Philippians Chapter 2:19-30
2.Who can you mentor? Are you prepared to lead others?
3.Where can you carve out some time each day to focus on helping, mentoring, and praying for others?
Mentorship Time
Mentoring another individual is an absolute blessing, but it takes a lot of time and energy. John Maxwell has a great five step approach to mentoring: Model, Mentor, Monitor, Motivate, and Multiply. In other words, we must first model exactly what we expect someone else to be, do, and say. Second, we must mentor by not only explaining the how of each step, but the why. After doing what needs to be done, we do the next step of monitoring. This is where we let them do the task, while we simply watch and instruct. The fourth step speaks for itself, and the multiply simply means to teach others how to mentor others. After all, the best way to learn something is to teach it! As you see here, mentoring takes work, yet many of us miss so many mentoring moments.
In Philippians chapter 2 verse 19, Paul speaks of young Timothy, one of the young leaders in the church. In verse 22, Paul says, “But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.” This gives us a glimpse that Paul was training Timothy to carry out his ministry. Every great leader was at some point in time a great follower, so who did you follow or are you following, and who are you leading?
Backing up to verses 20-21, Paul comments, “I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” In other words, allow time to mentor others. Don’t keep such a jam packed schedule that you don’t have time to mentor those needing mentoring, or care for those needing your care. Do not allow your schedule to keep you from doing God’s work!
Application:
1.Read Philippians Chapter 2:19-30
2.Who can you mentor? Are you prepared to lead others?
3.Where can you carve out some time each day to focus on helping, mentoring, and praying for others?
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Your Video
5-19-2010
Your Video
God is so amazing if we will stop for a second and take notice. We speed around from event to event, meeting to meeting, and most often we miss the most important aspects of life.
As a coach, it’s important to stay focused on getting the most out of your kids, let alone staying focused on the X’s and O’s of coaching. You have to make the right decisions at the right time, put each player where they need to be, and make sure the umpires make the right calls. It seems the older I get, the more I appreciate just being around the kids and families. Believe it or not, I look forward to ministering to the kids I coach far more than I do coaching baseball! I watch each kid grow up right before my eyes, and now I actually have kids I coached working for me. It’s crazy. As I tell each kid, baseball comes and goes, and God didn’t put you on the earth to hit doubles or throw 90 miles per hour. There is far more to life than baseball. For each of you reading this devotional, think about the things that consume your time, and then ask yourself what’s really important.
In Philippians 2:12-18, Paul really hits home on the important of letting your love of Christ shine for all too see. Starting in verse 14 it says, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of god without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. “ Notice the part about “do everything without complaining or arguing” and ask yourself if you have followed these instructions. I know I haven’t, and I know I need to! No one wins an argument. Stay focused on the blessings of God, and free your mind from the negatives of the world. Misery follows misery, and you will never find a complainer by themselves, as they always find company. Don’t be the complaining type. Instead, be a positive light in all situations. No matter where you are, find the positive. You will find yourself in situations where you don’t agree with everything, or you may simply feel something could be done better. Do not give in to the temptation of gossip, bickering, complaining, and negativity. Keep a smile on your face, and find the positive. I love to ask myself this question: if I had a video camera recording everything I did and I had to sit down with God one day and replay the entire video, what would God say? I guarantee you we would all be embarrassed by that video! Do not allow the crookedness of this world to get the better of you.
The bible specifically talks about a “crooked and depraved generation” in verse 14. God calls us to shine the light of Christ in this crooked and depraved world. As long as the world has human being running around controlling everything, the world will be messed up because we are messed up. We all have faults and downfalls. As a totally committed follower of Christ, do all you can to tell others who Christ is through the way you live your life. Make sure the video of your life is full of God honoring moments.
Application:
1. Read Philippians 2:12-18
2.What does your video look like?
Your Video
God is so amazing if we will stop for a second and take notice. We speed around from event to event, meeting to meeting, and most often we miss the most important aspects of life.
As a coach, it’s important to stay focused on getting the most out of your kids, let alone staying focused on the X’s and O’s of coaching. You have to make the right decisions at the right time, put each player where they need to be, and make sure the umpires make the right calls. It seems the older I get, the more I appreciate just being around the kids and families. Believe it or not, I look forward to ministering to the kids I coach far more than I do coaching baseball! I watch each kid grow up right before my eyes, and now I actually have kids I coached working for me. It’s crazy. As I tell each kid, baseball comes and goes, and God didn’t put you on the earth to hit doubles or throw 90 miles per hour. There is far more to life than baseball. For each of you reading this devotional, think about the things that consume your time, and then ask yourself what’s really important.
In Philippians 2:12-18, Paul really hits home on the important of letting your love of Christ shine for all too see. Starting in verse 14 it says, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of god without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. “ Notice the part about “do everything without complaining or arguing” and ask yourself if you have followed these instructions. I know I haven’t, and I know I need to! No one wins an argument. Stay focused on the blessings of God, and free your mind from the negatives of the world. Misery follows misery, and you will never find a complainer by themselves, as they always find company. Don’t be the complaining type. Instead, be a positive light in all situations. No matter where you are, find the positive. You will find yourself in situations where you don’t agree with everything, or you may simply feel something could be done better. Do not give in to the temptation of gossip, bickering, complaining, and negativity. Keep a smile on your face, and find the positive. I love to ask myself this question: if I had a video camera recording everything I did and I had to sit down with God one day and replay the entire video, what would God say? I guarantee you we would all be embarrassed by that video! Do not allow the crookedness of this world to get the better of you.
The bible specifically talks about a “crooked and depraved generation” in verse 14. God calls us to shine the light of Christ in this crooked and depraved world. As long as the world has human being running around controlling everything, the world will be messed up because we are messed up. We all have faults and downfalls. As a totally committed follower of Christ, do all you can to tell others who Christ is through the way you live your life. Make sure the video of your life is full of God honoring moments.
Application:
1. Read Philippians 2:12-18
2.What does your video look like?
Monday, May 17, 2010
Serving
5-18-2010
Serving
Christ came to the earth to serve, not be served. This is quite a contrast from the “kings” of the world. They walk around being bowed down to, gold crowns on their head, and servants awaiting their every need. Christ taught us the importance of not only serving others, but genuinely caring for others.
In Philippians chapter 2 Paul says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” I wish every person on earth did what this passage calls us to do. Instead, we live in a world of selfish motives and desires. Some people will do anything if it benefits them, with little or no consideration of the others affected.
In verse 5, Paul says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” We cannot control others, nor should we try. I’ve believe we should control what we can control, and one of the most important things we can control is our attitude. We need to have a Christ-like attitude of humble service. In other words, serve others because that’s exactly what Christ did. Do not serve others for the recognition in may bring. In fact, the bible tells us to give with a humble heart. When you give your time, money, service, and etc. do so without telling anyone. Serve to serve!
