Grateful

I am so grateful and thankful for today! Why? Because I am alive... I have the opportunity to make today better than yesterday. I have an awesome God, a beautiful, wonderful wife, two exceptional children, a dream job, a home, two cars, dear family and friends, and my health. 

I am also thankful for the trials... yes... on top of ALL those wonderful things I have trials. These trials challenge me... to be better... to draw closer to my God... to cling to God's Word and ALL of His glorious promises. To rise up in faith and believe God and to put His Word to action. If it were not for the trials I may not recognize the blessings.

These trials could defeat me, but they will not. Instead, they send me into a deeper pursuit of Gods love. These trials make me more desperate for His presence. In the end these trials will make me stronger, wiser, and more effective in my lifes purpose.

Everyday is a day to be grateful... Romans 8:28 28 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

Judgment Will Come... BUT Today Is A Day of Hope and Salvation... Let's SHOUT it OUT!

It is not my job to judge others!  I made this statement in my last post: "If you want to judge the world, you will miss the opportunity to influence it."

HOWEVER, do not be ignorant, there is a judgment.  That judgment is the responsibility of God the Father and He is the only judge!

God, under His New Covenant,  has reserved His judgment for a specific time and place. 

John 12:47-49  "I will not jude those who hear me but don't obey me, for I have come to save the world and not judge it.  48. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.  49. I don't speak on my own authority.  The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it."

I don't need to convince the world of anything.  I simply must be faithful to share the message of hope that we have in Christ Jesus and to live in such a way that it proves that message.

I could not convince anyone of their sin anyway.  It is not my position to do so.  It is the role of the Holy Spirit to "convict the world of it's sin" (John 16:8).

This is exciting to me.  My role is to share GOOD NEWS to the world around me.  My job is to share my testimony and how the blood of Jesus has taken away my sin and that He can do the same for them.

Yes... there is a judgment.  One day God will judge the world.  However, today is the day of Salvation (2 Cor. 6:2).  That's good news!  Let's not be quiet about this.  Judgment is coming, but today is a day of HOPE and SALVATION.  

Shout it out!!!

Position Yourself to Grow Your Ministry

The lifeblood of your ministry is directly related to people.  This would include both the people who are currently in your ministry as well as those who may be at some point in time.  

If you have a healthy, strong, and vibrant ministry, it is because you and your members are actively pursuing lost, hurting and misdirected people.  It is because you are actively sharing your story and the faith you personally have in Jesus Christ.

In order to grow your ministry, you have to do more than open the doors of your church.  You have to actively go out and engage in the community with a willingness to share the love of Christ.

As you meet people each and every day, engage them, talk with them, ask questions and seek to get to know them.  Ask them for their contact information.  Then go home and begin praying for that person.  

Within 48 hours, follow up with them.  Explain that you enjoyed meeting them and would like to have an opportunity to connect with them again.  Your main objective is to continue the dialogue and build relationship through building trust.  Whether it is during this meeting or another time, you are trusting God for an open door to share your story and present the gospel message to them.

Be intentional, but not aggressive!  This is extremely important and there is a difference!  You want to be led by the Spirit and share when God gives the opportunity.  Do not force it!

Never assume that someone is not interested in hearing about your story or the Gospel.   Many times people are very open to engage with you in spiritual dialogue, especially when you have practiced good listening and have shown a genuine interest in them first.  You then will gain their permission to share your story.  Many times in doing so, they will ask a question that will open the door for you to share your faith in Christ.

Four Quick Action Steps for Positioning Yourself to Grow Your Ministry

1. Step Out of you Comfort Zone - It will open tremendous opportunities!

The best ways to meet people is to get out there and spend time where you have opportunities to meet, greet, and get to know others.  This can happen at the local coffee shop, gym, community activities and an exhaustive list of other possibilities.  Your job is to be intentional in identifying the avenues and then getting out there and participating.

2. Get Involved - Volunteer

One productive way to meet people and benefit your community is to become a volunteer.  This allows you to serve and to meet others as well.  

3. Develop a Contact List

As you get out there and meet people.  Gather their personal information and begin a small data base of names.  By doing so this allows you to have names to pray over.  It also allows for you to be able to follow up with them. 

4. Build a Relationship of Trust

As you meet people, be sure that the conversation is about them, get to know them, find out everything you can about them.  Take the time to develop a relationship.  This may take some time.  Remember, we are called “fishers of men” and fishing takes patience and time.

Signs of the Times?

There are moments in life where things happen that you can't make any sense of whatsoever. As I am writing this 26 families are grieving the loss of loved ones, 20 of them kindergartener's. This being only the most recent of several like catastrophes over the last several years.

Just the other day I was speaking in a high school on being responsible with social media. In the presentation I showed a video where a girl is asked by her boy friend to send him a nude picture of herself. The video then asks the viewers if she should or should not send it. Half to two-thirds of the 200 students present began yelling aloud, "Do it ... do it!" It was hard for me to absorb. I understand that they were teenagers, but even just a few years ago it would not have been so overwhelming gross.

Roger Meyer comments and asks these questions in one of his blogs. "Christ's prophecy on the Mount of Olives includes His statement that lawlessness will abound in the last days. It's part of Jesus Christ's answer to the disciple's question of what would be the sign of His second coming and of the end of the world. Is lawlessness increasing? Are we nearing the end of the world?"

