An excerpt from "The Right To Lead" by John Maxwell

What Gives a Man or Woman the Right to Lead?

It certainly isn't gained by election or appointment. Having position, title, rank or degrees doesn't qualify anyone to lead other people. And the ability doesn't come automatically from age or experience, either.

No, it would be accurate to say that no one can be given the right to lead. The right to lead can only be earned. And that takes time.

The Kind of Leader Others Want to Follow

The key to becoming an effective leader is not to focus on making other people follow, but on making yourself the kind of person they want to follow. You must become someone others can trust to take them where they want to go.

As you prepare yourself to become a better leader, use the following guidelines to help you grow:

1. Let go of your ego.

The truly great leaders are not in leadership for personal gain. They lead in order to serve other people. Perhaps that is why Lawrence D. Bell remarked, "Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things, and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things."

2. Become a good follower first.

Rare is the effective leader who didn't learn to become a good follower first. That is why a leadership institution such as the United States Military Academy teaches its officers to become effective followers first—and why West Point has produced more leaders than the Harvard Business School.

3. Build positive relationships.

Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. That means it is by nature relational. Today's generation of leaders seem particularly aware of this because title and position mean so little to them. They know intuitively that people go along with people they get along with.

4. Work with excellence.

No one respects and follows mediocrity. Leaders who earn the right to lead give their all to what they do. They bring into play not only their skills and talents, but also great passion and hard work. They perform on the highest level of which they are capable.

5. Rely on discipline, not emotion.

Leadership is often easy during the good times. It's when everything seems to be against you—when you're out of energy, and you don't want to lead—that you earn your place as a leader. During every season of life, leaders face crucial moments when they must choose between gearing up or giving up. To make it through those times, rely on the rock of discipline, not the shifting sand of emotion.

6. Make added value your goal.

When you look at the leaders whose names are revered long after they have finished leading, you find that they were men and women who helped people to live better lives and reach their potential. That is the highest calling of leadership—and its highest value.

7. Give your power away.

One of the ironies of leadership is that you become a better leader by sharing whatever power you have, not by saving it all for yourself. You're meant to be a river, not a reservoir. If you use your power to empower others, your leadership will extend far beyond your grasp.

Prayer Watch Devo for 1/31/2013 - Phillipians 1:3-11

Divine Watchmaker?

In the late 1700’s, Englishman William Paley argued the existence of God with his watch thesis. If one found a watch on the ground, he said, it could be assumed someone made it. Therefore, when considering the complexities of the world, the conclusion must be the same. Deists will postulate that God was the watchmaker, and once the world was created, He wound it up and let it go, with no more attention paid to it. Some suggest God is not active in the world today, else things like 9-11 or Sandy Hook would be prevented.

Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see. Psalm 80:14

How you view God matters. It influences how you understand your purpose and role in the world. Jesus taught God is involved when He prayed “Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11) He is active in answering prayer. Isaiah 65:24 says, “Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.” Are you fully confident you serve a God who is there with you – hearing, guiding, working out His plan?

There are men and women serving in government who desperately need to understand God is involved and not merely watching. Use your confidence in Him to energize your prayers for them.

Recommended Reading: Philippians 1:3-11  

When Life Hurts, Part 4

January 30, 2013         

When Life Hurts, Part 4

Joel Anderson - Senior Pastor - Harvest Orlando, Florida

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  —2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Taking the long view of situations, keeping hope alive, and expecting life to have pain are three ways God gives us through His Word to deal with the hurts we face in life. The last step is an amazing promise that we have to believe about God.

God Will Give You All You Need. The news no one wants is that some struggles just don’t disappear when we want or when we feel our faith has grown far enough.  Enter Paul and 2 Corinthians 12:7-8. In some cases, the Lord allows an ailment or affliction to remain.  No one is quite sure what Paul’s “thorn” was exactly, which makes it a helpful generic place-holder for any particular pain.