Verses 10-11 says, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” What Paul is telling us is you will meet your maker. You can deny him all you want, but you will answer to him, and everyone will recognize that he is God!
Application:
1.Read Philippians 2: 1-11
2.Do you find joy in serving? If not why?
Serving
Christ came to the earth to serve, not be served. This is quite a contrast from the “kings” of the world. They walk around being bowed down to, gold crowns on their head, and servants awaiting their every need. Christ taught us the importance of not only serving others, but genuinely caring for others.
In Philippians chapter 2 Paul says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” I wish every person on earth did what this passage calls us to do. Instead, we live in a world of selfish motives and desires. Some people will do anything if it benefits them, with little or no consideration of the others affected.
In verse 5, Paul says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” We cannot control others, nor should we try. I’ve believe we should control what we can control, and one of the most important things we can control is our attitude. We need to have a Christ-like attitude of humble service. In other words, serve others because that’s exactly what Christ did. Do not serve others for the recognition in may bring. In fact, the bible tells us to give with a humble heart. When you give your time, money, service, and etc. do so without telling anyone. Serve to serve!
Verses 10-11 says, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” What Paul is telling us is you will meet your maker. You can deny him all you want, but you will answer to him, and everyone will recognize that he is God!
Application:
1.Read Philippians 2: 1-11
2.Do you find joy in serving? If not why?
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The Power of Prayer
5-17-2010
The Power of Prayer
Here's a great story that was sent to me last week about the power of prayer. Enjoy!
Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and Then just put it on a list and said, 'I'll pray for them later'?
Or has anyone ever called you and said,
'I need you to pray for me, I have this need?'
Read the following story that was sent to me and may it change the way that you may think about prayer and also the way you pray. You will be blessed by this.....
A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan .
'While serving at a small field hospital in Africa , every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point.
On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine, and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital.
Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord.
I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident.....
Two weeks later I repeated my journey.
Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated.
He told me that he had known I carried
Money and medicines.
He said, 'Some friends and I followed you in to the jungle, Knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, We saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.
At this, I laughed and said that I was
Certainly all alone in that jungle campsite..
The young man pressed the point, however, and said,
'No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards, my friends also saw them, and we all counted them.
It was because of those guards that
We were afraid and left you alone'
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story:
'On the night of your incident in Africa ,
It was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you.
In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you.
Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?' The men who had met together to pray that day stood up.. The missionary wasn't concerned with whom they were, He was too busy counting how many men he saw.
There were 26.
This story is an incredible example of how the Spirit of the Lord moves in behalf of those who love Him. If you ever feel such prodding to pray, go along with it, you don't know what it can mean to that person.
Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell. I encourage you to forward this to as many people as you know. If we all take it to heart, we can turn this world toward God once again.
As the above true story clearly illustrates,
'With God all things are possible'.
More importantly, how God hears and
Answers the prayers of the faithful.
The Power of Prayer
Here's a great story that was sent to me last week about the power of prayer. Enjoy!
Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and Then just put it on a list and said, 'I'll pray for them later'?
Or has anyone ever called you and said,
'I need you to pray for me, I have this need?'
Read the following story that was sent to me and may it change the way that you may think about prayer and also the way you pray. You will be blessed by this.....
A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan .
'While serving at a small field hospital in Africa , every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point.
On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine, and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital.
Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord.
I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident.....
Two weeks later I repeated my journey.
Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated.
He told me that he had known I carried
Money and medicines.
He said, 'Some friends and I followed you in to the jungle, Knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, We saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.
At this, I laughed and said that I was
Certainly all alone in that jungle campsite..
The young man pressed the point, however, and said,
'No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards, my friends also saw them, and we all counted them.
It was because of those guards that
We were afraid and left you alone'
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story:
'On the night of your incident in Africa ,
It was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you.
In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you.
Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?' The men who had met together to pray that day stood up.. The missionary wasn't concerned with whom they were, He was too busy counting how many men he saw.
There were 26.
This story is an incredible example of how the Spirit of the Lord moves in behalf of those who love Him. If you ever feel such prodding to pray, go along with it, you don't know what it can mean to that person.
Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell. I encourage you to forward this to as many people as you know. If we all take it to heart, we can turn this world toward God once again.
As the above true story clearly illustrates,
'With God all things are possible'.
More importantly, how God hears and
Answers the prayers of the faithful.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Who Are You Serving?
5-14-2010
Who Are You Serving
It’s easy to want to please man. Quite frankly, I bet most of us; if not all of us, do our best to win the approval of man on a rather consistent basis. There’s nothing wrong with this, as long as what you are doing is in line with what God wants you to do, and if your first goal is to please God.
In Philippians 1:12 Paul says, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” Remember, Paul is in chains at this point in time for preaching the gospel. Imagine if you were put in chains for speaking about the maker of the world! Being imprisoned would cause a lot of us to lose hope, or start the blame game. Instead, Paul viewed this as an opportunity to make an impact for the kingdom of God. Paul gives us the perfect example of what to do during tough times. We are going to have peaks and valleys in life, and our job is to find the good in all of those situations.
As a Christ follower, you truly understand the things of this world are only temporary; therefore, it makes sense that Paul would devote his time in prison to Christ. Just about anyone in his situation would stop preaching the gospel so they could be freed from prison, yet Paul continued to deliver truth. One of my daily prayers goes like this, “my goal is to win your approval Lord, and not the approval of man. Take from me the desire to win man’s approval, unless it lines up with your approval.” It’s easy to fight for worldly approval, but Christ isn’t concerned with what the world thinks. Each and every one of us makes the decision to either serve God or serve man. Granted, Christ has called us to serve every one, so the point we need to gather from the bible passage is to serve Christ at all times. At the end of your road, you are going to meet your maker, and my prayer for you is he says, “Job well done my good and faithful servant!”
Application:
1.Read Philippians 1:12-30
2.What facet of your life do you tend to “hide” God? Why?
Who Are You Serving
It’s easy to want to please man. Quite frankly, I bet most of us; if not all of us, do our best to win the approval of man on a rather consistent basis. There’s nothing wrong with this, as long as what you are doing is in line with what God wants you to do, and if your first goal is to please God.
In Philippians 1:12 Paul says, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” Remember, Paul is in chains at this point in time for preaching the gospel. Imagine if you were put in chains for speaking about the maker of the world! Being imprisoned would cause a lot of us to lose hope, or start the blame game. Instead, Paul viewed this as an opportunity to make an impact for the kingdom of God. Paul gives us the perfect example of what to do during tough times. We are going to have peaks and valleys in life, and our job is to find the good in all of those situations.
