A Great Investment

Sundays should be the greatest day of your week! God thinks it's of the utmost importance that we prioritize it. From a Back to Church Sunday sermon here are Six Reasons to Invest in a Weekly Sabbath:

1. I need it (Genesis 2:2; Mark 2:27).  

 God knows I need it. That’s why He rested. God doesn’t want to flatten your fun or lessen your life by taking away a day. He wants to increase your joy and improve your life by giving you a day to refresh, refuel, and refocus with Him because He knows you need it.

2. God asks me to (Exodus 20:8).  

The fourth commandment says to keep the Sabbath “holy.” 

3. God blessed the Sabbath (Genesis 2:3).

For reasons only He fully understands, God says that He blessed the Sabbath. It’s a special day, not an extra day. When we cooperate with what God blesses, we get blessed.

4. My life goes better when I Sabbath.

So many of us think that if we can get ahead faster, if we are productive seven days a week . . . But that’s not how God made the universe. Secular sociologists have studied the benefits of church attendance. What they’ve found is that those who attend church regularly…

1. Live seven and a half years longer than those who don’t.

2. Are 56 percent more likely to have an optimistic life outlook than those who don’t.

3. Are 27 percent less likely to be depressed.

4. Are 35 percent less likely to get divorced.

5. Have higher average levels of commitment to partners, higher levels of marital satisfaction, less thinking and talking about divorce, and lower levels of negative interaction.

6. Achieve higher grades, and practice better time management.

The studies are pretty clear: life goes better for those who go to church regularly.

5. My Mondays go better when I Sabbath.  

Do you sometimes dread Mondays? We get out of bed saying, “Rats, I have to go back to work today.” We’re exhausted and unmotivated because we used all our energy on Sunday instead of receiving new energy from Sunday.

6. My family does better when we Sabbath.

It really is true that the family that rests together does best together. A family that attends church learns skills from the Bible about how to do relationships better and how to do life better.Great families become great by building great memories together. If you develop the habit of doing church together, your children (or your parents) will build a repository of enriched memories that will last a lifetime. My family is a far better family because of church.

7. My eternity will go better if I Sabbath.

God promises to bless me if I bless Him. And I bless Him when I show up at church.

God loves Sundays and so should we. Amen?

Stategic Seeding

Jesus shares throughout Scripture ways to grow His kingdom. Have you ever considered what the story of the Sower of Seeds in Luke 8 means to the church?

While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: ⁵ “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. ⁶ Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

Jesus tells us that it is what happens when we share the Gospel.

The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

It has a Seed Rejection ration of 75%! I heard recently that to improve on a 25% success rate that we must plant more seeds! We should plant more seeds but according to Jesus our conversions will remain at the same percentage. My thought is, Why not try to be more strategic in our seed planting?

Strategic seed planting would involve working the soil in advance. In other words:

1.     Engage in conversation about your faith.

2.     Pray, pray, pray for who and when we are to share the Gospel with.

3.     Live out your faith for all to see.

4.     Know the Word of God and share it accurately and truthfully.

5.     Be sensitive to what someone is telling you. They might not be saying no, but have question.

6.     Continue to be involved in the lives of new believers.

7.     Be ready always to share the Good News of Jesus.

Plant the seeds of the Gospel in good soil. Amen?

Not Done Yet

There is a beautiful passage found in Psalm 71:14-18 that tells us how we should live our lives and share what God has done. 

As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. ¹⁵ My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long—though I know not how to relate them all. ¹⁶ I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. ¹⁷ Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

Look what is said in the next verse about sharing with younger generations.

¹⁸ Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.

Those of us that are over 45 should take special note of this verse. We feel sometimes as we get older that we’ve done our share, or we’re ready to “sit and soak” in our churches. This is not Scriptural! Craig Groeschel says, If you are not dead – then you are not done! We all have someone we need to talk (invite) to come to church this week.

The conversation goes both ways, and we both have things to teach each other. See you in church.  Amen?