Notice first that God was not the author of this thorn or every thorn that’s threatened your life. It is the weapon and tool of our ancient foe. (See John 10:10, Revelation 12:10, and 1 Peter 5:8.) But what our enemy has intended to destroy faith, God would use to cause it to flourish. And that’s what we would herald here. And it’s what we also see as something very unique in this passage.

It’s God’s answer to Paul’s plea found in verse 9. This is the only time in Paul’s thirteen letters where we find him directly quoting Christ. The point we might infer? It was personal. It was difficult. Paul’s struggle was no small issue. He needed a personal word; one he is passing on to us.

I may not have what it takes, but God does! And that’s the heart a thorn can cause—a desperate dependence on the Lord and His strength to operate because of my acute awareness of my weakness.

The hurts we face can make us bitter or become the means by which God can pour His presence into our lives. It's a choice, really. Which will it be? When life hurts we need to run toward He who has been then too. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Let’s allow His power to be perfected in our weakness, His grace is sufficient.

Journal

•        Could it be said that I am a bitter person?

•        Who can I ask that will give me an honest answer?

Prayer

Dear Father in heaven, Your grace is sufficient! My heart knows that, but my head keeps telling me something else. Thank You for the trials and pain you allow into my life that cause me to be desperate. I would not think to run to You as earnestly and desperately if things were going smoothly all the time. Help me to always view pain that way, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Power of Kindness...

Sam Foss (1858-1911) was a popular journalist, humorist and poet. He was widely published in newspapers and quite successful with his lectures and readings. His most noted written work was created from an experience he had on a humid summer day while taking a walk in the country and becoming lost in thought. With the sun blazing down on him, he suddenly realized how hot and tired he was. He noticed a big tree at the side of the road, so he stopped for a moment to rest in the shade. Then he saw a little sign on the tree that read, "There is a good spring inside the fence. Come and drink if you are thirsty."

Foss climbed over the fence, found and enjoyed the cool water, and then read another sign attached to a bench, "Sit down and rest awhile if you are tired." Now thoroughly delighted and intrigued, he saw a barrel of apples nearby, which was accompanied by yet another sign. "If you like apples, just help yourself." He picked out a plump red apple, bit into it, and then looked up to see an elderly man watching him.

"I'm glad you dropped by," the host told Foss. The grateful traveler then asked about the signs and the gifts. The elderly man explained that the flowing water was going to waste, the bench had been gathering dust in his attic, and he had more apples in his orchard than he could possibly use. He went on to say that he and his wife had decided it would be neighborly to offer tired, thirsty passersby a place to rest and refresh themselves. He said that in doing so they had made a host of new friends.

"You must really like people," Foss responded to the explanation. "Of course," the elderly man replied. "Don't you?" Later, as Foss thought about the pleasant encounter, he remembered a line from Homer's Iliad that read, "He was a friend of man, and lived in a house by the side of the road." From his personal experience and the line from Homer, a poem began to take shape. He titled his now-famous poem, "The House by the Side of the Road," and here are some of the lines:

"I see from my house by the side of the road—by the side of the highway of life—the men who press on with ardor of hope—the men who are faint with strife—but I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears—both part of an infinite plan—let me live in a house by the side of the road—and be a friend to man."

God is all I need...

God’s Promise to Me

I am the God who blesses.

I have already prospered you with every spiritual blessing that you need to live in a fallen world.

My Prayer to God

O God, I praise you! You are the God who blesses. How easy it is to forget that you are the source of every good thing and that you yourself are good. Your goodness to me is not because of any goodness on my part. It is all because of Christ, all because of grace.

Missing my Airmen...

I sure miss my kiddos! I am so proud of them all!
God, please show them favor and keep them safe. Amen.

Give Him Praise...

Read Psalm 136:1, 21-26

Lord, I will continue to praise You and give thanks to You for who You are. When difficulties arise, I will praise You all the more and thank You for Your faithfulness. I will depend upon Your supernatural resources which enable me to live the supernatural life, regardless of the circumstances. Amen.

Are you feeling ignored?...