As a Christ follower, you truly understand the things of this world are only temporary; therefore, it makes sense that Paul would devote his time in prison to Christ. Just about anyone in his situation would stop preaching the gospel so they could be freed from prison, yet Paul continued to deliver truth. One of my daily prayers goes like this, “my goal is to win your approval Lord, and not the approval of man. Take from me the desire to win man’s approval, unless it lines up with your approval.” It’s easy to fight for worldly approval, but Christ isn’t concerned with what the world thinks. Each and every one of us makes the decision to either serve God or serve man. Granted, Christ has called us to serve every one, so the point we need to gather from the bible passage is to serve Christ at all times. At the end of your road, you are going to meet your maker, and my prayer for you is he says, “Job well done my good and faithful servant!”
Application:
1.Read Philippians 1:12-30
2.What facet of your life do you tend to “hide” God? Why?
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tough Love
5-13-2010
Tough Love
If there is one word to describe the teachings of Christ it could be the word love. We are called to love God above everything, and to love others. For some, showing love toward others may come easy, while for others it can be difficult. I think most of us would agree, showing love for our “enemies” and during difficult situations can be extremely difficult for just about all of us.
If there is one major characteristic of a true Christ follower, it would be an unconditional love for others despite the circumstance or person(s) involved. There have been many times when I’ve had a disagreement with someone, and I didn’t show Christ’s love the way I should have, so I’ve had to apologize. I’ve found it saves me a lot of time to simply love people as Christ’s called us to love people, and move on from the situation. I still fall short at times, as my type A personality still shows his face every once in a while, and when it does I make it right. Find the good in all people, and pray for those that persecute you.
Paul says in Philippians 1:9-11, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God.” As we grow in our relationship with Christ, and in our understanding of Christ, the way we respond to difficult situations will completely change. We will love our enemies, and we will see difficult situations in our lives as an opportunity to minister to others through our words and actions. Instead of getting in an argument or yelling when we are upset, we will respond in a Christ like manner. Paul’s about to be put on trial and is going through imprisonment, yet he writes this letter of JOY! Why is Paul so joyous? Because he gets it! He knows what’s important in life, and equally as important, he has learned what isn’t.
Application:
1.Read Philippians 1:1-11
2.Think about negative situations in your recent past and how you handled them. How would Christ handle them?
Tough Love
If there is one word to describe the teachings of Christ it could be the word love. We are called to love God above everything, and to love others. For some, showing love toward others may come easy, while for others it can be difficult. I think most of us would agree, showing love for our “enemies” and during difficult situations can be extremely difficult for just about all of us.
If there is one major characteristic of a true Christ follower, it would be an unconditional love for others despite the circumstance or person(s) involved. There have been many times when I’ve had a disagreement with someone, and I didn’t show Christ’s love the way I should have, so I’ve had to apologize. I’ve found it saves me a lot of time to simply love people as Christ’s called us to love people, and move on from the situation. I still fall short at times, as my type A personality still shows his face every once in a while, and when it does I make it right. Find the good in all people, and pray for those that persecute you.
Paul says in Philippians 1:9-11, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God.” As we grow in our relationship with Christ, and in our understanding of Christ, the way we respond to difficult situations will completely change. We will love our enemies, and we will see difficult situations in our lives as an opportunity to minister to others through our words and actions. Instead of getting in an argument or yelling when we are upset, we will respond in a Christ like manner. Paul’s about to be put on trial and is going through imprisonment, yet he writes this letter of JOY! Why is Paul so joyous? Because he gets it! He knows what’s important in life, and equally as important, he has learned what isn’t.
Application:
1.Read Philippians 1:1-11
2.Think about negative situations in your recent past and how you handled them. How would Christ handle them?
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Branding
5-12-2010
Branding
Wisdom Hunters has a great devotional on branding. Enjoy!
Brand Integrity… “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:1
What is my personal and professional brand? Are they the same? Do they align around the glory of God? My brand integrity is based on my promise to be who I claim to be. If I claim to be a person of compassion, do I show up when friends and family are suffering? If my ministry or business promises an excellent product, service and delivery, do I stand by my professional guarantee? Brand integrity creates value, admiration and loyalty.
However, if we over promise and under deliver, overtime brand loyalty erodes and once enthusiastic fans defect to a more effective service. For example, a well-meaning leader in the community can over commit to serve on multiple boards. Then he or she finds themselves missing meetings and not engaging in the culture of the organization. Their personal brand becomes tarnished and it reflects badly on their professional brand.
So, have you defined your personal and professional brand? How are you perceived and does it align with how you see yourself? What is the Lord’s desire for your branding? Your brand name is what distinguishes you from others who serve in your space. Is your distinctive relational care? If so, continue to build on this personal value with increased attention on those you serve. Do you draw out emotional engagement from the content you create? Then perhaps you make it easier to access and organize your writings.
Lastly, look for brand integrity in those who represent you in the field, on your staff and on your board of directors. Do they enhance your brand with their character and commitment or do they dilute its reputation? It’s better to have an empty role than to fill it with the wrong person. Don’t be in rush to grow your organization beyond its brand integrity. A good name at home and work is the brand that gives God the glory!
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man” (Proverbs 3:3-4).
What is my personal and professional brand? By God’s grace do I deliver with integrity?
Related Readings: Psalm 52:9; Ecclesiastes 7:1; Acts 9:36; 1 Timothy 3:7; Revelation 3:1
Branding
Wisdom Hunters has a great devotional on branding. Enjoy!
Brand Integrity… “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:1
What is my personal and professional brand? Are they the same? Do they align around the glory of God? My brand integrity is based on my promise to be who I claim to be. If I claim to be a person of compassion, do I show up when friends and family are suffering? If my ministry or business promises an excellent product, service and delivery, do I stand by my professional guarantee? Brand integrity creates value, admiration and loyalty.
However, if we over promise and under deliver, overtime brand loyalty erodes and once enthusiastic fans defect to a more effective service. For example, a well-meaning leader in the community can over commit to serve on multiple boards. Then he or she finds themselves missing meetings and not engaging in the culture of the organization. Their personal brand becomes tarnished and it reflects badly on their professional brand.
So, have you defined your personal and professional brand? How are you perceived and does it align with how you see yourself? What is the Lord’s desire for your branding? Your brand name is what distinguishes you from others who serve in your space. Is your distinctive relational care? If so, continue to build on this personal value with increased attention on those you serve. Do you draw out emotional engagement from the content you create? Then perhaps you make it easier to access and organize your writings.
Lastly, look for brand integrity in those who represent you in the field, on your staff and on your board of directors. Do they enhance your brand with their character and commitment or do they dilute its reputation? It’s better to have an empty role than to fill it with the wrong person. Don’t be in rush to grow your organization beyond its brand integrity. A good name at home and work is the brand that gives God the glory!