Only One

Look at one story of thankfulness found in Luke 17:11-19: ¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” ¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. ¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Ten Were Healed – Only One Came Back

1. Only one broke the Levitical law about quarantine.

2. Only one understood what was happening to them in a deeper sense

3. Only one went from lamenting to thanksgiving and praise.

4. Only one who came back was a Samaritan.

It wasn’t Suzy Sunday School or Deacon Doug who truly understood (got it). It was the Samaritan! The guy that had no business at Jesus feet, but he was the only one who did. Only one saw the difference between being healed and being whole. Nine lepers were so intent on following the law, but the one, who turned around and came back, saw a significant difference in his mind and heart. Clearly in the mind of Jesus there is a difference between being healed and being made whole. 

Always come back to Jesus with a grateful heart. Amen?

Recovery Reminder

We all need to recover from something in this life! Look at what Jesus had to say on the subject in Matthew 5:3-10, Jesus said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

⁴ Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 

⁵ Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 

⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 

⁷ Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 

⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,  for they will see God. 

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 

¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Consider these Eight Recovery Principles based on the Beatitudes:

Realize that you’re not God (5:3)

Earnestly believe that God exists (5:4)

Consciously choose (5:5)

Openly examine and confess (5:8)

Voluntarily submit (5:6)

Evaluate all my relationships (5:7)

Reserve daily time with God (5:9)

Yield yourself to be used by God (5:10)

Allow recovery to happen in your life today. Be everything that Jesus desires of us. Amen?

School Prayer

Tomorrow is See You at the Pole™, the global day of student prayer, began as a grass roots movement with ten students praying at their school. Twenty-eight years later, millions pray on their campuses on the fourth Wednesday in September. See You at the Pole™ is simply a prayer rally where students meet at the school flagpole before school (at 7AM) to lift up their friends, families, teachers, school, and nation to God. See You at the Pole™ is a student-initiated, student-organized, and student-led event.

In 1990 when youth ministers in Texas first challenged young people to meet on a common day to launch their school year in prayer, one of the concerns what how to help those who wanted to pray together find each other. It was noted that virtually every school has a flagpole, and the flagpole provided an easy-to-identify place to gather. Also, one issue that the teenagers were praying about was the spiritual health of their country and their leaders, in obedience to 1 Timothy 2:1–2. I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 

Even if you can’t meet at “the pole” tomorrow remember to pray for our students and all our schools. Amen?

God Is

I love Psalm 136:1-4 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. ² Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. ³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. ⁴ to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.” I think that this is such an appropriate response to God from a thankful believer. Thanksgiving should be celebrated all year long, so during this season of thanksgiving let’s remember that.

Here’s a challenge. Try to respond to things that happen to you today with this response: “His love endures forever!” 

It will change your outlook and probably someone else’s.

God is good…Amen?

Honoring

We are to live lives that honor God. ¹⁶ Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. ¹⁷ “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸ And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” - Malachi 3:16-18

In these few verses, we are given the blue print for a life that pleases the Lord.

- fear God with reverence obedience 

- honor God's name 

- serve God 

- do the right thing 

Prayerfully consider today some things that can help you live a life honoring to God. It starts when we must fix our eyes on our unchanging Christ. Amen? 

Compassionate Care

We talk a lot about our friends and family to church but how do we feel about inviting other people? Let’s look at 2 Kings 5:1–3, Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.  Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.  She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

People who meet Jesus are so moved by Him that they want to introduce everyone to him, including those who don’t care about them. We need to have the same kind of compassion as this slave girl. Even in captivity she still believed in the power of God.

Who do you know that needs God's healing touch?

Remember to share God's love and invite someone to church.  Amen?

Sharing the Good News

Why should we want to invite someone to church? Let’s look at John 4:28-41, and what happened after Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.

²⁸ Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ²⁹ “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” ³⁰ They came out of the town and made their way toward him. ³¹ Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”³² But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

³³ Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

³⁴ “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. ³⁵ Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. ³⁶ Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. ³⁷ Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. ³⁸ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”³⁹ Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. ⁴¹ And because of his words many more became believers.

You see people who meet Jesus are so moved by him that they want to introduce Him to those they care about. The woman in story cared about the other people in her town.

Do you care about those in your community?

Always share Jesus with those around you. Amen?

Every Sunday

Last Sunday was National Back to Church Sunday. Thousands of churches across the United States welcomed lots of visitors. The good news is that we can bring people to church every Sunday and there is a Biblical precedent for this. 