We are in a new season in the history of the world. Things aren't just changing, they have changed. Rapidly we are moving in a direction that seems only familiar as it relates to the prophetic Scriptures of the Bible. Whether you are a believer or not, you can't deny how this period in history is shaping up, paralleled with these Scriptures.

This new world demands that we prepare ourselves. Intellectually, Spiritually, and physically, we must prepare ourselves. These times wait for the rise of great leaders. Men and women not willing to coast in selfishness, but whose motives seek truth, and are willing to both live and die for it.

Standout!

Philippians 2: 14-16 “Do everything without complaining and arguing,15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.”

MLB is upon us! It always seems the beginning and ending to be the most exciting parts of the season, at least in my mind. I was reading an article about the Red Sox infielder Pedro Ciriaco, a 26-year-old with 31 games of Major League experience. There was one line that really caught my attention that I want to share with you.

Here it is: "Ciriaco, who was signed by the Red Sox as a Minor League free agent on Dec. 15, is making it clear this spring that he could be someone the club can count on if the need arises at some point."

I thought to myself, here is a young man that wants a statement so badly. He is doing everything he can to MAKE IT CLEAR that he is someone to be reckoned with. He's a standout so far this spring. People are noticing him!

I want to live my life like that. I want to make it clear to others that I am someone who stands out from the rest. I want to leave a great impression and make a difference. I want others to know that they can count on me!

May we all be inspired in such a way that we live to make it clear that we are above the average. With Christ in us we standout in life! People notice! We do not live our lives like everyone else. We make a statement through our actions of the power of God in us through Jesus Christ!

How do we standout?

We do not complain, argue, or criticize.
We live clean and innocent lives.
We hold firm to God’s Word and all that it teaches.

Hey...I challenge you to make a statement! Be a standout! In so doing… you will bring glory to God and lead others to knowing the hope that live in you!

Strengthen Your Marriage...Have An Affair!

I am so tired of hearing about or reading about various prominent people and their illicit affairs. Why do these guys get all of the attention in the news? Furthermore, my heart has been broken on several occasions as I learned of friends, fellow ministers, or others in the community who were going through a divorce because of an illicit affair. These choices of delusion have completely destroyed families, ruined ministries, and affected the lives of so many people who were connected to the families. It has come to the place, that I just am overwhelmed!

So I made a decision, why should I miss out on all the public attention just because I am happily married. Maybe if I plan it right, I'll make the headlines too. So one night, I leaned over to my wife and broke the news to her. I told about how frustrated I was, and that I too wanted in on this affair thing.

The definition of affair is this, "a romantic relationship or episode between lovers." Also, defined "an active enthusiasm for something." I decided that one of the best ways to guard myself against the illicit affair that has ruined and destroyed so many lives, was to plan one of my own. An intentional affair with my wife.

Hmmm? A planned romance with my wife, now that's a thought! My enthusiasm for my wife has never been greater! We'll sneak around the house and find places to have a little kiss. While we watch television, we hold hands, we snuggle on the couch. Sometimes if I am traveling in the area, I'll actually stop by my house and surprise my wife. I'll take a few moments of unplanned time to spend with her before continuing on with my day. We even try to sneak in some weekend get-ways. Some call this dating.

Now I'll be honest with you, this affair is in its early stages, but we plan to let it grow. It's an affair that I want to shout out to the world. I want my kid's to know, my church to know and I hope all my family and friends find out. I am 100% unashamed to come out of the closet on this. By the way, today I have been married for 18 wonderful years! I love you Tina!

If more husbands and wives were to plan these affairs with each other, I wonder if it could help avoid so many of the illicit ones that destroy? Are you married? Give it try. Tell your spouse that you want to have an affair, with them, and that you want the whole world to find out about! -LiveChosen

Agreeing on this: Love! It is the only fruitful way!

"Think of the church at large. What divisions! Think of the different bodies. Take the question of holiness, take the question of the cleansing blood, take the question of the baptism of the Spirit--what differences are caused among dear believers by such questions! That there are differences of opinion does not trouble me. We do not have the same constitution and temperament and mind. But how often hate, bitterness, contempt, separation, unlovingness are caused by the holiest truths of God's Word! Our doctrines, our creeds, have been more important than love. We often think we are valiant for the truth and we forget God's command to speak the truth in love. And it was so in the time of the Reformation between the Lutheran and Calvinistic churches. What bitterness there was than in regard to the Holy Supper, which was meant to be the bond of union among all believers! And so, down the ages, the very dearest truths of God have become mountains that have separated us." - Andrew Murray (1895)

Wow, if this isn't a true statement! As true today as it was over a hundred years ago. It is sad that over the years of time we haven't changed. We are still all trying to prove our doctrinal views of the Scripture as though we think God has given us the only key to Truth.

I do believe there is a correct Truth and I am not speaking of major differences. Usually the views that have completely strayed from Divine Truth we all stand in unity upon. It is the slight differences based on interpretation that normally divide the church.

Many times instead of joining forces and going out together in love to do Kingdom work, energy is wasted on trying to prove who's view is the right view. Many times these debates have been going on for centuries with no resolve, and both sides often have valid Scriptural references to back their opinions.

What ought we to do? Titus 3:9-11 says, "9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. 11 You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."

Rather, we should all focus on this Matthew 22:34-40 "34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

God, help us to focus all our energies on these two commands. To love God and to love others! When it comes down to it, Your will is actually so much more simple than we try to make.