January 24th, 2013

Are you feeling ignored?

By Darren Hewer

“My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” (Jeremiah 2:13)

Have you ever been ignored by someone that you care deeply about? To me being ignored feels like just about the worst pain imaginable. When a person who is special to you lavishes you with attention, it feels like you’re on top of the world. But when that person ignores you, leaving you wanting and waiting and wondering, it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders.

Even being rebuked or insulted is better than being ignored; at least that shows that the person cares enough to rebuke or insult you. But to be ignored feels like the person is saying, “You’re so unimportant to me that I can’t even be bothered to acknowledge your presence.” Except that they’re not saying anything at all. And that can sting worse than any insult.

As I thought and prayed, through tears, about my own situation, I suddenly realized … this must be how God feels. All the time.

By any conservative estimate, most of the world does not know the God revealed in the Bible and therefore has no relationship with Him. Even those of us who believe that He is real, He is with us, and He is not silent, still find ways to shut ourselves off to His reality, His presence, and His voice.

How often do we ignore God? And how much does this hurt Him? Just to be clear, God does not feel things in exactly the same way that I do. God is not an emotional dimwit like me; He is entirely holy, good, and righteous. He has no need for self-pity since there is no insecurity in His fully assured, perfect, divine Self. Yet often in scripture we sense His pain when we brush Him aside. How much does it pain God when billions of His beloved people ignore Him?

Speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Israel, the Lord says: “My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” (Jeremiah 2:13)

Not only have God’s chosen people turned away from Him, the “spring of living water,” but they’ve also chosen something inferior instead, “broken cisterns.” They prefer leaky pits dug into the ground. I can’t recall the last time I enjoyed a leaky pit, but I can identify with how we often choose almost anything besides dwelling in God’s presence.

Are you ignoring God? Ignoring someone only strains, and eventually disintegrates, the relationship.

The insights God has shown me through my recent experiences have given me a certain sense of peace beyond insight, knowing that God entirely empathizes with my pain. And it has been one of many reminders that whether happy and praising, or lamenting and cursing, we should never ignore our Lord.

Wow! God's beauty...

Women in Ministry...

The following are just a very few facts from the bible regarding the women who have played very important roles in the ministry and church! I am sure you already known about some of these…See below:

Deborah literally means "Bee," reminding us of her wisdom, how she liberally shared with her friends, and how her influence and authority were used by God to "sting" Israel's enemies. Her creative talents and leadership abilities set her apart. Deborah wrote songs and sang them, and she was a patriotic woman of God who judged and led Israel for 40 years. She might be called the first female military commander and first female Supreme Court justice! The keys to Deborah's effectiveness were her spiritual commitment and walk with God, in fact she is called a prophetess. She demonstrates the possibilities for any woman today who will allow the Spirit of God to fill and form her life, developing her full capacities to shape the world around her.

The name "Huldah" is derived from the Hebrew root cheled, which means "to glide swiftly." Perhaps Huldah's name reflects her quickness of mind and her ability to swiftly and rightly discern the things of God. In any case, this woman was used by God in history to voice His judgment and His prophecy, and to spark one of the greatest national revivals in history. Hilkiah the high priest and Shaphan the scribe sought out Huldah for God's word of wisdom. She had the complete respect and confidence of all these men, a lesson in the truth spiritual influence flows from a spiritual lifestyle, not merely from the presence of spiritual gifts.

Esther was a Jewish orphan, raised by her cousin, Mordecai. God opens destiny to any person who will keep His priorities. Even in the presence of success and wealth Esther retained her sense of perspective and integrity. She showed courage and obedience when she was faced with death! She had great respect for the power of prayer. She recognized the reality of the Holy Spirit. She was steadfast and willing to lay down her own life for others.

Acts 21:9 - This reference to Philip's daughter's each exercising the gifts of prophecy makes it very clear that women did bring God's word by the power of the Holy Spirit and such ministry was fully accepted in the early church.