Look at the story in John 1:35–42,³⁵ The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.³⁶ When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”³⁷ When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.³⁸ Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

³⁹ “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

⁴⁰ Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. ⁴¹ The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). ⁴² And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

Right after Andrew found Christ he went and brought his brother to Jesus, and they became His followers. This is a great example of what all believers should do. Let’s take this lesson to heart and bring our brother, sister, family member, friend, co-worker, and neighbor to church with us every week.

Testing

God said to test Him and see if He is still in charge in Malachi, and heaven will be opened up to pour out blessings. He will defend us against our enemies and protect our possessions. The nation that follows Him will experience what it's like to be a country of grace

Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. ¹² “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.¹³ “You have spoken arrogantly against me,” says the Lord. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ ¹⁴ “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? ¹⁵ But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’” Malachi 3:10-15

We are promised these same things today, but will not experience them as long as we stay unfaithful and disobedient. God talks about lives not serving Him in verses 13-15. Where we speak hard, rude words, and curse God. They live for self, break all the rules, and push God to the limit.

We are called “be the church” to people like these. That will start when we repent and “take the plank out of our own eye”. Amen?

Giving

Let’s look to Christ through His Word in Malachi 3:7-10:

 ⁷ Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ ⁸ “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.

We see the problem in verse 7. God’s people are ignoring God’s commands, not focusing on His purposes, and needing to return to God. These same problems occur today. Praise God that we are given the solution in verses 8-10. We begin by being honest – no more lies or deceit. We must stop robbing God, and give the church our tithe. It’s all God’s anyway, so let’s remember that.

If we are willing, we can apply God’s solution to our lives today. Amen?

In Charge

How does this reminder from the Word of God make you feel? Malachi 3:6 says "For I am the Lord, and I do not change." Does this knowledge (or reminder) effect your life?

I think that we should have a passionate and clear vision of what God has called us to do. We should not judge our faith by public opinion polls or what’s fashionable, because these things change. I am a big believer in learning from the past but we also need to keep focused vertically and forward. Isaiah 43:18-19 "Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new." 

 How do you apply this verse to your life?

This is a new day! Today you stand on the edge of a new change, a new challenge, and a new commitment. The only way to proceed is trust, obey, and know the Word of God.

Trust in the one who knows your future. Amen?

Team Goals

Yesterday I shared some ideas about being part of God’s team. There is so much more we can accomplish by working together for God’s goals. Today, we are celebrating our 180th anniversary at my church. There has been a lot of working together and being effective to last that long! 

Here are some characteristics of an effective team, borrowed from the book “The Human Side of Enterprise” by Douglas MacGregor:

• A good a team is comfortable, relaxed and informal in their atmosphere.
• Everyone participates in discussions.
• The task is well defined and accepted by team members.
• Members REALLY listen to each other.
• On a good team, critical suggestions are made without personal attack.
• Members are free to express feelings and not just ideas.
• Everything is out in the open, with no hidden agendas.
• Clear assignments are made and accepted.
• Leadership shifts depending on the circumstance.

Apply some (or all) of these principles in your church or ministry situation. Follow Jesus’ example of leadership and following. A great leader is a great follower! Amen?

Team

I have been reading and studying a lot on how churches can grow and what makes a great ministry. The key idea is that it is a “team” that makes the biggest difference. Growing churches have a strong team spirit by combining two things: a common goal with good communication. Here are three foundational truths on why this is important:

First, the body of Christ functions as a team ministry.

Romans 12:4-5 says that, just as there are many parts to our bodies, likewise there are many parts to Christ’s Body. God designed it so that we all need each other to have a fully functioning ministry and everyone plays an important role.

Second, teams accomplish more than individuals working separately.

This principle is taught all through Scripture. When there are more hands working, more can be accomplished. One example of this is found in Ecclesiastics 4:9-12, where we’re told that two are better than one, and a rope of three cords is hard to break.

Third, a strong team is not threatened by disagreement.

There are two essentials to teamwork, a common goal and good communication. In order to have good communication, people have to be willing to express their opinions no matter how different they are from everyone else.

Go Team!