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man” (Proverbs 3:3-4).
What is my personal and professional brand? By God’s grace do I deliver with integrity?
Related Readings: Psalm 52:9; Ecclesiastes 7:1; Acts 9:36; 1 Timothy 3:7; Revelation 3:1
Monday, May 10, 2010
Brad McCoy's Speech
5-11-2010
Brad McCoy’s Speech
A parent from one of the Dallas Patriots sent the following email to one of our coaches. Enjoy!
Dear Friends,
I had the opportunity to hear Colt McCoy’s Dad speak this Tuesday morning
to the Dallas Christian Leadership Prayer Breakfast. The breakfast is an
annual breakfast that was started by Tom Landry and other Dallas leaders
over 40 years ago and the speakers are usually amazing. Colt McCoy and his
Dad, Brad, were supposed to deliver a combined message; however, Colt
became sick on Monday and could not join his Dad on Tuesday morning. In
the end, it was a blessing because Brad McCoy delivered a message on
raising Colt and his two other boys that was truly amazing! The cliff
notes are below. I took copious notes because he prefaced his speech by
stating, “I am going to talk about the four principles with which we
raised our three boys.” They are incredibly applicable to us as parents
(regardless of the sex of our children) and they made a significant mark
on my heart.
Brad McCoy said that he and his wife raised their children according to
the following four principles:
1. “Prepare your child for the path, not the path for your child.” Brad
said this is not just for our kids – it is for us as parents. The road is
rough, narrow and hard to find. We have a book (the Bible), a map
vis-à-vis the Bible and God to help us. We must prepare ourselves and our
kids for moments in life when doors open and close. He cited Proverbs
22:6: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will
not turn from it.” He also cited, almost in jest but also in reality,
Proverbs 23:13, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish
him with the rod, he will not die.” It was a funny contrast, but a real
contrast. He then said, “Dads, fight for your kids, prepare them!”
2. “Prepare to be our best.” This was one of the four McCoy family
mottos. He cited 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all
the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get
the prize.” He stated that every day he would take his kids to school and
upon them exited the car, he would say to them, “Do your best and be a
leader!” He said that they listened every time and even as they got older
(4th, 5th and 6th grades) he would repeat these words even if they said,
“Yeah, Yeah, Dad, I know, do your best and be a leader!” He said that as a
coach for 27 years, he would always lead his team onto the field and leave
his team at every practice with the chant, “Expect to Win, Play to
Win.” And he implored us as parents to instill the same attitude in our
homes and in our children. He cited Jim Collins book, Good to Great,
stating that good is the enemy of Great! We don’t aim high and miss – as
we would like to believe. In fact, most times, we aim low and hit the
mark! As parents, he implored us not to aim low! Aim high!!!
3. “Be a Leader” He stated that we are surrounded by such a great cloud
of witnesses – great leaders that we can draw from and that our kids can
draw from. He said we are all at the mercy of time and money and asked a
rhetorical question: How do you spend your time and money. He then said
that how we spend our time and money is a direct reflection on where our
true priorities lie. Convicting! He then said as a leader that he has
always loved the quote by Ghandi (even though he didn’t ascribe to all of
Ghandi’s beliefs): “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with dirty
feet.” He said that as he taught this principle to his three boys that
Colt McCoy turned this phrase into his own words: “Thoughts become
things.” Colt would tell his younger brothers as he mentored them, “ You
can’t talk like that or think like that, because thoughts become things
that play themselves out in your life.”
4. “Prepare for Open and Closed Doors.” As a Dad, he said it was painful
beyond all of his years on this earth to watch his son get hurt in the
first series of play in the National Championship at the Rose Bowl. A
perfect setting. A setting his son had dreamed of ever since he threw the
football with his Dad in the front yard as a kid. As a Dad, he went over
to his son’s hotel room after the Championship loss and the demoralizing
fate for such a NCAA football star. He went to his son’s room to cheer his
son up and was praying to God for the right words. He entered his son’s
hotel room to find his son finishing a devotional. A devotional that read
as follows: “My positive energy must be better than my negative energy. My
certainty must be me stronger than my doubt. The battle is won before I
ever start the fight. I choose faith over fear. Leave a legacy of
excellence, love, dedication and service. Jeremiah stated, ‘Blessed is the
man who’s trust is in the Lord.’ He said as a Dad, he had to find a
corner of Colt’s hotel room to sit down and cry over the maturity of his
son. His son was prepared for open and closed doors! Wow!!
He then finished his speech by stating that as he consoled his son under
the Rose Bowl stadium, after it was readily apparent that Colt would not
be able to go back onto the field and play for the Longhorns. And as he
was trying to motivate his son, his son motivated the team and his Dad.
His son stepped into a new mantle of leadership. Rather than return to
the field in pedestrian clothes, Colt insisted on returning to the field
to help his team win. He walked back onto the field in his uniform and
helped the second string quarterback read the defense and mentored the
second string quarterback over the course of the 3rd and 4th quarters. He
said that his son had been studying “trust” in a Bible Study all year long
leading up to the National Championship game. He said his son had told his
mom and dad that he didn’t know why he had been studying
that “trust”concept all year, but he fully knew why in the moments leading
up to the National Championship loss. He told his parents that he came to
the conclusion that God had “prepared me for years leading up to that
game, because He wanted me to “trust” Him!” As his son, Colt, was
approached by news reporters after the Longhorns had lost the National
Championship, the reporters asked Colt how he was feeling and Colt
replied:“I always give God the glory. I never question what God does. God
is in control of my life and if nothing else, I am standing on the Rock!”
Brad McCoy said that his cell phone began lighting up with texts after the
game with friends, ministers and family members wildly acclaiming the
statement that Colt had made to the reporters. He said that he received
letters from non-believers, Jewish ministers, Muslim ministers and
atheists in the days following the game – all pointing to
the AMAZING statement that Colt had made after the game. He said that as
he entered Colt’s hotel room that night, he asked his son, “What did you
say after game?” [He had not been able to hear it in the mayhem of the
stadium.] Brad McCoy, Colt’s Dad, asked two to three times, “Son, what
did you say after the game?” Colt said, “Dad, I don’t know. I really
don’t remember what I said. All I remember is that the reporter asked me
a question and I prayed that God would supply me with the right
answer.” Wow!!
Brad McCoy then ended his speech by telling a story about a young football
player that he was coaching back in his hometown. He said the young
football player approached Brad McCoy after he returned from Pasadena and
said, “Coach, I heard what your son said after the game, but I have one
question: What is the rock?” He said it’s funny son. We sing about it in
church. He then began singing accapella: “My hope is built on nothing
less, Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name. On Christ the solid Rock I
stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In
every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil. On Christ
the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground
is sinking sand. His oath, His covenant, His blood, Support me in the
whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my Hope
and Stay. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking
sand; All other ground is sinking sand. When He shall come with trumpet
sound, Oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne. On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand.”