Paul reinforced it in 1 Corinthians 11:5, where he states that a woman may "prophesy," Yes it does state she must be properly "covered," which is rightly related to her husband or other spiritual authority, a regulation incumbent upon all spiritual leaders, male or female.

1 Timothy 3:1-13. So why is the position of women in the ministry contested by so many within the ministry? Women had an equal place in the Upper Room, awaiting the Holy Spirit's coming and the birth of the church, Acts 1:14.

Peter's prophetic sermon at Pentecost affirmed the Old Testament promise was now to be realized: "your daughters" and "maidservants" would now share fully and equally with men in realizing the anointing, fullness, and ministry of the Holy Spirit, making them effective in witness and service for the spread of the gospel.

Though the place of men seems more pronounced in the number who filled leadership roles, there does not appear to be any direct restriction of privilege when it comes to women in the ministry. In fact the method of designation suggests they were the appointed leaders in their respective fellowships. How can there be any doubt that women did speak, preach and prophesy in the early church. 1 Timothy 2:8-15

Women did financially support Jesus in his ministry Luke 8:2,3 - and figured prominently in the establishment of churches of Thessalonica, Acts 17:4 - and Berea (v. 12). The early church was also blessed with prophetesses, Acts 2:17; 21:9 - who spoke the word of the Lord. The first recorded convert of Paul's European mission was a woman named Lydia, Acts 16:13,14 - and the baptism of her household marked the beginning of the Philippian church (v. 15).

Paul later wrote the Following: Phi 4:2 - I encourage both Euodia and Syntyche to have the attitude the Lord wants them to have. Phi 4:3 - Yes, I also ask you, Syzugus, my true partner, to help these women. They fought beside me to spread the Good News along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the Book of Life. These women not only assisted Paul; they ministered right at his side in an apparently equal capacity. Other women commended by Paul for their ministries include Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, and Rufus' mother, Rom. 16:6,12,13.

A more prominent role in the early church was played by Priscilla. Priscilla, along with her husband Aquila, was involved with evangelism and teaching Acts 18:2,24-26 - and even led churches in Rome, Rom. 16:3,4 - and Ephesus, 1 Cor. 16:19. Similarly, Nympha led a church in Laodicea, Col. 4:15. There are the two other women described in Romans 16 who clearly ministered in leadership roles. wife."Reference 6

"Phoebe" means "Pure or Radiant." Paul calls her not only a servant of the church, but a helper of many. Other versions translate the word "servant" as "deaconess." Still others have called her "minister" in other scriptures where the Greek word diakoneo is use; it is translated "minister" or deacon (diakonon) of the congregation of Cenchrea. Romans 16:2 provides more information about Phoebe: Paul calls her "a patroness (prostatis)." Bible translations render this term "servant," "friend," or "helper." This is appropriate since leadership roles in the church are roles of service.

According to many scholars it was Phoebe who carried the written book of Romans to the congregation. This is consonant to Psalm 68:11, which declares the place of women in the spread of God's Word: "The Lord gave the word; great was the company or host of women . Who proclaimed it." The inserted words are justified by the Hebrew, most translators acknowledge this.

Women have contributed much to the ministry of the Church throughout its history. However, their role in this area has never been free from controversy. Today, most church bodies are discussing the place of women in their ministries. Crucial to these discussions for many of us are the matters of faithful biblical interpretation.

Perhaps a few words should be said about the concept of ministry itself on the basis of the New Testament.

Today, we tend to confuse our specific church traditions about ordination with the biblical concept of ministry. The New Testament says relatively little about ordination. It clearly portrays, however, the fact that the early church had a varied and faithful ministry arising from the fact that all of God’s people were “gifted” by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of building up one another (see, for example, 1 Corinthians 12:4–31; 14:1–19; Romans 12:3–8; Ephesians 4:7–16; 1 Peter 4:8–11). Any person could exercise ministry (which means, remember, service) who was called and gifted by God and affirmed by the body of Christ, the Church. Some were set apart in leadership positions and some were assigned specific tasks to accomplish, but the differences among ministries were not distinctions of kind. Eventually, certain types of affirmation were combined with certain functions of ministry to produce our current understanding of ordination.