Work Principle

Consider these three Biblical principles for Christians to work by:

Principle #1: Concentrate on the eternal and you won’t need to worry about how much you can get or keep in this life.
God warns us of the peril of wealth. I Timothy 6:6-10 . But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. This realization can lead to a revelation to all you do.

Principle #2: Don’t be greedy. You can be much happier if you don’t have to own everything you see, and know - people are more important than property. Remember nothing in the world is worthy of the love we should have for Jesus Christ. I John 2:15. "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

Principle #3: - Love one another. People are so important, it is vital we treat them right. Jesus commanded in Matthew 7:12: "do to others what you would have them do to you"

Does the world see Jesus when they look at us?

To the extent we carry our Christian principles into the work and social world it becomes a Christian ministry. This gives work and life new meaning and dignity. Not just Sunday but Monday thru Saturday as well.

Eternal Work

In John 6:25-32, there are Biblical principles for Christians to work and live by. "Do not work for food that spoils" (John 6:27) Jesus is telling you to get your priorities straight. The eternal is more important than the temporal.

Jesus is our example in 2 Corinthians 8:8-9- I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

Remember God will provide for our needs. 2 Corinthians 9:11. "You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

Always work for Jesus – His plan and ways are eternal! Amen?

New Thinking

Serving God starts in your mind - we need a new way of thinking!

 “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Philippians 2:5-7

 Real servants serve God with a mindset of five attitudes:

- Servants think more about others than about themselves.

- Servants think like stewards, not owners.

- Servants think about their work, not what others are doing.

- Servants base their identity in Christ.

- And servants think of ministry as an opportunity, not an obligation.

When you base your worth and identity on your relationship to Christ, you are freed from the expectations of others, and that allows you to really serve them best.

Imagine what could happen if just 10 percent of all Christians in the world got serious about their role as real servants. Imagine all the good that could be done. Are you willing to be one of those people?

Be wise today and always - think of Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself third = JOY!

Heart Serve

To serve like Jesus we need to have a compassionate heart. Compassion is a special force that should never be minimized to a human feeling or emotion. Compassion was the centerpiece to the ministry of Jesus. It is also the key to our seeing miracles, signs, and wonders released in our lives and the lives of others.

Jesus went ashore and saw a great assembly. And He was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14).

Compassion is a heart motivation set toward an intense desire to see someone moved from a poor state of being to a significantly better state—mind, body, and spirit.
Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the crowds, because they were “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:36). Many times we lack the compassion of God because we lose sight of who the real enemy is. The Bible says we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against unseen rulers and powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12).

If we don’t get heaven’s perspective on this, we will fast and pray with the right endgame but the wrong heart and see no results. No miracles. No signs. No wonders. Like Jesus, the Pharisees also prayed and fasted regularly, yet they showed no signs of having been with the Father. They did not walk in the miraculous. They did not have compassion on the people.

Pray that God will give you a heart of compassion like Jesus. It will change the world.
Amen?

Gold Standard

At the Global Leadership Summit a couple years ago I heard I great presentation on being the best servant you can be. Desiring to be the servant God desires I bought the book he suggested, The New Gold Standard.  The teaching contains five leadership principles for creating a legendary service experience.

1. Define and Refine –communicating the core identity and culture of your group

2. Empower through Trust – selection, training, and empowerment of servers

3. It’s Not About You –focus on others with empathy (can do attitude)

4. Deliver Wow! – actions needed to deliver a great experience

5. Leave a Lasting Footprint – aspire, achieve, and teach for a lasting impression

 I believe that these are wonderful principles for welcoming people in to the church. The ironic thing is that these principles are from the training manual for employees of the Ritz-Carlton!

A luxury hotel experience should not be better than what we offer at God’s House. Let’s focus on giving our best. Amen?

Focus on the Plan

It’s good to remind ourselves about God’s plan for our lives, and how we can be more like Jesus. Take a look at Matthew 22:34-40, John 13:34-35, and Matthew 28:18-20. These verses are the life-blood in the life of a servant. They are called: The Great Commandment, The New Commandment, and The Great Commission. Our purpose as God’s body is to serve God is the way He has called us to serve Him. You have purpose in Christ, and the church has a purpose in Christ. 

