Over the last several days, I have been bombarded by Scripture as it relates to my role and responsibility as an shepherd to a flock of believers. It is now time for me to begin taking what I have been challenged with and instituting it not only in my personal walk with the Lord but also in my role as a pastor. The influence of the Holy Spirit is crucial to the effectiveness of all that I believe God wants me to do.
There is so much to say, and yet I am still coming to grips with much of it. However, let me say that in the weeks and months to come, I believe that God is leading me to, not necessarily make sweeping changes, but to systematically, in my own life, become in ALL areas what God wants the church to be like.
Ultimately, it must be my goal to become as Christ-like as possible so that I lead not only through the preaching and teaching of God's Word, but also through my personal and public life. Basically, I must strive to be an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ so that others see what is expected of them and that it is possible through Jesus Christ.
Is it going to be easy? NO. Will there be bumps in the road? YES. Yet, when I do it for the Lord, then it will be His strength I am seeking and using, not my own. And that will result in God receiving the glory, not myself.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
An Encouraging Word
Proverbs 12:25 (NLT) "Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up."
A struggling economy. Hatred. Self-indulgence. War. Poverty. Pain. Depression. Disease. And that is just on the front page of the newspaper! We live in a world consumed by all of this and more. Every day we are surrounded with negativity and a focus on self. Our society is lost and hopeless. To many there seems to be no light at the end of tunnel. The result is that "worry weighs a person down." More people are frustrated, upset, disgusted, tense, stressed, and sick. All because of worry.
What our world needs is Christ. What people in our sphere of influence need is an encouraging word. They need to know that God loves them. They need to know that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). They need to know that in Christ there is hope.
It is time that we as believers start focusing on encouraging. We all enjoy an encouraging word. Several years ago people would stand on a street corner or in a mall with a sign that simply read: "Free Hugs." The goal was to simply give people a hug. Why? Because God created us not to be independent, but to be interdependent. We need each other. We need companionship. We need friendship. And what great group of people can be the encouragers in our society than those who have been encouraged through the grace of God?
Are you an encourager? Do people want to be around you? Practice JOY: Jesus, Others, You! Allow your life to be a source of love, gentleness, kindness and encouragement to those in your circle. Strive to cheer up at least 3 people each day. When that becomes too easy, double it. After awhile, you won't even think about it. It will happen naturally.
Oh, and by the way, let me encourage you today. Psalm 145:18 tells us: "The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."
A struggling economy. Hatred. Self-indulgence. War. Poverty. Pain. Depression. Disease. And that is just on the front page of the newspaper! We live in a world consumed by all of this and more. Every day we are surrounded with negativity and a focus on self. Our society is lost and hopeless. To many there seems to be no light at the end of tunnel. The result is that "worry weighs a person down." More people are frustrated, upset, disgusted, tense, stressed, and sick. All because of worry.
What our world needs is Christ. What people in our sphere of influence need is an encouraging word. They need to know that God loves them. They need to know that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). They need to know that in Christ there is hope.
It is time that we as believers start focusing on encouraging. We all enjoy an encouraging word. Several years ago people would stand on a street corner or in a mall with a sign that simply read: "Free Hugs." The goal was to simply give people a hug. Why? Because God created us not to be independent, but to be interdependent. We need each other. We need companionship. We need friendship. And what great group of people can be the encouragers in our society than those who have been encouraged through the grace of God?
Are you an encourager? Do people want to be around you? Practice JOY: Jesus, Others, You! Allow your life to be a source of love, gentleness, kindness and encouragement to those in your circle. Strive to cheer up at least 3 people each day. When that becomes too easy, double it. After awhile, you won't even think about it. It will happen naturally.
Oh, and by the way, let me encourage you today. Psalm 145:18 tells us: "The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
A Philippians 3:13-14 moment
Wow! I have, over the last 2 days, witnessed how quickly what we can hold onto can be taken down. The original building at the church was torn down and is now an empty area. What had been dreamt about, prayed about, planned, designed, built and used is now just a memory in picturess and video.
As I reflect on the lives, many of who I have never met, who were impacted by the ministry from within those walls, I am humbled and amazed. Watching the destruction of that building brought me to tears as I reflected on all that this church has stood for over the years. A building that was used by the Lord for 50 plus years to proclaim the gospel is now gone. What do we do now?
The same thing that this church and many like it have been doing, we go forward. We must strain toward what is ahead. We must "press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus" [added]. God challenges us all that to be stuck in the past results in us being useless for the future. It is not wrong to remember the past, we just have to make sure that we don't dwell there.
Where are you? Are you stuck in the past? Do you focus on what your spiritual life use to be like? How on fire you were back then? Or are you pressing "on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of"? Make sure that you are not putting your confidence and hope in that which moth and rust will destroy!
As I reflect on the lives, many of who I have never met, who were impacted by the ministry from within those walls, I am humbled and amazed. Watching the destruction of that building brought me to tears as I reflected on all that this church has stood for over the years. A building that was used by the Lord for 50 plus years to proclaim the gospel is now gone. What do we do now?
The same thing that this church and many like it have been doing, we go forward. We must strain toward what is ahead. We must "press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus" [added]. God challenges us all that to be stuck in the past results in us being useless for the future. It is not wrong to remember the past, we just have to make sure that we don't dwell there.
Where are you? Are you stuck in the past? Do you focus on what your spiritual life use to be like? How on fire you were back then? Or are you pressing "on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of"? Make sure that you are not putting your confidence and hope in that which moth and rust will destroy!
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