Modern debates over the ordination of women often miss the crucial and basic issues of the holistic concept of the ministry of the Church reflected in the New Testament. Of course, no person should be ordained or given any responsibilities of ministry within the Church because of gender or for the sake of a “point.” On the other hand, we have affirmed in the Church that no person, called and gifted by God, should be denied any role of ministry or leadership in the Church because of one’s gender.

Who better to work with abused women/young ladies/girls than an ordained female chaplain and minister? Women in ministry as chaplains and ministers are serving a very important role in today's world.

Every word you speak is a seed...

Give Your Faith a Voice

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed and therefore I spoke,’ we also believe and therefore speak.”

(2 Corinthians 4:13, NKJV)

Every believer has been given a measure of faith. In order to see the promises of God come to pass in your life, you have to give your faith a voice. You must declare what God says about you in His Word. Those seeds of faith inside you are activated when you speak them out into the atmosphere. That’s why the scripture tells us, “Let the weak say I am strong. Let the poor say I am rich.” When you give your faith a voice and send forth the Word of God, the Bible says that He watches over His Word to bring it to pass in your life.

Every word you speak is a seed. Don’t dig up your seed by speaking against your faith! Don’t allow words of defeat or negativity come out of your mouth. Instead, water your seed by continuing to declare the Word of God. When you wake up every morning, thank Him that His promises are coming to pass in your life. As you do, you will see those things come to pass and live the life of victory God has prepared for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, today I humbly come before You giving You my thoughts, my actions, and my words. Help me to give my faith a voice by speaking Your Word daily. May my words and my thoughts be pleasing to You always in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Nothing is impossible with God...

[Jesus] replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

In this verse Jesus wasn’t pointing to a measurement of faith, as though we could check our faith by stepping on a scale and claiming that the extra weight comes from extra faith.

(Wouldn’t that would be nice?) Immediately after saying the disciples didn’t have enough faith, Jesus told them that even faith as small as a tiny mustard seed would be enough to move a mountain. Obviously it was not the amount of faith but the focus of the faith.

Earlier in Matthew 17 the disciples had tried to cast out a demon without success. Perhaps they had tried to cast it out depending on what they considered their own power. Whatever occurred, their faith must have been in the wrong place. When they put their faith in the right place—in the all-powerful God—then even a tiny grain of faith would be enough. Nothing is impossible when our faith is in God.

This kind of faith moves mountains and makes all things possible. At times we may feel that we have great faith; at other times we may feel that our faith is suffering. In the end, however, if even that suffering faith is in God, then it is enough to do the impossible!

God’s Promise to Me

If you have faith in me as small as a mustard seed, then it is enough to move mountains and do the impossible.

My Prayer to God

You promise, Lord, that with faith in you nothing is impossible. Thank you for being the God of the possible. Help me to remember that my faith, even small and weak, can do great things for you.

Stepping Up...Tim Harkness - Senior Pastor - Harvest Peoria, Illinois

And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. Be careful now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it. —1 Chronicles 28:9-10

We serve an amazing God. He is a God of perfection, power, and glory. He is a God who is all about restoration. What I find most amazing is He allows us to partner with Him and watch Him work in this world and in us. However, to really see His hand move through us, there are a few stipulations God outlines in the words from David to his son Solomon.

David tells Solomon that God uses those who are all in and on His terms. God calls us to serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind. The term whole heart used here by David is interesting because that’s how God described David.  But it’s not that simple.

David was not perfect. This guy had an affair, murdered the husband, and conveniently married the widow that is carrying his child conceived by the affair. Yeah, that guy has a whole heart. Is God wrong? Nope. The term whole heart does not imply perfection, it implies repentance. David saw his sin in light of God’s glory and humbled himself—now that is a whole heart. When the heart is humble, the thinking will follow. This is why a willing mind is referenced next in the above text; a mind not complaining and grumbling, but seeing God’s hand over all plans.