We must strive to become more like Jesus in our attitudes and behaviors. 

The mission has not changed. But the approach to accomplishing that objective has changed. You are not the same person you were 10, 20, or more years ago. Our community is not the same as  it was 10, 20, or more years ago. Time marches on yet, God’s plans are timeless. -His desire to fulfill His word is the same now as it has been from the beginning. He has given you everything you need in His Word. 

God’s church must together strive, to find God’s purpose, so that we may be obedient to Him in fulfilling His call to serve Him, One another, and Our neighbors. You can make a difference, you must make a difference. God is counting on you to make a difference.

Let us focus on the race ahead of us, and be reminded of what we are called to do as believers. Amen?

Just Saying

As believers we know that the one greater than Solomon and everyone else would be Jesus Christ. The Bible says that when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior His Holy Spirit comes to live in us. That makes us Christians or “Christ in us”. Having the Holy Spirit living in us gives us the power to bless other people with our deeds and what we say. God’s Word has a lot to say about the power of Words – especially the book of Proverbs.

All of us have been hurt in the past by things that people have said to us, but realize that a wise person knows that they have the power to bless people with our words – to encourage, love, support, and influence in a positive way. We glorify God when we use our words as a blessing and for His glory.

Let’s read words of wisdom from the Book of Proverbs about this topic: ……..

Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 12:18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 10:19  Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.

Proverbs 16:23-24 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,  and their lips promote instruction. Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 17:27-28  The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.

May we always apply God's wisdom to our lives. Amen?

Open Up

Closed eyes keep people from seeing and meeting the Savior. Open eyes, hearts, minds, and souls experience Him in wonderful ways, Psalm 121, A song of ascents, is a great example of being open to the things of God.

¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

Is this your experience with Jesus? If not, why not?

Team

Yesterday I shared some ideas about being part of God’s team. There is so much more we can accomplish by working together for God’s goals. Here are some characteristics of an effective team, borrowed from the book “The Human Side of Enterprise” by Douglas MacGregor:

•        A good a team is comfortable, relaxed and informal in their atmosphere.

•        Everyone participates in discussions.

•        The task is well defined and accepted by team members.

•        Members REALLY listen to each other.

•        On a good team, critical suggestions are made without personal attack.

•        Members are free to express feelings and not just ideas.

•        Everything is out in the open, with no hidden agendas.

•        Clear assignments are made and accepted.

•        Leadership shifts depending on the circumstance.

Apply some (or all) of these principles in your church or ministry situation. Follow Jesus’ example of leadership and following.  A great leader is a great follower! Amen?

Turn Your Eyes

When you look around - What do you see? The truth is that we miss a lot and sometimes what we think we see and reality are very different. The Lord wants us to give Him our hearts, minds, souls, strength, and eyes!

Jesus told His disciples in John 4:34-38 ³⁴ “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. ³⁵ Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. ³⁶ Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. ³⁷ Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. ³⁸ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

Luke 10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. ² He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. ³ Go!

Every day we move closer or further away from where God wants us to be. Open your eyes and see where you are at…

Friendly Churches

I recently read an article on churchleaders.com on 13 Habits of Highly Friendly Churches. I want to share the highlights of their findings. We can all be better at being the church that makes God (and others) smile.

1. Highly Friendly Churches Have Highly Friendly Senior Pastors.

2. Highly Friendly Churches Have Highly Friendly Staffs.

3. Highly Friendly Churches Leverage Social Media.

4. Highly Friendly Churches Make Great First Impressions.

5. Highly Friendly Churches Create Comfortable Environments.

6. Highly Friendly Churches Passionately Serve Their Local Communities.           

7. Highly Friendly Churches Care About Those Attending Their Church.               

8. Highly Friendly Churches are Multi-Ethnic and Multi-Generational.                           9. Highly Friendly Churches Use Humor.                                                               

10. Highly Friendly Churches Have Volunteers Who Are Glad to Be There.       

11. Highly Friendly Churches Care About the Things You Care About.                

12. Highly Friendly Churches Are Passionate About Getting Better.                     

13. Highly Friendly Churches Make You Glad You Were There.

How we doing church? Fantastic I hope, but if not let’s get work. Amen?