By the end of his singing, the entire room of men and women were singing
in unison with Brad McCoy. It was truly an amazing morning for the Lord
and a truly amazing speech for us to learn from as parents
Thanks Again!
Brad McCoy’s Speech
A parent from one of the Dallas Patriots sent the following email to one of our coaches. Enjoy!
Dear Friends,
I had the opportunity to hear Colt McCoy’s Dad speak this Tuesday morning
to the Dallas Christian Leadership Prayer Breakfast. The breakfast is an
annual breakfast that was started by Tom Landry and other Dallas leaders
over 40 years ago and the speakers are usually amazing. Colt McCoy and his
Dad, Brad, were supposed to deliver a combined message; however, Colt
became sick on Monday and could not join his Dad on Tuesday morning. In
the end, it was a blessing because Brad McCoy delivered a message on
raising Colt and his two other boys that was truly amazing! The cliff
notes are below. I took copious notes because he prefaced his speech by
stating, “I am going to talk about the four principles with which we
raised our three boys.” They are incredibly applicable to us as parents
(regardless of the sex of our children) and they made a significant mark
on my heart.
Brad McCoy said that he and his wife raised their children according to
the following four principles:
1. “Prepare your child for the path, not the path for your child.” Brad
said this is not just for our kids – it is for us as parents. The road is
rough, narrow and hard to find. We have a book (the Bible), a map
vis-à-vis the Bible and God to help us. We must prepare ourselves and our
kids for moments in life when doors open and close. He cited Proverbs
22:6: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will
not turn from it.” He also cited, almost in jest but also in reality,
Proverbs 23:13, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish
him with the rod, he will not die.” It was a funny contrast, but a real
contrast. He then said, “Dads, fight for your kids, prepare them!”
2. “Prepare to be our best.” This was one of the four McCoy family
mottos. He cited 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all
the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get
the prize.” He stated that every day he would take his kids to school and
upon them exited the car, he would say to them, “Do your best and be a
leader!” He said that they listened every time and even as they got older
(4th, 5th and 6th grades) he would repeat these words even if they said,
“Yeah, Yeah, Dad, I know, do your best and be a leader!” He said that as a
coach for 27 years, he would always lead his team onto the field and leave
his team at every practice with the chant, “Expect to Win, Play to
Win.” And he implored us as parents to instill the same attitude in our
homes and in our children. He cited Jim Collins book, Good to Great,
stating that good is the enemy of Great! We don’t aim high and miss – as
we would like to believe. In fact, most times, we aim low and hit the
mark! As parents, he implored us not to aim low! Aim high!!!
3. “Be a Leader” He stated that we are surrounded by such a great cloud
of witnesses – great leaders that we can draw from and that our kids can
draw from. He said we are all at the mercy of time and money and asked a
rhetorical question: How do you spend your time and money. He then said
that how we spend our time and money is a direct reflection on where our
true priorities lie. Convicting! He then said as a leader that he has
always loved the quote by Ghandi (even though he didn’t ascribe to all of
Ghandi’s beliefs): “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with dirty
feet.” He said that as he taught this principle to his three boys that
Colt McCoy turned this phrase into his own words: “Thoughts become
things.” Colt would tell his younger brothers as he mentored them, “ You
can’t talk like that or think like that, because thoughts become things
that play themselves out in your life.”
4. “Prepare for Open and Closed Doors.” As a Dad, he said it was painful
beyond all of his years on this earth to watch his son get hurt in the
first series of play in the National Championship at the Rose Bowl. A
perfect setting. A setting his son had dreamed of ever since he threw the
football with his Dad in the front yard as a kid. As a Dad, he went over
to his son’s hotel room after the Championship loss and the demoralizing
fate for such a NCAA football star. He went to his son’s room to cheer his
son up and was praying to God for the right words. He entered his son’s
hotel room to find his son finishing a devotional. A devotional that read
as follows: “My positive energy must be better than my negative energy. My
certainty must be me stronger than my doubt. The battle is won before I
ever start the fight. I choose faith over fear. Leave a legacy of
excellence, love, dedication and service. Jeremiah stated, ‘Blessed is the
man who’s trust is in the Lord.’ He said as a Dad, he had to find a
corner of Colt’s hotel room to sit down and cry over the maturity of his
son. His son was prepared for open and closed doors! Wow!!
He then finished his speech by stating that as he consoled his son under
the Rose Bowl stadium, after it was readily apparent that Colt would not
be able to go back onto the field and play for the Longhorns. And as he
was trying to motivate his son, his son motivated the team and his Dad.
His son stepped into a new mantle of leadership. Rather than return to
the field in pedestrian clothes, Colt insisted on returning to the field
to help his team win. He walked back onto the field in his uniform and
helped the second string quarterback read the defense and mentored the
second string quarterback over the course of the 3rd and 4th quarters. He
said that his son had been studying “trust” in a Bible Study all year long
leading up to the National Championship game. He said his son had told his
mom and dad that he didn’t know why he had been studying
that “trust”concept all year, but he fully knew why in the moments leading
up to the National Championship loss. He told his parents that he came to
the conclusion that God had “prepared me for years leading up to that
game, because He wanted me to “trust” Him!” As his son, Colt, was
approached by news reporters after the Longhorns had lost the National
Championship, the reporters asked Colt how he was feeling and Colt
replied:“I always give God the glory. I never question what God does. God
is in control of my life and if nothing else, I am standing on the Rock!”
Brad McCoy said that his cell phone began lighting up with texts after the
game with friends, ministers and family members wildly acclaiming the
statement that Colt had made to the reporters. He said that he received
letters from non-believers, Jewish ministers, Muslim ministers and
atheists in the days following the game – all pointing to
the AMAZING statement that Colt had made after the game. He said that as
he entered Colt’s hotel room that night, he asked his son, “What did you
say after game?” [He had not been able to hear it in the mayhem of the
stadium.] Brad McCoy, Colt’s Dad, asked two to three times, “Son, what
did you say after the game?” Colt said, “Dad, I don’t know. I really
don’t remember what I said. All I remember is that the reporter asked me
a question and I prayed that God would supply me with the right
answer.” Wow!!
Brad McCoy then ended his speech by telling a story about a young football
player that he was coaching back in his hometown. He said the young
football player approached Brad McCoy after he returned from Pasadena and
said, “Coach, I heard what your son said after the game, but I have one
question: What is the rock?” He said it’s funny son. We sing about it in
church. He then began singing accapella: “My hope is built on nothing
less, Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name. On Christ the solid Rock I
stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In
every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil. On Christ
the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground
is sinking sand. His oath, His covenant, His blood, Support me in the
whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my Hope
and Stay. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking
sand; All other ground is sinking sand. When He shall come with trumpet
sound, Oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne. On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand.”