God uses those who seek Him out. We are called to set down the distractions of this world, the “sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1) and run after our King. Look for His fingerprint in each area of your life. Long to be rocked by Him. Hunger to hear from His Spirit as He leads, guides, and convicts. Let God stun you with His greatness. Be satisfied with nothing less.

God uses those who are strong and do it. In short, He uses those who step out in faith and step up in His name for His glory. So, Nike is more than brilliant, they are biblical. “Just Do It!” This passage captures the heart of the one running on the narrow path, alone, committed to God as his guide. 

Our challenge is simple, yet incredibly difficult. Our call is to set down the glamorous, distracting, me-centered thinking and run after God with all we have. We must be all in: whole heart, willing mind, seeking Him out, and just doing it!

My Prayer

Almighty Father, I want to be wholehearted. I want to be all in. But my flesh is so weak! I am so easily distracted by the things this world has to offer. Help me to see my sin, truly repent of it, and live in full surrender to Your will and ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

File it Away...

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me.”

(Psalm 131:1, NKJV)

When things happen in your life that you don’t plan, do you find yourself trying to reason it all out or look for a “file” so to speak in your mind to put it in? What happens when you can’t reason it out or make sense of it all?

Here’s the answer: Every one of us needs to create a file in our thinking called the “I Don’t Understand It” file. When things come up that don’t make sense, things that you can’t figure out, instead of getting frustrated or confused, put it in your “I Don’t Understand It” file and leave it alone. If you go through life trying to figure out why something bad happened or why things didn’t work out, it will cause you to become bitter and stuck in life. Part of trusting God means trusting Him when things don’t make sense because we know that His plan is always for good. We have to know that He will reveal all things in His time — even if that means in eternity.

Is there something that didn’t make sense in 2012 that you know you need to file away? Choose to trust God. Choose to keep moving forward. Know that He loves you, He is for you, and He has a great plan for your future!

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, today I surrender my past. I surrender my need to have all the answers, and I choose to trust You. Fill me with Your peace. Fill me with Your grace and compassion as I press forward into the victory You have prepared for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Matthew 22:37-39, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

Whose Agenda?

James MacDonald - Senior Pastor - Harvest Bible Chapel

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. —Philippians 1:21-26 We’re thinking a lot this month about God’s agenda. I want to challenge you to plug into God’s plan. Are you listening? I want to urge you to take your life and 100 percent, as best as you know how, connect with the agenda of Almighty God, who made this world. Notice, I didn’t say I want you to plug God into your agenda. Lots of people have tried to do that. That’s a bad plan. You can’t plug God into your agenda—He doesn’t “add on” very well at all. I’ve tried that. You can’t say, “Hey, God, cool, You love me. You sent Your Son to die for me. Come on, You can be on my team. There’s a lot of stuff I want to make happen in this world, God, and if You’d just like to kind of sign up with me, I bet You’d be a real aid to my agenda.” No, you can’t plug God into your agenda. Let me say this also. You can’t plug your agenda into God’s. It doesn’t work to say, “OK, well, You’re bigger than me, so, tell You what, I’ll get on Your team, but I want to bring my agenda with me. And then we’ll mainly work on Your stuff, but in our leftover time we’ll make sure that all my stuff happens.” Bad plan. God isn’t interested in multi-tasking. You can’t plug your agenda into His plan. There’s only one agenda. It’s just God’s. All there is boils down to what God is trying to accomplish in this world in which we live. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-39, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind . . . You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” At that point he was on God’s agenda. His plans; his life—all in God’s hands. If you want that kind of life, God’s Word tells you exactly how to get it. But I’ve gotta say this first. You can’t know or understand God’s agenda; you can’t plug into or live for it until you realize God’s agenda has to be the whole plan, 24/7 for all of life.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, teach me each day to rightly value Your agenda above and beyond all others, particularly my own. Remind me that even when my agenda succeeds for a while, the long term results will not satisfy me or please You. Lord, I want to trust You by honoring Your agenda throughout my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Kameryn 01 11 2013

My Girl...I love to see her smile!

There are four things I want to share with you today, that Jesus experienced and we will too.

Why Our Walk with Jesus Seems So Hard Some Days

January 11th, 2013 Rev. Daniel Forster

“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:19)

Somehow upon receiving the freedom that comes when we accept Christ into our lives, we come up with a false notion that following Jesus is going to be easy. Because of this false notion, many folks who decide to give their lives to Christ end up returning to the life they were saved from. The enemy plants lies in their heads – that God is not with them or that the freedom they briefly experienced was not meant for them.

All we have to do is look at what Jesus faced and come to terms with the fact that we will face these things too. It is not that God is not with us, nor is His grace is unobtainable. These lies are tools used by the enemy to deceive us. There are four things I want to share with you today, that Jesus experienced and we will too.

1. We will be tempted. (Matthew 4:1-11) Jesus was tempted and so will we be. In fact if you notice, immediately following the Holy Spirit coming upon Jesus after His baptism He was led by the Spirit, to be tempted. We will face temptations every day of our lives. We need to call on Jesus when we face these temptations, for He knows all too well what we are going through. We will walk away from these temptations deeper in His word, stronger in Him. His word is our protector and our shield.

2. People will try to trick us. (Matthew 22:15, Luke 20:20-26, Matthew 15:1-9) Has someone ever told you a lie or manipulated you? Have they ever walked you down a path so that they may get you to stumble and look foolish? Has someone ever spoken behind your back to get you to slip up publicly? This is called gossip and deceit, and we face it every day. The question is…will you hate the people or the sin?

3. Spiritual forces will attack us. (Ephesians 6:12) All throughout the Gospel we see demons being cast out of people. If the people then were attacked, why would we not be attacked? The good news is that spiritual forces have no power over Jesus. Put the whole armor of God, and be “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” (Eph 6:18a) Pray for the people, hate the sin. Pray against the evil forces that manipulate those around you. Seek refuge in His temple from the enemies that come at you. Read Psalm 27, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

4. The world will not like us, and will try to silence us. (John 15:18-20)This is the kicker of all kickers. This is the game changer the enemy uses to the best of his abilities to get you to walk away from God. This sadly, is where many of us fall as Christians.

Let’s look at verse 19. “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” When we follow Christ we cease to be of the world anymore. The world will not love and accept us as it used to. Many will try to bring you down or hurt you. This is why fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ is so important. We need support from each other so we can love those who hate us. We need to show the same grace that God shows us so the world may truly see God in us. Read James 1:2-4.

Is our walk with our Lord and Savior an easy one? No. Is it worth it? Yes! Folks, through all of these things I listed that we will experience as followers of Christ, we must remember that this world is only a temporary home. Let our minds be mindful of the eternity we have been promised by our God to spend with Him. I can’t speak for any of you, but for me, I will gladly face any of these things above to spend eternity with my Father, my God, my Savior. The coolest part is that through all of these things that we experience, we grow closer to God, and our relationship grows deeper and stronger.

God in Heaven, When it feels like the whole world is against me, remind me that You are for me. I have the great privilege on being on Your side. Help me to never discount the miracle of my salvation. When things get hard help me to be quick to run to You. In your name I pray, Amen

The Power of Discipline

"No steam or gas drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated and disciplined."
~Harry E. Fosdick

Self-discipline and self-motivation are joined at the hip. Why is that? When you practice self-discipline you feel like you are in control of your life. You feel content and motivated because you're moving toward your goals.

“The Lord is my Shepherd, and that’s all I need to know.”

All You Need to Know in the Coming Year

January 9th, 2013 John Grant

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Psalm 23, NLT

A Sunday school teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible – Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the chapter.