By the end of his singing, the entire room of men and women were singing
in unison with Brad McCoy. It was truly an amazing morning for the Lord
and a truly amazing speech for us to learn from as parents
Thanks Again!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Margin
5-10-2010
Margin
Margin can be defined any number of ways, but the simplest definition I’ve found says, “Margin is the blank space.” How much margin do we allow in our lives? For me, I need to allow a lot more margin as my days are packed full. From the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep I am slammed with something to do. While it’s important to maximize the time God gives us, it’s also important to allow time for the most important aspects of our lives. It’s easy to get in the habit of busyness that we miss some of the greatest moments in our lives.
Philippians 4:6-8 says the following:
“6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
As I think about these directions, I can’t help but realize the importance of margin. Regardless of what we do in life, we need to make time to simply think and meditate. Moreover, we need time to live in the moment. As I reflect on my life, there are many times I wish I could take back and simply enjoy doing whatever it was I was involved with at the time. I’ve spent so much of my adult life going from one thing to the next; I failed to really live in the moment. When we live in the moment we invite the glorious into the monotonous. Multi-tasking can be a great thing, but an overloaded schedule leads to a stressful and hectic lifestyle filled with mediocrity. We will never live a life of excellence if we don’t allow margin in our lives. Margin gives us the time to tell those close to us how much we love them. Margin frees us up to love and serve those in need. Margin might be the one thing keeping you from living the fulfilling life God plans for you live!
Application:
1.Do you have margin?
2.Study Philippians 4
Margin
Margin can be defined any number of ways, but the simplest definition I’ve found says, “Margin is the blank space.” How much margin do we allow in our lives? For me, I need to allow a lot more margin as my days are packed full. From the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep I am slammed with something to do. While it’s important to maximize the time God gives us, it’s also important to allow time for the most important aspects of our lives. It’s easy to get in the habit of busyness that we miss some of the greatest moments in our lives.
Philippians 4:6-8 says the following:
“6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
As I think about these directions, I can’t help but realize the importance of margin. Regardless of what we do in life, we need to make time to simply think and meditate. Moreover, we need time to live in the moment. As I reflect on my life, there are many times I wish I could take back and simply enjoy doing whatever it was I was involved with at the time. I’ve spent so much of my adult life going from one thing to the next; I failed to really live in the moment. When we live in the moment we invite the glorious into the monotonous. Multi-tasking can be a great thing, but an overloaded schedule leads to a stressful and hectic lifestyle filled with mediocrity. We will never live a life of excellence if we don’t allow margin in our lives. Margin gives us the time to tell those close to us how much we love them. Margin frees us up to love and serve those in need. Margin might be the one thing keeping you from living the fulfilling life God plans for you live!
Application:
1.Do you have margin?
2.Study Philippians 4
Thursday, May 6, 2010
God's Example
5-7-2010
God’s Example
Direct communication, motive, free speech, actions, thoughts, and clarity are a few characteristics I love about a great message. My wife and I love listening to ministers that are direct and to the point, and the message in Ephesians chapter 5 is just that!
“Follow God’s example in everything you do because you are his dear children.” How about that for direct! It’s true, we were put on this earth by God, and we were made in his image. He came and went so we would have a real example of how to live life. If he simply told us what to do, some of us would get it, but by literally walking the earth for 33 years, we know how to live! We all have mentors in life, and the ultimate mentor is Christ! He is the only person to ever walk the earth sinless.
In verse 10 it says, “Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds…It is shameful to even talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But when the light shines on them, it becomes clear how evil these things are.” In other words, read about Christ, and then you will find out what is pleasing to Christ. For those that “seem to have success, yet they do wrong” Paul instructs us to not even talk about them as they will be exposed. Stay focused on following God’s example in everything you do. Do not compare yourselves to others, but instead strive for sanctification (to be Christ like). At the end of the day, we should all have the same primary goal: to be Christ like. The best way to do so is to “follow God’s example in everything you do.” For those of you that questions the Bible, check the following out:
Did you know:
Psalm 118 is the middle chapter of the entire Bible?
Psalm 117, before Psalm 118 is the shortest chapter in the Bible?
Psalm 119, after Psalm 118 is the longest chapter in the Bible?
The Bible has 594 chapters before Psalm 118 and 594 chapters after Psalm 118?
If you add up all the chapters except Psalm 118, you get a total of 1188 chapters?
1188 or Psalm 118 verse 8 is the middle verse of the entire Bible?
Should the central verse not have a fairly important message? "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man." - Psalm 118:8
Is this central verse not also the central theme of the entire Bible? This is not a coincidence. God is in complete control.
Application:
1. Read Ephesians 5:1-14
2.What goals do you have that aren’t in line with the primary goal?
3.What are you going to do to change the problem?
God’s Example
Direct communication, motive, free speech, actions, thoughts, and clarity are a few characteristics I love about a great message. My wife and I love listening to ministers that are direct and to the point, and the message in Ephesians chapter 5 is just that!
“Follow God’s example in everything you do because you are his dear children.” How about that for direct! It’s true, we were put on this earth by God, and we were made in his image. He came and went so we would have a real example of how to live life. If he simply told us what to do, some of us would get it, but by literally walking the earth for 33 years, we know how to live! We all have mentors in life, and the ultimate mentor is Christ! He is the only person to ever walk the earth sinless.
In verse 10 it says, “Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds…It is shameful to even talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But when the light shines on them, it becomes clear how evil these things are.” In other words, read about Christ, and then you will find out what is pleasing to Christ. For those that “seem to have success, yet they do wrong” Paul instructs us to not even talk about them as they will be exposed. Stay focused on following God’s example in everything you do. Do not compare yourselves to others, but instead strive for sanctification (to be Christ like). At the end of the day, we should all have the same primary goal: to be Christ like. The best way to do so is to “follow God’s example in everything you do.” For those of you that questions the Bible, check the following out:
Did you know:
Psalm 118 is the middle chapter of the entire Bible?
Psalm 117, before Psalm 118 is the shortest chapter in the Bible?
Psalm 119, after Psalm 118 is the longest chapter in the Bible?
The Bible has 594 chapters before Psalm 118 and 594 chapters after Psalm 118?
If you add up all the chapters except Psalm 118, you get a total of 1188 chapters?
1188 or Psalm 118 verse 8 is the middle verse of the entire Bible?
Should the central verse not have a fairly important message? "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man." - Psalm 118:8
Is this central verse not also the central theme of the entire Bible? This is not a coincidence. God is in complete control.