Little Rick was excited about the task – but he just couldn’t remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line. On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Ricky was so nervous. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, “The Lord is my Shepherd, and that’s all I need to know.”

Little Rick hit the nail right on the head. We live in a confused, anxiety burdened society. Some fear the future; they’re anxious about what’s going to happen. Others fear the past and they’re anxious about what has happened. And still others fear even the present, and they cannot imagine how they can cope with the ugliness of present circumstances in their lives. Thousands of people each day wake up with untold burdens to bear and anxiety with which they must deal. Are you one of these? Bearing secretly a heavy burden?

Well, like all the great questions of life, Scripture affords us an answer. This time it comes from the life of David. In Psalm 23, David says there is a constructive, God-honoring way to respond to worldly challenges in our lives.

The New Year is upon us and many will be making resolutions as they decide how to manage their lives, condition their bodies and the like. But I suggest the question be: How does God want me to respond to the challenges in my life during the coming year? How shall I then live?

David says that we should trust God as the good and faithful Shepherd and rejoice in His grace. Now, it must be said that responding to God in this way will not necessarily solve your problems, but God will provide confidence as to what He is doing in your life.

He will convince you, as He did David, that it is He who is leading your life, He is the One who is in control of all the details and circumstances. This will lead to greater peace and knowledge that we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

So, as we celebrate this New Year, let us do so with the confidence that God is in control. He is our Sheppard and that is all we need to know.

Every single morning His call to us is to trust Him with our day.

The Promise of Guidance

January 8th, 2013 Gail Rodgers

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

January is a time when we look ahead and plan into a new year. Sometimes the way is exciting and clear. Other times it may be foggy and uncertain.

God’s word gives us sure footing as we stand on the threshold of a new day. Every single morning His call to us is to trust Him with our day. He will direct our paths one step at a time.

Today’s verses go on to encourage us not to be wise in our own eyes and to walk in ways pleasing to God. The promise of this kind of trust even aids our health as confidence in God will even reduce our stress.

Acknowledging Him in every step and every decision is a wise way to live.

Heavenly Father,

Today I want to declare my trust in You and in Your divine ability to guide my pathway. When I don’t know which way to turn I know You can direct me. Forgive me when I do my own best thinking about solutions and directions without acknowledging Your love for me and Your desire to direct me. Right now I do acknowledge that You alone know what is best. You alone can see around each blind corner and You alone can show me just what steps to take. Thank you for Your steadfast love and Your sure direction in my life. I love You, Lord and I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Question: What will you do this year to ensure that you bring every decision to God?

Back to the Basics in 2013 - Happy New Year Everyone!

Back to the Basics

January 6th, 2013 John Grant

A new year is sort of like a blank slate, but not really, because we can’t erase all things from years before, yet God can. Yes, we must still pay the price and carry the scars of mistakes long ago, but we can lay all of that at the foot of the cross as we start anew. The real question is whether we have let our earthly challenges blur our vision of the basics of our faith and a new year is the best time.

The best exercise is to go back to the basics. When the legend coach Vince Lombardi’s team wasn’t doing well, He got them back to basics by standing in front of them with a round leather object in his hand and said: Gentlemen, this is a football.” We too need to get back to the basics of the Christian faith. Here are some ideas to get us to the basis of our faith in this New Year:

• I am God’s child (John 1:12)
• I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15 )
• I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
• I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)
• I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
• I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)
• I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)
• I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)
• I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)
• I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)
• I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)
• I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)
• I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
• I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
• I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)
• I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )
• I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28)
• I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )
• I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )
• I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)
• I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
• I am God’s temple (1 Cor. 3: 16)
• I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
• I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3)
• I have been justified (Rom 5:1)
• I am God’s co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9)
• I am God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
• I am confident the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)
• I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col 1:14)
• I have been adopted as God’s child (Eph 1:5)
• I belong to God.

Thank you Lord God, that I can know for sure who I am and also Whose I am. Amen.

Questions: Have you allowed your earthly challenges to blur your vision of the basics of who you are in Christ?