Application:
1. Read Ephesians 5:1-14
2.What goals do you have that aren’t in line with the primary goal?
3.What are you going to do to change the problem?
Husbands and Wives
5-6-2010
Husbands and Wives
Ephesians 5:22-24 says, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” It’s at about this point when men start sticking their chest out in a “That’s right, I knew it” kind of way. Paul isn’t done though. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself (Ephesians 5:25-28).
As you read Ephesians, Paul devotes a lot more time to instructing husbands than women, so men wake up! When the husband treats his wife the way she deserves to be treated, she will be honored to submit to him. It’s when the man doesn’t give his life for her, and puts his selfish desires over hers, the relationship becomes one sided. For a marriage to work, the husband needs to live for the wife and the wife needs to live for the husband. Where there are selfish desires, a breakdown in the marriage will start. Our world has become more and more selfish, and I truly believe that’s one of the reasons the divorce rate continues to sky rocket. When husbands and wives aren’t working on their relationship, the relationship starts to suffer.
We need to work on our relationship more so than you work on anything else! If men would devote as much time and focus on their wives as they do sports, think of how low the divorce rate would be! Women, focus the same amount of time on your husbands as you do on your kids. For parents, make sure the kids aren’t a stumbling block in your marriage. Remember, you will not “find” time to be with your spouse, you must “make” time. Have a weekly date night for just you and your spouse. Invest in your marriage and it will pay you dividends! Set the example of how a healthy marriage is supposed to be in front of your kids. Your kids are learning from you how to treat their spouse when they grow up, so make sure you are setting the right example!
Application:
1.Read Ephesians 5:22-33
2.Read the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman.
3.Do something special for your significant other, and remember to put them first.
Husbands and Wives
Ephesians 5:22-24 says, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” It’s at about this point when men start sticking their chest out in a “That’s right, I knew it” kind of way. Paul isn’t done though. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself (Ephesians 5:25-28).
As you read Ephesians, Paul devotes a lot more time to instructing husbands than women, so men wake up! When the husband treats his wife the way she deserves to be treated, she will be honored to submit to him. It’s when the man doesn’t give his life for her, and puts his selfish desires over hers, the relationship becomes one sided. For a marriage to work, the husband needs to live for the wife and the wife needs to live for the husband. Where there are selfish desires, a breakdown in the marriage will start. Our world has become more and more selfish, and I truly believe that’s one of the reasons the divorce rate continues to sky rocket. When husbands and wives aren’t working on their relationship, the relationship starts to suffer.
We need to work on our relationship more so than you work on anything else! If men would devote as much time and focus on their wives as they do sports, think of how low the divorce rate would be! Women, focus the same amount of time on your husbands as you do on your kids. For parents, make sure the kids aren’t a stumbling block in your marriage. Remember, you will not “find” time to be with your spouse, you must “make” time. Have a weekly date night for just you and your spouse. Invest in your marriage and it will pay you dividends! Set the example of how a healthy marriage is supposed to be in front of your kids. Your kids are learning from you how to treat their spouse when they grow up, so make sure you are setting the right example!
Application:
1.Read Ephesians 5:22-33
2.Read the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman.
3.Do something special for your significant other, and remember to put them first.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Respond Don't React
Respond Don’t React
For those of you that have followed these devotionals, heard me speak, or hang out with me, you will know I’m a huge believer in personal development. One area I really speak a lot about is the process of evaluating our strengths and weaknesses. While going through this process myself a few years back, I learned one of my weaknesses was my reactive personality.
I recall reading the differences between a reaction versus a response in one of the books I was reading, and it hit me, I tend to be reactive, and I don’t mean this in a good way! We are called to respond to situations with reason. To be reactive is to “react” to a situation with emotion. This is rarely a good thing. When we react, we tend to lash out and do verbal damage to the person we are in conversation with. When we respond, we stay calm and speak with reason while controlling our emotion. For those of us with a reactive mindset, we tend to create a lot of damage and broken relationships. For those that have mastered the art of responding, we tend to salvage relationships by controlling what we say and how we say it. God calls us to live at peace with everyone, and in order to so, we must respond, not react.
In Ephesians 4:25-32 Paul gives us strict instructions as to how to be responsive versus reactive. “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold…Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.”
Application:
1.Read Ephesians 4:25-32
2.Do you tend to react or respond?
3.When was the last time you reacted, and do you need to ask for someone’s forgiveness?
4.Have you forgiven someone else when they should have responded?
For those of you that have followed these devotionals, heard me speak, or hang out with me, you will know I’m a huge believer in personal development. One area I really speak a lot about is the process of evaluating our strengths and weaknesses. While going through this process myself a few years back, I learned one of my weaknesses was my reactive personality.
I recall reading the differences between a reaction versus a response in one of the books I was reading, and it hit me, I tend to be reactive, and I don’t mean this in a good way! We are called to respond to situations with reason. To be reactive is to “react” to a situation with emotion. This is rarely a good thing. When we react, we tend to lash out and do verbal damage to the person we are in conversation with. When we respond, we stay calm and speak with reason while controlling our emotion. For those of us with a reactive mindset, we tend to create a lot of damage and broken relationships. For those that have mastered the art of responding, we tend to salvage relationships by controlling what we say and how we say it. God calls us to live at peace with everyone, and in order to so, we must respond, not react.
In Ephesians 4:25-32 Paul gives us strict instructions as to how to be responsive versus reactive. “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold…Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.”
Application:
1.Read Ephesians 4:25-32
2.Do you tend to react or respond?
3.When was the last time you reacted, and do you need to ask for someone’s forgiveness?
4.Have you forgiven someone else when they should have responded?
Monday, May 3, 2010
An Opportunity to share
5-4-2010
An opportunity to share
Each and every day of our lives are filled with opportunities that we either see or miss. We’ve all heard the saying, “you have to be at the right place at the right time to find success.” I disagree with this statement, as I feel you have to be the right person, at the right place, at the right time, and take action when the opportunity presents itself.
When Paul became a Christ follower, he found himself at the right place at the right time, and he was the right person that took action! Paul surrendered his old life, so that he could have life. Paul became a servant of the gospel, and the things of the world no longer mattered. As Paul writes this letter we read in Ephesians, he is in prison about to be put on trial for having faith that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. The majority of the religious leaders didn’t believe Jesus was Lord, thus they wanted Paul killed for preaching such a message. Do you have faith to preach the message of Jesus with the confidence of Paul? If Paul stopped preaching the gospel, he wouldn’t be in jail, but think about the number of lives that were saved due to the relentless perseverance to be a servant of the gospel. Paul didn’t care about the world’s views; his focus was on preaching the only view that matters!
As you go about your day, you will be amazed at how many opportunities you have to share the love of Christ. You may be speaking with another Christ follower that needs encouragement, or you may be speaking to someone that has never accepted Christ. God may be using you to lead others to him. You are at the right place at the right time, but do you see it? Are you attentive to each and every opportunity to share the gospel with others? We are called to die to self, and be made alive in Christ. God wants us to sell him! Pour into others and seize every opportunity you get to share the love of Christ!
Application:
1.Read Ephesians 3:1-13
2.Who do you know that hasn’t accepted Christ as their Savior? Without beating people over the head, share the love of Christ and what Christ had done and is doing in your life and in the lives of others.
An opportunity to share
Each and every day of our lives are filled with opportunities that we either see or miss. We’ve all heard the saying, “you have to be at the right place at the right time to find success.” I disagree with this statement, as I feel you have to be the right person, at the right place, at the right time, and take action when the opportunity presents itself.
When Paul became a Christ follower, he found himself at the right place at the right time, and he was the right person that took action! Paul surrendered his old life, so that he could have life. Paul became a servant of the gospel, and the things of the world no longer mattered. As Paul writes this letter we read in Ephesians, he is in prison about to be put on trial for having faith that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. The majority of the religious leaders didn’t believe Jesus was Lord, thus they wanted Paul killed for preaching such a message. Do you have faith to preach the message of Jesus with the confidence of Paul? If Paul stopped preaching the gospel, he wouldn’t be in jail, but think about the number of lives that were saved due to the relentless perseverance to be a servant of the gospel. Paul didn’t care about the world’s views; his focus was on preaching the only view that matters!
As you go about your day, you will be amazed at how many opportunities you have to share the love of Christ. You may be speaking with another Christ follower that needs encouragement, or you may be speaking to someone that has never accepted Christ. God may be using you to lead others to him. You are at the right place at the right time, but do you see it? Are you attentive to each and every opportunity to share the gospel with others? We are called to die to self, and be made alive in Christ. God wants us to sell him! Pour into others and seize every opportunity you get to share the love of Christ!
Application:
1.Read Ephesians 3:1-13
2.Who do you know that hasn’t accepted Christ as their Savior? Without beating people over the head, share the love of Christ and what Christ had done and is doing in your life and in the lives of others.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Gratitude To God
5-3-2010
Another great one from Wisdom Hunters:
Gratitude To God…“Yours O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name”. 1 Chronicles 29:11-13
Gratitude to God is a wellspring of living water. It roots out all kinds of evil. Discontent, self pity, jealousy and pride are no match for divine thankfulness. Gratitude to God is rooted in a realization of His character and what He has done for us. Everything is God’s and everything comes from God. His majestic creation bows down and worships Him as a reflection of His glory. Nations and rulers, consciously or unconsciously, are under His authority. Moreover, money and respect come from God. He is the owner of all things.
Because He owns everything, He is ultimately responsible. And because He is responsible, He can be trusted. We can enjoy Him, His creation, His resources, His freedom and each other. Christianity has its privileges. For the follower of Jesus Christ, heaven is sure and sin has lost its grip. There is a glorious gratitude that erupts from our being when we reflect on God’s glorious riches. “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Gratitude to God is one of the secrets to living the Christian life. Glorious gratitude means we never get over what He has done for us, what He is doing for us and what He will do for us. It is a remembering His past, present and future faithfulness. Glorious gratitude is transformational, because it is God focused. The cares of this world melt like wax under the heat of heavenly appreciation. Have you thanked God for being God?
Godly gratitude understands what could have happen to you, were it not for the grace of God. But, because of the Lord’s intervention, He delivered you. It could have been a fatal car accident, but it was not. It could have been an immediate death, but it was not. It could have a divorce, but it was not. It could have been a lifelong prodigal child, but it was not. It could have been a dead end job, but it was not. It could have been a relational wreck, but it was not. You could still be lost in your sins, but you are not!
He is worthy of praise, gratitude and adoration. What a great and mighty God we serve. So, everyday take a bath with the soap of gratitude to God. Your attitude and actions will become clean and fresh. People will run toward you with interest, rather than avoiding you in your misery. Gratitude is a magnet for God and people. It makes you pleasant rather than distasteful. Wear it well and wear it regularly. It is one fashion statement that never goes out of style. Gratitude to the Most High is attractive to the Lord and the lost.
“We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds” (Psalm 75:1)
How has God protected and provided for me? How can gratitude to God guide my heart?
Related Readings: Daniel 2:23; 6:10; Acts 28:15; Romans 1:21
Another great one from Wisdom Hunters:
Gratitude To God…“Yours O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name”. 1 Chronicles 29:11-13
Gratitude to God is a wellspring of living water. It roots out all kinds of evil. Discontent, self pity, jealousy and pride are no match for divine thankfulness. Gratitude to God is rooted in a realization of His character and what He has done for us. Everything is God’s and everything comes from God. His majestic creation bows down and worships Him as a reflection of His glory. Nations and rulers, consciously or unconsciously, are under His authority. Moreover, money and respect come from God. He is the owner of all things.
Because He owns everything, He is ultimately responsible. And because He is responsible, He can be trusted. We can enjoy Him, His creation, His resources, His freedom and each other. Christianity has its privileges. For the follower of Jesus Christ, heaven is sure and sin has lost its grip. There is a glorious gratitude that erupts from our being when we reflect on God’s glorious riches. “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Gratitude to God is one of the secrets to living the Christian life. Glorious gratitude means we never get over what He has done for us, what He is doing for us and what He will do for us. It is a remembering His past, present and future faithfulness. Glorious gratitude is transformational, because it is God focused. The cares of this world melt like wax under the heat of heavenly appreciation. Have you thanked God for being God?
Godly gratitude understands what could have happen to you, were it not for the grace of God. But, because of the Lord’s intervention, He delivered you. It could have been a fatal car accident, but it was not. It could have been an immediate death, but it was not. It could have a divorce, but it was not. It could have been a lifelong prodigal child, but it was not. It could have been a dead end job, but it was not. It could have been a relational wreck, but it was not. You could still be lost in your sins, but you are not!
He is worthy of praise, gratitude and adoration. What a great and mighty God we serve. So, everyday take a bath with the soap of gratitude to God. Your attitude and actions will become clean and fresh. People will run toward you with interest, rather than avoiding you in your misery. Gratitude is a magnet for God and people. It makes you pleasant rather than distasteful. Wear it well and wear it regularly. It is one fashion statement that never goes out of style. Gratitude to the Most High is attractive to the Lord and the lost.
“We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds” (Psalm 75:1)
How has God protected and provided for me? How can gratitude to God guide my heart?
Related Readings: Daniel 2:23; 6:10; Acts 28:15; Romans 1:21
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